Hanna was a hippopotamus in the Budapest zoo. Hanna and the other hippos thrived in the warm springs which flowed from the ground. One winter, however, it was so cold that the river froze. There was a war going on, and the people and animals were starving. But the people of Budapest made a plan to save their beloved hippos. This heartwarming story, based on a true incident that took place during World War II, is beautifully told by Trish Marx. Barb Knutson's charming illustrations magically evoke the faraway place and time.
Can a woman ever really know herself if she doesn't know her mother? From the author of the smash-hit bestseller Firefly Lane and True Colors comes Kristin Hannah's powerful, heartbreaking novel that illuminates the intricate mother-daughter bond and explores the enduring links between the present and the past. Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night. On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time—and all the way to the end. Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.
A holiday in the Algarve of Portugal...sunshine...fun-shine. It's what I need. It's time to be me. Time to find the woman I was before the nightmares, outlandish dreams, and sleepwalking. But I wasn't expecting to find Tomás Ferreira, a man made for pleasure. And now, my heart throbs with unfulfilled excitement, fire burns in my belly, and swirling flames lick my thighs. I'm a glorious mess. Where did Tiegan Moss come from? And why is she suddenly here on the day of the dead, the day the door to the otherworld swings open, the day the veil is thin? I'd hidden in the shadows, content, a life barely lived. You've changed everything. You make me want. You make my blood sing. Lost in your kaleidoscope eyes, trapped in the pout of your lips, I can't escape. And I don't like it one bit. Can our two haunted souls find a future together?
Breathtaking photography and fascinating facts about snow crystals “will instill appreciation for these tiny, cool objects” in both children and adults (The Washington Post). How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Is it true that there are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered in this visually stunning exploration of the science of snow. Perfect for reading on winter days, the book features photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity. Snowflake-catching instructions are also included! “Settle down in a comfy chair. . . . By the end, you’ll be hoping there’s a day when you can follow the careful directions for catching and viewing snow crystals.” —Chicago Tribune “The clear and direct narrative takes readers into the clouds to explain snow-crystal formation...and then zooms in on the actual crystals. Sure to get young scientists outside in the cold.” —Kirkus Reviews “Nature photographer Cassino’s gallery of snow crystals is [a] riveting exhibition.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
This book brings together science fiction, history, visual art, and exploration to reframe the relationship among climate, crisis, and creation. A Year Without a Winter presents stories by four renowned science fiction authors alongside critical essays, extracts from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and dispatches from extreme geographies.
Francisco, a young Mexican-American boy, helps his grandfather find work as a gardener, even though the old man cannot speak English and knows nothing about gardening.
From the first printing press to the World Wide Web—the Cat looks at inventors and inventions that have changed our lives! The Cat in the Hat goes back in time to meet with the masterminds of more than a dozen inventions that made a major impact on our lives today—from famous figures like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and the Wright brothers to lesser-known ones like Garrett Morgan, Mary Anderson, and Tim Berners-Lee. Children will learn basic information about each invention, as well as fascinating facts like how Guttenberg’s famous printing machine was made from an old wine press, how a steaming teakettle may have inspired the creation of the steam engine, and how table salt changed the history of photography. Ideal for supporting the Common Core State Standards, and a natural for fans of the hit PBS Kids show The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, this is a great way to introduce beginning readers to science!
From the New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah comes a powerful novel of love, loss, and the magic of friendship. . . . now a #1 Netflix series! In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the "coolest girl in the world" moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all---beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer's end they've become TullyandKate. Inseparable. So begins Kristin Hannah's magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives. From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success . . . and loneliness. Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn't know is how being a wife and mother will change her . . . how she'll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she'll envy her famous best friend. . . . For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship---jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they've survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart . . . and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test. Firefly Lane is for anyone who ever drank Boone's Farm apple wine while listening to Abba or Fleetwood Mac. More than a coming-of-age novel, it's the story of a generation of women who were both blessed and cursed by choices. It's about promises and secrets and betrayals. And ultimately, about the one person who really, truly knows you---and knows what has the power to hurt you . . . and heal you. Firefly Lane is a story you'll never forget . . . one you'll want to pass on to your best friend.
One day, high in the Andes Mountains, Cuy the Guinea Pig is searching for wild spinach to eat when Tío Antonio the Fox comes in search of Cuy to eat! Tío Antonio thinks he's found dinner, but crafty Cuy has other plans. Quick-witted Cuy fools Tío Antonio not once, but three times. Combining striking wood block artwork with an authentic South American voice, this sly trickster tale shows that clever thinking is key when you're out-foxing the fox. Discover more about this title and Barbara Knutson at www.barbaraknutson.net.
Snowflakes are falling—and this cool new 8 x 8 in the Smithsonian nonfiction line tells young readers why! When does it snow? Why is snow white? How do we know no two snowflakes are alike? (Hint: the proof is in the photographs, first made in the 1890s!) With full-color photographs and the Smithsonian’s famous Wilson Bentley snowflake photos, this new Curious About title looks at the science behind snow, and the history of record-setting blizzards and snowstorms—plus how people have fun in the snow!
