Most Popular Books by Rich Wallace

Introducing a soccer series for new readers Kickers #1 Nine-year-old Ben is brand-new to soccer, but he''s a good athlete and knows he''ll do well on the Bobcats, his team in the local Kickers soccer league. If he can only work around his obnoxious teammate Mark, the ball hog, Ben is sure he''ll score his first goal. But Coach Patty, and Ben''s own teammates, show him a little something about teamwork. And suddenly it dawns on him: he''s a ball hog, too. Can he change his ways before the Bobcats lose their shot at the Kickers play-offs? Award-winning sports novelist Rich Wallace introduces the Kickers soccer series, filled with lively black-and-white art and fast-paced, on-the-field action.

The pressures of being an undercover reporter are getting to Eddie Ventura. No one on his baseball team has realized that he is the anonymous writer behind all the great new coverage their team has been getting from their school newspaper. The only problem is—not everyone is thrilled with the stories, or the uncanny way their secrets are being leaked to the press. Should Eddie quit writing for the school newspaper before his secret is uncovered?

the guys call him Dunk, but Cornell Duncan couldn’t dunk from a six-foot ladder. He’s flat-footed and slow and can jump only about two inches off the ground. but put him at the foul line and he’s a star—a free-throw magician. that’s the main reason he made the Hudson City all-star basketball team, which, if the team keeps winning, is headed to the state tournament. but just when Hudson City seems to have a good chance at going all the way, Dunk gets a wake-up call. Following a few disastrous minutes off the bench, he realizes that it’ll take more than free throws to make him a real all-star.

Welcome to Sturbridge, Pennsylvania, a small, dead-end town with nothing to do and no way out. At least that''s how Ben, a high school senior and the second-best 135-pound wrestler in school, sees it. But Ben''s fed up with being stuck on the bench, watching as his friend Al, the state champion, gets all the glory. If Ben doesn''t get his life in gear, he could end up like his father and the other men in Sturbridge--working on the line in the cinder block factory. Spurred on partly by a wise, intense young woman, and partly by a strength found deep within himself, Ben looks for a way out--his whole life depends on it. In the words of Newbery medalist Jerry Spinelli, "Wrestling Sturbridge isn''t just an outstanding first novel; it''s an outstanding novel, period."

Eighteen-year-old Michael Kerrigan, writer of obituaries for the Scranton Observer and captain of the track team, is ready for the most important season of his life--until the police find four joints in his school locker, and he is faced with a choice that could change everything.

Jared knows he''s the best basketball player in school. He''s got thetalent, the touch, and the shots. With him at center, the Hudson City Hornets finally have a chance at making the playoffs. But Jared''s also got a temper, and when the ref throws him out of the game, he watches his team''s chances start to slip away. With some help from his friends, he begins to realize that he''s got to be a better teammate in order for the Hornets to be a better team.

Riley feels like the smallest kid at sports camp. In fact, he is. He just turned eleven in April, but most kids here are twelve, and a few are even thirteen—and gigantic. It’s hard enough for a shrimp like Riley to fit in. He just doesn’t want to be the weak link as his bunk competes for the Camp Olympia Trophy. Riley knows he’s no good at strength and accuracy games like basketball and softball. But when it comes to speed and endurance events, like running and swimming, he’s better than he looks. He’s pretty sure he can place in the top ten—and bring in major trophy points—in the final mile-long swim race across Lake Surprise. But he doesn’t count on being followed by the shadow of Big Joe, the giant vicious snapping turtle of camp lore. Wasn’t that supposed to be a legend?

Recounts George W. De Long''s expedition to reach the North Pole.

When sixth-grader Manny Ramos, one of the fastest runners on the youth football team, joins the new track club, he hopes that his light weight will be a benefit in racing against more experienced guys. Reprint.

Nineteen-year-old Danny spends an eventful summer in Maine, looking for romance, working as a "straight" dishwasher in a gay bar, and trying to reconnect with his estranged father.

Introducing a soccer series for new readers Kickers #2 The Kickers soccer league is heating up, and Ben''s team, the Bobcats, has two losses, one win, and one tie. Ben knows he can pull his team out of its slump and right into the league play-offs with his new move: the fake-out. He practices the tricky footwork every chance he gets. But every time he tries it on the field, he flubs up, loses the ball, and hurts his team. Meanwhile, everyone else is faking him out. Is Ben out of his league? In his Kickers series, award-winning author Rich Wallace offers action-filled novels about the Bobcats, a fourth-grade coed soccer team, and their bid for the league play-offs.

KICKERS: a young middle grade soccer series Book 3 It’s a race to the Kickers soccer league play-offs. Nine-year-old Ben is pretty sure that if the Bobcats win two of their last three games, they’ll earn a tournament spot. But in their game against the Tigers, the Bobcats are a mess on the field—they’re not passing well at all—and Ben decides to take control. Someone has to win this thing, and his teammates just aren’t measuring up. Then the whistle blasts, the red card waves, and Ben is out—benched for dangerous moves. Not only that, he’s barred from the next game, too—a key bout against the Rabbits. How can he possibly help his team to the play-offs from the sidelines? The Kickers series, from award-winning sports novelist Rich Wallace, features nonstop soccer action, black-and-white art, and league statistics and soccer tips throughout. Also available: KICKERS #1: THE BALL HOGS KICKERS #2: FAKE OUT KICKERS #4: GAME-DAY JITTERS

Have you ever heard an urban legend? In this trio of terrifying tales, three boys have a close brush with the unknown as they encounter ghostly horses who run the streets at night, phantom farm children whispering in their ears, and a deceased former classmate who may be less dead than everyone thought. . . . Eerie, thought-provoking, and perfect for Halloween, these scary stories are sure to delight readers who grew up on Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark looking for a good spine-tingler!

Two friends look forward to a season of soccer with the YMCA summer league.

Demonstrating the power of protest and standing up for a just cause, here is an exciting tribute to the educators who participated in the 1965 Selma Teachers'' March. Reverend F.D. Reese was a leader of the Voting Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama. As a teacher and principal, he recognized that his colleagues were viewed with great respect in the city. Could he convince them to risk their jobs--and perhaps their lives--by organizing a teachers-only march to the county courthouse to demand their right to vote? On January 22, 1965, the Black teachers left their classrooms and did just that, with Reverend Reese leading the way. Noted nonfiction authors Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace conducted the last interviews with Reverend Reese before his death in 2018 and interviewed several teachers and their family members in order to tell this story, which is especially important today.

Celebrate the genius, diversity, and grit of immigrants and refugees in this boldly illustrated guide to 36 American trailblazers. The men and women in this book represent nations from Somalia to Germany, from Syria to China, from Mexico to Sweden, and more. They are people like Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, international singing sensation Celia Cruz, star basketball player Dikembe Mutombo, world-renowned physicist Albert Einstein, and influential journalist Jorge Ramos. And they are all immigrants or refugees to the United States of America. Their courage, their achievements, and their determination to change the world have helped make our country a stronger place. Perhaps after reading their stories, you will be inspired to make the world a better place, too.

Famous female athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias had one driving goal: to become the greatest athlete who ever lived. But there was more to Babe than just sports. Babe had a meteoric rise -- to famed basketball player, Olympic medalist, and top female golfer. But her life included many controversies surrounding her upbringing, personality, marriage, and even her early death. This action-packed true story of a woman ESPN ranks as #10 of the top North American athletes of the twentieth century is a fascinating biography of a historical sports figure. Ideal for Women''s History Month, the book includes personal and professional photographs, quotes, a bibliography, and an index.

Manny''s starting his first football season with the Hudson City Hornets, and he''s determined to get in the game and not warm the bench. Problem is, Manny''s not a big guy, and when he tries to tackle the offense, he''s the one who ends up on the ground. Coach isn''t too pleased, especially when the team starts losing. But Manny refuses to give up; he''s as tough as anyone out there and he''s fast. He''s got the season to prove to Coach, his teammates, and himself that he has the talent to earn the roar of the crowd.

Javon Park loves baseball. This summer, his team is fighting for the championship! As relief pitcher, Javon knows the final moments of every game belong to him. And after drum lessons from his older brother, Ki, Javon feels like he might have found his rhythm. Strike one, strike two, strike three. Will it be enough to take down a worthy opponent?

Up2U Adventures?where the ending is Up2U! When young Archer and his partner, Bull, find a silver vein in the Arizona desert, they think they will be rich. But Cactus Flats is a town with many dangers and men waiting to double-cross them. Will Bull and Archer survive the Wild West? The ending is Up2U. Calico Chapter Books is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO Group. Grades 2-5.