Ever since he was small, Franklin has been soothed by fire.

Staring into the flames helps Franklin forget his problems. And right now, he's got a lot to forget. Franklin's mother has left the family home to be with her hairdresser boyfriend. Franklin's father, the mayor of Montreal West, is too busy worrying about his public image to do anything about the family. As a rash of local fires competes with upcoming elections for media attention, Franklin's father has to work hard to keep the public happy. And Franklin has to reconsider his romance with fire.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

There are so many ways humans think of time every day! There’s lunchtime, snack time, bedtime, and we talk about saving time, killing time, keeping time, buying time and racing against time.

Our early ancestors measured time by observing the sun and moon, and today, thanks to technology, we can know the exact time every second of the day. But time is about more than numbers. It’s connected to feelings and memories, and our experiences can make time feel like it's moving too quickly or passing very, very slowly.

Just a Minute delves into the past, present and future of humans’ experience of time and how we track, use and try to manipulate it. Learn how the master timekeepers in our brains work, explore how animals and plants tell time and discover how our perception of time changes with what we’re doing and as we age. We can’t control time, but we can make every second count!

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Praise for Kirstie Hudson and Monique Polak

★ “A chronicle that will galvanize many young artists with their own history to honor, and Americans will see parallels with our country’s history of assimilationist schooling.” —The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books, starred review for Picking Up the Pieces

★ “A powerful testimony to the strength and resiliency of survivors and their families as well as the lasting impact that these institutions and policies have had within Indigenous communities. Highly recommended for school and public libraries." —Canadian Children's Book News, starred review for Picking Up the Pieces

★“The writing is fluid and easy to read, perfect for the middle school set…Polak’s text explores memory from numerous angles and adapts its tone accordingly, from humorous to respectful and solemn when needed. The real-life examples are fascinating, and readers will come away with in-depth knowledge on the mind…A must-have title for libraries.” —School Library Journal starred review for Remember This

For twelve-year-old Rosetta Wolfson, the war in Europe seems very far off from her home in Canada. Then Mr. Schwartzberg comes to tea and asks Rosetta''s parents if they will take in a young war refugee. Isaac joins the family and becomes a ready-made brother to Rosetta and her two sisters.

Isaac''s arrival brings change. Her best friend''s handsome brother doesn''t seem as attractive after he reveals himself as anti-Semitic, and Rosetta begins to suspect her friend may agree with him. As Rosetta and Isaac become friends and he shares his story with her, she helps him learn the fate of other family members and helps him shape a promising future in his new country.

Justin is fascinated with the aged guard dog at the corner store.

Justin names it Smokey and sneaks the dog treats. Smokey belongs to a company that supplies working dogs to local businesses. Justin is thrilled to get a job working for Smokey's company, until he learns about the mistreatment of the animals. When Justin can't shake his suspicion that someone in the company is involved in a rash of thefts, he tries to quit. But Justin knows too much, and his boss won't let him go.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Ever since he was small, Franklin has been soothed by fire.

Staring into the flames helps Franklin forget his problems. And right now, he's got a lot to forget. Franklin's mother has left the family home to be with her hairdresser boyfriend. Franklin's father, the mayor of Montreal West, is too busy worrying about his public image to do anything about the family. As a rash of local fires competes with upcoming elections for media attention, Franklin's father has to work hard to keep the public happy. And Franklin has to reconsider his romance with fire.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

There are so many ways humans think of time every day! There’s lunchtime, snack time, bedtime, and we talk about saving time, killing time, keeping time, buying time and racing against time.

Our early ancestors measured time by observing the sun and moon, and today, thanks to technology, we can know the exact time every second of the day. But time is about more than numbers. It’s connected to feelings and memories, and our experiences can make time feel like it's moving too quickly or passing very, very slowly.

Just a Minute delves into the past, present and future of humans’ experience of time and how we track, use and try to manipulate it. Learn how the master timekeepers in our brains work, explore how animals and plants tell time and discover how our perception of time changes with what we’re doing and as we age. We can’t control time, but we can make every second count!

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Praise for Kirstie Hudson and Monique Polak

★ “A chronicle that will galvanize many young artists with their own history to honor, and Americans will see parallels with our country’s history of assimilationist schooling.” —The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books, starred review for Picking Up the Pieces

★ “A powerful testimony to the strength and resiliency of survivors and their families as well as the lasting impact that these institutions and policies have had within Indigenous communities. Highly recommended for school and public libraries." —Canadian Children's Book News, starred review for Picking Up the Pieces

★“The writing is fluid and easy to read, perfect for the middle school set…Polak’s text explores memory from numerous angles and adapts its tone accordingly, from humorous to respectful and solemn when needed. The real-life examples are fascinating, and readers will come away with in-depth knowledge on the mind…A must-have title for libraries.” —School Library Journal starred review for Remember This

For twelve-year-old Rosetta Wolfson, the war in Europe seems very far off from her home in Canada. Then Mr. Schwartzberg comes to tea and asks Rosetta''s parents if they will take in a young war refugee. Isaac joins the family and becomes a ready-made brother to Rosetta and her two sisters.

Isaac''s arrival brings change. Her best friend''s handsome brother doesn''t seem as attractive after he reveals himself as anti-Semitic, and Rosetta begins to suspect her friend may agree with him. As Rosetta and Isaac become friends and he shares his story with her, she helps him learn the fate of other family members and helps him shape a promising future in his new country.

Justin is fascinated with the aged guard dog at the corner store.

Justin names it Smokey and sneaks the dog treats. Smokey belongs to a company that supplies working dogs to local businesses. Justin is thrilled to get a job working for Smokey's company, until he learns about the mistreatment of the animals. When Justin can't shake his suspicion that someone in the company is involved in a rash of thefts, he tries to quit. But Justin knows too much, and his boss won't let him go.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!