Tor and his mother have just moved to Snow Park, Colorado, when a young snowboarder dies of suspicious causes. Then people in town start whispering about a curse—and start pointing fingers at Tor and his mom.

Reggie is a hard-hitting linebacker with a future in college football. During a game, a player on the other team tackles Reggie improperly and ends up in the hospital. When Reggie hears that the boy may be paralyzed for life, his guilt weakens his game . . . and may cost him his career.

Pip dreads every soccer match. His dad has pressured him into playing the sport and, at every game, argues with the refs and yells at Pip: "Don't cringe away from the bloody ball!" One day, riding his bike home from soccer practice, Pip stops at the "Igloo," a sports facility under preparation for its grand opening. Inside, Pip scales one of the climbing walls with ease and has a revelation: "Suddenly it all made sense. Climbing. Climbing! " Pip has found his passion, but he can't let his dad find out—his relentless competitiveness would ruin the only sport Pip has ever enjoyed.

In the tradition of Sports Shorts (2005), Darby Creek has another serving of sports-related short stories. Purely fiction, these stories tell the tales of athletes in a variety of sports, including track, football, martial arts, Ping Pong, and dirt bike riding. The characters face obstacles to overcome such things as being overweight, being over-confident, and being impatient. Reluctant readers will enjoy these short pieces, each with a memorable character and a relatable problem.

Chinatown, San Francisco, 1939: Calvin Chin is a basketball hustler who uses a ?bumbling immigrant? act to con prejudiced local teens out of their money. When a scout sees Calvin and his best friend, Barney, playing on the streets, he makes them an offer: join his traveling Chinese American basketball team and receive a steady salary?and fame. The boys sign up and hit the road. Calvin?s flashy style distinguishes him, and the coach pushes him to be the team?s star. As Calvin?s minor renown goes to his head, the team falls apart, and so does Calvin and Barney?s friendship. Afterword. Bibliography.

When a varsity basketball player is injured, Liam Bergstrom is tapped to move up to varsity from JV. He’s thrilled and knows that he must stay focused for the notoriously tough Coach Kloss to keep him on the team. As Liam learns that Coach Kloss requires strict adherence to his extracurricular requirements and overtly religious pre-game rituals, he grows more and more uncomfortable. Will Liam join the flock, or will he speak out?

"The blade was buried deep in my father's back." Hana and Kimi's uncle Hidehira has launched a surprise attack on their father, a great samurai warrior and local government official. Hana and Kimi escape by using their martial arts training, but their uncle's soldiers aren't far behind. The only place to hide is a nearby dojo, which trains only boys. "So," saysKimi, taking her sword to her hair, "we'll become boys."

Twelve-year-old Ty is devastated when his uncle Gus tells him he has to spend afternoons scrubbing toilets for the family's cleaning service instead of playing on the football team. But when Ty's older brother, Thane, is selected in the NFL draft, the local mob boss takes an interest. He persuades Gus into letting Ty play football in exchange for insider information about Thane's team. All Ty wanted was a chance to succeed like his brother. Now the brothers are caught in the middle of a Mafia betting scheme and their futures are in jeopardy.

After Gabriel wins at the Saratoga horse races, his dreams of becoming a famous jockey seem closer than ever. The Civil War rages on, though, and Gabriel feels compelled to join his parents in the Union army. "Ma and Pa say I'm too young to be a soldier. . . . But that don't mean I can't fight for freedom my own way." Gabriel puts aside his racing aspirationsto join his father's cavalry unit. Courageous though he may be, is Gabriel ready to face the dangers of war?

Hutch loves baseball. He knows the stats and the history, he's the captain of his team, and he's the best shortstop in town. He just wishes his dad, a former baseball player, would notice. When Darryl, "the LeBron James of baseball," joins the team and takes over at shortstop, Hutch's dad suddenly starts showing up at games. Soon after, Hutch finds his dad practicing with Darryl, something his dad hasn't done with Hutch in years. Hutch can't hide his anger any longer, but will it ruin the game he loves?

Stosh has used his unique time-travel abilities to right many wrongs . . . and to meet some of the greatest baseball players ever: Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth. So why would he want to help his worst enemy, Bobby Fuller, travel to meet Jim Thorpe, a player he's never heard of? Bobby tells Stosh that Jim Thorpe was an incredible athlete whose career was ruined when his Olympic medals were unfairly stripped from him. Now Stosh has one more injustice to fight . . . and one more legend to meet.

"I was about ball. Ball made me different than guys who ended up on the sidewalk framed by some yellow tape." Drew is a senior living in Harlem and a gifted basketball player. This season is his last chance to prove himself to college scouts, but when Tomas from the Czech Republic joins the school team, Coach House and the local media treat him like the star player. Can Drew refocus the spotlight on himself, or will he become just another baller who never made it?

Here are ten new fictional stories that celebrate all aspects of the game of baseball. And what a starting lineup! From John H. Ritter, author of The Boy Who Saved Baseball, to Newbery Award?winning Jerry Spinelli, this is a gathering of ten great authors for children, some of whom are specifically known for their writing about baseball. Featuring a story told in poems and another in a play format, Baseball Crazy is a truly diverse collection that will appeal to fanatics of the sport as well as those sitting hesitantly out on the bench. Batter up!

"All I want is to feel invincible and whole again." After Syrah Cheng's snowboarding accident, her knee isn't the only thing that's shot-so is her confidence. On top of that, Syrah's billionaire parents want her to follow in their footsteps, a path of discipline focused on global business that doesn't allow for silly and dangerous pastimes. As her lifelong nanny Bao Mu leaves and her best friend Age grows distant, Syrah wonders if she'll ever get back on the board-and if she'll ever be more than just "Ethan Cheng's daughter."

Kentucky, 1864: At last, Gabriel has his freedom. His former master, Mister Giles, released him from slavery, and now Gabriel gladly races Mister Giles's horses-and makes a pretty penny when he wins. Then Gabriel is invited to compete in Saratoga, where horse races feature the country's finest jockeys, men who've earned national renown. "One day," Gabriel vows, "I'll find fame, too." But the road to fame will be long and dangerous, for even though Gabriel is free, he's still "colored."

For generations, the Hildebrands have been racing legends. But Kyle Hildebrand prefers playing in his high school jazz quintet and hanging out with his sort-of girlfriend Nicole to working at the track. Then his older brother is seriously injured during a race and Kyle has to fill the empty driver's seat for the good of the family. Now Kyle's caught between what he wants and what his family wants. And after he meets pretty pit girl Jimmie, Kyle isn't even sure what[ital what] he wants anymore.

"Gym rat"-it's a nasty name, but it suits Toby Wheeler just fine. He likes[ital likes] playing pickup basketball at the rec center. Then the school coach recruits him, and he accepts-after all, his best friend JJ will be on the team, too. As school starts, though, JJ starts treating Toby like an embarrassment, and after Toby performs poorly on the court, he feels[ital feels] like an embarrassment. Toby may no longer be a gym rat, but will he ever be more than just a benchwarmer?

Stevie Thomas swears to his dad that his days of solving international mysteries at major sporting events are over. But then he and fellow teen reporter (and girlfriend) Susan Carol Anderson are hired to work at the Super Bowl. At first, the only problem Stevie has is figuring out which sports celebrity he'll interview next. Then Susan Carol gets word of a doping scandal that's being kept under wraps by cutthroat team owner Don Meeker. Stevie can't help himself-he and Susan Carol are on the case again.

Mabel, Mississippi, is so small that there are only enough kids for one baseball team, and they only get to play one real game a year, on July Fourth. No one is looking forward to the game more than pitcher House Jackson, who has finally recovered from a broken arm. There's only one problem: Their town has scheduled the Aurora County Birthday Pageant for the exact same time as the game-and the All Stars' parents have signed them all up to perform! As usual, it's up to House to find a solution.

Everyone is good at something. For Hall Braxton, it's tennis. She's so good, in fact, that her parents and coach want her to leave behind her life in Colorado for a tennisacademy in Florida. On the outside, Hall looks unstoppable. But inside, Hall isn't sure she can handle the expectations that "creep under my skin like soldiers, taking my brain hostage, demanding I conquer or crumble." She's already seen her doubles partner suffer a nervous breakdown on the court. Will Hall choose to stay in the game? Library edition with trade jacket added.

"I hear the steady whoosh whoosh of his breathing and the rhythmic drumbeat of his stride. Opening my eyes, I see that his ears are pricked, and his neck tucked as we canter around the bend for the last mile. Tenpenny is saying, I can run forever, Gabriel. Now just got to hold on." As the Civil War rages throughout Kentucky, a twelve-year-old slave named Gabriel pursues his dream of becoming a professional jockey and earning his freedom.