"Snowflakes whirling, snow-flocks swirling, streaks of white twirl through the night . . . You've heard of birds who migrate to warmer climates in the wintertime-but what about those who persevere through snowy weather and freezing temperatures? With elegant verse by Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Honoree Kirsten Hall and striking illustrations by award-winning artist Jenni Desmond, Snow Birds salutes the brave and resourceful birds who adapt to survive...

"Jose Antonio Vargas was only twelve years old when he was brought to the United States from the Philippines to live with his grandparents. He didn't know it, but he was sent to the U.S. illegally. When he applied for a learner's permit, he learned the truth, and he spent the next almost twenty years keeping his immigration status a secret. Hiding in plain sight, he was writing for some of the most prestigious news organizations in the country. Only...

Retells the Cherokee legend in which Dancing Drum tries to make Grandmother Sun smile on the People again. Also describes the history, culture, and fate of the Cherokee Indians.

"Widely acknowledged as the first English novel, Daniel Defoe's adventure story of a shipwrecked sailor became an instant classic upon its publication in 1719 and the yardstick for countless castaway narratives to follow." "Robinson Crusoe, an English sailor, finds himself marooned on a desert island after the rest of his shipmates drown in a terrible wreck. He survives on the island for nearly three decades, domesticating livestock, cultivating plants,...

Retells the legend of Clamshell Boy, who rescues a captured group of children from the dreaded wild woman Ishcus. Includes information on the customs and lifestyle of the Makah Indians.

Looking for adventure and a new life, Ishmael, the story's narrator, decides to find work on a whaling boat. On arriving at the Massachusetts harbour to begin his search, the only bed available is already half occupied by a "cannibal" named Queequeg. Although Queequeg has limited English, a friendship forms and the two men sign up for work together aboard the Pequod under the infamous Captain Ahab. Consumed by an insane rage, Captain Ahab has but...

The story of a naughty wooden puppet who has a penchant for lying and dreams of becoming a real boy, The Adventures of Pinocchio has entered our collective imagination and fascinated generations of young and adult readers since its first publication in 1883. Part fable, part coming-of-age novel, part cautionary tale, Pinocchio's rollicking exploits through an unforgiving and often incomprehensible world - populated by unforgettable characters such...

The promise of escape draws people from all backgrounds to speculative fiction, but when people of color seek passageways into the fantastic the doors are often barred. This problem lies not only with children's publishing, but also with the television and film executives tasked with adapting these stories into a visual world. When characters of color do appear, they are often marginalized or subjected to violence, reinforcing for audiences that not...

A collection of four well-known tales of mystery and suspense including "The Gold Bug," "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Tell-tale Heart," and "The Cask of Amontillado."

"No landform could sound quite as scary as Death Valley! Its name came from a group of gold seekers who almost didn't make it out alive-and some of their companions didn't. In this book, lower elementary readers explore this hot, dry part of the American Southwest and the national park that now exists there. The main content includes the flora and fauna found there as well as the adaptations they need to survive in the heat of the day and cold of...