Before the Snap

Themes: Hi-Lo, Sports, urban teens, Football. Derrick was a bag of nerves the next day. He kept dropping passes at practice. Amber Linn's news really rattled him. Needless to say, Colton was thrilled. "e;What's the matter, Big D? Can't hang onto the ball today?"e; Finding the "e;right book"e; for struggling learners is essential to build both confidence and proficiency.

Reading supports must be seamless, so that struggling readers are not stigmatized.

The District 13 series does just that--written using carefully chosen vocabulary and simple sentences, the novels offer compelling teen stories about characters that interest young adult readers.

Using sports as a backdrop, these edgy and mature titles confront issues that are of great importance to urban teens, especially teenaged boys: Coming of age, dating, fitting in, friendships, drugs, self-esteem, and school.

Straightforward plots move readers through the 48-pages of text quickly and efficiently with satisfying resolutions.