Most Popular Books by Eric Walters

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!

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!

Today Is the Day is a celebration of new beginnings and belonging. This is the third book from celebrated author Eric Walters set in his Kenyan orphanage. A great resource for teachers, librarians and parents to introduce children to life in less secure areas of the world. 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.

What makes bath time fun for baby? Bath toys! From parading penguins and splashing seals to frolicking frogs and bathing beavers, these joyful animal toys are ready to play. Join the splashy party in the tub...you may even get wet too! Bright, vibrant illustrations from Christine Battuz match the energy of a baby in the bath as you’re introduced to Eric Walters’s animal alliterations across each page. It’s just good clean fun!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

Key Selling Points A young teen earns a scholarship to go to space camp. The first in the Teen Astronauts series featuring Houston at space camp. Examines themes of perseverance, leadership and growth mindset. This is an adventure story with an exciting setting: astronaut training camp. Eric Walters is very well known to librarians and booksellers.

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!