2012 American Library Association Notable Children's Book. 2012 YALSA-ALA Award for Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Nominee. Meet the inventors and innovators who defined American music history. A radio repairman named Leo Fender imagined a solid-body electric guitar. The inventor of 3-D glasses, Laurens Hammond, envisioned an electric organ in every home. And a German carpenter named Steinway immigrated to New York City with the dream of designing the greatest piano in the world. From Steinway's pianos, Bob Moog's synthesizers, and C.G. Conn's band instruments to Avedis Zildjian's cymbals, William Ludwig's drums, C.F. Martin's guitars, and more, noted music writer VanHecke offers a fascinating, insider view of the personalities and perseverance that led to some of music's most important innovations - from classical to jazz to rock.
Celebrated for her nonfiction books aimed at young readers, award-winning author Suzanne Tripp Jurmain illuminates historical figures in fun and engaging ways. Worst of Friends draws listeners into the earliest days of America's history to profile the friendship and rivalry that grew between Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both of whom would go on to become president of the United States. "This entertaining and character-driven slice of history also offers a clear message about friendship."-Publishers Weekly
The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan-an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an Alpine convent and discovers that months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie's summer vacation are the bruises on her body and dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.
Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It's a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and will stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.
Meet Fisher Bas: a 12-year-old, growth-stunted, geeky science genius who is the son of Nobel Prize-winning parents. Despite his outsized IQ, Fisher is far from the most popular kid in his middle school - he's actually tormented daily by overgrown goons he calls the Vikings.
Holed up in his home lab over a long weekend, Fisher uses his mother's revolutionary Advanced Growth Hormone to clone himself. Now Fisher Two can go to school each day while the real Fisher stays at home playing video games, eating Cheetos, and working on his latest inventions. It's an ingenious plan that works brilliantly . . . until Fisher's clone turns out to be more popular than him and gets clone-napped by the evil scientist Dr. X. As his simple plan collapses, Fisher must set out on an epic adventure to rescue his genetic counterpart.
Charles Dicken's 1843 Christmas masterpiece tells the tale of the spiritual redemption of a man who has lost his humanity. The iconic miser, Ebenezer Scrooge hates Christmas and rejects all his opportunities to celebrate. He has no compassion for those less fortunate than himself and is cruel to everyone.
On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by ghosts. The first is his only friend, Marley, who warns him to change his ways. Scrooge is then visited by three Christmas ghosts who try their very best to scare Scrooge straight.
Scrooge's transformation is the embodiment of the Christmas spirit and his story a tradition for nearly two hundred years.
AUTHOR
Charles Dickens (1812–1870) was born in Landport, Portsmouth, England, the second of eight children in a family continually plagued by debt. A legacy brought release from the nightmare of debtors’ prison and child labor and afforded him a few years of formal schooling. He worked as an attorney’s clerk and newspaper reporter until his early writings brought him the amazing success that was to be his for the remainder of his life. He was the most popular English novelist of the Victorian era, and he remains popular, responsible for some of English literature’s most iconic characters."
Join Dorothy, Toto, The Scarecrow, The Tin Woodsman, and The Cowardly Lion in their journey down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City. This new recording showcases the voice talent and versatility of veteran voice actor B.J. Harrison, of The Classic Tales Podcast. Whether it’s witches, munchkins, mice or monkeys -Harrison’s characterizations will astound and entertain in this production sure to tickle the fancies of children of all ages.
All of your favorite classic nursery rhymes are included in this beautifully illustrated collection.
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School Library Journal calls this moving tale by Myron Uhlberg a "remarkable homage to New Orleans." A Storm Called Katrina follows Louis Daniel, a 10-year-old boy from New Orleans' Ninth Ward who loves to play the horn just like his idol, Louis Armstrong. The morning after the devastating hurricane rips through his neighborhood, Louis-with his beloved cornet in tow-must brave the rising flood waters and seek shelter with his family at the Superdome.
New York Times best-selling author Gordon Korman's Swindle, the first novel featuring 12-year-old Griffin 'Man with the Plan' Bing, was praised as a 'must-have for middle school libraries' (Children's Literature). Showoff, the fourth book in the series, finds Griffin hatching a new plan after his friend's pet Doberman, Luthor, is blamed for ruining a dog show and lands in the pound. Now, to spring Luthor, Griffin and his friends must pull off a scheme involving a large international dog show, lots of red dye, and the help of a reclusive former dog trainer.
One day we will fight again, but for now we are wolves in a cage, waiting to be let out... The Wolfe family has fallen on hard times. Mr. Wolfe has had an accident at work and has been unemployed for months. Mum cleans longer and harder, and works a night shift at the hospital. Sarah gets drunk now and then. Older brother Steve wants to leave home, to forget about his lunatic family. When Cameron and Ruben find they can earn fifty dollars a win with an organized boxing racket, they take the chance. Ruben has talent for boxing and Cameron has heart at least. They need the money, but it's really about self-respect. Boxing will change forever the way they see themselves. Author Markus Zusak pens a surprisingly complex and touching story that will linger long with readers. The language is hard-hitting, witty, and authentic - as are the emotions and action. Fighting Ruben Wolfe is not about boxing. It's about respect, stubborn pride, and real brotherly love. Fans of THE BOOK THIEF won't want to miss listening to the novels that launched Markus Zusak's stellar career.
Kay and Gerda discover the legend of the fearsome Snow Queen who lives in the great black cloud in the heavens. But once the Snow Queen visits their town in disguise and carries off Kay, Gerda begins a timeless quest. This book was the inspiration for Disney’s Frozen.
On January 31, 1961, a three-year-old chimpanzee named Ham made history. Strapped inside a Mercury capsule, the little chimp blasted off into the sky, becoming the first intelligent being to ride an American rocket into suborbital space. Ham made a vital contribution to the United States space program. Because there were so many unanswered questions about space travel, scientists could not risk sending humans on a journey into the unknown.
Chimpanzees, however, are very similar to humans in the makeup of their skeletons and internal organs. That made them the perfect space pioneers. Ham forged the way into the outer reaches of space so that human astronauts could follow. In this informative and entertaining book, featuring bold and lively illustrations, Richard Hilliard celebrates the achievement of Ham, the astrochimp and space hero.
