In the early, hazy month of September 1984, Grice Grafton will begin a brand new odyssey at Northside High School. After learning to play pool as a youngster from his mentor Mr. Evans, Grice thought he knew everything he needed to know to survive in the world. 'Life is pool' according to his mentor and Grice believed him. At Northside, Grice would learn much more than he could ever imagine when he allows his loyalty to his one true childhood friend pull the mild mannered Grice into a pool match with a ruthless thug named Dragon, who will stop at nothing to win. The days leading up to the match will test Grice's views on race relations; his perception of his longtime friend, Brenda; his relationship with his father; his faith; and even his dreams. Grice's first few days of high school will shatter his world...forever.

"The most influential anticruelty novel of all time."-Bernard Unti Black Beauty (1877), the only novel from Anna Sewell, was the first book ever written from the singular viewpoint of an animal. The fictional narrative, told by Black Beauty, a genial thoroughbred, was initially written by the author "to induce kindness, sympathy, and an understanding treatment of horses." Over time the book has become a classic book for children, despite its initial adult readership. The book is considered the advent of the Anthropomorphic literary genre. Black Beauty, the gentle horse and narrator of the story, begins with recollection of an idyllic youth with his mother and other kind horses. When Black Beauty is four years old, his owner sells him to Squire Gordon, who provides a caring home among other horses. One of the squire's other horses, a headstrong chestnut named Ginger, becomes Black Beauty's best friend. When the squire's wife becomes seriously ill, the couple are forced to sell their horses; in a heartbreaking turn of events, Black Beauty is sold in a succession of transactions where he is mistreated, overworked, and separated from Ginger. Although scarred, Black Beauty is resilient and eventually is returned to a life of kindness and care. This deeply moving story aimed towards the awareness of animal welfare was influential reforms in the laws regarding the treatment of horses; yet, its enduring legacy is the massage of compassion that has touched readers for more than 200 years. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Black Beauty is both modern and readable.

A timely and compelling story about a bullied and overweight boy and his love of baseball. "Tanker 10" opens in Brockton, MA, in 1976, where bashful and overweight 10-year-old Jimmy just wants to read his books and toss the ball with his best friend Ben. Unfortunately, Jimmy is an entertaining victim for his older brother Cliff and his buddies. When Jimmy tries to stand up to Cliff, the verbal abuse turns physical and an accident sends Jimmy to the hospital with an injury that changes the trajectory of his life. Tanker 10 depicts the story of Jimmy during his pre-teen and teenage years as he struggles to mend his physical and psychological injuries. Finding salvation through baseball, he dedicates himself to a strict regimen, taking him from intramurals baseball to Little League. By the time he reaches high school, Jimmy is no longer the fat kid throwing a ball against a wall but an up-and-coming right fielder on the freshman baseball team. Yet despite his successful recovery, Jimmy remains ill at ease with himself. He longs for emotional and physical intimacy and grapples with finding his place in his family, among his friends, and with his brother Cliff. Jonathan Curelop, a lifelong baseball fan who was bullied as a child for being overweight, has written a poignant fictional account of a character in search of himself. His debut novel, Tanker 10, is a funny and heart-wrenching coming-of-age journey toward self-acceptance in the wake of trauma. Centered around baseball, the story deals with the serious ramifications of identity and acceptance.

Charlie is a pretty normal kid. But he is shortly going to find things taking a turn for the extraordinary When he becomes frustrated trying to learn the rules of chess, Charlie is whisked off to a world of giant living chess pieces who take turns showing him how they move. Each piece has its own story and role in the Game. They share with Charlie the importance of teamwork, sacrifice and loyalty that he will need as a Player. Charlie and the Chess Set teaches beginning chess players all the rules of the Game, the concept of pieces working together, and chess notation. Fantasy, imagination and family values combine to create a unique method of learning that players will not soon forget. This is a wonderful resource for any young player learning chess, as well as for more experienced players who thought there were no more surprises

Book 6 in a series of heart-warming pony tales packed with expert advice from three-times Olympic Medallist and Grand Slam winner, Pippa Funnell, on everything you ever wanted to know about horses. Tilly's riding has improved by the day and now she's ready for her first Pony Club competition, riding Rosie. She's nervous, and so is Brook who is competing with his horse, Solo. He's lost his lucky talisman, but the huge surprise that he and Tilly uncover makes up for everything. Collect all 18 titles in this series of irresistible, uplifting pony adventures, packed with expert, up-to-date advice from the author as well as a helpful glossary and black and white illustrations. For 8+