Books published by publisher James Lorimer

When Matt is too late to register for his new school's hockey team, he decides to join the cross-country running club instead. At first it's every one for themselves. No one runs with the pack, until finally a new coach demonstrates that tough competitors know the value of teamwork. When the championship finals arrive pouring rain makes the course a slippery mess, and forces the runners to make some hard choices. Mud Run is a fast-paced, humorous story about team spirit and taking life one step at a time.

The 2002 Winter Olympics were hosted by Salt Lake City, Utah. Just four years previous, Women's Hockey had become an official Olympic sport, at Nagano, Japan. There, the Canadian team had been favoured to win the gold. They were the World Championship winners, after all. Yet, in a disappointing final game, Team Canada lost to the USA and ended up with silver. Now, heading into the 2002 Winter Games, they're on a losing streak. What would it take for our women to bring home the gold?

Denny's father is away for weeks at a time working the rust-streaked fishing trawlers far off the Nova Scotian coast. The work is hard and dangerous--they fish year-round, in fierce storms, in ice--and badly paid, and if a fisherman gets hurt, the company won't do anything to help. So when his dad starts fighting for a union to improve these terrible conditions, Denny thinks it's all for the best. Until he crosses kids whose parents reject the union, that is. Soon he's faced with street fights and violence that escalates until finally, someone cuts his father's boat adrift with him in it. As a storm rises and Denny struggles to keep the vessel afloat, he has to draw on all his strength just to stay alive. Set against the harsh background of the North Atlantic fisheries, The Baitchopper is the action-filled story of one young man's fight to make his community stronger.

Jason's rough moves on the ice nearly got him kicked out of the hockey league, but he's learned to keep his aggression in check. Now he's on an elite team and his new coach is pressuring him to return to his old ways. If he doesn't toughen up, he might lose his spot on the team. But if he starts playing dirty, he could get kicked out of the league. Jason finds himself fighting to play fair in this exciting and often comic sequel to Power Play and Danger Zone.

Do you race home to log in on your computer and chat? But what can you do when that user comes on, the user that won't go away and is getting nastier by the day? Now it seems you can't go to any of your favorite sites without finding something posted about you. This latest volume in the Deal With It series examines the impact of online name-calling, rumors and threats, and provides fun and practical tips to help you surf safely. Robyn MacEachern is the Provincial Youth Issues Coordinator for the Crime Prevention Section of the Ontario Provincial Police. Robyn provides presentations and training relating to online risks and exploitation. She lives in Orillia, Ontario.

For the first time, Kaleigh is playing on an all-girls hockey team. Never a "girlygirl," she misses her former teammates, has trouble following the different rules of girls' hockey, and gets frustrated when her fellow players get distracted from their game. That is, until Shane comes along. Soon the attention of this older boy is taking up too much of her time, and Kaleigh finds herself unsure whether she can balance hockey, her friendships, and this new dating-life.

Jayleen lives for the rodeo. She's sure she can be the fastest amateur barrel racer in all of British Columbia, in all of Canada. Her coach, however, doesn't share this faith. Jayleen finds her heavy-handed coaching style completely unhelpful. In order to excel, Jayleen knows she'll have to find someone to believe in her-so she sets out to do just that. Cutting It Close is the story of a spirited young woman who decides to take charge of her own destiny.

Glen aims to be the starting pitcher and best player on the East York Eagles baseball team. He works hard to achieve this-maybe too hard. None of his teammates seem to measure up to Glen's impossibly high standards. His mother reminds him "there's no 'I' in 'team,'" but his bad temper and narrow focus on winning threaten the Eagles' chances and his own future with the team. To avoid disaster, Glen is forced to face the problems that drive him, both on the diamond and off. Hit and Run is the story of a driven young athlete whose ambition finally teaches him the meaning of sportsmanship.

Rob wins a contest to be the Toronto Blue Jays' bat boy during spring training in Florida. He not only meets his baseball heroes, he's one of the team. When some of the players' equipment mysteriously disappears from a locked cupboard, however, team morale drops and Rob worries he's a suspect. To save his reputation and the Blue Jays' season, he scrambles to solve the mystery. Baseball Crazy fulfills every fan's dream to work and play in the big leagues.

When a well-meaning English teacher has overweight student Krista read aloud a poem about body image titled “Barbie Doll” in class, she ignites a simmering bullying event based on Krista’s appearance. Krista’s best friend and witness to the event, Tessa, is suspended for fighting to defend her friend. The girl who bullies Krista seems unaffected by the incident at school and more concerned with what an older guy thinks of her. But as the three characters’ paths intersect, their inner lives are revealed. Each emerges as a more complicated individual than her simple bully, target or witness label.

The entertainment media is built on it, school hallways are full of it, but is gossip ever really acceptable? When does talking about others cross the line from thoughtful concern to harmful activity? Gossip: Deal with it before word gets around looks at the damage gossip can cause to both its object and its perpetrators, ways to cope when a rumour is making the rounds, and what young people can do when the urge to participate in gossip feels irresistible.

Ed Warnicki used to play football in the park with his dad and dream of being a great receiver. Now, at fourteen, Ed secretly wishes he could play for his Calgary High Mustangs team. But he worries that he's too tall, too skinny and too insecure — the exact opposite of star quarterback Tyrone Jackson. Wanting to contribute to the school's football team in some way, Ed accepts the job of waterboy. Tyrone teases Ed about his build, his old bike and his obvious crush on Tyrone's girlfriend and school sports reporter Zara, and one day at practice throws a ball right at Ed's head. Ed's instincts kick in and he makes a decent catch! So when the team's top receiver gets injured, Ed joins the team as back-up receiver. Getting annoyed that Zara seems to prefer Ed's company to his own, Tyrone won't pass to Ed, and even calls a play he knows could get Ed hurt. But the big game against their rival team puts school pride and Ed's confidence on the line. Will Tyrone throw to Ed? Can Ed catch a crucial pass and make his dreams of being a football hero come true?