Book Description

Marvelosissimo
the Mathematical Magician
measures magnificently!

Your favorite wizard is back -- and ready to explore the invention of length, weight, and volume measurements. How tall is Moonbeam, the unicorn? How long are the whiskers of Jello, the cat? And just how heavy is that darling hog? Tons and teaspoons and ounces and feet and yards and miles ... what a headache! With millions of things to measure, wouldn't one standard system be simpler?

With another wave of the wand, Marvelosissimo introduces you to the world of metrics and makes it easy to understand the basic pattern of meters, liters, and grams. And with Steven Kellogg's playful and delightfully detailed illustrations, measuring has never been such a blast!

Reviews (1)

Measuring Made Easy and Fun.....
"There are millions of things-and many ways-to measure. Let's fly back in time and see how people measured many years ago..." Marvelosissimo the Magician's takes the reader from prehistoric times to the present on an entertaining and informative tour of measurement. Author, David Schwartz's engaging text, written in an easy to read, conversational style, tells the story of length, weight, and volume, and is rich in history, fun facts, and trivia. Illustrator, Steven Kellogg's cartoon-like artwork is bright and playful and each busy page is filled with humor, eye-catching, expressive detail, and clever asides. Youngsters will revel in all the easy to understand, measuring fun. A terrific explanation of the metric system concludes this little gem of a picture book, and both students and teachers will find hours of fun practicing and using the concepts they learn here. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Thoroughly enjoy this series
The books in this series manage to walk the delicate balance of being fun and humorous while still imparting a lot of knowledge to the reader. My three sons (8,7, and 5) couldn't put them down and neither could my husband and me. We homeschool and have encountered a lot of the topics in our history studies and were impressed by how much the books cover.

We also liked how gross/disturbing concepts were softened by the amusing illustrations of david Antram. Very impressive.

We plan to own them all. ... Read more

Book Description

A series of personal stories from some of the non-Jews, including gypsies, political and religious activists, the physically challenged, and other "undesirables," who were persecuted but escaped the fate of the five million Gentiles murdered by the Nazis. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

my review
The Other Victims was a book of real life stories from the Holocaust. I liked this book because it tells how people had to go into hiding, how they had no freedom, and how they fought back. The book is mainly about people trying to escape from Germany to America or a safe country. My favorite chapter was Bubili: a young Gypsy's fight for survival. Once I started to read this book I couldn't put it down. The reason I couldn't put this book down was it was all true. I thought it was hard to believe it actually happened. The people were killed because of their religion, color, looks, and trying to stop the wrong that was going on.

The Other Victims by Ina R. Friedman
I really liked how this book showed the persecution of all people not only the Jews. In almost all other books I've read about WW2 they talk about the persecution of the Jews. This book made the Holocaust more real to me. It gave me a better perception of what the Nazis were really doing and to some extent why. I think we need to recognize the other groups that suffered also. To me this book is a monument to their suffering.

Terrific teaching resource!
In "The Other Victims", Ina R. Friedman recounts the treatment of non-Jewish people during the Nazi occupation of Germany. From Blacks to Deaf people, the Nazis used sterilization, euthanasia, and even mass murder to stop apparent "defects." Each section includes a brief description and a first-hand account of an individual from each group.

One notable story is that of Fanny Schwarz. Fanny was born deaf to deaf parents. As such, the government decided that she was defective and tried her to determine whether she should be sterilized. During the ensuing years she was sterilized twice, the second time in addition to taking her reproductive capabilities, they also took the child she was carrying. Schwarz recounts her physical and emotional pain during this dark period. Other stories are equally moving.

This book is an excellent teaching resource! I would recommend it to both students and history teachers alike. Not only does it present narratives on people often overlooked during discussions of Nazi persecution, it also does so in small chunks, easy to read or take alone in specific teaching units. Definitely a worthwhile resource!

Jehovah Witnesses
I think this book was so true to its title. One of the many stories was about a Jehovah Witness family who stayed strong in their religion. They sacrificed everything, even at the risk of dying. It was a true joy to read about them, and to almost get a feel of the religion. I think everyone should read this because I cried, and I rarely ever cry.

In Defense. . .
I read this book almost ten years ago when I was in the seventh grade. I found it and read it myself, no teacher help. I have to say this in defense of this book--it made a profound impact on me when I was 12 years old. It was the first time I realized that the Holocaust wasn't just about Jews. In retrospect, I think it was the first time I realized the ENTIRE horror of what really happened. These many years later, of course, this book doesn't mean the same thing. But it is a very powerful work for younger readers and it helps paint a complete picture of what Nazi Germany was like. I highly recommend it to show just how insane things were. ... Read more

Amazon.com

At the dawn of the 20th century, a man named L. Frank Baum had just written a story about a magical land called Oz, and the Wright brothers had made the first powered flight. On the eve of the 21st century, the world is connected via the Internet, and the Spice Girls mingle with Nelson Mandela. In the intervening years the world has undergone countless dramatic changes and discoveries. Written with children in mind, this unusual, compelling volume fills in as many of the gaps as possible, revealing in journalistic articles the events that altered the course of history. Headlines from "Australia Gains Its Independence" to "Prague Is Invaded" to "King Dies, but Dream Lives On" add a sense of immediacy to past events. This comprehensive historical resource uses photos, time line panels, and special features (the Russian Revolution, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, the Space Race, etc.) to unfold, year by year, the century's triumphs and defeats. In caption-style quotations interwoven throughout, children reveal their hopes for the future and memories of the past.

Beautifully designed and thoroughly researched, this big history book is a far cry from the textbooks of elementary school. Granted, it doesn't delve deeply into any one subject, but it touches thoughtfully on thousands of important topics, giving a sweeping overview of the 20th century's events, people, places, trends, and inventions. With more than 3,500 photographs and lively, dramatic writing, this addictive book truly brings history to life. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An excellent history of modern times for young readers.
Ages 8 and older will appreciate Children's History Of The 20thCentury, a fine reference which deserves ongoing recommendation as anexcellent history of modern times. Bright contemporary color photos blend with a timeline of 20th century leaders, events, and history in an exceptional coverage.

Lively and Entertaining
This is a beautifully designed book and will take readers on a lively and entertaining journey through the 20th century's events. Details are scant, but the photos make for a scrapbook effect. If you enjoy this book, then you should also look at Larry Dane Brimner's millennium book, The Official M&M's Book of the Millennium, which explains how we got to this point in time. ... Read more

Book Description

Horses have been, among other things, a cowboy’s best friend, a knight’s trusty ally, a bettor's race track dream, and the inspiration for countless artists, writers, and storytellers. This engaging account explores how the rich partnership between humans and horses has helped to shape more than five thousand years of history.

100 Titles for Reading and Sharing 1995 (NY Public Library) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

everything you would ever want to know
An excellent history of the horse! It's never dull. The information is presented in an easy to understand way, and very interesting. Anyone interested in horses should definately read this. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com

The past holds many secrets. We don't know whether the Chinese beat Columbus to America or why the pharaohs built the pyramids of Egypt. How much truth is there to the whole King Arthur legend? Did the Greeks really build the legendary Trojan horse? Why did the Hindenburg explode? The thoroughly engrossing, heavily illustrated, 192-page Mysteries of History, written by historian Robert Stewart, Ph.D., with Clint Twist and Edward Horton, examines several historical mysteries that span almost 5,000 years. Declassified top secret documents provide insights about whether the attack on Pearl Harbor was really a surprise. A lock of Napoleon's hair offers clues about whether or not he was murdered. Each section of the book is devoted to a lingering historical question. For example, the 10-page section "Did Rome Really Fall?" is full of wonderful photographs of artwork and of Rome, a map of the Roman Empire, a timeline of both the Roman Empire and the world, and various quotations from historical sources. Stewart writes, "What historians now think is that, rather than asking why the Roman Empire fell, it is more fascinating to speculate on why so much managed to survive." A perfect launching point for further investigative work--and who knows?--maybe more of these mysteries will be solved in the future by readers of this book. (Ages 10 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Overviews of famous women's lives
This installment in the Famous Lives Series is about famous women throughout history. Divided up into about twenty categories (such as Reformers, Caregivers, and Scientific minds) are short biographies of over one hundred women. The reader can read each biography on its own, read them by categories, or pick and choose which ones to read. This book is perfect for a quick overview of a famous woman's life. Anyone needing material in greater detail would do better to look elsewhere.

The book is teeming with illustrations. Almost everyone has her likeness included alongside her biography. Modern women have photographs; less recent women have color sketches.

The accompanying text is somewhat dry reading, redeemed only by its brevity and frequent subject changes. One interesting aspect of the book is the explanatory text beginning the part on Notorious Women, calling for the reader to look past the surface of the life story. "Some women are deservedly notorious for their crimes; in other cases their evil deeds have been exaggerated."

This is not exclusively a collection of great, admirable women. While the book does share the lives of many highly regarded females, it also includes several women who would make distinctly poor role models. I find this inclusion interesting, and humanizing - showing some flaws makes being a "famous woman" seem like less of an unattainable goal.

Excellent for middle school
If you are familiar with the Usbourne books, you'll know the format of this book without ever seeing it.It has 21 two page chapters. Each chapter has 3 to 6 women in it, with two or three paragraphs on each womanand lots of photos and illustrations.Perfect for the short attention spanof middle schoolers and even appropriate for upper elementary childrenalthough they may have some trouble with the vocabulary.(Strong readerswill do fine.) Exasperating to adults who would like more information oneach person and who would like to see longer chapters on scientists,reformers and leaders instead of the chapters on notorious women androbbers and rogues.Lots of good information at an unbeatable price. ... Read more

Book Description

This new addition to Scholastic¹s popular history series presents a child¹s eye view of a fascinating Native American culture. The Indians who lived along the Northern Pacific coast were different from any other Native Americans.They were fishermen, wood carvers, and builders of totem poles; they were a hierarchical society with noblemen, commoners, and slaves in which material wealth was greatly admired and sought after.What was it like to be a child among the Haida, Makah, Tlingit, or other coastal groups? This book explores all aspects of life for these Native American tribes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Excellent Kids Book
This is a very nice book aimed at the 3-6th grade audience. It is written in plain simple language, but not simplistic or condescending "little kid talk."

Using a Question/Answer format (one question per page), it is a very good, reasonably thorough telling of what life was like. It goes beyond "they ate berries and salmon," and asks (and answers) such human-interest questions as "Did they have parties? What was most valuable to them? Were grown-ups strict?"

Not only are these questions good at revealing what life was like for these people, they are the sort of questions kids ask, and thus it draws them into the answers.

It might be a bit too much for the K-2 grades, but 3rd through 6th graders who read this on their own will mostly enjoy it and learn from it. Indeed, I've been doing in-depth reading in this area for years, and I not only enjoyed reading it myself, I actually got a better perspective on some things.

If you have a kid in this age range, and you want them to learn about this generally under-publicized yet fascinating native culture, this is an excellent book. ... Read more

Book Description

Geography: The World and Its People is the only program specifically developed for inquiring middle school students and co-authored by the National Geographic Society. It brings the world to your classroom with bold graphics, hands-on activities, a variety of themes, and the vivid, in-depth research and resources for which the National Geographic Society is known. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The creators of the Caldecott Medalist So You Want to Be President?mirror that successful format in this enthusiastic, fact-filled picture-booktribute to predominately American and European inventors. Kids may be inspiredto make history themselves when they learn that Benjamin Franklin was concoctingnew inventions by age 12. Solid advice such as "If you want to be an inventor,find a need and fill it" or "If you want to be an inventor, be a dreamer"precedes sections on people who did just that. Famous innovations such as EliWhitney's cotton gin share equal billing with ideas that never really took off,like Andrew Jackson Jr.'s adjustable eyeglasses for chickens or Franz Vester'scoffin with escape hatch (in case the person inside was still alive.) The briefanecdotes about each inventor and invention don't offer much historical context,but readers will devour fascinating facts on the origins of Velcro (cockleburson a Swiss engineer's pants) and the story of where the expression "the realMcCoy" came from (the train lubricators of Elijah McCoy). Two femaleinventors--one who was fed up with dishpan hands and invented the firstdishwasher, and actress Hedy Lamarr, who helped invent a system for guidingtorpedoes by radio signals in World War II--accompany the otherwise male-heavycast of characters. One-sentence biographical notes in the back list theinventors in alphabetical order and a bibliography concludes the book. DavidSmall's lively, color-washed illustrations steal the show, zeroing in on comicalmoments in history and creative gleams of discovery to great effect. (Ages 7 andolder) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Inventions and Inventors...Just Go For It.....
Author Judith St. George and award winning illustrator David Small are back with a new and engaging look at history, and those who enjoyed their first collaboration, So You Want To Be President, are in for another captivating, fun-filled treat. So you want to be an inventor and you think you have what it takes. Take a peek inside the covers of this clever book, and find out a little about some of the famous and not-so-famous who have gone before you. Ms St. George's easy to read, short profiles are written in an entertaining, conversational style, and complemented by Mr Small's dazzling and humorous illustrations. Each bold and busy page is filled with history, trivia, fun-facts, and playful wit that whets the appetite and inspires. Perfect for youngsters 8-12, So You Want To Be An Inventor is a marvelous collection that celebrates ingenuity, and may just get your kids' creative juices flowing. Who knows, you may be living with the next Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, or Josephine Cochran (she invented the dishwasher). ... Read more

Book Description

Discover ancient African civilizations. Explore the devastating Middle Passage and see the famous March on Washington. Find the answers to your questions about African American history . . .

Did blacks fight in the Revolutionary War? See page 18.

What was the Underground Railroad? See page 30.

Who were the Buffalo Soldiers? See page 59.

What is the NAACP? See page 64.

What was the Harlem Renaissance? See page 77.

How did the civil rights movement begin? See page 112.

What was the Black Power movement? See page 131.

What is affirmative action? See page 146. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great book
I bought this book for my 6 year old son after he expressed some interest in ancient Egypt. He can't read the text himself but enjoyed having it read to him and the text was straightforward and informative, with interesting illustrations that caught his attention and prompted questions. The really great thing about this book is that it contains a stencil so you can trace your own hieroglyphs. My son loves this. The first time he sat down with the book he probably spent 3 solid hours "writing" his name (and everyone else's name) in hieroglyphs - and this is a kid who rarely sits still. ... Read more

Book Description

Starting with Hammurabi, who ruled Mesopotamia, and ending with Peter the Great, the legendary Russian Czar, Milton Meltzer shows the reader how political leaders use and abuse power.Although each of these men lived hundreds or thousands of years ago, these tales provide a striking portrait of how human behavior remains virtually unchanged over time and how one person can alter the course of history. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Revisionism cloaked as History for Children
Milton Meltzer is clearly out to rewrite history. He's eager to point out every petty flaw of King David and Charlemagne, but makes the bloodthirsty Atahualpa and Kublai Khan look like modern egalitarian leaders. Capitalism and self-determination are clearly bad things, but totalitarianism and forced labor come off as benign. Hammurabi is described as a "benign despot", and we are told that slaves in ancient Babylonia were not treated as harshly as "slaves in the Americas".

I'm not sure what Meltzer is trying to accomplish, but make sure you read this with your child with open and questioning eyes.

Fascinating and Intriguing......
As Milton Meltzer tells the reader in his introduction: "This book is about power-power in the hands of kings." "...As you'll see, kings, like the rest of us, are complex human beings: good, bad, a mixture of the two; benevolent, cruel, brilliant, stupid. Each monarch's story may help you grasp how political leaders use and abuse power..." Meet ten kings who had an enormous impact on the world and times in which they lived. From the familiar, Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, Charlemagne, Kublai Khan, Louis XIV, and Peter the Great, to the lesser known Hammurabi, David, Mansa Musa, and Atahualpa, Mr Meltzer brings these rulers to life on the page, and paints evocative portraits of their lives, accomplishments, and failures. His engaging text, written in an easy to read, conversational style is filled with a wealth of history, drama, intriguing sidebars, informative maps, fun facts, and trivia, and enhanced by Bethanne Andersen's appealing artwork in bold and vivid colors. Perfect for youngsters 10 and older, Ten Kings And The Worlds They Ruled is an eloquent book and includes a comprehensive bibliography and index for further reference. Kids may first pick up Ten Kings for report research, but it's a sure bet that once they start, they'll continue reading each fascinating chapter.

Descriptions which read with the excitement of a novel
Hammurabi, David, Kublai and other kings shaped their times and ultimately the world: Ten Kings And The Worlds They Ruled selects ten kings from history to profile, including maps, color illustrations, and descriptions which read with the excitement of a novel, yet are packed with information and detail suitable for reports. An intriguing approach to history and biography.

Kings is a great book
This book is written well and helps my children understand that being the king is not the best job in the world or in any way easy. That like every other pursuit in life that good character can make a difference. And so can immoral character. The illustrations are wonderful and hve emotion impact. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Should be on Everyones Must Read List
This book should be read by everyone. It is informative, well written, and provides information one one of the true heros in the history of mankind. If you read "Shindlers Ark" (or saw the movie) you'll really enjoy this book.

History that is more exciting than the best-selling fiction
As a parent, I know how hard it is to find excellent, high-quality nonfiction books for older children who are at an in-between stage - not quite ready for adult books but too old for "juvenile" books. This true account of Raoul Wallenberg, a man who saved more than 100,000 Jewish men, women and children from extinction during the Holocaust, is gripping and well-written. My kids could NOT put it down and one of them is a reluctant reader, so that says a lot right there. Watching my reluctant reader with his eyes glued to the page compelled me to pick up the book myself and I was glad I did. The author has used actual archival materals and even interviewed Wallenberg's family and friends. There are also photographs included, a special touch that brings a sense of immediacy to the past. Perhaps most importantly, the author has not "talked down" to the older children who are most likely to read this book (although it could be read aloud to younger ones). Adults, too, would find this one fascinating to read. A strong recommendation for this one!

If I could rate this higher than 5 stars I would!
Raoul Wallenberg was just one Swede, and that one Swede saved over 100,000 Jewish people from certain death at the merciless hands of Adolf Eichmann. To this day no one knows what the fate of Wallenberg is. This book was wonderfully written and didn't even seem as though it was non-fiction! I loved this book and I recommend this book to anyone.

This book is one of the best Holocaust books I have read.
This book tell's about Raoul Wallenberg's life, and how he saved the Jewish People during the Jewish people. Raoul was born in 1912. When Raoul grew up his grandfather wanted him to be a banker like himself, but Raoul failed to let his grandfathers dream come true when his grandfather died. Instead Rauol whanted to be an artist. But while he was in Hungary he heard that the Jewish people are being killed by two people. As a sith grader this book needs to incude a biography of the other main characters.

Truth more exciting than fiction
Although this book is based on carefully researched facts, it holds your interest like a spy novel. Schindler saved 1,000. (That's great.) Wallenberg saved 100,000 lives. That's spectacular! Read how he emptied trains headed for death camps, had face to face confrontations with German leaders, and dared to do what no one else would. The gripping story of one of the few real heroes of our day. ... Read more

Book Description

Deborah Ellis's enormously popular Breadwinner trilogy recounted the experiences of children living in Afghanistan; now Ellis turns her attention to the young people of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After visiting the region to conduct interviews, she presents their stories here in their own words. Twelve-year-old Nora, eleven-year-old Mohammad, and many others speak directly about their lives - which prove to be both ordinary and extraordinary: They argue with their siblings. They hate spinach. They have wishes for the future. Yet they have also seen their homes destroyed and families killed, and live amidst constant upheaval and violence.This simple, telling book allows young readers everywhere to see that the children caught in this conflict are just like them - but living far more difficult and dangerous lives. Without taking sides, it presents an unblinking portrait of children victimized by the endless struggle around them. ... Read more