Emily Crofford – författare

In 1942, polio epidemics raged out of control, and medical treatments were largely unsuccessful in fighting the disease. When Elizabeth Kenny, a self-taught nurse, boldly declared she had found an effective treatment, the desperate public took notice. The medical community, however, considered her a quack. After countless battles for recognition, Sister Kenny''s results proved her right, and Kenny''s methods were used to save thousands world-wide from life-long paralysis. From Elizabeth Kenny''s childhood in the Australian bushlands to her triumph against polio and skeptics, biographer Emily Crofford skillfully brings this memorable character to life.

In the 1870s, surgery was a crude affair performed on the patient''s kitchen table. In the frontier town of Rochester, Minnesota, Dr. W. W. Mayo brought his young sons, Will and Charlie, to assist him with operations. Fifty years later, Rochester became a medical mecca as the Mayo brothers were established as world-class surgeons. With a firm belief in sharing information and learning from others, the Mayo brothers proved the benefits of cooperation in a jealously competitive field, and accomplished more than any single colleague of their time. Emily Crofford gives a vivid account of the Mayos'' meteoric rise to fame and their contributions as pioneers on the frontier of modern surgery.

It is the mid-1800s and Manjiro, a young fisherman, is shipwrecked far off the coast of his native Japan. At this time in history, Japan is an isolated country that allows its citizens no contact with the rest of the world. Foreigners are called "barbarians"—and none are more despised than Americans. But when Manjiro and his fishing companions are rescued by an American ship, Manjiro makes some startling discoveries about the world of the barbarians—and about his own country. His dramatic rescue leads to a series of amazing escapades, and in the end Manjiro travels farther than he ever dreamed he would.Born in the Year of Courage is based on the true story of Manjiro''s remarkable life. It is both an exciting adventure tale and a fascinating look at a bygone world.

Fifteen-year-old Laurel Mawston has just moved to the Mississippi River town of New Madrid with her parents and brother when disaster strikes. A series of terrible earthquakes devastate New Madrid and the land around it, tearing up trees and altering rivers, wrecking houses, and injuring or killing people and animals. Laurel and her family find themselves living outdoors, working to save their animals and their home. Through weeks of hardship, Laurel discovers that challenges can bring people together in unexpected ways. Join Laurel as she relates this exciting and touching story of adventure, newfound love, and courage during a little-known episode of American history.