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Is Colby Elliott cursed? He had to quit the football team, his girl loves someone else, debts are working his mother to death, and his father is gravely ill. He thinks things can't get worse, but they do. Then Colby discovers a secret on the grounds of a huge spooky estate. Will his discovery be the answer to his family's problems? Or will it result in deception and violence that might ruin his life? If Colby does the right thing -- no matter what it costs him -- maybe he'll survive the "Secret of the Pack Rat's Nest."

Mr. Pack Rat is a particularly acquisitive small mammal with a hoarding problem (sound like someone you know?). Through trial and error, he begins to question whether having more things is really the secret to happiness. Although real life pack rats (genus Neotoma) build large piles of debris to nest in, Mr. Pack Rat isn't satisfied with plain old sticks and leaves. He wants novelty and variety, and--unfortunately for him!--he owns a magical magnet that can summon anything he desires. Mr. Pack Rat is always on to the next thing. Lovely flowers will brighten up his sticks and leaves... until they wilt. Colorful seashells won't wilt, but they aren't much fun. Games and toys are fun, but only if you have enough room to play with them. This wry, witty fable from Marcus Ewert, author of 10,000 Dresses, will have the whole family laughing, and, perhaps, learning along the way.

2026: Something is growing in the Pacific Ocean, a strange fungus-like organism that may threaten our entire food chain. Christened "the slick," the bizarre phenomenon is quickly the subject of intense, top-secret analysis-which rapidly reveals that it contains DNA unlike that of any other life on the planet. Where is it from? A Chinese mission to Mars is rumored to have discovered life beneath the Martian icecap, but the Chinese aren't talking. Dr. Mariella Anders is recruited by NASA to join an urgent mission to the Red Planet to find out. Brilliant and committed to science, Mariella wants only the truth, but others' motives are less noble. Faced with corporations, activist groups, and superpowers, each with their own secret agendas, Mariella is on a perilous quest for knowledge. . .and she's about the discover the high price of truth. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Get up close and personal with an amazing creature that has invaded our lexicon as well as our restaurants. It breathes with tubes, it has no head or brain, it feeds through a filter, and it is the source of dozens of familiar proverbs (“happy as a clam!”). Clams, it turns out, have been worshipped (by the Moche people of ancient Peru), used as money (by the Algonquin Indians), and consumed by people for thousands of years. Yet The Secret Life of Clams is the first adult trade book to deal exclusively with this gastronomic treat that is more complex than its simple two shells might reveal. The Secret Life of Clams features compelling insights, captivating biology, wry observations, and up-to-the-minute natural history that will keep readers engaged and enthralled. Written by award-winning science author Anthony D. Fredericks, The Secret Life of Clams includes a comfortable infusion of humor, up-to-date research, fascinating individuals (scientists and laypeople alike), and the awe of a fellow explorer as he guides readers on a journey of wonder and adventure. Along with an appreciation for oceanic creatures, this is a guidebook for armchair marine biologists everywhere who seek amazing discoveries in concert with compelling narration.

The Secret of Creeping Desert and Other Mysteries for Boys is the latest short story collection from anthologizer Joe Wheeler. Joe has curated 12 of the best short mystery stories ever written for boys. These curated 12 of the best short mystery stories ever written for boys. These stories are sure to entertain, inform, and even raise an eyebrow or two. From super-sleuth Jimmy Govern and his search for a German spy to Bob Boland’s against-all-odds search for a long-lost gold treasure, you will find yourself cheering on these young men of uncommon principles, valor and honor. The settings, centuries and situations may vary, but each time-tested story will keep you turning the pages in anticipation of secrets told, mysteries revealed, mistakes forgiven and hope restored.