The Horrible, Miserable Middle Ages
From leftover trenchers and stinky chamber pots to barber surgeons and the black plague, life could be really miserable for people during medieval times. Get ready to explore the nasty side of life in the Middle Ages.
The Dreadful, Smelly Colonies
An educational and entertaining look at what life was like in Colonial America. From moldy food and dirt covered clothes to poisonous pests and extreme weather, American colonists did not have the easiest lives. Items that we take for granted like deodorant and soap were no where to be found. A great way to get kids interested in history and appreciative of our lives today.
The Great Depression
In the 1930s, Americans faced one of the biggest crises ever to hit the country. During the Great Depression, the stock market crash caused banks to close and many companies to go out of business. Millions of people lost their jobs and homes during a time when the government wasn't equipped to pick up the pieces. Will you: March on Washington, D.C., as a veteran member of the Bonus Army? Leave your home to find a better life by riding the rails? Help rebuild the country as a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps?
The Salem Witch Trials
The colony of Massachusetts in 1692 was a harsh place. Disease, hunger, and the threat of war made life stressful. Colonists clung to their religious faith and looked for someone to blame. Some accused their fellow colonists of causing the troubles through the practice of witchcraft. The hysteria spread until no one was safe. Will you: Attempt to defend yourself against charges of witchcraft? Try to keep your family together as your mother is put on trial? Accuse someone else of being a witch?
Migrant Mother
In the 1930s, photographer Dorothea Lange traveled the American West documenting the experiences of those devastated by the Great Depression. She wanted to use the power of the image to effect political change, but even she could hardly have expected the effect that a simple portrait of a worn-looking woman and her children would have on history. This image, taken at a migrant workers' camp in Nipomo, California, would eventually come to be seen as the very symbol of the Depression. The photograph helped reveal the true cost of the disaster on human lives and shocked the U.S. government into providing relief for the millions of other families devastated by the Depression.
Colonial America
Europeans came to the American colonies in the 1600s and 1700s in search of a better life. They worked hard and built farms, homes, and towns. But they were still under Great Britain's rule. Many wanted to make their own laws, but that meant going to war against a rich and powerful country. Will you: Travel to Virginia as an indentured servant? Choose between careers as a sailor or a soldier in Massachusetts? Decide which side you'll take as the country marches closer to revolution?
Children of the Great Depression
As he did for frontier children in his enormously popular Children of the Wild West, Russell Freedman illuminates the lives of the American children affected by the economic and social changes of the Great Depression. Middle-class urban youth, migrant farm laborers, boxcar kids, children whose families found themselves struggling for survival . . . all Depression-era young people faced challenges like unemployed and demoralized parents, inadequate food and shelter, schools they couldn't attend because they had to go to work, schools that simply closed their doors. Even so, life had its bright spots--like favorite games and radio shows--and many young people remained upbeat and optimistic about the future. Drawing on memoirs, diaries, letters, and other firsthand accounts, and richly illustrated with classic archival photographs, this book by one of the most celebrated authors of nonfiction for children places the Great Depression in context and shows young readers its human face. Endnotes, selected bibliography, index.
Grandfather’s Chair
In 1840, Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of America's greatest writers, published Grandfather's Chair, a history of Colonial and post-Revolutionary War America especially for young people. Hawthorne uses a sturdy oak chair, which appears in each of the stories, as a way to make more entertaining the early history of America: Plymouth and the Pilgrims, the founding of Rhode Island, the Salem witch hysteria, Cotton Mather, the Liberty Tree, the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Continental Congress, and the Declaration of Independence. Seventy-one black-and-white illustrations accompany the text.
Isabella of Castile
In a twist on the classic fairy tale, a princess in fifteenth century Spain refused to wait to be rescued by a prince but instead chose one for herself. Even then, she would not marry him until they'd reached an agreement that was revolutionary for her time--their marriage would be an equal partnership captured in the motto: To stand as high, as high to stand, Isabella and Ferdinand. This book tells the real and remarkable story of the princess, Isabella of Castile. The partnership that she made with her prince was a happy and successful one. Without her, both Spain and America would not exist as we know them. Richly illustrated and narrated with humor, The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses brings to life the stories of real and remarkable princesses who managed to do what few thought possible.
Skeeter’s Dream
The Civil War is over, but not for thirteen-year-old Skeeter Tates. It's 1867, and the memory of his beloved father, killed by Yankees four years earlier, lives deep inside him. After clashing one time too many with his new stepfather, and a Yankee at that, Skeeter and his best friend, Ben, run away for Texas. Hungry and scared, the two friends are startled by April, a teenager herself, threatening to shoot unless Ben drops the chickens he's stealing from her. A trip to the sheriff is next, unless... The adventures are just beginning.April befriends the boys and joins them in their escape. Soon the three must deal with outlaws, stolen bank money, and a posse hot on their trail."The trials of war, of love and loss can crush the spirits of many, but Skeeter is proof that heroes do exist--that forgiveness and understanding are there for those who give it half a chance. An adventurous and touching story, this debut novel will find a permanent place in the reader's heart. Hats off to Candace Manley."--Steven Law, author of The True Father
Our White House
More than one hundred leading authors and illustrators donate their talents in a creative tour de force that is making history. Conceived and co-created by the National Children's Book and Literary Alliance, this outstanding collection of essays, personal accounts, historical fiction, and poetry melds with an equally stunning array of original art to offer a look at America's history through the prism of the White House. Starting with a 1792 call for designers and continuing through the present day, these highly engaging writings and illustrations, expressing varied viewpoints and interwoven with key historical events, are a vital resource for family and classroom sharing -- and a stirring reminder that the story of the White House is the story of every American.Back matter includes source notes, notes on contributor, and an index.
The Transcontinental Railroad
A True Book: Westward Expansion takes readers on an amazing journey to a fascinating time in U.S. history when the country was experiencing dynamic change and expanding westward.This book provides the keys to discovering the important people, places and events that helped shape the western United States. An age appropriate (grades 3-5) introduction to curriculum-relevant subjects and a robust resource section that encourages independent study is included.
The California Gold Rush
A True Book: Westward Expansion takes readers on an amazing journey to a fascinating time in U.S. history when the country was experiencing dynamic change and expanding westward.This book provides the keys to discovering the important people, places and events that helped shape the western United States. An age appropriate (grades 3-5) introduction to curriculum-relevant subjects and a robust resource section that encourages independent study is included.
Life in the West
A True Book: Westward Expansion takes readers on an amazing journey to a fascinating time in U.S. history when the country was experiencing dynamic change and expanding westward.This book provides the keys to discovering the important people, places and events that helped shape the western United States. An age appropriate (grades 3-5) introduction to curriculum-relevant subjects and a robust resource section that encourages independent study is included.
North Carolina
Nestled in the Appalachian mountains, North Carolina has always been at the crossroads of American history. Both Revolutionary War and Civil War battles were fought on its soil, and the state underwent many changes from its inception to the present day. This accessible, informative book will guide the reader through the state's absorbing history. Students will learn about plant and animal life, geography, famous residents, and details about the state's government. Full color photographs and eye-catching design will make this a favorite go-to source on beautiful North Carolina
Hawaii
Nicknamed the "Aloha State," Hawaii is a great deal more than surfers and sunny beaches. This book covers all the basics that students need to know about the fiftieth state, which is the only state comprised of volcanic islands. A timeline of important events and a listing of key facts about the state are also included.
Louisiana
Louisiana attracts thousands of tourists each year who are drawn there by the state's historic buildings, legendary music scene, and rich cuisine. Home to a number of colleges, Louisiana is one of the United State's foremost cultural centers. Originally home to numerous Native American tribes, the state was colonized by the French in the 17th century, and then later purchased by the United States. Readers will be enthralled by the state's fascinating history, and will be shown how Louisiana's unique past has shaped its present. This book also describes the state's governmental structure, economy, and profiles of many famous residents.
The Boy in the Picture
Edward Mallandaine was there! To prove it he thrust himself into the historic photograph of the "Last Spike" being driven to mark the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Surrounded by the railway dignitaries of the time, his young face peers out amid their frosty beards. Edward had just turned eighteen when he left his home in Victoria, British Columbia, to join the Canadian militia to fight Louis Riel in the North-West Rebellion of 1885. Hired to ride dispatches over the unfinished stretch of railway in British Columbia, he meets highway men, high officials, men of the North-West Mounted Police, and the denizens of saloons hidden away in mountain passes. He survives the lawlessness of remote towns and railway camps, rubs shoulders with Chinese labourers struggling to blast a right-of-way through the towering peaks of Eagle Pass, and makes a freezing midnight ride by railway flatcar to reach the outpost of Craigellachie just in time.
Why Did The Great Depression Happen?
The decade of the 1920s was a good time to be an American; wealth and luxury were on the rise, culture and music was roarin', and the world was returning to normalcy following World War I. All this changed after the stock market crash of 1929 slammed the United States into the Great Depression, which would last more than a decade. This book covers the causes that led up to this event that affected, not only the United States, but many other countries.
All the People
Recommended by the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy as an exemplary informational text. A History of US is a 10-volume, award-winning series about the birth and development of the United States as related by master storyteller Joy Hakim. All the People, the last volume in the series, covers US History from the end of World War II to the present. This updated fourth edition covers, for the first time, events that have taken place in the past 6 years, including the 2008 election of Barack Obama and the signficance of this election. All the People focuses on Civil Rights in the last half of the 20th Century and the beginning of the 21st, ensuring that readers will have a firm grasp of the groundbreaking nature and lasting importance of this movement. Throughout the book, which has been completely redesigned with a bold new look, Hakim portrays contemporary American life in a lively, engaging way. Readers will encounter fascinating stories about famous Americans (Joe McCarthy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Richard Nixon), historical events (the Vietnam War, the first man on the moon), and major cultural movements (1960s counterculture, feminism). Interspersed features provide further anecdotes about the characters that have shaped the last 65 years--for instance, one conjectures about what Alan Greenspan might hide in his briefcase; another discusses the life and times of Mark I, the world's first automatic computer. Sidebars, illustrations, definitions and quotes line the margins, providing illimitable sources of information and entertainment. About the Series: Master storyteller Joy Hakim has excited millions of young minds with the great drama of American history in her award-winning series A History of US. Recommended by the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy as an exemplary informational text, A History of US weaves together exciting stories that bring American history to life. Hailed by reviewers, historians, educators, and parents for its exciting, thought-provoking narrative, the books have been recognized as a break-through tool in teaching history and critical reading skills to young people. In ten books that span from Prehistory to the 21st century, young people will never think of American history as boring again.
The Washington Monument
Do you know how long it took to build the Washington Monument? It took 36 years! Visitors have loved to look out from the top of this tall building ever since it was finished. But who planned the Washington Monument? And what troubles did workers building it face? Read this book to find out. Learn about many remarkable sites in the Famous Places series--part of the Lightning Bolt Books(TM) collection. With high-energy designs, exciting photos, and fun text, Lightning Bolt Books(TM) bring nonfiction topics to life.
Life As a Gladiator
Gladiators, many of them slaves, entertained Roman audiences by fighting with tridents and swords in huge stadiums. Their fights often were to the death. Will you: Fight at the side of Spartacus during a violent gladiator rebellion? Leave your home and family to train at a gladiator school in Pompeii? Try to earn your freedom as a champion gladiator at the Roman Amphitheater?
Life As a Viking
Viking warriors sailed their famous wooden ships throughout the world, leaving fear and destruction in their wake. Will you: Take part in the raid on Lindisfarne monastery? Invade England with the great Viking leader Halfdan Ragnarsson? Fight at the side of King Harald Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge?
Native American History for Kids
As the first Americans, hundreds of indigenous bands and nations already lived in North America when European explorers first set out to conquer an inhabited land. This book captures the early history of these complex societies and their 500-year struggle to survive against all odds from war, displacement, broken treaties, and boarding schools. Not only a history of tribal nations, Native American History for Kids also includes profiles of famous Native Americans and their many contributions, from early leaders to superstar athlete Jim Thorpe, dancer Maria Tallchief, astronaut John Herrington, author Sherman Alexie, actor Wes Studi, and more. Readers will also learn about Indian culture through hands-on activities, such as planting a Three Sisters garden (corn, squash, and beans), making beef jerky in a low-temperature oven, weaving a basket out of folded newspaper strips, deciphering a World War II Navajo Code Talker message, and playing Ball-and-Triangle, a game popular with Penobscot children. And before they are finished, readers will be inspired to know that the history of the Native American people is the history of all Americans.
Candy Bomber
One WWII pilot's mission to lift the spirits of children living in war-torn Berlin in 1945 comes to life in this moving middle-grade historical account. After World War II the United States and Britain airlifted food and supplies into Russian-blockaded West Berlin. US Air Force Lieutenant Gail S. Halvorsen knew the children of the city were suffering. To bring a bit of hope, he began dropping chocolate and chewing gum by parachute. What began as a one-time gesture of compassion turned into an official U.S. Air Force operation. "Operation Little Vittles" grew, as more and more pilots volunteered to drop the parachutes, and donations of candy and cloth poured in from all over. This inspiring story of one man's contribution to the rebuilding of a country after war is a unique look at history. Illustrated with archival photographs, personal photographs from Lt. Gail Halvorsen--the Chocolate Pilot--letters, and documents, Candy Bomber is an important and interesting addition to studies of World War II.
Atlanta, Ga
Do you know... WHAT surprised the city of Atlanta on March 14, 1993? (Hint: There was no sign of Hotlanta weather on that day!) WHICH event was called the Celebration of the Century in Atlanta? (Hint: It shared a tradition with ancient Greece!) Find these answers and more in Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know--an interesting little book about a very special place on the planet! Arcadia Kids is a new series of fun, colorful, easy-to-read books for children ages 7-11 featuring attention-grabbing cover art, inviting conversational style content, and vivid full-color images of landmarks and geography. Parents, grandparents, and savvy shoppers will appreciate the feel good factor of purchasing books that are both fun AND educational.
Dallas, TX
Do you know... WHAT unusual exhibit celebrates the work of many famous people at the Baylor University Medical Center? (Hint: The exhibit is a real "hands-on" display!) WHO claims the title of the "Tallest Cowboy in Texas?" (Hint: He's a regular at the State Fair!) Find these answers and more in Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know--an interesting little book about a very special place on the planet! Arcadia Kids is a new series of fun, colorful, easy-to-read books for children ages 7-11 featuring attention-grabbing cover art, inviting conversational style content, and vivid full-color images of landmarks and geography. Parents, grandparents, and savvy shoppers will appreciate the feel good factor of purchasing books that are both fun AND educational.
Buffalo, NY
Do you know... WHY the Buffalo Fire Department's Engine 20 is so special? (Hint: It's never slowed down by traffic on the city streets!) WHAT happened in 1927 that helped Canada and the United States become even better neighbors? (Hint: Think mile-long hand shake!) Find these answers and more in Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know--an interesting little book about a very special place on the planet! Arcadia Kids is a new series of fun, colorful, easy-to-read books for children ages 7-11 featuring attention-grabbing cover art, inviting conversational style content, and vivid full-color images of landmarks and geography. Parents, grandparents, and savvy shoppers will appreciate the feel good factor of purchasing books that are both fun AND educational.
Orlando, FL
Do you know... HOW Orlando helps animals as it treats much of its waste water? (Hint: Think "Home Sweet Home!") WHAT destroyed most of the citrus crop around Orlando in the late 1800s? (Hint: It was a surprise from Mother Nature!) Find these answers and more in Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know--an interesting little book about a very special place on the planet! Arcadia Kids is a new series of fun, colorful, easy-to-read books for children ages 7-11 featuring attention-grabbing cover art, inviting conversational style content, and vivid full-color images of landmarks and geography. Parents, grandparents, and savvy shoppers will appreciate the feel good factor of purchasing books that are both fun AND educational.
Tampa, FL
Do you know... WHY the Tampa area is especially attractive to so many birds? (Hint: Think "best nursery!) WHAT claim to fame makes Bayshore Boulevard so famous? (Hint: It goes beyond the beautiful views!) Find these answers and more in Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know--an interesting little book about a very special place on the planet! Arcadia Kids is a new series of fun, colorful, easy-to-read books for children ages 7-11 featuring attention-grabbing cover art, inviting conversational style content, and vivid full-color images of landmarks and geography. Parents, grandparents, and savvy shoppers will appreciate the feel good factor of purchasing books that are both fun AND educational.
Poop Happened!
How many toilets were in the average Egyptian pyramid? How did a knight wearing fifty pounds of armor go to the bathroom? Did Thomas Crapper really invent the modern toilet? And how did astronauts go in space?This is bathroom reading kids, teachers, librarians, and parents won't be able to put down!Wipe away the mystery of the history of poop in this exploration of how people's need to relieve themselves has shaped human civilizations from ancient times to the present. From the world's first flushing toilet, invented by ancient Minoan plumbers, to castle moats in the Middle Ages that used more than just water to repel enemies, Sarah Albee traces human health, sanitation, and civilizations using one revolting yet fascinating theme. A blend of photos and humorous illustrations bring history to life, plus extra-gross sidebar information adds to the potty humor.
Ghosts of War
In this extraordinary and harrowing memoir, follow one GI's tour of duty as Ryan Smithson brings readers inside a world that few understand. This is no ordinary teenager's story. Instead of opting for college life, Ryan Smithson joined the Army Reserve when he was seventeen. Two years later, he was deployed to Iraq as an Army engineer.His story--and the stories of thousands of other soldiers--is nothing like what you see on CNN or read about in the New York Times. This unforgettable story about combat, friendship, fear, and a soldier's commitment to his country peels back the curtain on the realities of war in a story all Americans should read.
Pop!
Gum. It's been around for centuries--from the ancient Greeks to the American Indians, everyone's chewed it. But the best kind of gum--bubble gum!--wasn't invented until 1928, when an enterprising young accountant at Fleer Gum and Candy used his spare time to experiment with different recipes. Bubble-blowing kids everywhere will be delighted with Megan McCarthy's entertaining pictures and engaging fun facts as they learn the history behind the pink perfection of Dubble Bubble.
Georgia
Help your child discover and understand exactly what makes Georgia so great - and perhaps learn a thing or two yourself!DO YOU KNOW... WHY the land in the Okefenokee Swamp seems to move? (Hint: It has to do with floating islands!) WHAT threatened the entire Georgia cotton business in the early 1920s? (Hint: It was smaller than your fingernail!) Find these answers and more in the Georgia edition of What's So Great About This State? Arcadia Kids is a new series of fun, colorful, easy-to-read books for children ages 7-11 featuring attention-grabbing cover art that invites conversational style content, and vivid full-color images of landmarks and geography. Parents, grandparents, and savvy shoppers will appreciate the feel good factor of purchasing books that are both fun AND educational.
New York
Help your child discover and understand exactly what makes New York so great - and perhaps learn a thing or two yourself!How many fingers the state of New York has? (Hint: Think lakes, not digits!) WHAT award Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Binghamton, and Syracuse compete for each year? (Hint: The winner has to do the most shoveling!) Find these answers and more in the New York edition of What's So Great About This State? Arcadia Kids is a series of fun, colorful, easy-to-read books for children ages 7-11 featuring attention-grabbing cover art, inviting conversational style content, and vivid full-color images of landmarks and geography.
Texas
Arcadia Kids is a new series of fun, colorful, easy-to-read books for children ages 7-11 featuring attention-grabbing cover art, inviting conversational style content, and vivid full-color images of landmarks and geography. Parents, grandparents, and savvy shoppers will appreciate the feel good factor of purchasing books that are both fun AND educational. DO YOU KNOW... WHY "Remember the Alamo" inspires great pride in Texas?(Hint: It had to do with overwhelming odds!) WHAT law enforcement agency first began protecting Texans in 1823?(Hint: Today's members still wear the traditional boots and white hats!) Find these answers and more in the Texas edition of What's So Great About This State?
Ohio
Arcadia Kids is a new series of fun, colorful, easy-to-read books for children ages 7-11 featuring attention-grabbing cover art, inviting conversational style content, and vivid full-color images of landmarks and geography. Parents, grandparents, and savvy shoppers will appreciate the feel good factor of purchasing books that are both fun AND educational. DO YOU KNOW... WHAT powered Ohio's first state-wide transportation system?(Hint: Special shoes and hay were needed!) HOW the western part of Ohio became so flat?(Hint: Think natural bulldozers!) Find these answers and more in the Ohio edition of What's So Great About This State?
G Is for Gladiators
According to Roman legend, what famous twins were raised by a she-wolf? Who wrote the epic poem, The Aeneaid? What famous leader brought law and stability, yet was stabbed to death by a group of senators? Life in ancient Rome was certainly not for the faint of heart! In G is for Gladiator: An Ancient Rome Alphabet, readers are given an A-Z introduction to ancient Rome, including its social, political, and civil customs and practices. Husband-and-wife writing team Debbie and Michael Shoulders explore topics such as Roman law, architecture, mythology, and of course, the ultimate "fight club" (gladiatorial combat). From the relaxed surroundings of the public baths to the rigid codes of the military legions, Rome's ancient civilization is unveiled. Colorful, entertaining artwork from Victor Juhasz, the illustrator of Z is for Zeus: A Greek Mythology Alphabet, brings it all to vivid life. Debbie and Michael Shoulders also coauthored D is for Drum: A Native American Alphabet. Debbie teaches middle school and reviews children's literature. An educator for 30 years, Mike now writes and travels year-round, championing literacy. He has written 10 books for Sleeping Bear Press. They live in Clarksville, Tennessee. Victor Juhasz's books include R is for Rhyme: A Poetry Alphabet and D is for Democracy: A Citizen's Alphabet. His work appears regularly in many major magazines and newspapers including Time, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. Victor lives in Stephentown, New York.
Canada on Fire
The summer of 1812 saw the beginning of one of the most brutal wars to take place on Canadian soil. With more than 1,600 people killed and a battlefront that extended from Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia to the Columbia River in what is now British Columbia, the war featured many brave men and women who fended off much larger American forces. Canada on Fire is an exciting account of the War of 1812 as told through the stories of the heroes who helped to defend Canada, people such as Mohawk chief John Norton, who led a small army into battle against the wishes of his tribe, and Red George Macdonnell, who spent the war defending the St. Lawrence River. With descriptions of the battle at Lundy's Lane, the adventures of the Sea Wolves, and the antics of James Fitzgibbon and his Bloody Boys, Canada on Fire reveals the War of 1812 as it has seldom been seen.
Smile
Raina Telgemeier's #1 New York Times bestselling, Eisner Award-winning graphic memoir based on her childhood!Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly.
