Amazon.com

Lively and inspirational, Katie Couric's sophomore picture book, reunites Ellie McSnelly and Carriet O'Toole, friends from her successful first book, The Brand New Kid. Once again, Couric's tale deals with the aches and pains of growing up, and in The Blue Ribbon Day, she encourages kids to deal positively with disappointment. Carrie doesn't make the soccer team with Ellie, but with some reassuring words from mom, "We're all good at something, you'll have your time to shine," she makes a new start, and ends up placing first in the school science fair.

Told in fun, jazzy rhymes that help mitigate Carrie's disappointment and foretell a happy ending, Couric's snappy, upbeat text is perfectly matched by Caldecott winner Marjorie Priceman's vibrant illustrations. Charming, engaging, and brimming with positivity, parents and kids alike will enjoy this reassuring tale. Daphne Durham

Amazon.com's The Significant Seven
Katie Couric answers the seven questions we ask every author.

Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?

A: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers.

Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?

A: Encyclopedia Britannica
Any Motown compilation
To Kill a Mockingbird

Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?

A: I told my mom that I didn't break one of the bedposts of her four-post bed during a pillow fight with my brother, but I eventually fessed up because the guilt was killing me!!!.

Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.

A: In the morning, on a patio with lots of flowers and birds chirping. A comfortable wicker chair. Sunshine, low humidity and a great cup of coffee.

Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?

A: "Perky no more."

Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?

A: Thomas Jefferson or Eleanor Roosevelt

Q: If you could have one superpower what would it be?

A: The power to cure serious illnesses.

... Read more

Book Description

In her classic books, Laura Ingalls Wilder lovingly described the many little houses she and her family lived in as they traveled across the American frontier. Today, these houses have been preserved as sites and museums that thousands of fans visit every year. The Little House Guidebook contains detailed information on these sites, as well as guidance on where to eat and stay, and other places to explore in the surrounding areas. Special features included colored tabs on each chapter for easy reference, a room-by-room tour of Laura's Rocky Ridge Farmhouse, and a walking tour and street map of De Smet, Laura's little town on the prairie, as well as guidance on how to get to the sites, where to eat and stay, and other places to explore in the surrounding areas.

Lavishly illustrated throughout with beautiful full-color photographs of Laura's houses and memorabilia, and gently colorized versions of Garth Williams' original art from the Little House books, this guidebook is the perfect companion for anyone who wants to visit Laura's little houses or just read about them.

Reviews (7)

Invaluable Resource for Little House Fans
William Anderson has done a fabulous job in painstakingly documenting everything there is to see from New York to South Dakota that has anything to do with Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" series. Ever wondered what happened to Pa's fiddle? Or if the house dug out from the banks of Plum Creek is still intact? This book has the answers. Complete with color photographs, addresses, phone numbers and maps, as well as ample background information, The Little House Guidebook is a must have for Little House fans everywhere. Even if you never get to visit these places, this book will take you there.

Good source for touring sites, rehash of some old material.
If I were to take any books along with me on a LIW journey, it would be this one. The reason for a lower rating is because I was disappointed in a rehash of what to find at the Little House sites that was already published in another of Anderson's titles.

Great Book!
Laura!

Superb Reading and Travel Planning Book
The Little House Guidebook is filled with the museums, houses and visitors sights about the legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family.

Beautiful, accurate photography amazes your eyes as any fan dreams of visiting each and every place. The first photo on the page dedicated to Walnut Grove, only 45 minutes from my hometown, is exactly how it looks today. A large sign just uphill from Plum Creek states where the sod house was.

Thanks to this wonderful book, our family knew all the best places to visit, shop at, and devour historical facts of. It even led us right to the church bell Pa had given his last three dollars for. We'll use it again on all our future adventures.

This book was well researched, written and photographed. It glorifies my Little House ongoing collection.

If you are a fan, or know someone who is, this book would be a fabulous gift, just as it was given to me for my birthday.

Excellent Little House site resource!
We used this book to plan our May trip to Kansas and Missouri. The directions were accurate and the information definitely added to our trip. We stayed at the Rosewood B&B (in the book, Kansas) and had a good time. This book is a must for any Laura Ingalls Wilder fan! ... Read more

Book Description

To look at Oscar Westerwit, you might think, Hey, just another New York City squirrel. Only thing is, you'd be wrong. . . .

For Oscar, life is good in New York City in the year 1900. He's the Mayor of Central Park -- the greatest place on earth for the squirrels, chipmunks, mice, and other animals who live there. He's the manager of his baseball team, the Central Park Green Sox, and shortstop, too. What could be bad?

Plenty, that's what! Big Daddy Duds, jewel thief, all-round thug, and leader of rats, is about to invade the park with five hundred of his closest friends. And when he does, the other animals who live there will be turned out of their homes. Everyone looks to the Mayor to save them, but he may not even be able to save himself from the invaders.   The Mayor of Central Park is a rich and fragrant evocation of old New York, with a community of animals who are as lively as characters in a Damon Runyon story, brought to life in a blend of humor and heartbreak that is vintage Avi.

Reviews (1)

fairly good story
The setting of this book takes place in 1900.The main character in the book is Oscar Westerwit, a squirrel who loves baseball and Broadway musicals.He heads up a team of animals to over come a gangster rat named Big Daddy Duds who ties to bring trouble to the park area.Find out if their plan works in The Mayor Of Central Park!


The book was easy and fun to read.


The characters in the book are animals.Children enjoy animal stories most of the time. ... Read more

Book Description

Summer is here!

The warm days of summer have arrived, and that means Laura gets to spend fun-filled days outdoors!

Book Description

A landmark in children's literature, winner of the 1970 Newbery Medal, and the basis of an acclaimed film, Sounder traces the keen sorrow and the abiding faith of a poor African-American boy in the 19th-century South. The boy's father is a sharecropper, struggling to feed his family in hard times. Night after night, he and his great coon dog, Sounder, return to the cabin empty-handed. Then, one morning, almost like a miracle, a sweet-smelling ham is cooking in the family's kitchen. At last the family will have a good meal. But that night, an angry sheriff and his deputies come, and the boy's life will never be the same.

A landmark in children's literature, winner of the 1970 Newbery Medal and the basis of an acclaimed film, Sounder traces the keen sorrow and the abiding faith of a poor African-American boy in the 19th-century South.

Winner, 1970 Newbery Medal
Notable Children's Books of 1940–1970 (ALA)
1970 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
"Best of the Best" Children's Books 1966–1978 (SLJ)
Outstanding Children's Books of 1969 (NYT)
Best for Young Readers (NYTBR)
1970 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
Children's Books of 1969 (Library of Congress)
Children's Books of the Year (CSA)
Some Select Children's Books of 1969 (Publishers Weekly)
Notable Books for the Portrayal of the Black in Children's Literature (Top of the News)
Mark Twain Award (Missouri)
1973 Nene Award (Hawaii)
1975 Sue Hefley Children's Book Award (Louisiana) ... Read more

Reviews (163)

Sounder
I think the book, Sounder, by William H. Armstrong, was very good. The story is about a boy who has a dog named Sounder. The family is poor so the father must steal to feed his family. His father is taken to jail and Sounder tries to protect him but gets hurt. What I thought was interesting about this book is the story is based upon William Armstrong's teacher's life experience of this. I enjoyed the way it made me think about the story in different ways. I enjoyed the characters because they had distinct personalities. For instance, the boy was very determined to find his father, and the other characters thoughts and emotions were very well described. All of the story elements together helped me picture the story as if I had witnessed it. The setting was described in great detail just like the plot and the characters were also. It was amazing that everything about the book could seem so real. The thing I enjoyed most in the story was the way the dog's bark was described. It was described with beautifully written similes and metaphors to portray how it sounded. The dog, Sounder, was named for it's bark because people could hear the bark louder and richer than any other dog's bark. For all of these reasons I will highly recommend this book with five out of five stars. There were only two things in this story I did not like very much. One is the abruptness of the time periods. In one paragraph it went from seasons to years. Another is that not very much detail about the boy when he was searching for his father was given. Overall though, I felt this book was one that should be read more than once.

Sounder
This childrens book by William Howard Armstrong digs into the life of a young black boy, his father and their dog, Sounder. It is set in the old south and details the struggles of an African American family of this time. The usual struggles for this family are getting food and staying warm until one terriable night that changes the family forever. The father is taken to jail and Sounder is wounded in the struggle. From that night on the boys life is faced with even more struggles to survive, as he is hoisted to the head of the house. He worries about his fathers well being, which sends him onn many adventures looking for him. Through all of the bad the boy does manage to find the good in all occasions.
This would be a great read for fourth to eighth grade students. It is a truthful and detailed insight into the history of the African-American race.

Sounder
I think Sounder is a fairly boring book, and i should know i'm a book worm. i read about half the book then i started skimming, becaus it was so boring. i mean almost no one but the dog had a name. i believe you have to have a name not just a description to make an interesting person. also i belive that it is based on a true story, and i find most of those to be boring. i recommend this for adults, but not for kids. they'd probally get tired of it in the first two chapters.

Like a roller coaster - some parts are good - some parts suc
I had to read Sounder for a novel class. Judging by the cover I knew it will be a boring story and I was right. Some chapters didnt even make sense and it was confusing cuz the characters didnt have names except the dog Sounder. It was pretty boring. Only the end was good.

Sounder's Voice Is Heard
This book tells the story of a sharecropper's family and their dog, Sounder. The story happens in the 19th century American South.

More importantly, I feel this story tells about courage and determination during hard times.

The focus is on Sounder because he is a hunting dog and a major contributor to the families' food supply. however, I think Sounder is the only character named in this story for deeper reasons.

When the father is taken to jail on some trumped-up charge, Sounder is seriously wounded trying to protect him. Despite his crippling injury, Sounder returns home. Sounder's recovery and persistance is a symbol of what the family members want to do. When the father returns, also crippled, the old dog, previously silent, lets out one last resounding, triumphant bark.

This is a compassionate and compelling book, one I couldn't put down. Even though it was sad, it was full of love. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Highly Recommended
Katie and the Mona Lisa is a truly excellent book. My 4 yr old daughter likes to both draw and read. This is ideal for our bedtime reading -- it engages her, helping to her develop her imagination and learn a bit about art. I'm looking forward to going to an art museum, where I intend to ask my daughter which painting she'd like to crawl into! I also can't wait to buy the others in the series. Honestly!

Meet the Masters of the Italian Renissance
Katie is back visiting her favorite place, the art museum, with her Grandma. On this outing she stands in front of the picture of the Mona Lisa. "I wish I knew what is making you smile", she wonders. And with that, the Mona Lisa invites her into the painting. Katie steps over the frame and enters the world of the Italian Renaissance..... James Mayhew, author of Katie Meets the Impressionists, has written and illustrated another wonderfully inventive story, full of witty text and expressive artwork, that will transport youngsters back in time and send them on a very creative adventure. Poor Mona Lisa is sad and lonely, sitting in that chair without visitors for hundreds of years. So, Katie takes her "out" to meet new friends...They visit St. George from Raphael's St. George and the Dragon, dance with the beautiful women in Botticelli's Primavera and fly to Venice on Carpaccio's The Lion of St. Mark, causing a little trouble and leaving a bit of chaos in their wake. But fortunately, all is sorted out and put right in the end by the angel from da Vinci student's An Angel With a Lute. Katie and the Mona Lisa is an amusing and inspired story that will captivate children 4-8 with its magic and offers a terrific and imaginative introduction to the paintings of the Italian Renaissance.

A Captivating Introduction to Fine Art
I bought this book for my two year old daughter, and she loves it! The story itself is charming. As "Katie" steps into and out of various paintings in the art museum, she meets the people in the paintings. The author includes a little fact about each painting and/or artist within the text of the story. At the end of the story, the author gives more detailed information about every painting included in the book. The illustrations are also fabulous! Our whole family enjoys this book, and now our 2 year old recognizes the Mona Lisa when she sees "her." ... Read more

Book Description

Cowboy Small takes good care of his horse, Cactus. In return, Cactus helps Cowboy Small get work done on the range. Together they round up cattle for branding and live the good life. At night, Cowboy Small eats at the chuck wagon, sings with his friends, and sleeps under the stars.

... Read more

Reviews (5)

Wonderful first story book
My 2-year old son and I just checked "Cowboy Small" out of the library. Couldn't believe my luck in finding this book! This is the first story book that's held my son's interest past the first few pages and all the way to the end and back again, and I mean backwards through every page.

My son is into horses in a big way right now and one of his favorite movies is "The Cowboys" with John Wayne and Bruce Dern. (A few bad parts we skip through.) Amazingly, the book and movie are very similar is many aspects: chuck wagon, sleeping out, campfire, cattle drive/roundup, playing guitar, and breaking a horse in a round pen with the cowboys sitting on the top rail -- right out of the movie!

Lois Lenski's a national treasure. Why didn't I know about him before? And where are the greeting cards and window valances and sheets? Half joking here, but I wouldn't mind getting my son some Cowboy Small sheets when he moves to a big-boy bed. ;)

An old favorite
My son is now 15 years old, but I still remember the many times that I had to borrow Cowboy Small from the local library so we could read about his adventures. We would act out the things that Cowboy Small would do over and over. I am trying to find an original version for Christmas, but maybe this will do.

Yippee! Yippee! Yippee!
I read this book to my two year old, and we both love it! I think he loves it because hearing about a cowboy doing adventurous things probably appeals to the little boy in him, and I love it for the nostalgia (you don't see cowboy cartoons or serials these days), for the beginner education about who cowboys are and what they do, and the simple, clear illustrations.

One word of caution: don't expect to glean any character lessons or underlying meanings from this book. This Lenski book is mostly just factual and fun!

A favorite of a 3 year old cowgirl
This is a classic book that our almost 3 year old daughter loves to look at again and again. She has learned many new words (curry, saddle, spurs, saddlehorn, etc.), has memorized most of the text, and is very attached to anything related to horses. The text is simple, the illustrations are wonderful, and the story is charming. Our daughter has lots of books and this is one that she seeks out from among all the others in her bookshelf. You'll love it too.

My Buckeroo Loves Cowboy Small
My 3-year old got this book for Christmas. He was so taken with it that (of course) we had to read it four times in a row before bed. Then he had to take his stick horse to bed with him in a sleeping bag (or his bedroll, as Cowboy Small would say)and lie on the floor to "look at the stars." The words are simple and the pictures are wonderful. A great book for any little cowboy or cowgirl. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Raving Review
The Raving Review

Hiram Hillburn loves spending time with his Grandma and Grandpa down in Greenwood, Mississippi. But then his Grandma dies and Hiram's parents decide to move to Tempe, Arizona. Then in the summer of 1955 when Hiram is 16, his parents decide to let him go back to Greenwood. But Hiram feels it is not the same Greenwood that he remembered as a young boy. Then a young African-American boy is murdered because of an ugly racial incident. Hiram is starting to learn why his father was trying to not let him go.
I liked the book for the most part, though there were a few parts I didn't care for, like when Hiram witnessed the ugly racial incidents. This book is based on real events. So, if you like true stories that are part of our country's history like this, then I would recommend this book to you. The author did a good job of making this book very descriptive. I give it 3½ out of 4 stars.

By: Adam ...

Racism...
I just finished this book tonight and I will say it is one of the best books I've read in a long time. The protagonist, Hiram, doesn't exactly get along with his father, especially where his grandfather is concerned. So when his father finally permits him to go to Greenwood, he is thrilled. But the town isn't how he remembers it to be. It is all perfectly clear when his 'friend' R.C. forces Emmett Till, a black youth from Chicago visiting his uncle, to eat fish guts. When Emmett whistles at a white woman, things go sour, and R.C. talks about wanting to go with a few men who invited him to teach Emmett a lesson. But then Emmett goes missing and when his body is found, Hiram has a feeling R.C. might be one of the men involved with the boy's brutal murder. Though two of the men, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, involved are on trial, it isn't known who the other two (a man and a woman) are. Will justice come to the Till family? And who else was involved in the murder of Emmett Till?

This book was excellent - the characterization, the setting, description, plot...it was a well-written, well-thought-out book. I recommend it to anybody who is looking for a good book on prejudice and the Civil Rights movement. It will really get you thinking.

Mississippi Trial, 1955
Crowe, Chris. Mississippi Trial, 1955. 2002. Phyllis Fogelman/Penguin Inc. 9-12.
This book is based on the true story of Emmett Till, a fourteen-year-old African American boy from Chicago who came south to visit relatives in Mississippi in the fall of 1955. A fish out of water in Mississippi, his behavior did not fit the accepted norm for behavior for a black person in the south at that time. Talking familiarly to a married white woman and being bold enough to whistle at her condemned him, in spite of his youth, to torture and death.

This extraordinary book will haunt you long after you finish reading it. It is a well-written tale with a constantly increasing tension and fully rounded and developed characters. This book is a terrible indictment of those good and loving citizens who had the secret dark side of the Clan hidden under their smiling faces. This is the coming of age story of a young white boy who goes back to visit his beloved grandfather and finds a world he was too young and innocent to see when he visited as a child. Hiram finds the difficulty in facing darkness is not the darkness that lies hidden in strangers, but the darkness hidden in ourselves and those we love. This book will win awards.

Adults and Teens should read this one
Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Montgomery Bus Boycott, Freedom Rides, and the March on Washington. But one name and event is often missing: Emmett Till, a fourteen-year-old black boy from Chicago who was brutally murdered, his body dumped in the Tallahatchie River, for allegedly whistling at a white woman.
Told though the eyes of Hiram Hillburn, a white teenager who has come to spend the summer with his grandfather, the reader is taken into the heart of racism at a time when the passions of the south were volatile and violent. Hiram sees changes in his beloved south, his friends, and even his grandfather; changes which make him doubt his own safety. Hiram witnesses R.C. Rydell force Emmett to eat a raw fish at knife-point. Hiram's grandfather offers no sympathy, warning that "colored boys should know better than to push themselves on white folks." After Emmett is murdered, Hiram doesn't want to stay silent, he wants the truth to be told, even if it uncovers secrets about his own family.
Discuss of racism as it stands in our country today, and what can be done to prevent it.

A provacative look at a turning point in history
The trial of Emmett Till's murderers is a story everyone needs to hear about and this story is told in such a clear and enjoyable way, that all who read it will want to delve deeper into the history. I read it clean through in one sitting, never getting bored or tired. It is a clever blend of fact and fiction, the language captivates without distracting, and the events are so compelling the book leaves the reader rethinking life choices. Great for children and adults alike. In fact, I think this book can catch even the reluctant readers. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1894, Laura Ingalls Wilder, her husband, Almanzo, and their daughter, Rose, packed their belongings into their covered wagon and set out on a journey from De Smet, South Dakota, to Mansfield, Missouri. They heard that the soil there was rich and the crops were bountiful -- it was even called "the Land of the Big Red Apple." With hopes of beginning a new life, the Wilders made their way to the Ozarks of Missouri.

During their journey, Laura kept a detailed diary of events: the cities they passed through, the travelers they encountered on the way, the changing countryside and the trials of an often difficult voyage. Laura's words, preserved in this book, reveal her inner thoughts as she traveled with her family in search of a new home in Mansfield, where Rose would spend her childhood, where Laura would write her Little House books, and where she and Almanzo would remain all the rest of their happy days together.

Reviews (11)

The Wilder family moves
'On the Way Home' is Laura's diary as they traveled from DeSmet to their new home in Mansfield, Missouri. There are pictures included in this book that take you back to Laura's time and can make you feel even more like you know Laura.

This book is very interesting and is a quick read. The book starts with Rose Wilder Lane telling us about the events leading up to the Wilder's move to Missouri in 1894.

The majority of the book is Laura's actual diary. It begins on the day they set out (July 17, 1894) and continues through to the day they arrived in Mansfield (August 30, 1894). Laura includes in her entries things such as the temperature, what time they started in the morning, how many emigrant wagons they saw, what towns they drove through and what rivers and creeks they crossed. Laura also wrote down things that occurred along the way. For example, a lame horse, a lost dog, conversations with strangers and wading in creeks.

Also included in the book is a map of their journey. I found this interesting and referred to it often as Laura named the towns they drove through and stopped at. It was nice to see the route they took. At the end of the book, Rose wrote some more. She wrote about the search for a home, an important thing being lost and then found again, a description of Mansfield, moving into the new home and so on.

This book is not an 'edge of your seat' type, but it is interesting for those who are fans of Laura Ingalls and the Little House books and for those who like to learn about days gone by.

On The Way Home
For the children who loved Little House on the Prairie series;this is for you. On the Way Home is about an eight year old girl traveling with family toward her new home. There were many adventures that the Wilder family encountered "on the way home." there are parts in this book that would keep you on edge. This book would appeal to children under the age of ten. Laura Ingalls Wilder has published many interesting books for children including this one. On The Way Home is a book that would teach a child about the hardships of life in the eighteen hundreds. On the Way Home is a book that would interest children to read more books like this one. HAPPY READING!

A wonderful mother-daughter collaboration
"On the Way Home: The Diary of a Trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894," by Laura Ingalls Wilder, really brings to life this era in American history. The book is actually a collaboration between Laura and her daughter, writer Rose Wilder Lane; Rose's introduction and concluding chapter "sandwich" Laura's journal entries.

As the author of the "Little House" book series and as the subject of a long-running television series based on those books, Laura Ingalls Wilder is a truly beloved figure in American popular culture. "On the Way Home" offers an excellent opportunity to "hear" her speak directly from a real-life adventure. Her trek with her husband, Almanzo, and daughter Rose is a classic pioneer tale.

The book is well complemented by a wealth of black-and-white photographs of the family, as well as of the architecture, artifacts, landscapes, and animals that were part of their world. There is also a map of their route.

Laura's prose is very engaging. She writes of the natural landscape, plants, and animals they encountered along the way. She also gives a sense of the ethnic and religious diversity of that time and region. Her journal entries capture the excitement of the growing cities and towns.

This is a short book (120 pages), but it is full and fascinating. When Laura writes of such pleasures as wading in a warm river or picking wild blackberries, you can imagine yourself standing beside her. Recommended as a companion text: "O Pioneers!", by Willa Cather.

A little dry, but interesting reading
I personally wouldn't recommend this book for the younger Little House readers, unless they are really keen. As it is a transcription of a diary that Laura kept during her long journey to the "Land of the Big Red Apple," it is more interesting than gripping. Laura would have been trying to save paper by being fairly tacit in her records, so while there's a number of interesting happenings they aren't fleshed out in great detail or with the rich descriptions that she's known for. I certainly did enjoy it, however.

(Additionally, she probably intended this diary for her own use, so she goes into a lot of things like the state of the crops and price of land in different places.)

A Happy Ending
I always wondered what happened after The First Four Years and this book lets us in on what happened to the Wilders. Because of high debts and failing crops, the Wilders lost everything. After a friend visited the Ozarks and told of the fertile land and milder climate, Almanzo and Laura decided to start over. Laura kept a diary of their journey for memories sake. Because so many readers were curious of what happened to Laura and Almanzo, Rose Wilder Lane wrote a wonderful setting leading up to the diary and after they arrived in the Ozarks. The diary was written as a diary for it was never intended to be a book but only as a memory of their travel. It was comforting to know that they were finally starting to move forward with their lives instead of backwards like what happened in South Dakota. The diary was found after Laura's death and Rose had it published to let us know that Almanzo and Laura had a hard but happy life. I didn't expect Laura's writings to be more detailed because it was still seventeen years before Laura started writing for the farm magazines. She only wrote what she found necessary to make sure she had enough paper for the whole journey. The pictures in the book are excellent for then you can see the real Almanzo, Laura and Rose. I consider this book the true ending of the Little House series. ... Read more

Book Description

What kind of ship was the Mayflower? How did the Pilgrims feel when they saw land? What was the first building in Plymouth? In lively question-and-answer style, this fact-filled book answers all sorts of questions about the Pilgrims' journey on the Mayflower and their first year in America.

Boys and girls will find out why the Pilgrims left England to live in America, what they took with them on board the Mayflower, and the hardships they endured.They'll learn what the Mayflower Compact was, how the Pilgrims made a peace treaty with the Indians, and how these brave settlers managed to survive in their new land.

Ms McGovern has carefully researched the Pilgrims' journey and their first year in America.Her portrayal is full of fascinating detail about their everyday life.Young readers will be intrigued to discover that Pilgrim boys and girls slept on corn husk mattresses they made themselves, and that most of the houses had only one chair -- which was reserved for the man of the house!

The humorous, true-to-life illustrations serve as effective complements to the informative, fun-to-read text. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Wonderful Resource; A Great Story
I am a teacher who was looking for a book for my students to use when we study Thanksgiving. Without a doubt, this story is one of the best that we use. It is a great introduction to reading non-fiction, and it provides a wealth of information for students, parents, and teachers.

My students love the story. They can easily understand the Question-Answer format, and it is not overwhelming in its content. It's written in an 'easy reading' style that the students can understand. They are really interested in what the kids did during this time, especially what they did for fun.

I recommend this book to any student who wants to know more about the Pilgrims and their arrival to America. I also recommend this to any adult who is looking for a wonderful non-fiction book for their favorite child(ren).

This book is hard to put down!
I got "If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620" for our Thanksgiving unit based on several glowing recommendations. I was not disappointed. Both my 5 yo and I had a hard stopping once we got started. I learned things about the Pilgrims I'd never known. And, the content is fascinating for children. It covered such curious topics as Did they bathe on the Mayflower?, What did they eat?, How were people who broke the law punished?, What did children do? It was written to entertain anyone over the age of 4. It's a question/answer book and exceptionally well done.

Great Book
I purchased this book for my Grandchildren but this is not only a great book for 4-8 year olds but for anyone over 4. You might learn some things you didn't know. By the way, if you ever go to Plymouth you can go on the Mayflower II, and be sure to visit Plimoth Plantation (it's like going back in time to 1630).

Just Like You Were There!!!
This book by Ann McGovern depicts the life that you would have had on the Mayflower. You get a sense and almost feel like you are there with the rest of the pilgrims in 1620. The detail is just great and is a book that all kids should read from a historical standpoint. ... Read more

Book Description

Young Sacajawea has been asked to join Lewis and Clark in their exploration of the American West. As a translator, peacemaker, caretaker, and guide, Sacajawea made the historic journey of Lewis and Clark possible. This captivating novel which alternates between the points of view of Sacajawea and William Clark provides an intimate glimpse into what it would have been like to witness firsthand this fascinating time in our history. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Enjoyable
Sacajawea was the Indian teen that acted as guide and translator to Louis and Clark's expedition across the north-western territory that would soon become part of the United States with the Louisianna Purchase. Read about Sacajawea's early years, how she was pledged in marriage as a child. Stolen by a raiding party when only eleven and subsequently lost to a traveler while the new tribe was gambling with her. Married soon there after and giving birth all before the age of sixteen. And the interesting part of her life was yet to come.

The book also covers the expedition and its encounters while exploring the new land and the many Indian tribes the met. It is told in alternating view points of Sacajawea and Captain Clark. Their views on the happenings around them are very interesting. It is apparent how time and time again Sacajawea, or Janey as the expetition named her, was indespensible. Read between the lines to see the bond that formed between Sacajawea and Captain Clark.

This is an outstanding book that I recommend to adults as well as teens. Very informative and easy to read. The chapters were short and it was interesting how they altered from one view to the other and back.

Fantastic!! A joy to read.
I think one of the best things about this version of the Lewis and Clark story is the way the author alternated chapters by Sacajawea and Captain Clark. The whole book is told as a collections of stories for Sacajawea's son, Pomp, who was a favorite of Captain Clark. Their separate characters and backgrounds, American and Indian, shine through their versions of the memorable moments of the voyage to the Pacific Ocean and back.

This may be listed as a book for children, but it should not be labeled for any particular age group. Adults will enjoy it too.

The book so clearly points out the great optimisim of the early explorers that led them through dangerous situations with such confidence. The reliance upon actual texts from the participants of the voyage make this a very authentic story.

Not just for teens
I got this book for my 10 year old daughter, but I picked it up and found I couldn't put it down. It was a wonderfully entertaining story full of historical detail, and as told from the 2 points of view, Clark and Sacagawea, it just came alive in my mind. Joseph Bruchac tells a fascinating story and educates at the same time. I highly recommend this book for teens as well as adults.

Good historical fiction
I really enjoyed this book! I have always found the Lewis and Clark expedition to be fascinating, and this book combines the viewpoints of William Clark and Sacajawea. The two are telling their tales of the expedition to Sacajawea's son, and the story includes Native American legends as well as actual excerpts from William Clark's trip journals. I would recommend this book to any teens interested in the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Sacajawea
This is a great book. Full of adventure and dangers. I lovedit and will read it again! END ... Read more

Book Description

People are coming to America--all kinds of people. If you're European, you come in search of freedom or riches. If you're African, you come in chains. And what about the Indians, what is happening to them? Soon with the influx of so many people, thirteen unique colonies are born, each with its own story. Meet Pocahontas and John Smith in Jamestown. Join William Penn and the Quakers in Pennsylvania. Sit with the judges at the Salem witch trials. Hike over the mountains with Daniel Boone. And let Ben Franklin give you some salty advice in his Poor Richard's Almanac in this remarkable journey through the dynamic creation of what one day becomes the United States. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The English establish thirteen colonies in the New World
"Making Thirteen Colonies: 1600-1740" is the second volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US." The first volume covered how the first Americans crossed over from Asia to become Indians and the first Europeans, mainly the Spanish but also the French and English, began settling the New World. This volume focuses on the narrow string of settlements established by the English that became the thirteen colonies whose people began moving westward and who also started to question the relationship they had with England (there is a small amount of overlap between this and the next volume, which covers period of American history from 1735-1791).

Hakim begins with a preface that looks at the vast mixture of ideas that were brought over from the Mediterranean world and took root in the Americas. Along with the first chapter, which talks about the comet that appeared in 1607 as a portent of great changes for the world, this preface sets up several key themes that will be revisited throughout this and future volumes. "Making Thirteen Colonies" has 42 chapters and it the book is divided into five main sections. The first (chapters 2-12) tells how English settlers came to stay by establishing the first permanent colony in Jamestown, Virginia. The second (chapters 13-23) looks primarily at the Puritans arriving in New England, although Hakim also touches on what was happening between the Indians and the Spanish in the southwest. The third section (chapters 24-30) tells about the mid-Atlantic colonies, most notably New Amsterdam/York and Pennsylvania. The fourth section (chapter 31-39) returns to the South, looking at not only Ole Virginny but also the two Carolinas and Georgia. This unit also looks at the Triangle Trade and other considerations that united the four southern and nine northern colonies. The final section (chapters 40-42) is a transitional unit, that looks at how the colonists began to move westward and the stage was set for the period of history that would make those thirteen colonies into a new nation.

One of the great advantages to writing a ten-volume history of the United States is that unlike most standard American history textbooks "A History of US" is able to clearly establish the unique identities of each of those original thirteen colonies. I recently finished reading an excellent series of books, each of which was devoted to an individual colony, and Hakim ends up being closer to those volumes than she does the standard textbook. Consequently, in addition to the traditional stories about Pocahontas and John Smith in Jamestown, William Penn and the Quakers of Pennsylvania, the Salem witch trials, Ben Franklin as the quintessential American, and Daniel Boone finding routes through the mountains, Hakim establishes an individual identity for each colony.

However, the main strength of this series is how Hakim engages young readers, the same way you would expect a "real" teacher to do in a "real" classroom. This shows up primarily in her ability to anticipate and answer questions that students might have (e.g., why the Indians were not enslaved). I can easily see why this series is popular with parents who are home schooling their children. The book is richly illustrated with dozens and dozens of historic paintings, etchings, drawings, maps, engravings, and assorted reproductions. The margins are crammed with interesting facts, definitions, and quotations, and features on topics such as Land Green and Africa: The Unknown Continent are sprinkled throughout the book. The After Words this time around are devoted to cartography and has some superb examples of 16h- and 17th-century maps. It is easily to see why this series has impressed so many people and why Hakim is able to get such good responses from young students who are used to getting their information from computers and the Internet.

Excellent resource
I love this series!! Told in story style, you get details and interesting tidbits that you wouldn't get in ordinary text books. I have always felt that history was a vital part of our school curriculum and these books make the going easier. Even if you are just a history buff, instead of student, you would enjoy these!

Clearly written - fun for all ages!
Our two children are home-schooled, and as we have started collecting the newly issued quarters, the kids came up with lots of questions about them and the origins of each state. This book, along with its companion volumes has answered all our "coin questions" (unlike the Encyclopedia Britannica!) The book is written clearly and simply enough for my 6 year old to grasp, and interesting enough to hold the attention of the adults!

Exceptionally fine writer ... she makes kids love history!
I teach fifth grade in Eugene and have used her books for a number of years now. I love using trade books to teach about history but Joy's books give children a framework from which to consider whether the historical fiction they so love is well written and researched or not. She teaches right along with me in my classroom through her books - we even have a framed picture of this author on our wall along with pictures of Lincoln, Washington, Frederick Douglass, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Her style is crisp and kid-pleasing. She deals with big issues and with important ideas. Children - and teachers - want to read her books over and over again because there is always something new to learn, something interesting to rediscover.

Detailed look at American History
As a homeschooling mother of a 5th grader I started using A History of US (vol 2) as a supplement to our standard text. It wasn't long before we abandoned the textbook.

Joy Hakim relates all the important events while sketching profiles of people you've heard of (and some you may not have heard of). She places events in historical context, discusses the development of ideas, quotes original sources, and defines outdated and difficult words. My criticism of the book is that she sometimes makes blanket statements that simplify the people of the time. For instance, concerning the Salem witch trials: "The leaders of the community, who might have done some thinking, didn't."

I like the short chapters that develop one topic, the range of people, places, and events (how many textbooks mention the Salem witch trials or Magna Carta?), and the use of direct quotes.

The book reads like a grandparent telling stories to a grandchild complete with answers to the child's questions and editorial comments. I guess grandparents are entitled to their opinions.

You won't cover as many years of American History in a set time with this series as you would with most textbooks, but you'll learn far more about the years you do cover. ... Read more

Book Description

The little settlement that weathered the long, hard winter of 1880-81 is now a growing town. Laura is growing up, and she goes to her first evening social. Mary is at last able to go to a college for the blind. Best of all, Almanzo Wilder asks permission to walk home from church with Laura. And Laura, now fifteen years old, receives her certificate to teach school.

Reviews (14)

The Best Little House Book
Little Town on the Prairie is my favourite book out of all the "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I enjoyed this book more than the other books because it was happier, for there were not so many depressing times the Ingalls family had to endure.
The title is self-explanatory, a little town on the prairie, which is in Dakota, USA. The story is set during the 1880's. The Ingalls family, consisting of six people, was always moving from place to place. When they came to Dakota, they were very happy with it. Their little "shanty" that they stayed in during the summer was built into a new, improved house. Mary, the oldest sister, is accepted into the college of the blind, and Laura continues school and has a summer job. Things are going very well at the Ingalls household. There is enough food for everyone, and there wasn't another hard winter, like everyone expected. Most problems have solutions like when there were gophers eating their corn, they got a cat to kill them. The only problem is school, because of the new teacher, Eliza Jane Wilder. She is Almanzo Wilder's sister. She turns out to be horribly mean to Laura and her younger sister, Carrie, because Nellie Oleson (Laura's enemy mentioned before in "The Banks of Plum Creek") told the teacher negative remarks about Laura. Soon, a new teacher replaces her. All of the problems work themselves out somehow, which is what I like about this book.
In my opinion, Laura Ingalls Wilder does an exquisite job captivating all her readers with her refined choice of words, meticulous detail, and up-beat plot. This is absolutely the best piece she's written. She does an admirable job of describing the setting so it makes you feel like you're right there, witnessing the whole scene. The book also has a good balance of good times and bad times, because if it was all bad times the book would seem depressing, and if it was all good times, the book would seem hard to believe. I would recommend this book for those who enjoy realistic fiction or historical fiction. I think a possible theme for this story would be hold on, things will get better. This theme is displayed throughout all the "Little House" series. This is my all time favourite book, and I hope you enjoy it, too.

Definitely my favorite Little House book...
Since I've first read this book when I was a little younger than Laura, so I was really excited to read what life was like 'back then' for kids my age.

The hard winter is finally over, and the Ingalls family finally moves out to their claim, where Laura enjoys the outside work and the sunshine. But then she is offered a job as a seamstress in town, and takes it even though she misses the outdoors. The work is hard, and the environment is unpleasant, but Laura sticks it out.

Ma=ry finally has a chance to go to the blind college in Iowa, and while Ma and Pa take her there, Laura, Carrie and Grace clean the house.

School finally begins again, and an unpleasant surprise comes along on the first day - Nellie Oleson from Plum Creek, who schemes and causes trouble. The high point of this situation is the troble between Laura and Ms. Wilder, the teacher, who only hears unpleasant things about Laura from Nellie, and Laura's short temper, especially where Carrie is concerned, does not help the situation... But Ida, the new girl, is nice enough to make up for Nellie's unpleasantness.

Laura is grown up enough to want fashionable cloths and all other fashionable things other girls her age in school have, such as name cards. She is invited to parties and attends her first evening sociable.

We start seeing the relationship between Laura and Almanzo Wilder start developing (even though I think her relationship with his sister, her unpleasant ex - school teacher, might give things an interesting twist).

I was wrong - THIS book is the best Little House book!
(...) But this next book, Little Town on the Prairie, is outstanding. The Ingalls have a short winter this year and everything seems to go right. But like we all know, even though we are warm and fed, problems just seem to come along. Now that Laura is 14 and 15 years old, she learns to care about and appreciate other people besides just her immediate family. She likes Ida, Cap, Mary Power and Minnie. She goes to a fancy birthday party for a boy named Frank. We see that she is becoming a beautiful young lady and she starts describing clothes and hairstyles in detail.
She even buys the latest thing - name cards. And when she sees Almonzo,she says "I was just picking up my name cards". MY name cards. Like she was so totally in fashion forever. She is very smart and can do long division in her head. There are many fun social occasions in this book and some exciting power struggles with the teacher, Eliza Jane(Almonzo's sister), Nellie Oleson, etc. This is absolutely the most enjoyable book in the series. But I said that last time. Next will be "These Happy Golden Years". It can't be better than this one, but I've just got to see what happens! I can't close without again mentioning how much you learn in this book. This book teaches social history. You learn how to operate a corsett, hoop skirt, and what a lunatic fringe is, and how to curl your hair without a curling iron. You find out what to do when plagued by blackbirds and gophers, what to do when you're "home alone", and how to behave at your first paying job. This book is the beginning of the end of the little Ingalls family. Mary goes away to college, and soon Laura will become a teacher. We all have to face it sooner or later, our children will grow up. See how an ideal family handles it, with grace and love.

Loved it!
I have to admit that I never really cared to much about this series. I read all of them though (except for the last two) for lack of things better, and, out of all of them,this is the only one I really liked. I have no idea why! I just loved it! Totally reccomended!

school days
Laura's teenage years, her feelings and thoughts and actions, are memorably recorded in this book. Laura's feud with her unfair teacher (and future sister-in-law!) is hilarious! And her equally strong feud with an old childhood rival, who somehow managed to end up traveling from Minnesota to South Dakota at roughly the same time as Laura, is also amusing. Nellie wants to ride behind Almanzo Wilder's beautiful horses, but Laura ends up *marrying* the guy! (Not in this book, but you can pretty much see where it's going.) And the baby kitten, and Mary's desire to go to college and Laura's desire to sacrifice for that goal....Well, this is just a good, good book. ... Read more

Book Description

Like every other kid in his class, Joe Stoscack has to write a report on an African American who's made an important contribution to society. Unlike every other kid in his class, Joe has a special talent: with the help of old baseball cards, he can travel through time. So for his report, Joe decides to go back to meet one of the greatest baseball players ever, Jackie Robinson, to find out what it was like to be the man who broke baseball's color barrier. Joe plans on writing a prize-winning report. But he doesn't plan on a trip that will for a short time change the color of his skin -- and forever change his view of history and his definition of

01-02 Golden Sower Award Masterlist (YA Cat.) and 00 Pennsylvania Keystone to Reading Book Award (Intermed. Cat.)

Reviews (16)

Jackie & Me
For my book report I chose to read a book about Jackie Robinson. This book was entitled Jackie & Me, written by Dan Gutman.

In this book's introduction, Joe Stoshack explains that he has a very special talent. When Joe holds a baseball card in his hands he can travel back in time. Later in the book, this talent becomes very useful when Joe has to write a history report on an African-American who made the world a better place. For his report, Joe decides to go back in time to meet Jackie Robinson. He wanted to meet Jackie because he loved sports and knew a great deal about baseball. Joe also wanted to understand what it felt like to be the first black man in professional baseball.

Joe leaves Louisville, Kentucky, and is transported back into Jackie's time. He soon arrives in front of Macy's in New York, on April 14th, 1947 and finds he has become black. Joe was soon introduced to Jackie. Joe was invited to sleep on Jackie's couch because Joe helped a good friend of Jackie's after he had been attacked with a broken bottle. Eventually, Joe is accidentally made a batboy for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson's team. At first, Joe was nervous and scared that he was a black kid. He was treated badly by the white boys. He soon learned how difficult it was to be a black person, and how badly it feels to be made fun of for being black.

Joe soon understands the pain and frustration Jackie felt being a black man among all white team-mates. Jackie was sent threatening letters, called bad names, and treated very rudely and unkindly. Jackie Robinson was brave and strong, he refused to fight back and he refused to quit. The other players didn't want to be Jackie's friend, and they often ignored him altogether. One day, Pee Wee Reese started joking with Jackie. During the baseball game, Reese put his arm around Jackie and the crowd gasped in shock because it was the first time a white player had shown affection for a black player.

[...]Joe wrote a very informative and sensitive report about Jackie Robinson. He explained all the discrimination and segregation that Jackie had to endure. Joe learned that Jackie was a talented, dignified, and an honorable ball player, who eventually became well liked, admired, and respected.

Great combination of baseball fantasy and history
With Jackie and Me, Dan Gutman has improved upon the idea he started with Honus and Me. Joe Stoshack is still travelling through time via baseball cards, but for this book he experiences one of the great events of the 20th Century: Jackie Robinson breaking the baseball color barrier. Gutman also presents Robinson as a great role model for Joe and real kids like him who have trouble understanding that real strength is often shown through the ability to ignore ignorance, or by confronting it with talent and truth instead of fists.

Jackie and Me
Tim Young
Jackie and Me
A Baseball Bananza Dan Gutman 2000

The book is adout a kid named Joe who is sent back to the 1947 and meets Jackie
Robinson. He travles with Jackie by beighing the Dodgers bat boy. this book is great and you wont want to put it down.
When Joe is going through time he wakes up as an african american and in the 1940s they are not beighing treated fairley. This book also points out that even though Jackie is a pro ball player,people still look down on him. this book has a biography and a kids book in one. I give this book an 8 out of 10.

Jackie and Me
I am 10 years old and I like to read sports books.One of the best sports books ever that I have ever read is is Jackie and Me.This book is about a kid who goes back to 1947 to see Jackie Robinson. When Joe went back to 1947 to see Jackie Robinson it was the year that he broke the color barrier.Read this book to see if Joe and Jackie becomes friends.I liked this book because it is a sports book and I like Jackie Robinson.I could never put the book down because it was so awesome.

DAN GUTMAN, YOU ROCK!!
Jackie & Me is a great book, combining sports with going back in time. I like how the pictures look like photographs. Like I said, DAN GUTMAN, YOU ROCK!! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Suprising Seaman by:JPD grade5
This stunninng book is about a gentle, unique, imprissively large dog named Seaman. This enormous dog was sold to Meriwether Lewis to take on his expodiation. Together,Lewis and Seaman explored the West. They fit together like a door in a doorway. Their friendship was rare. While they explored, they met Indians. The Indains called Seaman, 'Bear-dog.' This phenaminal book is for readers on a 3rd to 5th grade reading level.

A Real Page Turner By:DLS Grade 5
This phenomenal book told a rich about the adventures of a dog with his masters, Lewis and Clark. This volouminous story begins with Seaman, a brave dog, but a young lonsome inexperienced puppy. One day a weary traveler named Meriwether Lewis asks two soldiers on the docks he was stationed at where he could get a dog. To his luck they end up giving him Seaman.
Seaman gets his first trial. The men are starting to get hungry. Seaman spots a large group of beavers down stream. He decides he could help the crew. He succedes, but while the crew is eating they find that Seaman was hurt. They quickly tend to his hurt leg.The next day Indians start coming out of the bushes from all angles and are heading right for Seaman.
This book was a good read and I recomend this book to you! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Great Blizzard
Do you think non-fiction books can't be good? Well your wrong. Blizzard is a really good non-fiction book. It is about the blizzard of 1888. The storm caught most people by surprise because it was unusually warm on March 10, 1888. There was a storm system coming from the North and one coming from the South. The one in the North went along the Canadian border then started to swooped down. The one coming from the South went along the Gulf of Mexico,and then went South some then started to go North. People were in panic. They lost alot of people March 11, 1888. For example, people looking for the subway would get lost and not be able to be found. If they were found they had already died of freezing, being burried, or starving. Two little boys heading out to find their grandmas house got lost then were found not long after burried but still alive. And another example is two tugboats crashed into each other. Most of the people in that accident lived but some died. This is a good book for all age levels.

An insightful, lively account of another "perfect" storm.
Acclaimed historian Murphy shows how a devastating 1888 blizzard not only shut down our northeastern states for days, but radically altered the way Americans live; its repercussions are being felt even today. He illustrates how political corruption, ineptitude, and contemporary social attitudes exacerbated the storm's fallout. Using carefully chosen excerpts from survivors' personal accounts, he also gives us a vivid feel for what life was like then for immigrants, women moving into the workplace, and others who had to struggle to survive everyday. He employs an interesting mix of graphics to further illustrate his story. Junior high school students who believe history is boring may think differently after reading this; it should also appeal to readers interested in natural disasters, and in social histories. Here's another winner from the author whose "The Great Fire" brought Chicago's infamous conflagration so brilliantly to life. ... Read more

Book Description

When Joe Stoshack hears about Shoeless Joe Jackson -- and the gambling scandal that destroyed the star player's career -- he knows what he has to do. If he travels back in time with a 1919 baseball card in his hand, he just might be able to prevent the infamous Black Sox Scandal from ever taking place. And if he could do that, Shoeless Joe Jackson would finally take his rightful place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

But can Stosh prevent that tempting envelope full of money from making its way to Shoeless Joe's hotel room before the big game?

Reviews (9)

SHOELESS JOE AND ME
This book rocked so muc