KICKERS: a young middle grade soccer series
Book 3
 
It’s a race to the Kickers soccer league play-offs. Nine-year-old Ben is pretty sure that if the Bobcats win two of their last three games, they’ll earn a tournament spot. But in their game against the Tigers, the Bobcats are a mess on the field—they’re not passing well at all—and Ben decides to take control. Someone has to win this thing, and his teammates...

Introducing a soccer series for new readers
Kickers #1
Nine-year-old Ben is brand-new to soccer, but he's a good athlete and knows he'll do well on the Bobcats, his team in the local Kickers soccer league. If he can only work around his obnoxious teammate Mark, the ball hog, Ben is sure he'll score his first goal. But Coach Patty, and Ben's own teammates, show him a little something about teamwork. And suddenly it dawns on him: he's...

A Booklist Editor's Choice
A Parents' Choice Gold Award
A Eureka! Nonfiction Children's Book Award Honor Book
Jonathan Daniels, a white seminary student from New Hampshire, traveled to Selma, Alabama, in 1965 to help with voter registration of black residents. After the voting rights marches, he remained in Alabama, in the area known as "Bloody Lowndes," an extremely dangerous area for white freedom fighters, to...

When sixth-grader Manny Ramos, one of the fastest runners on the youth football team, joins the new track club, he hopes that his light weight will be a benefit in racing against more experienced guys

Max's parents assure him he has nothing to fear at Aunt Ida's house. But shortly after his arrival, the ghost of Aunt Ida's son who died years ago begins tormenting him. Max decides he'd rather take his chances on the nearby mountain…at night. Even there, he can't escape the ghost! And soon Max is lost with no one to turn to but the ghost. Should Max trust the ghost to get him safely down the mountain? The ending is up2U.

Stu gets lost in the woods as night is falling. He knows he's near a quarry where a teenager and his dog had fallen and drowned years before. A dog appears and clearly wants Stu to follow him. Stu starts to follow the dog, but he hears a voice calling the dog. Stu yells to the voice and heads toward it. The voice keeps calling for the dog, and Stu is getting closer to it. Then he hears the voice screaming in fear. He finds himself on the edge of the...

Griffin Lane loves playing soccer in the local league. His three best friends are there. It's competitive but more relaxed than school sports. And he's right where he wants to be, playing defense out in front of the goal. But when the goalie is injured, everyone seems to think Griffin is the best replacement. Can he hack it between the sticks, or will his nerves win the day?

Stu and Dan hike into the forest to camp overnight. They get caught in the rain and decide to spend the night in an unlocked hunting cabin. They smell smoke late at night and escape the cabin as it bursts into flames. The next morning, they return to the cabin to see if Stu's shoes survived the fire and find the cabin intact. This time, the cabin is locked. Stu returns to the cabin that night with a hammer, but this time he's trapped inside as flames...

Up2U Adventures-where the ending is Up2U! When young Archer and his partner, Bull, find a silver vein in the Arizona desert, they think they will be rich. But Cactus Flats is a town with many dangers and men waiting to double-cross them. Will Bull and Archer survive the Wild West? The ending is Up2U, so which ending will you choose? Calico Chapter Books is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO Group. Grades 2-5.

After the first day of tryouts for the school basketball team, Stu stays behind to shoot extra free throws-his weak spot. As he's shooting baskets, a boy joins him in the gym. He's wearing a retro jersey, and Stu doesn't recognize him. He tells Stu to come back later, and he'll give Stu tips. Stu returns, and the boy named Randy helps him with his shooting. Stu asks Randy when he went to school there, but the boy disappears. Stu discovers Randy is...