Sixteen-year-old Rasheed is smart, tough and a survivor. In his neighborhood, he has to be. The streets are run by a gang called the E Street Locals, and they've been trying to jump him in since he was a child. So far, he's managed to escape their clutches. But the gang is not his only problem. Rasheed's sister, Daneeka, was paralyzed in a drive-by shooting, and now she's confined to a wheelchair, mentally frozen at the age of nine. His mother is an addict. His father hasn't been heard from in years. High school is no safer than the streets, so Rasheed seeks solace at the local university campus. There he meets a young woman named Lanaia who takes an interest in him. He also bumps up against a police officer who he thinks at first is hassling him just because he's black. But eventually Rasheed realizes that the officer is only pushing him to become a better person. Though he can't escape his home life, or the gang, as easily as he'd like, Rasheed does learn some valuable lessons in his struggles: you and you alone are accountable for the decisions you make in life; even though the world is not a fair place, you can still accomplish whatever you set your mind to; and we all become stronger when we admit we need someone to lean on.
Declan's life in small-town Quebec is defined by his parents' divorce, his older brother's delinquency and his own lackluster performance at school, which lands him with a tutor he calls Little Miss Perfect. He likes his job at the local ice rink, and he has a couple of good buddies, but his father's five-year absence is a constant source of pain and anger. When he finds out the truth about his parents' divorce, he is forced to reconsider everything he has believed about his family and himself.
Peter Strand is half Chinese and half Cherokee and was adopted by an elderly white couple from Phoenix. Now he's a forensic accountant in San Francisco, where he's struggling with his identity. When his employer asks him to investigate a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization, Strand meets a cast of quirky characters who all seem to be hiding a secret. Peter soon finds evidence of a probable fraud, but when fraud leads to murder, he's drawn deeper into a murky mystery. The Black Tortoise is the second book in the Peter Strand Mystery series.
Escaping the pressures of big-city policing, Maxine Benson is happy to be appointed police chief in the resort town of Port Ainslie. Max's biggest challenge is to overcome skepticism at her ability to deal with major crimes like the murder of Billy Ray Edwards. Few people mourn Billy Ray's passing. He was a bully and was also intent on derailing the biggest development project in the town's history. But murder's murder, and Max is ready to solve it on her own and prove her worth to the townspeople. And maybe even to herself.
Luc Waldon always figured he knew what his passion was: football. He lives it, he breathes it and he thinks he has what it takes to go all the way to the NFL. So when his football coach orders him to sign up for contemporary-dance classes to improve his game, Luc's less than thrilled. When he realizes that dance might actually be his true passion, he faces a tough decision. Is he willing to leave behind the field and a real shot at professional sports, and disappoint his parents, his coach and his teammates, in order to pursue a new dream?
Examines the basic concepts of alcohol abuse through the lens of the latest scientific studies and finding. Provides tools for evaluating conflicting and ever changing ideas.
Leo sets out to teach his sister, Toby, that there are lessons to be learned by exploring the past. Little did they know that would stumble upon the answer to an old mystery.
Many people think that Charlotte Brontë loosely based Jane Eyre on her own life and experiences. See how Brontë tells her story through the eyes of Jane Eyre. Even though Jane was orphaned at an early age and forced to live with her evil aunt, Mrs. Reed, she still managed to be happy. Read along as Jane travels to Lowood School and eventually to Thornfield Hall where she meets Mr. Rochester, the only true love she ever knows.
This book relays the factual details behind the building and gift of the Statue of Liberty. The narrative provides multiple accounts of the event, and readers learn details from the point of view of a U.S. harbor worker, a French artisan, and a U.S. Reporter. This book offers opportunities to compare and contrast various perspectives in a text while gathering and analyzing information about an historical event.
Did you know that popular cola drinks are bottled, produced, and sold in countries all over the world? Readers will be introduced to the history of cola drinks and learn how American cola companies produce their soft drinks and sell them worldwide.
This title examines an important historic event - the civil rights movement. Easy-to-read, compelling text explores the history of racism and civil rights in the United States from slavery to segregation, the roles the Montgomery bus boycott, the integration at Little Rock Central High School, and the Birmingham campaign played in the movement, key African-American activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, and the effects of this event on society. Features include a table of contents, a timeline, facts, additional resources, Web sites, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index.
The contributions to arts and culture by early Islamic empires is considerable. This book explores their great works of literature, as well as such artistic works as Arabesque art, calligraphy, mosques and tombs, palaces, weaving, textiles, metalware, pottery, carvings and molded plaster, and glassware.
This book relays the factual details of the Boston Tea Party and the events that led up to it. The narrative provides multiple accounts of the event, and readers learn details through the point of view of a colonial merchant's wife, a British soldier, and a Patriot activist. This book offers opportunities to compare and contrast various perspectives in the text while gathering and analyzing information about an historical event.
Magic Johnson's fearlessness, courage, and determination were evident whenever he stepped on the basketball court. Those same characteristics have also served him well in his off-the-court battle with HIV. Readers will learn about how Magic Johnson has used his courage, knowledge, and wisdom to promote awareness and to help better urban communities everywhere.
A look at the origins, leaders, growth, and innovations of Facebook, the online social networking service that was founded in 2004 and today has hundreds of millions of users worldwide.
Some playful fairies decide to make mischief with unsuspecting humans. Can true love overcome all obstacles? Two young Athenian couples are put to the test. Comedy reigns in this enchanting fantasy about the nature of romantic love.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go back in time, knowing what you know now? That is the story of a Connecticut Yankee who is magically transported back to King Arthur's time. But with the knowledge of modern technology. Will modern technology win out over the magic of Merline, the court magician?
Describes the events of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
At a time when much of the United States was still racially segregated, Jackie Robinson smashed the color barrier to become the first African-American player in Major League Baseball. Born in 1919 to a family of sharecroppers, Robinson excelled in sports throughout his school years. After serving briefly in the army during WWII, he briefly played ball in the Negro Leagues. At about the same time, a handful of all-white Major League teams paid lip service to trying out black players. But it was when Robinson played his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 that he became a part of what would be called "The Noble Experiment." Outspoken in the past when it came to racial injustice, Robinson endured racist jeers from fans and players, and even death threats, with dignity and composure. His historic feat of crossing baseball's "color line" became a symbol in the American civil rights movement in the decades that followed.
What happens to your old phone or computer when you need an upgrade? What rights does the worker who built your phone have? This thought-provoking title helps readers discover the answers to these questions and many more. Find out about the links between supply, demand, and labor conditions, and the resources that are needed to build just one computer.
In this interesting title, readers learn about the process of manufacturing toys and the materials that are used. Environmental issues and working conditions are revealed, shedding new light on where todays childrens favorite toys come from. Readers will also learn about new efforts companies are making to provide their workers with fair wages and safe working conditions around the world.
Oil is one of our most important natural resources. The searches for new sources - and options for alternative sources - are outlined here.
Long known as a potential power source, geothermal energy - heated water from within the Earth - is now being tapped. This book outlines those efforts and looks to the future.
For years, people have used water power to provide electricity. This study recaps that history and describes exciting new techniques.
Recent advances in harnessing energy from the wind, sun, and tides are explored. People are encouraged to seek resources beyond fossil fuels.
