Technology has given us new ways to connect and converse with others like never before. In fact, by the time you finish reading this sentence more than 193,000 text messages will have been sent! This innovative book explores the often subtle differences between various forms of communication such as active listening, written, oral, nonverbal, and digital communication. Readers will learn about potential communication roadblocks and strategies to overcome them. Motivating activities and challenges, facts and statistics that have impact, and biographical snapshots show how building effective communication skills is essential in all facets of life in today’s complex and connected world.
This innovative title explores the ways that critical thinking can be applied to problem solving in school, work, and social settings. Real-world examples and opportunities for hands-on practice support readers as they learn how to frame, analyze, and synthesize information. Readers are also encouraged to ask questions to clarify points of view, and apply other core skills essential to making complex choices and determining sound solutions.
Creativity and innovation are central to success in the 21st century. This dynamic title provides a comprehensive look at creative processes in a variety of settings. Readers are introduced to various brainstorming techniques and will learn different approaches to help refine and evaluate their ideas. Real-world examples, motivating challenges, and case studies broaden readers’ understanding of this key skill set.
Collaboration skills, or the ability to effectively work with people, are in high demand in today’s connected world. The ability to work with diverse individuals across diverse platforms in our online world is essential in the 21st century. This title explores the skills and practices needed to be a successful collaborator in any situation covering topics such as establishing responsibilities, engineering plans, and becoming socially aware. With a focus on college and career readiness, the title encourages readers to be group members who use active listening, respect, self-direction, and focus to understand diverse perspectives and come to achieve common goals. Students will build collaboration skills for the future through projects, real-world examples of international collaborative achievements, and practicing tips for being effective collaborators in their own increasingly social and digital worlds.
A person will experience many changes throughout their lifetime. Adapting and surviving is the difficult part. This practical title addresses the concept of resilience and how to cope with personal and social changes.
This timely book examines all types of relationships from parental, friendship, and carer, to teacher, doctor, and romantic partner. Sensitive discussions of the idea of consent, what makes a good and a bad secret are included along with activities that help readers understand personal boundaries and manipulation within relationships.
Jobs in the media, media diversity, and identifying fake news are all explored in this unique look at the role of the media in our lives. A handy timeline makes it easy to track historical change and important innovations in media.
This inspiring title discusses the benefits of getting involved in making the world a better place. Readers will learn the many ways people speak up as an activist or donate their time and labor as a volunteer to organizations and issues they believe in.
The online world is an environment full of opportunity - and risks. Social networks and online shopping sites encourage users to share personal information about themselves, but this can expose them to Identity spoofing and theft. Digital Data Security explores the many issues involved with cyber security, how companies combat hackers, and and how individuals must take charge of their own digital safety.
This important book examines ways to meet the challenges facing Earth’s environment—one of the United Nation's sustainable development goals. From tackling ocean pollution to slowing climate change, readers will gain an understanding of how all the UN goals work together, and learn concrete strategies to inspire change. Profiles of youth-led movements and other collaborative efforts to help the environment will empower readers to get involved to restore and protect the health of environments.
This timely book examines the elimination of global poverty—one of the United Nation's sustainable development goals. From tackling hunger to creating fair work opportunities, readers will gain an understanding of how all the UN goals work together, and learn concrete strategies to inspire change. Profiles of youth-led movements and other collaborative efforts to end poverty will empower readers to get involved themselves and become change-makers.
This insightful book examines ways to reduce the global inequality of people—one of the United Nation's sustainable development goals. From tackling gender inequality to fighting for the right to a good education, readers will gain an understanding of how all the UN goals work together, and learn concrete strategies to inspire change. Profiles of youth-led movements and other collaborative efforts to fight inequality will empower readers to get involved to achieve equality for all global citizens.
This important book examines ways to reduce the negative impact of economic and urban growth on people and the environment—one of the United Nation's sustainable development goals. From reducing energy use to helping communities become safe and inclusive for all people, readers will gain an understanding of how all the UN goals work together, and learn concrete strategies to inspire change. Profiles of youth-led movements and other collaborative efforts to support responsible growth will empower readers to get involved in the movement to create a sustainable world.
New seventh-grade student Carson Roberts learns the hard way not to cross the school bully, and it's only her first day. Book #1 in the series.
Paris is worried that Max isn't really visiting his grandparents. She thinks he's dating another girl. Instead of asking Max her real question, Paris takes her cousin's advice and accepts a date with Blake. After all, if Max can date someone behind her back, why can't she? Besides, no one will know her at the Wayfield homecoming game... or will they?
Amber Fang enjoys life's simple pleasures. A perfect evening for her includes a good book, a glass of wine and, of course, a great meal, preferably straight from the jugular. Raised to eat ethically, Amber dines only on delicious cold-blooded killers. But confirming that her chosen victims deserve to die takes time. And patience. So it's a good thing Amber is studying to be a librarian. Her extraordinary research skills help her hunt down her prey, seek out other vampires and stay on the trail of her mother, who has been missing for over two years now. But one day while Amber is stalking a rather tasty-looking murderer, things go horribly wrong. Amber has walked into a trap. The hunter becomes the hunted. Now on the run, Amber receives the perfect job offer out of the blue. Someone wants to pay her to kill (and eat) the world's worst criminals. It sounds too good to be true. Amber Fang: Hunted is the first book in this exciting new vampire series.
High-school football star Matt Barnes was on the top of the world until a freak snowboarding accident ended his promising sports career and left him with a permanent limp. As he struggles to accept his changed body, Matt becomes depressed and isolated. Instead of college football camp, he faces a summer job at the local golf club. Then by chance Matt lands an internship at the Justice Project, an organization that defends the wrongly convicted. The other intern is his high-school nemesis, Sonya Livingstone, a quick-witted social activist with little time for jock culture. The two slowly develop a friendship as they investigate the case of Ray Richardson, who was convicted of murdering his parents twenty-one years ago. Matt and Sonya are soon convinced that Ray is innocent—but how will they prove it? Unraveling the cold case takes them on a journey filled with twists, turns, deception and danger. It will take dedication, perseverance and courage to unmask the real murderer. Can those same qualities help Matt move on to a life not defined by football?
After the death of her boyfriend, sixteen-year old Valentine stops going to school, quits seeing her friends and, finally, won’t leave her bed. Desperate for her daughter to recover, Valentine’s mother takes her on a trek in Thailand. In the mountains north of Chiang Mai, Valentine finds a world she didn’t know existed, where houses are on stilts and elephants still roam wild. She learns about the Burmese civil war and the relentless violence against the Karen and Rohingya peoples. Then she meets Lin, a mysterious young elephant keeper tormented by his hidden past, and an orphaned elephant calf, pursued by violent poachers. Together, the three flee deep into the jungle, looking for refuge and redemption.
Resourceful fourteen-year-old Odette is on the move again, traveling as a stowaway on a cheese cart with her hapless mother, Anneline. They are in Burgundy, France, in 1799, fleeing yet another calamity caused by Anneline (who is prone to killing people accidentally). At dawn they find themselves in a town called Nevers, which is filled with eccentric characters, including a man who obsessively smells hands, another who dreams of becoming a chicken and a donkey that keeps the town awake at night, braying about his narrow life. As Odette establishes a home in an abandoned guardhouse, she makes a friend in the relaxed Nicois and finds work as a midwife's assistant. She and Nicois uncover a mystery that may lead to riches and, more important for Odette, a sense of belonging.
Our views and opinions on many things are heavily influenced by our culture and what we see in the media. They can even shape how we see ourselves, including what is an acceptable or desirable body. Using relatable examples, this timely title explores the body image messages we receive from movies, video games, magazines, and social media, and how they affect our self-esteem.
Cultural beliefs surrounding illness and societal beliefs about how we should offer health care are discussed in this fascinating addition to the Our Values series. Discussions about the treatment of common diseases, as well as topics of interest, such as how a cast is made, are compared and contrasted with the way health care is provided throughout the world.
What are moral and legal rights and how are they recognized in our society? This engaging title explores what having “rights” means, while pointing out that we can’t have rights without also having responsibilities. A discussion about standing up for your rights will help readers understand the importance of individual rights and how they must be protected.
Casey Finnegan is a talented skateboarder. He lives to skate. At the end of his final year of high school, Casey is wondering what to do with his life. He hasn't applied to any colleges, and other than skateboarding, he doesn't believe he's very good at much of anything. When a young movie star contacts Casey and offers him the job of stunt double in an upcoming skateboarding movie, Casey is stoked. It's his dream job, and Casey jumps at the opportunity to train the star. But when word gets out about Casey's new gig, a local skater has other ideas about who would make the best stunt double.
Sixteen-year-old Spencer loves his job at the local racing stable, but when he becomes convinced that someone is drugging the racehorse Lord of the Flies, no one believes him. In an effort to find out who is behind a dangerous race-fixing scheme, he takes on some of the most unsavory members of the track community. By refusing to turn a blind eye, Spencer risks losing those he cares most about, including Em, the stableowner's niece.
Jack Spencer has more to worry about than being kicked off his high school's basketball team. He uncovers suspicious circumstances surrounding the car crash that severely injured his mother and learns of his father's arrest for fraud. Jack's dad is tough on him, but he has learned to live with it. For the most part, he has it pretty good. Jack is a star player on his high school basketball team with everything going for him-scoring records, popularity and an easy path to a college scholarship. Almost as fast as the crash that put his mom in the hospital, everything Jack believes in starts to crumble. His only hope is to discover what's really going on, and quickly. If he doesn't, Jack may lose much more than a basketball career.
