The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World


Roz Hopkins - 2004
    Inspirational, inviting, and beautiful, it combines stunning images with entertaining and informative text that captures the essence of being there.

Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood


Ibtisam Barakat - 2007
    . . Just forget!" But I do not want to do what Mother says . . . I want to remember.In this groundbreaking memoir set in Ramallah during the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War, Ibtisam Barakat captures what it is like to be a child whose world is shattered by war. With candor and courage, she stitches together memories of her childhood: fear and confusion as bombs explode near her home and she is separated from her family; the harshness of life as a Palestinian refugee; her unexpected joy when she discovers Alef, the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. This is the beginning of her passionate connection to words, and as language becomes her refuge, allowing her to piece together the fragments of her world, it becomes her true home.Transcending the particulars of politics, this illuminating and timely book provides a telling glimpse into a little-known culture that has become an increasingly important part of the puzzle of world peace.

Keeping Corner


Kashmira Sheth - 2007
    She doesn't care for school and barely marks the growing unrest between the British colonists and her own countrymen. Why should she? Her future has been planned since her engagement at two and marriage at nine.Leela's whole life changes, though, when her husband dies. She's now expected to behave like a proper widow: shaving her head and trading her jewel-toned saris for rough, earth-colored ones. Leela is considered unlucky now, and will have to stay confined to her house for a year—keep corner—in preparation for a life of mourning a boy she barely knew. When her schoolteacher hears of her fate, she offers Leela lessons at home. For the first time, despite her confinement, Leela opens her eyes to the changing world around her. India is suffering from a severe drought, and farmers are unable to pay taxes to the British. She learns about a new leader of the people, a man named Gandhi, who starts a political movement and practices satyagraha—non-violent protest against the colonists as well as the caste system. The quiet strength of satyagraha may liberate her country. Could she use the same path to liberate herself?

Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp


Jerry Stanley - 1993
    with photographs from the Dust Bowl era. This true story took place at the emergency farm-labor camp immortalized in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. Ostracized as "dumb Okies," the children of Dust Bowl migrant laborers went without school--until Superintendent Leo Hart and 50 Okie kids built their own school in a nearby field.

The New Zealand Wars / Ngā Pakanga o Aotearoa


Vincent O'Malley - 2019
    Physical remnants or reminders from these conflicts and their aftermath can be found all over the country, whether in central Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, or in more rural locations such as Te Pōrere or Te Awamutu.

Illegal


Eoin Colfer - 2017
    From Eoin Colfer, previously Irish Children's Laureate, and the team behind his bestselling Artemis Fowl graphic novels. Ebo: alone.His sister left months ago. Now his brother has disappeared too, and Ebo knows it can only be to make the hazardous journey to Europe. Ebo's epic journey takes him across the Sahara Desert to the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and finally out to the merciless sea. But with every step he holds on to his hope for a new life, and a reunion with his sister. *Winner of the Judges' Special Award at the Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year Awards* 'Beautifully realised and punchily told.' Alex O'Connell, The Times Children's Book of the Week 'A powerful, compelling work, evocatively illustrated ... It would take a hard heart not to be moved by this book.' Financial Times

The Barmy British Empire And The Blitzed Brits


Terry Deary - 2002
    "The Blitzed Brits" describes what life was like for the people who stayed at home in World War Two, including foul food facts about rotten rationing and awful evacuation tales. Both books are crammed full of curious quizzes, rotten recipes, gruesome games and terrible tests ...for teachers!

The Queen of Water


Laura Resau - 2011
    It will make you laugh and cry, and ultimately, it will fill you with hope.Born in an Andean village in Ecuador, Virginia lives with her large family in a small, earthen-walled dwelling. In her village of indígenas, it is not uncommon to work in the fields all day, even as a child, or to be called a longa tonta - stupid Indian - by members of the ruling class of mestizos, or Spanish descendants. When seven-year-old Virginia is taken from her village to be a servant to a mestizo couple, she has no idea what the future holds.In this poignant novel based on a true story, acclaimed author Laura Resau has collaborated with María Virginia Farinango to recount one girl's unforgettable journey to self-discovery.

Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons


Ann Rinaldi - 1996
    Phillis Wheatley--as she comes to be known--has an eager mind and it leads her on an unusual path for a slave--she becomes America’s first published black poet. “Strong characterization and perceptive realism mark this thoughtful portrayal.”--Booklist

All Heart: My Hard-Fought Journey to the Top of the Soccer World


Carli Lloyd - 2016
    women’s national soccer team won the World Cup behind an epic performance by Carli Lloyd. Carli, a midfielder, scored three goals in the first sixteen minutes--the greatest goal-scoring effort in the history of World Cup finals. But there was a time when Carli almost quit soccer. She struggled with doubts and low confidence. In All Heart, adapted from When Nobody Was Watching specifically for younger readers, Carli tells the full inspiring story of her journey to the top of the soccer world--an honest, action-packed account that takes readers inside the mind of a hardworking athlete.Includes two full-color photo inserts.

Birmingham Sunday


Larry Dane Brimner - 2010
    On that Sunday morning, however, a blast in the 16th Street Baptist Church ripped through the exterior wall and claimed the lives of four girls. The church was the ideal target for segregationists, as it was the rallying place for Birmingham's African American community, Martin Luther King, Jr., using it as his ''headquarters'' when he was in town to further the cause of desegregation and equal rights. Rather than triggering paralyzing fear, the bombing was the definitive act that guaranteed passage of the landmark 1964 civil rights legislation. Birmingham Sunday centers on this fateful day and places it in historical context.Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 2/1/2010 Pages: 48 Reading Level: Age 10 and Up

Saving Dr. Warren


Jeffery McKenna - 2020
    ✯ The American Revolution ✯ WWII ✯ 9-11 What About Today?How do we share Patriotism with America's Future?The novel Saving Dr. Warren...A True Patriot answers that question through the eyes of a 14 year old boy.Steve O'Dell loves to write and does it well. But as an eighth-grade student at Needham Middle School, his talent sometimes seems more an embarassment than a blessing.Then, on Veterans Day 2001, Steve's award-winning essay propels him into an adventure twisting through Revolutionary battles and bloodshed. Thanks to the bizarre bequest of a manuscript and a musket ball from a long-lost family war hero, Steve's journey with the Revolutionary War hero Dr. Joseph Warren begins.A time-traveling talisman missing from the archives of one of Boston's oldest historical societies takes Steve through portals of history, where he walks side by side with a real Boston patriot. He makes house calls with Dr. Warren on March 5, 1770 and stumbles onto the bloodstained streets of the Boston Massacre. From the killings of March 5, to boarding tea ships in 1773, Steve's history book explodes to life as he helps Dr. Warren and forges a friendship with Boston's True Patriot. Steve watches Dr. Warren launch Paul Revere on his midnight ride, and he helps Dr. Warren dodge British musket balls in the first battles of the War for Independence. With each adventure, Steve tastes the light that ignites The Revolution.Steve will eventually convince others that the Revolutionary relic he was given really does open portals through time, but he faces his most difficult quest alone-saving Dr. Warren from the onslaught at Bunker Hill. Can he do it? And if he fails, will he ever return to this century?Saving Dr. Warren...A True Patriot rips through the pages of history. From the Revolutionary War to the vanishing veterans of World War II, to the ashes of September 11, 2001, Saving Dr. Warren demonstrates to both old and young that patriotism, standing like an old oak tree on a grandfather's farm, has and will endure.★ ☆ ★ ☆Author's NoteI love Historical fiction; it is a wonderful tool for learning. Saving Dr. Warren...A True Patriot is a historical fiction novel written for younger readers and middle school teachers. Within these pages are resources that junior high school teachers can use to help their class explore the impact of September 11th, World War II and the beginnings of the American Revolution.Through historical fiction, the author is able to provide young readers a perspective on what it would be like to experience 9-11 and the War on Terror as a middle school student, allowing history to come alive.Combat stories as told by a United States Marine and Medal of Honor recipient give middle school teachers the opportunity to share with students the Battle of Okinawa and impress upon them the sacrifices made for freedom. The importance of Veterans Day is also impressed upon Steve, the teenage protagonist, as he learns about his great uncle's experience as a World War II Marine.Finally, Steve's experiences with Dr. Joseph Warren will propel middle school readers into the beginnings of the American Revolution. All Americans have heard of Paul Revere, but how many know that it was Dr. Warren who sent his best friend out on the famous midnight ride? Junior high school students and teachers can experience the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the battles of Lexington, Concord and Menotomy, as well as the Battle of Bunker Hill, through the lens of Dr. Joseph Warren, America's forgotten hero.Saving Dr. Warren...A True Patriot was written to help teachers connect with these important historical events, while providing a fun adventure through history for teenage readers.

Dateline: Troy


Paul Fleischman - 1996
    . . . A superb and often inspiring work." — KIRKUS REVIEWS (starred review) "Newbery Medal winner Fleischman goes right to today's headlines and shows that the ancient world and our own are not so very different at all. He retells Homer's tale of the Trojan War, THE ILLIAD, in a brisk narrative that will capture kids' attention." — BOOKLIST (boxed review) "This exquisitely designed and provocative book should spark debate, insight, and an appreciation of historical connections." — PARENTING

Fatty Legs: A True Story


Christy Jordan-Fenton - 2010
    Faced with unceasing pressure, her father finally agrees to let her make the five-day journey to attend school, but he warns Margaret of the terrors of residential schools.At school Margaret soon encounters the Raven, a black-cloaked nun with a hooked nose and bony fingers that resemble claws. She immediately dislikes the strong-willed young Margaret. Intending to humiliate her, the heartless Raven gives gray stockings to all the girls -- all except Margaret, who gets red ones. In an instant Margaret is the laughingstock of the entire school.In the face of such cruelty, Margaret refuses to be intimidated and bravely gets rid of the stockings. Although a sympathetic nun stands up for Margaret, in the end it is this brave young girl who gives the Raven a lesson in the power of human dignity.Complemented by archival photos from Margaret Pokiak-Fenton's collection and striking artwork from Liz Amini-Holmes, this inspiring first-person account of a plucky girl's determination to confront her tormentor will linger with young readers.

BART: The Dramatic History of the Bay Area Rapid Transit System


Michael C. Healy - 2016
    BART" himself When BART opened in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1972, it became a catalyst for a renaissance in modern rail transit, both nationally and internationally. The concept as sold to Bay Area voters was gargantuan: by adopting aerospace technologies such as microchips for ground transportation, the new computer-operated rail system would bridge counties and curb urban sprawl amid a booming automobile culture. But it all came within a gnat's eyelash of not happening. The question raised by pundits and taxpayers alike was: would this space-age plan actually work, or be the biggest boondoggle in the country's history? In the first-ever history book about BART, longtime agency spokesman Michael C. Healy gives an insider's account of the rapid transit system's inception, hard-won approval, construction, and operations, "warts and all." Written with a master storyteller's homey wit and sharp attention to detail, Healy recreates the politically fraught venture to bring a new kind of public transit to the West Coast. What emerges is a sense of the individuals who made (and make) BART happen. From tales of staying up until 3:00 a.m. with Bill Stokes and Jack Everson to hear the election results for the rapid transit vote or weathering scandals, strikes, and growing pains, this look behind the scenes of an iconic, seemingly monolithic structure reveals people at their most human-and determined to change the status quo.