"Jessie and the gang are reunited for a second heart-pounding whitewater ride through the Grand Canyon. The teens are thrilled to have another go at the Colorado together-especially Jessie, who will get to pilot a raft this time. But when they find out that the infamous ringleader Troy is behind the reunion trip, tempers flare. Troy says he wants the chance to redeem himself, but Jessie suspects his motives. Nonetheless, and even as the water rises to record levels, the river calls Jessie and the others to embark on another life-or-death adventure. Between the thundering water and the intense emotions it unleashes, the river itself will provide the ultimate test. Downriver won praise from readers across the country as well as many awards. With River Thunder, Hobbs draws from his own whitewater experience to craft another riveting wilderness adventure full of lifelike detail. With Christina Moore's dramatic narration, you will hear the river thunder and shiver with excitement right along with Jessie and her friends."
"Young Tepary Jones leads a life of constant adventure. But he gets more excitement than even he can handle when he plays a flute he finds in an ancient ruin. Magic from the Distant Time changes him into a bushy-tailed woodrat and ensnares him in a world of danger and suspense. His parents don't realize what's happened to him-only his dog Dusty knows. With Dusty alone to protect him from nightly predators, Tepary must unravel the mystery behind the owner of the flute-Kokopelli himself. In Kokopelli's Flute, award-winning author Will Hobbs has created a unique and richly imagined world celebrating the timeless magic of nature and the lessons it teaches. Johnny Heller's entrancing narration continues a tradition of excellence started in: A Christmas Sonata and The Hostage."
"IRA/CBC Teachers' Choice
Junior Library Guild Selection
ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults
American Bookseller Pick of the Lists
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults
IRA/CBC Young Adults’ Choice
Just fourteen, Rick Walder is alone, on the run, and desperate. Stowing away in the back of a truck, he suddenly finds himself at a dead end, out in the middle of nowhere. The Maze. In this surreal landscape of stark redrock spires and deep sandstone canyons, Rick stumbles into the remote camp of Lon Perigrino, a bird biologist who is releasing fledgling California condors back into the wild. Intrigued by the endangered condors and the strange bearded man dedicated to saving them, Rick decides to stay on. When two men with a vicious dog drive up in a battered old Humvee, Rick discovers that Lon and his birds are in grave danger.
Will he be able to save them?
In a heart-stopping adventure infused with the spirit of the Icarus myth and a boy's dreams of flight, Will Hobbs brings readers a unique tale of identity, personal growth, and friendship."
"Two boys and an old man survive a harrowing waterfall accident to find themselves stranded in the remote MacKenzie mountains of northern Canada. Fifteen-year olds Gabe and Raymond have the same birthday, but come from vastly different cultures. Gabe was raised by his grandparents in the Texas hill country, and Raymond is from a native village in the Northwest Territories. The old man is Johnny Raven, Raymond's great uncle. Luckily for the boys, he's a traditional Dihnay Indian who knows the old ways of winter survival. With winter fast approaching, and food running out, they must all work together to keep from becoming trapped in the howling wilds. Whether the group is eating porcupine or shooting the icy rapids, Johnny Heller's voice draws maximum excitement. The author of Bearstone, and numerous other award-winning books, Will Hobbs is known for his thrill-a-minute wilderness adventure stories featuring teens."
"In Bearstone, 14-year-old Cloyd Atcitty watched as a hunter killed what he thought was the last grizzly bear in Colorado. In this sequel, Cloyd continues his quest to find grizzlies in the mountains. Exploring the Weminuche Wilderness, Cloyd finds a pair of orphaned grizzly cubs. He must draw on his courage, determination, and Ute Indian heritage to teach them how to live in the wild. With winter approaching and food growing scarce, Cloyd must not only ensure the survival of the bears, but return to civilization before starvation and cold kill him. Will Hobbs lives in southwestern Colorado, where he spends much of the year in the mountains, exploring new settings for his books. Beardance is a winner of the Golden Spur Award for Juvenile Fiction, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and an ABA Pick of the Lists."
"Raised in the island world of southeast Alaska, sixteen-year-old Robbie Daniels jumps at the chance to work as a deckhand on a salmon troller captained by legendary fisherman Tor Torsen. Catching king salmon from dawn till dusk, Robbie is living his dream—until he discovers his mysterious captain's dark secret. Tor is illegally searching the coastline for historic metal plaques buried by early Russian explorers. When Robbie learns the value of these hidden treasures, he fears he may know too much to survive. Tor's wrath and a violent storm at sea put Robbie's courage and wits to the ultimate test."
"Brady Steele watches in awe as a fireball comes crashing through the roof of his house. Brady immediately calls up his cousin, Quinn. They both love all things extreme, and this is the most extreme thing ever! Fred, as Brady names his space rock, turns out to be one of the rarest meteorites ever found. Professor Rip Ripley from the museum in Hill City wants to study a sliver of it in search of extraterrestrial bacteria. He's hoping to discover the first proof of life beyond Earth, a momentous breakthrough for the new science of astrobiology. During a week of extreme bicycling, fishing, and caving, Brady and Quinn battle their rivals, the notorious Carver boys, for possession of the meteorite. With each new day, Brady is discovering he’s able to do strange and wonderful feats that shouldn’t be possible. At the same time, he’s developing some frightening symptoms. Could he be infected with long-dormant microbes from space? Is Fred a prize or a menace?"
"The Big Wander is a trip 14-year-old Clay Lancaster and his older brother Mike have planned for years. It's Clay's dream to find his ex-rodeo star uncle, who quit the tour and disappeared somewhere in the vast and colorful Monument Valley. But Mike-heartbroken and unfocused after losing his girlfriend-soon heads for home. Clay, however, will not give up. He finds a job in a remote trading post, and follows a lead on his uncle's whereabouts that takes him deep into Navajo country. There he learns the ways of the tribe, the dangers of the wilderness, and discovers, just in time, the secret of his long lost uncle's fate. Best-selling young adult author Will Hobbs won an ALA Best Book Award for The Big Wander. Hobb's prose paired with Sala's perfect pacing and authentic accents will make you feel you are in the American Southwest."
"Trouble In Paradise
Sixteen-year-old Travis is looking for a good time. A vacation in Mexico with his mother, sister, and little brother might cramp his style, but he's willing to take that risk for a chance to cruise the beaches.
Travis soon discovers that even with his headphones and shades, he can't completely cut himself off from his family's problems. He begins to understand why his father didn't come with them: His mother is contemplating a divorce. Meanwhile his younger brother, Teddy, becomes increasingly obsessed with protecting some endangered sea turtles near the resort.
In spite of himself, Travis is drawn into Teddy's efforts to save the turtles. But it takes a devastating tragedy beyond his imagining to shake Travis out of his cynicism—a tragedy that will change his family forever."
"Fifteen-year-old Jessie is angry with her father for sending her on an outdoor survival program for troubled teens. Confused about her life back home and unsure of herself, she is drawn to the powerful personality of a teammate, the charismatic Troy. At their first opportunity to rebel, she and her six companions 'borrow' their instructor's gear and attempt the dangerous Colorado River through the Grand Canyon on their own. With no maps or guides, they face roaring rapids, drenching rain, injury, and conflict among themselves. The further they travel, the more they realize that the whitewater may be the least of their problems. There's more to Troy, their self-imposed leader, than any of them could have predicted. Chosen by the American Library Association as one of the one hundred Best of the Best Young Adult Books of the past 25 years, Downriver will captivate young readers with its heady dose of excitement, entertainment, and suspense."
"Growing up without parents and without schooling, 14-year-old Cloyd is trouble-trouble to himself and everyone else. Sent by his tribe to a home for Indian boys, he is alone and half-wild in remote Utah canyons. As his feeling of isolation turns to desperation, he runs away to find even more trouble. When Cloyd is found and taken to live with an old rancher, he begins to explore the countryside. High in the majestic Colorado mountains, he finds a small carved turquoise bear in an Indian burial cave. Secretly renaming himself Lone Bear, Cloyd calls upon his ancient ancestors to give him the courage to accept an old man's love and friendship. Bearstone is an IRA/CBC Teachers Choice Book, and a Notable Children's Trade Book in the field of Social Studies. It also won the Mountain & Plains Booksellers Association Children's Book Award. Veteran narrator George Guidall masterfully grasps Will Hobbs' award-winning story."
""An exciting adventure...a winning tale that artfully combines history, nature and suspense." -School Library Journal
A DANGEROUS MYSTERY
AND A BOY DETERMINED TO SOLVE IT...
After a sailing ship breaks up on the rocks off Washington's storm-tossed Cape Flattery, Nathan MacAllister, the fourteen-year-old son of the lighthouse keeper, refuses to believe the authorities, who say there were no survivors. Unexplained footprints on a desolate beach, a theft at the trading post, and glimpses of a wild "hairy man" convince Nathan that someone is hiding in the remote sea caves along the coast. With his new friend, Lighthouse George, a fisherman from the famed Makah whaling tribe, Nathan paddles the fierce waters of the Pacific-fishing, hunting seals, searching for clues. Alone in the forest, Nathan discovers a ghostly canoe and a skeleton that may unlock this mystery of ancient treasure, betrayal...and murder."
