Special Collections
Into Reading Texas Grade 5 (NIMAC)
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Love, Amalia
by Alma Ada and Gabriel ZubizarretaNIMAC-sourced textbook
Amalia deals with loss while learning about love and her cultural heritage in this tender tale from acclaimed authors Alma Flor Ada and Gabriel M. Zubizarreta.
Amalia’s best friend Martha is moving away, and Amalia is feeling sad and angry. And yet, even when life seems unfair, the loving, wise words of Amalia’s abuelita have a way of making everything a little bit brighter. Amalia finds great comfort in times shared with her grandmother: cooking, listening to stories and music, learning, and looking through her treasured box of family cards.
But when another loss racks Amalia’s life, nothing makes sense anymore. In her sorrow, will Amalia realize just how special she is, even when the ones she loves are no longer near?
From leading voices in Hispanic literature, this thoughtful and touching depiction of one girl’s transition through loss and love is available in both English and Spanish.
A Night at the Beach
by Diane Bair and Pamela WrightNIMAC-sourced textbook. The beach is a special environment that includes mudflats, marshes, sand dunes, and other places. Read this book to learn about the beach and the animals that you might see there.
Luca's Adventures in Florence
by Cameron Macintosh and Alessandro BaldanziNIMAC-sourced textbook. Luca's older brother, Renzo, has left the farm and moved to Florence to work as an artist's assistant. As Luca learns woodcrafting from his father, he wonders what life working in an artist's workshop in the big city must be like.
The Rainbow Serpent: An Aboriginal Australian Story
by Chris Sarandis and Bronwyn BancroftNIMAC-sourced textbook
The Martian Tales
by Kristin Barr and Marilee BurtonNIMAC-sourced textbook
Life has just turned upside down for Sanders A. Parker. His parents are talking about separating. He is being forced to spend the summer with a grandfather he hardly knows. And he has suddenly realized that he isn't an ordinary kid at all. He can't be--not with all that's going on. He must be a Martian--sent to Earth to report on the terrible things that can happen to unsuspecting kids.
The Day-Glo Brothers
by Chris Barton and Tony PersianiNIMAC-sourced textbook
A discovery that made the world a brighter place! Joe and Bob Switzer were very different brothers. Bob was a studious planner who wanted to grow up to be a doctor. Joe dreamed of making his fortune in show business and loved magic tricks and problem-solving.
When an accident left Bob recovering in a darkened basement, the brothers began experimenting with ultraviolet light and fluorescent paints. Together they invented a whole new kind of color, one that glows with an extra-special intensity—Day-Glo.
Robot Trouble
by Claire Daniel and Christine BenjaminNIMAC-sourced textbook. When Gabriela misses the deadline to sign up for Space Camp, she decides to build a robot, hoping that the robot will be impressive enough to secure her a job at the Space Center. But when the robot doesn't always understand instructions, Gabriela and her brother have some hilarious mishaps.
Super Winter Survivors
by Diane Blair and Pamela WrightNIMAC-sourced textbook. Many animals have winter survival strategies. Learn how animals use hibernation, migration, and camouflage to survive the long, harsh winter.
Stars of the Red Carpet
by Marianne Posadas and Susy BoyerNIMAC-sourced textbook. When stressed-out entertainment lawyer Eva and her daughter, Tania, take a weekend drive to the country to escape the pressures of day-to-day life, a car breakdown and an unexpected meeting open up a whole new world of possibilities for them. They discover a peaceful country town, where a new life beckons for Eva, Tania and the Empire, an old run-down movie theater that has seen better days.
The Search for New Lands
by Ellen CatalaNIMAC-sourced textbook
Who was Marco Polo? What did Christopher Columbus find? Learn about these European explorers and others as you read about the search for new lands.
Running for the Bus
by Peter Corey and Caroline HuNIMAC-sourced textbook. Tommy is always running because he's late for the bus. And now the school's minibus has broken down! As the whole school works to raise funds for a new one, Tommy helps Adam prepare for the basketball fundraiser, while also improving his own running skills for the big race. Will they raise enough money for a new minibus?
The Elephant Keeper
by Margriet Ruurs and Pedro CovoNIMAC-sourced textbook
When teenaged Aaron discovers a baby elephant nearly drowning in the swimming pool at the guest lodge where he works, he acts quickly and manages to save the animal just in time. The rescued baby is brought to an elephant orphanage for care, and given the name Zambezi. Though Aaron has been raised to think of elephants as dangerous to humans and their crops, on a visit to the orphanage, he learns that illegal poaching of these animals is threatening them with extinction, and the orphanage is trying to prevent that from happening. And when Aaron is offered a job at the orphanage, his life is suddenly transformed, as he discovers a bond of friendship with Zambezi and his lifelong vocation as an elephant keeper.
Inspired by the real-life Aaron and Zambezi at the Lilayi Elephant Nursery in Zambia, author Margriet Ruurs has created a moving story that powerfully demonstrates the plight of endangered animals everywhere. Pedro Covo's stunning illustrations add a level of depth and haunting beauty to the story and the animals. Three nonfiction spreads interspersed throughout the story explore facts about elephants, ivory poaching and elephant orphanages. The back of the book contains ways children can help endangered wildlife. Useful tools include a table of contents and a glossary. This beautifully illustrated nonfiction book spans the curriculum, from life sciences to global awareness to environmental stewardship. It also offers a unique perspective for character education lessons on empathy, caring and responsibility on a larger scale.
Cars
by Debbie CroftNIMAC-sourced textbook. Cars have come a long way since they were first rolled out in the late 1800s. Early models were powered by simple internal combustion engines as a replacement for the horse-drawn carriage. Today, though, cars are designed to be comfortable, safe, sleek, and stylish. The latest computer technology has made many car functions automatic and will one day allow for cars to drive themselves!