In the dunes a killer buries the bodies of street kids. Along the coast the abalone wars erupt in murder and firefights as gangs and syndicates battle for the Cape aphrodisiac so prized in the East. The profits are huge, the cost is counted in corpses. Mullet Mendes, ex-cop turned private investigator, and his partner Vincent Saldana are sweating: Mullet's tailing a financial whiz soliciting rent boys, Vincent's after a gang heisting cultivated abalone. Soon they're embroiled in violence and duplicity as their cases unravel. Their lives are at stake. But who is pulling the strings? With this fast and gritty crime thriller Mike Nicol and Joanne Hichens bring the hard-boiled PI to Cape Town.

Carmen Alvarez is new to competitive gymnastics, and it isn't quite what she expected. Her Level 4 season is having a rough start with silly mistakes and several falls. Carmen continues to work hard. But just when she has competition figured out, she learns she must score a 34.00 All-Around to be eligible for Level 5. What will Carmen do if her season ends without getting the coveted 34.00 All-Around? Can she talk her family and coaches into letting her attend one more meet to try to get the score? And if she can get to another meet, will she be able to score out? Perfect Balance Gymnastics Books teach girls to be kind to each other, flexible in life, courageous, strong, and most of all, confident. The books set the reader in the world of gymnastics. The characters are relatable and have age appropriate challenges. Each book explores a major life lesson that empowers girls to understand their own inner strengths. The main characters in this book range from 3rd-6th grade and the reading level is 4th/5th grade.

"Jesse Hagopian brought a rare moment of truth to the corporate-dominated Education Nation show when he spoke on behalf of his colleagues at Garfield High in Seattle. He instantly became the voice and face of the movement to stop pointless and punitive high-stakes testing."—Diane Ravitch, author of Reign of Terror In cities across the country, students are walking out, parents are opting their children out, and teachers are rallying against the abuses of high-stakes standardized testing. These are the stories—in their own words—of some of those who are defying the corporate education reformers and fueling a national movement to reclaim public education. Alongside the voices of students, parents, teachers, and grassroots education activists, the book features renowned education researchers and advocates, including Nancy Carrlson-Paige, Karen Lewis, and Monty Neill. Jesse Hagopian teaches history and is the Black Student Union adviser at Garfield High School, the site of the historic boycott of the MAP test in 2013. He is an associate editor of Rethinking Schools, and winner of the 2013 "Secondary School Teacher of Year" award from the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences. He is a contributing author to Education and Capitalism: Struggles for Learning and Liberation and 101 Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History, and writes regularly for Truthout, Black Agenda Report, and the Seattle Times Op-Ed page.

From the beloved author of Because of Mr. Terupt comes the sequel to The Perfect Score, about a lovable group of students at Lake View Middle School and the rewards and challenges of seventh grade. These students are in for a year of secrets, discoveries, and kid power! GAVIN finally joins the football team--a dream come true!--but Coach Holmes refuses to play him for reasons that also threaten to tear Gavin's family apart. When RANDI attends an elite gymnastics camp, she uncovers a startling family connection. SCOTT starts researching an article for the school newspaper and stumbles right into a hornet's nest of lies. With his loser older brother, Brian, out of the house, TREVOR's life is loads better--until he realizes that only he can save Brian from getting into deep trouble. NATALIE's top goals: (1) find out why Mrs. Woods and Mrs. Magenta no longer speak to each other--a mission shared by all the kids--and (2) teach a certain someone an important life skill without anyone knowing. It's tough keeping secrets. And tougher still to deal with the fallout when secrets spill out.

Fully updated to reflect the most current version of the ACT, Up Your Score: ACT remains the test prep and survival guide that kids will actually want to use. Written by Chris Arp, a Princeton graduate and top ACT tutor—with the help of four students who aced the test (and went on to the colleges of their choice)—it’s a true insider’s guide, filled with effective strategies and tips, delivered with the attitude, smarts, and wit that make Up Your Score the bestselling alternative test-prep series in print. ▪ Crush the reading section by developing the Five Habits of Lean Forward Reading. ▪ Master the math section through techniques like “plugging in,” an amazing trick that simplifies all algebra word problems. ▪ Annihilate the English section by absorbing six key punctuation and nine essential grammar rules. ▪ Sail through the science section by understanding that it actually tests reasoning. ▪ Plus, the latest information on ACT scoring and the essay test, revised in 2015 to be more open-ended and analytical.