Before all the NHL's old barns were torn down to make way for bigger, glitzier rinks. Before expansion and parity across the league, just about anything could happen on the ice. And it often did. It was an era when huge personalities dominated the sport; and willpower was often enough to win games. And in the spring of 1993, some of the biggest talents and biggest personalities were on a collision course. The Cinderella Maple Leafs had somehow beaten the mighty Red Wings and then, just as improbably, the St. Louis Blues. Wayne Gretzky's Kings had just torn through the Flames and the Canucks. When they faced each other in the conference final, the result would be a series that fans still talk about passionately 25 years later. Taking us back to that feverish spring, The Last Good Year gives an intimate account not just of an era-defining seven games, but of what the series meant to the men who were changed by it: Marty McSorley, the tough guy who took his whole team on his shoulders; Doug Gilmour, the emerging superstar; celebrity owner Bruce McNall; Bill Berg, who went from unknown to famous when the Leafs claimed him on waivers; Kelly Hrudey, the Kings' goalie who would go on to become a Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster; Kerry Fraser, who would become the game's most infamous referee; and two very different captains, Toronto's bull in a china shop, Wendel Clark, and the immortal Wayne Gretzky. Fast-paced, authoritative, and galvanized by the same love of the game that made the series so unforgettable, The Last Good Year is a glorious testament to a moment hockey fans will never forget.

    He can't go anywhere or do anything without hearing about the great exploits of that pesky hare. And Lever's head has grown to match the size of his entourage. It isn't until Nate challenges Lever to a race that this hare is put in his place . . . giving new meaning to the phrase "slow and steady wins the race." Kevin O'Malley fans will cheer all the way to the finish line for this clever twist on the beloved fable.

    From the moment the ninja boys and ninja girls step off their minibus, mayhem ensues.Farm activities like feeding a pig, milking a cow, and plowing a field dissolve into chaos as the master slips into the slop trough, is chased by a bull, and then is dragged through the hay. YIKES! YEE-OW! It’s a barnyard disaster. Meanwhile, the mischievous ninjas run rampant, setting chicks free and splitting fences, until they remember to shape up and honor their creed: Always help someone in need.Chris Tougas’ digitally rendered ninjas pop off the page once again in this laugh-out-loud story. Told in rhyming verse with a playful rhythm, accompanied by hilarious illustrations and big sound effects, Dojo Daytrip makes for a riotous read-aloud with a kindhearted message.

    Fishing alone at dusk,a boy feels a tug on his line and comes face-to-facewith the gigantic trout--whose enormous jaw is coveredwith so many lures and fish hooks that he jingles andjangles when he swims. Terrified by the sight, the boy isshocked when Jangles befriends him and takes him on anadventure to the bottom of the lake. A surprise endingwill leave readers laughing and shaking their heads. Hereis Shannon at his very best-in a wild and witty story thatbegs repeated reading.

    Magee seriesA snowy adventure with Mr. Magee and his dog, Dee: One winter morning, Mr. Magee and his little dog, Dee, head out bright and early to learn how to ski. But what begins as a pleasant day in the snow quickly goes downhill when a run-in with a curious moose sends them flying through the air and hanging above an abyss! How will Dee and Magee find their way out of this snowy situation? Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee is another fun-filled adventure for Magee fans old and new. • Filled with charming, vibrant illustrations and playful, rhyming text• Chris Van Dusen is the author and illustrator of Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee and A Camping Spree with Mr. MageeFans of the Mr. Magee series and Chris Van Dusen's If I Built a House and If I Built a Car will love this winter adventure with Mr. Magee. A lesson on overcoming obstacles with an easy to follow storyline, fun illustrations, and likable characters. • A fun read-aloud for families and elementary story time• Books for kids ages 4-8• Books for early and emergent readers

    Otherwise, you might find your mouth opening wide and letting out a great big yawny yaaaaaawn — hey, you were supposed hold it in! A hilarious read-aloud that is so much fun, kids will beg for it again and again, whatever the consequences.

    All is well...until an intruder arrives in her kingdom. Surely he will be banished soon. Or could he be here to stay? Princess Puffybottom is not amused.

    Some of the cards are definitely worth a few bucks, some a few cents — but every story told here is priceless. Sportsnet’s Ken Reid presents the cards you loved and the airbrushed monstrosities that made you howl, the cards that have been packed away in boxes forever, and others you can’t believe ever existed. Whether it’s a case of mistaken identity or simply a great old photo, a fantastic 1970s haircut and ’stache, a wicked awesome goalie mask or a future Hall of Famer’s off-season fashion sense, a wide variety of players — from superstars like Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, and Phil Esposito to the likes of Bill Armstrong who played only one game in the NHL — chime in on one of their most famous cards.

    The poem describes the forest of snow-covered pines, where a deer and fawn nibble a frozen apple, and a great gray owl swoops down with its feathers trailing through the snow. Two snowshoe hares scamper and play under the watchful eyes of a little fox, and a tiny mouse scurries in search of a midnight feast. When the snow clouds disappear, stars light up the sky, followed by the mystical shimmering of northern lights - all framed by the frost on the window.Jean E. Pendziwol's lyrical poem reflects a deep appreciation of the magic of a northern winter night where, even as a child slumbers, the world outside does not rest but continues its own natural rhythms.Isabelle Arsenault's spare, beautifully rendered illustrations, with their subtle but striking use of color, make us feel that we too are experiencing the enchantment of that northern night. They simultaneously evoke winter's nighttime life and the cozy warmth and security of a beloved child's sleep.

    A magical new classic in the making from the creator of the beloved favourite, The Tiger Who Came to Tea.Once there was a little boy called Matty, and he was very sad…From the creator of the iconic picture books The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Mog the Forgetful Cat, comes a brand new story about joy, parties… and crocodiles!Matty is sick, and very sad because he’s too sick to go to the Queen’s birthday party! But when he gets an unexpected visitor, it seems that Matty might not miss out after all…

    The imaginative text and cumulative story are sure to enthrall young readers, as will the detailed illustrations. Children and adults will delight in finding the whimsical objects and hidden meanings in the layered colorful artwork, reminiscent of Wallace Edwards's first book, Alphabeasts.

    Jackie Robinson is playing for the Royals, the Brooklyn Dodgers' Triple-A team. As the first black man to sign a contract in modern organized baseball, Jackie's going to change the world. Just a short distance away, 12-year-old Joey Grosser has big plans, too. He's going to break out of the Plateau, his poor Jewish dump of a neighborhood, and make a better life for his mother and little brother on the other side of Park Avenue, where the rich people live. All he needs is money, and he's got plenty of ideas on how to get it. But every step forward is two steps back, and he turns to the wrong man for help.One decision will determine Joey's fate-and whether he’ll live long enough to see Jackie Robinson make baseball history.

    Join Professors Vampire, Blob, and Werewolf, and their trusty lab assistant - a zombie named Tina - as they reveal eerie and frankly ridiculous monsters facts never uttered outside a crypt! For example:• Monsters love competitive board game nights!• Favorite monster foods include clam pudding with fish heads and pickled ant ice cream!• In addition to cauldrons and spider gardens, monster homes often include homemade collages!• Werewolves hate the sound of vacuum cleaners!• Monsters aren’t all scary! Try being nice to one for a change! Offer them a compliment!Full of eye-popping illustrations and a story with nonstop sidesplitting laughs, plus a removable Professor of Monstrology diploma at the end of the book, Monsters 101 will have children - and adults - eager to enroll, time and time again!

    The perfect read for fans of Felix Francis' Pulse and Triple Crown. 'There are some genuinely exhilarating descriptions of races that capture the tension and excitement, and could be written only with a jockey's insight' - Daily Mail Pippa Hutchinson is an aspiring young trainer, certain that given the right horses she is as good as anyone in the business. Until, that is, an owner removes two horses to another yard, and one shows dramatic improvement. She enlists the help of her brother, Jamie, once a star flat jockey, now trying to revive his racing career over fences after a harrowing term in prison. But former wild boy Jamie has his own demons to deal with, like the new challenge of jumps riding, the hostility of those who can never forgive him for a young lad's death - and the black wall within him that separates him from his past. What readers are saying about Inside Track: 'The best book he [John Francome] has written so far''An outstanding, compelling book from start to finish''Well written, well-paced and the way he portrays the differing characters is astounding'

    There's just the small matter of breaking a century-old curse involving a pretzel, a bubble-gum tycoon, and a missing shortstop. Danny also believes that the outcome of Sluggers' games depends on him and hot dogs. Because eating two hot dogs with everything before each game is the best kind of luck a fan can give his team. Danny Ghurkin has a date with baseball destiny; he just doesn't know it. Yet.