Books in Let's Talk Sports! series

The game of football has lots of odd language hidden in its history. Why is a field called a gridiron? Why are players called quarterback and fullback? Getting in the game can be intimidating if you dont know the lingo, which is why this book is full of football terms and their origins. From the difference between a safetythe playerand a safetya scoring playto some of the weirder quirks of the rules, full-color photographs and graphic organizers show readers everything they need to watch this exciting sport as an informed fan.

Baseball is a great sport full of weird words. Trying to play a game with friends might be hard if you dont know what anyone is saying! Readers will get a look in the dugout, and even learn why they call it a dugout in the first place. With color photos and other graphics explaining different terms and concepts like a double switch or ground rules, readers are sure to learn everything they need to talkand playlike a pro.

When a young boy finds a shivering skunk snuggled in his bunk bed on a cold autumn night, he is horrified and orders the animal out of his house. After all, skunks are nasty, smelly creatures, right? Frightened, the skunk finds the courage to stand his ground, defending himself and others like him. As these two strangers come to know each other, the boy learns that he must think for himself and not prejudge others.This appealingly illustrated, humorous tale with its important message of tolerance for others identifies — and discourages — stereotypic thinking in children.

Billy feels angry, confused, and sad. His parents don't live together anymore — they have gotten a divorce. His deepest wish is for his mom, dad, and little brother Alec to live together as a family again. In this tender story, simply and charmingly illustrated, Billy learns that just because his parents live in separate homes, it doesn't mean that the strength and love of a family has been taken from him.A tool for parents, educators, and therapists, the book sends a comforting message to children of the resilience and constancy of love within the family, even after a marriage ends.

With his birthday fast approaching, Billy wants nothing more than the awesome bike he sees in a catalog. However, with his father having been laid off and his mother working two jobs, they simply cannot afford such an expensive gift. Upon hearing the word "no," Billy flies into a rage. However, when he talks to his parents about it later, he learns to compromise, realizing spending time with his family means more to him than a bike. His parents also promise to save what they can to someday buy the bike.The touching story shows that some wishes and "gimmies" may not come true, yet the love that families share is the best gift of all.

Can you put the biscuit in the basket? If you dont know your hockey lingo, that might be a hard question to answer. After reading this book full of colorful graphics and photos explaining the finer points of hockey jargon, readers will be sure to take a shot on net and try scoring a goal for themselves. From technical terms for hockey equipment to explanations of hockey rules and positions, this book has everything readers need to lace up the skates and hit the ice with confidence.

Cassandra loves to smile. Unfortuately Cassandra also loves to eat candy, but doesn't love to brush her teeth. One day, Cassandra discovers ugly brown spots on her teeth. No matter how much she brushes, the ugly spots will not go away. Her mother tells her she has to go to the dentist to have her teeth cleaned and x-rayed. However Cassandra is afraid to go to the dentist — what will the dentist do? This delightfully illustrated story will help explain to children what to expect from a trip to the dentist, helping to eliminate fears as well as teaching the importance of good oral hygiene.

There's a new student in Calvin's class, a boy named Owen. Mrs. Gilson, their teacher, asks Cal to show Owen around. Cal is curious about Owen, because he overheard Owen's mother telling Mrs. Gilson that Owen has burgers and drum. Where could Owen be keeping his burgers and drum? Are they in his backpack?Owen tapes the classroom rules to his desk, speaks too loudly and steals the ball when the students try to play soccer at recess. Cal can't figure out if Owen wants to be friends or not and he still hasn't found Owen's burgers and drum. Cal tells his mom about Owen. She explains that Owen has something called Asperger's Syndrome, which gives him a different learning style but he still could become a good friend.Owen Has Burgers and Drum is a fun story addressing the difficulties and rewards of befriending a child with Asperger's Syndrome. At the end of the book, the authors provide tips and suggestions to help parents and educators talk with children about Asperger's Syndrome and to help children better understand kids with an autism spectrum disorder.

One of the most important attributes of successful people is persistence, especially when working to achieve a goal that proves to be elusive, difficult, demanding and just plain hard. The Tale of the Teeny, Tiny Black Ant, the latest addition to the successful “Let's Talk Series”, introduces young readers to Ace, a tiny black ant who is determined to secure a beautiful blue jay feather for his Queen. Children join Ace getting involved in his heroic struggles and meet an interesting array of creatures along the way who offer Ace both support and pessimism. Undaunted, Ace persists, but will he ultimately be successful?The Tale of the Teeny, Tiny Black Ant is a beautifully illustrated tale that teaches children the importance of sticking to difficult chores, labors and tasks in order to achieve important goals. Peristence imparts positive attitudes about themselves and others to make the world a better place as they grow up.