Best Selling Books by Eric Walters

Mutanu is excited. As she goes about her chores, she thinks about the day to come and what surprises it might bring. For today is no ordinary day at the orphanage she lives in. Every year, the orphanage honors its newest arrivals by creating a birthday day especially for them. From that moment forward, the orphans have a day that they know is theirs--a day to celebrate, a day to enjoy, a day to remember. And today is the day! Based on real children in an orphanage in Kenya, this lovely story shows how something as simple as a birthday, something most of us take for granted, can mean so much in another part of the world.

When Nick and his pals suddenly find themselves short a man for the NBA-sponsored three-on-three tournament they plan to enter during the summer holidays, the solution seems simple enough. Nick, Kia and Mark are the key players on the team, so the fourth, though mandatory according to the rules, doesn''t really have to be good at the game. A surprise visit from Nick''s mother''s cousin brings Ned, who is exactly Nick''s age but not exactly an athlete, into the picture and onto the team. The other three teammates figure that as long as they don''t actually have to use Ned in a game they will be fine. Then Mark sprains his ankle and can''t play in the tournament. Suddenly Nick and Kia must find a way to make Ned an integral part of the team. This turns out to be no small task!

Kioko had been watching the matatus come and go for as long as he could remember. But today, for his fifth birthday, he climbs aboard one with his grandfather. As the matatu pulls away from the market, the village dogs chase after them. When Kioko asks his grandfather why the dogs always bark and chase after matatus, his grandfather tells him an entertaining tale about a dog, a goat and a sheep. Set in East Africa, The Matatu is a colorful story filled with many unexpected turns and twists along the way.

The city is cracking down on graffiti and guerilla art. Between that and cutbacks to the local art gallery it seems like nothing is safe. But Oswald, masquerading as a graffiti artist known as The Wiz, is fighting back—by painting elaborate murals in public places and planting art in the galleries, and then by taking on the mayor himself. As the fight escalates and the stakes become higher, Oswald gets in deeper than he meant to and needs to rely on his friends to get him out of his latest mess. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Based on the life of a real boy, this warm-hearted, beautifully illustrated book tells the story of Baraka, a young Kenyan boy with a physical disability. Baraka and eight cousins live with their grandmother. She gives them boundless love, but there is never enough money or food, and life is hard --love doesn''t feed hungry stomachs or clothe growing bodies, or school keen minds. Baraka is too young, and, with his disability, needs too much, and she is too old. A difficult choice must be made, and grandmother and grandchild set off on a journey to see if there is a place at the orphanage for Baraka. The story begins by looking at Baraka''s physical disability as a misfortune, but ends by looking beyond the disability, to his great heart and spirit, and the blessings he brings.

Becky James lives in a small town where nothing ever changes. But there’s something very different about the new student, Gene Newman. Brilliant, talented, and socially awkward, Gene is like nobody else Becky has ever known. Little does she know just how different he actually is. Gene confides in Becky that he has a secret. More than that, he is a secret. And, apparently, it’s a secret worth killing for.

The stars come out, cubs snuggle, kittens nestle, and chicks cuddle as all the babies go to sleep.

With the three-on-three tournament over, it''s now time for tryouts for the school rep team. The question is will grade three students Nick and Kia have any chance to make the team? After all the rep team is normally made up only of grade five players. When Nick and Kia decide that they will try out for the team, they find they get a chilly and somewhat hostile reception from the older students. But their determination pays off and they make the team, though both seem destined to ride the bench for much of the season. And the team itself does not get off to a good start, losing its first four games. And then Kia has an idea that she thinks might turn things around. Once they persuade the team to practice the new strategy, the future begins to look brighter. Now at least Nick and Kia are getting some playing time, but can they keep the momentum going through the playoffs?

Fast cars and a gorgeous girl await DJ in England, where he tries to unearth the truth about his grandfather’s role as a spy, or a traitor.

In Book #4 of the popular basketball series, Nick, Kia, and their Mississauga Magic teammates are on the road, heading to an elite hoop tournament in the Mid-West. Feeling outmatched by higher profile teams, the kids still look forward to having a good time. However, Coach Barkley, who played college ball in the area and is still regarded as a hero, has other ideas. He expects near perfection and does not deal well with anything less. Nothing but winning will be good enough. Nick and Kia wonder if they even want to make the team.

"Nick, Kia and their teammates want to have a good time at an elite hoop tournament in the MidWest - but Coach Barkley wants them to win" Cf. Our choice, 2003

Key Selling Points This coming-of-age novel follows a girl''s quest to make her life more interesting after she is broken up with on the last day of high school for being too boring. High school is over, her 90 days before university start now. 90 Days of Differentexplores themes of boundaries, social media and finding yourself. This best-selling novel is now available in paperback for the first time. Author Eric Walters is a tireless presenter and speaks to over 100,000 students per year. Best-selling, award-winning author Eric Walters has published over 100 books and has been named a Member of the Order of Canada.

It''s summertime and hoops season is over, but that doesn''t keep Nick and Kia off the court. One very hot day they head to the rec center for a swim but end up on the outdoor courts that are usually dominated by older players. Their enjoyment of the court is short-lived, however, when three teens show up and kick the kids and their ball off the court. Nick and Kia don''t take well to being bullied, but there''s nothing they can do about it. At least not until they run into Jerome "Junk Yard Dog" Williams at a mall promotional event, and Kia enlists the NBA star''s help in proving that she and Nick do indeed belong on the same court as the older players.

Co-written by Eric Walters and Godfrey Nkongolo, Light a Candle weaves non-fiction with fiction to tell the story of a boy coming of age in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. The son of the village''s chief climbs the mountain against his father’s wishes to fulfill a request of the country’s first leader, Julius Nyerere, to light a candle on the top of the mountain and unify the mainland of Tanganyika and the islands of Zanzibar as one country, the United Republic of Tanzania. This bilingual book includes full text in both English and Swahili.

In this early chapter book, Nathan learns to care for seven orphaned baby squirrels with help from a stray neighborhood cat.

Hunter protects his colony of cats but when a new condo threatens them, he must learn to trust a strange human boy.

DJ is David McLean''s eldest grandson, so it stands to reason that he be the one to scatter his beloved grandfather''s ashes. At least that''s how DJ sees it. DJ''s always been the best at everything—sports, school, looking after his fatherless family—so climbing Kilimanjaro is just another thing he''ll accomplish almost effortlessly. Or so he thinks, until he arrives in Tanzania and everything starts to go wrong. He''s detained at immigration, he gets robbed, his climbing group includes an old lady and he gets stuck with the first ever female porter. Forced to go polepole (slowly), DJ finds out the hard way that youth, fitness level and drive have nothing to do with success on the mountain—or in life. DJ''s adventures start in Jungle Land, part of The Seven Prequels and continue in Sleeper, part of The Seven Sequels.

Set in Canada during World War I, William, 15 and having a taste for gambling and tough ways, thinks he has a summer of mischief ahea of him. Then he finds out his mother has arranged for him to spend the season working with an inventor and his project. But, there is a menace hovering over the secret project, and soon William finds his summer anything but boring.

It''s December 2004 and Sam and his parents are leaving frostbitten Ontario for a vacation in lush, sun-soaked Thailand. Sam''s sister Beth is staying behind. She drives her family to the airport to bid them farewell, not knowing that what awaits them is a natural disaster of unimaginable proportions. Over the next few days, Sam will find himself thrust into the very centre of a crisis he could never have anticipated, one that will test his instinct to survive.

Nick and Kia get excited when their school gym teacher announces a "three-on-three" basketball tournament. The two most dedicated players in grade three, they know they''ll be tough to beat. But when Nick finds out they''ll be up against teams in grade four and five, he is ready to throw in the towel before they start. How can shrimps like them ever hope to beat the older kids? Easy, get the best player in the school to be your third player. Marcus is bigger, tougher and in grade five. But it''s not as easy to convince Marcus to join their team. The older boy is often uneasy around them, but worse, Kia and Nick find themselves making enemies of some of the kids in the upper grade. Nick realizes it''s going to take more than skill at basketball to win this tournament and make friends with Marcus without becoming targets for the older kids off the court.

In this middle-grade novel, DJ travels with his grandfather to Central America and ends up hunted by armed gunmen.

Seven-year-old Christina desperately wants a dog. When she visits a kennel with her parents, she comes home with Prince, a greyhound recently retired from his champion racing career. Christina is thrilled and spends all her time with her new pal. They are like two peas in a pod. But one day, when Prince is left alone in the backyard, he escapes. Christina''s mother searches everywhere for him only to find him at the schoolyard gate waiting for Christina. Promising never to leave him alone in the backyard again, her father brings home a little Chihuahua named Chancho. Now Prince will always have a companion to play with.

Basketball-loving Nick and his friend Kia visit Nick''s cousin Ned in a remote national park in the mountains of British Columbia during a very dry summer when the danger of fires is everywhere.

Luego de ver un documental sobre los problemas de salud que provoca la comida rápida, Ian organiza un boicot para que la gente no coma en Frankie''s, una cadena de restaurantes con un pésimo menú. Los abogados de la empresa tratan entonces de detenerlo. ¿Podrá Ian luchar por sus convicciones? ¿Será posible ganarle a una corporación gigantesca? Disponible en inglés: A reventar.

It''s a new season for Nick and Kia and once again they have to prove they''ve got what it takes to make the Mississauga Magic rep team. There is no free ride on Coach Barkley''s team. The tryouts are tough but fair and it looks like the nucleus of last year’s team will be together once again. But there is one new player who seems to have the skills to impress the coach. Though Ashton has great skills, he''s not much of a team player. On top of that he''s not even sure he wants to make the team. Unable to imagine that anyone wouldn''t want to play for the Magic, Nick and Kia set out to solve this dilemma and learn some tough lessons along the way.

Nine-year-old Skye has always had a fascination with flying. She’d love to be a pilot someday, like both of her parents, but deep down she really wishes she could be a bird. When Skye’s parents take her to Costa Rica, she is thrilled about all of the beautiful exotic birds she’ll get to see. What she doesn’t realize is that her parents have three big surprises planned, and each will offer her a different opportunity to feel what it’s like to fly. From snorkeling with baby sea turtles to parasailing out on the open ocean to zip-lining through the Costa Rican rainforest, Skye will have more than one chance to fly like a bird before this trip of a lifetime is through. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Key Selling Points Ali is an eighth-grade student trying to to do it all—get good grades, fit in with his friends, get the girl and satisfy his parents—all while struggling to deal with the anti-Muslim racism around him. Writing poetry helps. If only his father wasn''t set against it. Call Me Al deals with what it''s like to be an immigrant (Ali and his family immigrated from Pakistan when he was little), racism (from peers and the world at large), balancing family versus friends'' expectations, first crushes, being from a lower-income household, being Muslim and finding forgiveness for those who hurt you. Features a relatable male protagonist who discovers spoken-word poetry as an outlet for his feelings. Also makes clear the relationship between poetry and hip-hop. Co-authored by the power duo of veteran writer Eric Walters and renowned poet and motivational speaker Wali Shah, who has based this character''s struggles with choosing between studying science (for his parents) and writing poetry (for himself) on his own experiences.

"Dear Ethan: I know you must be terribly confused, a little bit scared and thinking, hoping, praying, that the plane will return. It will not." Ethan can barely believe it. Until now, his biggest problems have been trying to stay in one school without getting expelled and finding his next drink. But after Ethan''s drunken imitation of the current headmaster goes up on YouTube, his father steps in with a shockingly drastic measure. Now Ethan is sprawled in the sand. In the Sahara desert. Alone. According to his father''s letter, Ethan is to trek 200 km across the desert to the city of Tunis, with the help of a guide and three other young people. Confused, hungover, and-if he is truthful-more than a little scared, Ethan has no choice. He will face sandstorms, vipers, and agonizingly painful blisters ... but, most painful of all, he will face his inner demons and come to a true realization of who he really is.

Robbie''s father is a spitfire pilot who was shot down during World War II and is now a POW. At only seventeen, Robbie lies about his identity to enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force under the guise of going to a boarding school so that his mother doesn''t find out. He starts training in Brandon, Manitoba, but after acing all his classes, he''s dealt a disappointing blow when he''s assigned to be a navigator on a Lancaster. He wanted to be a pilot, just like his father, but the commanders of the air force have other ideas. Robbie is soon on his way to England, where he completes his training on missions bombing German targets in enemy territory. It is during one of these missions that his Lancaster is fired upon and the pilot and many of the crew are shot. It''s up to Robbie and his limited piloting experience to save the crew...and himself.

After running away from home, fifteen-year-old Dana finds friends on the Toronto streets, and, eventually, a way to come to terms with what has happened to her.

Key Selling Points New, enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers.

Set in both the wilds and slums of Kenya, a powerful story about a brother and sister''s brave journey to find a place to call home. 13-year-old Muchoki and his younger sister, Jata, can barely recognize what''s become of their lives. Only weeks ago they lived in a bustling Kenyan village, going to school, playing soccer with friends, and helping at their parents'' store. But sudden political violence has killed their father and destroyed their home. Now, Muchoki, Jata, and their ailing mother live in a tent in an overcrowded refugee camp. By day, they try to fend off hunger and boredom. By night, their fears about the future are harder to keep at bay. Driven by both hope and desperation, Muchoki and Jata set off on what seems like an impossible journey: to walk hundreds of kilometers to find their last remaining family.

What is the true meaning of friendship? Follow along as a boy meets up with his friend—a dog who faithfully waits for him every day so they can ride out to the beach together to surf. The boy doesn''t own the dog and he doesn''t know who does, but their daily routine has created a special bond. Award-winning author Eric Walters navigates the waters of a unique friendship alongside the vibrant illustrations of Eugenie Fernandes, who brings the bumpy roads, rugged beach paths and rolling waves of the tropics to life. Sometimes the most poignant relationships in a child''s life are the ones between friends.

Key Selling Points In this book, a young boy works with his grandfather to save an orca calf stuck in the shallows of an island. This book explores a child’s loneliness living on a remote island and the bond between him and his grandfather, with themes of multigenerational friendship, wildlife rescue, building self-esteem and perseverance. Author Eric Walters has published over 100 books, including several in the Orca Echoes series. This book features several black-and-white illustrations, which add to this engaging chapter book.

Eric Walters'' timeless series about the zoo next door is now available from Scholastic Canada! In this sequel to Tiger by the Tail, Sarah and Nicholas Fraser are off to zoo camp for the week. Once they arrive, however, they quickly learn that the camp is not what it seemed. The siblings sleep in a rundown cabin with no running water; Vladimir, the gruff zookeeper, is more at home with his animals than with other people; and the owners are more interested in making a profit than in the well-being of the animals. When Sarah overhears a conversation late one night and learns about the sinister plans for Kushna the tiger, she and Nicholas once again must spring into action to save an endangered animal.

Eric Walters'' timeless series about the zoo next door is now available from Scholastic Canada! When tornado-force winds force Sarah and Nicholas Fraser to seek shelter in a neighbour''s barn, they discover that the retired circus trainer has some unusual farm animals: a cheetah, an ape, a python, and a tiger! Fascinated by the exotic animals, Sarah and Nicholas help out with their training and care. But when a band of mischievous teens cut the chains to the tiger''s cage and he escapes, they must help track him down before the story makes front-page news. This classic series from bestselling author Eric Walters has been newly revised and redesigned.

A violin and a middle-school musical unleash a dark family secret in this moving story by an award-winning author duo. For fans of The Devil''s Arithmetic and Hana''s Suitcase. It''s 2002. In the aftermath of the twin towers -- and the death of her beloved grandmother -- Shirli Berman is intent on moving forward. The best singer in her junior high, she auditions for the lead role in Fiddler on the Roof, but is crushed to learn that she''s been given the part of the old Jewish mother in the musical rather than the coveted part of the sister. But there is an upside: her "husband" is none other than Ben Morgan, the cutest and most popular boy in the school. Deciding to throw herself into the role, she rummages in her grandfather''s attic for some props. There, she discovers an old violin in the corner -- strange, since her Zayde has never seemed to like music, never even going to any of her recitals. Showing it to her grandfather unleashes an anger in him she has never seen before, and while she is frightened of what it might mean, Shirli keeps trying to connect with her Zayde and discover the awful reason behind his anger. A long-kept family secret spills out, and Shirli learns the true power of music, both terrible and wonderful.

In this YA novel, Betty starts to investigate her mother’s murder and uncovers a sinister connection to the wealthy family she works for.

Jax meets Liv, the new girl at school who shares his love of music, but that’s not all they have in common … Jax has big plans for grade eight: seeing if his maybe-girlfriend, Samantha, will become his actual girlfriend, and being first trumpet in the school band. Enter Liv, the new girl Jax meets at band auditions. Liv’s a star on the trumpet too. In fact, she might be better than Jax. When Jax and Liv start rehearsing together, they go from duet partners to fast friends. Soon, they learn that they share something more than a love of music — something that will change their whole world and make them rethink what it means to be “family.”