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Yasmin's Hammer
by Ann MalaspinaAsian/Pacific American Award for Literature Winner - Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)A young Bangladeshi girl who helps support her family by working in a brickyard finds a way to make her dream of going to school and learning to read a reality.In the noisy streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, another busy morning is beginning as Yasmin rides to work in her father's rattling rickshaw. Yasmin longs to go to school so she can learn to read, but her family needs the money she and her sister earn at the brickyard to help keep the rice bag full and the roof repaired. As she hammers away at bricks day after day, Yasmin dreams of a different life. If she could read, she could be anything she wants to be when she grows up. One night Yasmin has an idea--a secret plan that will bring her one step closer to making her dream a reality. Compassionately told and inspired by contemporary news articles, Yasmin's Hammer offers a fresh perspective on the value of education. Readers will admire Yasmin's persistence in reaching for her goals and the enduring love of her hardworking family in this hopeful story of a bright young girl whose mind is set on changing her future.
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty
by G. NeriCoretta Scott King Author Award Honor - American Library Association (ALA) Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards NomineeA graphic novel based on the life and death of Robert "Yummy" Sandifer, an eleven-year-old gang member from Chicago's Southside who was killed by his own gang members.Eleven-year-old Roger is trying to make sense of his classmate Robert "Yummy" Sandifer's death, but first he has to make sense of Yummy's life. Yummy could be as tough as a pit bull sometimes. Other times he was as sweet as the sugary treats he loved to eat. Was Yummy some sort of monster, or just another kid? As Roger searches for the truth, he finds more and more questions. How did Yummy end up in so much trouble? Did he really kill someone? And why do all the answers seem to lead back to a gang-the same gang Roger's older brother belongs to? Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty is a compelling dramatization based on events that occurred in Chicago in 1994. This gritty exploration of youth gang life will force readers to question their own understandings of good and bad, right and wrong.
A Song for Cambodia
by Michelle LordThe true story of Arn Chorn-Pond, Cambodian American musician and human rights activist, who as a young boy survived Khmer Rouge work camps by learning to play a musical instrument.When Arn was a young boy in Cambodia, his days were filled with love, laughter, and the sweet sounds of music. That all changed suddenly in 1975 when Arn's village was invaded by Khmer Rouge soldiers and his family was torn apart. Nine-year-old Arn was taken to a children's work camp, where he labored long hours in the rice fields under the glaring eyes of threatening soldiers. Overworked, underfed, and in constant fear for his life, Arn had to find a way to survive. When guards asked for volunteers to play music one day, Arn bravely raised his hand-taking a chance that would change the course of his life. A Song for Cambodia is the inspirational true story of Arn Chorn-Pond. His heartfelt music created beauty in a time of darkness and turned tragedy into healing.
Diverse Energies: By 11 Speculative Fiction Authors
by 11 Speculative Fiction AuthorsA collection of dystopian short stories featuring diverse main characters and by authors of color."No one can doubt that the wave of the future is not the conquest of the world by a single dogmatic creed but the liberation of the diverse energies of free nations and free men. No one can doubt that cooperation in the pursuit of knowledge must lead to freedom of the mind and freedom of the soul." -President John F. Kennedy, from a speech at University of California, March 23, 1962 In a world gone wrong, heroes and villains are not always easy to distinguish and every individual has the ability to contribute something powerful. In this stunning collection of original and rediscovered stories of tragedy and hope, the stars are a diverse group of students, street kids, good girls, kidnappers, and child laborers pitted against their environments, their governments, differing cultures, and sometimes one another as they seek answers in their dystopian worlds. Take a journey through time from a nuclear nightmare of the past to society's far future beyond Earth with these eleven stories by masters of speculative fiction. Includes stories by Paolo Bacigalupi, Ursula K. Le Guin, Malinda Lo, Cindy Pon, Daniel H. Wilson, and more.
Summer of the Mariposas
by Guadalupe García McCallIn this young adult retelling of The Odyssey, Odilia and her four sisters journey to Mexico to return a dead man to his family and encounter magical creatures along the way.When Odilia and her four sisters find a dead body in the swimming hole, they embark on a hero's journey to return the dead man to his family in Mexico. But returning home to Texas turns into an odyssey that would rival Homer's original tale. With the supernatural aid of ghostly La Llorona via a magical earring, Odilia and her little sisters travel a road of tribulation to their long-lost grandmother's house. Along the way, they must outsmart a witch and her Evil Trinity: a wily warlock, a coven of vicious half-human barn owls, and a bloodthirsty livestock-hunting chupacabras. Can these fantastic trials prepare Odilia and her sisters for what happens when they face their final test, returning home to the real world, where goddesses and ghosts can no longer help them? Summer of the Mariposas is not just a magical Mexican American retelling of The Odyssey, it is a celebration of sisterhood and maternal love.
Elizabeti's School (Elizabeti)
by Stephanie Stuve-BodeenIn this contempory Tanzanian story, author Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen and artist Christy Hale once again bring the sweet innocence of Elizabeti to life. Readers are sure to recognize this young child's emotions as she copes with her first day of school and discovers the wonder and joy of learning.It's the first day of school and Elizabeti can hardly wait. She puts on her new uniform and feels her shiny shoes. School must surely be a very special place! Shortly after arriving at school, however, Elizabeti begins to miss her family. What if Mama needs help cleaning the rice? What if her baby sister wants to play? What if her little brother wants to go for a walk? But soon Elizabeti is making friends and learning her lessons. Best of all, she shares her experiences with her family that evening - and can apply what she has learned right away. In this contempory Tanzanian story, author Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen and artist Christy Hale once again bring the sweet innocence of Elizabeti to life. Readers are sure to recognize this young child's emotions as she copes with her first day of school and discovers the wonder and joy of learning.
Love to Langston
by Tony MedinaThis inspiring biography on Langston Hughes celebrates his life through poetry.Fourteen original poems offer young readers an exciting glimpse into the life of Langston Hughes, one of America's most beloved poets. Each of Medina's engaging poems explores an important theme in Hughes' life - his lonely childhood, his love of language and travel, his dream of writing poetry. Extensive notes at the back of the book expand upon the poems, giving a broader picture of Hughes' life and the time in which he lived. With stunning illustrations by R. Gregory Christie, Love To Langston brings Langston Hughes to life for a new generation of readers.
Paul Robeson
by Eloise GreenfieldCoretta Scott King Author Award Honor - American Library Association (ALA)An updated and redesigned edition of an award-winning biography of Paul Robeson, who overcame racial discrimination to become an international entertainer and civil rights activist. Includes a new introduction and afterword by the author, focusing on Robeson's legacy.Paul Robeson, born in 1898 and the son of a pastor, learned from his father to love written and spoken words, to be proud of being black, and to stand up for what he believed was right. These were the things that guided Paul throughout his life. After achieving academic and athletic success in school, Paul gained fame as a singer and an actor. His talent and his deep, rich voice won him fans and admirers worldwide. But as he traveled the globe for performances, Robeson became disturbed by the poverty and injustices he saw. In the 1940s and 1950s he began speaking out and fighting for freedom. Such activism was not tolerated, and Robeson came to be considered an enemy by the United States government. With dignity and a dynamic spirit, Paul Robeson-athlete, actor, singer, and civil rights activist-stayed true to himself and took a stand for his beliefs. A new generation of readers will soon be introduced to this courageous man.
Rent Party Jazz
by William MillerAn African American boy living in New Orleans in the 1930s raises money to pay the rent with the help of a popular jazz musician.In New Orleans in the 1930s, young Sonny Comeaux has to work before school to help his mother make ends meet. When Mama loses her job, Sonny is worried. Rent day is coming soon, and if they miss paying by just one day, the landlord will put them out on the street and sell off their belongings. Sonny wanders sadly through Jackson Square after school one day. His attention is caught by Smilin' Jack, a popular jazz musician. Sonny returns day after day, and soon finds himself explaining his problem to Smilin' Jack. What Smilin' Jack offers Sonny then-how to raise money for the rent while having the world's best party-changes both their lives forever. Award-winning author William Miller tells his most affecting story yet, accompanied by Charlotte Riley-Webb's brilliantly-colored paintings that perfectly capture the lively rhythms of New Orleans jazz. This is a powerful story of family, friendship, and people coming together to help others in a time of need.
The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families
by Susan L. Roth Cindy TrumboreThe fascinating story of Dr. Gordon Sato, who helped a small African village become self-sustaining by planting a forest of mangrove trees to reshape the community's ecosystem.For a long time, the people of Hargigo, a village in the tiny African country of Eritrea, were living without enough food for themselves and their animals. The families were hungry, and their goats and sheep were hungry too. Then along came a scientist, Dr. Gordon Sato, who helped change their lives for the better. And it all started with some special trees. These are the trees, Mangrove trees, That were planted by the sea. With alternating verse and prose passages, The Mangrove Tree invites readers to discover how Dr. Sato's mangrove tree-planting project transformed an impoverished village into a self-sufficient community. This fascinating story is a celebration of creativity, hard work-and all those mangrove trees that were planted by the sea!
I and I Bob Marley
by Tony MedinaA biography in verse of reggae legend Bob Marley, exploring the influences that shaped his life and music on his journey from rural Jamaican childhood to international superstardom.Born in the Jamaican countryside in 1945, Bob Marley seemed special from birth. The curious, intuitive boy had an extraordinary gift for absorbing and interpreting the world around him. Influenced by his biracial heritage, his island home, and the injustices he observed in everyday life, Bob went on to become a musician and messenger; a poet and prophet of reggae culture. His music echoed from Jamaica all the way across the globe, spreading his heartfelt message of peace, love, and equality to everyone who heard his songs. Brimming with imagination and insight, I and I Bob Marley, is a multifaceted tribute befitting this international musical legend. Soulful, sun-drenched paintings transport readers to Bob Marley's Jamaica, while uniquely perceptive poems bring to life his fascinating journey from boy to icon.
Sacred Mountain: Everest
by Christine Taylor-ButlerA photo-essay exploring the cultural, geological, and ecological history of Mount Everest, focusing on the indigenous Sherpa and their spiritual connection to the mountain, record-setting climbing expeditions, and the effects of tourism on the environment.Mount Everest--a place of mystery, majesty, and unparalleled beauty--rises into the sky higher than any other mountain on Earth. Many stories have been told about the dangers and triumphs of climbing to the summit; but few have been written about the Sherpa, the people who have lived on the mountain for centuries and consider it sacred. Known for their bravery, strength, and skill in navigating the mountain's treacherous slopes, Sherpas have played a crucial role in Mount Everest's exploration since the 1920s. In recent years, however, increasing tourism has threatened the mountain's fragile ecosystem. The Sherpa now face the challenge of restoring and protecting this sacred mountain for their future and for the world. With stunning photographs and engaging text, Scared Mountain presents a unique picture of Mount Everest--its history, its ecology, and especially its people--that will captivate readers of all ages.
Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure
by Naomi C. RoseA Tibetan American girl helps her grandfather recover from an illness through the use of a traditional cure that focuses on friendship and compassion as partners in physical recovery.Tashi loves listening to Popola, her grandpa, sing Tibetan chants to the click, click of his prayer beads. She also loves hearing Popola's stories about the village in Tibet where he grew up. But recently Popola has been sick, and Tashi is worried. One of the stories Tashi remembers told how people in Popola's village use flowers to help themselves recover from illnesses. Will this healing tradition work in the United States, so far from Popola's village? Determined to help Popola get better, Tashi recruits family, friends, and neighbors in a grand effort to find out. Lyrically told and illustrated with impressionistic paintings, Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure shines a tender light on the universal bond between grandchild and grandparent. Readers of all ages are sure to be inspired by the gentle power of this story and its spirit of compassion and community.
Baseball Saved Us: 25th Anniversary Edition
by Ken MochizukiTwenty-five years ago, Baseball Saved Us changed the picture-book landscape with its honest story of a Japanese American boy in an internment camp during World War II. This anniversary edition will introduce new readers to this modern-day classic.One day my dad looked out at the endless desert and decided then and there to build a baseball field. "Shorty" and his family, along with thousands of other Japanese Americans, have been forced to relocate from their homes to a "camp" after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Fighting the heat, dust, and freezing cold nights of the desert, Shorty and the others at the camp need something to look forward to, even if only for nine innings. So they build a playing field, and in this unlikely place, a baseball league is formed. Surrounded by barbed-wire fences and guards in towers, Shorty soon finds that he is playing not only to win, but to gain dignity and self-respect as well. Inspired by actual events, this moving story of hope and courage in a Japanese American internment camp during World War II reveals a long-hidden and ugly part of the American past. This 25th Anniversary Edition features a revised cover and a new introduction from the author and illustrator.
It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw
by Don TateThe inspiring biography of self-taught (outsider) artist Bill Traylor, a former slave who at the age of eighty-five began to draw pictures based on his memories and observations of rural and urban life in Alabama.Growing up as an enslaved boy on an Alabama cotton farm, Bill Traylor worked all day in the hot fields. When slavery ended, Bill's family stayed on the farm as sharecroppers. There Bill grew to manhood, raised his own family, and cared for the land and his animals. By 1935 Bill was eighty-one and all alone on his farm. So he packed his bag and moved to Montgomery, the capital of Alabama. Lonely and poor, he wandered the busy downtown streets. But deep within himself Bill had a reservoir of memories of working and living on the land, and soon those memories blossomed into pictures. Bill began to draw people, places, and animals from his earlier life, as well as scenes of the city around him. Today Bill Traylor is considered to be one of the most important self-taught American folk artists. Winner of Lee & Low's New Voices Award Honor, It Jes' Happened is a lively tribute to this man who has enriched the world with more than twelve hundred warm, energetic, and often humorous pictures.
Game, Set, Match Champion Arthur Ashe
by Crystal HubbardA picture book biography of tennis player Arthur Ashe, who began his career playing tennis as a child on the segregated courts as a child in Virginia and went on to become the top tennis player in the world.From the start, Arthur Ashe was an unlikely tennis player. As a young boy growing up in Richmond, Virginia, in the 1940s, he was small and skinny-and barred from most tennis courts because he was black. Still, Arthur was drawn to the game and began to play wherever he could. With patience, hard work, and humility, Arthur pursued his dream. Defeating player after player, match after match, he blazed a path on the once all-white tennis courts, becoming the first African American man to win a Grand Slam tournament and the top-ranked tennis player in the world. Throughout his career, Arthur Ashe fought to overcome adversity, opening doors in his sport and promoting human rights. Game, Set, Match, Champion Arthur Ashe is a heartfelt, action-packed tribute to one of the most compelling athletes and humanitarians of the twentieth century. An example of quiet grace and dignity on and off the tennis court, Arthur Ashe set a shining example for us all.
Auntie Yang's Great Soybean Picnic
by Ginnie LoWhen Jinyi and her family discover a soybean field, they begin a tradition that becomes a staple of the Chinese American community in the Midwest.Jinyi and her sister love visiting Auntie and Uncle Yang's home, where they enjoy dumpling-eating contests and backyard adventures with their cousins. One weekend, on a Sunday drive among the cornfields near Chicago, Auntie Yang spots something she has never before seen in Illinois. Could it be one of their favorite Chinese foods-soybeans?! Excited by their discovery, the families have their very first soybean picnic. Every year after that, Auntie Yang invites more people to share the food and fun. Pretty soon more than two hundred friends and neighbors are gathering at the picnic to play games and eat soybeans together. Unique illustrations painted on ceramic plates lend a quirky charm to this lighthearted intergenerational story. Auntie Yang's Great Soybean Picnic is a delicious celebration of family traditions, culture, and community that will have readers asking for seconds, thirds, and more.
Rebellion: A Tankborn Novel (Tankborn #3)
by Karen SandlerIn a world where half the population is genetically engineered, what does it mean to be human? The acclaimed TANKBORN trilogy rushes to a thrilling conclusion with Rebellion!Kayla is a GEN--a genetically engineered nonhuman--in a world torn apart by castes separating GENs from "real" humans. In the wake of a devastating bomb blast, Kayla finds herself at the headquarters of the organization that planted the bomb--and many others like it in GEN food warehouses and homes. Her biological mother tells her that Devak is dead and that Kayla must join their terrorist group, which is ramping up for something big. Now Kayla must pretend to embrace this new role in an underground compound full of paranoia as she plots a way to escape and save her friends. Meanwhile, Devak has emerged from his healing in a gen-tank, only to be told that Kayla is dead and his family has fallen from grace. Can he overcome his grief enough to notice the clues that point to Kayla? As Kayla and Devak fight to find each other and stop the bloodshed, the Tankborn trilogy rushes to a thrilling conclusion!
Hammer of Witches
by Seth MlawskiIn this YA historical fantasy, a teen from Spain finds himself aboard a ship sailing to the "New World" with Christopher Columbus.Baltasar Infante, a bookmaker's apprentice living in 1492 Spain, can weasel out of any problem with a good story. But when he awakes one night to find a monster straight out of the stories peering at him through his window, he's in trouble that even he can't talk his way out of. Soon Baltasar is captured by a mysterious arm of the Spanish Inquisition, the Malleus Maleficarum, that demands he reveal the whereabouts of Amir al-Katib, a legendary Moorish sorcerer who can bring myths and the creatures within them to life. Baltasar doesn't know where the man is-or that he himself has the power to summon genies and golems. Baltasar must escape, find al-Katib, and defeat a dreadful power that may destroy the world. As Baltasar's journey takes him into uncharted lands on Columbus's voyage westward, he learns that stories are more powerful than he once believed them to be-and much more dangerous.
Better Punctuation in 30 Minutes a Day (Better English)
by Ceil ClevelandTo achieve your goals, words alone aren’t enough. You need punctuation too!Who cares about commas, semicolons, dashes, and hyphens? Well, you should. A misplaced punctuation mark can confuse physicians and surgeons, cause thousands of dollars in legal fees, misinform judges, puzzle bankers, misguide stockbrokers, and even ruin a recipe.Luckily, you don’t need a teacher with a mouthful of jargon to show you how to make yourself clearly understood, whether it’s in a text or a term paper. Better Punctuation in 30 Minutes a Day lets you teach yourself. This small step-by-step handbook is an indispensable guide if you need to:• Compose high school or college papers• Apply to college or for a job• Write a resume• Communicate your thoughts to anyone, from your landlord to your loved oneYou can work on your own, at your own speed, and within your own time frame—and the rules of punctuation, often confusing and hazy, will finally become clear.
Homework Helpers: English Language & Composition (Homework Helpers)
by Maureen LindnerEssential preparation for the new SAT Writing and Grammar Section. Homework Helpers: English Language & Composition is a user-friendly review book that will make any student—or those trying to help them—feel like he or she has a private tutor. Each chapter includes detailed questions that allow students to assess how well they've mastered each idea. Not only does the author provide the right answers to these self-study questions, but also detailed explanations of why the wrong answers are wrong. When is a comma used? Why are some titles capitalized? How are dangling modifiers prevented? There are hundreds of grammatical and compositional rules, many of them difficult to understand and memorize. And just as many exceptions to the rules! Homework Helpers: English Language and Composition focuses on all aspects of writing, with clear lessons and exercises on:• Parts of speech• Punctuation• Tone• The writing process• Types of sentences• Types of essays• Revisions• Common errors to avoid Students from high school through college will find this book to be an essential writing tool. Younger students can follow the lessons from beginning to end to learn everything they need to know about language and composition. The more experienced student can pick and choose lessons and exercises according to need—especially if they're facing the new SAT. The Homework Helpers Series is just what students need to boost their confidence and give them the help they need to ace even the most challenging classes and tests.
Gender Justice and Contemporary Asian Literatures: A Casebook
by Karen Laura ThornberThis casebook investigates how diverse writers from across East, South, and Southeast Asia and their diasporas have engaged with the struggle for gender justice. Each chapter analyzes works of literature originally written in Bengali, Chinese, English, Indonesian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Marathi, Thai, and Vietnamese.Aimed at both specialists and nonspecialists, Gender Justice and Contemporary Asian Literatures addresses such subjects as gender imparity in male-dominated professions; the lives of migrant sex workers and caregivers; the fight against reproductive, family, non-partner, and intimate partner violence; and norms of shame and silence surrounding violence against women. Informed by the author's deep knowledge of literature, history, culture, law, and social conditions, this book will be a resource for instructors and students in gender studies, women's studies, ethnic studies, Asian studies, Asian American studies, Asian diaspora studies, comparative literature, and world literature.
Influencers, activistas y los derechos de las mujeres: Una publicación de El divorcio en España (MLA Texts and Translations #45)
by Carmen de Burgos SeguíThe newspaper columnist Carmen de Burgos Seguí caused a sensation in 1903 when she called for a public discussion on divorce, then illegal in Spain. The fierce debate that ensued among Spain's leading thinkers--politicians, academics, feminists, journalists, and others--is collected in El divorcio en España. This milestone volume ultimately contributed to Spain's legalizing divorce in the 1930s--a victory for women's rights that was subsequently rolled back by the Franco dictatorship and not regained for over fifty years. The opinions showcased here illuminate the uniqueness of feminism in early-twentieth-century Spain: because ideas about marriage and the role of women in society were anchored in Catholic teachings, feminist arguments focused on rights to education, divorce, and employment instead of on suffrage.
Influencers, Activists, and Women's Rights: A Translation of Divorce in Spain (MLA Texts and Translations #45)
by Carmen de Burgos SeguíThe newspaper columnist Carmen de Burgos Seguí caused a sensation in 1903 when she called for a public discussion on divorce, then illegal in Spain. The fierce debate that ensued among Spain's leading thinkers--politicians, academics, feminists, journalists, and others--is collected in Divorce in Spain. This milestone volume ultimately contributed to Spain's legalizing divorce in the 1930s--a victory for women's rights that was subsequently rolled back by the Franco dictatorship and not regained for over fifty years. The opinions showcased here illuminate the uniqueness of feminism in early-twentieth-century Spain: because ideas about marriage and the role of women in society were anchored in Catholic teachings, feminist arguments focused on rights to education, divorce, and employment instead of on suffrage.
The Business of Botanicals: Exploring the Healing Promise of Plant Medicines in a Global Industry
by Ann ArmbrechtFrom tulsi to turmeric, echinacea to elderberry, medicinal herbs are big business—but do they deliver on their healing promise—to those who consume them, those who provide them, and the natural world? “An eye-opener. . . . [Armbrecht] challenges ideas of what medicine can be, and how business practices can corrupt, and expand, our notions of plant-based healing.”—The Boston Globe "So deeply honest, sincere, heartful, questioning, and brilliant. . . . [The Business of Botanicals] is an amazing book, that plunges in, and takes a deepening look at those places where people don’t often venture."—Rosemary Gladstar, author of Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs "For those who loved Braiding Sweetgrass, this book is a perfect opportunity to go deeper into understanding the complex and co-evolutionary journey of plants and people." —Angela McElwee, former president and CEO of Gaia Herbs Using herbal medicines to heal the body is an ancient practice, but in the twenty-first century, it is also a worldwide industry. Yet most consumers know very little about where those herbs come from and how they are processed into the many products that fill store shelves. In The Business of Botanicals, author Ann Armbrecht follows their journey from seed to shelf, revealing the inner workings of a complicated industry, and raises questions about the ethical and ecological issues of mass production of medicines derived from these healing plants, many of which are imperiled in the wild. This is the first book to explore the interconnected web of the global herb industry and its many stakeholders, and is an invaluable resource for conscious consumers who want to better understand the social and environmental impacts of the products they buy. "Armbrecht masterfully manages the challenges and complexity of her source material . . . [She] is a spirited storyteller . . . [and] presents all this with the skill of an anthropologist and the heart of an herbalist."—Journal of the American Herbalists Guild