Russia is the largest country in the world and covers more than one eighth of the globe's inhabited land mass. So, it stands to reason that it has been home to many amazing people. The Amazing People Club takes you on a virtual historical journey into the lives of some of these inspirational contributors to this nation.
Famous for her many lovers, Catherine the Great was also a strong leader who inspired loyalty and respect rather than fear and oppression - indeed she did not do things in a traditional manner. Orbit the earth with Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space at the age of 27. Be swept away by the composer of such masterpieces as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky, who led a somewhat troubled life despite achieving immense success. Also, meet Vasili Mitrokhin and Ivan Pavlov. Their stories are monumental and brought to life in this fascinating title.
Each story comes to life through BioViews®. These are short biographical narratives, similar to interviews. They provide an easy way of learning about amazing people who made major contributions and changed our world.
As well as being famous for its fine artists and great writers, Italy is also (and consequently) closely associated with romance and passion. The birthplace of the Renaissance has been home to many amazing people. The Amazing People Club invites you to explore their lives in this fascinating title. Be swept away on a musical journey of discovery with the genial Giuseppe Verdi, who is revered as one of the greatest romantic composers of all time. Follow in the footsteps of Rosalba Carriera, who built up a solid career as a leading portraitist of her time in an occupation usually undertaken by men. Discover how Niccolo Machiavelli aspired to become such a forward thinker and philosopher, whose works are still referred to by today's journalists and society in general. Also meet Enrico Fermi, Antonio Meucci and be inspired by these Amazing Italians who contributed to the rebirth of modern history in not only Italy but also in Europe. Each story comes to life through BioViews®. These are short biographical narratives, similar to interviews. They provide an easy way of learning about amazing people who made major contributions and changed our world.
Freedom Jane McKenzie isn't good at following the rules. She's good at getting into trouble - and playing marbles. All she wants is to enter the marble competition at the Autumn Jubilee and show the boys in the neighborhood that she's the best player. First, Freedom has to convince her mother to let her enter. But there's a new baby on the way, Freedom's daddy is drinking too much, her little brother is a handful, and her mother is even more difficult than usual. Freedom learns that when it comes to love, friendship, and family, sometimes there are no rules. Set in 1959, The Marble Queen is a timeless story about growing up. "I wanted to stay with Freedom and her oh-so-real family forever. I wanted to keep watching her play marbles with the boys. And I wanted just one more visit with the kind but eccentric next-door neighbor. Blake has combined the fascinating world of childhood marble-playing with the ups and downs of perfectly realistic characters. A winner!" - Barbara O'Connor, author of How to Steal a Dog and Greetings from Nowhere "Rich with historical details, The Marble Queen will pull you back to 1959, but Freedom Jane McKenzie is a protagonist for all time. Whether she's knee-deep in family struggles or proving to the world she has what it takes to play marbles with the boys, Freedom's voice rings out with determination, humor, and warmth." - Nan Marino, author of Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me
Quel roi ! Le plus long règne, la plus longue vie, le plus beau palais, des guerres sans fin, des amours multiples, une splendeur incroyable, de la gloire à n'en plus finir, une cour royale fastueuse, mécène des arts et de la culture et un emblème : le Soleil... Au-delà de l'histoire de sa vie et de son règne, nous vous emmenons dans une épopée, digne d'un flamboyant roman, celle de Louis XIV.
Les dialogues sont imaginaires, tous les faits historiquement exacts.
Read by Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, Kathleen Turner, and Matthew Broderick
Here are the immortals of Olympus-the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece-as freshly described as if they were alive today.
Mighty Zeus with his fistful of thunderbolts; mischievous little Hermes; grey-eyed Athena, godess of wisdom; Asclepius, the first physician; Orpheus and his beloved Euridice; Helios the sun, crossing the heavens in his fiery chariot. . . these and other equally fabulous figures are featured here with their heroic deeds and petty squabbles illuminated in full dimension.
Will Sparrow, liar and thief, is running away-from the father who sold him for beer, from the innkeeper who threatened to sell him as a chimney sweep, from his whole sorry life. Barefoot and penniless, without family, friends, or boots, Will is determined to avoid capture and, of course, to find something to eat.
Some of the travelers he meets on the road have a kind word for him and a promise of better things to come, such as coins and juicy beef ribs. Eager to go along, Will repeatedly finds himself tricked by older and wiser tricksters. Each time, he resolves afresh to trust no one and care for no one. But luckily for Will, he can't keep his guard
up forever.
The lively goings-on behind the scenes of Elizabethan market fairs provide a colorful, earthy backdrop for Karen Cushman's wise and funny story of a runaway who finally, and unexpectedly, stops running.
One morning, twelve-year-old Hazel wakes to discover that her father, a brilliant physicist, has moved away in the middle of the night. It's 1944, and Hazel's father has agreed to help the U.S. government develop a secret weapon that will win World War II. His decision turns Hazel's world upside-down - soon, she and her mother move out west to be with him, to a strange town with no name that everyone calls "the Hill." The Hill is surrounded by a chain-link fence and barbed wire. Armed guards patrol its perimeter night and day. With her new friend, Eleanor, Hazel goes on secret missions to try and solve the many mysteries that the Hill hides. Who is sending secret radio messages from the base? What happened to Eleanor's cat? And most importantly, what is the mysterious "gadget" that the scientists are building day and night? "This suspenseful story successfully captures the tensions of a volatile period in American history as the atomic bomb was being developed. Readers will be left with plenty to think about and no simple answers." -School Library Journal
Rosie hates her life; she's always getting into trouble, and she desperately tries to hide the fact that she can't read properly. But everything changes when she is given a mysterious old watch and wakes up at Elizabeth I's court with the Spanish Armada approaching. When Rosie uncovers a spy she knows she must act and warn the Queen. Can she make it to the port before it's too late?
The moon is missing from the remote Village of Clear Sky, but only a young boy named Rendi seems to notice! Rendi has run away from home and is now working as a chore boy at the village inn. He can't help but notice the village's peculiar inhabitants and their problems-where has the innkeeper's son gone? Why are Master Chao and Widow Yan always arguing? What is the crying sound Rendi keeps hearing? And how can crazy, old Mr. Shan not know if his pet is a toad or a rabbit?But one day, a mysterious lady arrives at the Inn with the gift of storytelling, and slowly transforms the villagers and Rendi himself. As she tells more stories and the days pass in the Village of Clear Sky, Rendi begins to realize that perhaps it is his own story that holds the answers to all those questions. Newbery Honor author Grace Lin brings readers another enthralling fantasy featuring her marvelous full-color illustrations. Starry River of the Sky is filled with Chinese folklore, fascinating characters, and exciting new adventures.
After a fierce storm, a boy discovers a human skull, buried beneath the roots of an ancient tree. A skull with a legendary story...Vivid re-imagining of the legendary hero Robin Hood by thebestselling author of War Horse."Tell the sheriff, tell Sir Guy of Gisbourne, tell everyone in Nottingham, that the Outlaws rule here in Sherwood, that we rule in the king's name... I am Robin Hood."Homeless and lost in a dark, strange forest, young Robin is rescued by a motley crew of misfits. He yearns to avenge his father and seek justice against cruel oppressors, to finally defeat the Sheriff of Nottingham, once and for all.And through his friends, Robin Hood finds the courage to become a legendary hero.
A hurricane is brewing in the jungles of the Maya, and the ancient Death Lords are on the warpath. Across the world in Venice, hanging out with his friend Nasty (Anastasia) Smith-Jones, Max Murphy thinks he is safe from their clutches. But when a rogue octopus pulls him off his gondola and tries to drag him down to the underworld, Max realizes that the Death Lords have not finished with him yet.
Soon Max is back in Central America and reunited with the only ones who can help him in his battle—Lola and the howler monkeys Lord 6-Dog and Lady Coco. Once again it’s up to the four of them to save the world. With the hurricane about to hit land, Max and Lola embark on a one-way journey to danger down the blighted Monkey River. Torn between rescuing themselves and rescuing one of the last wild jaguars of the Monkey River region, Max and Lola find themselves drawn into an ever more bizarre series of tests, culminating in a terrifying ballgame that they can never win.
