Most Popular Books by Deborah Heiligman

Describes the origins of Halloween and how various countries celebrate it. Includes recipe for Spooky graveyard cake.

Printz Honor Book • YALSA Nonfiction Award Winner • Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner • SCBWI Golden Kite Winner • Cybils Senior High Nonfiction Award Winner From the author of National Book Award finalist Charles and Emma comes an incredible story of brotherly love. The deep and enduring friendship between Vincent and Theo Van Gogh shaped both brothers'' lives. Confidant, champion, sympathizer, friend—Theo supported Vincent as he struggled to find his path in life. They shared everything, swapping stories of lovers and friends, successes and disappointments, dreams and ambitions. Meticulously researched, drawing on the 658 letters Vincent wrote to Theo during his lifetime, Deborah Heiligman weaves a tale of two lives intertwined and the extraordinary love of the Van Gogh brothers.

Explores the Diwali, a holiday celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains.

After fifteen-year-old Rachel overhears her rabbi committing infidelity, she must come to terms with the fact that adults make mistakes, too--and that she is old enough to be held responsible for her own mistakes.

Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, his revolutionary tract on evolution and the fundamental ideas involved, in 1859. Nearly 150 years later, the theory of evolution continues to create tension between the scientific and religious communities. Challenges about teaching the theory of evolution in schools occur annually all over the country. This same debate raged within Darwin himself, and played an important part in his marriage: his wife, Emma, was quite religious, and her faith gave Charles a lot to think about as he worked on a theory that continues to spark intense debates. Deborah Heiligman''s new biography of Charles Darwin is a thought-provoking account of the man behind evolutionary theory: how his personal life affected his work and vice versa. The end result is an engaging exploration of history, science, and religion for young readers. Charles and Emma is a 2009 National Book Award Finalist for Young People''s Literature.

Where did the caterpillar go? It seems to have disappeared, but it hasn''t. It has turned into a butterfly! From the time a caterpillar first hatches, it eats so fast that its skin can''t keep up. It sheds its skin several times as it grows bigger and bigger. Eventually it forms a shell around itself called a chrysalis. Nothing seems to happen for a long time. But then one day the chrysalis splits open, and a beautiful butterfly emerges. What a magical metamorphosis!

Explains why and how the Jewish people all over the world celebrate Passover.

Describes the history of Thanksgiving and how it is celebrated in the United States.

Discusses the history and traditions involved in celebrating Independence Day on July 4th in the United States. Includes a brief description of some celebrations of independence in other countries of the world. Also includes recipe for Kay''s deviled eggs.

Explains the history and traditions that are a part of the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.

Explains the history and traditions that are a part of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

Describes how the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are celebrated around the world. Includes recipe for Rabbi Shira''s Honey Cake.

Children love to read to their favorite dog

Jump in and get up close to honey bees to learn all about what they are, how hard they work, and the important tasks they perform during their life cycle. Adorable illustrations and kid-friendly text make complex science fun and easy to understand. Every Jump Into Science book ends with a hands-on experiment to fully engage readers and extra material to stimulate further learning.

Trick or treat? Celebrate Halloween is definitely a real treat. Vivid images and Deborah Heiligman’s lively, inviting text illuminate the spookiest night of the year. The book lets readers explore Halloween celebrations around the globe as it uncovers the rich history of this holiday, the creepy creatures that come to life in the night, and the origins of such customs as dressing up in costume, carving jack-o’-lanterns, and trick-or-treating. Readers will witness Halloween bonfires in Ireland—believed to be the birthplace of the holiday—Halloween parades in Japan, a costumed pooch in the U.S., and a pumpkin patch by the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Halloween folklore, food, games, costumes, and traditions all combine in a most bewitching brew.

Explains the meaning of the holiday Easter and presents photographs and descriptions of celebration traditions around the world. Includes recipe for Franny''s tatales.

The most celebrated holiday in the Jewish year, Passover commemorates the Exodus of Hebrew slaves from Egypt to freedom over 3,500 years ago. This colorful book explores the many forms that this weeklong celebration takes worldwide. Deborah Heiligman''s rich text details the long lavish meals called seders, at which Exodus is recalled in ritual, prayer, song, and story. The historical significance of the food at these Passover feasts is also explained, and delicious recipes encourage readers to experience the full flavors of this internationally observed holiday. Rabbi Shira Stern''s informative note provides parents and teachers with a historical and cultural background of the celebration of Passover. National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources. Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

From award-winning author Deborah Heiligman comes Torpedoed, a true account of the attack and sinking of the passenger ship SS City of Benares, which was evacuating children from England during WWII. Amid the constant rain of German bombs and the escalating violence of World War II, British parents by the thousands chose to send their children out of the country: the wealthy, independently; the poor, through a government relocation program called CORB. In September 1940, passenger liner SS City of Benares set sail for Canada with one hundred children on board. When the war ships escorting the Benares departed, a German submarine torpedoed what became known as the Children''s Ship. Out of tragedy, ordinary people became heroes. This is their story. This title has Common Core connections.

An introduction to the customs related to the holiday of Christmas.

Although Tinka the dog can be described in many ways, she is always the right kind of canine for her owner.

Most people think of mathematicians as solitary, working away in isolation. And, it''s true, many of them do. But Paul Erdos never followed the usual path. At the age of four, he could ask you when you were born and then calculate the number of seconds you had been alive in his head. But he didn''t learn to butter his own bread until he turned twenty. Instead, he traveled around the world, from one mathematician to the next, collaborating on an astonishing number of publications. With a simple, lyrical text and richly layered illustrations, this is a beautiful introduction to the world of math and a fascinating look at the unique character traits that made "Uncle Paul" a great man. The Boy Who Loved Math by Deborah Heiligman is a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2013 and a New York Times Book Review Notable Children''s Book of 2013.

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Clara Lemlich! In this chapter book biography by award-winning author Deborah Heiligman, readers learn about the amazing life of Clara Lemlich--and how she persisted. Clara Lemlich immigrated to New York to escape danger in Ukraine, where she was born. She started working in clothing factories on the Lower East Side, only to realize that workers were being treated unfairly. So she stood up for the rights of workers, especially girls and women--and she won, changing the way factory workers were treated in America forever! Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Clara Lemlich''s footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum. And don’t miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Nellie Bly, Sonia Sotomayor, and more! Praise for She Persisted: Clara Lemlich: "Intentionally and successfully inspiring." --Kirkus Reviews "An important addition to the biography section of any library." --School Library Journal

From faults to plate tectonics, this simple introduction to earthquakes will pique kids'' interest about the amazing planet on which they live. Key earth science topics are discussed in relation to this natural phenomenon. Children will learn about the layers of the earth, how scientists measure the strength of an earthquake, and about some of the most devastating earthquakes in history.

On the eve of the 40th anniversary of his assassination, this profile of President John F. Kennedy follows him from his privileged but sickly childhood all the way to the White House. 50 duotone photos.

Describes how the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are celebrated around the world.

Describes the study of the Gulf Stream from Benjamin Franklin''s days to our own and explains how it behaves.

It''s time for Mike Swan''s first swimming lesson. But Mike doesn''t want to go. He''s afraid of the water. What if there are alligators? What if there''s a hole in the pool and he swims to China? His best friend, Lizzie, tries to help, but she already knows how to swim. His Dad offers an ice-cream treat as a reward. But it''s really Mike''s own determination--along with inspiration from a peanut butter and baloney sandwich--that keeps him afloat when his only choice is to sink or swim.

After moving to a town where all the kids are perfect, Sarah makes a horrifying discovery in the Computer Room of her new school. Full color.

A mother and son remember all the wonderful things they did together that day as the little boy falls asleep for the night.

Younger readers get a great introduction to human growth and development as they observe a baby''s antics through the eyes of an older sister. Young readers discover that a newborn sees only in black and white and can taste sweet, bitter, and sour, but naturally prefers sweet. Full-color illustrations.