April Smith – författare

FBI Agent Ana Grey returns to infiltrate the volatile core of an eco-terrorist cell in the Pacific Northwest.Only months after a traumatic shooting incident, Ana is still emotionally unstable when she returns to work and learns that a fellow agent—and former lover—was killed by a group of terrorists operating under the name of FAN (Free Animals Now). To find the murderer and prevent any further killing, Ana goes undercover as an animal activist. In the course of her investigation, Ana encounters Julius Emerson Phelps, the charismatic leader of a "family" of anarchists in rural Oregon, whose secret past could blow the Bureau to pieces. To matters worse, Ana learns that Phelps is preparing a cataclysmic act of terrorism. With time ticking away and her undercover identity in jeopardy, Ana must find a way to solve her case and foil Phelp''s bloody plot.From the Trade Paperback edition.

FBI Special Agent Ana Grey debuts in this electrifying thriller marked by psychological acuity and unfaltering suspense. After Ana Grey pulls off “the most amazing arrest of the year,” the squad supervisor—who doesn''t like irreverent, tough-minded young women—gives her a reprimand instead of the promotion she deserves. As a test, she is assigned a high-profile case involving a beloved Hollywood movie star and an illegal supply of prescription drugs. It doesn''t take Ana and her partner, Mike Donnato, long to realize "this is not a case” but “a political situation waiting to explode”—and they''re holding the bomb. As the boundary between her private and professional lives begins to blur, Ana''s own world collides with her investigation, and she is forced to confront the searing truth about the nature of power and identity, and the mystery of her past.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Special Agent Ana Grey—intense, unpredictable, brilliant—returns in an electrifying new novel of suspense.Even on leave from the FBI, Ana can’t kick old habits: when she witnesses a drive-by shooting at an Italian restaurant in London, she helps the injured and gives testimony to the police. Still, it comes as a shock when, soon after, the Bureau contacts her—not because they want her to investigate the shooting, but because they want her to investigate the half sister she never knew she had, Cecilia, who lives in Siena and is married to Nicosa, a coffee mogul with some suspicious connections. Settling into their home under false pretenses is the least of the complications Ana encounters. The entire city of Siena is gearing up for its legendary horse race, the Palio—the dazzling annual culmination of ancient rivalries between the city’s many wards. But when her nephew is stabbed and her sister goes missing, Ana understands with painful clarity that there’s more than a horse race at stake here. And for Ana herself, it will mean an almost impossible choice between duty and family.From the Hardcover edition.

From the author of North of Montana ("The writing has the taut, perfect tone of a well-tuned string"--Scott Turow), a spellbinding new thriller about ambition taken to unexpected, and deadly, extremes. Cassidy Sanderson is a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers--the only female scout in the major leagues. Hard-living and hard-drinking, a gifted athlete herself, she takes pride in successfully competing in a male world. But recently she has been losing prospects on the sign, and her job security is teetering on the edge. When she gets a tip from a close friend and fellow scout about Alberto Cruz, a young phenom in the Dominican Republic, she impulsively catches a flight to Santo Domingo--even though it is out of her territory and she will undoubtedly incur her boss''s wrath. If Alberto Cruz is as good as she''s been told, the trip will be worth the risk.The risk starts quickly. Not only has Cruz "got it all--the heart, the guts, the aptitude," he may also have "a bad spirit on him." And he''s not the only man Cassidy meets on the island who might change her life for good or ill. The other is Joe Galinis, a powerful financier and real estate developer, "one of the most provocative men she has ever met." When Cassidy returns to Los Angeles, she finds herself entangled in a blackmail scheme laced with otherworldly vodou and real-life violence: a tightening triangle of suspicion and deception that leads her to the back rooms (and backstabbing) of high-stakes sports and finance--where she is about to discover that there is a thin line between a competitor and a killer.Once again, April Smith gives us a novel of nonstop suspense--large in scope, emotionally rich, and built around a central character of striking originality and substance. It is an electrifying read.

The United States Congress in 1929 passed legislation to fund travel for mothers of the fallen soldiers of World War I to visit their sons’ graves in France. Over the next three years, 6,693 Gold Star Mothers made the trip. In this emotionally charged, brilliantly realized novel, April Smith breathes life into a unique moment in American history, imagining the experience of five of these women.They are strangers at the start, but their lives will become inextricably intertwined, altered in indelible ways. These very different Gold Star Mothers travel to the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery to say final good-byes to their sons and come together along the way to face the unexpected: a death, a scandal, and a secret revealed. None of these pilgrims will be as affected as Cora Blake, who has lived almost her entire life in a small fishing village off the coast of Maine, caring for her late sister’s three daughters, hoping to fill the void left by the death of her son, Sammy, who was killed on a scouting mission during the final days of the war. Cora believes she is managing as well as can be expected in the midst of the Depression, but nothing has prepared her for what lies ahead on this unpredictable journey, including an extraordinary encounter with an expatriate American journalist, Griffin Reed, who was wounded in the trenches and hides behind a metal mask, one of hundreds of “tin noses” who became symbols of the war.  With expert storytelling, memorable characters, and beautiful prose, April Smith gives us a timeless story, by turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, set against a footnote of history––little known, yet unforgettable. This ebook edition includes a Reading Group Guide.

From the widely praised author of the FBI Special Agent Ana Grey series and A Star for Mrs. Blake, this riveting epic drama follows the Kusek family from New York City to America''s heartland, where they are caught up in the panic of McCarthyism, a smear campaign, a sensational trial, and, ultimately, murder.Calvin Kusek, a WWII pilot and attorney, and his wife, Betsy, escape the 1950s conformity of New York City to relocate to a close-knit town in South Dakota. They settle on a ranch and Betsy becomes a visiting nurse, befriending a quirky assortment of rural characters. Their children, Jo and her brother Lance, grow up caring for animals and riding rodeo. Life isn''t easy, but it is full and rewarding. When a seat in the State Assembly becomes available, Cal jumps at the chance to repay the community and serves three popular terms.       Things change when Cal runs for the U.S. Senate. The FBI investigates Betsy, and a youthful dalliance with the Communist Party surfaces to haunt the Kuseks. Mass hysteria takes over, inflamed by Cal''s political enemies.  Driven by fear and hate, their neighbors turn, condemning them as enemies and spies. The American Dream falls apart overnight as the Kuseks try to protect their children from the nightmare that follows. The family is vindicated in a successful libel lawsuit, but the story  doesn''t end there: years later, Lance Kusek and his wife and son are brutally attacked, and the mystery then unfolds as to who committed this coldblooded murder, and are they related to the stunning events of decades earlier?From the Hardcover edition.

Set up your writing block quickly and easily with a simple, research-based frameworkSchools need their writing instruction simplified. Most classrooms share writing time with another subject, making it difficult for students to receive the direct writing instruction they need. Between the lack of time, increased gaps in writing skills, and inconsistent writing curriculum, teachers are struggling to bring their students up to grade level.Simplify Your Writing Instruction provides you with a classroom-tested framework that helps you set up your writing block within the limited time and resources you have. Step by step, this practical guide shows you how to amplify your students’ writing skills, employ simple feedback opportunities and interventions, streamline your lessons, use simple differentiation techniques to help reach students of all ability levels, and more.Author April Smith is a former teacher who has trained more than 50,000 K-12 educators on best practices for writing instruction. While in the classroom, she learned that having simple and consistent systems in place is critical. Accordingly, none of the tasks and strategies will require you to create or prep anything complicated or time-consuming. In Simplify Your Writing Instruction, you will find easy-to-use checklists, implementation tasks, customizable templates, student writing samples, helpful tables and charts, and a simple spreadsheet that you can use to plan your lessons and modify your teaching to meet the needs of each writer.Be confident and supported in your writing instruction. Simplify Your Writing Instruction will teach you how to: Implement the Simple Pre-Assessment Process in your classroomEncourage authentic writing practice at homeDifferentiate your lessons to reach your Special Education, ELL, and Gifted studentsIntegrate grammar naturally and optimize student output after each lessonSplit the writing process into efficient and effective 10- to 15-minute mini-lessonsMake writing a priority by incorporating writing application into other subjectsUse a simple pre-assessment to get a better overall picture of what your students can doUtilize more complex strategies such as small group work and conferringPacked with expert advice and easy-to-follow strategies, Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework for a Better Writing Block is a must-have resource for all K-12 educators and teachers in training.

Set up your writing block quickly and easily with a simple, research-based framework

Schools need their writing instruction simplified. Most classrooms share writing time with another subject, making it difficult for students to receive the direct writing instruction they need. Between the lack of time, increased gaps in writing skills, and inconsistent writing curriculum, teachers are struggling to bring their students up to grade level.

Simplify Your Writing Instruction provides you with a classroom-tested framework that helps you set up your writing block within the limited time and resources you have. Step by step, this practical guide shows you how to amplify your students’ writing skills, employ simple feedback opportunities and interventions, streamline your lessons, use simple differentiation techniques to help reach students of all ability levels, and more.

Author April Smith is a former teacher who has trained more than 50,000 K-12 educators on best practices for writing instruction. While in the classroom, she learned that having simple and consistent systems in place is critical. Accordingly, none of the tasks and strategies will require you to create or prep anything complicated or time-consuming. In Simplify Your Writing Instruction, you will find easy-to-use checklists, implementation tasks, customizable templates, student writing samples, helpful tables and charts, and a simple spreadsheet that you can use to plan your lessons and modify your teaching to meet the needs of each writer.

Be confident and supported in your writing instruction. Simplify Your Writing Instruction will teach you how to:

Implement the Simple Pre-Assessment Process in your classroom Encourage authentic writing practice at home Differentiate your lessons to reach your Special Education, ELL, and Gifted students Integrate grammar naturally and optimize student output after each lesson Split the writing process into efficient and effective 10- to 15-minute mini-lessons Make writing a priority by incorporating writing application into other subjects Use a simple pre-assessment to get a better overall picture of what your students can do Utilize more complex strategies such as small group work and conferring

Packed with expert advice and easy-to-follow strategies, Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework for a Better Writing Block is a must-have resource for all K-12 educators and teachers in training.

Set up your writing block quickly and easily with a simple, research-based framework

Schools need their writing instruction simplified. Most classrooms share writing time with another subject, making it difficult for students to receive the direct writing instruction they need. Between the lack of time, increased gaps in writing skills, and inconsistent writing curriculum, teachers are struggling to bring their students up to grade level.

Simplify Your Writing Instruction provides you with a classroom-tested framework that helps you set up your writing block within the limited time and resources you have. Step by step, this practical guide shows you how to amplify your students’ writing skills, employ simple feedback opportunities and interventions, streamline your lessons, use simple differentiation techniques to help reach students of all ability levels, and more.

Author April Smith is a former teacher who has trained more than 50,000 K-12 educators on best practices for writing instruction. While in the classroom, she learned that having simple and consistent systems in place is critical. Accordingly, none of the tasks and strategies will require you to create or prep anything complicated or time-consuming. In Simplify Your Writing Instruction, you will find easy-to-use checklists, implementation tasks, customizable templates, student writing samples, helpful tables and charts, and a simple spreadsheet that you can use to plan your lessons and modify your teaching to meet the needs of each writer.

Be confident and supported in your writing instruction. Simplify Your Writing Instruction will teach you how to:

Implement the Simple Pre-Assessment Process in your classroom Encourage authentic writing practice at home Differentiate your lessons to reach your Special Education, ELL, and Gifted students Integrate grammar naturally and optimize student output after each lesson Split the writing process into efficient and effective 10- to 15-minute mini-lessons Make writing a priority by incorporating writing application into other subjects Use a simple pre-assessment to get a better overall picture of what your students can do Utilize more complex strategies such as small group work and conferring

Packed with expert advice and easy-to-follow strategies, Simplify Your Writing Instruction: A Framework for a Better Writing Block is a must-have resource for all K-12 educators and teachers in training.

An electrifying new thriller that brings back the complex, strong-willed, often-maverick FBI agent—Ana Grey—whom we first met in the author’s stunning debut novel, North of Montana.This time Special Agent Grey is working on a kidnapping case—a fifteen-year-old named Juliana has been abducted in Santa Monica. Grey’s counterpart in the Santa Monica Police Department is Detective Andrew Berringer. They’ve worked together before—and they’ve been more than just working together ever since.It’s Ana’s job “to know the victim as if she were my own flesh and blood.” But when Juliana turns up—traumatized into a state of total and paralyzing terror—it becomes clear that Ana has gone too far: she is viewing her own life from the perspective of Juliana’s blasted emotional terrain. And in a moment of passion (Andrew has betrayed her) and panic (is it possible that he also means to harm her?) Ana points a gun at him and shoots.Now she is both criminal investigator and criminal as she breaks her bail agreement to continue tracking the abductor, torn between her powerful emotional connection with Juliana and the fraying connection she has to her own common sense and to the truths she knows about Andrew—and about herself.Psychologically acute and unstoppably suspenseful—Good Morning, Killer is a searing, addictive read.From the Hardcover edition.

Middle school is where futures take shape, and it is the responsibility of school communities to help every child realize their full potential during this critical time. Transitions are more than just logistical shifts—they''re opportunities to foster resilience, independence, and growth in our students. Building on The Successful Middle School: This We Believe framework, this book is intended as a companion tool for schools developing multidimensional transition programs designed to meet the developmental needs of 10- to 15-year olds—regardless of the school''s setting, type, or grade configuration.What You''ll Learn:Part 1: Why? Provides a review of research on middle school transitions, establishing their importance in the educational journey. It explores the science of young adolescent development and trends in middle level education pedagogy, establishing a foundation upon which to build an effective transition program.Part 2: What? Outlines the characteristics of effective middle school transition programs and shares strategies that have worked for real schools with actual students. It weaves the voices of school community stakeholders throughout and introduces evidence-based resources and tools along the way.Part 3: How? Examines the day-to-day reality of establishing and maintaining your transition program. It explores exercises to help you review current practices and determine next steps for your building.Whether you''re a teacher, administrator, or counselor, learn how to turn challenges into opportunities for growth, ensuring every student finds their place and thrives through one of the most pivotal times in their educational journey.

100 ready-to-use projects to challenge and inspire your third-, fourth- and fifth-graders!Project Based Learning Made Simple is the fun and engaging way to teach twenty-first-century competencies including problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity. This straightforward book makes it easier than ever to bring this innovative technique into your classroom with 100 ready-to-use projects in a range of topics, including:Science and STEM • Save the Bees! • Class Aquarium • Mars ColonyMath Literacy • Personal Budgeting • Bake Sale • Family CookbookLanguage Arts • Candy Bar Marketing • Modernize a Fairy Tale • Movie AdaptationSocial Studies • Build a Statue • Establish a Colony • Documenting Immigration