After a long first half of the season, the Crocs might finally have a chance to win a game. But when mutant bugs start burrowing up from beneath the oval to attack, there may not even be a team left to take the field. If Nick and his friends can't figure out how to stop the bugs, losing the game will be the least of their problems!

Animal Heroes is full of stories of astonishing courage shown by family pets and wild animals alike.Read about:the amazing courage of Stubby, a stray dog who braved the front line with soldiers in World War I;the resourcefulness of Moko, a bottlenose dolphin which guided a mother whale and her calf back out to sea; andthe gentle empathy of Magic, a miniature pony which helped a woman speak again after three years of silence.These and many more accounts of extraordinary feats by an array of animals will warm your heart even as they stun you.'An absolute must-read for anyone who has ever been humbled by tales of a helping paw (or wing or flipper or hoof) in times of peril.' PetFocus'Get the tissues out! A compilation of heart-warming tales of animals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.' The Cat

It's 1929 and thirteen-year-old Tom Campbell has always wanted a real family with a real house and a dog of his very own. Since he was three years old, the only home he has ever known has been the Mission orphanage. When he is sent to live and work with fisherman Enoch and his wife, Tom finally sees his dream wihin reach. And when he rescues a Newfoundland dog in the middle of a terrifying squall, Tom feels as if both he and the dog, which he names Thunder, have found a place to call home at last. But when Enoch's wife becomes pregnant and it looks like Thunder's owner might be found, Tom's wonderful new world is turned upside down. Will the Murrays still want Tom? And will Tom be forced to give up his beloved Thunder?

Twelve-year-old Poppy is an orphan living in a bad neighborhood in Chicago, pick pocketing so that she has a place to sleep at night. Justin's world couldn't be more different—his father owns a jewelry store—but when he and Poppy meet, they become fast friends, thanks in part to Justin's sweet pet goat. Through their friendship, Poppy realizes that she doesn't want to be a thief anymore and she begins to feel like she may have a place with Justin's family. But when Justin makes an expensive mistake at his father's store, Poppy is immediately blamed. In response, she flees . . . right into the Great Chicago Fire. Poppy and Justin must rely on their instincts if they are going to survive the catastrophe. Will anything be left when the fire finally burns out?

At home in England, Darling is the mischievous but much-loved pet of Robert and Katherine. But when the British military asks families to volunteer their dogs to help the war effort, they send Darling off to be trained, even though it is very hard to say goodbye. Darling goes through training along with many other dogs and is ultimately used as a mercy dog, seeking out injured soldiers on the battlefield and leading the medics to them. After saving the lives of numerous soldiers, Darling is faced with a major challenge.

Life in Sassafras Springs has always been predictable, boring even, but one afternoon that changes when Eben McAllister's pa challenges him to find Seven Wonders in Sassafras that rival the real Seven Wonders of the World. The reward? An adventure that Eben's been craving — a trip to Colorado. Even doesn't think he'll have any luck — he can't think of one single thing that could be considered wondrous in Sassafras — but he's willing to try. Little does he know that the Wonders he'll discover among his neighbors, friends, relatives, and family will give him the adventure of a lifetime...without ever leaving his home.

All non-sheepherding dogs have been outlawed from the rocky coastal village where Maggie lives. Unwilling to give up her beloved Newfoundland, Sirius, Maggie defies the law and hides Sirius away.But when a steamer crashes into the rocks during a violent storm and starts to sink with a hundred passengers on board, Maggie faces a difficult choice. She knows Sirius can help rescue the people trapped on the ship, but bringing him out of hiding would put his own life in jeopardy. Is Maggie's brave dog a big enough hero to save the desperate passengers—and himself?This heartwarming story of a lovable dog and his feisty mistress is based on true stories about Newfoundland dogs and filled with drama, tension, and exciting rescues.

Amazon.com ReviewThe Evolution of Bruno Littlemore, Hale’s linguistic talent locks the reader into their seat and sends them ticking up the roller coaster ride of Bruno Littlemore’s life. An unlikely narrator, Bruno is a chimpanzee trying to become a man--a process he sees as “equal parts enlightenment and imprinting your brain with taboos.” Bruno acquires a fervent love of language--and of primatologist Lydia Littlemore, with whom he develops a deep (and, yes, sexual) relationship until she falls ill. Comic relief comes in the form of Leon, a boisterous subway thespian, who introduces Bruno to the stage shortly before a murderous transgression results in Bruno’s return to captivity. With Bruno Littlemore, Hale has crafted a truly original narrator, holding a mirror on humanity with a razor-like precision that makes this stunning novel one readers will want to discuss the minute they turn the last page._--Seira Wilson_From Publishers WeeklyAn enlightened chimp goes on the wildest adventure since Every Which Way but Loose in Hale's mischievous debut. Bruno Littlemore, the narrator chimp, eventually lands in a research lab at the University of Chicago, where he falls in love with Dr. Lydia Littlemore, who, shortly after hearing Bruno speak his name, takes him first to her apartment (sex is had, much later) and later to the quietude of a Colorado ranch owned by a couple of odd animal rights advocates. It is in this environment that Bruno becomes a fully articulate and artistic being, but the idyll does not last: Lydia falls ill, and Bruno is captured, escapes, ends up in New York City, and befriends a dreamer named Leon with whom he mounts a performance of The Tempest before being forced by circumstance to return, tragically, to Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo. Bruno, having mastered speech, is quite happy to play with this new toy, going on philosophical riffs and speaking at length about art, and while his monologues are less tedious than you'd imagine, it's his quest for answers about the agonizing dilemmas of existence that is unexpectedly resonant. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.