• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

In the tenth installment of the best-selling Eric Walters basketball series, Nick, Kia and their teammates embark on a letter writing campaign to persuade the Toronto Raptors community relations department to send one or more of the players to visit Clark Boulevard Elementary School. Unfortunately they are too late in applying and the team's school program has already been set for the year. But Nick and Kia do not give up easily, and their efforts become increasingly dramatic until Nick finally comes up with an idea that the team will be unable to ignore.

Eric Walters is the author of many acclaimed and bestselling novels for children and young adults. His novels have won numerous awards, including the Silver Birch, Blue Heron, Red Maple, Snow Willow, Ruth Schwartz, and Tiny Torgi, and have received honours from the Canadian Library Association Book Awards and UNESCO's international award for Literature in Service of Tolerance.

Eric lives in Mississauga with his wife, Anita, and three children, Christina, Nicholas, and Julia. When not writing or touring across the country speaking to school groups, Eric spends time playing or watching soccer and basketball, or playing the saxophone.

To find out more about Eric and his novels, or to arrange for him to speak at your school, visit his website at www.ericwalters.net.

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Eric Walters' profile page

Jerome Williams is a retired professional basketball player. He played for the Toronto Raptors from 2001–2003. Williams teamed up with his brother, Johnnie Williams III, and Eric Walters to create a best-selling series of basketball-themed titles in the Orca Young Readers series.

Jerome Williams' profile page

Johnnie Williams III is an encouragement presenter that has spoken to youth and adults in the United States, Canada, China, Africa and the Philippines. Williams teamed up with his brother, Jerome Williams, and Eric Walters for two titles in the Orca Young Readers series.

Johnnie Williams III's profile page

• Commended, Resource Links, The Year's Best Books

"Eric Walters is an extremely competent writer...[His characters] work and play hard, are considerate of others, [and are] full of confidence and enthusiasm…A well-crafted story…Fans of the series will be pleased to have another story about Nick and Kia. Recommended."

CM Magazine

"Fast-paced and well written, this energetic novel is filled with wild schemes and fun ideas, complete with a surprise ending…This novel should promote lively discussion if read aloud, and is a recommended purchase for both a classroom and an elementary school library."

Resource Links