In the heart of a quaint, snow-covered town, where the joy of Christmas is cherished by all, five children with unique talents and deep family bonds find themselves at the center of a chilling mystery. As Christmas Eve approaches, the excitement of the holiday season takes a dark turn when Lily, Max, Sophie, Ethan, and Emma mysteriously disappear after a school celebration. Their families, shattered and desperate, rally the town in a search for the missing children, but days pass with no l...

In the gripping crime thriller, "The Silent Shadows," Detective Sarah Turner finds herself entangled in a web of mystery and danger when a prominent socialite, Victoria Sinclair, disappears without a trace. As Sarah delves deeper into the case, she uncovers a dark underbelly of secrets, leading her to an underground crime syndicate known as The Silent Shadows.With each step closer to the truth, Sarah encounters an enigmatic stranger known only as "The Enigma," who claims to have in...

Welcome to "Embracing Uncertainty: Navigating Life's Transitions and Relationships With Resilience and Compassion" by John Antony—an interactive guidebook designed to empower you on your journey through life's unpredictable twists and turns.In this book, you won't just read about embracing uncertainty—you'll actively participate in the process. With thought-provoking prompts and insightful reflection questions, John Antony encourages you to delve deep into your own experiences and ...

I feel like I'm about to pass out, but that won't do much for my new reputation as a non-dork, so I bury my head in the Book instead. There's not much there, really—just the senior portrait of every girl in my class, and below each photo, space for me to record her measurements—once I get her measurements, that is. From his flute-playing prowess to his nerdy reputation, Kevin Mopsely epitomizes uncool. When popular jock Brandon Trent appoints Kevin to compile the Book of Busts—a record of ...

A lost colony is reborn in this heart-pounding fantasy adventure set in the near future. Enter the world of the Elementals, which James Dashner called “completely gripping and full of intrigue, revelation, mystery, and suspense.”Sixteen-year-old Thomas has always been an outsider. The first child born without the power of an element—earth, water, wind, or fire—he has little to offer his tiny, remote Outer Banks colony. Or so the Guardians would have him believe.

The Concise Companion to Language Assessment provides a state-of-the-art overview of the crucial areas of language assessment, teaching, and learning. Edited by one of the foremost scholars in the field, The Concise Companion combines newly commissioned articles on innovations in assessment with a selection of chapters from The Companion to Language Assessment, the landmark four-volume reference work first published in 2013.Presented in eight themes, ...

As one of the most recognized names in the fields of language assessment and applied linguistics, Lyle F. Bachman has produced a high volume of scholarly articles and books in the field of language assessment. These writings have strongly influenced the discipline and over the last three decades have played an uncontested role in shaping the field as we know it today. Until now, Bachman’s work has been spread across various mediums and not existed in one place. The Writings of Lyle F. ...

This book presents evidence of a longitudinal study in teacher preparation utilizing a threefold multicultural (TFM) model of immersion. It establishes the need for culturally responsive teachers in classrooms, and outlines a proven model that can be employed to prepare them.Through the TFM model elements, pre-service teacher candidates participated in class-based, cohort fieldwork experience, and reflective journal writings and discussions. Evidence was gathered from pre- and post...

**WINNER OF THE SCHNEIDER BOOK AWARD • From the acclaimed author of the Elemental series comes a rock n’ roll coming-of-age story where a young teen is determined to successfully manage her high school’s hottest new rock band. The only minor hiccup is . . . well, she’s deaf.“Hilarious and so smart. . . . proves that everyone, no matter what, deserves to be heard.”—Catherine Gilbert Murdoch, author of Dairy Queen“Chart-topping potential.”—Kirkus Reviews, st...

This witty, heartfelt story about perseverance in the face of adversity is perfect for fans of R. J. Palacio, Cammie McGovern, and John David Anderson.Noah Savino has been stuck in a wheelchair for months. He hates the way people treat him like he’s helpless now. He’s sick of going to physical therapy, where he isn’t making any progress. He’s tired of not having control over his own body. And he misses playing baseball—but not as much as he misses his dad, who died in the car accid...

**In this sequel to the dystopian fantasy adventure Elemental, the stakes are life-or-death and nothing is as it appears to be.“A page-turner with a dose of mystery and adventure, this series will interest fans of fantasy, history, and romance.”—VOYA**Would you rather live without your greatest power—or die to keep it?Thomas and his friends have rescued the Guardians and commandeered the pirates’ ship, but the pirates still hold fast to Roanoke Isl...

Validation in Language Assessment contributes to the variety of validation approaches and analytical and interpretive techniques only recently adopted by language assessment researchers. Featuring selected papers from the 17th Language Testing Research Colloquium, the volume presents diverse approaches with an international perspective on validation in language assessment.