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.

Winner of the Telegraph Sports Book Awards Children's Book of the Year Small, skinny and short-sighted . . . and dazzlingly talented. Jimmy Joseph loves rugby. All he dreams about is one day playing for his country in a World Cup, or winning a Test series for the Lions with a last-minute drop-goal. But when he kicks an up-and-under in the schoolyard and accidentally hits the new head of PE, Mr Kane, on the head, he makes a powerful enemy. Jimmy and his best friends - Manu, Scott and Kitty - try to prove their worth on the rugby field, but to no avail. Mr Kane has it out for them, and he's being helped by team captain Mike Green, well known as the school bully. Can Jimmy and his friends overcome the tyranny of Mr Kane and help Mike see the error of his ways? Or will the combination of bullying, pressure and dirty tactics derail the friends' rugby careers before they have even begun? An epic new rugby series begins here!

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.

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.

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! This tenth book in the My Weirder-est School arc knocks it out of the park as A.J. and his friends learn how to play softball. Batter up! A.J.'s class is going head-to-head against Dirk School in a charity softball game. The losing team must clean one of the toilets in the winning school with a toothbrush! Retired baseball pro Mr. Ott is here to lead Ella Mentry School to victory. But will his weird coaching tactics be a home run, or a swing and a miss? Perfect for reluctant readers and all kids hungry for funny school stories, Dan Gutman's hugely popular My Weird School chapter book series has something for everyone. Don't miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang!

Sydney Taylor Award-winning novel Berlin Boxing Club is loosely inspired by the true story of boxer Max Schmeling's experiences following Kristallnacht. Publishers Weekly called it "a masterful historical novel" in a starred review.Karl Stern has never thought of himself as a Jew; after all, he's never even been in a synagogue. But the bullies at his school in Nazi-era Berlin don't care that Karl's family doesn't practice religion. Demoralized by their attacks against a heritage he doesn't accept as his own, Karl longs to prove his worth.Then Max Schmeling, champion boxer and German hero, makes a deal with Karl's father to give Karl boxing lessons. A skilled cartoonist, Karl has never had an interest in boxing, but now it seems like the perfect chance to reinvent himself. But when Nazi violence against Jews escalates, Karl must take on a new role: family protector. And as Max's fame forces him to associate with Nazi elites, Karl begins to wonder where his hero's sympathies truly lie. Can Karl balance his boxing dreams with his obligation to keep his family out of harm's way?Includes an author's note and sources page detailing the factual inspirations behind the novel.

IT'S TOUGH AT THE TOP! Teamwork is the second book in the football-tastic Roy of the Rovers fiction series. Part of the first season, this exciting series is written by award-winning author Tom Palmer. Roy Race is living the dream. After all, how many 16-year-olds get to play up front for their favourite football team? Except life as Melchester Rovers new star striker isn't easy. Everyone's looking at him differently, social media is a nightmare, and Rovers are still stuck at the bottom of the league. All that, and he's still got to go to college, help out at home, and coach his little sister Rocky's football team. If he's going to cope, Roy better learn to be a team player and fast.... Enjoyed this title? Pick up Foul Play next to continue the story! Praise for the Roy of the Rovers series: EPIC! - Match of the Day Magazine I love the way that they are about so much more than football: they are about heart, values and family. Both graphic novel and fiction titles are compelling, engaging and a lot of fun. Lace up and get reading. - Jim Sells, Programme manager for Sport & Literacy, National Literacy Trust. Read with my 7 year old who is football mad, really enjoyed it and left us wanting to read the next one in the series! - GoodReads Review

Tibs Tabane en sy vriend Elroy is MAL oor sokker. Hulle berei voor vir ’n belangrike sokkerwedstryd, maar hoekom hoor hulle die heeltyd ’n stem wat roep: “HONGER-R-R-R”?

Gaan Tibs en Elroy betyds die zombies kan keer wat dreig om die sokkerwedstryd te ontwrig?

Jake Thorson, the Vikings team captain, gets all the credit. He leads the team in home runs, and everybody loves him for it -- that is, everyone but his brother, Luke. Luke isnt popular, and he hasn't hit a single home run -- but he does have the teams best batting average as well as the most stolen bases. However, those types of things dont really get you the attention that a homer does, and Lukes tired of standing in the Jakes shadow . . .

Ben gaan in sy heel eerste rugbywedstryd speel. Sy maag gee sommer so ’n wilde draai as hy net aan die wedstryd dink. In die wedstryd druk Ben ’n uitstekende drie … maar onder die verkeerde pale! Sy hartjie voel baie skaam oor hierdie fout, maar Pappa lees vir hom in die Kinderbybel dat hy nie skaam hoef te wees vir foute nie.

Ben and the Big Game is ’n lieflike storie wat kinders leer dat dit almal soms foute maak en dat dit jou nie moet onderkry nie, maar dat jy eerder uit foute moet leer en altyd weer probeer.

New York Times bestselling author and former NFL defensive end Tim Green delivers another baseball tale that will keep kids on the edge of their seats. Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica or Dan Gutman's Baseball Card Adventure series.Tommy's the new kid in town, like he's been so many times before. Now he goes by the name Brock, and he's having a hard time fitting in, especially when his new friend is the bully from the wrong side of the tracks. Thanks to a prank gone wrong, the baseball coach notices Brock and offers him a place on his failing baseball team. But can Brock prove himself on and off the field before he becomes a new kid...again?

Become a baseball star in this interactive adventure. Make the right choices, upgrade your skills, and win the big game! Whoever said “life isn’t fair” wasn’t kidding. Your parents have been in and out of jail—and you’ve been in and out of foster care—for much of your life. At least you have baseball. It’s the one thing that keeps you in school and out of trouble. But will you stick with the team when your living situation changes for the worse? You’re the main character in this interactive sports adventure. Play as Alec, and try to keep your head in the game as your home life begins to unravel. Do you have the talent, skill, and focus to keep your starting spot at shortstop? Or will the new kid in town bump you to the bench? More importantly, will you find a way to forgive your parents and bring your family back together? You may have read sports books before, but you’ve never read one like Out at Home by Lisa M. Bolt Simons. It’s a game within a game. Interactive books for kids are more popular than ever. Create your own adventure with the Choose to Win book series for boys and girls. You’re the main character. You make the choices. Will you find your way to a championship finish? Here’s how the format works: Become the main character. Make choices that affect what happens. Collect points along the way to upgrade your skills. Utilize your upgrades to win the game at story’s end!