Did you know that at first Parisians disliked the addition of the Eiffel Tower to their city? They thought the landmark, which is now France’s most famous, was ugly! This children’s title narrates a sightseeing trip around France. Readers can judge the beauty of the country’s landmarks and culture for themselves.
India has its very own Hollywood—the rhyming Bollywood! The thousands of Bollywood films that are released every year put the songs, dances, and colors of India in the spotlight. Upper-elementary students are invited to a special viewing of a country with a memorable flavor.
Two thousand years ago, Italy was known for its spectacles. Rome’s famous Colosseum hosted epic sports contests and gladiator fights. In this book, Italy is on display to engage fluent young readers. Kids will be especially amazed by ancient Italian architecture.
In the United States, a bow is most often taken by a performer at the end of a concert or play. But in Japan, a bow is the traditional gesture to greet another person. This country close-up teaches upper-elementary students Japanese customs and much more about the Asian island nation.
Mexico is a cactus capital. Giant cardon, the world’s tallest cactuses, grow in the Sonoran Desert. They reach heights up to 63 feet! And Mexicans also eat the stems of prickly pear cactuses like vegetables! This country profile takes kids south of the border to explore Mexico.
Russia is a rare transcontinental country, with its small western part belonging to Europe and its large eastern part belonging to Asia. The dividing line is the Ural Mountains. Fluent readers will see both sides of Russia and discover the cultural elements that unite all of its people.
Written in graphic novel format, this brief biography of Jackie Robinson describes his childhood, service in the United States Army, and success as a baseball player.
China, with over one billion people, is the most populated country in the world. China’s most famous tourist attraction is the Great Wall, which runs across about 5,000 miles of northern China. Rich with Chinese culture, this title explores Chinese food, holidays, and daily life. Eager readers will also get to challenge their tongues with a few common words from the unique Chinese language!
Japan is a nation made up of many islands in the western Pacific Ocean. Over 100 million people live in this small nation of islands. Many live in the countryside, but millions live in crowded cities like Tokyo. Students will learn about the physical features of the landscape and surrounding waters as well as the cultural aspects of the Japanese from old traditions to modern everyday life. Blastoff! Series
China, with over one billion people, is the most populated country in the world. China's most famous tourist attraction is the Great Wall, which runs across about 5,000 miles of northern China. Rich with Chinese culture, this title explores Chinese food, holidays, and daily life. Eager readers will also get to challenge their tongues with a few common words from one of the many Chinese languages! Blastoff! Series
Though a disability stunted his growth and left him with a hunched back, William Henry "Chick" Webb did not let that get in the way of his musical pursuits. Even as a young child, Chick saw the world as one big drum, pounding out rhythms on everything from stair railings to pots and pans. His love of percussion brought him to the big time as an influential big band leader. This picture-book biography details the life of black American jazz drummer Chick Webb, who in the 1930s led one of the big bands of the swing era, earning him the nickname the "King of the Savoy."
Hallie Morse Daggett loved spending time outdoors, hiking among the tall trees of the forests in California's Siskiyou Mountains. She wasn't afraid of the bears, coyotes, and wildcats. But Hallie was afraid of fire and understood the threat it posed to the forests, wildlife, and people. And more than anything, she wanted to devote her life to protecting her beloved outdoors; she decided she would work for the US Forest Service. But in the 1880s the Forest Service didn't hire women, thinking they couldn't handle the physical challenges of the work or the isolation. But the Forest Service didn't know Hallie or how determined she could be. This picture-book biography tells the story of Hallie Morse Daggett, the first woman "fire guard" hired by the US Forest Service, whose hard work and dedication led the way for other women to join the Forest Service.
Throughout her life, Mary McLeod Bethune worked tirelessly to increase women's opportunities, from education to the military to the right to vote. Learn about how her activism led her to the White House as a consultant for several presidents. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
Examines the life of enslaved African-American Nat Turner and the events leading up to the slave rebellion he led in 1831. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
Through engaging text and gripping images, readers will learn about the system of slavery in the United States. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
In 1839, African slaves who rebelled against their Spanish owners on the Amistad schooner were charged with murder in the United States. This book details the famous U.S. Supreme Court case that ultimately ruled in favor of the black captives. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
A brief introduction into the violent Tulsa Race Massacre that occurred on May 31-June 1 1921. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, declared all Confederate slaves to be free. Because the order only applied to Southern states that the Union did not control, few slaves benefited immediately. Learn more about this historic document that served as a key turning point in the U.S. Civil War and in the movement to abolish slavery. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
The Civil Rights Movement was a time of drastic change in America. From the end of Reconstruction, when blacks were denied their rights in the South, through the Montgomery bus boycott and Dr. Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech, to the election of the first black president of the United States, witness the events that forever changed the way we look at race. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
In a time when the U.S. military was segregated, the Tuskegee Airmen proved that blacks could fight as well and with as much courage as anyone. Learn about this group of exceptional pilots, whose outstanding flying and performances paved the way for the integration of the military. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
Eighteenth-century mathematician and astronomer Benjamin Banneker was widely known and respected in his time. Most of what he knew, he taught himself. His letter to Thomas Jefferson asked the future president to reconsider his racial prejudices. Learn about Banneker, who abolitionists would use as proof that people of any race can be equally intelligent. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
Madam C. J. Walker's skill as a businesswoman and desire to create products for black women drove her to become the first black female millionaire. Learn about this amazing woman who, while improving women's lives with her products, employed women as sales agents and hair culturists--all while giving back to her community. Additional features include detailed captions and sidebars, critical-thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
This title introduces readers to Sacagawea and how she became a shero for one of America's most famous expeditions. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards.
This title introduces readers to Harriet Tubman and how she became a shero to free as many slaves as possible through the Underground Railroad. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards.
This title introduces readers to Joan of Arc and how she became a shero to help deliver France from English domination. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards.
