New Releases by Eric Walters

Seven novels of adventure in one ebook bundle. When David McLean, well-loved grandfather and avid adventurer, dies, he leaves behind an unusual will that outlines sevens tasks he has set for his seven grandsons. Eric Walters, John Wilson, Ted Staunton, Richard Scrimger, Norah McClintock, Sigmund Brouwer and Shane Peacock bring their signature writing styles to a series of adventures that take readers from the top of Kilimanjaro to the bottom of the Mediterranean.

Hunter knows humans are dangerous to himself and the other cats of his colony. He avoids them, as all wild cats should. So when a neighborhood boy starts showing up in Hunter''s junkyard to chase away dogs and bring the colony food, Hunter keeps his distance. But a new condo development puts the whole colony in danger, and Hunter soon realizes the only way to save his family is to put his trust in the boy. The story of Catboy told through very different eyes.

Katie likes to believe she’s invisible. It seems so much safer than being exposed as who she is: shy, poor, and vulnerable. So getting up in front of audience as the lead in her school’s production of The Taming of the Shrew should be complete torture. But as Katie tells it, something totally unexpected happened when she stepped on stage: “My head exploded. I loved it. Acting hit me like a sucker punch and I loved, loved, loved it! Invisible Katie became visible Katherina.” Evan is, as they say, another story. He knows just what it takes to get noticed, and he uses every one of the skills he’s perfected from years of being the new kid at yet another new school. Rich, smart, and ridiculously charming, he’s like nothing and no one Katie has ever encountered. How then could someone like him possibly be interested in someone like her? But before she knows it they are inseparable. Over the dizzying course of their relationship, Katie must confront the fact that the power of love can conceal darker truths.

Nick and Kia struggle to gain the acceptance of the other members of their basketball team.

"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.

The wild cat colony Taylor has been caring for is at risk of being destroyed, and in order to save it, Taylor will need the help of all his friends.

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.

Originally published: Harper Collins, 1999.

In his sequel to Alexandria of Africa, Eric Walters brings exciting new characters to life, with the urban jungle of Los Angeles as their backdrop. It''s the ultimate clash of cultures when Nebala, a Maasai warrior, leaves behind Kenya and, with two fellow Maasai, and crosses the world to compete in a marathon in the most famous zip code in the world: Beverly Hills, California. Reunited with their friend Alexandria, now their guide to strange, new surroundings, the trio are confronted with life in fast-paced, extravagant Beverly Hills, and customs and attitudes the Maasai find by turns baffling and amusing. Beverly Hill Maasai is another heartwarming, fast-paced, and thought-provoking novel from one of Canada''s most popular young adult writers.

The date is October 15, 1954. Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth, who lives in the Toronto suburb of Weston, is a typical grade 8 girl. She has a secret crush on a boy in her class and she thinks Elvis Presley is "dreamy." Elizabeth also has a part-time job babysitting an adorable little grade 2 girl named Suzie, and Suzie’s not-so-adorable grade 6 brother, David. Elizabeth’s job is to walk Suzie and David home after school and then stay at their house with them until their mother gets home from work. David resents Elizabeth because he thinks he is too old for a babysitter, and he goes out of his way to make life miserable for her. On this particular evening, however, Elizabeth has more than a badly behaved boy to contend with. It is on this October night that Hurricane Hazel roars down on Toronto, bringing torrential rains that cause extensive flooding. David and Suzie’s house is on Raymore Drive, a street that will be practically wiped out by the floodwaters. David and Suzie’s parents are unable to reach the house, which means the children’s safety on this most deadly of nights is Elizabeth’s responsibility. She finds herself increasingly isolated. They are surrounded by rising water. The electricity goes out. The phone goes dead. Still, Elizabeth is sure they will be safe as long as they remain in the house. But are Elizabeth and the children really as "safe as houses"? Before this terrifying night is over, Elizabeth and David will have to learn to communicate and cooperate if they are to save their own lives and Suzie’s. Their survival in the midst of one of Canada’s worst disasters will depend upon their resourcefulness, maturity and courage.

In the tenth installment of the best-selling Eric Walters basketball series, Nick, Kia and their teammates embark on a letter writing campaign to persuade the Toronto Raptors community relations department to send one or more of the players to visit Clark Boulevard Elementary School. Unfortunately they are too late in applying and the team''s school program has already been set for the year. But Nick and Kia do not give up easily, and their efforts become increasingly dramatic until Nick finally comes up with an idea that the team will be unable to ignore.

Dramatic, gripping, and moving, this sequel to the award-winning We All Fall Down will captivate readers. It’s September 12th, 2001, and New York City is at a standstill: somber, bleak and shocked in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks. Will knows he and his father are lucky to have escaped; others, like his best friend James’ father are still missing . . . and soon presumed to be dead. Poignant and dramatic, United We Stand is a young adult novel about heartache, self-discovery, and the power of friendship.

Key Selling Points Enhanced features (highly-readable font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers.

The first flash mob Ian puts together himself is a sixty-plus person, four-minute pillow fight in a department store. Ian''s friend Oswald is thrilled with the event, but Julia, the one Ian really wants to impress, is still convinced that flash mobs are stupid. While Ian tries to prove Julia wrong by initiating flash mobs with political impact, Julia is busy waging war with the strict new principal at school. When Julia goes too far and gets herself suspended, Ian sees an opportunity for a relevant and persuasive flash mob. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

It is 1915, and Canada is embroiled in the First World War. The East Coast is under threat from German U-boats that are sinking ships and endangering coastal towns. It all seems very far away from the life of fifteen-year-old William McCracken -- a Halifax lad who has developed a taste for gambling and tough ways. William thinks he has a summer of mischief ahead of him until he discovers that his mother has arranged for him to spend the season working with an inventor by the name of Alexander Graham Bell. In a Nova Scotia outport, Bell and his crew are at work on his latest invention -- a hydrofoil boat that will help the Allies defend the coast from the German danger. But there''s a deadly menace hovering over the project and, suddenly, William finds his "boring"summer job transformed into an action-packed race to solve a terrifying mystery.

After fleeing her suburban home, 15-year-old Dana struggles to survive in the alleys, squats, and subway stations of downtown Toronto. Dana and her two friends, seasoned street kids Brent and Ashley, must contend with turf wars, thugs, hunger, and the daily battle of life on the streets.When Dana’s graffiti on an underpass catches the eye of a counsellor at Sketches, a drop-in centre for homeless teens, Dana discovers a haven where she can express herself through art. As she works on a self-portrait, Dana begins to confront the reason she left home. The truth of what her stepfather did to her is trying to surface, but will it come out through her paintbrush or the blade of a knife? This gritty, honest portrayal of street life from acclaimed author Eric Walters is a testament to the healing power of art.

Sam Campbell''s school team, the Laggan Lairds, always loses. When someone suggests that their name be the Laggan Lard Butts, Sam thinks the team should change its name. What is a Laird anyway? The basketball coach agrees, and soon the whole school is involved in an election for a new team name. Sam and his friends nominate the name Lard Butts. When the basketball team starts winning games after a warm-up cheer of "Go Lard Butts!" it seems the Lard Butt campaign might actually win the election. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

The latest page-turner from Canada''s bestselling children''s author. Twelve-year-old Ruth must spend her summer at the University of Toronto, where her mother is hired to clean the Institute of Biological Research. There, the lonely girl is befriended by Dr. Banting and his assistant Mr. Best, who are in search of a cure for diabetes. But much to Ruth''s dismay, the research they are doing involves testing on animals. She''s not the only one concerned about the dogs: a group of animal rights protestors become a regular fixture outside the institute. When the group leader tries to enlist Ruth''s support, she is torn between her sympathy for animals and her loyalty to Dr. Banting and Mr. Best.

In 1943 George and Jack discover Camp X - Canada''s secret spy camp and become involved in wartime intrigue.

Nick, Kia and their Mississauga Magic teammates are on the road, heading off to an elite hoop tournament in the Midwest. Feeling outmatched by many of the high-profile teams, the kids are still looking forward to a good time. However, Coach Barkley, who played college ball in the area and is still regarded as a hero, has other ideas. As usual, nothing but winning will be good enough for Coach. As the tournament progresses, the Magic players learn to believe in themselves and come to realize that they can hold their own against the opposing teams. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

When Nick and Kia arrive for try-outs for the basketball team they played on the previous year, they are surprised to meet their new coach. Coach Barkley is a former college star known for his fierce desire to win. Though the coach has been away from the game for many years, his competitive instincts are as strong as ever and his aggressive coaching techniques are a new experience for these kids. Suddenly making the rep team no longer seems the sure thing that Nick and Kia expected when they came to try-outs. This is hard on Nick and Kia, but especially difficult for the coach''s son, L.B., who is also trying out for the team. When the coach matches them up against a team of older players and then refuses to accept their loss, the kids begin to wonder if they even want to make this team. Nick, Kia and L.B. finally have to decide whether to play for a tyrant or to take a stand on principle and face the consequences.

"Ricky and Augie raise money to buy a new pet snake for their science teacher. Can they keep their plan a secret and get the snake safely to school" Cf. Our choice, 2003.

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!

During WWII, Jed’s English father serves as a fighter pilot overseas, while Jed and his mother move back to her Tsimshian community on Canada''s west coast. When the military sets up a naval base in town, Jed is hired to help out, honored it seems, for both his father''s bravery and his own native skills as a hunter. Presented with a military jacket, Jed finds an allegiance to his country and a pride in his mixed heritage that he''s never felt before. But one day Jed''s world is shattered. His best friend Tadashi, along with the other members of the nearby Japanese village, are declared enemy aliens and told to prepare to leave their homes. Now Jed must ask himself where his allegiance really belongs...to his country''s rigid code, or to the truth that is buried in his Tsimshian soul. War of the Eagles is the first of two books in a series. Book two is Caged Eagles.

Based on a symposium at the 199th national ACS meeting, Boston, April 1990. The search continues for the full sucrose-taste experience without the calories. The contributions cover structure-taste studies of peptides, proteins, and other natural products, as well as many synthetic sweeteners; experimental and computation approaches to the study of sweeteners and receptors; and mechanisms of sweet taste perception. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR