Books with title Sink or Swim

A sudden invasion, government-sanctioned piracy, and preparations for an ambitious political shift all close in on Vince. A young kid on his own in Greyhelm who is given another chance and repurposed by his new hero, Kendra Rose. With a few kind acts and honeyed words, Kendra entrapped Vince as what could be her most useful tool yet in her lofty ambitions. Follow as Vince grows into his new purpose while gathering knowledge, power, and followers of his own in Sink or Swim, the first book of The Rose Chronicles.

The irrepressible Ralph learned how to fly, so why shouldn't he learn to swim? Like other animals, he, too, wants to be able to cool off easily on sweltering summer days. There's only one small problem: Ralph is a cow. And cows don't swim. At least not yet ... With the same unsinkable optimism that got him off the ground in WHEN PIGS FLY, Ralph pairs the help of friends with some summer accessories and figures out how to beat the heat and the naysayers around him.Like its award-winning picture book partner, WHEN PIGS FLY, Sink or Swim has also been recognized as an exemplary story of optimism, being shortlisted for the Ontario Library Association Blue Spruce Reading Program Award, shortlisted for the Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Shining Willow Award, and named Finalist for the Independent Publisher Book Awards, Best Children’s Picture Book.

A sudden invasion, government-sanctioned piracy, and preparations for an ambitious political shift all close in on Vince. A young kid on his own in Greyhelm who is given another chance and repurposed by his new hero, Kendra Rose. With a few kind acts and honeyed words, Kendra entrapped Vince as what could be her most useful tool yet in her lofty ambitions.Follow as Vince grows into his new purpose while gathering knowledge, power, and followers of his own in Sink or Swim, the first book of The Rose Chronicles.

Baxter Reilly has always felt at home in the water. And the school swim team has been his place of refuge, especially over the past few months. Baxter's parents have separated, and his father is now living in a rundown apartment. Instead of dealing with his home life, Baxter has devoted himself to the swim team as the anchor of their 4x400 freestyle. But how can he anchor a team when his life is so adrift?

There's a thief in town, and all signs point to twelve-year-old Charlie Drinkwater. Once you spontaneously morph into a giant mutant dinosaur in the middle of the school day, people will suspect you of just about anything. Charlie's teachers decide that all he needs is a little discipline, so they make him join the swim team. The only problem is, Charlie is terrified of the water. (He's terrified of a lot of things.) Charlie and his friends vow to apprehend the real criminal and clear Charlie's name. But when they discover who the actual thief is, Charlie's problems get a whole lot bigger . . . not to mention slimier, scalier, and smellier!

Horatio Alger, Jr. ( January 13, 1832 – July 18, 1899) was a prolific 19th-century American author, best known for his many juvenile novels about impoverished boys and their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of middle-class security and comfort through hard work, determination, courage, and honesty. His writings were characterized by the "rags-to-riches" narrative, which had a formative effect on America during the Gilded Age. Essentially, all of Alger's juvenile novels share the same theme: a teenage boy works hard to escape poverty. Often though, it is not the hard work itself that rescues the boy from his fate, but rather some extraordinary act of bravery or honesty. The boy might return a large sum of lost money or rescue someone from an overturned carriage. This brings the boy—and his plight—to the attention of a wealthy individual

Ralph the unstoppable cow tackles the new challenge of learning to swim with the same unsinkable optimism that got him off the ground in When Pigs Fly. Ralph and his friend Morris are trying to beat the heat of a scorching hot summer's day. What better way to cool off than to go swimming? But wait, cows don't swim. Or do they? Well, not like ducks, or turtles, or frogs! Readers will laugh along with Ralph, and learn about optimism, resourcefulness, and positive thinking.

Charlie’s problems have gotten monstrously big… There's a thief in town, and all signs point to twelve-year-old Charlie Drinkwater. Once you spontaneously morph into a giant mutant dinosaur in the middle of the school day, people will suspect you of just about anything. Charlie's principal decides that all he needs is a little discipline, so they make him join the swim team. The only problem is, Charlie is terrified of the water. (He's terrified of a lot of things.) Charlie and his friends vow to apprehend the real criminal and clear Charlie's name. Otherwise he’ll have to stay on the swim team for the rest of his life or eternity—whichever comes first.“The amiable drollery…carries it a long way.”—The New York Times on Boy or Beast