Full Disclosure
Summary
This program includes an introductory note written and read by Michael Avenatti. She was already well-known in some circles before March 6, 2018, but that's probably the first time you heard the name Stormy Daniels. That's the day she filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump over a nondisclosure agreement negotiated before the election but never signed. How did Stormy Daniels become the woman willing to take on a president? What is it like to be reviled by some, held up as a beacon of hope by others, and to be an object of fascination to all? In this audiobook, Stormy Daniels tells her whole story for the first time: about how she came to be a leading actress and director in the adult film business, the full truth about her journey from a rough childhood in Louisiana onto the national stage, and everything about the events that led to the nondisclosure agreement and the behind-the-scenes attempts to intimidate her. Stormy is funny, sharp, warm, and impassioned by turns. Her story is a thoroughly American one, of a girl who loved reading and horses and who understood from a very young age what she wanted - and who also knew she'd have to get every step of the way there on her own. People can't stop talking about Stormy Daniels. And they won't be able to stop talking about her fresh, surprising, completely candid, nothing-held-back audiobook.
©2018 Stephanie Clifford; note copyright Michael Avenatti, Esq. (P)2018 Macmillan Audio
Robert B. Parker's Fool's Paradise
Summary
When an unknown man is found murdered in Paradise, Jesse Stone will have his hands full finding out who he was - and what he was seeking. When a body is discovered at the lake in Paradise, Police Chief Jesse Stone is surprised to find he recognizes the murder victim - the man had been at the same AA meeting as Jesse the evening before. But otherwise, Jesse has no clue as to the man's identity. He isn't a local, nor does he have ID on him, nor does any neighboring state have a reported missing person matching his description. Their single lead is from a taxi company that recalls dropping off the mysterious stranger outside the gate at the mansion of one of the wealthiest families in town.... Meanwhile, after Jesse survives a hail of gunfire on his home, he wonders if it could be related to the murder. When both Molly Crane and Suitcase Simpson also become targets, it's clear someone has an ax to grind against the entire Paradise PD.
©2020 Mike Lupica (P)2020 Random House Audio
Robert B. Parker's Grudge Match
Summary
Robert B. Parker's beloved PI Sunny Randall returns on a case that blurs the line between friend and foe...and if Sunny can't tell the difference, the consequences may be deadly. When Sunny's long-time gangster associate Tony Marcus comes to her for help, Sunny is surprised - after all, she double crossed him on a recent deal, and their relationship is on shakier ground than ever. But the way Tony figures it, Sunny owes him, and Sunny's willing to consider his case if it will clear the slate. Tony's trusted girlfriend and business partner has vanished, appears to have left in a hurry, and he has no idea why. He just wants to talk to her, he says, but first he needs Sunny to track her down. While Sunny isn't willing to trust his good intentions, the missing woman intrigues her - against all odds, she's risen to a position of power in Tony's criminal enterprise. Sunny can't help but admire her, and if this woman's in a jam, Sunny would like to help. But when a witness is murdered hours after speaking to Sunny, it's clear there's more at stake than just Tony's love life. Someone - maybe even Tony himself - doesn't want this woman on the loose...and will go to any lengths to make sure she stays silent.
©2020 Mike Lupica (P)2020 Random House Audio
True Legend
Summary
Number-one New York Times best seller Mike Lupica makes his return to the basketball court! There's a reason teammates call him "True". Because for basketball phenom Drew Robinson, there is nothing more true than his talent on the court. It's the kind that comes along once in a generation and is loaded with perks - and with problems. Before long, True buys in to his own hype, much to the chagrin of his mother, who wants to keep her boy's head grounded - and suddenly trouble has a way of finding him. That is, until a washed-up former playground legend steps back onto the court and takes True under his wing. In this age of street agents promising riches to kids barely out of elementary school and college programs being taken down because of recruiting violations, True Legend is a resonant and inspiring novel in the Lupica tradition.
©2012 Mike Lupica (P)2012 Penguin Audio
Travel Team
Summary
Twelve-year-old Danny Walker may be the smallest kid on the basketball court, but don't tell him that. Because no one plays with more heart or court sense. But none of that matters when he is cut from his local travel team, the very same team his father led to national prominence as a boy. Danny's father, still smarting from his own troubles, knows Danny isn't the only kid who was cut for the wrong reason, and together, this washed-up former player and a bunch of never-say-die kids prove that the heart simply cannot be measured.
©2005 Mike Lupica (P)2005 Listening Library
Strike Zone
Summary
A timely and heartfelt follow-up to number one New York Times best seller Heat, about a young baseball prodigy and his immigrant family living in today's America. Twelve-year-old star Little League pitcher Nick Garcia has a dream. Several in fact. He dreams he'll win this season's MVP and the chance to throw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium. He dreams he'll meet his hero, Yankees' pitcher Michael Arroyo. He dreams they'll find a cure for Lupus so he sister won't have to suffer. But mostly, he dreams one day his family can stop living in fear of the government. For one kid, it's almost too much to bear. Luckily, Nick has his two best friends, Ben and Diego, to keep him balanced. But when Nick notices a mysterious man lurking on his street corner, he senses a threat. Suddenly, his worst fears are realized, and just when it seems there's no one they can trust, an unexpected hero emerges and changes everything. Praise for Strike Zone: "Lupica skillfully addresses the timely and complicated topic of living as the child of undocumented immigrants and the uncertainty facing many American families.... This exceptional baseball novel delivers both lively sports action and critical subject matter." (Kirkus Reviews starred review) "Lupica's action sequences are thrilling and fast-paced...[a] solid purchase where Mike Lupica and the Yankees are popular." (School Library Journal) "As he did in Heat, Lupica skillfully juggles the baseball drama with the larger social issues that swirl around it, vividly putting a human face on the immigration crisis." (Booklist) "Strike Zone brings the game of baseball to life, but moreover, it addresses immigration, a current issue in US culture and politics. Teens will choose to read Strike Zone as a "sports book" but will root for Nick both on and off the field. The Garcia family's desire to become legal US citizens is well woven into this fast-paced story." (VOYA)
©2019 Mike Lupica (P)2019 Listening Library
Summer Ball
Summary
The sequel to the number-one New York Times best seller Travel Team! When you're the smallest kid playing a big man's game, the challenges never stop - especially when your name is Danny Walker. Leading your travel team to the national championship may seem like a dream come true, but for Danny, being at the top just means the competition tries that much harder to knock him off. Now Danny's heading to Right Way basketball camp for the summer, and he knows that with the country's best players in attendance, he's going to need to take his game up a notch if he wants to match up. But it won't be easy. Old rivals and new battles leave Danny wondering if he really does have what it takes to stand tall. Â
©2007 Mike Lupica (P)2018 Listening Library
The Only Game
Summary
Can a young baseball star maintain his love of the game after the loss of his brother? Find out in this start to the Home Team series about a small town with high hopes, from New York Times best selling author and sportswriting legend Mike Lupica. Jack Callahan is the star of his baseball team and sixth grade is supposed to be his year. Undefeated season. Records shattered. Little League World Series. The works. That is, until he up and quits. Jack's best friend Gus can't understand how Jack could leave a game that means more to them than anything else. But Jack is done. It's a year of change. Jack's brother has passed away, and though his family and friends and the whole town of Walton thinks baseball is just the thing he needs to move on, Jack feels it's anything but. In comes Cassie Bennett, star softball player, and the only person who seems to think Jack shouldn't play if he doesn't want to. As Jack and Cassie's friendship deepens, their circle expands to include Teddy, a guy who's been picked on because of his weight. Time spent with these new friends unlocks something within Jack, and with their help and the support of his family and his old friends, Jack discovers sometimes it's more than just the love of the game that keeps us moving - and he might just be able to find his way back to The Only Game.
©2015 Mike Lupica (P)2015 Simon and Schuster
Million-Dollar Throw
Summary
Award-winning journalist and ESPN personality Mike Lupica crafts a moving tale of perseverance, loyalty, and of the hope that rides on one pressure-packed football toss. If 13-year-old Nate Brodie can throw a football through a small target at a Patriots game, he will win a million dollars. Since his dad just lost his job, Nate welcomes the opportunity - at first. Yet as he practices for the big day, he faces great pressure and must draw strength from his dear friend Abby, who never complainsâeven though sheâs slowly losing her sight.
©2009 Mike Lupica (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC
Fast Break
Summary
From the number-one best-selling author of Heat, Travel Team, and Million-Dollar Throw comes a feel-good basketball tale reminiscent of The Blind Side. Forced to live on his own after his mom dies and her boyfriend abandons him, 12-year-old Jayson does whatever it takes to get by. He will do anything to avoid the foster care system. Besides, his real home has always been the beat-up basketball court behind the projects in the North Carolina hills, and his family has always been his friends and teammates. He manages to get away with his deception until the day he gets caught stealing a new pair of basketball sneakers. Game over. Within a day, a social worker places him with a family from the other side of town, the Lawtons. New home, new school, new teammates. Jayson, at first, is combative, testing the Lawtons' patience at every turn. He wants out, yet the Lawtons refuse to take the bait. But not everyone in Jayson's new life is so ready to trust him - and even Jayson's old friends give him a hard time now that he's attending a school full of rich kids. It's on Jayson to believe that he deserves a better life than the one he once had. The ultimate prize if he can? A trip to play in the state finals at Cameron Indoor Stadium - home to the Duke Blue Devils and launching pad to his dream of playing bigtime college ball. Getting there will be a journey that reaches far beyond the basketball court. In the tradition of uplifting stories like The Blind Side, Fast Break has all the family friendly sports action Mike Lupica has become known and loved for.
©2015 Mike Lupica (P)2015 Listening Library
Two-Minute Drill
Summary
From number-one New York Times best seller Mike Lupica! Chris Conlan is the coolest kid in sixth grade, the golden-armed quarterback of the football team and the boy all the others look up to. Scott Parry is the new kid, the boy with the huge brain, but with feet that trip over themselves. These two boys may seem like an odd couple, but each has a secret that draws them together, and proves that the will to succeed is even more important than raw talent.
©2009 Mike Lupica (P)2018 Listening Library
Triple Threat
Summary
From New York Times best-selling author Mike Lupica comes a timely story about a young girl who joins the boys football team. With Mike's signature fast-paced, heartfelt writing, he expertly explores gender inequality in football with nonstop sports action. When 12-year-old Alex makes up her mind to join her middle school's football team, she doesn't expect it to be easy. But she also never anticipated she'd be met with scorn and derision from her exclusively male teammates. Football has always been a source of happiness for Alex. She and her single father never miss a Steelers game on TV, and Alex knows she has a talent for throwing the perfect spiral. But the guys suck the joy right out of the game for Alex - going out of their way to trip her up during tryouts and teaming up against her just to watch her fail. Suddenly, Alex is the lowest she's ever felt. But if getting QB is worth it to her, she's going to have to fight for it.
©2020 Mike Lupica (P)2020 Listening Library
The Underdogs
Summary
Will Tyler can fly on a football field. He may not be the biggest running back around, but no one can touch him when it comes to hitting the hole and finding the end zone. And no one can match his love of the game. When Will has a football in hand, he may as well be flying for real because life can't touch him - his dad isn't so defeated, his town isn't so poor, and everyone has something to cheer for. All of which does him no good if the football season is canceled. With no funding for things like uniforms and a cared-for playing field, with seemingly every other family moving to find jobs, there simply isn't enough money or players for a season. Unless one kid can rally an entire town and give everyone a reason to believe. For fans of his best-selling novels Travel Team and Million-Dollar Throw, Mike Lupica delivers a feel-good sports story that will have readers cheering where they sit.
©2011 Mike Lupica (P)2011 Penguin
The Turnover
Summary
From New York Times best-selling author Mike Lupica comes a story about a young basketball player confronting the truth about his hero and grappling with right and wrong on and off the court. Gramps is Lucasâs hero, which is second only to the fact that he is also Lucasâs basketball coach. Gramps coached the team to victory in the championships last year, and when he decides to come out of retirement to coach another season, Lucas is thrilled. This season will absolutely be the greatest yet. So when his English teacher challenges the class to write a biography of the person they most admire, Lucas canât think of anyone heâd rather write about. Except...Gramps is being cagey. He avoids every question Lucas asks, and gets angry every time Lucas brings up his past as a hotshot basketball player. Lucas canât help but wonder - is there something Gramps is trying to hide? And if there is, will Lucas be prepared to face the truth about the man he thought he knew? With basketball championships fast approaching, time is running out for Lucas to decide.
©2020 Mike Lupica (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio
The Extra Yard
Summary
Teddy, a young football player, learns that sometimes bridging the distance in your family can be harder than stretching for an extra yard on the field in the second book of the Home Team series from New York Times best-selling author and sportswriting legend Mike Lupica. Last spring Teddy's life changed for the better. He started working out and shaping up and even earned a spot on the Walton baseball team, and with the team he went all the way to the Little League World Series. But the best things to come out of that season were his friendships with Jack, Cassie, and Gus and the confidence to finally try out for the sport he really loves - football. So when eighth grade begins, Teddy couldn't be more psyched. Until his mom drops a bomb: His father - who left them a long time ago - is back in Walton and back in their lives. And Teddy isn't happy about it. As a former star football player at the school, Teddy's dad is thrilled to find out his son is going out for the team, but Teddy begins to wonder if his father cares about him now only because he's putting on the helmet. Can Teddy find a way to go the extra yard for the team and for himself, or is the distance between him and his father too much to overcome?
©2016 Mike Lupica (P)2016 Simon & Schuster
The Big Field
Summary
Award-winning journalist and ESPN personality Mike Lupica crafts a moving novel about baseball, sacrifice, and father/son relationships. Hutch has always played shortstop. His idol Derek Jeter, plays the position, and more importantly, so did his father. But when a better shortstop joins the team, Hutch must move to second base. With his father's shadow looming and the championship on the line, Hutch will need to make the adjustment quickly.
©2008 Mike Lupica (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC
The Batboy
Summary
It is every baseball kidâs dream summer job: batboy for your hometown Major League team. Yet for 14 year-old Brian, the job means more than just the chance to hang around his idols. Baseball was the job his father loved so much, in the end he couldnât leave it. Yet he could leave his family. Now Brian sees the job as the way to win back his father. There is no winning back some people, though. Just ask Hank Bishopâonce the most popular player in baseball before he was banned for using steroids. Now he is making his comeback. And an unlikely friendship slowly develops between this man in need of a family and this boy in need of a father. Mike Lupica, king of the sports novel, delivers his most powerful and kid-friendly to date.
©2010 Mike Lupica (P)2010 Penguin
Team Players
Summary
Cassie must learn that you can't "fix" someone else after a girl with Asperger's joins her softball team in the fourth and final book of the Home Team series from New York Times best-selling author and sports-writing legend Mike Lupica. Cassie Bennett is great at being in charge. She always knows what to do to lead her teams to victory, keep her many groups of friends together, or fix any problem that comes her way. So when Sarah Milligan, an autistic girl with unreal softball skills, joins Cassie's team, Cassie's sure she can help her fit in with the team. But before long it's obvious that being around so many people is really hard for Sarah, and the more Cassie tries to reach out and involve her, the more Sarah pushes her away, sometimes literally. It doesn't help that Cassie's teammates aren't as interested in helping Sarah as they are in making sure they make it to the new softball All-Star Tournament that'll be televised just like the Little League World Series. Soon no one seems to even want Sarah on the team anymore besides Cassie, and the harder Cassie tries to bring everyone together, the worse things seem to get. Cassie Bennett never backs down from a challenge, but can she realize that maybe the challenge isn't fixing a problem in someone else, but in herself? Or will her stubbornness lead her to lose more than just softball games?
©2018 Mike Lupica (P)2018 Simon & Schuster Audio
Shoot-Out: A Comeback Kids Novel
Summary
What happens when a star player ends up on the worst team? He either learns to lose or he stops playing the game he loves. These are the choices facing Jake, who has gone from champion to last place, testing his sportsmanship every time his soccer team gets waxed. It is his teammate Kevin who shows Jake that being a good captain means scoring and assisting off the field as much as being the star player on it. The latest in number-one best seller Mike Lupicaâs Comeback Kids novels is a cheer-worthy ode to the one sport played by more kids across the country than any otherâin the summer of the next World Cup.
©2010 Mike Lupica (P)2010 Penguin
Safe at Home: A Comeback Kids Novel
Summary
Nick Crandall feels like he doesnât belong anywhere. He never has felt like he belongs, really. He doesnât fit in this new family with his new foster parents, both of whom are professors. They donât know the first thing about sportsâand heâs not exactly a model student. Itâs only a matter of time until they realize heâs not the right kid for them. And Nick certainly doesnât belong playing varsity baseball. He's only 12 years old! His teammates want a catcher their own age, not some kid. But Nick needs to prove something. He needs to prove that he belongsâto his parents, to his team, and to himself.
©2009 Mike Lupica (P)2010 Penguin
Robert B. Parker's Blood Feud
Summary
Robert B. Parker's iconic and irresistible PI Sunny Randall is back, and the stakes are higher than ever as she races to protect her ex-husband - and his Mafia family - from the vengeful plan of a mysterious rival. Sunny Randall is "on" again with Richie, the ex-husband she never stopped loving and never seemed to be able to let go, despite her discomfort with his Mafia connections. When Richie is shot and nearly killed, Sunny is dragged into the thick of his family's business as she searches for answers and tries to stave off a mob war. But as the bullets start flying in Boston's mean streets, Sunny finds herself targeted by the deranged mastermind of the plot against the Burke family, whose motive may be far more personal than she could have anticipated....
©2018 Mike Lupica (P)2018 Random House Audio
QB 1
Summary
Jake Cullen is a freshman quarterback playing high school football in the high-pressure land of Friday Night Lights (Texas). He is also the brother of Wyatt Cullen, who quarterbacked his team to the Texas State Championship last season - not to mention the son of former NFL quarterback and local legend, Troy Cullen. To be a Cullen in Texas is to be royaltyâ¦and a quarterback. All of which leaves 14-year-old Jake in a Texas-sized shadow, a tall order for any boy, especially one who's merely a freshman. While his teammates assume the starting job will be handed to Jake on a silver platter, the truth is that he has to fight for every snap and every ounce of respect. Jake may be a Cullen and he may play quarterback, but he is not his brother or his father. Being a good teammate comes naturally to Jake; being a winner and a celebrity does not. He's just like every other boy - awkward around a pretty girl, in awe of his famous family, and desperate to simultaneously blend in and cast his own shadow. Inspired by the real-life Manning family of quarterbacks (father Archie, Super Bowl-winning sons Peyton and Eli) and set amid the football-crazy culture of Texas immortalized in Friday Night Lights, QB 1 is a coming-of-age story perfect for the fan of Million-Dollar Throw, Heat, and of course Friday Night Lights.
©2013 Mike Lupica (P)2013 Penguin Audio
Point Guard
Summary
Gus and Cassie have always been on the same team off the field, but in this third novel in New York Times best-selling author Mike Lupica's Home Team series, can they stay friends when they're on the same court? Everyone assumes that Gus, whose family is from the Dominican Republic, is a baseball guy. But this year Gus is even more excited about basketball than any other sport he's ever played. He's been practicing some new moves, and lately he's more surprised when he misses his shot than when he scores. Plus, now that he's convinced his friend Teddy to try out for the team and Jack's shoulder is healed, it looks like Walton's home team will be unstoppable. But this isn't going to be the season Gus expected, because their team is getting a new player - and she just happens to be one of his best friends. Gus knows Cassie is more than good enough to compete on the boys' team, and besides, they really do need a point guard, so why isn't he able to shake the feeling that she belongs on their bleachers rather than their bench? And to make matters worse, with their center, Steve Kerrigan, constantly making comments about his Dominican heritage and Steve's dad voicing his views on immigration as he runs for office, Gus is starting to wonder if he really belongs in Walton after all. Can Gus find a way to bring the home team together both on and off the court, or will all these prejudices block their shot at a winning season?
©2017 Mike Lupica (P)2017 Simon & Schuster Audio
Play Makers
Summary
Still living large off their incredible football championship win just weeks before, Ben McBain and his crew must now prepare for basketball season. Ben is known as the best point guard in the league. And now that Shawn O'Brien has joined their team, they are a shoe-in to win it all. But there is another new kid in town, Chase Braggs, a point guard like Ben who seems to be better, stronger, and faster.
©2013 Mike Lupica (P)2013 Scholastic Inc.
No Slam Dunk
Summary
A fast-paced, heartfelt story for basketball fans that proves being a good teammate remains the most important quality in basketball - and in life, from New York Times best-selling author Mike Lupica. Wes' father always told him there was only one ball in basketball: that you had to know when to take it yourself and when to give it up, that finding the right balance was key. So at every practice and game, Wes tries his best to be a good basketball player and, above all, a good teammate. As the season kicks off, Wes finds that not everyone on his team has the same idea. All-star player and Hawks point guard Danilo "Dinero" Rey seems determined to hold the spotlight and the ball, even if it means costing his team the game. If Wes is to lead the Hawks to the playoffs, he'll need to find new ways to dish out an assist - even if it means his most important one comes off the court. In No Slam Dunk, number-one New York Times best-seller Mike Lupica demonstrates once again that there is no children's sports novelist today who can match his ability to weave a story of vivid sports action and heartfelt emotion. A touching story about teamwork and family, of selfishness and generosity, No Slam Dunk shows that even in the face of adversity, giving your best is the surest way to victory.
©2018 Mike Lupica (P)2018 Listening Library
Murderers' Row: Original Baseball Mysteries, Volume 2
Summary
Seven original baseball short stories in the mystery and murder genres, written by an all star lineup of writers, each of whom understand the game's lore and tactical nuances as well as its deep roots in American life. Compiled by Otto Penzler, the proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City and regarded as the world's foremost authority on crime, mystery and suspense fiction. Stories include: "Ropa Vieja" by Laura Lippman - A rich and reputedly respectable eye doctor goes to criminal lengths to promote his success in rotisserie baseball. "The Shot" by Mike Lupica - Even after nine years, a pitcher is unable to escape the crushing burden of his rotten pitch during a crucial game. "The Power" by Michael Malone and read by Lee Horsley - A tough guy contemplates life, women, Plato and baseball in prose. "Harlem Nocturne" by Robert B. Parker and read by Dan Cashman - Parker vividly evokes the character of Jackie Robinson as he breaks the color-barrier. Follow the immortalized Robinson and his pals as they find themselves in a run-in with the mob. "The Closer" by Thomas Perry - Hilarious yarn of a flimflam man who successfully utilizes his talents as owner of a major league club. >"Killing Teddy Ballgame" by Henry Slesar - After the Boston Red Sox receive continued death threats aimed at Ted Williams, an amusing tale becomes horrifying to the player assigned to keep Williams safe. "Pick-Off Play" by Troy Soos - Soos brings to life the dust, sweat and corruption of Texas minor league baseball prior to major league baseball's 1919 White Sox scandal.
©2001 Otto Penzler (P)2001 / 2017 New Millennium Entertainment / Phoenix Books
Miracle on 49th Street
Summary
Josh Cameron has it all: a World Championship ring with the Boston Celtics, an MVP award, a clean-cut image, and the adoration of millions. What he doesn't have is family -- until the day 12-year-old smart aleck Molly Parker confronts him in a parking lot and claims to be his daughter, the only daughter of Jen Parker, Josh's college sweetheart and the still the only girl he's ever loved. Trouble is, Jen Parker died last year, and now Molly has tracked down the father she never knew, the one her mother never wanted her to know about. Josh Cameron cares about two things only: himself and basketball. The last thing this superstar wants or needs is a 12-year-old daughter. Yet this isn't just any 12-year-old. Mr. World Champion has finally met his match.
©2006 Mike Lupica (P)2006 Random House, Inc.
Long Shot: A Comeback Kids Novel
Summary
Pedro Morales has always been content helping others look great. The epitome of a point guard, he plays the game to set up his teammatesâNed, in particular, the star forward on the receiving end of Pedroâs pinpoint passes. Pedro wants to make his father proud, and so he runs for class president. Yet doing so means going one-on-one against Ned, easily the most popular boy in school. And Pedro learns the hard way that being a good teammate doesnât mean that others will return the favor. Now Pedro wants to win more than everâbut this time, itâs for himself.
©2010 Mike Lupica (P)2010 Penguin
Lone Stars
Summary
An uplifting story about role models, football, and tackling fear set in the heart of Friday Night Lights country - from the best-selling author of Heat, Travel Team, and Fantasy League. Clay is a quarterback's dream. When he zips across the field, arms outstretched, waiting for the ball to sail into his hands, there's no denying him the catch. Like most Texans, Clay is never more at home than when playing football. And his coach, a former star player for the Dallas Cowboys, is just like a second father. But as the football season kicks off, Clay begins to notice some odd behavior from his coach - lapses in his memory and strange mood swings. The conclusion is painful, but obvious: Coach Cooper is showing side effects of the many concussions he sustained during his playing days. As Clay's season wears on, it becomes clear that the real victory will be to help his coach walk onto that famous star logo in the middle of Cowboys Field one last time - during a Thanksgiving Day ceremony honoring him and his former Super Bowl-winning teammates. In Lone Stars, number-one New York Times best seller Mike Lupica demonstrates once again that there is no children's sports novelist today who can match his ability to weave a story of vivid sports action and heartfelt emotion. A touching story that proves life is bigger than a game.
©2017 Mike Lupica (P)2017 Listening Library
Last Man Out
Summary
From the number one best-selling author of Heat, Travel Team, and Fantasy League comes a story of heroes, family, the thrills of skateboarding, and football. When the Brighton Bears suit up on game day, 12-year-old Tommy Gallagher is the toughest kid on the football field. And the bravest. After all, his father Patrick is a Boston firefighter - one of Boston's bravest. Tommy's dad taught him everything he knows about football - and life. Yet even Tommy isn't strong enough for what happens when the sirens ring and, for the first time, they're racing away from the fire. "First man in; last man out" had always been his dad's motto...yet he never said anything about leaving in an ambulance. What kind of risk had his dad taken? Now Tommy's biggest battle has nothing to do with football. And the kid who always had such respect for risk on the gridiron finds himself drawn to it off the field. Set in New England, home of the Patriots' football dynasty, Mike Lupica shows off his trademark knack for spinning a tale that's equal parts sports action and heart. Last Man Out is a thoughtful tribute to the bravery of firefighters and the need we all have to live up to the level of our heroes.  Praise for Last Man Out: "[S]hort, action-packed chapters...will keep even the most reluctant readers motivated to keep reading. As is characteristic of Lupicaâs books, the sports segments, most particularly the football portions, are exceptionally well written." (VOYA) "Lupica stirs equal quantities of grief and gridiron action into his latest outing. Lupica effectively puts readers into the center of the action.... [I]n the best traditions of sports writing, this will leave readers both breathless and thoughtful." (Booklist)
©2016 Mike Lupica (P)2016 Listening Library
How to Install Solar Panels Like a Professional: A Complete Beginner's Introduction Manual
Summary
P?w?r has b?c?m? crazily ?xp?nsiv?, and it is incr?asing th? m?nthly ?xp?nditur?. P?w?r c?mpani?s mak? things difficult f?r th? c?nsum?r by raising th? p?r-unit pric? ?f ?l?ctricity as p?r th?ir whims and fanci?s. S? th?n, h?w d??s ?n? sav? ?n?s?lf fr?m such a situati?n? As w? kn?w, n?nr?n?wabl? s?urc?s ?f ?n?rgy ar? d?pl?ting day aft?r day, thanks t? th? incr?asing p?pulati?n and th? m?ans us?d f?r cat?ring t? this p?pulati?n. Th? ?nly alt?rnativ? l?ft for mankind is t? f?cus att?nti?n ?n r?n?wabl? ?n?rgy s?urc?s. W? can think ?f ?nly ?n? such p?w?rful s?urc?, and that is th? sun. Th? sun is th? bas? f?r ?ur v?ry ?xist?nc? ?n this plan?t. The sun pr?vid?s lif? and ?n?rgy. Thus, w? can c?mpr?h?nd that the sun giv?s us ?n?rgy in th? f?rm ?f s?lar ?n?rgy. S?lar p?w?r is th? m?st s?ught-aft?r n?wadays, but installati?n ?f s?lar p?w?r is quit? ?xp?nsiv? and n?t within th? budg?t ?f th? c?mm?n man. A p?w?r c?mpany w?uld charg? cl?s? t? $10,000 d?llars f?r installati?n ?f s?lar p?w?r, and thus, it r?mains a dr?am f?r m?st ?f th? m?di?cr? famili?s. S? what is th? n?xt b?st alt?rnativ? if y?u d? n?t want t? sp?nd y?ur hard-?arn?d m?n?y? Y?u c?uld actually build and d?sign y?ur ?wn s?lar pan?l and n?t hav? t? pay th? c?mpany. What y?u n??d is a right guid? f?r installati?n that w?uld pr?vid? y?u with appr?priat? instructi?ns. H?nc?, id?ntifying th? right guid? is ?f ?ss?nc?, which w?uld h?lp y?u achi?v? y?ur g?al ?f s?lar p?w?r and als? l?w?r ?l?ctricity bills. Installati?n ?f s?lar pan?ls brings d?wn y?ur p?w?r bills, and in this way y?u c?uld sav? m?r? than th?usands ?f d?llars annually and us? th? m?n?y fruitfully f?r ?th?r purp?s?s. Y?ur ?ntir? h?us? can run m?r?ly ?n s?lar p?w?r abs?lut?ly fr?? ?f c?st. Th? c?st ?f maint?nanc? is l?w, and all y?u hav? t? d? is t? cl?an it up m?nthly s? it can g?n?rat? p?w?r ?ffici?ntly. S?m?tim?s, y?u w?uld als? hav? t? r?st?r? th? c?lls ?nc? in a f?w y?ars.Â
©2018 Alan Adrian Delfin Cota (P)2018 Alan Adrian Delfin Cota
Hero
Summary
The number-one New York Times-best-selling author writes about a different kind of champion. Fourteen-year-old Billy Harriman can feel the changes. The sharpening of his senses. The incredible strength. The speed, as though he can text-message himself across miles. The confidence and the strange need to patrol Central Park at night. His dad had been a hero, a savior to America and a confidante of the president. Then he died, and the changes began in Billy. What Billy never knew was that his father was no ordinary man - he was a superhero, battling the world's evil. This is a battle that has been waged for generations and that knows no boundaries. And now it's Billy's turn to take on the fight. It's Billy's turn to become a hero.
©2010 Mike Lupica (P)2010 Penguin
Heavy Hitters
Summary
Mike Lupica presents the third book in his New York Times best-selling Game Changers series! Ben and his friends, the Core Four Plus One, are so excited to play in their town's All-Star Baseball league. But in the first game of the season, Ben gets hit by a pitch. It's never happened to him before and it shakes him up. Another player on Ben's team, Justin, is acting really weirdly. Ben's known Justin for a while and they're friendly, but he's not one of Ben's closest "boys." Justin is the team's best hitter, but his behavior on and off the field is erratic. Ben discovers that Justin's parents are getting a divorce and Justin is thinking about quitting the team. Like good teammates do, Justin helps Ben deal with his hitting issues while Ben is there for his friend while his family is struggling.
©2014 Mike Lupica (P)2014 Scholastic Inc.
Heat
Summary
Twelve-year-old Michael Arroyo lives in the shadows of Yankee Stadium, home of his heroes, but a place that might as well be on a different continent since he can't afford to see the inside. He also lives in the shadows of his Bronx neighborhood, hiding from the bill collectors and the officials who would separate him from his 17-year-old brother if they knew the two boys were living on their own. Baseball is Michael's only salvation, along with his dream of playing in the Little League World Series, until a rival accuses Michael of being older than the league limit. With no parents and a birth certificate that is stuck in his native Cuba, the shadows in Michael's life grow darker. But that is when heroes emerge, and for Michael, heroes don't come any bigger than the Yankees.
©2006 Mike Lupica (P)2006 Random House, Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group
Game Changers, Book 1
Summary
New York Times best-selling author Mike Lupica scores a touchdown with his new middle-grade sports series!Ben McBain is every football team's dream player. He's a jack-of-all-trades guy that can handle almost any position. When the game is on the line, Ben's number is the one being called for the final play. But Ben wants to be the starting quarterback and the one thing standing in his way is the coach's son.Shawn O'Brien looks the part. He has been groomed by his father, a former professional quarterback. But despite his size and arm strength, Shawn is struggling. Ben is torn between being a good teammate and going after his own dream. As Ben finds out, Shawn isn't the easiest person to help. And when Ben gets an unexpected opportunity, the entire game will change for the both of them. Best-selling author Mike Lupica kicks off a winning new series about sports and friendship that will captivate listeners.
©2012 Mike Lupica (P)2012 Scholastic Audio
Fantasy League
Summary
From the number-one New York Times best-selling author of Heat, Travel Team, and Million-Dollar Throw comes a story of every football kid's dream come true. 12-year-old Charlie is a fantasy football guru. He may be just a bench warmer for his school's football team, but when it comes to knowing and loving the game, he's first-string. He even becomes a celebrity when his podcast gets noticed by a sports radio host, who plays Charlie's fantasy picks for all of Los Angeles to hear. Soon Charlie befriends the elderly owner of the L.A. Bulldogs - a fictional NFL team - and convinces him to take a chance on an aging quarterback. After that, watch out...it's press conferences and national fame as Charlie becomes a media curiosity and source of conflict for the Bulldogs general manager, whose job Charlie seems to have taken. It's all a bit much for a kid just trying to stay on top of his grades and maintain his friendship with his verbal sparring partner, Anna. Like the best Disney film in book form, like Moneyball for kids, Fantasy League is every football kid's dream scenario.
©2014 Mike Lupica (P)2014 Penguin Audio
Batting Order
Summary
From acclaimed author of the Home Team series Mike Lupica comes a brand-new novel about the heart and soul of baseball.
On or off the field, Matt and Ben couldnât be more different. Ben Roberson is an all-or-nothing player: Heâs big, heâs bold, and heâs brash. Benâs swing can hit a ball right out of the park - but thatâs if he can get a hit at all.Â
Matt Baker is small and shy, and his stutter has him avoiding the spotlight - even if heâs the best all-around player on the team. But while Matt knows heâs got the chops, a part of him has always envied âBig Benâ and his attention-grabbing charm.Â
So itâs a total shock when Ben asks Matt to help him work on his swing because Ben canât put the ball into play, and his showboating comes at the expense of the team. And even though Mattâs trying to help, Ben doesnât seem to take him seriously, especially when it means toning things down.
The end of the season is fast approaching - is there enough time for Ben to realize bigger isnât always better? For Matt to understand that sometimes, being the bigger person means standing up for yourself?
Or will they have to accept defeat?
©2019 Mike Lupica (P)2019 Simon & Schuster