Danny wishes his dad would come home from Nevada for Christmas and writes him a letter to tell him so. When snow cuts off the mail until spring, only postman John Thompson can get through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to deliver his letter. Based on a true story, this is lively historical fiction with a nice sense of character and adventure, [and] the illustrations are packed with feeling and action ...

Ariel would love to be in the basket of Lucky Star on the day of the big balloon race against Bernard the Brave. Her mother, Carlotta the Great, is the best lady balloonist in America. But Ariel's parents think she is too young. Little do they know she is asleep in the Odds and Ends box when Carlotta the Great orders Hands off! and the balloon race begins. The thrills of Ariel's first ride in a h ...

Joan was a child whose country suffered under the horrors of invasion and civil war. By 19, she was called the savior of France--and a heretic who was killed by being burned at the stake. Almost 500-years later, she was declared a saint. Full-color illustrations.

Miriam, a young Jewish girl, is forced to leave her parents and hide with strangers in the country during the German occupation of Holland.

Twin brothers, sons of a plantation owner, share everything--except their different beliefs about slavery. As the political tensions rise in the South, they are caught between their passions for their causes and their love for one another. When the Civil War begins, the twins both go to war--to fight each other. Mary Stolz captures the spirit of the times in this emotionally-charged story of two b ...

Under arrest! The words came as a shock to young Esther Rudomin, Polish citizen. Because of their Jewish heritage and Father's business success, Esther's family faced certain deportment to Siberia. This sobering tale of a family torn from their homeland, from close relatives, and eventually from one another, paints a vivid picture of grim determination to survive against overwhelming odds. The Sib ...

When tragedy leaves you less than you were, how do you respond? Betty Robinson refused to let a horrible accident and a leg that would never be the same define the rest of her life. After an Olympic gold in 1928, Betty determined to return to the medal stand despite the seeming impossibility of getting there again. This true story of the first female track and field gold medalist will amaze and in ...

In 1920 three American navy officers were on a routine practice run by balloon. A sudden storm hit sending them drastically off course. Subsequent actions to avoid a crash led them even further north into the snowy Canadian wilderness. Each man uses his strengths to encourage the others’ weaknesses. Kloor is the youngest, the most fit, and the best trained balloonist. Farrell is the oldest and l ...

In 1920 three American navy officers were on a routine practice run by balloon. A sudden storm hit sending them drastically off course. Subsequent actions to avoid a crash led them even further north into the snowy Canadian wilderness. Each man uses his strengths to encourage the others’ weaknesses. Kloor is the youngest, the most fit, and the best trained balloonist. Farrell is the oldest and l ...

As if typical adolescent angst was not enough, Cash, Bird and Fitch, three seventh-grade siblings, must deal with their parents’ disintegrating marriage too. Each struggles with a quirky personality, unique habits, and bumpy friendships. But reaching across to help each other through these trials brings them to a unique sense of family.

Shetterly highlights an important segment in US History by focusing on four intelligent ladies whose skill earned them places in what is now NASA. Their acceptance into this program was blocked, at first, because misguided beliefs about their skin color and gender prohibited their participation. Context, setting, and a timeline of events is beautifully conveyed and displayed for readers to underst ...

This engrossing and thorough biography of an American legend reads like a great story. The author, a black woman who passed away in the 1990's, uses the term "Negro" throughout the book (originally published in 1955), so young readers may need instruction regarding the term's background and use. While many books relate Harriet Tubman's story, this one may retell it the best.

Text and illustration combine to provide an engaging look at the characteristics and causes of blizzards.

A retelling of the legend, which is based on the actual biography of "Johnny Appleseed," that challenges readers to strive to make a difference in their world. Great themes embedded in good storytelling!

Twelve-year-old Annyrose Smith relates her adventures with Joaquin Murieta and his band of outlaws in the California gold-mining region during the mid-1800s, in this acclaimed work by the Newbery Medal-winning author of "The Whipping Boy." Illustrations.

Beautiful free verse tells a story, both from individual perspectives and in general, that is punctuated with moving mixed-media illustrations. An unforgettable reading experience based on the experience of the author and her family.

Presents a sparse, poetic, and beautiful retelling of an influential life, paired with luminous illustrations.

A Newbery Medalist offers a new pirate adventure set in San Diego, California, in 1846. Twelve-year-old Shipwreck, a cabin boy on the pirate ship "The Giant Rat of Sumatra," is so named because he survived a shipwreck. This is his story. Illustrations.