Rich Wallace

Three separate short stories, all set in the same New Hampshire town, in which boys explore the truth behind local urban legends as, for example, sixth-grader Jordan begins seeing a boy from his school who died of injuries after being bullied.

Stu and Dan hike into the forest to camp overnight. They get caught in the rain and decide to spend the night in an unlocked hunting cabin. They smell smoke late at night and escape the cabin as it bursts into flames. The next morning, they return to the cabin to see if Stu's shoes survived the fire and find the cabin intact. This time, the cabin is locked. Stu returns to the cabin that night with a hammer, but this time he's trapped inside as flames...

Griffin Lane loves playing soccer in the local league. His three best friends are there. It's competitive but more relaxed than school sports. And he's right where he wants to be, playing defense out in front of the goal. But when the goalie is injured, everyone seems to think Griffin is the best replacement. Can he hack it between the sticks, or will his nerves win the day?

After the starting point guard sprains his ankle during a game, Jamere steps in until his rival teammate returns for the championship. But with both boys expecting to start in the final game, their coach asks Jamere to decide who will play. The ending is Up2U! Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Calico is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO.

Marcus Thorpe just had the first, and worst, 400-meter race of his seventh-grade life. He knows it was rough, but his friends' jokes are starting to sting. Luckily, redemption is in sight. If Marcus can just find the right pace, he can earn a spot in the 4x400 relay and prove his worth at the special meet at the high school. Will he pull his weight, or will the final stretch crush him again?

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?

Four sports. Four friends. In “Game Face”, each boy gets to narrate his own story, focusing on his sport of choice. Whether it's a basketball rematch against a rival school or an unexpected turn as the soccer team's replacement goalie, Torry, Javon, Marcus, and Griffin each face their weaknesses and find their strengths. They'll confront the overwhelming pressure of sports and the ups and downs of friendships. But with focus, perseverance, and...

In October 1919, a group of Black sharecroppers met at a church in an Arkansas village to organize a union. Bullets rained down on the meeting from outside. Many were killed by a white mob in what became known as the Elaine Massacre. Others were rounded up and arrested. Twelve of the sharecroppers were hastily tried and sentenced to death. Scipio Africanus Jones, a self-taught lawyer who'd been born enslaved, answered the call and represented the...

Publisher Annotation: In October 1919, a group of Black sharecroppers met at a church in an Arkansas village to organize a union. Bullets rained down on the meeting from outside. Many were killed by a white mob, and others were rounded up and arrested. Twelve of the sharecroppers were hastily tried and sentenced to death. Up stepped Scipio Africanus Jones, a self-taught lawyer who'd been born enslaved. Could he save the men's lives and set them free?...

"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, basketball player Dikembe Mutombo, physicist Albert Einstein, and journalist Jorge Ramos. And they are all immigrants or refugees to the United States of America. Their courage, their achievements, and their determination...