When January Fournier arrives at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary, her brother Grey is barely clinging to life in intensive care after a horrible motorcycle crash. She's devastated--but things get worse when the police accuse Grey of a string of bike thefts, claims he's in no condition to dispute.

Jan decides she's the only person who can uncover t …

Trent and Adam were best friends and rally racing buddies until a terrible accident, when Adam was at the wheel, puts Trent in the hospital. After a long separation, the teens try to pick up their friendship where it left off, but Adam's guilty feelings and Trent's odd behaviour make it tough. Why is Trent hanging around Marcus, a guy he says he c …

Becky was once a promising young skating star, but these days she feels numb, disconnected, and very lonely. The only way she knows to relieve pressure is to cut herself. Will Becky have the strength to save another young athlete who's skating down the same path?

Samantha Aqsarniq Keyes is used to a life on the move. Her military family has been transferred across Canada, and she's grown up with stories of her Inuit ancestors exploring the far north. For Sam, soccer has been the one constant in her life. But now that she's thirteen, her home base isn't the only thing that's changing.
Sam longs to show up C …

Matthew Eagletail is the star player for the Warriors, his basketball team on the Tsuu T'ina First Nation near Calgary.
When his mother remarries, everything in Matthew's life is suddenly different and new: a new school, a new father, five pesky new sisters, a new dog named Precious. Worst of all, he has to quit the Warriors. When he's asked to j …

"The feeling in space flight is like hanging by your heels...with all the blood rushing to your head. ...You feel as though you are at the top of a roller coaster when your stomach feels like it is going to lift off." - Dr. Roberta Bondar. This book will be especially fascinating for all readers interested in: biography or space exploration. From t …

A history of the fight for same-sex marriage in Canada.
Few issues have dominated recent Canadian politics like the legalization of same-sex marriage.
As a political correspondent for The Canadian Press, Sylvain Larocque had a front-row seat for this battle in the fight for gay rights in Canada. He recounts the story here on every level, from the …

Zoë's caught the racing bug. Not only is she following in the tire tracks of her older brother as a rally racer, she thinks she might even have the stuff to become a racecar engineer one day. But Zoë's mother has another dream for her daughter, and it's called "Zoë Kendall, M.D." In this fast-action sequel to Racing Fear, Zoë must learn to stan …

Between 1915 to 1940, the Edmonton Commercial Graduates Basketball Club ("the Grads") went from a small-city, girl's high school team to world champs with an unparalleled winning record. Sports journalist Richard Brignall tells the story of this talented upstart team, whose sportsmanship and unwavering determination inspired generations of female a …

Isaac Brock is the best-known figure of the War of 1812. He is widely credited as the military leader who frustrated the United States in its ambition to invade and take over Canada.

Brock was born in the English Channel Island of Guernsey, where his limited combat experience did nothing to shake his moxy. Before coming to Canada, he faced a challen …

Birding is one of Canada's most popular outdoor activities. Identifying species at backyard feeders, in parks, fields, and forests is popular with young and old alike. And in parks, on shorelines, and in rural areas throughout Ontario, there are internationally recognized spots for seeing migrant and breeding birds, such as the tundra swan and the …

When Tom Douglas's father returned home after the Second World War, he was forced to move his family from Sault Ste. Marie north to Wawa, where he was the timekeeper at the Helen Mine. Although his parents were upset by the move, Tom was thrilled. In the forties, Wawa was still a wooden-sidewalked mud wallow of a mining town, and for a city kid, no …

Victor Malarek is known to most Canadians as a tough investigative journalist who is willing to delve into stories revealing the worst side of human nature. His previous books investigate the clients of prostitutes, and the women who break the hearts of Canadians whom they marry only to gain citizenship.

In this classic book, Malarek turns his inves …

In The Canadian Labour Movement, historian Craig Heron tells the story of Canada's workers from the mid-nineteenth century through to today, painting a vivid picture of key developments such as the birth of craft unionism, the breakthroughs of the fifties and sixties, and the setbacks of the early twenty-first century.

This new edition has been comp …

Bill Gates and other wealthy individuals around the world do pay taxes--but usually at rates far below what most taxpayers pay. As Warren Buffet says, his secretary pays a higher tax rate than he does on his multi-million dollar income. And most big corporations have mastered the art of paying next to nothing in taxes.

Many experts and financial jou …

An expert takes us inside the dark world of gangs in Canada.

Dr. Mark Totten has spent fifteen years learning all about these gangs and the young men and women who belong to them. He has interviewed over 500 gang members across the country, traced their lives from infancy to adulthood, and explored the roots of their involvement in crime and their r …

As an idealist and a visionary, Jack Layton connected with millions of Canadians who saw that he was a different kind of political leader. So did Tommy Douglas, chosen as the greatest Canadian ever by CBC's television audience.

The New Democratic Party and its predecessor, the CCF, have often chosen leaders who resonated with the Canadian public. In …

Hockey rules in Branko Stimac's new hometown, where its star players get the royal treatment. Any other sport -- like soccer, where Branko excels -- is considered second-rate. This means the sacrifices Branko's Croatian immigrant father made so he can play in Canada go unnoticed, as does Branko's stellar goalkeeping.

When Branko makes it onto the Ed …

In Winnipeg, Harry was a cricket star. With few West Indians in the community and few people who played the sport, he always stood out from the crowd. But when he moves to Toronto's Little Jamaica to stay with his grandfather, Harry is suddenly just another West Indian kid who loves cricket. There are even girls who are more talented than him.

Harry …

Toronto synchro swimmer Carrie Munroe is Podium Sports Academy's team flyer and the school's best prospect for making it at the upcoming Vegas tryouts -- fulfilling her dreams of being in a glitz-and-glamour professional show. Carrie feels there's only one thing holding her back -- the weekly poolside weigh-ins. Her coach agrees, and Carrie is put …

At fourteen, Steve Truscott was a typical teenager in rural Ontario in the fifties, mainly concerned about going fishing, playing football, and racing bikes with his friends. One summer evening, his twelve-year-old classmate, Lynne Harper, asked for a lift to the nearby highway on his bicycle and Steve agreed. Unfortunately, that made Steve the las …

Fifteen-year-old Birmingham has a hot girlfriend who wants to "do it" anytime, anywhere. But to his (and his best friend's) surprise, it just leaves him feeling hollow, and he finds himself longing for something more. Then his school hires a substitute music teacher, and Birm feels an instant connection with her. They both share a deep love for mus …

At twenty-five, Rob Baltovich lost the love of his life, Elizabeth Bain. That was bad enough. Then he was arrested, jailed, sent to trial for murder, convicted, and sent to prison -- for life.

Throughout his years in prison, Rob maintained that he was innocent, refusing to admit to a crime he didn't commit. The result was he was never granted parole …

Cody Manywounds's intentions are good, but it seems that every time he makes one little mistake, he gets caught. He got into some serious trouble with his friends a while ago, but since then, things have been looking up -- his grades are good, his girlfriend is hot, and the escape to university (and more girls) is just around the corner. Then it al …

Fresh off the plane from Vancouver, sixteen-year-old hockey player Aaron Wong is excited to be starting his first year at Podium, the Calgary school for top teen athletes. Aaron has to make friends and fit in at a new high school, while also adjusting to a new home and a family with a different culture than his own. Luckily, he finds a tight-knit g …

In 1931, a group of ten teenage girls from Preston (present-day Cambridge), Ontario, enlisted the help of the top women's sport journalists of the era, and the Preston Rivulettes hockey team was born. Within a decade the team became so good that no other team would dare to play against them. Yet the struggles these young women faced are ones that w …

Some ships, it seems, are ill-fated. Misfortune and disaster follow these unfortunate vessels wherever they go. The stories of nine such ships are told in this exciting collection of shipwreck tales, which feature hope and despair, triumph and catastrophe.

When twin brothers Evan and Brynley Selkirk move with their family from the remote Cree community of Whapmagoostui to bustling Calgary, their worlds turn upside-down. In place of the grey, frigid waters of Hudson Bay, they see the downtown canyons of a modern city.
Bryn, a musical prodigy, trades piano practice for hockey practice to impress a ne …

Ever since Ariel's mom has been too sick to work they've been moving to progressively lower income neighbourhoods. Then they seem to hit rock bottom--Vancouver's downtown east side, Canada's poorest postal code. Here Ariel gets on the wrong side of a gang of tough girls at school after receiving unwanted attention from their boyfriends. Now she's s …

At the first-ever women's hockey world championships in 1990, Canada dressed its National Women's Team in pink. Offending many, the controversial decision nevertheless drew media and public attention to the series and subsequently registration in girls' hockey went up 40%. Lorna Schultz Nicholson offers an insider's look at the power behind the pin …

After a gang of thugs beat him up, Paul's parents decide they've had enough of Glasgow's tough streets and move the family to Winnipeg. Still healing from his injuries, Paul also has deep inner scars that will make his new high school, in this new country, even more of a battleground. New Blood is an edgy yet moving account of violence, bullying, r …

"'My arms were tired. My legs ached. My stomach hurt in one big awful pain and I couldn't get my breath. I wanted to quit. When it gets to your stomach, marathoners say, you're through.' Marilyn Bell was through - or so it seemed." This book will be especially fascinating for all readers interested in: sport, biography, or sports history. Marilyn B …

Fast-paced sports action novels that get kids reading.

In this sequel to Interference, Josh is off to an elite hockey camp for the summer, where he shares a room with a talented player from the Northwest Territories named Peter Kuiksak. Peter is skilled enough to give Kevin, the star junior player, some serious competition, which creates trouble on …

"Within hours of his arrival, Norman was taken to meet Chairman Mao Zedong. The smiling man grabbed Norman's hands in welcome....The two men talked for hours." This book will be especially fascinating for all readers interested in: history or biography. One of the world's top surgeons, an advocate of democratic medical services, and an internationa …

Jay Hirtle plays on the basketball team at Richmond Academy in a small rural Nova Scotian town. The team to beat is Centreville, where star player Mike Murphy is seen as Richmond's number one opponent. After the Hirtle house is destroyed by fire, Jay's family moves in with his grandfather and the kids must switch schools until the end of the school …

One of Canada's best-loved and most respected dancers, Karen Kain's rise to ballet stardom is an inspirational story of dedication and passion. Now a national treasure, Karen Kain brought Canadian dance to the world's stage in the 1970s. This is a story of artistry and ambition - the joys and the sacrifices of a prima ballerina.

Normie Kwong's parents immigrated to Canada from China in the early 1900s. For them, and many other Asian immigrants, moving meant having to face both the government's anti-Asian policies and society's attitude of Chinese exclusion. But Normie overcame it all and, despite his small stature, in 1948 he became the youngest footballer ever to play in …

"Bad" Joe Hall and Newsy Lalonde were bitter enemies on the ice. Crowds were drawn as these two roughneck hockey players battled it out for victory. But the game changed during WWI, when many of Canada's hockey players left the game to become soldiers and fight for their country. Rivals Joe and Newsy were then forced to play side by side as teammat …

"Blondin's daring and cool demeanour made him an instant celebrity - on one [tightrope crossing, he carried a small cook stove, stopped midway, fried up two omelettes, and lowered them to spectators aboard the Maid of the Mist." This book will be especially fascinating for all readers interested in: history, or adventure. From swimmers and jumpers, …

How did the Kenora Thistles become, against all odds, the smallest team and the smallest town ever to win the Stanley Cup?

This famously scrappy hockey team was founded in the rough and tumble town of Kenora, Ontario, at the end of the 19th century. A decade later, playing far away from home, in Montreal, the fiery teenagers whom the Montreal Star d …

This is the biography of Tecumseh, a legendary nineteenth century Shawnee warrior, a hero of the War of 1812 and a man who spent most of his life trying to build a Native confederacy to withstand the pressure on native lands from American settlement.

It also tells the story of his younger brother Lalawethika and of Lalawethika's transformation from …

Mason's basketball team, the Cabbagetown Raptors, is going co-ed after seven successful seasons. He's pretty open-minded about the change, especially after he meets Cindy, a really top-notch player. The other guys aren't so sure.
Before long everyone has taken sides, and the Raptors' chances of making the national finals seem to fade into oblivio …

When Debbie is on the basketball court she feels free and alive. But while she's a good player she's also an aggressive one, and rough tactics get her in trouble more than once.
Off the court she's different from other girls, a foster child without "real" parents of her own. When Debbie learns she's going to be adopted, her world is turned upside …

Agnes Macphail, Canada's first woman MP, is a heroine for our times: an accomplished politician, committed feminist and a complex, well-rounded human being.
A democratic populist who emerged politically during the post-World War One farmers' revolt, Macphail helped build the alliance that became the CCF, ending two-party domination of national pol …

"Every year, he put on the red Santa suit. Every year, there were more sick and needy children to attend to. And every year, as word of his activity spread, Jimmy collected more money and gifts to distribute." This book will be especially fascinating for all readers interested in: history and human interest stories. Christmas is a time for celebrat …

Paradise Manor is depressing -- the smells are bad and the residents are old. Sunny would much rather be doing her volunteer hours at Salon Teo, but her teacher won't let her. Who says volunteering at a hair salon doesn't benefit the community”

But working with the Alzheimer's patients has a surprising effect on Sunny. Along with Cole, the grands …

Les Lewchuck is a rink rat--he loves hanging around his neighbourhood park in East End Toronto, playing hockey whenever and with whom ever he can. He's keen to hit the ice, then, when he finally gets to join a real team, the Metro Cats.
He soon finds, however, that Roddy and Lenny Smith, a couple of tough, bullying brothers, run the team. When Le …

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 t …

Lorna Schultz Nicholson's popular characters Josh, Peter, and Sam are thrilled to be reunited at a hockey tournament in Kelowna, but a lot has changed. Sam now lives in Ottawa, Josh is dealing with his diabetes, Peter is becoming a major star, and all three boys play on different teams. Can they remain friends as they all compete to be in the gold …

Fast-paced sports action novels that get kids reading.

Tori is staying with family near Toronto while her parents deal with troubles back home. To keep a sense of normalcy, this talented hockey player joins the Rangers -- the worst team in the league. The only girl on her team, Tori, befriends a girl on another team and their teammates resent this a …