Thea and her dad are always on the move, from one small Cariboo town to another, trying to leave behind the pain of Thea's mom's death. They never stay long enough in one place for Thea to make friends, but when her dad gets work renovating a guest ranch on Gumboot Lake, she dares to hope that their wandering days are over. At the ranch she makes friends with Van, a local boy, and works hard to build the trust of an abused horse named Renegade. When Thea unearths the decades-old story of a four-year-old girl who disappeared from the ranch and was never seen again, she enlists Van to help her solve the mystery. When some disturbing facts come to light, she finally starts to come to terms with the losses in her own life.
When we think of wild animals, we don't immediately associate them with the cities we live in. But a closer look soon reveals that we share our urban environment with a great many untamed creatures. Heavily illustrated and full of entertaining and informative facts, City Critters examines how and why so many wild animals choose to live in places that, on first glance at least, seem contrary to their needs. How do those deer, raccoons, squirrels, skunks, coyotes, crows, gulls and geese-not to mention the alligators, eagles, otters and snakes-manage to survive in the big city? What special skills do city critters have that many of their wilderness cousins lack? Why have they developed these skills? And what are our responsibilities in ensuring that these animals can continue to share our city lives?
Josh Johnson's mother wants him to run for class president. Josh just wants to run and hide. If only there were a club to help downtrodden eleven-year-olds escape their parents' ambitions! But since no such club exists, Josh has to invent one -- he calls it Dunces Anonymous, and before he knows it, the membership is up to three. Magnolia and Wang help Josh lose the school presidential election, but that's just the beginning of the club's activities. Magnolia, pressured by her mom into trying out for the role of Juliet in the school's play, finds herself fending off the advances of an overly amorous Romeo. Wang's father has forced him to join the school chess club, but Wang desperately wants to take fencing lessons instead. As the three friends try to free Magnolia from the school play, liberate Wang from the chess club and get rid of horrible Stacey Hogarth, who has vowed to become the new president of Dunces Anonymous, they realize that they all have talents -- if only their parents could see them.
One Peace celebrates the "Power of One," and specifically the accomplishments of children from around the globe who have worked to promote world peace. Janet Wilson challenges today's children to strive to make a difference in this beautifully illustrated, fact-filled and fascinating volume of portraits of many "heroes for today." Canadian Craig Kielburger, who started Free the Children to help victims of child labor at the age of twelve, has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. Farlis Calle, forced to identify the body of a young friend -- a victim of her country's civil war -- started the Columbia Children's Movement for Peace. At age ten, Kimmie Weeks, a refugee from the Liberian civil war, came within a whisper of being buried in a mass grave. Almost miraculously he survived and vowed to make a difference in the lives of other children. At thirteen he established Voices of the Future, Liberia's first child rights advocacy group. Other portraits feature the accomplishments of children from Sarajevo, Japan, the United Kingdom, Cambodia, Afghanistan and the United States. These moving testaments to the courage and initiative of youth will inspire readers young and old.
Extensively illustrated with Ian McAllister's magnificent photographs, The Salmon Bears explores the delicate balance that exists between the grizzly, black and spirit bears and their natural environment, the last great wilderness along the central coast of British Columbia. Key to this relationship are the salmon that are born in the rivers each spring, who then go out to sea as juveniles and return as adults to spawn and die, completing a cycle of life that ensures the survival of not only their own species but also virtually every other plant and animal in the rainforest. In clear language suitable for young readers, the authors describe the day-to-day activities that define the lives of these bears through the four seasons. But this is also very much the story of the Great Bear Rainforesta vast tract of land that stretches from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the Alaska border and contains some of the largest stands of old-growth forest left on the West Coast. The Salmon Bears focuses on the interconnectedness of all life in the rainforest and makes a strong case for the importance of protecting this vital ecological resource.
The Sea Wolves sets out to disprove the notion of "the Big Bad Wolf," especially as it is applied to coastal wolvesa unique strain of wolf that lives in the rainforest along the Pacific coast of Canada. Genetically distinct from their inland cousins and from wolves in any other part of the world, coastal wolves can swim like otters and fish like the bears with whom they share the rainforest. Smaller than the gray wolves that live on the other side of the Coast Mountains, these wolves are highly social and fiercely intelligent creatures. Living in the isolated wilderness of the Great Bear Rainforest, coastal wolves have also enjoyed a unique relationship with man. The First Nations people, who have shared their territory for thousands of years, do not see them as a nuisance species but instead have long offered the wolf a place of respect and admiration within their culture. Illustrated with almost one hundred of Ian McAllister's magnificent photographs, The Sea Wolves presents a strong case for the importance of preserving the Great Bear Rainforest for the wolves, the bears and the other unique creatures that live there.
Baby giraffes are able to stand and run within an hour of being born. Though clumsy, they like to run around and stretch their legs. These fast runners are also fast growers, doubling their height in the first year. Run along with these playful babies in this fun title.
Baby hippos are as cute as a button, but theyre far from that small size. These newborns enter the world nearly ten times larger than a human baby! But much like humans, these babies spend their first weeks of life bonding with mom. Enjoy the adventures of life as a baby hippo in this fun title.
These critters inhabit the dark, damp corners of the world. They live underneath rocks, logs, and leaves. When disturbed, you may see a wave-like motion of legs, or perhaps smell the disgusting odor as they curl into a ball. Learn all the facts of this invertebrate in this beginner book.
Much like ants, termites live a busy life. Given a certain role within the colony, each bug is a contributor. Feeding on dead plant matter, rotten soil, and wood, these insects help the circle of life. Read all about what it is to be a termite in this beginner book.
A close relative of dogs, baby foxes are soft, cuddly, and just as cute as their dog friends. Until they are ready for life on their own, they wrestle and tumble around the den mom and dad have made. Play with these energetic cuties in this informational title for emergent readers.
Born the size of a jellybean, baby koalas are helpless. They must navigate themselves to their mothers pouch after birth, where they will spend the next 6 months fluffing up and getting cute! Cozy up with these babies in this low-level title.
Mealworms may not make you hungry, but they sure do excite your pets appetite! These worms are actually not worms at all, but baby beetles at the larva stage. Theyre a healthy snack for small mammals, reptiles, and birds. Emergent readers will be left with some food for thought after reading this exciting title.
Baby hedgehogs, or hoglets, weigh in at just one tenth of a pound when born. When they curl up, these babies can fit into a tiny doughnut hole! Scurry along in this beginner book filled with adorable baby hedgehogs.
Born blind and hairless, baby squirrels must rely on momma in their first stage of life. Give them 7 to 10 weeks, and these babies will be able to venture on their own. Climb along in this beginner book for young readers.
Scorpions are about as adaptable as they come. Able to slow their metabolism rate, they can survive on one meal per year if food is scarce. Such skill promotes survival in even the toughest environments. Emergent readers will be hungry for more bug books after reading this engaging book.
Hailing from the island of Madagascar, these bugs are unique. Complete with horns for courting and holes for hissing, the roaches are sure to creep you out. Thankfully, hissing cockroaches keep to their forest floor and do not disturb homes. Find out more facts in this fun title for young readers.
Packed with less of a punch than a tiny honeybee's, a tarantula's bite is pretty harmless to humans. The spiders' large, fuzzy bodies and legs send some squirming, but these bugs are misunderstood. Get educated on the life of tarantulas in this title that will have emergent readers crawling for more!
Buying things can be fun, but first you've got to earn them! Hard work and a good job will help you earn money. Discover the different ways to earn money in this title for responsible readers.
Saving money is an important part of life and there are plenty of ways to do so. Sometimes saved money can even earn more money if it collects interest. Read about the benefits of saving your cash in this title for money-savvy students.
How many pennies go into a quarter? How many quarters make up a dollar? Math skills go a long way when trying to count money. Learn how math and money go together in this title for young counters.
Platypuses are among the worlds most unusual animals. They resemble a duck, beaver, and otter. Most graceful underwater, these mammals have all the tools necessary for swimming, from goggles and webbed feet, to a paddle for a tail. Swim along in this wild title for reluctant readers.
Dont let their furry appearance fool you. Porcupines bear needle-like quills when threatened, and they arent afraid to use them. A single animal may have 30,000 or more quills! Read all about the quirks of this prickly rodent in this informative title for growing readers.
It is no surprise algae grow on sloths furry coats. The animals are the worlds slowest mammals! They rarely come down from their beds in the branches. Built for the treetops, their long arms and claws make them excellent climbers. Emergent readers will enjoy hanging out with sleepy sloths in this nonfiction book.
Money comes in many shapes and sizes beyond the green paper found in a cash register. Young students will learn the basics of cash, coins, checks, and even credit cards. Learn to master money in this title for young readers.
