Age

Catalog sorted by age group

Nowhere Else On Earth

You don’t have to live in the Great Bear Rainforest to benefit from its existence, but after you read Nowhere Else on Earth you might want to visit this magnificent part of the planet. Environmental activist Caitlyn Vernon guides young readers through a forest of information, sharing her personal stories, her knowledge and her concern for this beautiful place. Full of breathtaking photographs and suggestions for ways to preserve this unique ecosystem, Nowhere Else on Earth is a timely and inspiring reminder that we need to stand up for our wild places before they are gone.

Visit http://www.greatbearrainforest.ca to find teacher and student resources, view the online photo gallery, or read a sample chapter from the book. To access the free teacher’s guide for Nowhere Else on Earth, click here:http://orcabook.com/nowhereelseonearth/guides/teachersguide.pdf.

Fishtailing

Teen violence, bullying and the burning quest to fit in are presented in the poems of four unforgettable high school students: Natalie, Kyle, Tricia, Miguel. Their stories unfold in this explosive new book told in free verse. A story of teen angst like no other, it is based on fictional characters but is rooted in the realities of the teen experience. When Natalie moves to a new high school she befriends three unwitting victims into her spider-web of manipulations, lies and deceit. Through the poetry and assignments of an English class we glimpse the world of the four teens. Natalie, whose alcoholic parents, years of neglect and ultimate rape by her father’s friend has shaped her into a cruel and manipulative teen; Tricia, dealing with her blended family, is drawn into Natalies’ forbidden world of partying and rebellion; Kyle, a would-be musician is in love with Tricia and Miguel who lusts for Natalie while hiding the secrets of his family. The story weaves us through their poetry, their lives and culminates at a party where the four lives fishtail out of control. English class will never be the same.

The Chaos

Scotch has never quite fit in.  With her white Jamacian father and black Canadian mother, she doesn’t belong with the Caribbeans, white, or blacks.  Though recently she feels different for stranger reasons–her skin is being covered in spots of black stickiness that won’t go away no matter what she tries.  Not to mention that she sees floating, bodiless horse heads that no one else can.  But soon Scotch has even bigger problems.  She’s out for a night with her brother when a bubble of light appears.  Scotch dares her brother to touch it.  He does, and then he disappears.  A moment later a volcano emerges in Lake Ontario, and all Toronto is invaded by the Chaos.  Scotch is desperate to find her brother, but she doesn’t know where to begin searching in a city gone mad.  Mythical cretures sush as Sasquatches are walking down the streets, and ordinary peope are transforming in truly weird ways.  Scotch herself is getting blacker and blacker.  Can she find her brother before she becomes completely unrecognizable?

Renowned author Nalo Hopkinson mixes fantasy and Caribbean folklore in this rollicking story of identity and self-acceptance in a world given over to Chaos.

Sri Lanka

A look at the geography, history, government, economy, people, lifestyles, language, and culture of this diverse island country.

Philippines

An illustrated overview of the history, geography and culture of the Philippines and the people who inhabit these tropical islands.

China

A look at the geography, history, government, economy, people, lifestyles, religion, language, and culture of the world’s most populous nation.

Guan Yu: Blood Brothers To The End

Guan Yu, an ancient Chinese warrior, fights side by side with his blood brothers Liu Bei and Zhang Fei to squash the menacing Yellow Scarves. He defends his country and his honor, but his troubles are just beginning. All over China, opponents post grave challenges, each one more trying than the last. Will Guan Yu prevail against the forces that threaten him?  Or will the obstacles prove too much for even the brave warrior?