Books with author Patricia Bell

Mountains, travel, adventure Amelia Hammer wants it all. Instead, her globe-trotting parents have dumped her in tiny, boring Dunstone, Ontario, in the middle of winter with her grandmother and her geeky cousin Simon. Simon isn’t having much fun either, saddled with a sulky stranger in black leather and with neon hair.And he has to be nice to her. But life in safe little Dunstone turns dangerously exciting when Mara comes to town. Amelia is enchanted by this tall, proud, fearless girl, but Simon worries that Mara might be mixed up in something weird. Hes right. Mara is not what she seems, and neither is the shape-shifting assassin whos tracking her. When the cousins take Mara’s side in a war for an alien world, Amelia has to spread her wings literally and Simon must find out how far he will go to save a cousin who has become a friend.

In The Ruby Kingdom, readers were captivated as Amelia Hammer and her cousin, Simon, and friend, Ike, discovered a secret gate leading from the small, southern-Ontario town of Dunstone to the extraordinary land of Mythrin - a world populated by dragons.Now, dragon leader, Mara, seeks the help of Amelia and her friends again. This time, a peculiar race of humans from a world called Cassar is searching for the Prism Blade - a legendary weapon forged at the beginning of time. Both the dragons and the Casseri seek the Prism Blade for their own protection; both the dragons and the Casseri fear the Blade falling into each others’ hands.Caught in the middle, Amelia, Simon, and Ike are also caught by surprise when they discover that the Prism Blade has been hidden for centuries in their own town … and is one of the most treasured objects in all of Dunstone.

From the book: "We need to give them the respect they deserve, as our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom." Long used in mass media entertainment, chimpanzees are recognized and loved by people of all ages. In spite of their popularity, chimpanzees are threatened by a disappearing habitat, poaching and disease. In 1984, demand for lab chimpanzees skyrocketed when scientists discovered that chimpanzees could be infected with HIV. Only four years later, the chimpanzee's status moved from threatened to endangered. Chimpanzee Rescue explains the innovative strategies conservationists are using to prevent its demise. While much is being accomplished through increased public awareness and conservation management, much needs to be done. The recent Ebola outbreak, a deadly virus that also affects humans, devastated chimp populations in central Africa. It's a grim reminder of how biologically similar our species are. About the Firefly Animal Rescue series: The Firefly Animal Rescue identifies endangered and threatened species and what is being done to protect them. Combining lively, accessible text and stunning color photographs, each book provides a detailed overview of the species, describing its characteristics, behavior, habits, physiology and more. "These attractive books are a call to action... fascinating readable accounts." - School Library Journal "Succinct introductions to the science and practice of wildlife conservation... written in accessible, lively language." - Booklist

Tina’s first year of high school. Among the many things to discover is that when you think the government is wrong and unfair, you can push back.Sure, there’s algebra and world history, a new volunteer job, new friends, and dealing with a nearly deaf ear, but one of those new friends is in the middle of an immigration crisis that may deport her whole family in a day. Can Tina help? See what’s possible, and what are dead ends. So many dead ends. But is there any way to stop ICE from putting her friend’s family on a plane in handcuffs? It seems impossible, maybe it is, but maybe it isn’t. Don’t underestimate Tina. New adventures for all the people you loved in the first two Tina books, Goldmine House and My Dutch Summer. Tina, Julie, Mama, and Gaga all have changes in their lives, and of course, they always love their food.

Fourteen-year-old Rob Vian is in Venice to study architecture, enjoy Carnevale, and learn Italian. He also wants to track down his mother's ancestral palazzo, but no sooner does he arrive than he's attacked in the street by someone dressed as the Spirit of Death!When the same thing happens again the next day, Rob and his cousin are determined to find out the truth. Who is the Spirit of Death? And why in the world does he keep attacking Rob?