Publisher Description

When Tess moved away from Winterfall, she left her two best friends, Ana and Sofie, behind. She's traveling back to surprise them and to take part in the yearly snowboarding competition. Ana is glad to see her, but Sofie acts strange as soon as Tess returns.

Author Biography

Who is Jake Maddox? Athlete, author, world-traveler - or all three? He has surfed in Hawaii, scuba-dived in Australia, and climbed the mountains of Peru and Alaska. His books range from the most popular team sports to outdoor activities to survival adventures and even to auto racing. His exploits have inspired numerous writers to walk in his footsteps - literally! Each of his stories is stamped with teamwork, fair play, and a strong sense of self-worth and discipline. Always a team-player, Maddox realizes it takes more than one man (or woman) to create a book good enough for a young reader. He hopes the lessons learned on the court, field, or arena and the champion sprinter pace of his books can motivate kids to become better athletes and lifelong readers. When Tuesday Mourning was a little girl, she knew she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. Now, she is an illustrator who lives in Utah. She especially loves illustrating books for kids and teenagers. When she isn't illustrating, Tuesday loves spending time with her husband, who is an actor, and their children.

Table of Contents

Winterfall -- Reunion -- Left out -- Quick run -- Lunch -- Sitting out -- Sign up -- Downhill race -- The pipe.

Review

Tess cannot wait to get back to Winterfall. She and her parents have moved to River City, but she is surprising her best friends, Ana and Sofie, by coming back in time for the annual snowboarding competition. Tess has always won her age group before, and she wants to be the first city kid to take the title. Sofie, though, is not as happy to see Tess as she expected. Sofie has her own hopes for the snowboarding competition, and Tess finds some difficult choices between her plans and her friendships. The plot and characters are straightforward, but well-developed. Tess and her friends are likeable and easy to identify with. This book will be of special interest to those involved in snowboarding, but the situations will be familiar to many girls. This leveled reader will be useful in upper elementary classrooms with students reading below grade level. The story is interesting enough for individual reading, but the glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts in the back allow it to easily be used in the classroom.-- "CLCD"

Review Quote

Tess cannot wait to get back to Winterfall. She and her parents have moved to River City, but she is surprising her best friends, Ana and Sofie, by coming back in time for the annual snowboarding competition. Tess has always won her age group before, and she wants to be the first city kid to take the title. Sofie, though, is not as happy to see Tess as she expected. Sofie has her own hopes for the snowboarding competition, and Tess finds some difficult choices between her plans and her friendships. The plot and characters are straightforward, but well-developed. Tess and her friends are likeable and easy to identify with. This book will be of special interest to those involved in snowboarding, but the situations will be familiar to many girls. This leveled reader will be useful in upper elementary classrooms with students reading below grade level. The story is interesting enough for individual reading, but the glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts in the back allow it to easily be used in the classroom.

Feature

Black and White, Discussion Questions, Glossary, Heading(s)/Subheading(s), Illustration(s)/Drawing(s), More Resources/Suggestions for Further Reading, Pronunciation Guide, Safe websites at FactHound.com, Table of Contents, Writing Prompts

Details