Troy lies in ashes. The black ships of the Greek war-host set sail for home but for King Odysseus of Ithaca, the return voyage holds hazards far greater than any he faced in the Trojan War.For this dramatic sequel to Black Ships Before Troy, Rosemary Sutcliff has transformed Homer’s magnificent but complex epic poem The Odyssey into an enthralling traveler's tale, with a spectacular cast of men, magicians and monsters. Alan Lee evokes a golden age of mythical Greece in his portrayal of the greatest voyage of all time.

    1994 "Pick of the Lists" (ABA)

    You will meet the key delegates and find out what is going on.

    This book tells about the fight to be free and independent.

    Everyone knows the story of Johnny Appleseed: how he traveled westward across our young country, spreading apple trees wherever he went and wearing outlandish hats, like a soup pot, on his head. But did you know that Johnny Appleseed was a real person? Born John Chapman in 1774, he grew up in a family of twelve children, and as a young man, struck out to find the frontier. It was along this journey that he discovered the wonders of apple trees, and where he had his life adventures. In the tradition of his great-grandmother, Grandma Moses, Will Moses's much-loved folk art perfectly illustrates this American tale.

    Covering ancient civilizations in the form of a daily newspaper written at the time, this innovative and acclaimed News series presents historical nonfiction in a unique, kid-friendly format. As accessible as your morning paper, THE EGYPTIAN NEWS gives young readers the unforgettable sense of actually being members of an ancient civilization.

    But not everyone knows the harrowing details and narrow escapes that occurred along the way. This timeless and witty book highlights little-known facts about patriot Paul Revere.

    in full color. "The drama of natural disasters provides prime material to entice young independent readers. In this volume, the account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius describes village life 2,000 years ago, the eruption itself and its aftermath, and the excitement when the buried town is rediscovered centuries later. A lively and factual glimpse of a devastating moment in history, in an accessible, attractive package."--Publishers Weekly.

    Chebron, the son of a high Egyptian priest, flees for his life taking his sister Mysa, one of the household slaves Amuba and several companions with him. They escape through closely guarded Egyptian exits only to find themselves in unfamiliar and dangerous lands inhabited by a very different culture of people. Along the way, the roving band of refugees encounters and befriends a Hebrew girl, who exposes them to very strange ideas including the worship of "one true God."

    A whole family sat for hours around the fire in the middle of the room. That fire gave the only light. Shadows flitted in the dark corners. Smoke curled along the high beams of the ceiling. The children sat on the dirt floor close by the fire. The grown people were on a long narrow bench that they had pulled up to the light and warmth. Everybody's hands were busy with wool. As the family worked in the red fire-light, the father told of the kings of Norway, of long voyages to strange lands, of good fights. And in farmhouses all through Iceland these old tales were told over and over until everybody knew them and loved them. Men who could sing and play the harp were called "skalds," and they called their songs "sagas." Eventually these stories were written down on sheepskin or vellum so that we can enjoy them today. We follow the fortunes of Harald from the time he is acknowledged by his father as a baby and given his own thrall at the cutting of his first tooth, through his exploits as a viking adventurer, to his crowning as King of Norway. It is when Harald is King of Norway that population pressures at home and eagerness for adventure and booty from other lands combine to drive some of the bolder Vikings to set forth from their native land. Sailing ever westward across the Atlantic, they hop along the chain of islands that loosely connects Norway with America-Orkneys and Shetlands, Faeroes, Iceland, and Greenland. It is from link to link of this chain that the characters in our story sail in search of home and adventure. Discoveries are made by accident. Ships are driven by the wind into unknown ports, resulting in landings and settlements in Iceland, Greenland, and America. The crude courage of these men and strangeness of their adventures appeal strongly to children, while their love of truth, hardy endurance, and faithfulness to the promised word make them characters to emulate. Suitable for children ages 9 and up to read to themselves and for children as young as 6 as a read-aloud.

    Africa, China, Europe, the Americas—find out what happened all around the world in long-ago times. This first revised volume begins with the earliest nomads and ends with the last Roman emperor. Newly revised and updated, The Story of the World, Volume 1 includes maps, a new timeline, more illustrations, and additional parental aids. This read-aloud series is designed for parents to share with elementary-school children. Enjoy it together and introduce your child to the marvelous story of the world's civilizations.Each Story of the World volume provides a full year of history study when combined with the Activity Book, Audiobook, and Tests—each available separately to accompany each volume of The Story of the World Text Book. Volume 1 Grade Recommendation: Grades 1-5.

    Benjamin Franklin reassures him with a tale about a hat maker who wanted to have a sign made to put in front of his business.

    So it was with Kaffe, an Egyptian boy of long ago. With his friend Sari, a slave-girl, Kaffe had many adventures—the harvest feast, the fight of the bulls, the flood. Then came the mystery of the pyramid’s missing jewels and a dark night when Kaffe, his father, and Sari set out to catch the thief.

    Zahi Hawass shares some of the many intriguing tales about the legendary "curse of the pharaohs"-including several of his own experiences with it. Also known as the "curse of the mummies," this spine-tingling legend-still believed by many people-claims that anyone who disturbs the rest of the ancient Egyptian dead will be haunted or harmed by their spirits. Often blamed when things go wrong, these ancient spirits are given credit for accidents, illnesses, and even deaths.Many strange things have happened to Dr. Hawass during his years as an archaeologist in the field, and he delights in telling about them. For example: o?= - He tells of the exciting discovery of beautiful statues found in the tomb of a man called Inty-shedu and of the bizarre circumstances-including an earthquake and then his own heart attack-that prevented him from publicly announcing the discovery.o?= - After he excavated the mummies of two small children in the Valley of the Golden Mummies and arranged to have them transferred to a museum, the children began haunting his dreams every night, following him in his travels around the world. After several months of sleepless nights, he realized that the children didn't want to be separated from another mummy-a grown man, perhaps their father-that had been buried with them. So he had that mummy moved to the museum, too, and the nightmares stopped!o?= - During exploration of another tomb, he was knocked unconscious by an electric shock from the frayed wire of the lamp he held. The fact that he survived these incidents seems proof to him that if there is a curse, itprobably helped him. He says, "The greatest desire of the ancient Egyptians was that their names would live forever. We as archaeologists dedicate our lives to bringing the names of the ancients back to life.o?= So you see, though I do excavate tombs, the spirits of the dead should be pleased with me." Dr. Hawass also delves into the fascinating background of the curse, telling readers how it became famous all over the world after the discovery of the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut, in 1922. Shortly after the discovery of the tomb, seemingly inexplicable misfortunes began to occur, ranging from a pet canary being devoured by a cobra to the illnesses and deaths of several people involved with the excavation of the fabulous tomb. Rumors quickly spread that an ancient curse had been awakened. In a later chapter, Dr. Hawass makes clear that there are simple, natural explanations for most of the disasters linked to the curse of the pharaohs-such as ancient, infection-causing germs, for example. In another chapter, he explains that ancient Egyptians did believe in curses and magic, and he tells how they carved curse inscriptions on their tombs to warn off robbers. (It didn't work. Neither did trying to hide the tombs.) Overflowing with beautiful 4-color photographs, Curse of the Pharaohs not only explores the legendary curse but also introduces readers to the thrills and dangers of archaeology and to the fascinating world of ancient Egypt. A valuable reference tool for school reports, the book's extensive back matter includes a timeline, glossary, index, bibliography, and further reading list, as well as fun and informative sections on how mummies were made, thearchaeologist's tools, and Dr. Hawass's tips for budding archaeologists.

    Combining warm prose with child-friendly watercolor illustrations, an introduction to the history of immigration to the United States offers young readers a perspective on the heritage that all Americans share.