June 3, 2022

Second Chances

Thirteen-year-old Dale Melnyk finds himself stuck in an iron lung, desperately fighting for breath — and wishing he could die. It is the worst outbreak of polio in the history of Winnipeg, and Dale is one of the many young victims being treated in the early 1950s.

Second Chances follows Dale's slow and often agonizing struggle to regain his life, first of all to breathe on his own and then to regain the use of his limbs. Will he ever be able to play hockey again, he wonders? Dale comes to realize that he is doing better than a number of the other patients including Charlene, a young Métis girl confined to a wheelchair but always trying to help their fellow patients.

When Dale discovers his younger brother Brent is also in the polio ward because their father rejected the school program vaccine, a confrontation with his father becomes inevitable. Brent is not getting better and will be dealing with paralysis indefinitely.

When Dale finally emerges from his recovery he must reassess what is most important in life — a life that has been changed forever.

May 6, 2022

The Oracle of Avaris

Leaving the oasis, Sesha and her friends set sail for Avaris, intent on stopping the Hyksos chieftain from claiming the throne and declaring war on Thebes. On the journey, Sesha learns that she and the scroll are at the centre of a pair of prophecies made by a famed oracle — ones with staggering implications for both her and the Hyksos people.

But when the crew arrives in the bustling port city, they are stunned to discover the oracle is missing. With the prophecies now in doubt and their lives in danger, Sesha, Paser, and Reb must race to find a mysterious priestess sect and witness the third, and final, prophecy before the upcoming lunar eclipse.

As the young scribes seek answers, Sesha must untangle her past and future while keeping war from erupting in the present. For there is one person she cannot bear to face across the Hyksos battlefield: her brother.

May 6, 2022

The Slugger’s Shadow

Aaron is a 12-year-old baseball phenom, but only when he’s playing in the field. At the plate, he struggles. Now, it’s the last inning of the last game of the season, and Aaron’s in the batter’s box, down by one with the bases loaded.

Just as he steps up to the plate, Aaron spots his superstar-athlete older brother, Will, who completely abandoned him at the worst possible time. Can Aaron come through in the clutch when his team needs him most, and will his brother come through for him and their family?

This fourth book from the In the Clutch series hooks readers with a do-or-die moment from youth sports, then rewinds to show how the book’s young athletes find themselves needing to perform under pressure.

May 6, 2022

Gift of Little People: The Six Seasons of the Asiniskaw Ithiniwak

“I don’t recall seeing books when I was a little boy. But the old people, they grew up listening to stories. And so, every night, when the old people were done their evening prayers, they would sit and they would tell us stories too.”

At the time of the spring thaw, the Rocky Cree fill their canoes with furs, eager to trade with the new visitors in mistiwāsahak (Hudson Bay). But not all of the new visitors are welcome.

When the canoes return home to the shores of the misinipī river, the Rocky Cree begin to collapse one by one, drenched in sweat and slowly slipping into delirium. Kākakiw struggles to help the sick as more and more people pass into the spirit world. Exhausted physically, emotionally and spiritually, he seeks guidance through prayer.

Hope finally comes with a visitor in the night: one of the Little People, small beings who are just like us. If Kākakiw can journey to their home, he will be given the medicine his people need. All he has to do is paddle through a cliff of solid bedrock to get there.

To save his people from certain death, Kākakiw must overcome doubt to follow the traditional teachings of the Asiniskaw Īthiniwak and trust in the gift of the Little People.

In this illustrated short story for all ages, celebrated Rocky Cree storyteller William Dumas shares a teaching about hope in the face of adversity. This book is a companion story to The Six Seasons of the Asiniskaw Īthiniwak series.

April 1, 2022

The History of the Computer: People, Inventions and Technology that Changed our World

A strikingly illustrated overview of the computing machines that have changed our world—from the abacus to the smartphone—and the people who made them, by the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of Women in Science.

Computers are everywhere and have impacted our lives in so many ways. But who created them, and why? How have they transformed the way that we interact with our surroundings and each other?

Packed with accessible information, fun facts and discussion starters, this charming and art-filled book takes you from the ancient world to the modern day, focusing on important inventions, from the earliest known counting systems to the sophisticated algorithms behind AI. The History of the Computer also profiles a diverse range of key players and creators—from An Wang and Margaret Hamilton to Steve Jobs and Sir Tim Berners-Lee—and illuminates their goals, their intentions and the impact of their inventions on our everyday lives.

This entertaining and educational journey will help you understand our most important machines and how we can use them to enhance the way we live. You’ll never look at your phone the same way again!

April 1, 2022

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

Soar into a breathtaking world of heroes and ferocious unicorns in this first book in the hotly anticipated fantasy adventure series for age 9+ fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Amari and the Night Brothers.

Thirteen-year-old Skandar Smith has only ever wanted to be a unicorn rider. To be one of the lucky few selected to hatch a unicorn. To bond with it for life; to train together and race for glory; to be a hero.

But just as Skandar’s dream is about to come true, things start to take a more dangerous turn than he could ever have imagined. A dark and twisted enemy has stolen the island’s most powerful unicorn – and as the threat grows ever closer, Skandar discovers a secret that could blow apart his world forever . . .

Get ready for unlikely heroes, elemental magic, sky battles, ancient secrets, nail-biting races and ferocious unicorns in this epic adventure series that will have your heart soaring.

March 4, 2022

Being You

From early childhood, boys often feel pressured to be athletic and muscular. But what impact does this have on physical and mental well-being through their teens and beyond? Worryingly, a third of teen boys are trying to “bulk up” due to body dissatisfaction, and boys and men account for twenty-five percent of eating disorder cases. What can we tell our boys to help them feel happy and confident simply being themselves? Being You has the answers! It's an easy-to-read, evidence-based guide to developing a positive body image for boys aged 12+. It covers all the facts on puberty, diet, exercise, self-care, mental health, social media and everything in-between. Boys will find answers to the questions most on their mind, the truth behind many diet and exercise myths and real-life stories from other boys. Armed with this book, they will understand that muscles don't make a man – it's enough simply being you!

February 4, 2022

A Boy Is Not a Ghost

In this sequel to the award-winning A Boy Is Not a Bird, a boy is exiled to Siberia during World War II. Based on a true story.

Torn from his home in Eastern Europe, with his father imprisoned in a Siberian gulag, 12-year-old Natt finds himself stranded with other deportees in a schoolyard in Novosibirsk. And he is about to discover that life can indeed get worse than the horrific two months he and his mother have spent being transported on a bug-infested livestock train. He needs to write to his best friend, Max, but he knows the Soviet police read everyone’s mail. So Natt decides to write in code, and his letters are a lifeline, even though he never knows whether Max will receive them.

Every day becomes a question of survival, and where they might be shunted to next. When his mother is falsely arrested for stealing potatoes, Natt is truly on his own and must learn how to live the uncertain life of an exile: Practice being invisible as a ghost, change your name and identity if you have to, watch out for spies and never draw the attention of the authorities.

Even then, he will need luck on his side if he is ever going to be reunited with his family.

December 31, 2021

The Science of Song: How and Why We Make Music

Have you ever wondered what makes music, well, music? How is it made? How do we hear it? And why you just can’t get that one song out of your head? Find out all the answers to these questions and more in The Science of Song as you see how music and the way we listen to it has changed through the ages. From the earliest animal-bone instruments to the demise (and rise) of vinyl to hologram concerts, this instrumental exploration of the science of music is sure to be a hit!

December 31, 2021
Physics of fun cover

The Physics of Fun

Why are you able to jump higher from a trampoline than from the ground? What forces are at work when you do an ollie on a skateboard? The answer is: physics! In The Physics of Fun, kids ages 12 to 15 explore the science behind awesome activities that kids love. From Newton’s laws of motion to the behavior of electrons, the science of physics is an integral part of any amusement park, play center, video arcade or home gaming center. Links to online media, discussion questions and career connections offer middle schoolers the chance to do some real, hands-on science around fun activities they already enjoy!