Most Popular Books by Eric Walters

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.

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.

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 Flight Plan examines what would befall the world if all modern technology failed...and how human civilization would falter. It unflinchingly shows both how dangerous people can be and how capable and kind as well. Its overarching message is how much we need each other, no matter what. The book also has a coming-of-age theme, in that Jamie starts out a privileged young kid who has only read about hardship but grows to become a self-sufficient person with a strong will to survive and the ability to defend himself and his friends. The story takes place in the world of Eric Walters''s Rule of Three series (a trilogy released by Macmillan, starting in 2015). Eric Walters ceaselessly visits schools; he''s an expert at engaging school-age kids in reading, and he continues to write thrilling books to keep them turning pages.

Key Selling Points Harmony''s finally allowed to leave foster care and go home to her mother, who struggles with drug addiction and alcoholism, but Harmony feels like the only one trying to make it work. The book''s wise-beyond-her-years narrator, Harmony, shows us a child''s experience of the foster care system and of living with a parent struggling so hard with their own mental health issues and addictions that the child essentially raises herself. Yet, the book also demonstrates how kids can resist and persevere in even the direst circumstances. Harmony finds helpers throughout her story—including her supportive friends at her new school, her principal (who also grew up in foster care) and the owner of the corner store, Mr. Khaled, who is a Syrian refugee—giving readers a sense of hope and faith in community. The multigenerational friendship between Harmony and Mr. Khaled shows two people who have survived difficult circumstances finding common ground and sheds light on the immigrant experience. This book is a prequel to the Governor General''s award-winning The King of Jam Sandwiches, focusing on Robbie''s friend Harmony.

Teen astronaut Houston Williams is now the pilot on a mission to Mars. Houston Williams was thrilled to win a scholarship to attend a space program at NASA. What he didn’t realize was that organizers were recruiting people for a top-secret research project aimed at studying how space travel affects people of different ages. After months spent on the International Space Station conducting a variety of experiments, Houston is surprised to learn that he and his two friends Ashley and Teal have been chosen to join a highly political mission to Mars. But after tragedy strikes, the teens are forced to continue the mission on their own. This is the third book in the Teen Astronauts series, following Houston, Is There A Problem? and Boldly Go. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

A novel from one of the country’s most prolific and popular YA authors, this book, set in New York City on September 11th, shows us how the experiences of that day profoundly changed one teen’s life and relationships. Today is September 10, 2001, and Will, a grade nine student, is spending the day at his father’s workplace tomorrow. As part of a school assignment, all the students in his class will be going to their parents tomorrow, but Will isn’t excited about it–he’d rather sleep in and do nothing with his friends. His father doesn’t even have an exciting job like his best friend James’s father who is a fireman. Will’s dad works for an international trading company and has to wake up early every morning to commute to his office on the eighty-fifth floor in the south building of the World Trade Center in Manhattan. Will doesn’t see his father very often because of the hours he puts in at the office. He doubts that his dad will bother making time for him tomorrow even when they are supposed to be spending the day together. In this fast-paced and dramatic new novel by bestselling author Eric Walters, Will discovers a new side of his father during an event that continues to affect the world. As Will’s new teacher says, tomorrow “might be an experience that changes your entire life.”

"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.

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.

A drought has settled in the area around the orphanage where Boniface lives. There are long line-ups at the tiny spring where all the local people get their water, and suddenly the orphans are pushed to the back of the line, unwelcome. Boniface''s houseparent, Henry, tells him that the people were mean out of fear--they feared there would not be enough water for their families. When the building of the orphanage''s well is completed, Boniface has an idea to help the villagers. A lovely story of kindness and heart, this story shows that, through compassion and understanding, true generosity can spring from unexpected places.

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.

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.

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.

Key Selling Points In Don''t Stand So Close to Me an eighth grader and her friends adjust to life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The book is set in real time during a worldwide historical event and, while it examines the harsh realities of a global pandemic, it ultimately shares a message of coming together and having hope. The book was produced in less than one month, an unprecedented publishing event; it was written and released during the same pandemic it is set in. A portion of the sales will be donated to Lakeside HOPE House in the author''s hometown of Guelph, Ontario. HOPE House offers immediate relief and ongoing support to those in need as well as programs and community projects that challenge the stigmas surrounding poverty. With increasing financial insecurity for many due to COVID-19, their work is now more important than ever.

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. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

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.

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.

Inspired by a story told to the author while on safari in 2015, The Wild Beast describes the creation of one of Africa''s most unusual animals, the wildebeest. According to oral tradition, the Creator built this unique beast out of leftover parts from other magnificent animals found on the continent. Horns from buffalos and stripes meant for zebras. Tails from giraffes and bumps meant for camels. This creative retelling will introduce little ones to a story rich in both imagery and in lesson: Take what you need to live. Take no more. Waste nothing.

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