This novel continues the story of Danny Walker, the basketball-obsessed hero of Travel Team (Philomel, 2004). In the interval between the two books, the 13-year-old and his friends went on to win the travel-team championship. Now that they are heading off to summer basketball camp, Danny is feeling the pressure of being number one. He plays as well as ever, but he's still the smallest boy on the court and anxiously hoping for a growth spurt. As the story begins, things quickly go wrong for him. He fights with his girlfriend before he leaves; at camp, he's separated from his friends and assigned a berth in the younger boys' cabin. There are many familiar elements and few surprises here, yet Lupica breathes life into both characters and story. Danny is a classic sports-story underdog, but he's also sympathetic and engaging. He is surrounded by a cast of supporting characters who add humor and whose interactions ring true. When Danny befriends Zach, who is a younger version of himself, readers see the protagonist grow in empathy and self-awareness. Sports fans will relish the on-court action, expertly rendered in Lupica's taut prose. This worthy sequel to Travel Team should earn a wide audience.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Playing shortstop is a way of life for Hutch—not only is his hero, Derek Jeter, a shortstop, but so was his father, a former local legend turned pro. Which is why having to play second base feels like demotion to second team. Yet that’s where Hutch ends up after Darryl “D-Will” Williams, the best shortstop prospect since A-Rod, joins the team. But Hutch is nothing if not a team player, and he’s cool with playing in D-Will’s shadow—until, that is, the two shortstops in Hutch’s life betray him in a way he never could have imagined. With the league championship on the line, just how far is Hutch willing to bend to be a good teammate?

Michael Arroyo has a dream of pitching in the Little League World Series, and a pitching arm that throws serious heat. But that firepower is nothing compared to the heat Michael faces in his day-to-day life. Newly orphaned after his father led the family's escape from Cuba, Michael has no one to watch out for him except his older brother Carlos, who is only 17, and if Social Services hears of the boys situation, they will be separated in the foster care system-or even worse, sent back to Cuba. So the boys their best to carry on alone, dodging bills and anyone who asks to many questions. Until, that is, someone questions how a 12-year-old boy could possibly throw with as much power as Michael Arroyo throws and Michael has no way to prove his age, no birth certificate, and no parent to fight for his cause. Suddenly Michael's secret world is blown wide open-and he discovers that family can come from the most unexpected sources. A baseball and coming-of-age story worth cheering for, culminating in a dream come true for any boy: Michaelm poor orphan of the Bronx, NY, steps onto the most hallowed of spaces-the Yankee stadium pitching mound.

"The author has written a truly complete reference book on options trading, from basics to strategies to taxes and theory. Newcomers to options can quickly find a clear explanation of terms or strategies they aren't familiar with, and experienced traders can expand their understanding of how complex strategies are created." --Jim Bittman, author, Trade Options Like a Professional "For a new perspective about options, I recommend Michael Thomsett's comprehensive The Options Trading Body of Knowledge. Traders at all levels will enjoy his easy-to-read style as he explains options from A to Z. The options industry has needed a reference like this for a long time." --Marty Kearney, Senior Staff Instructor, The Options Institute The Comprehensive, Up-to-Date Reference for Every Options Trader *By Michael C. Thomsett, author...

Traditional methods of analyzing and picking stocks aren't enough anymore -- as millions of investors have discovered to their shock and dismay. The key reason: companies now systematically distort the operating results that investors depend upon for accurate analysis. In Stock Profits: Getting to the Core, Michael C. Thomsett offers a new approach to fundamental analysis that reveals exactly what's real -- and what isn't. Clearly and simply, Thomsett shows how to strip away misleading data that distorts a company's true 'core earnings,' growth curves, and business realities. Then, drawing on that information, he walks you through every step of a winning analysis: trend discovery, interpretation, and...

"The new 'PC' isn't 'political correctness'--it's 'personal credibility.' This book is a needed reminder that no matter how old you are or what you've accomplished in life, you are never, ever done learning about yourself or those around you. From the easier-said-than-done resolution to avoid gossip to the it's-as-hard-as-it-sounds process of building up your self-awareness, Allgeier has filled her book with the life lessons we never seem to fully learn the first time we hear them. (Or maybe that's just me!)" --Mike Staver, CEO of The Staver Group; author of Do You Know How to Shut Up? And 51 Other Life Lessons That Will Make You Uncomfortable "To be an effective leader, you must be trustworthy. If people don't trust you, they won't follow you. And if they won't follow you, your organization won't meet its goals. Sandy Allgeier explains that personal credibility comes down to a simple truth: It's not about the type of person you are; it's about the types of things you do. If you want to be a great leader, read The Personal Credibility Factor." --Quint Studer, CEO and founder of Studer Group(R); bestselling author of Results That Last: Hardwiring Behaviors That Will Take Your Company to the Top...

“This book is a must for any Business Development Manager, Corporate Strategist, R&D Director, and anyone else who is accountable for growth in a corporation. It is an easy read that is practical and not fraught with useless academic theories.”
Ron Pierantozzi, Ph.D., CEO of PPT Research and Former Director, Business Development, Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.
A Breakthrough Approach to Investing in Business Innovation
Most companies analyze investments using tools that bias them against real innovation and lead them to avoid their best opportunities. This book introduces a breakthrough alternative: Opportunity Engineering.
Drawing upon recent advances in financial analysis, but without requiring a lot of math, the authors show how to engineer the risk out of uncertain opportunities so you can pursue more high-payoff innovations. You’ll learn how to escape from the “go/no-go vise” and implement more flexible decision-making that considers all the business alternatives, models, and opportunities associated with each project. You’ll learn how to systematically structure high-potential projects to limit downside exposure and boost your potential upside.
The authors show how to define the scope of investment opportunities, identify key drivers of potential profits, document assumptions, design out major risks, and tease out key challenges and vulnerabilities...

"Dr. Roberto has skillfully managed to blend in-depth research with his straightforward and enjoyable style and, in doing so, painted a masterpiece that should be considered by any institution or individual looking to detect or solve problems. Presenting cases and their lessons from multiple venues, he offers wisdom readily applicable to any arena." --Duane Deal, Brigadier General, United States Air Force (Retired) "Solving problems is one thing; finding them early enough to do something about it is quite another. In this entertaining book full of insight and examples, Michael Roberto provides managers with hands-on recommendations on how to avoid falling into decision-making traps by getting a step ahead." --Sydney Finkelstein, Steven Roth Professor of Management, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and author of Why Smart Executives Fail and Think Again "In typical style, Mike Roberto gets right to the heart...

Organizations are now competing in two markets, one for their products and services and one for the talent required to produce or perform them. Success in the former is determined by success in the latter. The ability to compete is directly related to the ability to attract, develop, motivate, organize, and retain the talented people needed to accomplish strategic business objectives.
The People CMM, as documented in this authoritative book, is a framework for human capital management. Broadly adopted by small and large organizations worldwide, it provides proven tools for addressing strategic workforce and critical people issues. It helps organizations:
Establish workforce practices aligned with current and future business objectives
Characterize the maturity of workforce practices...

"The College Solution helps readers look beyond over-hyped admission rankings to discover schools that offer a quality education at affordable prices. Taking the guesswork out of saving and finding money for college, this is a practical and insightful must-have guide for every parent!" --Jaye J. Fenderson, Seventeen's College Columnist and Author, Seventeen's Guide to Getting into College "This book is a must read in an era of rising tuition and falling admission rates. O'Shaughnessy offers good advice with blessed clarity and brevity." --Jay Mathews, WashingtonPost Education Writer and Columnist "I would recommend any parent of a college-bound student read The College Solution." --Kal Chany, Author, The Princeton Review's Paying for College Without Going Broke "The College Solution goes beyond other guidebooks in providing an abundance of information about how to afford college, in addition to how to approach the selection process by putting the student first."--Martha "Marty" O'Connell, Executive Director, Colleges That Change Lives "Lynn O'Shaughnessy always focuses on what's in the consumer's best interest, telling families how to save money and avoid making costly mistakes. "...

"Volatile Markets Made Easy is not just a book; it is a full course of instruction. This is an incredible piece of work." --Ned W. Bennett, CEO/Cofounder, optionsXpress, Inc. "I highly recommend Guy Cohen's Volatile Markets Made Easy, which introduces to the world his simple approach utilizing flag chart patterns to capitalize on trending stocks. Guy's combination of clear explanations and lavishly detailed follow-throughs of trade examples cogently demonstrates how to deploy several simple, option-based strategies to make consistent money with one of the most reliable stock chart patterns--while strictly limiting risk with sound money management techniques. Add this one to your shelf." --John Brasher, CallWriter.com The Simple, Step-by-Step Guide to Making Profits in Volatile Markets / Earn big returns as you systematically cherry pick the best trades while minimizing your risk / Execute a simple trading plan that leverages your profits in volatile markets...

Transform Your Personal Financial Habits and Attitudes…And Your Life!
Real money solutions from the best-selling author of Personal Finance For Dummies, Eric Tyson!
Save smarter, invest smarter, and spend smarter, starting today
Reduce your financial risks–and eliminate your money anxieties
For everyone interested in improving their personal finances…whether you’re saving for college, retirement, or anything else
Worried about money? Join the club. Now, do something about it! One of America’s best-selling personal finance authors offers real, practical solutions that work: steps you can take right now to start replacing money anxiety with financial fulfillment and happiness. Eric Tyson gets straight to the point, identifying the habits that put you at risk–and helping you replace them with the habits of financial success. Tyson offers plain-English, no-gimmick techniques you can really use: knowledge you’d have to pay a fortune for, if you could get it at all!...

Front Flap In business and investing, risk has traditionally been viewed negatively: investors and companies can lose money due to risk and therefore we typically penalize companies for taking risks. That's why most books on risk management focus strictly on hedging or mitigating risk. But the enterprise's relationship with risk should be far more nuanced. Great companies become great because they seek out and exploit intelligent risks, not because they avoid all risk. Strategic Risk Taking: A Framework for Risk Management is the first book to take this broader view, encompassing both risk hedging at one end of the spectrum and strategic risk taking on the other. World-renowned financial pioneer Aswath Damodaran--one of BusinessWeek's top 12 business school professors--is singularly well positioned to take this strategic view. Here, Damodaran helps you separate good risk (opportunities) from bad risk (threats), showing how to utilize the former while protecting yourself against the latter. He introduces powerful financial tools for evaluating risk, and demonstrates how to draw on other disciplines to make these tools even more effective. Simply put, Damodaran has written the first book that helps you use risk to increase firm value, drive higher growth and returns, and create real competitive advantage...

Pulliam Weston (Your Credit Score), columnist for MSN Money and author of the nationally syndicated column "Money Talk," provides a practical, easy-to-understand guide to taking control of personal finances and establishing financial security. Like most financial advice books, this collection covers the basics, such as creating a financial toolkit, investing, planning for retirement and saving for college. While Pulliam Weston provides insights into these areas-especially for those without a financial background-she also charts new territory with her "60 Percent Solution" and "50/30/20 Plan," both aimed at spending control, as well as getting the most out of your credit cards and what to do if you've overspent on a car purchase. An advocate of online banking, Pulliam Weston maps out the right way to pay bills and advocates account aggregation and consolidation. She also provides a useful resource guide for finding a financial planner, a tax professional and an estate planning attorney. Checklists are included in each chapter, as well as helpful charts and tables that aid in getting and staying organized.This book will be a valuable guide on the path to financial control and security...

"Moshe Milevsky offers an original and clear re-thinking of the most fundamental concept in one's financial lifetime: the management of risk, in all of its not-so-obvious dimensions."--Nick Murray, author, Simple Wealth, Inevitable Wealth "This book is another example of Moshe Milevsky's ability to make the complex understandable...an excellent primer--for both advisors and their clients alike--on the 'How Tos' of effective retirement income planning."--Jim Rogers, CFP, 2008 President, The Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) "In this new book, the author presents a holistic framework for investors and advisors to think about critical issues that impact investment decisions, such as human capital, mortality risk, and longevity risk. But even more importantly, Milevsky presents practical solutions that we can all follow to achieve financial security throughout our lives. This book is a must-read for everyone in the financial services industry."--Peng Chen, CFA, Ibbotson Associates "This is an extremely timely and valuable book...