Adventures in Boogieland


Book Description

Arcadia, Wisconsin seemed to be an ordinary town for Simon X, who wanted nothing more than to be the best trumpeter ever. He and his classmates: Lulu DeBarge, the harpist, Krupa Patel, the violinist, and Max Winehouse, the saxophonist, have recently auditioned for the prestigious Bartholomew Performing Arts Academy. Shortly thereafter, a twist of fate leads the children on an adventure out of this world when they board a musical locomotive known as the Night Train. By morning, they find themselves at a destination known as Boogieland. They encounter a time-warped Trolley Car Diner with its Everlasting Jukebox, and Madame Charisma Divine, an eccentric artist with a penchant for tuxedos, who guides them through Boogieland, teaching them the miraculous wonders of her ways. Beleaguered by the Shadows, the nefarious authority figures of Boogieland, the children ultimately discover the miserable secrets haunting the Heartbreak Hotel. Yet the children find an ally in the King of Pop, whose whimsical soda pop factory appeals to their imaginative sensibilities with its countless amusement attractions complete with scientific inventions, androids and more. A casual stroll through Paisley Park sends purple rain and an untimely appearance from the iconic girl, who chased a white rabbit down a hole. Will the children’s adventure become a Boogie Wonderland? Enter His Purple Majesty, a master musician, who teaches the children an invaluable music lesson, which prepares them for their greatest recital. Can Simon, Lulu, Krupa and Max overcome the Shadows, and simply learn to unleash the music within?




B Is for Breathe


Book Description

The ABC's of Coping with Fussy and Frustrating Feelings




Ona Judge Outwits the Washingtons


Book Description

"Soon after American colonists had won independence from Great Britain, Ona Judge was fighting for her own freedom from one of America's most famous founding fathers, George Washington. George and Martha Washington valued Ona as one of their most skilled and trustworthy slaves, but she would risk everything to achieve complete freedom. Born into slavery at Mount Vernon, Ona seized the opportunity to escape when she was brought to live in the President's Mansion in Philadelphia. Ona fled to New Hampshire and started a new life. But the Washingtons wouldn't give up easily. After her escape, Ona became the focus of a years-long manhunt, led by America's first president. Gwendolyn Hooks' vivid and detailed prose captures the danger, uncertainty, and persistence Ona Judge experienced during and after her heroic escape."--Provided by publisher.




Dad You Don't Work, You Wrestle


Book Description

George South is a hold out from the glory days of professional wrestling. If you spend any time with him it's quickly apparent that the priorities in is life are his family, wrestling and his savior, Jesus Christ. As a child in the 1970s, he grew up watching Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. He knew then that he would soon be in the ring with his idols, men like Paul Jones, Wahoo McDaniel, Blackjack Mulligan, Ric Flair, the Anderson Brothers and Masked Superstar. Throughout his 30 plus year career in professional wrestling, George has maintained his strong faith in his Savior, Jesus Christ. Never willing to compromise, George has been able to stay on his daily walk with the Lord as well as keeping his focus on his wonderful family. George's journeys have taken him to the NWA, WCW and WWF and he's faced a who's who of wrestling legends. These experiences led George to open his own wrestling school which is still open today. Every weekend George still drives up and down the road to wrestling shows, thrilling the old-school fans. This book documents George's humble beginnings through his long career in professional wrestling. It's an amazing story told by an amazing man.




Let's Celebrate!


Book Description

Lyrical, sensory nonfiction text and vibrant illustrations invite readers to experience a child’s-eye view of 13 holidays around the world, such as the Spring Festival in China, Inti Raymi in Peru, Eid al-Fitr in Egypt, Día de Muertos in Mexico and the New Yam Festival in Nigeria. Includes pronunciation guides, a global festival calendar and educational notes about why we celebrate.




Freedom Soup


Book Description

“A Haitian grandmother and granddaughter share a holiday, a family recipe, and a story of freedom. . . . A stunning and necessary historical picture book.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) The shake-shake of maracas vibrates down to my toes. Ti Gran’s feet tap-tap to the rhythm. Every year, Haitians all over the world ring in the new year by eating a special soup, a tradition dating back to the Haitian Revolution. This year, Ti Gran is teaching Belle how to make Freedom Soup just like she was taught when she was a little girl. Together, they dance and clap as they prepare the holiday feast, and Ti Gran tells Belle about the history of the soup, the history of Belle’s family, and the history of Haiti, where Belle’s family is from. In this celebration of cultural traditions passed from one generation to the next, Jacqueline Alcántara’s lush illustrations bring to life both Belle’s story and the story of the Haitian Revolution. Tami Charles’s lyrical text, as accessible as it is sensory, makes for a tale that readers will enjoy to the last drop.




Grandpa Stories


Book Description

This book is a remarkable collection of stories that tell us about pirates, gods, kings, queens and animals. It is a great book for children that teaches them good conduct and important values through fascinating, fun-filled stories. These stories become more enjoyable with the beautifully made illustrations that go along with them.




Lily and the Great Quake


Book Description

Just turned twelve, Lily is the oldest of the three children in her Chinese American family living in San Francisco when the 1906 earthquake hits; her family has survived the quake, but as the city starts to burn Lily and her younger brother are separated from the others and must get to the safety of Oakland across the bay and hope that the rest of their family and friends are there waiting for them--but between the fire and the anti-Chinese violence it is not certain that any of them will survive. Includes nonfiction backmatter, a glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts.




Queen of Physics


Book Description

Meet Wu Chien Shiung, famous physicist who overcame prejudice to prove that she could be anything she wanted. “Wu Chien Shiung's story is remarkable—and so is the way this book does it justice.” —Booklist (Starred review) When Wu Chien Shiung was born in China 100 years ago, most girls did not attend school; no one considered them as smart as boys. But her parents felt differently. Giving her a name meaning “Courageous Hero,” they encouraged her love of learning and science. This engaging biography follows Wu Chien Shiung as she battles sexism and racism to become what Newsweek magazine called the “Queen of Physics” for her work on beta decay. Along the way, she earned the admiration of famous scientists like Enrico Fermi and Robert Oppenheimer and became the first woman hired as an instructor by Princeton University, the first woman elected President of the American Physical Society, the first scientist to have an asteroid named after her when she was still alive, and many other honors.




The Last Cherry Blossom


Book Description

Following the seventieth anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, this is a new, very personal story to join Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Yuriko was happy growing up in Hiroshima when it was just her and Papa. But her aunt Kimiko and her cousin Genji are living with them now, and the family is only getting bigger with talk of a double marriage! And while things are changing at home, the world beyond their doors is even more unpredictable. World War II is coming to an end, and since the Japanese newspapers don’t report lost battles, the Japanese people are not entirely certain of where Japan stands. Yuriko is used to the sirens and the air-raid drills, but things start to feel more real when the neighbors who have left to fight stop coming home. When the bombs hit Hiroshima, it’s through Yuriko’s twelve-year-old eyes that we witness the devastation and horror. This is a story that offers young readers insight into how children lived during the war, while also introducing them to Japanese culture. Based loosely on author Kathleen Burkinshaw’s mother’s firsthand experience surviving the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, The Last Cherry Blossom hopes to warn readers of the immense damage nuclear war can bring, while reminding them that the “enemy” in any war is often not so different from ourselves.