Gnarly Skateboarders

Looks at the history of skateboarding, its subsequent development, the state of skateboarding today, and some of the different elements that make up the sport.

The story of the simple skateboard is part thriller, part underground, underdog success tale. It’s chock-full of innovations, far-out graphic artistry, and ever-more-incredible hot-dogging feats. And the story’s told in this book with contributions from the stars themselves—Tony Hawk, Stacey Peralta, Jeff Ho, the Dogtown Z-Boys, and more. Beautifully illustrated with historical posters, ads, and memorabilia along with new action photography, studio skateboard shots, and unique portraits of the stars, this is a fitting tribute to an American classic.

High interest, edgy activities fill the pages of Nailed It! Extreme Skateboarding. The carefully written, considerate text will hold the readers' interest and allow for successful mastery and comprehension. Written in the high-low format, this series has a HIGH interest level to appeal to a more mature audience but maintains a LOW level of complexity with clear visuals to help struggling readers along. Extreme Skateboarding presents the thrills and spills of this most intriguing extreme sport. A table of contents, glossary with simplified pronunciations, and index all enhance achievement and comprehension.

Inside the complex and misunderstood world of professional street skateboarding On a sunny Sunday in Los Angeles, a crew of skaters and videographers watch as one of them attempts to land a “heel flip” over a fire hydrant on a sidewalk in front of the Biltmore Hotel. A staff member of the hotel demands they leave and picks up his phone to call the police.Not only does the skater land the trick, but he does so quickly, and spares everyone the unwanted stress of having to deal with the cops. This is not an uncommon occurrence in skateboarding, which is illegal in most American cities and this interaction is just part of the process of being a professional street skater. This is just one of Gregory Snyder’s experiences from eight years inside the world of professional street skateboarding: a highly refined, athletic and aesthetic pursuit, from which a large number of people profit. Skateboarding LA details the history of skateboarding, describes basic and complex tricks, tours some of LA's most famous spots, and provides an enthusiastic appreciation of this dangerous and creative practice. Particularly concerned with public spaces, Snyder shows that skateboarding offers cities much more than petty vandalism and exaggerated claims of destruction. Rather, skateboarding draws highly talented young people from around the globe to skateboarding cities, building a diverse and wide-reaching community of skateboarders, filmmakers, photographers, writers, and entrepreneurs. Snyder also argues that as stewards of public plazas and parks, skateboarders deter homeless encampments and drug dealers. In one stunning case, skateboarders transformed the West LA Courthouse, with Nike’s assistance, into a skateable public space. Through interviews with current and former professional skateboarders, Snyder vividly expresses their passion, dedication and creativity. Especially in relation to the city's architectural features—ledges, banks, gaps, stairs and handrails—they are constantly re-imagining and repurposing these urban spaces in order to perform their ever-increasingly difficult tricks. For anyone interested in this dynamic and daunting activity, Skateboarding LA is an amazing ride.

Stephen Baldwin reveals his unbelievable change from a hardcore party boy to a hardcore follower of Jesus Christ. The core of his message: "You must be willing to try faith God's way, not yours, and when you do you will find a life beyond anything you could have dreamed."

Catch a wave and hurtle down mountains of water with the greatest surfers in the world! Kids will meet the champions of surfing, explore the history of the sport, and discover the techniques used to perform breathtaking stunts in competitions. Fast-paced narratives and full-color photos will engage young readers in the excitement of this extreme adventure sport. A “gear page” shows the equipment and safety features used by pros and beginners alike.

Looks at the sport of rally car racing, including some of the different elements that make up the sport, the races that are held, and several of the top racers.

Profiles leading skateboarders.