The Clay Marble
Fleeing war-torn Cambodia in 1980, Dara, her mother, and her older brother find sanctuary in a refugee settlement on the Thailand border, but when fighting erupts, Dara finds herself separated from everyone and everything she loves.
Wagon Wheels: (I Can Read Book Series: Level 3)
Based on a true story, Wagon Wheels tells a powerful and overlooked story of the country's post-Civil War era.Formerly enslaved Ed Muldie and his family travel to Kansas in 1878 to claim land under the Homestead Act. Mother dies on the journey from Kentucky. The family joins a free Black community in Nicodemus, Kansas. They survive a difficult winter thanks to help from the Osage Native community. But in spring Daddy must leave the boys to find better land for farming.The two older boys, eleven and eight, take care of their three-year-old brother in these difficult times. Then a letter arrives via Pony Express. Daddy has settled and gives the boys a map to follow. The three boys must begin their own journey. They must care for one another as they travel 150 miles on foot to join him in their new home."The Muldies' story gives beginning readers a glimpse of homesteaders' life and, specifically, an awareness of the Black groups in Kansas--and the boys' impressive feats of coping make for...genuine human interest." (Kirkus)Wagon Wheels is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level Three books are written for early independent readers. They include some challenging words and more complex themes and stories.
Daniel's Story
Daniel barely remembers leading a normal life before the Nazis came to power in 1933. He can still picture once being happy and safe, but memories of those days are fading as he and his family face the dangers threatening Jews in Hitler's Germany in the late 1930's. No longer able to practice their religion, vote, own property, or even work, Daniel's family is forced from their home in Frankfurt and sent on a long and dangerous journey, first to the Lodz ghetto in Poland, and then to Auschwitz -, the Nazi death camp. Though many around him lose hope in the face of such terror, Daniel, supported by his courageous family, struggles for survival. He finds hope, life and even love in the midst of despair.
The Shining Company
Life is secure and peaceful for young Prosper, second son of Gerontius, until the day Prince Gorthyn arrives with his hunting party. Prosper's unusual daring in the hunt catches the prince's attention, and he promises to make Prosper his shield-bearer when he comes of age. Two years later, three hundred princes are summoned to the king's fortress at Dyn Eidin, where they will prepare to fight the Saxon forces which are gaining strength in the east. Prosper, with Conn, his bondservant, leaves his father's lands to join Gorthyn in the rigorous training for battle. With the coming of spring, word reaches the Three Hundred Companions that the Saxon leader has taken yet another kingdom. They set out at once for the Saxon stronghold of Catraeth, where Prosper must face the greatest challenges of his life.Adventure and heroism against impossible odds create a moving, robust tale set in Britain in the eighth century and based on actual events.
Pedro’s Journal
Pedro de Salcedo could not have known what adventures lay ahead! His incredible voyage as ship's boy aboard Christopher Columbus' Santa Maria would bring both danger and excitement. Pedro captured his experience between the pages of a journal. If he did not return alive perhaps someone, someday would find it and learn of his incredible journey to the New World.
A Parcel of Patterns
"A parcel of patterns brought the plague to Eyam. A parcel sent up from London to George Vicars, a journeyman tailor, who was lodging with Mrs. Cooper in a cottage by the west end of the churchyard. So begins Mall Percival's account of how her village of Eyam struggled against the plague. George Vicars dies on September 6, 1665, and by the end of October, twenty-five more townsfolk have been buried. As the deaths continue, the villagers, including Mall, begin to panic--helpless to fight off the disease. Uncertain as to how it is contracted and passed from one person to another, Mall forces herself to make a sacrifice that radically changes her life--she decides to stops seeing Thomas Torre, a man from another village, the man she hopes to marry. In June of 1966, at their minister's urging, the entire village makes a pact to protect those who live in the surrounding countryside by staying within the boundaries of Eyam. Although Mall longs to see Thomas, she remains steadfast in her resolution, until one day Thomas runs into the center of Eyam, knowing that he will not be allowed to leave, yet fearing that Mall has died. Mall and Thomas marry, but their happiness is short-lived. Finally, in October of 1666, the pestilence subsides. Mall, overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, decides to write a chronicle of all she has witnessed in Eyam, hoping that it will set her free.
The House on Maple Street
What would you see from your front porch if your neighborhood suddenly looked as it did three hundred years ago? When the two girls who live at 107 Maple Street discover an ancient arrowhead and a broken china cup, they begin to wonder.
Stanley (I Can Read Book Series: Level 1)
Syd Hoff's comical, charming illustrations will delight readers young and old alike in this beloved classic I Can Read about a caveman who's not afraid to be himself. Stanley is no ordinary caveman. This makes the other cavemen so angry that they chase him away. But Stanley just goes on being different, and as the others soon see, different isn't such a bad idea after all.Stanley is a funny story with a timeless message. As Children's Book and Their Creators commented: "Humorously demonstrates how one noncomformist can make a tremendous difference to his society."This Level 1 I Can Read classic by Syd Hoff, author of Danny and the Dinosaur, is perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, theshort sentences, familiar words, and simple concepts of Level One books supportsuccess for children eager to start reading on their own.
Caddie Woodlawn’s Family
Caddie Woodlawn is back and there are more frontier adventures to go on in this sequel to the Newbery Medal-winning novel, Caddie Woodlawn! The high-spirited Caddie is back with her lively siblings for some amusing escapades. In these fourteen stories, learn about frontier life with the seven Woodlawn children. Join them as they romp through the pages, discovering a secret horde of watermelons long after melon season, engaging in cattail fights, and adopting baby animals. You'll also encounter of a young preacher doing a favor for a wandering Indian, a poor girl revealing a surprising talent at a medicine show, and Caddie ruining her new dress at the Independence Day celebration. These latest adventures are sure to capture every reader's attention--and heart.
A Gathering of Days
A Gathering of Days is Joan W. Blos' novel that serves as a fictional version of a New England girl's journal. The journal of a 14-year-old girl, kept the last year she lived on the family farm, records daily events in her small New Hampshire town, her father's remarriage, and the death of her best friend.
Stone Soup
A Caldecott Honor Book with remastered artwork for its 75th anniversary! Clever soldiers outwit greedy townspeople with the creation of a special soup in this cherished classic. Three soldiers come marching down the road towards a French village. The peasants, seeing them coming, suddenly become very busy, for soldiers are often hungry. All their food is hidden under mattresses or in barns. Then follows a battle of wits, with the soldiers equal to the occasion. Why, of course--even with no food, they can still make a wonderful soup! All they will need is three round stones. But to make a truly perfect stone soup, they will of course also need a carrot or two...a cabbage...and so it goes. First published in 1947, Marcia Brown's retelling of a French folktale is a picture book classic. Her lively art creates a festival of activity, of dancing and laughter, that young readers will want to experience again and again.
Teddy Roosevelt
Focuses on the childhood of the dynamic president, describing how Teddy worked hard to improve his poor health and developed a lifelong interest in nature and the conservation of natural resources.
Letters to Oma
When fifteen-year-old Christina Eudora Von Scholl learns that her family will leave their German homeland to seek freedom in Texas, her greatest sorrow is leaving behind her beloved grandmother. And so, in a series of letters, she takes "Oma" on this great adventure with her family . . . and takes us as readers. Sometimes the letters are dark with discouragement, for the Von Scholls find, as did many German-Texas families, that the Society for the Protection of German Emigrants, known as the Adelsverein, was unable to fulfill its promises of land, housing, horses, and farm implements. But they are Germans, determined and willing to work hard. More often these letters--and the text woven in between them--are bright with adventure, for Tina finds Texas an exciting, if puzzling, place. There are new customs to learn, new foods to eat, even while the family preserves its traditional German ways. Tina's adventures include a run-in with a mountain lion, an exciting trip across Texas with her father to Sisterdale, and a frightening encounter with Lipan Indians. Her lessons in being an American are helped by Jeff, a young man who becomes part of the family when he undertakes to teach them to farm in Texas. Tina, in return, teaches Jeff to read and learns a lesson in love that is without nationality. Letters to Oma is a charming, informative novel that sweeps the reader back to a very particular time and place. And Tina Von Scholl is irresistible as correspondent and as heroine.
The Josefina Story Quilt: (I Can Read Book Series: Level 3)
This sweet story is a favorite for units on the American pioneer era as well as using quilting to preserve memories.Faith's family is heading west! It's 1850, and it's time to pack their covered wagon to prepare for the journey to California and a new life. Faith's Pa says there's no room on a wagon train for Josefina, a chicken who's too tough to eat and too old to lay eggs. But Faith loves her pet. Can Josefina show Pa that she still has a few surprises left in her?As a five-star review from a teacher put it: "My students love this one! Each chapter has a quilt block to go with it. Faith works on the quilt blocks as they travel and each block tells a story about part of the journey. In the end they sew the blocks together to make a Josefina story quilt."The Josefina Story Quilt is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level Three books are written for early independent readers. They include some challenging words and more complex themes and stories.
The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt by Day
Tom Barton and his Uncle Jack help William Tyndale smuggle newly translated Bibles into England.
The People Could Fly
"The well-known author retells 24 black American folk tales in sure storytelling voice: animal tales, supernatural tales, fanciful and cautionary tales, and slave tales of freedom. All are beautifully readable. With the added attraction of 40 wonderfully expressive paintings by the Dillons, this collection should be snapped up."--(starred) School Library Journal. This book has been selected as a Common Core State Standards text Exemplar (Grade 6-8, Stories) in Appendix B.
Daniel Boone
A biography of Daniel Boone, the famous American pioneer and frontiersman who became one of the first folk heroes of the United States, focusing on his childhood. One of the most popular series ever published for young Americans, these classics have been praised by parents, teachers, and librarians alike. With these lively, inspiring, fictionalized biographies--easily read by children aged eight and up--today's youngster is swept right into history.
Lou Gehrig
In this edition of one of the most popular series for children, young readers will learn about famous baseball player Lou Gehrig's childhood. One of the most popular series ever published for young Americans, these classics have been praised alike by parents, teachers, and librarians. With these lively, inspiring, fictionalized biographies--easily read by children aged eight and up--today's youngster is swept into history.
Caddie Woodlawn
Caddie Woodlawn, which has been captivating young readers since 1935, was awarded the John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Now it is in a brand-new edition with lively illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman. In her new foreword, Carol Ryrie Brink lovingly recalls the real Caddie, who was her grandmother, and tells how she often "sat spellbound, listening, listening!" as Caddie told stories of her pioneer childhood. Children everywhere will love redheaded Caddie with her penchant for pranks. Scarcely out of one scrape before she is into another, she refuses to be a "lady," preferring instead to run the woods with her brothers. Whether she is crossing the lake on a raft, visiting an Indian camp, or listening to the tales of the circuit rider, Caddie's adventures provide an exciting and authentic picture of life on the Wisconsin frontier in the 1860s. And readers will discover, as Caddie learns what growing up truly means, that it is not so very different today.
The First Four Years
The ninth and final book in Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic Little House series.Laura Ingalls Wilder is beginning life with her new husband, Almanzo, in their own little house. Laura is a young pioneer wife now, and must work hard with Almanzo, farming the land around their home on the South Dakota prairie. Soon their baby daughter, Rose, is born, and the young family must face the hardships and triumphs encountered by so many American pioneers.The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura's childhood as an American pioneer, and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier, and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family.
Call It Courage
Maftu was afraid of the sea. It had taken his mother when he was a baby, and it seemed to him that the sea gods sought vengeance at having been cheated of Mafatu. So, though he was the son of the Great Chief of Hikueru, a race of Polynesians who worshipped courage, and he was named Stout Heart, he feared and avoided tha sea, till everyone branded him a coward. When he could no longer bear their taunts and jibes, he determined to conquer that fear or be conquered-- so he went off in his canoe, alone except for his little dog and pet albatross. A storm gave him his first challenge. Then days on a desert island found him resourceful beyond his own expectation. This is the story of how his courage grew and how he finally returned home. This is a legend. It happened many years ago, but even today the people of Hikueru sing this story and tell it over their evening fires.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1687. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a family she has never met. Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be true to herself, Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place. Just when it seems she must give up, she finds a kindred spirit. But Kit's friendship with Hannah Tupper, believed by the colonists to be a witch, proves more taboo than she could have imagined and ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty. Elizabeth George Speare won the 1959 Newbery Medal for this portrayal of a heroine whom readers will admire for her unwavering sense of truth as well as her infinite capacity to love.
Little House on the Prairie
Based on the real-life adventures of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie is the third book in the award-winning Little House series, which has captivated generations of readers. This edition features the classic black-and-white artwork from Garth Williams. Laura Ingalls and her family are heading to Kansas! Leaving behind their home in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, they travel by covered wagon until they find the perfect spot to build a little house on the prairie. Laura and her sister Mary love exploring the rolling hills around their new home, but the family must soon get to work, farming and hunting and gathering food for themselves and for their livestock. Just when the Ingalls family starts to settle into their new home, they find themselves caught in the middle of a conflict. Will they have to move again?The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura's real childhood as an American pioneer, and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier, and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family.