Books by Jake Maddox

When Mariana and her new friend, Selena, try to play some basketball at a local court, they're challenged to a game by two older girls. If Mariana and Selena win, they get to use the court. But if the older girls win, they get Selena's special autographed shirt. Unfortunately, things go badly and the younger girls lose the bet-and the shirt. However, they soon come up with a plan. Although some of Mariana's skills are lacking, she's great at shooting hoops. Will the friends succeed in their hoops hustle to get back Selena's special shirt?

Lisa Vega and her basketball teammates are thrilled when they make it into the regional playoffs. But before they can play their first game, they discover that their school gym has been vandalized. Paint is splattered everywhere. The basketball hoops and nets are destroyed. And all of the balls have been slashed open. It's the middle of winter, and the girls have nowhere to practice. Who would do this? Did the rival team from across town somehow wreck the girls' gym? Or is someone else to blame? Follow along as Lisa and her teammates uncover the clues and track down the culprit who trashed their court in this exciting sport mystery!

Mia Hernandez's gymnastics team is nervous about the upcoming season. However, they're encouraged when their new coach tells them that she was once a gymnast for their long-time rivals. The coach's knowledge will be a great advantage during the season. But strange things begin to happen at the competitions. The wrong music is played during some girls' floor exercises. Itching powder ends up in one team's chalk. At another meet, the parallel bars fall apart while a competitor performs her routine. Someone is taking dangerous risks to cheat at the competitions. But who could it be, and why? Follow along as Mia discovers the shocking truth behind who's been sabotaging the competition during the gymnastics season in this exciting sport mystery!

Bianca is thrilled when her parents announce that her grandfather is coming to live with them. Bianca and Abuelo share a love of football, and she can't wait to share her love of drumming with her grandfather too. But when Abuelo arrives, he has his own ideas about how Bianca should practise and play. Those ideas translate into trouble on the field. Can Bianca find the beat in her feet before it costs her team the tournament?

New-kid Javier Moreno makes a big splash on the football pitch when a video of his amazing goal goes viral. But now the fame is going to his head, and he's hogging the ball and showing off. Will Javi's solo act ruin the team's chances at making the championships? Dynamic full-colour comic artwork sets the stage for this exciting Graphic Novel, a winning choice for any young reader.

Nimo Mohamed has made the cross-country team and she's determined to keep up with the older girls. So she's training harder than ever, maybe too hard. Soon the runner's grades at school are tumbling, her running times are slipping and her body is completely exhausted. Can Nimo learn to pace herself and stop this running overload? With its high-stakes sports story with an exciting full-colour comic format, this Graphic Novel is a winner for young readers.

After only ever playing with friends and schoolmates, Ana Ramirez is excited to attend a basketball summer camp where she'll play on a real team with real teammates. But when the coach says they'll use something called "zone defence", the shooting guard feels totally lost and starts to doubt her skills. Can Ana get out of her comfort zone and ask for help? Combining a dramatic sports story with a dynamic full-colour comic format, this Graphic Novel is sure to be a win for any young reader.

Star quarterback Alex has always played football with his best friend, Oscar. But when Oscar suddenly quits the team to join the school play, Alex feels blindsided and betrayed. Now pressure is mounting on and off the field. Can the two boys ever recover from their friendship fumble? Young readers will love the exciting American football story and the electrifying full-colour comic format in this Sport Stories Graphic Novel.

Hank Watson enjoys helping his basketball team win big games. However, his true passion is cooking. Hank doesn't tell his team that he likes to cook because he's afraid they'll make fun of him. When an opportunity arises to meet celebrity chef Brenton Spooner, Hank jumps at the chance. But while practising a difficult dish to impress his idol, he accidentally burns his hand. The injury isn't serious, but it affects his performance both on the court and in the kitchen. Despite the setback, Hank is determined to help his team achieve victory in the big game and meet his cooking hero in the process.

When twins Lydia and Marco are approached to be on their dance studio's jazz team, Lydia is thrilled. She and Marco both love to dance and used to have fun dancing together as kids. But lately it seems their relationship has grown more distant. Lydia can't wait to dance with her brother again, but Marco is worried. He's used to hip-hop and will be the only boy on the team. And when bullies start mocking Marco for doing "girl dances" it could spell trouble for the whole team.

Cameron Jones plays football not because he loves it, but because his dad believes he will one day earn a big prize: a university funding bursary. When his father's new job takes him from the big city to a small-town team, Cameron thinks it might be his chance to take a step back from the game. His new team is unorganized and his teammates seem uninterested in the discipline it takes to win. But maybe this new team is exactly what Cameron needs to make football fun again.

Karate is the most important thing in Aliyah's life. It allows her to fight - and she's good at that. It also makes her feel like a winner. Nothing is more important to Aliyah than taking down an opponent, especially if it's her main rival, Suma. Things soon change with the arrival of a new student, Zoya, who also happens to be Suma's little sister. Aliyah sees something familiar in Zoya - an anger and aggression that reminds Aliyah of herself. Upon the request of Suma, and with the approval of the sensei, Aliyah agrees to train Zoya. Through their training, she helps Zoya control her anger but also manages to learn a valuable lesson of her own - winning isn't everything.

Nita and Sohail are thrilled when they win scholarships to attend the Alaska Young Explorers program. Both kids could use the prize money to help their families and set out to compete as hard as they can. But things take a turn when they're paired up on an expedition. The two make a misstep while hiking down a glacier and find themselves in dangerous territory. Nita and Sohail will have to depend on each other and learn to work together ... if they want to survive the Alaskan wilderness.

Jasmine Lopez and her brother Arjun love exploring the coral reefs around Fiji, where their marine biologist parents are stationed. Jasmine, already a certified scuba diver, dreams of following in her parents' footsteps and wants to help Arjun do the same.

On a summer holiday with his family, Marlon Keys is about to hike the Appalachian Trail in the USA. But when Marlon accidentally gets separated from the group on the hike, his "boring" holiday becomes an exercise in survival. Can Marlon find his way back to his family and camp safely, or will he remain lost on the trail?

After a big growth spurt, dancer Mercy Smyth feels completely out of step. It's going to take a lot of extra work and money that Mercy doesn't have to bring her skills back to competition level. Will Mercy ever feel graceful again?