“Henry Smith’s father told him that if you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.”

But Trouble comes careening down the road one night in the form of a pickup truck that strikes Henry’s older brother, Franklin. In the truck is Chay Chouan, a young Cambodian from Franklin’s preparatory school, and the accident sparks racial tensions in the school—and in the well-established town where Henry’s family has lived for generations. Caught between anger and grief, Henry sets out to do the only thing he can think of: climb Mt. Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine, which he and Franklin were going to climb together. Along with Black Dog, whom Henry has rescued from drowning, and a friend, Henry leaves without his parents’ knowledge. The journey, both exhilarating and dangerous, turns into an odyssey of discovery about himself, his older sister, Louisa, his ancestry, and why one can never escape from Trouble.

Strange changes begin for twelve-year-old Marian as she starts to understand a secret her mother and her grandmother already know. Why don't they tell her?

And how a couple of years later, can Marian, who has never had a swimming lesson, be known world-wide, wooed by college swim coaches and Sports Illustrated for their cover as a world-class Olympic swimmer? Why does she hear inhuman voices calling her to the sea? What on earth is happening to her?

In this enchanting story of her transformation from a girl to a myth, readers who love mermaids and the sea and adventure will join Marian going Home to the Sea.

This collection of championship stories features a broad cast of characters, including cyclists, swimmers, runners, and ballplayers. From a fast-paced hockey story by Matt Christopher to a dramatic basketball tale by Walter Dean Myers, the collection includes contributions from the best writers of contemporary sports fiction. There are also extracts from classic works such as National Velvet and Tom Brown's Schooldays. Gripping stories take readers through all the highs and lows of competition, from the thrill of victory to the heartbreak of defeat. Both boys and girls will be hooked until the final whistle.