Special Collections
Into Reading Texas Grade 5 (NIMAC)
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Secondhand Superstars
by Heather Hammonds and Diane FeyerNIMAC-sourced textbook. One day at school, Sasha is teased for wearing secondhand clothes. Sasha's brother, Chris, comes up with an idea to cheer her up and show everyone how wearing recycled clothing can benefit people and the planet. Sasha's best friend, Kaz, is excited about helping out, too. With the assistance of a mystery guest, their plan might just work!
Riverboat Boy
by Melaina Faranda and Nina KudinovaNIMAC-sourced textbook. Joe lives on a paddle steamer with his parents and younger sisters. He loves life on the boat, but he longs for a friend his own age. One night, while investigating a mysterious noise, he makes a shocking discovery. Could this be the opportunity Joe has always wanted?
Play On!
by Carmel Reilly and Martin FaganNIMAC-sourced textbook. Sam is a star player on the school basketball team. But when he is chosen for a role in the school play, he's under pressure to find time for both basketball practice and play rehearsals. Will he be able to balance his commitments?
Green City: How One Community Survived a Tornado and Rebuilt for a Sustainable Future
by Allan DrummondNIMAC-sourced textbook
In 2007, a tornado destroyed Greensburg, Kansas, and the residents were at a loss as to what to do next--they didn't want to rebuild if their small town would just be destroyed in another storm. So they decided they wouldn't just rebuild the same old thing; this time, they would build a town that could not only survive another storm, but one that was built in an environmentally sustainable way. Told from the point of view of a child whose family rebuilt after the storm, this companion to Energy Island is the inspiring story of the difference one community can make--and it includes plenty of rebuilding scenes and details for construction lovers, too!
Unusual Buildings
by Debbie CroftNIMAC-sourced textbook
There are unusual buildings all over the world. Most of them are recognizable from the outside by their interesting or unique designs. There are buildings that look like baskets, bookshelves, or flowers! Find out about some of the most unique buildings in the world—where they are, how they were built, and what makes them special.
Time and Clocks
by Debbie CroftNIMAC-sourced textbook
You might often ask, 'What time is it?'—but you probably don't ask, 'Time, what is it?' Time is the way we measure the passing of one moment to the next. Early clocks measured the passing of sand through an hourglass or the melting of wax on a candlestick. Later on, clocks and clock towers were built as monuments in large cities.
Cars
by Debbie CroftNIMAC-sourced textbook. Cars have come a long way since they were first rolled out in the late 1800s. Early models were powered by simple internal combustion engines as a replacement for the horse-drawn carriage. Today, though, cars are designed to be comfortable, safe, sleek, and stylish. The latest computer technology has made many car functions automatic and will one day allow for cars to drive themselves!
The Elephant Keeper
by Margriet Ruurs and Pedro CovoNIMAC-sourced textbook
When teenaged Aaron discovers a baby elephant nearly drowning in the swimming pool at the guest lodge where he works, he acts quickly and manages to save the animal just in time. The rescued baby is brought to an elephant orphanage for care, and given the name Zambezi. Though Aaron has been raised to think of elephants as dangerous to humans and their crops, on a visit to the orphanage, he learns that illegal poaching of these animals is threatening them with extinction, and the orphanage is trying to prevent that from happening. And when Aaron is offered a job at the orphanage, his life is suddenly transformed, as he discovers a bond of friendship with Zambezi and his lifelong vocation as an elephant keeper.
Inspired by the real-life Aaron and Zambezi at the Lilayi Elephant Nursery in Zambia, author Margriet Ruurs has created a moving story that powerfully demonstrates the plight of endangered animals everywhere. Pedro Covo's stunning illustrations add a level of depth and haunting beauty to the story and the animals. Three nonfiction spreads interspersed throughout the story explore facts about elephants, ivory poaching and elephant orphanages. The back of the book contains ways children can help endangered wildlife. Useful tools include a table of contents and a glossary. This beautifully illustrated nonfiction book spans the curriculum, from life sciences to global awareness to environmental stewardship. It also offers a unique perspective for character education lessons on empathy, caring and responsibility on a larger scale.
Running for the Bus
by Caroline Hu and Peter CoreyNIMAC-sourced textbook. Tommy is always running because he's late for the bus. And now the school's minibus has broken down! As the whole school works to raise funds for a new one, Tommy helps Adam prepare for the basketball fundraiser, while also improving his own running skills for the big race. Will they raise enough money for a new minibus?
The Search for New Lands
by Ellen CatalaNIMAC-sourced textbook
Who was Marco Polo? What did Christopher Columbus find? Learn about these European explorers and others as you read about the search for new lands.
Stars of the Red Carpet
by Susy Boyer and Marianne PosadasNIMAC-sourced textbook. When stressed-out entertainment lawyer Eva and her daughter, Tania, take a weekend drive to the country to escape the pressures of day-to-day life, a car breakdown and an unexpected meeting open up a whole new world of possibilities for them. They discover a peaceful country town, where a new life beckons for Eva, Tania and the Empire, an old run-down movie theater that has seen better days.
Super Winter Survivors
by Pamela Wright and Diane BlairNIMAC-sourced textbook. Many animals have winter survival strategies. Learn how animals use hibernation, migration, and camouflage to survive the long, harsh winter.
Robot Trouble
by Claire Daniel and Christine BenjaminNIMAC-sourced textbook. When Gabriela misses the deadline to sign up for Space Camp, she decides to build a robot, hoping that the robot will be impressive enough to secure her a job at the Space Center. But when the robot doesn't always understand instructions, Gabriela and her brother have some hilarious mishaps.
The Day-Glo Brothers
by Chris Barton and Tony PersianiNIMAC-sourced textbook
A discovery that made the world a brighter place! Joe and Bob Switzer were very different brothers. Bob was a studious planner who wanted to grow up to be a doctor. Joe dreamed of making his fortune in show business and loved magic tricks and problem-solving.
When an accident left Bob recovering in a darkened basement, the brothers began experimenting with ultraviolet light and fluorescent paints. Together they invented a whole new kind of color, one that glows with an extra-special intensity—Day-Glo.
The Martian Tales
by Marilee Burton and Kristin BarrNIMAC-sourced textbook
Life has just turned upside down for Sanders A. Parker. His parents are talking about separating. He is being forced to spend the summer with a grandfather he hardly knows. And he has suddenly realized that he isn't an ordinary kid at all. He can't be--not with all that's going on. He must be a Martian--sent to Earth to report on the terrible things that can happen to unsuspecting kids.
The Rainbow Serpent: An Aboriginal Australian Story
by Chris Sarandis and Bronwyn BancroftNIMAC-sourced textbook
Luca's Adventures in Florence
by Cameron Macintosh and Alessandro BaldanziNIMAC-sourced textbook. Luca's older brother, Renzo, has left the farm and moved to Florence to work as an artist's assistant. As Luca learns woodcrafting from his father, he wonders what life working in an artist's workshop in the big city must be like.