Shelly O. Haas – illustratör

Born in England and raised in the bush of East Africa, Beryl Markham was an extraordinary child--and lived an extraordinary life. She learned how to train racehorses from her father and became the first woman to succeed in Kenya''s competitive racing circuit. When an airplane came to Africa, Beryl learned to fly. After a few years of carrying mail and passengers, she decided to take on the Atlantic Ocean. As the first person to fly non-stop from England to North America, Beryl Markham proved that no matter what the challenge, she was not afraid to fly against the wind.

At the age of nine, Clara Wieck gave her first public performance as a concert pianist. She played beautifully. When the concert was over, she felt as if she were dancing on a cloud. As she grew older, Clara''s concerts took her all over Europe. Audiences adored her, and she became friends with other famous musicians—including her father''s student, Robert Schumann. Robert and Clara fell in love and eventually married. Robert took some of Clara''s melodies and shaped them into compositions, and Clara performed his pieces, introducing them to new audiences. Throughout her life, Clara Schumann''s performances set the standard for piano music. The greatest composers of her time—impressed with the power and beauty of her playing—wrote music for her. Clara was a pianist, composer, and mentor, as well as an inspiration to the romantic movement that was her life. She made the piano sing.

The Hindenberg was on its way! That was all nine-year old Stenny could think about as he pedaled his bike furiously toward the Naval Air Station on a rainy spring evening in 1937. Stenny knew everything there was to know about the Hindenberg, and when the giant airship arrived in his hometown of Lakehurst, New Jersey, he was going to be there. He didn''t know that before the night was over, he would learn what it means to be a hero. Written by the author of Jimmy Crack Corn, Fire in the Sky introduces young readers to this tragic episode in American history.

A first prayer book for young children, with 21 traditional prayers in simple Hebrew, transliteration, and English. Contains blessings for a new day, bounty of our food, Sabbath, and holiday rituals.

From the time she was a very young girl, Rachel Carson felt a bond with nature. Growing up in Pennsylvania, she spent hours exploring meadows and woods, dreaming of seeing the ocean. As Rachel grew older, she combined her gift for writing with her love of nature, producing award-winning books about the sea. But her best-known achievement was the publication of Silent Spring, an account of the dangerous effects of pesticides on plants and animals. With Silent Spring, Rachel helped create a movement to ban these harmful chemicals. Her findings helped to assure that future generations would be able to dream about the ocean and listen to crickets.

Laura Ingalls Wilder grew up listening to her Pa''s fascinating tales about living on the prairies, in the woods, and on the plains. When she was 65 years old, Laura began to write down her most treasured memories and tales from her youth. Children of all ages have come to love and treasure the books that resulted. Enter the fascinating world of the little girl who once lived in a little house on the prairie.

In this touching narrative, young children ask, "Where do people go when they die?" Each child asks an adult that they trust--a father, a mother, a grandfather, an aunt, a teacher--and, although the reassuring answers they receive are all different, each leads back to the same simple truth: when people die, "They go to God. Who is everywhere." With an afterward and helpful suggestions about how to explain death to children, readers will find insight into one of the emotional issues we all struggle with.

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1881, Anna Pavlova grew up dreaming of becoming a prima ballerina. Throughout her lifetime, Anna inspired and encouraged people around the world with her exceptionally graceful and expressive dance. Believing that expressing beauty is essential to the human spirit, Anna strove to help audiences discover the soaring beauty that could uplift their spirits.

When nine-year-old Sarah and her little sister, Annie, set out on their way to school on January 12, 1888, they have no idea what their day will hold. The weather’s so warm they go outside to play. Suddenly, the wind turns cold and begins to roar—it’s a blizzard! The wind is so strong it rips the school’s roof off. What will they do? The freezing snow is already up to their knees and without a roof they’ll freeze. Their teacher, Miss Freeman, ties them all together with a long rope and they head out into the blinding storm. Will they make it to safety in time?