Middle grade historical fiction inspired by the real 18th-century shipwreck off Halifax Harbour, and the local boy who risked his life to save those on board. It's 1797. Joe has lived with Gram ever since the crusty old midwife found him on her doorstep thirteen years ago. He must now earn his keep working as a fisher boy for her bad-tempered bully of a son, Eli. Joe loves the ocean, with its unpredictable moods and rolling waves. Could the Atlantic Ocean be his ticket to freedom? The battered, abandoned rowboat he finds could be his chance to break free from his miserable life and earn his own living. But mysteries surround the boat. The local carpenter is upset at the sight of it, and the initials carved on the boat match those on an old sea chest hidden in the back of Eli's shed. Could this have anything to do with what happened to Joe's parents? Joe spends his time fixing up the boat and trying to solve these mysteries until a cold, stormy November day when a frigate wrecks at the mouth of the harbour. Joe's neighbours don't dare launch their boats into the raging storm to save the survivors. Can Joe stand by and listen to the desperate cries of the exhausted sailors, or should he brave the wild Atlantic in his patched-up rowboat and attempt to rescue them? Inspired by the true story of the shipwreck of the HMS Tribune on the Herring Cove cliffs and the heroism of a boy known as "Joe Cracker," this exciting coming-of-age adventure story is brimming with rich detail and captivating suspense.

The Terrible Horrible Smelly Pirate is back! And after discovering a secret treasure in Halifax Harbour, he's not so smelly anymore-but Mermaid's island is. The poor misty island is covered in people's garbage! There are popped balloons, cups and buoys. Lobster pots, flip-flops and toys. Tires and straws, wrappers and strings, and lots and lots of plastic things...all tangled up in stinky dead seaweed. What's she to do? Just when it seems all is lost, she spots a rickety rackety pirate ship through the salt spray-and a not-so-terrible, horrible, smelly pirate and his crew! What if she could trick them into cleaning up her Terrible Horrible Smelly Beach?... From the duo behind the bestselling The Terrible Horrible Smelly Pirate comes a quirky-fun follow up, with fresh and vibrant illustrations by artist Paul G. Hammond, and an environmental message that will inspire many a beach cleanup!

It's 1773 and twelve-year-old Dougal Cameron and his whole family are set to sail away from their Scotland home forever. When tragedy strikes, the family must decide whether or not to make the trip without Dougal's father. Once the ship departs, Dougal is drawn to the haunting sounds of the lone piper on-board. (The instrument, while still illegal in their homeland at the time, was brought aboard to keep spirits up.) When a violent storm knocks the Hector two weeks off course, Dougal's dream of becoming a piper has to take a back seat to keeping his three little sisters alive.Author Jacqueline Halsey spares no detail in this inspiring story of the brigantine that brought the first Scottish immigrants to Nova Scotia, focusing on its difficult journey, and the strong-willed and determined individuals who risked it all to call Nova Scotia home.

In the final months of World War II, ten-year-old Peggy shelters with her mother and baby brother in a London butcher's shop during an air raid. They survive, but their home and everything in it are lost, including Peggyís most treasured possession, a biscuit tin of letters from her father. Their lives change dramatically and Peggy makes friends with a boy named Spud who has a passion for scavenging bombsites, leading to more than one surprising discovery.