Noah is excited for the chance to tour a real aircraft carrier with his Grandpa Ed, a proud Navy veteran. He is not excited that his little sister, Marina, is tagging along. Still, Noah tries to be patient. Readers chuckle and follow along as the siblings learn that each deck, each crewmember, and each piece of equipment adds another chapter to the history of the U.S. Navy and its mission to protect our country. Noah and Marina’s curiosity helps introduce readers to the complex and exciting work of an aircraft carrier and how each crewmember plays a vital role in its functioning.
When Jake’s teacher assigns a “career” project, Jake decides he wants to be a soldier in the United States Army. Jake and his father visit an Army surplus store to find items he can use to present his project. As they search the store, each item makes the history and proud spirit of the U.S. Army come to life for Jake and readers alike. Through Jake’s discoveries, readers are introduced to the history of the U.S. Army, what soldiers’ duties include, and the equipment they use.
Will was excited to go on his class field trip, until he learned they would be touring the local firehouse. Now, he is dreading the trip. For as long as he can remember, Will has been afraid of fire and, worse than that, firefighters! Though he knows firefighters are heroes who do dangerous work, to him they are giants in heavy coats and masks. As he journeys with his class through the fire station, Will and readers alike are introduced to the exciting world of firefighting. Can Will overcome his fears and maybe even learn something surprising about himself?
Sofia wants to care for all the animals in the world. But Mom does not think Sofia is ready for the responsibility of even one pet. Ready or not, when a hungry and sick-looking cat appears at the family’s back doorstep, Sofia takes action. When Sofia is found feeding the cat, Mom gives in and agrees that a trip to the vet will tell them if the cat is healthy and not someone’s lost pet. As the veterinarian introduces Sofia and readers to the important and wide-ranging work of animal doctors, Sofia learns how she might help all kinds of animals, including a little stray cat!
Blake and Brendan would do almost anything to get out of going to Mr. Becket’s funeral. It will be boring and sad—and dead people are scary! There might even be ghosts! But Mom and Dad insist. Mr. Becket was a good person, and it is right to gather with his family and friends to remember him and all the good things he did. So what’s so good about remembering a dead person? A lot. Readers learn with Blake and Brendan what it means to be a good person and all the ways a good person makes a difference in people’s lives, even long after they’re gone.
When Amber gets injured on the soccer field, she is forced to confront the fears shared by many children—fears of blood, hospitals, and abandonment. During her treatment, Amber encounters nurses who help her overcome her fears. By discovering the good work nurses do, Amber realizes that not only can she return to the soccer field, but she can also turn to the field of nursing when she grows up—something she never thought she could do!
Carlee always wanted to be a teacher when she grew up, until her mother is hired as a teacher at her school! Some of her friends are even in her mother’s class. Carlee is worried. What will her friends say? Will her mother do something to embarrass her? Carlee vows never to become a teacher like her mother, but as she journeys through the first day of school with her own new teacher, Carlee makes some surprising discoveries.
What Do I Want to Be? If I Grow Up! By: Beverly J. (Wilde) Perkins What Do I Want to Be? If I Grow Up! chronicles life experiences of the author to show how life can suddenly change and grow, how events—good or bad—can lead to strong learning opportunities. There is nothing that cannot be accomplished if we are willing to work for it. Not many people have moved through experiences like these and loved each of them. Readers will see that anything is possible at any age and that you can learn and achieve many goals at any stage of life. It is never too late to learn and provide knowledge to others. Always enjoy whatever stage of life you are in. It is always a steppingstone.
Since 1977 Nathan Miller's concise history of the U.S. Navy has been the standard historical survey read by plebes at the U.S. Naval Academy. Now this highly readable account of the navy, its men and women, ships and aircraft, wars and politics, and the role all played in the creation and protection of the United States has been revised, updated, and made available to the general public in a handy, affordable paperback. Miller, an award-winning biographer and naval historian, has drawn upon a wide variety of stellar published and archival sources to produce a unique primer for those interested in an easy-to-read introduction to American seapower. His concise, fast-moving survey takes the reader from the founding of the raggle-taggle Continental Navy in 1775 through its growth and challenges in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, to lessons learned from Desert Storm as well as current efforts to integrate women into combatant roles, deal with personnel and material downsizing, and deploy the Pentagon's strategic and tactical innovations for the twenty-first century. All new for this third edition are enhanced coverage of the Marine Corps, an index, and maps. As readable as fiction and as up-to-date as today's headlines, this little-known gem prized by Annapolis midshipmen for decades will quickly be recognized by readers of all stripes as simply the best available brief history of the U.S. Navy.
