Sandra Neil Wallace – författare

Former ESPN sportscaster Sandra Neil Wallace makes her young adult debut with a historical fiction novel that School Library Journal recommends to fans of Friday Night Lights in a starred review.   Felix “Red” O’Sullivan’s world is crumbling around him: the mine that employs most of town is on the brink of closing, threatening to shutter the entire town and his high school with it. But Red’s got his own burdens to bear: his older brother, Bobby, died in the war, and he’s been struggling to follow in his footsteps ever since. That means assuming Bobby’s old position as quarterback and leading the last-ever Muckers team to the championship.   But the only way for the hardscrabble Muckers to win State is to go undefeated and tackle their biggest rival, Phoenix United, which would be something of a miracle. Luckily, miracles can happen all the time on the field.From the Hardcover edition.

Albert Einstein. Mazie Hirono. Dikembe Mutombo. Celia Cruz. Madeleine Albright. Nikola Tesla. These are just a few of the names young readers will find in the pages of First Generation. Featuring 36 incredible individuals, this book tells the stories of artists and athletes, scientists and musicians, activists and inventors, educators and journalists, all immigrants and refugees to the United States of America. Because of their achievements and their determination to change the world, our country has been made a far better place. And after reading their inspiring stories, readers will hopefully see how they can become change-makers themselves.

It’s a cold December night and Fancy, the Stegner family’s cow, is about to give birth. Out pops Little Joe, a huge bull calf, and with him comes nine-year-old Eli’s first chance to raise an animal to show at next fall’s county fair. Over the next ten months, Eli, and Little Joe, learn some hard lessons about growing up and what it means to take on bigger responsibilities, especially when it comes to taking care of another living thing. But one thing Eli is trying not to think about is what will happen to Little Joe after the fair: it’s auction time, and he’ll have to sell Little Joe! In this appealing and heartwarming story that’s reminiscent of James Herriot’s books, Eli comes to terms with some of the realities of life on his family’s farm, and in the outside world, as he raises his first bull calf for competition. Told in a straightforward and appealing text, brimming with lush details about the natural world of the farm, and with characters that are sure to appeal to readers, Eli’s story is one that may not be familiar to every kid, but the themes of growing up and learning some difficult lessons will appeal to kids and adults alike.From the Hardcover edition.

“A luminous tribute befitting a brilliant trailblazer.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Ursula Marvin was a rock star in the field of geology at a time when it was nearly impossible for women to pursue careers in science. Discover her story in this nonfiction picture book biography by Orbis Pictus award recipient Sandra Neil Wallace.While attending college in the early 1940s, Ursula Marvin fell in love with geology, but when she asked her male professor about making the field her major, he tried to stop her, saying it would be a better use of her time to learn how to cook. Ursula studied geology anyway, eventually getting her master’s and PhD in the subject. As a visionary and groundbreaking geologist, Ursula also had to be brave. She believed meteorites held the key to unlocking the origins of the solar system. To prove it, she travelled to Antarctica where she faced fierce winds, the coldest climate on Earth, and cracks in the ice that could have crushed her, but she knew the danger was worth the risk and scientific exploration wasn’t just for men. She proved her theory and that meteorites could be made up of pieces of planets or the moon. Ursula Marvin charted new territory as a scientist and fought gender discrimination at every turn in her career. She broke barriers in science, helped create the field of planet geology, and discovered theories that are now foundational, reshaping our understanding of the universe.