Sybella arrives at the convent's doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge-but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?
Between 1854 and 1930, more than 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children were sent west on orphan trains to find new homes. Some were adopted by loving families; others were not as fortunate. In recent years, some of the riders have begun to share their stories. Andrea Warren alternates chapters about the history of the orphan trains with the story of Lee Nailling, who in 1926 rode an orphan train to Texas.
World War II was raging, with thousands of American soldiers fighting overseas against the injustices brought on by Hitler. Back on the home front, the injustice of discrimination against African Americans was playing out as much on Main Street as in the military. Enlisted black men were segregated from white soldiers and regularly relegated to service duties. At Fort Benning, Georgia, First Sergeant Walter Morris's men served as guards at The Parachute School while the white soldiers prepared to be paratroopers. Morris knew that in order for his men to be treated like soldiers, they would have to train and act like them, but would the military elite and politicians recognize the potential of these men, as well as their passion for serving their country? Tanya Lee Stone examines the role of African Americans in the military through the lens of the untold story of the Triple Nickles as they became America's first black paratroopers and fought a little-known World War II attack on the American West by the Japanese. The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, in the words of Morris, "proved that the color of a man had nothing to do with his ability."
The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system!
Hold your horses! Jack and Annie must find four secrets of greatness for Merlin the magician. To start, they travel back in time to meet Alexander the Great. He should know all about greatness, right? But young Alexander is bossy, vain, and not great at all! How can they learn from him? It’s going to take a wild black stallion, magic from Merlin, and a lot of bravery to succeed. Are Jack and Annie clever and bold enough to complete their mission?
Formerly numbered as Magic Tree House #49, the title of this book is now Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #21: Stallion by Starlight.
Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid?
Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books
Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader
Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure
Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures
Have more fun with Jack and Annie at MagicTreeHouse.com!
Winner of Best Books with Facts in the 2013 Blue Peter awards, voted for by children.
In Sir Tony Robinson's Weird World of Wonders World War II, Sir Tony Robinson takes you on a headlong gallop through time, pointing out all the most important, funny, strange, amazing, entertaining, smelly and disgusting bits about World War II! It's history, but not as we know it!
Find out everything you need to know in this brilliant, action-packed, fact-filled book, including:
- Just how useful mashed potato is
- How the Battle of Britain was won
- What it takes to be a spy
- How D-Day was kept a surprise
For more World War history facts in this fun series, discover World War I.
Carrie has been a kitchen slave in Sam Fraunces' tavern in New York City for as long as she can remember. But after she narrowly escapes a kidnapper, Carrie becomes more curious about her mysterious past. After all, she doesn't even know her own last name. When her friend Dan Arabus comes to town, he talks about his dream of buying his mother's freedom with the Continental notes his father left him. Deciding to help Dan discover how much the notes are worth, Carrie finds herself eavesdropping on Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and President Washington himself. What's more, Carrie also stumbles upon the startling truth about her own family.
Justin Conkey was too young to fight in the Revolution of 1776, but now it is 1787 and he is fourteen. Justin is ready to fight, even if he has only his father's old sword to protect him. But once on the battlefield, war is not what he expected. It is dangerous and frightening and nothing makes sense. Throughout a particularly bitter winter the young man is desperate to prove that he too can be a hero-not realizing that many times heroes turn out to be just ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events, who do what comes naturally to save others regardless of risk to themselves. Insisting on joining General Daniel Shays' group of Regulators, he lies about his age and marches with the group throughout New England. But war puts friendships and political convictions to the test.
Back before the stock market crash, Jack's dad had been working steadily, and their family had had plenty of money. But now, in the middle of the 1930s depression, there isn't much work for a trombone player-just a gig down in New York City once in a while. So fourteen-year-old Jack is doing his best to help out. He's lucky enough to get a weekend job at the town boat club where the "rich folks" hang out, but Jack wishes his dad would at least try to get a regular job. Sometimes there isn't even enough money to buy decent food and clothes for Jack, his sister Sally, and their young brother Henry. It's bad enough that their mother has had a nervous breakdown and gone to live in a "home."
Now Jack and Sally are beginning to wonder how long the rest of the family will be able to stay together, with so little money coming in. Jack's father keeps telling them to look on the bright side-his favorite song is "Happy Days Are Here Again." But Jack isn't sure there can be a bright side when you don't have enough money to live decently. Then, at the boat club, Jack sees an opportunity to steal a lot of money-enough to pay the family's back rent and keep them all together. For the first time in his life Jack is seriously tempted to steal-especially now that he realizes that his dad can't really be depended upon, that it's up to him to take care of the family.
"As the story of a youngster tempted to steal, this is honest and affecting...A melancholy riff that's in tune with universal feelings of responsibility and guilt."-Kirkus Reviews
The Boxcar Children learn lots of interesting things about the Navajos – but best of all is a legend about an ancient Native American village that once existed nearby. Curious, the children begin digging there and uncover some valuable artifacts. But it seems someone wants the village to stay buried!
International bestseller David Baldacci pens the stunning conclusion to Cahills vs. Vespers!
David Baldacci is the author of twenty-three books for adults, each of which has become both a national and international bestseller.
It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.
14-year old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. More interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea--and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy--Mrs. Temminnick is desperate her daughter become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.
But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish all right, but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in how to finish in other ways: the fine art of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school.
Life for indentured servants in pioneer Virginia is hard. It is doubly hard for Richard Ayre, a London orphan who had been scooped off the streets as a child and sent to the Jamestown Colony. But a chance encounter with an Indian boy his own age gives him a friend, the first real friend he has had in years-until his master's plan to raid an Indian village for corn turns Richard's world upside down.
