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Uncommon Champions: Fifteen Athletes Who Battled Back
by Marty KaminskyThese fifteen motivating stories prove that integrity and honor are not entirely missing from the playing fields. Readers will share the excitement as blind mountain climber Erik Weihenmayer scales the heights of Mount McKinley; as sprinter Gail Devers returns from a life-threatening illness to defend her Olympic title . . . and more. Despite facing incredible adversity, each of these stars found the heart and stamina to persevere.
Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat
by Gail JarrowOne hundred years ago, a mysterious and alarming illness spread across America's South, striking tens of thousands of victims. No one knew what caused it or how to treat it. People were left weak, disfigured, insane, and in some cases, dead. Award-winning science and history writer Gail Jarrow tracks this disease, commonly known as pellagra, and highlights how doctors, scientists, and public health officials finally defeated it. Illustrated with 100 archival photographs, Red Madness includes stories about real-life pellagra victims and accounts of scientific investigations. It concludes with a glossary, timeline, further resources, author's note, bibliography, and index.
Words with Wings
by Nikki GrimesGaby daydreams to tune out her parents' arguments, but when her parents divorce and she begins a new school, daydreaming gets her into trouble. Her mother scolds her for it, her teacher keeps telling her to pay attention, and the other kids tease her...until she finds a friend who also daydreams and her teacher decides to work a daydreaming-writing session into every school day. With a notebook "thick with daydreams," Gaby grows more confident about herself and her future. This verse novel poignantly celebrates the power of writing and the inspiration a good teacher can deliver.
Blue (Bakers Mountain Stories)
by Joyce Moyer HostetterWith her father away at war to fight Hitler, a young girl gains strength by joining her community in battling polio in this Parents' Choice Silver Honor Book based on the 1944 epidemic and the "Miracle of Hickory" Hospital in Hickory, North Carolina. Ann Fay Honeycutt accepts the role of "man of the house" when her father leaves because she wants to do her part for the war. She's doing well with the extra responsibilities when a frightening polio epidemic strikes, crippling many local children. Her town of Hickory responds by creating an emergency hospital in three days. Ann Fay reads each issue of the newspaper for the latest news of the epidemic. But soon she discovers for herself just how devastating polio can be. As her challenges grow, so does her resourcefulness. In the face of tragedy, Ann Fay discovers her ability to move forward. She experiences the healing qualities of friendship and explores the depths of her own faithfulness to those she loves--even to one she never expected to love at all.
Strike!: The Farm Workers' Fight for Their Rights
by Larry Dane BrimnerIn 1965, as the grapes in California's Coachella Valley were ready to harvest, migrant Filipino American workers--who picked and readied the crop for shipping--negotiated a wage of $1.40 per hour, the same wage growers had agreed to pay guest workers from Mexico. But when the Filipino grape pickers moved north to Delano, in the Central Valley, and again asked for $1.40 an hour, the growers refused. The ensuing conflict set off one of the longest and most successful strikes in American history. In Strike!, award-winning author Larry Dane Brimner dramatically captures that story. Brimner, a master researcher, fills this riveting account of the strike and its aftermath with the words of migrant workers, union organizers, and grape growers, as well as archival images that capture that first strike in 1965 and the ones that subsequently followed. Includes an author's note, bibliography, and source notes.
Wham! It's a Poetry Jam: Discovering Performance Poetry
by Sara HolbrookTake a wild ride with poet Sara Holbrook as she guides young writers in performing their poetry with style and pizzazz. With enthusiasm and a touch of irreverence, Ms. Holbrook, a performance poet herself, explains how to use voice, rhythm, attitude, movement, and other techniques to perform poetry in a group, duo, or solo. More than thirty poems are included for young readers to practice, as well as instructions for putting on a poetry jam at school or in the community.
Firebug
by Marianne MitchellCleaning cabins and washing dishes isn't what twelve-year-old Haley Sparks had in mind for her summer vacation. She never imagined she'd be working at her Uncle Jake's new bed-and-breakfast called Rockaby Ranch. And she never dreamed she would spend the summer tracking down an arsonist. On the night of her arrival at the ranch, Haley is greeted by the sight of a cabin going up in flames. Uncle Jake chalks the fire up to bad luck. But Haley suspects foul play. But who among the guests would do such a thing? And why? Could it be Aquanetta Real, an aspiring country singer from Houston? Vivica Dove, the granddaughter of Uncle Jake's old friends the Craigs? Or maybe Rags, the ranch hand, who has a history of trouble? When another fire scatters the horses and almost sets the barn on fire, Haley is determined to find the culprit before Uncle Jake loses his ranch. Marianne Mitchell's riveting mystery, set among the red rocks and canyons of Sedona, Arizona, will engage the minds of young mystery lovers as her plucky young detective inches closer to unmasking the firebug.
Voices from the March on Washington
by George Ella Lyon J. Patrick LewisThe powerful poems in this poignant collection weave together multiple voices to tell the story of the March on Washington, DC, in 1963. From the woman singing through a terrifying bus ride to DC, to the teenager who came partly because his father told him, "Don't you dare go to that march," to the young child riding above the crowd on her father's shoulders, each voice brings a unique perspective to this tale. <P><P> As the characters tell their personal stories of this historic day, their chorus plunges readers into the experience of being at the march--walking shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers, hearing Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech, heading home inspired.
Secret Within, The
by Theresa Martin GoldingCarly Chambers has a secret. With her family constantly on the move and father's harsh rules keeping her close to home, it had been an easy secret to keep. Until now. This summer in a beach town on the Jersey coast everything is unraveling. Slipping out of her bedroom window each night, Carly only wants to steal a few hours of freedom on the boardwalk. Then comes the night when she discovers that a stranger has been watching her every move and asking questions about her. Carly is caught in a dangerous game of hiding from the stranger and dodging her abusive father. In this compelling novel by Theresa Martin Golding, Carly Chambers discovers that sometimes the only thing worse than revealing a painful secret--is keeping it.
Black-eyed Suzie
by Susan ShawSuzie is a dark-eyed twelve-year-old who desperately needs to feel safe and worthy of love. Seeking only to be "good enough," she remains motionless and silent for hours on end, feeling the walls of her psychological prison pressing against her. Ultimately, Suzie finds herself in a mental hospital where she begins a long and fear-filled journey. To make sense of her world, Suzie must piece together a puzzle that involves seemingly unrelated clues--a broken bicycle, a torn picture, peacock feathers, and more--which together reveal a secret that is likely to change Suzie's life forever, and give her an opportunity to regain her voice and reclaim here spirit.
Solomon and the Ant: And Other Jewish Folktales
by Sheldon Oberman Peninnah SchramA treasure trove of forty-three religious, wisdom, riddle, and trickster Jewish folktales that have been told near the hearth, at the table, and in the synagogue for centuries. <P><P>Sheldon Oberman, a master storyteller, retells the tales with simplicity and grace, making them perfect for performing and reading aloud. <P><P>Peninnah Schram, herself an acclaimed storyteller and folklorist, provides lively notes and commentary that examine the meaning of each tale and its place in history.
Comfort (Bakers Mountain Stories Ser.)
by Joyce Moyer HostetterNow that Daddy has returned from fighting Hitler and Ann Fay is home from the polio hospital, life should get back to normal. But Ann Fay discovers she no longer fits easily into old friendships and Daddy has been traumatized by the war. Her family and social life are both falling apart. Ever responsible, she tries to fix things until she finally admits that she herself needs fixing. She travels to the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, founded by Franklin D. Roosevelt, where she finds comfort, healing, and even a little romance. Although this invigorating experience does not solve all her problems, it does give Ann Fay a new view of herself. In this Parents' Choice Awards Recommended Book, sequel to Blue, Ann Fay makes new friends, reevaluates old relationships and discovers her unique place in the community.
Where Do You Stay?
by Andrea ChengJerome is staying with his Aunt Geneva and her family, now that his mother has passed away. Aunt Geneva does her best to make Jerome feel welcome, but it just doesn't feel like home. He misses his mother, he misses his piano, and his cousins make it clear they're not happy about the new living arrangements. Then Jerome meets Mr. Willie, who lives in a ramshackle carriage house nearby. Mr. Willie isn't like other people in Jerome's life: he doesn't ask a lot of questions; he just listens. He played the piano as a boy, just like Jerome. Maybe Jerome can find a home again with Mr. Willie. But when the carriage house is slated for demolition, Mr. Willie disappears. Jerome wonders where his friend will stay, and whether he will ever find a place to call home in this Society of School Librarians International Honor Book.
Booth's Daughter
by Raymond WemmlingerThe niece of Lincoln's assassin comes to terms with her family's genius and tragic history. In March 1880 at age eighteen, Edwina is experiencing many new things. For the first time she sees her actor father, Edwin Booth, in King Lear, a play he had considered "too harsh for a young lady." For the first time she finds herself squarely facing the burden carried by her family name for more than a decade: the assassination of President Lincoln by her uncle John Wilkes Booth. And for the first time she is in love, with Downing Vaux, an artist whose father, like Edwina's, is famous. Edwina leaves Downing behind when her father insists that she accompany him on a year-long theatrical tour abroad. Downing is loyal, however, and when she returns to New York, they become engaged. But when the assassination of President Garfield thrusts the Booth family back into the limelight, Edwina finds that she must travel abroad again with her father, and Downing's devotion is tested. Forced to reexamine her life, Edwina faces a difficult choice between duty and the pursuit of happiness.
23 Minutes
by Vivian VeldeBy both society's measure and her own, fifteen-year-old Zoe Mahar is pretty much a loser. Then one day she ducks into Spencerport Savings and Loan simply to get out of the rain--and witnesses a bank robbery gone horrifyingly wrong. The good news is that Zoe has a unique ability: she can play back time and repeat events. But it's not an unlimited deal--she can only jump 23 minutes, and her first playback creates an even more disastrous outcome. Zoe has only 10 tries to get it right before this particular 23 minutes becomes irreversible. In the process of trying to become the heroine she doesn't believe she can be, Zoe learns about herself and realizes that there is more to who she is than she thought.
Bubonic Panic: When Plague Invaded America
by Gail JarrowIn March 1900, San Francisco's health department investigated a strange and horrible death in Chinatown. A man had died of bubonic plague, one of the world's deadliest diseases. But how could that be possible? <P><P> Bubonic Panic tells the true story of America's first plague epidemic--the public health doctors who desperately fought to end it, the political leaders who tried to keep it hidden, and the brave scientists who uncovered the plague's secrets. <P><P> Once again, acclaimed author and scientific expert Gail Jarrow brings the history of a medical mystery to life in vivid and exciting detail for young readers. This title includes photographs and drawings, a glossary, a timeline, further resources, an author's note, a bibliography, and source notes.
Deadly Flowers: A Ninja's Tale (A\ninja's Journey Ser.)
by Sarah L. ThomsonKata, a ninja, embarks on her first solo mission to enter a warlord's castle and make sure that a certain sleeping occupant never awakens. When Kata discovers that her target is a young boy and that her new accomplice is that boy's slightly older sister, she suddenly realizes her mission is much more complicated than she thought. Faced with taking someone's life or confronting the dire consequences of failure, Kata must make a hard choice, one that leads her into a more dangerous battle than she ever expected. In this coming-of-age novel, Kata discovers that while a ninja must always act alone, humanity requires accepting the trust and friendship of others.
Carver: A Life in Poems
by Marilyn NelsonGeorge Washington Carver was born a slave in Missouri about 1864 and was raised by the childless white couple who had owned his mother. In 1877 he left home in search of an education, eventually earning a master's degree. In 1896, Booker T. Washington invited Carver to start the agricultural department at the all-black-staffed Tuskegee Institute, where he spent the rest of his life seeking solutions to the poverty among landless black farmers by developing new uses for soil-replenishing crops such as peanuts, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes. Carver's achievements as a botanist and inventor were balanced by his gifts as a painter, musician, and teacher. This Newbery Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book by Marilyn Nelson provides a compelling and revealing portrait of Carver's complex, richly interior, profoundly devout life.
Fortune's Bones: The Manumission Requiem
by Marilyn NelsonThere is a skeleton in the Mattatuck Museum in Connecticut. It has been in the town for over 200 years. In 1996, community members decided to find out what they could about it. Historians discovered that the bones were those of a slave name Fortune, who was owned by a local doctor. After Fortune's death, the doctor rendered the bones. Further research revealed that Fortune had married, had fathered four children, and had been baptized later in life. His bones suggest that after a life of arduous labor, he died in 1798 at about the age of 60. <P><P> Merilyn Nelson wrote The Manumission Requiem to commemorate Fortune's life. Detailed notes and archival photographs enhance the reader's appreciation of the poem.
Keturah and Lord Death
by Martine LeavittMartine Leavitt offers a spellbinding story, interweaving elements of classic fantasy and high romance in this National Book Award Finalist. Keturah follows a legendary hart into the king's forest, where she becomes hopelessly lost. Her strength diminishes until, finally, she realizes that death is near. Little does she know that he is a young, handsome lord, melancholy and stern. Renowned for her storytelling, Keturah is able to charm Lord Death with a story and thereby gain a reprieve--but only for twenty-four hours. She must find her one true love within that time, or all is lost. Keturah searches desperately while the village prepares for an unexpected visit from the king and Keturah is thrust into a prominent role as mysterious happenings alarm her friends and neighbors. Lord Death's presence hovers over this all until Keturah confronts him one last time in the harrowing climax.
One Whole and Perfect Day
by Judith ClarkeIn this Michael L. Printz Honor Book, Lily wishes she could be like the other girls in her class. But how can she? As the only sensible person in her family, she never has time to hang out with friends. Someone has to stay home to look after her brother. Maybe she should fall in love! What could be less sensible that that? When her grandmother invites the whole family to a party, Lily cannot imagine how they will make it through the day. Her mother is always bringing home strange people. Lily doesn't even know her father . Her grandfather has disowned her brother. Her brother has a new girlfriend that no one has met. To top it all off, that day when her eye caught Daniel Steadman's just for a moment, she felt all woozy inside. If that was love, she isn't sure she likes the feeling. As the party approaches, all Lily can hope for is one whole and perfect day. Is it too much to ask?
Warriors in the Crossfire
by Nancy Bo Flood Oliver BurstonOn the tiny South Pacific island of Saipan, thirteen-year-old Joseph and his half-Japanese cousin Kento practice to become warriors like their ancestors. But in the final months of World War II, their paradise island becomes the stage for one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific war between America and Japan. Joseph and Kento's loyalties are tested and they discover, within themselves, what it means to become true warriors.
Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights
by Rich Wallace Sandra Neil WallaceJonathan Daniels, a white seminary student from New Hampshire, traveled to Selma, Alabama, in 1965 to help with voter registration of black residents. <P><P>After the voting rights marches, he remained in Alabama, in the area known as "Bloody Lowndes," an extremely dangerous area for white freedom fighters, to assist civil rights workers. <P> Five months later, Jonathan Daniels was shot and killed while saving the life of Ruby Sales, a black teenager. <P>Through Daniels's poignant letters, papers, photographs, and taped interviews, authors Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace explore what led Daniels to the moment of his death, the trial of his murderer, and how these events helped reshape both the legal and political climate of Lowndes County and the nation.
The Exo Project
by Andrew DeyoungThis fast-paced, sharply written multiple-perspective YA science-fiction debut opens on a future Earth ravaged by solar radiation. Desperate for money to save his sick mother, seventeen-year-old Matthew agrees to participate in the Exo Project, a government plan to save the human race by flying across the galaxy in search of a habitable planet for resettlement. He thinks he’s been given a death sentence: 100 years in cryostasis, followed by a quick death on some barren world. But then he lands on Gle’ah, discovering the strange, beautiful creatures who live there, including Kiva, the captivating teenage girl who leads her planet’s matriarchal society. Kiva views Matthew as a threat and for good reason—if he tells Earth that he’s found a suitable planet, it will mean the end of her people’s way of life. But then Kiva and Matthew discover an emotional connection they never expected—and as they begin to delve into the secrets of Matthew’s mission and the dark truth behind the seeming paradise of Gle’ah, the choices they make will have consequences for both of their worlds.
Girl with a Camera: Margaret Bourke-White, Photographer: A Novel
by Carolyn MeyerIn this historical novel, noted writer Carolyn Meyer deftly captures the daring and passionate life of photographer Margaret Bourke-White. <P><P>Growing up, young Peggy White was interested in snakes and caterpillars and other unfeminine things. She intended to become a herpetologist, but while she was still in college, her interest in nature changed to a fascination with photography. As her skill with a camera grew, her focus widened from landscapes architecture to shots of factories, trains, and bridges. Her artist’s eye sharpened to see patterns and harsh beauty where others saw only chaos and ugliness. Totally dedicated to her work, and driven by her ambition to succeed, Margaret Bourke-White became a well-known and sought after photographer, traveling all over the United States and Europe. She was the first female war photojournalist in World War II and the first female photographer for Life magazine, which featured one of her photographs on its very first cover. <P><P> A comprehensive author’s note provides additional information to round out readers’ understanding of this fascinating and inspiring historical figure.