Ballin' for Natalie is a thought-provoking story filled with real-life issues that teenagers deal with every day. With more than potential to be heavily recruited by the top high schools and colleges to play basketball, gutsy Natalie has her eyes on the prize and is determined to one day go pro. Basketball provides a way out of her present situation of living in the Marcy Projects with her grandmother. But like most of us she harbors a family secret that mocks all that she aspires to become. And when that secret comes knocking, Natalie has to decide if the life she saves will be her own.

Sojo the sled dog is born into a hardworking, talented family and starts life as a happy, trusting, and confident dog. But her confidence rapidly wanes as she begins to understand how complicated and challenging it is to be a sled dog. She fears that she will never learn how to do the job and is overshadowed by her sister, Anna, who is very smart and confident and gets all the glory. Reluctantly, she accepts that she is destined to be a sled dog, undergoes training, and much to her surprise, makes the team. When explorer Pam Flowers and the team set out alone across the arctic, Sojo’s self-confidence and pride in her work slowly grow. By journey’s end, she comes to realize that she has made a valuable contribution to the success of the adventure and is respected as a sled dog. When she retires, Sojo is a contented dog who understands that doing your best and being supportive of friends and family is what is most important.

Maya and Rose won't talk to each other.

Even though they are sisters.

Not since the accident.

Maya is running wild, and Rose doesn't know what to do.

Now Maya and Rose have to go away together on a week-long school journey. But will the trip - and a life-threatening adventure - fix their relationship... or break it for good?

A beautiful story of family, forgiveness, and finding out who you are, from the author of the highly-acclaimed Ella on the Outside.

"A must read" - Marcus Rashford MBE. A New York Times Bestseller. From two heavy-hitters in children's literature comes a biographical novel of seismic cultural importance... Before he was a household name, Cassius Clay was a kid with struggles like any other. Kwame Alexander and James Patterson join forces to vividly depict his life up to age seventeen in both prose and verse, including his childhood friends, struggles in school, the racism he faced, and his discovery of boxing. Readers will learn about Cassius' family and neighbours in Louisville, Kentucky, and how, after a thief stole his bike, Cassius began training as an amateur boxer at age twelve. Before long, he won his first Golden Gloves bout and began his transformation into the unrivalled Muhammad Ali. Fully authorised by and written in cooperation with the Muhammad Ali estate, and vividly brought to life by Dawud Anyabwile's dynamic artwork, Becoming Muhammad Ali captures the budding charisma and youthful personality of one of the greatest sports heroes of all time.

It's summertime in Sunnyview and Captain Awesome is headed to the pool in this all-new Captain Awesome adventure
It's summertime in Sunnyview and Eugene McGillicudy is off to the pool for swimming lessons. It doesn't take long for Eugene's superhero alter ego, Captain Awesome, to find a list of reasons why he must defend his swimming class from a cast of comical "bad guys." MI TEE While Captain Awesome is busy saving the Sunnyview pool along with Nacho Cheese Man and sidekick Turbo, will he find time to tackle a dive into the deep end before summer ends?
With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Captain Awesome chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

A delightful tale of victory against all odds from master storyteller, Michael Morpurgo, lavishly illustrated by Michael Foreman. "Every fox in the whole town, in the whole country just about, is a football fan... And we all have an impossible dream." In a cosy den under a garden shed lives a family of foxes. They love to watch football - all foxes do. But their favourite team keeps losing and losing, and it seems like things will never look up. That is, until Daddy Fox finds the ghost of a king, buried underneath a car park. A king who wishes only to be free. "Release me," says the Ghost King, "and I can do anything. Just tell me your greatest wish." For these football-loving foxes, might everything be about to change...?

Advance Praise For Heart of the Hide "Heart of the Hide is a story for all ages You can't help but root for the Kelsey Avenue Crew. You hope that Nicky Palmieri can figure things out. That telling the truth in the long run is much easier than lying. Most likely you'll be reading with moist eyes and tissue in hand." "And when you close the book and reflect on your childhood experiences and friends you can't help but root that Heart of the Hide finds a national audience." Award-winning sports columnist, Corky Blake, Easton Express-Times "A timeless story for all of us baseball people, young and old." WFAN Sports Radio 660 AM Talk Show Host, Rick Wolff Growing up in West Haven, "Heart of the Hide" brought back many fond memories. I think of the friendly rivalries, the competition, spending countless days at the ball fields, and most importantly, the lifelong relationships that helped to make me the person that I am today. Great Book.
Neil C. Cavallaro, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, West Haven Public Schools

Every young person who loves baseball should read "Heart of the Hide," every coach no matter at what level should read this book. Everyone who enjoys a book that deals with the courage it takes to succeed in life should read this book. I can't wait until my grandsons are old enough to read this wonderful book.
Ed Waters, former New York Yankees' farmhand and Florida's High School Baseball Hall of Fame coach, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Ft. Lauderdale Florida

Please visit loupetrucci.com to learn more about the character in Heart of the Hide.

Marilyn Rose was a world champion figure skater. She was the best of the best, so when she had a daughter, much was expected of her. Vyria Rose was born to follow in her mother's footsteps?but she just can't seem to make the grade. She loves figure skating, but she has yet to turn in a winning performance. In frustration, her mother decides to take on a new student named Alice. Vyria, feeling rejected and jealous of her mother's new pupil, turns her focus to school and her grades. She misses figure skating, though, and she still dreams of doing something magical on the ice. Adventurous and brave, Vyria suddenly has a wild idea. Why not mix acrobatics with figure skating? She gets a team together, and they plan to be showstoppers. They?ll use a jump board and add gymnastics to their performances on the ice. Now only time will tell whether Vyria will grow into a future that will make her happy with herself and her own abilities.

A powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers - one who presents as white, the other as Black - and the ways they are forced to navigate a world that doesn't treat them equally.

Donte wishes he were invisible. As one of the few black boys at his school, he feels as if he is constantly swimming in whiteness. Most of the students don't look like him. They don't like him either. Dubbed the 'Black Brother', Donte's teachers and classmates make it clear they wish he were more like his lighter skinned brother, Trey.

When an incident with a white student leads to Donte's arrest and suspension, he's sure the only way to get even is to beat the student at the school's most valued game: fencing.

With the help of a former Olympic fencer, Donte embarks on a journey to carve out a spot on the school's fencing team and to find a way to make people at school see past the colour of his skin to who he really is.

From NYT bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes, another poignant and gripping story about how children and families face the complexities of race and racism in today's world.

When Marcus moves to a new town in the dead of summer, he doesn't know a soul. While practicing football for impending tryouts, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with an older man. Charlie is a charismatic prankster--and the best football player Marcus has ever seen. He can't believe his good luck when he finds out that Charlie is actually Charlie Popovich, or "the King of Pop," as he had been nicknamed during his career as an NFL linebacker. But that's not all. There is a secret about Charlie that his own family is desperate to hide.

When Marcus begins school, he meets the starting quarterback on the team: Troy Popovich. Right from the beginning, Marcus and Troy disagree--about football, about Troy's ex-girlfriend, Alyssa, but most of all, about what's good for Charlie. Marcus is betting that he knows what's best for the King of Pop. And he is willing to risk everything to help his friend.

MY NAME IS LARA BLOOM AND THIS IS MY LIFE . . . Meet Lara Bloom - the best friend you never knew you needed. This is her diary . . . When Lara meets super-cute new boy Caiden, she begins to think that the way to his heart is to give herself a glow up. But her friends are not impressed. You should never glow up for a boy, only for yourself! As Lara and her friends embark on their project of empowerment and self-love, Lara shares her innermost thoughts with her online journal. How can she keep her hair under control when she's playing football? Why is she so fast on the pitch yet so uncoordinated off it? And how will she ever convince Caiden to take an interest in her? With her worries safely locked in her top-secret journal, Lara is on track to unlock the glow-up of her dreams. Surely nothing could possibly go wrong . . .?! A heart-warming story of friendship, crushes and learning to love yourself. Perfect for fans of GEEK GIRL, Louise Rennison and Alesha Dixon.