Eleven-year-old Willie Johnston is the youngest soldier to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. According to this outstanding fictionalized account, Willie got into the Union army Òby accident.Ó His courageous participation in McClellan's Seven Day Campaign on the Virginia Peninsula was no accident however, but the result of tremendous determination. His experiences are typical to those o ...

Young Moses and his family leave Baltimore in 1889 in a quest of owning their own land and head west, where they find themselves participating in the Oklahoma Land Run. Evocative paintings and spellbinding storytelling bring this pivotal event in American history to vivid life for young readers. Full color.

Drawing from the rich store of Civil War reminiscences handed down in her family, acclaimed author/illustrator Polacco tells the true story of a remarkable wartime friendship between a young white Union soldier and a young black Union soldier who are captured by Confederate soldiers and sent to Andersonville Prison.

The dramatic story of the construction of the "impossible bridge"--San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge--is told from the point of view of a boy whose father is on the crew. Full color.

A boy and his dog navigate dangerous rubble, prejudices, and survival in this riveting fictional account of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. It's before daybreak in San Francisco on April 18, 1906. Mourning the loss of his mother, thirteen-year-old Jacob Kaufman slips out of the cramped boarding house where he lives with his immigrant father and little sister Rosie. Why couldn't Papa just let ...

"This full-length junior novel should hold a place with the best Civil War fiction for young people. The fighting takes place in the West. . . . A young farm boy joins the Union forces, becomes a scout . . . There is suspense in the telling and many a colorful character".--The Horn Book.

Based on a true story, young Sadako faces the battle of her life when she is diagnosed with "atomic bomb disease" (leukemia). She turns to her native Japanese beliefs and makes one thousand paper cranes so the gods will grant her wish to be well.

Young Anita Dittman's world crumbles as Hitler begins his rise to power in Germany, but because she's a Christian and only half-Jewish, Anita feels sure she and her family are safe from the final solution. She couldn't have been more wrong.

Based on a true story, this is a tale of brave school children who outwit the invading Nazis by sledding 13 tons of gold bricks down the mountain in Norway to a ship waiting to take the country's gold to America for safekeeping. Illustrations.

One morning in March 1888, twelve-year-old Milton Daub awoke to find the world buried in snow. The blizzard was like nothing Milton and his neighbors in the Bronx had ever seen. No one dared go out into the storm. No one, that is, except Milton. He and his father made a pair of snowshoes from barrel hoops and old roller skates. Then Milton stepped bravely into the storm to buy milk for his family. ...

Based on the Sparrow War of China in 1958, this tale contrasts a girl's gentle, compassionate spirit with frustrated, shortsighted action instigated by China's leadership. The consequence of each path is shown beautifully, highlighting the wisdom of measured forethought and wise thinking.

Based on Kurlansky's acclaimed bestseller "Salt: A World History, " this picture book explores every aspect of salt: the many ways it's gathered from the earth and sea; how ancient emperors in China, Egypt, and Rome used it to keep their subjects happy; and even how the search for salt eventually led to oil. Full color.

On a dark, cold, and rainy night in April 1777, Sybil Ludington sets out on a journey to warn American soldiers that danger is headed their way. The British are coming! They have already attacked a nearby town, and it is up to sixteen-year-old Sybil to make sure that she reaches the American soldiers before the British do. With only a large stick to defend herself, and her horse, Star, for company ...

Although it existed for only a year and a half, the Pony Express remains an enduring symbol of the bold, adventurous character of the old West. With her inimitable ability to bring the past to life, the author captures the spirit of the brave riders and ponies who became a legendary chapter in American history. Full-color illustrations.

When her grandfather is injured, 10-year-old Ellen Toliver replaces him on a top-secret Patriot mission. Disguised as a boy, she manages to smuggle a message to General George Washington.

During the final days of the Civil War, 12-year-old Hannalee is among 2,000 Georgia textile workers shipped north by the Union Army to work in Yankee mills. Can she make her way home to her family?

A powerful look at an unforgettable era in history "If we take these children, we can never betray them, no matter what the Nazis do." During the German occupation of France, twenty French children were brought to a refuge in the mountains. One day a young man came to their school with a request: Could they take in, and hide, ten Jewish refugee children? Sister Gabriel spoke up. "The Nazis are l ...

Fifteen-year-old Paul Jennings looked out the window of the President's House. America was at war with Britain, and British soldiers were marching toward Washington. Terrified people were fleeing the city. But Paul was not going to join them yet. He was a slave who belonged to President Madison and his wife, Dolley. Dolley did not want to leave until her husband returned from the battlefront. Paul ...

Every young reader should be exposed to Kadir Nelson's illustrations. A depth of character expression emerges through his saturated tones and impeccable artistry that cannot be conveyed in words. His foray into capturing a time period through text is admirable; he presents this segment of history methodically and memorably. Don't miss this. Recommended for ages 7-12. [jw]

Find out how these fun, stackable blocks became the most popular toys in the world. The LEGO toy company was founded in 1934 by a Danish carpenter who loved making wooden pull toys. From its humble beginnings, the company has lived up to its name--which comes from the Danish phrase meaning to always "play well"--encouraging children to use their imagination and build whatever they can dream up. In ...