Somewhere Nicky realized from the truth that telling lies was much more fun. They never ended. Nicky made them up and changed the rules as he went along. It was so much easier than dealing with the truth. On the outside, twelve-year-old Nicky Palmieri is just a little different from the average kid who loves baseball. Several surgeries on his cleft palate have left noticeable bumps and scars on his lip. He desperately wants to look like the other kids, but the doctors' empty words and promises set bad examples about lying. On the inside, Nicky dreams of reaching the major leagues. His baseball glove, an expensive professional model, is an extension of his left hand. Nicky knows where his glove is at all times. Then one day he secretly places his prized possession in an unusual place. When his family and closest friends ask him about the glove's whereabouts, Nicky follows with a long string of lies. Most are harmless fibs-but one falsehood leads to a catastrophe that changes Nicky's life. Join Nicky and the Kelsey Avenue Crew for a series of wild events that teach him about the power of the truth. -- "Elementary-school teacher and former sports reporter Petrucci weaves a poignant tale of a young boy with a cleft palate, who finds respite from the harsh realities of small-town life by playing baseball. A lengthy yet endearing treat for young sports fans." - Kirkus Review

Nicky Palmieri, self-conscious and resentful over the scars left from cleft-palate surgery, learns lessons about life, death, friendship, and family over the course of one baseball-filled summer.

Boys' Life is the official youth magazine for the Boy Scouts of America. Published since 1911, it contains a proven mix of news, nature, sports, history, fiction, science, comics, and Scouting.

Strange-but-true stories, colorful characters, and big-league bizarreness for fans of America’s pastime! Why is baseball such a great subject for a Bathroom Reader? Because it’s steeped in history and tradition, it’s rife with scandals and controversy, and most of the men that dedicate their life to it are just a little bit . . . weird. Uncle John’s spirited take on the game takes you deep into that history to paint a detailed picture of where the game came from and where it may be going. You’ll go behind the scenes at spring training, listen in on pitcher’s mound conferences, and meet the players, coaches, fans, and broadcasters who make this the greatest game in the world! Swing for the fences as you read about . . . * Minor league mishaps * The violent history of umpiring * The true story of Lou Gehrig’s heroic rise and tragic fall * The man who pitched a no-hitter while tripping on LSD * The origins of gloves, baseballs, bats, uniforms, helmets, and more * Baseball’s most famous call and how it was saved for posterity * The best and worst teams of all time * Animals in the outfield * The birth of Little League * The Abner Doubleday myth * and much, much more!

Boys' Life is the official youth magazine for the Boy Scouts of America. Published since 1911, it contains a proven mix of news, nature, sports, history, fiction, science, comics, and Scouting.

The Mishnah or the Mishna is the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions which is known as the Oral Torah. It is also the first major work of rabbinic literature. The Mishnah was redacted by Judah ha-Nasi at the beginning of the 3rd century CE in a time when, according to the Talmud, the persecution of the Jews and the passage of time raised the possibility that the details of the oral traditions of the Pharisees from the Second Temple period would be forgotten. Most of the Mishnah is written in Mishnaic Hebrew, but some parts are in Aramaic.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1869.

CATCHING-101: The Complete Guide for Baseball Catchers is the most comprehensive book ever written for baseball catchers. It contains tips, drills, and proper mechanics that will help every catcher or coach better understand the most difficult position on the field. This book contains information on EVERY aspect of catching that Coach Barksdale has learned through his years of experience from coaching nationally ranked NCAA teams, and playing at almost every level from Little League to professional baseball. A few of the topics covered in CATCHING-101 are: Receiving Blocking Catching Pop Flies Throwing Fielding Bunts Plays at Home Plate Drills Pitchouts Pass Balls/Wild Pitches Giving Signals And More! If you have been searching for a source with lots of high quality information about catching, this is the book for you! CATCHING-101 was written by Coach Xan Barksdale who is currently an NCAA Division I baseball coach and an ex-professional baseball player. Coach Barksdale played in the Atlanta Braves organization and has been a featured speaker at the prestigious ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) national convention.

This early work by Booker Prize-winning author Barry Unsworth chronicles one of his literary obsessions--the corruption of innocence--and forms it into a compelling contemporary narrative set in the rambling, overgrown grounds of an English estate. When a good-looking gardener begins work at their estate, the two women of the household find themselves falling under the potent spell of his strength and seeming innocence.

The spirited stories in Heart of the Cariboo-Chilcotin capture the severity and grace of the distinct pioneer culture that resides in British Columbia's rugged Central Interior. It's an area with a provocative history, plenty of colourful individuals and a wealth of literary talent. The writers in this volume come from different periods, places and occupations, each bringing a unique voice that adds to the diversity of the whole. A First Nations girl escapes her kidnappers. Greenhorn settlers outgun dangerous criminals. A young cowboy confronts the terrors, and revels in the thrills, of his first roundup. Occasionally shocking and always entertaining, these people stories celebrate and preserve the Cariboo-Chilcotin way of life.