Special Collections

Once Upon A Starry Night

National Geographic’s stunning rendition of the constellations’ glittering lightshow is now available in paperback. Take an illuminating ride through the starry night sky, and learn how the heavens pay tribute to the gods of Greek and Roman mythology. Once Upon a Starry Night explains the ten ancient figures whose legends are written large across the universe. Every page shines with Christina Balit’s vibrant art, studded with shiny stars, and provides the perfect backdrop to Jacqueline Mitton’s poetic text.

Date Added: 05/15/2019

Life In The Ocean

Sylvia Earle first lost her heart to the ocean as a young girl when she discovered the wonders of the Gulf of Mexico in her backyard. As an adult, she dives even deeper. Whether she's designing submersibles, swimming with the whales, or taking deep-water walks, Sylvia Earle has dedicated her life to learning more about what she calls "the blue heart of the planet." With stunningly detailed pictures of the wonders of the sea, Life in the Ocean tells the story of Sylvia's growing passion and how her ocean exploration and advocacy have made her known around the world. This picture book biography also includes an informative author's note that will motivate young environmentalists.

Date Added: 05/15/2019

Ballet for Martha

A picture book about the making of Martha Graham's Appalachian Spring, her most famous dance performance

Martha Graham : trailblazing choreographer

Aaron Copland : distinguished American composer

Isamu Noguchi : artist, sculptor, craftsman

Award-winning authors Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan tell the story behind the scenes of the collaboration that created APPALACHIAN SPRING, from its inception through the score's composition to Martha's intense rehearsal process. The authors' collaborator is two-time Sibert Honor winner Brian Floca, whose vivid watercolors bring both the process and the performance to life.

Date Added: 05/20/2019

Georges Seurat

Clever illustrations and story lines, together with full-color reproductions of actual paintings, give children a light yet realistic overview of each artist's life and style in these fun and educational books.

Were his brilliant paintings a trick of the eye or a stroke of genius? Get to know the life and work of Post-Impressionist Georges Seurat -- inventor of Pointillism.

Date Added: 05/17/2019

Footprints On The Moon

On July 20, 1969, at 3:16 p.m., Commander Neil Armstrong brought the lunar module, Eagle , to a safe landing on the Moon. Millions of television viewers on Earth watched breathlessly as he then became the first man to set foot on the Moon. This amazing achievement was years, even centuries, in the making. The Moon and the heavens have intrigued mankind since ancient times.

FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON chronicles the spirit and determination of visionaries from Galileo to John F. Kennedy, whose dream of reaching the Moon was finally and superbly realized through the efforts of the Apollo missions.

With a compelling and thoroughly researched text, the great vision of the scientists, engineers, and astronauts who struggled to make the dream a reality is brought into sharp focus. The book brings to light great triumphs and tragedies. Readers will learn about the years of determination, experimentation, and risk that gave rise to many space explorations, including 17 Apollo missions. Today the Moon is less of a mystery than in ancient times, but it is still a wonder.

Breathtaking photographs--many from NASA--portray the indescribable beauty of outer space, the Moon, and the wonder of mankind's inspiring vision.

Date Added: 05/17/2019

Down, Down, Down

Half the earth's surface is covered by water more than a mile deep, but most of this watery world is a mystery to us. In fact, more people have stood on the surface of the moon than have visited the deepest spot in the ocean.

Come along as we travel down, down, down, from the surface to the bottom of the sea. Along the way you can see jellyfish that flash like a neon sign, creatures with teeth so big, they can't close their mouths, and even a squid as long as a bus, which battles to the death with a sperm whale, the largest predator on earth.

It'll be a journey you won't soon forget! Award-winning author-illustrator Steve Jenkins delivers another masterful collection of fascinating facts and amazing art.

Date Added: 05/17/2019

First Big Book Of The Ocean

National Geographic Kids First Big Book of the Ocean is an adorable animal reference that includes the sea's high-interest animals, such as dolphins, sharks, sea otters, and penguins, and introduces kids to some of its lesser-known creatures. More than 100 charming animal photos illustrate the profiles, with facts about the creatures' sizes, diets, homes, and more. This book will quickly become a favorite at storytime, bedtime, and any other time.

Date Added: 05/17/2019

Edgar Degas

Edgar Degas is famous for his paintings of ballerinas, and that's what first attracts Kristin to his artwork. But as she studies him for her report, she discovers that his art ranged far beyond the ballet and she gradually learns exactly what makes Degas's work so unique.

Date Added: 05/17/2019

Rebekkah's Journey

In 1944 a vacant army base in upstate New York became the temporary home of over 900 men, women and children who had fled Europe towards the end of World War II. With little more than the clothing on their backs, Rebekkah and her mother are just two of the many refugees who come to live in the camp. Adjusting to a strange new world and a new language, Rebekkah puts aside her own fears to try and recreate tiny bits of home for her mother. A fictional story based on the real-life experiences of surviving refugees, Rebekkah's Journey shares the illuminating story of one refugee's arrival on America's shores.

Date Added: 05/21/2019

Jose! Born To Dance

José was a boy with a song in his heart and a dance in his step. Born in Mexico in 1908, he came into the world kicking like a steer, and grew up to love to draw, play the piano, and dream. José's dreaming took him to faraway places. He dreamed of bullfighters and the sounds of the cancan dancers that he saw with his father. Dance lit a fire in José's soul. With his heart to guide him, José left his family and went to New York to dance. He learned to flow and float and fly through space with steps like a Mexican breeze. When José danced, his spirit soared. From New York to lands afar, José Limón became known as the man who gave the world his own kind of dance.

Susanna Reich's lyrical text and Raúl Colón's shimmering artwork tell the story of a boy who was determined to make a difference in the world, and did. José! Born to Dance will inspire picture book readers to follow their hearts and live their dreams.

Date Added: 05/21/2019

Paper Son

In 1926, 12-year-old Fu Lee lives with his grandparents in a small village in China. He lives with his grandparents because his parents are dead. It is a difficult life but made easier by the love Lee shares with his grandparents. But now Lee must leave all that he knows. Before his parents died, they spent all of their money buying a "paper son slot" for Lee to go to America. Being a "paper son" means pretending to be the son of a family already in America. If he goes, he will have the chance for a better life. But first he must pass the test at Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco. Only then will he be allowed to live with his new family. If Lee makes even a single mistake, he could be sent back to China. Lee knows his grandparents want a better life for him. He can't let them down.

Date Added: 05/21/2019

If You Decide to Go to the Moon

"If you decide to go to the moon," writes Faith McNulty, "read this book first. It will tell you how to get there and what to do after you land. The most important part tells you how to get home." Written in the second person, the text allows the reader to participate in every aspect of the journey, from packing ("don't forget your diary and plenty of food") to liftoff (at first you'll feel heavy; don't worry") to traveling through space (where "the moon glows like a pearl in the black, black sky"). The reader lands at the Sea of Tranquility, the site of the first lunar landing

Date Added: 05/29/2019

Sharks

If you believe the movies and books about shark attacks, you probably think that sharks are the biggest, scariest animals on the planet. But are all sharks the giant man hunters they are so often made out to be? What do they eat, where do they swim, and what do they do on weekends? Dive in and explore one of the world’s most mysterious creatures with acclaimed science writer Seymour Simon.

With clear, simple text and stunning full-color photographs, readers will learn all about sharks—their behavior and habitat—in this informative picture book.

Perfect for young scientists’ school reports, this book supports the Common Core State Standards.

Date Added: 05/30/2019

Seymour Simon's Extreme Oceans

Imagine yourself exploring the most extreme parts of our amazing oceans-riding the tallest waves, diving to the darkest depths, and encountering the largest and most dangerous sea creatures on Earth. Join award-winning author Seymour Simon as he introduces you to the most extreme environments, animals, plants, and weather in the ocean! These mind-bending facts and stunning photographs invite you on an exciting, and sometimes unbelievable, underwater expedition.

Date Added: 06/05/2019

Find The Constellations

Containing star charts, a guide to the constellations, and details about seasons and the movement of the objects we see in the sky, this classic book makes H. A. Rey’s passion for astronomy evident on every page.

New updates concentrate on the planetary and solar system information in the latter part of the book. Facts and figures for each planet have been revised, and new scientific information has been added, such as Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet. There's also a brand-new online resource that allows readers to track the positions of the planets in the night sky till the year 2100!

Date Added: 06/05/2019

Mario's Angels

As he watches Mr. Giotto decorate the walls and ceiling of a chapel with beautiful frescoes, little Mario longs to help, but Giotto always says no. When Father Prior inspects the work, he frowns and tells Giotto the sky is too dark. Try as he might, Giotto can’t lighten the fresco. Later that night, as he watches his baby sister, Mario dreams up a wonderful plan to brighten the frescoes — if only Mr. Giotto will listen! This appealing, informative story, enhanced by Gillian McClure's delightful illustrations, brings Giotto's work, and his world, to life.

Date Added: 05/30/2019

Shark Lady

A biography of the ichthyologist whose interest in fish began at the age of nine during weekly trips to the Aquarium in New York City. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

Date Added: 03/05/2019

Manfish

Before Jacques Cousteau became an internationally known oceanographer and champion of the seas, he was a curious little boy. In this lovely biography, poetic text and gorgeous paintings combine to create a portrait of Jacques Cousteau that is as magical as it is inspiring.

Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these in the future.

Date Added: 03/05/2019

Tentacles!

For centuries, sailors have handed down stories of the giant squid. They say this mysterious monster of the deep chases ships and battles whales. They say it can weigh up to 1,000 pounds and that its eyes can be as big as a human head! Are these stories fact or fantasy? Find out in this exciting beginning reader.

Date Added: 03/05/2019

Giant Squid

The giant squid is one of the most elusive creatures in the world. As large as whales, they hide beyond reach deep within the sea, forcing scientists to piece together their story from those clues they leave behind.

An injured whale's ring-shaped scars indicate an encounter with a giant squid. A piece of beak broken off in the whale's belly; a flash of ink dispersed as a blinding defense to allow the squid to escape-- these fragments of proof were all we had . . . until a giant squid was finally filmed in its natural habitat only two years ago.

In this beautiful and clever nonfiction picture book about the giant squid, Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann explore, both visually and poetically, this hidden creature's mysterious life.

Date Added: 03/05/2019

Surprising Sharks

This vibrant new book-and-CD series brings the best of our Read and Wonder nature stories to life. Each paperback title in the series includes a CD that features: - an engaging read-aloud with sound effects - a segment focusing on fascinating facts - a read-along opportunity guided by prompts A compelling narrative, captivating facts, and colorful illustrations make for a surprising book about sharks that kids can really sink their teeth into.

Date Added: 03/05/2019

Weird Sea Creatures

Many strange sea creatures live in the ocean. Some are beautiful. Some are ugly. Some are cute, and some are scary. Weird sea creatures are strange for a reason.

Date Added: 03/05/2019

Buzz Aldrin

Buzz Aldrin's autobiography for children.

Date Added: 03/05/2019

The Moon over Star

On her family's farm in the town of Star, eight-year-old Mae eagerly follows the progress of the 1969 Apollo 11 flight and moon landing and dreams that she might one day be an astronaut, too.

Date Added: 03/05/2019

Planets!

Take a trip around our solar system, Find out how Pluto was named, See amazing snapshots from space & Learn more than forty fun facts about our universe

Level 2 includes longer sentences with richer vocabulary, type set line to line to aid readability, varied photographic treatments, and brief chapters with simple illustrated diagrams and a glossary.

Special features include How Big?, Take a Close Look, Did You Know?, Words to Know, Fun Facts and full color photographs, as well as a full page, simply labeled diagram showing body parts.

Date Added: 05/15/2019