Craig Orback – illustratör

Before Steven made films, he watched them. Naturally inventive with a vivid imagination, he was known for creating stories inspired by the world around him. His passion wasn't driven just by entertainment, however-as the only Jewish boy in his neighborhood, he was often bullied and felt the sting of antisemitism. He also suffered the pain of his parents' divorce. Films and the magic they contained became a necessary escape. From his younger years to his first days on a movie set, this biography captures the unique ways Steven's memories influenced his career and helped him to become the celebrated filmmaker that he is today.

James Forten knew how important freedom was. He was a free African American born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When the American Revolution started in 1776, James was too young to help fight for freedom from British rule. But in 1781, at age fifteen, he took a job on the Royal Louis, an American ship. A British warship soon captured the Royal Louis. James was taken prisoner. The British often sold African American prisoners into slavery. What would happen to James? Would he ever see his family again?

Seventeen-year-old Moses was ready for an adventure. In 1844, he joined a wagon train traveling from Iowa to California. But as winter approached, the wagon train ran into trouble. Oxen started dying and supplies were running low. Some people went ahead for help. Moses stayed behind with the belongings. Can he find a way to survive on his own in the mountains during the long, cold winter?

It was the Freedom Summer of 1964. Civil rights workers Mickey Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney were driving through rural Mississippi. When a police cruiser flashed its lights behind them, they hesitated. Were these law-abiding officers or members of the Ku Klux Klan? Should they pull over or try to outrun their pursuers? The last day in the lives of these courageous young men is relived in this gripping story.

In mid-May 1775, the American Revolution was barely a month old. Many British soldiers were in Boston, Massachusetts. The American troops were nearby. The next battle could break out at any moment.Fifteen-year-old John Greenwood’s parents lived in Boston. But John lived with his uncle 150 miles away. When the war started, he decided to go back to Boston to check on his family. But when he arrived, the British soldiers wouldn’t let anyone into the city. Instead John joined the American army and soon found himself at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Did John have the courage to make it through the battle? Could the Americans beat the powerful British?In the back of this book, you’ll find a script and instructions for putting on a reader’s theater performance of this adventure. Download additional copies of the script plus sound effects, background images, and more ideas that will help make your reader’s theater performance a success through Lerner eSource.

Eleven-year-old Clara Morgan traveled the Oregon Trail with her family. While her mother cared for the baby, Clara struggled with the cooking. Finally, she made her first batch of perfect biscuits. But she gave them up to a hungry American Indian who stopped by. Little did she know they would meet again. Would her family’s act of kindness help them farther down the trail?In the back of this book, you’ll find a script and instructions for putting on a reader’s theater performance of this adventure. At our companion website—www.lerneresource.com—you can download additional copies of the script plus sound effects, background images, and more ideas that will help make your reader’s theater performance a success.

Bronco Charlie longs for a life of adventure. By the time he turned eleven, he’d been a sailor, a cowboy, and could tame wild bucking broncos. But Charlie was always itching for new challenges, and when a Pony Express horse shows up riderless, Charlie gets his big chance. The next station is fifty miles away, and Charlie will have to ride through rocky mountains in the blinding rain to safely deliver the mail. With the threat of hostile Indians, wild animals, and the dangers of riding at night, will Charlie find the courage to face his fears and prove that you’re never too young to be brave?

Tells the story of the Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane, climaxing in the triumphant first flight of the Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903.

Growing up, Paul Bunyan was always too big. Too big for the furniture. Too big for regular clothes. Too big to play with the other kids. But out among the tall trees in the great northern forests, Paul felt at home. So he set out with his big blue ox, Babe, to live the life of a lumberjack. The adventures of Paul and his friends are recounted by author Stephen Krensky and artist Craig Orback in this tallest tale of them all.

Reuven is quiet and thoughtful. His younger brother Avi is outgoing and impulsive. As irritating as they can be to each other, the boys have two strong bonds-the solidity of their Jewish family life and their passionate love for baseball. As the book opens, Reuven, a pitcher, is desperately working for a spot on the end-of-season All-Star team, while happy-go-lucky Avi probably hasn''t even thought that far ahead. Reuven is willing to ignore the advice of his parents and even involve his younger brother in his campaign to succeed. The tensions leading to the big game-and its surprise outcome-will satisfy all young baseball fans.

Fifteen-year-old Paul Jennings looked out the window of the President''s House. America was at war with Britain, and British soldiers were marching toward Washington. Terrified people were fleeing the city. But Paul was not going to join them yet. He was a slave who belonged to President Madison and his wife, Dolley. Dolley did not want to leave until her husband returned from the battlefront. Paul stayed by her side, helping her pack up official papers and belongings. Finally, they could wait no longer. But there was one more treasure they had to save. Were they too late?

As the Revolutionary War began, Nathan Hale immediately joined up on the side of the Patriots. When General Washington needed a spy, Hale was the only man to volunteer for the job. In the end, Hale lost his life for his beliefs and became a true American hero.

Reuven is quiet and thoughtful. His younger brother Avi is outgoing and impulsive. As irritating as they can be to each other, the boys have two strong bonds-the solidity of their Jewish family life and their passionate love for baseball. As the book opens, Reuven, a pitcher, is desperately working for a spot on the end-of-season All-Star team, while happy-go-lucky Avi probably hasn''t even thought that far ahead. Reuven is willing to ignore the advice of his parents and even involve his younger brother in his campaign to succeed. The tensions leading to the big game-and its surprise outcome-will satisfy all young baseball fans.

It was the Freedom Summer of 1964. Civil rights workers Mickey Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney were driving through rural Mississippi. When a police cruiser flashed its lights behind them, they hesitated. Were these law-abiding officers or members of the Ku Klux Klan? Should they pull over or try to outrun their pursuers? The last day in the lives of these courageous young men is relived in this gripping story.

Follow the incredible journey of a small Torah scroll from a Dutch rabbi to a Bar Mitzvah boy during the Holocaust and finally to Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, who died on space shuttle Columbia.

Gazing up at the stars, Benjamin Banneker longed to understand how and why things worked as they did. In a time when most black Americans were slaves, Banneker lived a life of freedom and became known as America''s first black American man of science. He helped survey Washington, D.C., and became the first black American to write an almanac. Through his accomplishments, he helped advance the cause of equality for African Americans.

Thomas Paine believed that American liberty was not only possible but worth dying for. He was dissatisfied with his quiet life until he traveled to the American colonies. There, the cause of American freedom from English rule lit a fire within him. To inspire colonists to support and fight the war, he wrote Common Sense and The American Crisis. He was the first person to use the term the United States of America in print. He helped transform an entire nation with the power of his words.

Gazing up at the stars, Benjamin Banneker longed to understand how and why things worked as they did. In a time when most black Americans were slaves, Banneker lived a life of freedom and became known as America''s first black American man of science. He helped survey Washington, D.C., and became the first black American to write an almanac. Through his accomplishments, he helped advance the cause of equality for African Americans.

Bronco Charlie longs for a life of adventure. By the time he turned eleven, he’d been a sailor, a cowboy, and could tame wild bucking broncos. But Charlie was always itching for new challenges, and when a Pony Express horse shows up riderless, Charlie gets his big chance. The next station is fifty miles away, and Charlie will have to ride through rocky mountains in the blinding rain to safely deliver the mail. With the threat of hostile Indians, wild animals, and the dangers of riding at night, will Charlie find the courage to face his fears and prove that you’re never too young to be brave?

Follow the incredible journey of a small Torah scroll from a Dutch rabbi to a Bar Mitzvah boy during the Holocaust and finally to Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, who died on space shuttle Columbia.

How would you capture winter’s crispness, spring’s softness, summer’s freshness, and autumn’s richness? In this inspiring title, poet Patricia Thomas imagines each season rendered in a different art medium. Pen and ink, with spots of color, capture winter’s mood, while pastel chalks make spring flowers bloom into life. The see-through hues of watercolors celebrate summer’s warmth, while vibrant oils perfectly paint fall’s majestic scenes. Artist Craig Orback takes up the poem’s challenge in his marvelous illustrations, using each of the mediums described. Just as the seasons move seamlessly into one another, so too do the art styles blend together, then emerge in full splendor, and blend again as the next season approaches.

So, Zack Wilson thought, almost laughing at himself. I’ve been at Camp Wolf Trail, what? Ten minutes? And already I’m having an adventure. At last! Being at Camp Wolf Trail is a dream come true for city boy Zack. Finally, he’ll have the summer full of wilderness backpacking, rock climbing, canoeing, whitewater rafting, friendship, and fun of which he’s always dreamed. But nature has surprises in store for Zack: animals, weather, and even the earth itself don’t behave the way he expects, and especially not the way his favorite book, The Outdoor Adventure Guide, has described them. After Zack makes a mistake that nearly costs him the friendship and trust of his cabinmates, he loses confidence in himself. When a scary catastrophe strikes, and Zack is faced with life-threatening danger, will he have the courage and problem-solving smarts to lead his friends to safety?With humor, honesty, and a deep appreciation of boys and wilderness, author Cameron Dokey and illustrator Craig Orback capture readers’ curiosity in this rollicking first Boys Camp story of adventure and bravery, Zack’s Story. This paperback edition also boasts an animal tracks ID card, perfect for outdoor exploration!Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Nate has returned to Camp Wolf Trail, his own personal heaven for the past two summers, with a secret: he’s a Bird Nerd. At least, that’s what the kids at his school called him when they teased him about his newly found interest in birds—from observing birds to learning interesting facts to drawing them in his secret notebook. Nate confides in Vik, but can he trust his friend, the cabin jokester? Tension grows when before an overnight horse-riding trip Nate discovers that he has another secret. He is terrified of horses, even Herschel, the bony old horse assigned to Nate from the group of rescue horses that the campers ride.Nate shows honesty and bravery when he faces his fears—both of being laughed at for his hobby and of riding horses. But what will Nate do when a wildfire threatens the safety of his friends, the rescue horses, and himself while on a horseback trek deep in the forest? What will be the fate of homely Herschel, the horse no one wants to adopt? With profound admiration of nature, honesty, and above all, boy-friendly, lively humor, acclaimed author Kitson Jazynka and veteran illustrator Craig Orback catch and capture readers’ eager interest in this exciting book for boys. This paperback edition also boasts a bird ID card, perfect for outdoor exploration!Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Who are the two funniest guys at Camp Wolf Trail? Will ’n’ Zee—no question! The best buddies have emailed all winter long, and now they’re back at camp, with millions of great ideas for practical jokes and more than a few big surprises to spring on their fellow campers and counselors. Will and Zee are a trickster team of two. They’re partners-in-pranks, a dynamic duo, a famously hilarious pair.At first, all the mayhem and mischief they cause is a big success. Who’d have guessed that a stuffed octopus, toilet paper, and pies could be combined so comically? Will and Zee’s twist on a Camp Wolf Trail tradition is brilliant—and means that they’re rewarded with the privilege of doing Dead Man’s Dive off Big Boulder into O’Mannitt’s Cove. They’re sure their next triumph will be finding the camp’s best-kept secret: the location of Hidden Falls. But when Zee tries to include other guys in the searching, plotting. planning, and fun, Will gets mad, and their friendship blows up. Zee must face his scariest, most dangerous crisis on his own while on a kayaking trip, and for a while, it looks like all is lost. Will Zee be able to save Cookie’s life and rescue his friendship with Will, too? Is this the end of Will ’n’ Zee? Must Hidden Falls remain hidden? One thing’s for sure: Zee will have an adventure-packed summer at Camp Wolf Trail!Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.