The Night Before Summer Vacation


Natasha Wing - 2002
    . . or at least they are trying to. In the effort to pack everything that will be needed, there's bound to be something overlooked, and what that is provides a funny ending to this meter-perfect "twist" on Clement Moore's classic.

Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach


James Dean - 2013
    But he's very, very hot . . . and he isn't sure he wants to go in the water. The water looks scary! When his brother Bob offers to give him a surfing lesson, will Pete give it a try?Rock and roll with Pete in this brand-new story about everyone's favorite groovy cat, perfect for beginning readers!

Miracle Pets: True Tales of Courage and Survival


Allan Zullo - 2011
    Whether that instinct is triggered by a predator or by thirst, hunger, cold, heat, pain or terror, the animal will try something, anything, to live another day. This book is a celebration of true cases of pets and wild animals that survived what appeared to be hopeless predicaments. You'll read, for example, about the survival of the dog that was hit by a train, lay between the rails for three days as dozens of trains roared over him, suffered the loss of two legs, and twice faced attempts to shoot him... the cat that was trapped for two months under a concrete floor of a building under construction... the small water buffalo that was being pulled in a tug-of-war between a crocodile and a pride of lions. If there is one common thread among the accounts in this book, it's the animals' refusal to give in to death. They simply weren't ready to die.(From Allan Zullo's website)

The Berenstain Bears' Sleepover


Jan Berenstain - 2008
    Mama and Papa try their best to keep everything under control, but will they ever get those cubs to bed?The Berenstain Bears’ Sleepover is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and read full sentences.

Love Hurts: The True Story of a Teen Romance, a Vicious Plot, and a Family Murdered


Keith Elliot Greenberg - 2010
    In 2008, Terry Caffey, a home health care aide and aspiring preacher, was asleep in his bedroom when he woke up to a barrage of bullets. His wife, Penny, was killed instantly. With blood pouring from five bullet wounds, among other serious injuries, Terry tried—but failed—to save his two youngest children before crawling out of his burning house. Meanwhile, Terry's sixteen-year-old daughter, Erin, was missing…Once Erin was found by local authorities, she claimed she had been kidnapped—but could not remember the details. It wasn't until Terry was fully conscious that he could explain what had really happened: He'd been shot, point-blank, by two young men. One of them he did not know; the other was Charlie James Wilkinson. Charlie was Erin's nineteen-year-old boyfriend, forbidden from entering the Caffey home. Until Erin helped Charlie come up with a plan to do away with her disapproving parents once and for all…

The Instigator


Jonathon Gatehouse - 2012
    Many hardcore hockey followers are convinced the commissioner is out to ruin the game this country loves.Still, when Bettman took over in 1992, the gross revenue of the National Hockey League was US$400 million. This season, the figure will be closer to $3.3 billion—an eightfold increase. If that were the only criterion by which to judge Bettman’s tenure, he’d be a business success story. But on his watch, professional hockey has expanded beyond its traditional strongholds and shown it can prosper in unlikely places—even on American networks. And the best players in the world now all ply their trade in the league that Gary built.By taming the NHL’s famously fractious owners, all but busting its players’ union, and by enforcing lawyerly discipline on everything from trash talk to Jim Balsillie’s efforts to crash the party, Bettman has become a figure of almost unrivalled power in the business of sport. His influence shapes leagues in other countries, dictates the schedule of the Olympic Winter Games, and spills onto the ice itself with innovations such as the shootout and a second referee, and with crackdowns on obstruction and headshots.In The Instigator, Jonathon Gatehouse details the unlikely ascension of a lonely New York City kid from a single-parent family who never played hockey and can barely skate to the sport’s biggest job. It examines his motivations, peels back his often aloof demeanour, and explains how a true outsider manages to lead, confound, and keep order in the game Canadians love.

Who Needs a Road?: The Story of the Longest and Last Motor Journey Around the World


Harold Stephens - 1999
    He wanted to do it in a four-wheel drive, taking his own camper-trailer with him, to live at the edge of deserts and at the rim of tropical jungles, to drive the highest roads, and the lowest, to be free to make his own choices. He found a nut who wanted to do it with him, a picture editor of a leading man's magazine in New York, and the Trans World Expedition was born. This is their incredible journey. The did it, and how they did it is their tale told in his exciting book.

Hocus Pocus: A Tale of Magnificent Magicians


Paul Kieve - 2007
    Author Paul Kieve takes would-be wizards through a parade of the world's top magicians - Harry Houdini, the Great Lafayette - and unveils how easy it is to perform their most spell-binding magic tricks. An introduction by Daniel Radcliffe makes this the fall must-have for all budding magicians and Harry Potter fans. As Daniel Radcliffe says, "Step into the pages of HOCUS POCUS and prepare to be astonished!"

The Barf Diet: For Dogs and Cats: Using Evolutionary Principles


Ian Billinghurst - 2001
    Ian Billinghurst was written to help pet owners either understand or expand their knowledge of evolutionary diets for both dogs and cats. It contains important background research from his first two books together with lots of new information. Experienced "BARFers" will benefit from a number of new suggested recipes and practical information to assist in the home production of BARF diets - now everyone can do the BARF diet for their pets!

The Leader in Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child At a Time


Stephen R. Covey - 2008
    Stephen R. Covey illustrates how his principles of leadership can be applied to children of all ages. In today’s world, we are inundated with information about who to be, what to do, and how to live. But what if there was a way to learn not just what to think about, but how to think? A program that taught young people how to manage priorities, focus on goals, and be a positive influence in their schools?The Leader in Me is that program. In this bestseller, Stephen R. Covey took the 7 Habits that have already changed the lives of millions of readers and showed that even young children can use them as they develop. These habits are being adapted by schools around the country in leadership programs, most famously at the A.B Combs Elementary school in Raleigh. Not only do the programs work, but they work better than anyone could have imagined. This book is full of examples of how the students blossom under the program—from the classroom that decided to form a support group for one of their classmates who had behavioral problems to the fourth grader who overcame his fear of public speaking and took his class to see him compete in a national story telling competition.Perfect for individuals and corporations alike, The Leader in Me shows how easy it is to incorporate these skills into daily life so kids of all ages can be more effective, goal-oriented, and successful.

From Last to First: A long-distance runner's journey from failure to success


Charlie Spedding - 2009
    These were the athletes in the Olympic marathon. So how did he end up with a bronze medal? How did he win the London Marathon? And why does he still hold the English record for the distance? In this remarkable autobiography he explains how – how someone who was almost bottom of the class when he first went to school, and even worse at sport, eventually turned himself into a genuinely world-class athlete, competing in top marathons all over the world, and genuinely going from last to first. As well as the enthralling life story of one of our finest distance runners, this book is a wonderfully clear and inspiring piece of life coaching for anyone who wants to make the most of their talents. But more than this, as Spedding says at the start, ‘I believe that on occasions you can create the circumstances in which you can perform at a higher level than your talent says you can’. Spedding’s own story, and his chronicle of the big races he excelled in, proves it’s true. For anyone aspiring to run a marathon, or indeed anyone who wants to set themselves a goal they think beyond their reach – and achieve it – this is an essential book.

Take Your Best Shot: Do Something Bigger Than Yourself


Austin Gutwein - 2000
    By the end of the book, thereader will know the testimony of Austin and other teens from aroundthe world who are committed to a life of sharing Christ’s love, andwill have begun to search for God’s voice in their own lives. The bookwill also equip and challenge readers with information on a variety ofministries and organizations around the world to help people, animals,and the environment.  “Austin is an outstandingyoung man! He inspires us to dream bigger, reach higher and love deeper. Hisstory deserves a wide hearing.” Max Lucado“I amvery impressed with Austin Gutwein’s story in Take Your Best Shot. This bookis filled with words of encouragement, inspiration, and hope. It’s guaranteedto motivate you into action.” Pat Williams, Senior Vice President, Orlando Magic“Ispent a day with Austin and his family and found them inspiring. His story, Ibelieve, challenges us all. The first thing I thought as I drove to the airportwas: What was I doing when I was twelve? Andthen, of course, the next thought: What,exactly, am I doing now?” John Larson, Former NBC NationalCorrespondent“Whenpeople ask me how they can possibly make a difference fighting a problem as bigas ‘global poverty’, I tell them about a boy named Austin who, like David, stared Goliath in theeye without flinching. This young man has done more to make a difference in thelives of children orphaned by AIDS than most American churches, let aloneindividuals. If you are older than 10 and you haven’t yet done your part tochange the world, read TakeYour Best Shot and beinspired. Austin Gutwein shows us the way”. RichardStearns, President, World Vision US, Author of TheHole in Our Gospel“Whenpeople ask who has most impacted me over the last year, without hesitation Ican say Austin Gutwein and the story of Hoops of Hope. I am around amazingleaders all the time, and Austin rivals all of them. Austinis my friend. And Austinis one of my heroes. You can’t be around Austinor the amazing work of Hoops of Hope without being deeply impacted andinspired. Trust me. Do yourself a favor and read this book and the incrediblestory. But once you do, be prepared to be changed and challenged. You’ll seethe world and your significant role in helping those less fortunate in anamazingly fresh way.” BradLomenick, Executive Director, Catalyst“Austin’sstory is one of modern day heroism. He represents a new generation that cancarry us all into the twenty-first century: a world of hope, peace and selflesslove. Austincompletely inspires me.” DanielBiro, Hawk Nelson

Lewis and Clark


George Sullivan - 2000
    This book tells the exciting story of Lewis and Clark's famous expedition West, drawing on the explorers' journals and other primary sources.

Calling the Shots: Ups, Downs and Rebounds – My Life in the Great Game of Hockey


Kelly Hrudey - 2017
    Kelly made seventy-three saves (to this day an NHL record for most saves made in a playoff game) against the Capitals before Pat LaFontaine scored the winner in the fourth overtime period of Game Seven at two o’clock in the morning. Later that year, Kelly was in the Canada Cup lineup of one of the most talented teams ever assembled on ice. In 1989, he joined Wayne Gretzky and Marty McSorley on a team that took Los Angeles by storm: the Kings went all the way to the Stanley Cup final against the Canadiens in 1993. Hrudey is now a well-respected hockey analyst and broadcaster and has watched with a keen eye as the game continues to evolve. Through it all, he has seen greatness and missed opportunities, inspiring moments and outright craziness. Working with bestselling author Kirstie McLellan Day, Kelly delivers a lively and thoughtful memoir, rich in behind-the-scenes anecdotes, humour and insight.

Murder, Interrupted


James Patterson - 2018
    Rich, cheating financier Frank Howard wants his wife dead, and he's willing to pay Billie Earl Johnson whatever it takes, to the tune of $750,000. When his bullet misses the mark, Billie Earl and Frank will turn on each other in a fight for their lives . . . MOTHER OF ALL MURDERS. Dee Dee Blancharde is a local celebrity. Television reports praise her as a single mother who tirelessly cares for her wheelchair-bound, chronically ill daughter. But when the teenaged Gypsy Rose realizes she isn't actually sick and Dee Dee has lied all these years, Gypsy Rose exacts her revenge . . .