Historical Fiction. Eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman lives in Buxton, Canada--a town settled by slaves fleeing the American South--and was Buxton's first free-born child. His only other claim to fame is that, as a baby, he puked on visiting dignitary Frederick Douglass. Elijah spends most of his time fishing, riding Old Flapjack the mule, and attempting to make sense of grown-ups' words and actions. When a sleazy con man steals the fortune that Elijah's friend Mr. Leroy has been saving to buy his family's freedom, Mr. Leroy and Elijah sneak across the border into Michigan to try to catch him. This story, which has everything from humor to heartbreak, moves slowly in the beginning--but its characters are so unforgettable that readers won't mind.  Winner of the 2008 Coretta Scott King Author Award and a Newbery Honor Book.

In this treasury inspired by the international bestseller, The dangerous book for boys, the authors share a wealth of facts, ideas, and activities for girls ranging from how to wrap a traditional Indian sari and how to put your hair up using a pencil or chopstick,   to tips for negotiating a higher salary for jobs like baby-sitting or dog-walking and how to change a car tire.  

In the first book of a three-volume spinoff to the popular fantasy series, Nick and Laurie – reluctant new brother and sister in a blended family – discover that the creatures described in Arthur Spiderwick's Guide to the Fantastical World around You are real – and their new housing development isn't inhabited by the cute, kind sorts of faeries, either.   Warning:   you may never feel quite safe around a retention pond again!  

Science Fiction/Adventure. In this rip-roaring sequel to Larklight, it's up to Art and Myrtle to save the universe--again! Hoping to escape the temporary chaos of their alternate-universe Victorian England home (which they're having redecorated), the siblings and their four-and-a-half-thousand-million-year-old mother accept a mysterious invitation to Starcross, a seaside resort in the asteroid belt. Rather than relaxing, they discover mind-altering alien top hats, intergalactic spies, knitting goblins, dangerous puppets, and a plot to conquer the British Empire! If dashing heroes in peril and Lemony Snicket-style humor are your cup of tea, check out this thrilling and decidedly silly series.

History. Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. are famous for their roles in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the broader fight for racial equality in America. This book is about them, but it is also about the many other people--ordinary men, women, and children; lawyers, politicians, and preachers--whose sacrifices and courageous actions brought about historic changes. Vivid descriptions of the dangers that the boycotters faced and plentiful period photos bring the whole story to life, from six years before Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat to the movement's ultimate triumph.

Biography. Meet Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, one of only three women ever to play baseball in the United States' professional Negro Leagues. The author of this story wrote it to sound as if Mamie were telling it, so her lively personality comes through loud and clear. Mamie loved baseball from the time she was a kid, but being both black and female, she had to overcome twice the prejudice that male African-American players of her time did (even today, women don't have the opportunity to play baseball professionally). She is one gutsy lady, and her story is both fascinating and inspiring--whether or not you're a baseball fan.

Picture Book Biography. Bessie Coleman made aviation history as the first black woman in the world to earn a pilot's license. Tough and determined, she overcame many obstacles to achieve her dream of flying. Her untimely death at the age of 34 kept her from fulfilling another dream she had--to open a flight school for African-Americans--but she remains an inspiration. This dramatic, beautifully illustrated book is written like a poem in the voices of the people at Bessie's funeral, who take turns telling the story of her life.

Biography. Not quite a decade into the 20th century, African-American explorer Matthew Henson was a vital part of Robert E. Peary's first expedition to the North Pole. Battling harsh conditions and harsher racism from his fellow Americans, Henson may well have been the first man to reach the Pole, but history gave credit to Commodore Peary. With shiver-inducing descriptions of the Arctic and harrowing details of the difficult journey, this is an exciting and inspirational story of a rugged, stout-hearted hero.

Biography. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play in the major leagues when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. His daughter, Sharon Robinson, wrote this book to honor her dad not only as a baseball hero, but also as a father, a civil rights activist, and a businessman. Illustrated with lots of family photos, letters, and other memorabilia, this very personal story about one great American also gives readers a clear idea of what day-to-day life in a segregated world was like.

See the history of a fictional New England whaling town from 1683 to the present in thumbnail sketches showing the growth and adaptation of a town to the modern age. Detailed drawings bring to life the text that describes the life of a town and its people.   (ages 8-12)

Most people think only of the land when seasons change, but the ocean has seasonal changes as well. Aquatic plants and animals adapt to the changes in water temperature and surface winds throughout the year by changing their way of life or migrating to other parts of the ocean. Full-color illustrations tell the stories of plants and animals in the Pacific Ocean throughout the year. Food web cards provide extra information in the back of the book. (ages 5-10)

Sixty-two of America's best loved family tunes, both traditional and contemporary have been gathered in one place. The accompanying CD presents twenty-three selections from the book. Simple piano and guitar arrangements accompany each song along with beautiful full-color illustrations to be enjoyed by everyone in the family. Selections cover all regions of the USA such as: Clementine (California), Turkey in the straw (Midwest), Going to the zoo (Chicago), We shall overcome (South), Mama don't allow (Traditional American). (ages 7- up)

 

We learn the alphabet at a very young age, but have you ever wondered how those letters came to be? When did written language first begin? When did pictures turn to letter form that we recognize as our alphabet? Collage illustrations and many examples help explain how the alphabet first began and why our letters look the way they do. (ages 8-12)