New Releases by Rich Wallace

Kirkus Reviews Best Children''s Book This thrilling and terrifying true story of the 1879 search for the North Pole follows the frightening fates of the USS Jeannette crew as disaster strikes -- and the men battle to survive two years bound by ice. In the years following the Civil War, "Arctic fever" gripped the American public, fueled by myths of a fertile, tropical sea at the top of the world. Bound by Ice follows the journey of George Washington De Long and the crew of the USS Jeannette, who departed San Francisco in the summer of 1879 hoping to find a route to the North Pole. However, in mid-September the ship became locked in ice north of Siberia and drifted for nearly two years before it was crushed by ice and sank. De Long and his men escaped the ship and began a treacherous journey in extreme polar conditions in an attempt to reach civilization. Many—including De Long—did not survive. This true story for middle graders keeps readers on the edge of their seats to the very end. Includes excerpts from De Long’s extensive journals, which were recovered with his body; newspapers from the time; and photos and sketches by the men on the expedition.

In this key civil rights and social justice book for young readers, Scipio Africanus Jones—a self-taught attorney who was born enslaved—leads a momentous series of court cases to save twelve Black men who''d been unjustly sentenced to death. 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? Through their in-depth research and consultation with legal experts, award-winning nonfiction authors Sandra and Rich Wallace examine the complex proceedings and an unsung African American early civil rights hero.

Demonstrating the power of protest and standing up for a just cause, here is an exciting tribute to the educators who participated in the 1965 Selma Teachers'' March. Reverend F.D. Reese was a leader of the Voting Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama. As a teacher and principal, he recognized that his colleagues were viewed with great respect in the city. Could he convince them to risk their jobs--and perhaps their lives--by organizing a teachers-only march to the county courthouse to demand their right to vote? On January 22, 1965, the Black teachers left their classrooms and did just that, with Reverend Reese leading the way. Noted nonfiction authors Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace conducted the last interviews with Reverend Reese before his death in 2018 and interviewed several teachers and their family members in order to tell this story, which is especially important today.

Celebrate the genius, diversity, and grit of immigrants and refugees in this boldly illustrated guide to 36 American trailblazers. 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, star basketball player Dikembe Mutombo, world-renowned physicist Albert Einstein, and influential journalist Jorge Ramos. And they are all immigrants or refugees to the United States of America. Their courage, their achievements, and their determination to change the world have helped make our country a stronger place. Perhaps after reading their stories, you will be inspired to make the world a better place, too.

The Timbertoes plant potato pieces.

When Stu hears a voice calling him late at night, follows it to the haunted house down the road, and sees the ghost of a boy who was murdered fifty years before, he feels compelled to find out why the ghost is reaching out to him--even if it means risking his own life.

"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!"--Page [4] of cover.

A Booklist Editor''s Choice A Parents'' Choice Gold Award A Eureka! Nonfiction Children''s Book Award Honor Book Jonathan Daniels, a white seminary student from New Hampshire, traveled to Selma, Alabama, in 1965 to help with voter registration of black residents. After the voting rights marches, he remained in Alabama, in the area known as "Bloody Lowndes," an extremely dangerous area for white freedom fighters, to assist civil rights workers. Five months later, Jonathan Daniels was shot and killed while saving the life of Ruby Sales, a black teenager. Through Daniels''s poignant letters, papers, photographs, and taped interviews, authors Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace explore what led Daniels to the moment of his death, the trial of his murderer, and how these events helped reshape both the legal and political climate of Lowndes County and the nation.

Stu gets lost in the woods as night is falling. He knows he''s near a quarry where a teenager and his dog had fallen and drowned years before. A dog appears and clearly wants Stu to follow him. Stu starts to follow the dog, but he hears a voice calling the dog. Stu yells to the voice and heads toward it. The voice keeps calling for the dog, and Stu is getting closer to it. Then he hears the voice screaming in fear. He finds himself on the edge of the quarry and hears a splash below. The dog leaps over the edge to save the teen. After another splash there are no more sounds.

Stu hears a voice calling him late one night and leaves his house to investigate. He enters an abandoned house down the road and is scared off by a ghost. Stu and Dan go back during daylight and find nothing, but Dan says a boy died fifty years ago at the house, falling from a deck into the steep gorge below. Rumor has it he was pushed by another kid, but the death was declared an accident. That night, Stu returns to the house alone. He meets the ghost of the young boy who was pushed off the deck and the ghost of the murderer. Stu finds himself falling off the deck. The ghost saves his life.

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 block the door. A window opens, and Stu is lifted to the edge. He scrambles out to safety. As he stumbles away, the window slams shut and Stu sees the face of the ghost. The fire goes out and there''s no trace that it happened.

After the first day of tryouts for the school basketball team, Stu stays behind to shoot extra free throws--his weak spot. As he''s shooting baskets, a boy joins him in the gym. He''s wearing a retro jersey, and Stu doesn''t recognize him. He tells Stu to come back later, and he''ll give Stu tips. Stu returns, and the boy named Randy helps him with his shooting. Stu asks Randy when he went to school there, but the boy disappears. Stu discovers Randy is a ghost. Randy helps Stu make the basketball team, and Stu chooses to wear the ghost''s number on his jersey.

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?

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?

Seventh-grader Javon is the relief pitcher for his summer league baseball team and they are in the championship tournament--trouble is there is one player on the team they are playing that he cannot seem to get out.

Seventh-grader Torry is feeling pressure on the basketball court because he has to guard a player on the rival team who is bigger and older than he is.

Up2U Adventures?where the ending is Up2U! When young Archer and his partner, Bull, find a silver vein in the Arizona desert, they think they will be rich. But Cactus Flats is a town with many dangers and men waiting to double-cross them. Will Bull and Archer survive the Wild West? The ending is Up2U. Calico Chapter Books is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO Group. Grades 2-5.

Famous female athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias had one driving goal: to become the greatest athlete who ever lived. But there was more to Babe than just sports. Babe had a meteoric rise -- to famed basketball player, Olympic medalist, and top female golfer. But her life included many controversies surrounding her upbringing, personality, marriage, and even her early death. This action-packed true story of a woman ESPN ranks as #10 of the top North American athletes of the twentieth century is a fascinating biography of a historical sports figure. Ideal for Women''s History Month, the book includes personal and professional photographs, quotes, a bibliography, and an index.

Three separate short stories, all set in the same New Hampshire town, 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.

Riley feels like the smallest kid at sports camp. In fact, he is. He just turned eleven in April, but most kids here are twelve, and a few are even thirteen—and gigantic. It’s hard enough for a shrimp like Riley to fit in. He just doesn’t want to be the weak link as his bunk competes for the Camp Olympia Trophy. Riley knows he’s no good at strength and accuracy games like basketball and softball. But when it comes to speed and endurance events, like running and swimming, he’s better than he looks. He’s pretty sure he can place in the top ten—and bring in major trophy points—in the final mile-long swim race across Lake Surprise. But he doesn’t count on being followed by the shadow of Big Joe, the giant vicious snapping turtle of camp lore. Wasn’t that supposed to be a legend?

Filled with on-the-field soccer scenes, black-and-white artwork, and sports statistics throughout, this short novel—ideal for newly independent readers, athletes, and all sports fans—follows nine-year-old Ben and his fourth-grade team, the Bobcats, as they race to the Kickers League playoffs. Ben knows he''s one of the team''s strongest players, but he''s been struggling with the jitters. He''s just freezing up on the field. Can he pull through for his teammates now that they really need him?

KICKERS: a young middle grade soccer series Book 3 It’s a race to the Kickers soccer league play-offs. Nine-year-old Ben is pretty sure that if the Bobcats win two of their last three games, they’ll earn a tournament spot. But in their game against the Tigers, the Bobcats are a mess on the field—they’re not passing well at all—and Ben decides to take control. Someone has to win this thing, and his teammates just aren’t measuring up. Then the whistle blasts, the red card waves, and Ben is out—benched for dangerous moves. Not only that, he’s barred from the next game, too—a key bout against the Rabbits. How can he possibly help his team to the play-offs from the sidelines? The Kickers series, from award-winning sports novelist Rich Wallace, features nonstop soccer action, black-and-white art, and league statistics and soccer tips throughout. Also available: KICKERS #1: THE BALL HOGS KICKERS #2: FAKE OUT KICKERS #4: GAME-DAY JITTERS

Introducing a soccer series for new readers Kickers #1 Nine-year-old Ben is brand-new to soccer, but he''s a good athlete and knows he''ll do well on the Bobcats, his team in the local Kickers soccer league. If he can only work around his obnoxious teammate Mark, the ball hog, Ben is sure he''ll score his first goal. But Coach Patty, and Ben''s own teammates, show him a little something about teamwork. And suddenly it dawns on him: he''s a ball hog, too. Can he change his ways before the Bobcats lose their shot at the Kickers play-offs? Award-winning sports novelist Rich Wallace introduces the Kickers soccer series, filled with lively black-and-white art and fast-paced, on-the-field action.

Introducing a soccer series for new readers Kickers #2 The Kickers soccer league is heating up, and Ben''s team, the Bobcats, has two losses, one win, and one tie. Ben knows he can pull his team out of its slump and right into the league play-offs with his new move: the fake-out. He practices the tricky footwork every chance he gets. But every time he tries it on the field, he flubs up, loses the ball, and hurts his team. Meanwhile, everyone else is faking him out. Is Ben out of his league? In his Kickers series, award-winning author Rich Wallace offers action-filled novels about the Bobcats, a fourth-grade coed soccer team, and their bid for the league play-offs.

As the summer of 1969 turns to fall in their New Jersey town, 12-year-old Brody plays football during his first year in junior high while his older brother''s protest of the war in Vietnam causes tension with their father. By the author of the Winning Season series.

With help from his older brother Larry, nine-year-old Ben learns to cope with his nervousness about the Kickers League playoffs. Includes "Ben''s Top Ten Tips for Soccer Players."

Nine-year-old Ben and other members of the Bobcats co-ed soccer team improve their skills and begin to win, especially after Ben learns the importance of concentration from his older brother and finally masters the fake out.

Some might think Jay was cheated. By his mother, who walked out when he was 9. By his dad, who took a job a couple thousand miles away and let him stay above a bar in a one-room apartment. By the basketball coach, who saw his talent but chose youth over determination. And even Jay’s not sure whether this last year of high school in the small town of Sturbridge, Pennsylvania, will add up to anything. But just when senior year seems a waste–kissing the wrong girls, offending the right ones, playing basketball on a church league with other “rejects”–life begins to click again. The church league gives him some of the best basketball he’s ever played, and the right girl gives him a second chance. Jay may not know what he wants next out of life, but he’s beginning to get a clue about how to play the game.