South Central

The Akashic Noir series’ forensic study of Southern California sharpens its focus on one of Los Angeles’ most recognized neighborhoods. 

From Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner Katherine Rundell comes an exciting new novel about a group of kids who must survive in the Amazon after their plane crashes. Fred, Con, Lila, and Max are on their way back to England from Manaus when the plane they're on crashes and the pilot dies upon landing. For days they survive alone, until Fred finds a map that leads them to a ruined city, and to a secret.

When eight-year-old Agnes is signed up for SPEARS (the Society for the Protection of Endangered and Awesomely Rare Species), she has no idea of the adventures that lie ahead with her elephant-shrew mentor Attie (short for 'Attenborough'). Operation Honeyhunt sends them to the Brazilian rain forest, on a mission to save an endangered, dance-loving bee named Elton. Will Agnes pass the test and become a full SPEARS Agent? Species in danger? Girl and shrew to the rescue!

Corinne La Mer isn't afraid of anything. Not scorpions, not the boys who tease her, and certainly not jumbies. They're just tricksters parents make up to frighten their children. Then one night Corinne chases an agouti all the way into the forbidden forest. Those shining, yellow eyes that followed her to the edge of the trees, they couldn't belong to a jumbie. Or could they?

It is 1910 and Maia, tragically orphaned at 13, has been sent from England to start a new life with distant relatives in Manaus, hundreds of miles up the Amazon. She is accompanied by an eccentric and mysterious governess who has secret reasons of her own for making the journey. Both soon discover an exotic world bursting with new experiences in this highly colourful, joyous, and award-winning adventure.

Famed inventor Henry "Hank" Witherspoon has gone missing, and it's up to Jack and his brilliant siblings, Ava and Matt, to find him. At Hank's ransacked lab, the siblings discover clues to the project he's been working on - a new way to generate and store electricity, inspired by the electric eels of the Amazon. 

Corinne LaMer defeated the wicked Jumbie Severine months ago, but things haven't exactly gone back to normal in her Caribbean island home. Everyone knows Corinne is half Jumbie, and when local children begin to go missing, suspicious eyes turn to Corinne. To rescue the missing children and clear her own name, Corinne goes deep into the ocean to find Mama D'Leau, the dangerous Jumbie who rules the sea. But Mama D'Leau's help comes with a price....

Pedaling hard for thirteen months, eco adventurer Kate Rawles cycled the length of the Andes on an eccentric bicycle she built herself. The Life Cycle charts her mission to find out why biodiversity is so important, what's happening to it, and what can be done to protect it. From the Pacific Ocean to rainforests and salt flats, Kate learns that armadillos can cross rivers by holding their breath, that Colombia has more species of birds than North America and Europe combined, and that in threatening species and ecosystems, we're tearing down our own life support system.

The definitive book on the hunt to find the most ruthless serial killer in Los Angeles' history, told by the fearless reporter who broke the story. In 2008, Christine Pelisek broke the story of a terrifying serial killer who went unchecked in Los Angeles for decades, killing the most vulnerable women in one South Central neighborhood.

Floella Benjamin was just a young girl when she, her sister and two brothers arrived in England in 1960 to join their parents, whom they had not seen for 15 months. They had left their island home of Trinidad to make a new life in London—part of a whole generation of West Indians who were encouraged to move to Britain and help rebuild the country after the Second World War. Reunited with her mother, Floella was too overwhelmed at first to care about the cold weather and the noise and dirt from the traffic.

Raul Ramos brings you his emotional, raw, and inspiring autobiography. Follow along on his uplifting journey from street gang life in South Central Los Angeles to earning the rank of Master Chief in the United States Navy. His one-of-a-kind story is certain to motivate and remind you that you control your destiny – no matter what hand you were dealt.

Central and South America were full of great civilizations. This book discusses five of the most famous: the Olmecs, Toltecs, Aztecs, Incas, and Maya. These civilizations first showed up in Central and South America over 1,000 years ago, and some descendants of these tribes are still living in these regions today!

Secret agents Jack and Max Stalwart are sent to the Amazon jungle to investigate the disappearance of an important Global Protection Force scientist. Soon, they discover that the scientist's disappearance is no accident. A greedy outlaw is illegally mining for gold and he'll stop and nothing to keep his secret safe. Can Jack and Max save themselves and the scientist from almost certain death?

The author of My Name Is Maria Isabel offers an inspiring look at her childhood in Cuba in this collection that includes "Where the Flame Trees Bloom", "Under the Royal Palms", five new stories, and more. These true autobiographical tales from renowned Hispanic author and educator Alma Flor Ada are filled with family love and traditions, secrets and deep friendships, and a gorgeous, moving picture of the island of Cuba, where Alma Flor grew up.

¿Qué es América Latina? ¿Cómo se define? América Latina comprende el Caribe, Sudamérica y México. Estas regiones son diversas en cuanto a cultura, pero comparten un vínculo común de historia que se forjó cuando el Viejo Mundo de Europa Latina se encontró con el Nuevo Mundo de las Américas. Este libro lo lleva a través de la historia de esta vasta y compleja región.

Serafina has a secret dream. She wants to go to school and become a doctor with her best friend, Julie Marie. But in their rural village outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti, many obstacles stand in Serafina's way - little money, never-ending chores, and Manman's worries. More powerful even than all of these are the heavy rains and the shaking earth that test Serafina's resolve in ways she never dreamed. At once heartbreaking and hopeful, this exquisitely crafted story will leave a lasting impression on your heart.

Costa Rica is a land of true beauty and nobody can really argue against the country’s slogan that has made the rounds of all major tourism agencies selling Costa Rica packages: Costa Rica Pura Vida. This means “Costa Rica Pure Life” and with all the green eco systems, lush rainforest, natural beauty, and pristine beaches you will soon be able to understand where that came from. Let this book guide you to the many places that you must see in Costa Rica to not let your trip go to waste. This book is filled with suggested places to stay, from inexpensive to luxurious.

Suzanna and her father, Peter, head to Andros Island, a diving paradise in the Caribbean. There, she learns the basics of scuba diving and eventually swims with fifteen reef sharks in this lively true underwater adventure.

Welcome to Ecuador! See the sites. Enjoy the food. Hear the language. Discover this country's land, people, and traditions.

What is it like to live in or visit Guatemala? What makes Guatemala’s culture unique? Explore the geography, traditions, and daily lives of Guatemalan people.