Special Collections

Pop Quiz

Fifteen-year-old Aiden is a minor cast member on a long-running high school "dramedy" with a low budget and a loyal following. Aiden and his friends are excited that they're being promoted to lead roles for the upcoming tenth season of Pop Quiz. But then they learn the show is being canceled. According to the producers, no one even watches TV anymore, with kids preferring the antics of YouTube stars. With the help of some former cast members and a group of hardcore fans, Aiden and his friends attempt to create a movie special to wrap up the storylines and give the series the send-off it deserves. 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!

Date Added: 03/15/2018

Bull Rider

Layne wants nothing more than to follow in his father's footsteps and to be a bull rider. His dad was one ride away from a National Championship when he got trampled to death. Layne wants to be able to give his dad that championship—by winning it for him. What he doesn't want, though, is to end up like his father and die in the rodeo arena. When the chance comes, Layne realizes he must face up to his greatest fear. With the help of his friend Jana, and his bratty younger sister, Layne learns to reach deep inside and trust himself. Also available in French.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Swiped

Would-be detectives Trevor, Nick and Robyn are hot on the trail of a sandwich thief when they learn that more than food has been going missing at school. A valuable hockey book has been stolen from the library, and the kids worry that the librarian might lose her job if it isn't found. Who would steal a hockey book? Could it be Robyn's arch-nemesis and hockey enthusiast Clay? Or could it be Ms. Thorson, the Oiler fan teacher? The kids are determined to solve these mysteries even though their sleuthing efforts land them into trouble at every turn. 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 epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Spiral

When fifteen-year-old Abby is seriously injured, her wounds go far deeper than her broken back. Rehabilitation therapy teaches her to cope with her new physical reality but once she's home with her family, she refuses to participate in life and withdraws into a world of drugs. Abby's family discovers her addiction, and she is sent to a farm that specializes in Equine Assisted Therapy. She must still do battle with her cravings, but when she witnesses the connection between another young patient and a pony, she decides that if this girl can heal, she too can learn to be present in life again.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Gool

The gool cannot be seen, not properly, but Xantee, Lo and their friends sense its evil presence. It lurks in the jungle in rock clefts, an enemy from outside nature. And now a fragment of gool grips Hari by the throat, draining the life from him. They can hold it back with the force of their minds, but for how long? Xantee, Lo and Duro set out on a perilous mission to find the Dog King Tarl, Hari's father, and the ruined city of Belong. Can he help them find the source of the gool? Will they find it in time? And do they have the strength to destroy the mother gool to rid the world of this life-sucking force? Want more Gool? Visit www. salt-the-trilogy. comto read excerpts from each book in the Salt Trilogy and learn more about Maurice Gee.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Chance and the Butterfly

Every time Chance turns around, he gets in trouble. In school, he can't sit still. Reading is hard and math is harder, but anything to do with science fascinates him. When his class starts raising butterflies from caterpillars, Chance is hooked. School is suddenly fun again, but when he decides to take his caterpillar home, he learns that loving something often means letting it go.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

The Spy in the Alley

Confronting a prowler in the backyard, Dinah is determined to find out why someone has taken an interest in her older sister and herself. Who is the buck-tooth burglar? Why are the Rinaldi's tomatoes always involved? And what is the connection between Madge's boyfriend and GASP, a group of well-intentioned anti-smoking activists? When it becomes apparent that Wellman Talent, the modeling agency Madge works for, is making deals with an unscrupulous tobacco company, and that the spy is out to sabotage GASP's plans to expose the connection, Dinah has to call on all her talents, both sleuthing and singing, to solve the case. In the spirit of Sammy Keyes, Dinah gets by on pluck, courage and an irrepressible sense of humor as she is catapulted into a mystery that twists and turns from the blackberry patch to the corporate boardroom.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

False Start

Caitlynn is no fan of the water, but after breaking her ankle playing soccer, swimming is the safest sport for her. She makes a deal with her grandfather to join a swim team if he'll stay and watch all of her practices. But after Grandpa has a stroke and can no longer tag along, Caitlynn doesn't want to keep up her end of the deal. In False Start, overcoming obstacles requires more than hard work -- it takes a positive attitude.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

A Goal in Sight (Sports Stories)

Aiden is the roughest player on his Calgary hockey team, as likely to be in the penalty box as on the ice. When he hits another player after a game, however, he's charged with assault and sentenced to one hundred hours of community service. He's bored and annoyed when he's forced to help Eric, a blind player with the Calgary Seeing Eye Dogs. In time, his new team shows him hockey is more fun on the ice than in the box.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Icebreaker

Gregg's new stepsister joins the starting line-up of his hockey team.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Klepto

Kat's sister Hannah is about to return from a home for troubled teens. Her parents can't wait for the big day, and everyone is determined to find out what went wrong with Hannah and make things right -- everyone except Kat, that is. Kat dreads going back to a life dominated by here sister's tantrums and wild escapades. The only place she feels in control is at the mall, where everything she wants is at her fingertips and no one is better at the art of stealing. As Hannah's return nears, Kat's shoplifting escalates into a full-blown addiction -- with dangerous consequences.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

See No Evil

When Shawn and Daniel witness a gang beating behind the local mall they flee the scene, terrified that they've been seen. They recognize one of the attackers as a locally infamous gang member. When they learn that the kid who was attacked is in critical condition, Shawn wants to go to the police, but Daniel convinces him that they are in more danger if they speak up. The threats they receive from other members of the gang reinforce the boys' fears. When the gang attacks Daniel, Shawn has to put his own safety at risk to help his friend. 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!

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Laggan Lard Butts

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!

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Great Lengths

Troy Aitken has just joined the Vancouver club where Jessie Cameron has been swimming for half her life. At first Jessie and her friends are in awe of Troy, who is one of the best athletes they've ever seen. Then the rumors begin to surface...

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Tiger Threat

Ray Hockaday plays center for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League. He's spent his hockey career hiding something from the world. When his new Russian room-mate shows up, Ray is assigned to help Vlad get used to life in Canada. What Ray doesn't know is that Vlad is also hiding something. And that secret could get both of them killed.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Corner Kick

Michael Strike is captain of both the school soccer and chess teams. He's got his eye on fellow soccer player and overachiever Miriah, the founder of the youth organization War Orphans of the World. Miriah is quick to befriend a new student, Zahir Jamiat, who has recently moved from the Middle East, but Michael sees the newcomer as a rival. When Michael works up to confronting Zahir, he discovers they have more in common that he initially thought. Corner Kick is a much-needed story of tolerance and friendship.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Scarlet Thunder

Trenton Hiser is trying to walk in the footsteps of his uncle, Mike Hiser, a successful Hollywood director. During Trenton's summer vacation, he goes with his uncle to film the inside story of Scarlet Thunder, a top-level stock-car racing team. As they film the action, too many things go wrong, deadly mistakes are made and Trenton finds out that much more than the race is at stake.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Plank's Law

Trevor has known since he was ten years old that he has Huntington's disease, but at sixteen he is informed that he has one year to live. One day while he's trying to figure stuff out, an old man named Plank finds him standing at a cliff by the ocean. It's the beginning of an odd but intriguing relationship. Both Trevor and Plank decide to live by Plank's Law, which is "just live." This means Trevor has to act on the things on his bucket list, like hanging out with real penguins, star in a science fiction movie and actually talk to Sara—the girl at the hospital who smiles at him.

With the aid of Plank and Sara, Trevor revises his bucket list to include more important things and takes charge of his illness and his life.

Date Added: 03/15/2018

Brothers on Ice

Troy and Trent are brothers who play on the same Winnipeg hockey team, Trent as forward and Troy in goal. When Trent takes a turn in nets he finds out he's a natural, the best goalie on the team. Troy has to fight for ice time, and the brothers' relationship grows colder and colder. Brothers on Ice is a poignant story of the struggle to learn what brings families together, and what drives them apart.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Battle of the Bands

Jay, Kelvin and Cia are The Lunar Ticks, a dedicated band who are convinced they are on their way up. They hope to win an upcoming battle of the bands where the first prize is a full day in a recording studio. Jay is struggling to write new material but finds he lacks the experience to come up with a truly original song. Going up against Indigo Daze, a band from another school, Jay finds himself falling for Rowan, the leader of the other band. When Rowan's guitar is trashed right before the contest The Lunar Ticks are the prime suspects. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible. Also available in Spanish.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Adrenaline High

D'Arcy is a 16-year-old overachiever and a budding newshound. When her classmate Zania's mother goes missing, D'Arcy thinks she's found the mother of all scoops. She's determined to solve the mystery and capture it all on film. But Zania's troubles are no game. She suspects her mother's drug-dealing boyfriend may be behind her sudden disappearance and Zania's too scared to go home. It's not long before the girls realize that they're in over their heads. Adrenalin High is a gripping, fast-paced story for mystery lovers.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Three on Three

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.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Shut-Out!

David dreams of soccer glory, and is willing to suffer hours of monotonous practice drills to achieve it. His asthma might slow him down a little, but he works every day to be a better player.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Spoiled Rotten

Jessica loves her yearly backpacking trip with her father, but this year everything has changed. This year Jessica has to share her vacation with her new stepmother and her spoiled new stepsister, Amy. Jessica tries to salvage her holiday by sneaking off for a day hike alone, but Amy follows. Jessica is certain that Amy will ruin the day. Amy rises to the challenge of the rigourous hike and Jessica learns that Amy is not as spoiled as she thought. When Amy is injured and night falls, Jessica must face the challenge of hiking through bear country in the dark. 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 epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Foul Play

Remy and Alison were once best friends, before Alison took off to an elite soccer camp in England without a word. When Remy finds out Alison has a special plan to beat her team in the tournament, she can't help but suspect all of the terrible events befalling her teammates are a result of Alison's sabotage.

Date Added: 05/25/2017