Until a few hundred years ago, people were embarrassed to buy bread in a store. Families took pride in making almost everything they owned. These days, many people take pride in buying as much as possible! New clothes, a speedier bicycle, the latest phone. If we've got money, someone can sell us a product that will supposedly make our lives better. But each year, humanity uses resources equivalent to nearly one and a half Earths, and we're still not meeting everyone's needs. Around the world, people are questioning consumerism, leaning toward more sustainable lifestyles and creating a whole new concept of wealth. What if you could meet all your needs while getting to know your neighbors and protecting the environment at the same time? Find out how growing a tiny cabbage can fight poverty, how a few dollars can help ten families start their own businesses and how running errands for a neighbor can help you learn to become a bike mechanic for free!
Long ago, the Old Ones were bad. They drank all the water, ate all the pine nuts, and left nothing for the other creatures. Sinawav the coyote punished them by turning them into rocky hoodoos. Now when children misbehave, their Paiute elders remind them that they too could be turned into stone columns! Vivian has heard the stories, but this year as she and her grandmother climb the mesa to pick pine nuts, Vivian has something more important on her mind: basketball tryouts. When Vivian is disrespectful to the trees and the land, her grandmother must remind Vivian of the legend of the hoodoos and how nature has made it possible for her people to live.
New Mexico rightly earns its nickname "Land of Enchantment" with natural treasures such as the White Sands National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns, and the Gila National Forest. But more than a beautiful landscape, New Mexico is steeped in the mystique, history, and tradition of multiple cultures, including the ancient Aztec and early Spanish explorers. From pueblo villages and stately missions to the nuclear energy research at Los Alamos, E is for Enchantment showcases the past, present, and future of New Mexico. Helen Foster James has been an educator for more than twenty years, and is now a lecturer at San Diego State University. She received her doctorate from Northern Arizona University. One of her goals is to travel to all fifty states, and she's already visited more than half. She lives in San Diego, California, with big stacks of children's books and her husband Bob. Neecy Twinem is an award-winning children's book author and illustrator of more than seventeen published books. She earned a fine arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute, and has exhibited her artwork in the United States and Europe. After a family trip to northern New Mexico, Neecy fell in love with the Southwest and now makes her home in the natural surroundings of the Sandia Mountains area.
In Veterans Day, early readers will learn about the American holiday of Veterans Day and the ways people celebrate it. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage emergent readers as they explore this unique holiday. A labeled diagram helps readers understand the symbols of Veterans Day, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Children can learn more about Veterans Day online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Veterans Day also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, and an index.
This book explores the ways in which people are different and the same. We are all living things on the same planet. We all need food, shelter, and friends. We all grow up. We also have different ways of life, and we are each good at different things. The things that are the same make us feel close to one another; the things that are different make it fun to know each other!
A myth is a story that attempts to explain a natural phenomena - such as how the world was created. Myths often include supernatural characters who have extraordinary powers. How To Tell a Myth is an engaging title that introduces readers to myths from around the world and highlights the common elements that make up this genre. Step-by-step instructions help readers create their own myths.
This exciting title introduces readers to the folktale genre. Readers will learn that folktales are often passed down and retold from generation to generation. Readers will discover the similarities and differences between folktales from around the world. The title also includes guided writing activities to help readers write their own folktales.
A fable is a short story that teaches the reader a lesson. The characters in a fable are often animals that speak and act like humans. How To Tell a Fable is an engaging title that uses fables from around the world to help readers identify the conventions of this genre. Readers are guided through a series of writing tasks to learn how to incorporate these same conventions in their own writing.
A legend is a story about a hero, a people, or a natural phenomena. Popular legends include King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Blackbeard, and Robin Hood. This exciting new title teaches readers about the common characteristics found in legends from around the world. Engaging writing activities guide readers as they use these characteristics to create their own legends.
Ten beautifully illustrated stories tell classic tales from different cultures of powerful gods and goddesses in mythology clashing with each other and with humans. Myths include: Pandora opening the box that releases the evils of humanity, and King Midas whose touch turned everything to gold, from Greek mythology; Ganesha, the god with the elephant head, from Indian mythology; Thor's Hammer, from Norse mythology; mighty Glooscap and the baby Wasis from Native American mythology; and the god Horus taking back the throne of Egypt, from Egyptian mythology. Feature boxes add additional details to help readers better understand concepts in the story as well as the time period in which the story was written.
Ten wonderfully illustrated stories tell folktales and legends from different cultures about ghosts and spirits, and their interaction with the human world. Feature boxes add additional details to help readers better understand concepts in the story as well as the time period in which the story was written.
This book introduces readers to Greek mythology, presents legendary characters and stories, and shows how Greek myths have influenced our culture. Readers are engaged with historical content while sharpening their skills at analyzing images and identifying evidence.
Ten-year-old Walking Turtle is of the Lenni Lenape tribe. He lives with his family in a small village alongside the Passaic River in what will become northern New Jersey. They have a relatively peaceful life, with nature offering up a bounty of resources for food and shelter, amply meeting their needs. Walking Turtle is close to his younger cousin, Little Talk. He feels protective of Little Talk, who has difficulty walking. Together they roam the forests near their village, with Walking Turtle carrying his cousin on his back. But in the autumn of Walking Turtle's tenth year, his father tells him that soon he must leave childhood friends behind and begin warrior school. Walking Turtle worries about what will become of Little Talk when he leaves for his training. And what is his future?
Segregated Charleston, SC, 1955: There are 62 official Little League programs in South Carolina -- all but one of the leagues is composed entirely of white players. The Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars, an all-black team, is formed in the hopes of playing in the state's annual Little League Tournament. What should have been a time of enjoyment, however, turns sour when all of the other leagues refuse to play against them and even pull out of the program. As the only remaining Little League team in the state, Cannon Street was named state winner by default, giving the boys a legitimate spot in the Little League Baseball World Series held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. While the Cannon Street team is invited to the game as guests, they are not allowed to participate since they have not officially "played" and won their state's tournament. Let Them Play takes its name from the chant shouted by the spectators who attended the World Series final.
Quilting has existed for thousands of years, spanning the globe, practiced by women as well as men, and bringing together communities and generations. F is for Friendship: A Quilt Alphabet examines the subject of quilting, as an art form as well as an item of utility, tracing its early history from a cave in Mongolia to patchwork bedcoverings transported in overland wagon trains to present-day exhibits at renowned museums. Topics include patterns, inventions, and fabric choices, as well as quilts as vehicles of American history.
From the quiet grandeur of the Himalaya Mountains to the urban city of Calcutta, T is for Taj Mahal: An India Alphabet showcases India's exotic treasures. Visit the haunting Taj Mahal, a tribute from an emperor to his dead wife. Traverse the bustling streets of Mumbai, the second most populated city in the world. Sample a traditional meal fragrant with garam masala spices, or attend a cricket match where some games have lasted up to five days! Varsha Bajaj was born in Mumbai, India. Her book, How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?, was named to the 2005 Texas Library Association 2X2 Reading List. Varsha lives in Houston, Texas. Robert Crawford's paintings have appeared on the cover of major magazines such as The Atlantic and U.S. News and World Report, as well as books. He also illustrated Sleeping Bear Press's The Legend of the Old Man of the Mountain. Robert lives in Woodbury, Connecticut.
Long ago in a faraway place there lived two mothers. One, a humble peasant woman who struggled daily to provide for her children. And the other, a mother spider who also worked hard to care for her family. And although it would appear they were as different as night and day, these two mothers had more in common than would first seem. As the only holiday gift she can give her children, one cold Christmas Eve the peasant woman goes to the forest to get a tree, never noticing that someone has made a home among its branches. During the night, the mother spider spins webs decorating the tree, resulting in a Christmas that neither mother will ever forget. Based on an old Ukrainian story, Trinka Hakes Noble (The Orange Shoes) crafts an original heartwarming tale of the grace that can be found in the true spirit of Christmas.
Through the voice of a young girl, the life of the people known as Irish Travelers is explored. Megan spends her summers traveling around the Irish countryside with her family. They move from place to place, hauling their camper behind their old car. But they aren't on vacation. This is their way of life. Megan and her family are Travelers. As part of their summer life, Megan's father works odd jobs, from fieldwork to roofing houses. Despite the rough living, Megan loves her life and the freedom that comes from traveling the open road. But at summer's end, when there's no more work to be had, the family moves to the city of Dublin. The camper is parked and they move into a cramped house. Megan and her siblings attend the local school as their parents struggle to make ends meet. And as the seasons pass, Megan counts down the days until she can return to her summer life.
South Dakota is home to an endless supply of American history and Americana. Did you know the world's largest drug store calls Wall, SD home? Or how about the triceratops was one of the state's earliest settlers? What about the prairie the Ingalls family called home? De Smet. Also in South Dakota! The answers to all of these and many more are is the latest Sleeping Bear Press A to Z state exploration - M is for Mount Rushmore: A South Dakota Alphabet. The state's charm and significance in American folklore goes beyond those four presidents' wonderful mugs and it's all captured here in poem and expository text for citizens and tourists of all ages. M is for Mount Rushmore: A South Dakota Alphabet is a welcome addition to the Sleeping Bear Press library and is sure to find a special place in homes, schools and libraries throughout the nation. Written and illustrated by the first time pairing of children book pros, author Bill Anderson and artist Cheryl Harness, M is for Mount Rushmore is the tribute to South Dakota readers will love. Well known in South Dakota circles and the country for his Little House work, Bill brings his poignant pen to M is for Mount Rushmore and the verse and text flow with feeling and pride. And breathing life into Mr. Anderson's prose is incredible images of Cheryl Harness. Bringing years of experience and an eye for extraordinary, Cheryl's images capture the grace and wonderment that is South Dakota.
Our continuing alphabet journey takes us to North Dakota, the home to such wide-eyed wonders as bison, mosasaurs and the Red River. Every letter in the alphabet is another chapter of a land rich in history, people and nature. Look to the skies for a bald eagle or to the horizon for a Wild Prairie Rose, the state flower. But no matter where children look in P is for Peace Garden, they're sure to find beauty and state pride on every page. This homespun tour of the Roughrider State uses folksy rhymes and in-depth text to share North Dakota's heritage with everyone. One just needs to open its pages to be taken on tour that will take them to Fargo, Bismarck and beyond. Paying special attention to the flora and fauna as well as the folklore that makes North Dakota a shining jewel in our nation's crown makes this book as important to its people as readers everywhere. Roxane Salonen uses her North Dakota roots to focus on the aspects of the state others rarely hear about. Share in North Dakota's glory and landscape through her glowing prose and illustrator Joanna Yardley's exquisite renderings of a vision rarely seen. P is for Peace Garden: A North Dakota Alphabet is sure to inspire and impress generations of reader for years to come.
Discover the unspoiled beauty of Arkansas in N is for Natural State: An Arkansas Alphabet. Acansa is the Sioux Indian name for the state we know today as Arkansas and this begins our alphabet journey. Next you'll find Blanchard Springs Cavern with its 80,000 bats and then to D is for Diamonds, and learn the Natural State is the only state that mines them. Illustrator Rick Anderson's rich and colorful images bring the beautiful vision of Arkansas to all readers.
Ross & Judy Young's combined belief that children comprehend intricate ideas at a very young age made it possible for them to seamlessly create "S is for Show Me: A Missouri Alphabet." The husband and wife team elegantly synthesize text and illustration to provide a rich texture of the Show Me State. The alphabet book employs a two-tiered approach that reaches Pre-K through 6th grade students. A rhyme for each letter of the alphabet catches the attention of younger readers, while older elementary students grasp a richer understanding of the topic by reading expository information on the same page.
Bursting with history like no other city in the world, Washington DC is a tribute to the United States, its people and even the world. Monuments spot the landscape, tourists spot the monuments and their legends are learned. The story of DC doesn't stop there. Look beyond the monuments. That's exactly the Washington DC readers will discover with N is for our Nation's Capital: A Washington DC Alphabet. From Abigail Adams to the National Zoo and all the cherry blossoms, flags, houses and presidents in between, N is for Our Nation's Capital is like a field trip in a binding. Rhymes capture readers' interest and expository text expands on those points and others with little-known but fascinating facts. Did you know the cherry blossom trees that are an integral part of DC's scenery were gifts from Japan? Or that Mrs. Taft planted the first two? Readers will eagerly turn the pages to learn more true facts like these. Wonderfully written in engaging rhymes for young readers backed with expository text that reveals even more for the more inquisitive reader make N is for our Nation's Capital the perfect keepsake and tribute to Washington DC. Authored by the husband and wife team of Roland and Marie Smith and backed by Barbara Gibson's stylish illustrations, N is for our Nation's Capital is a perfect fit on any bookshelf. This great exploration into our country's nerve center will have teachers and parents excited and help introduce one of the world's most important cities to children from sea to shining sea.
As one of the 13 original colonies, the state of Connecticut has played a pivotal role in our nation's history -- from its Revolutionary War figures such as Nathan Hale to its captains of industry and invention. N is for Nutmeg entertains as it informs readers on the history and geography, facts and folklore of Connecticut -- learn why Groton is the submarine capital of the world and how Samuel Clemens got his pen name.
From the manmade glitter of the Las Vegas strip to the natural splendor of Lake Tahoe, Nevada's riches go beyond the silver and gold found in Virginia City. S is for Silver showcases the hardy wildlife (the Desert Bighorn Sheep and the desert tortoise) and even hardier pioneers (the builders of the Hoover Dam) who shaped Nevada's landscape and character. Eleanor Coerr began her professional life as a newspaper reporter and editor of a column for children. She taught children's literature at Monterey Peninsula College and creative writing at Chapman College in California. For the past 25 years, Eleanor has been writing children's books, lecturing, and visiting schools across the United States and abroad. Her previous children's books include Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and The Big Balloon Race. Eleanor shares her time between Henderson, Nevada and Pebble Beach, California. Darcie Park was born and raised in Long Beach, California, and started drawing when she was five years old. She graduated with a BFA in illustration form California State University, Long Beach. She started her freelance illustration career in college and illustrated her first children's book, The Reluctant Dragon, her first year out of college. Darcie makes her home in Lake Tahoe.
