New Releases by Gwenyth Swain

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! What are the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the U.S. Constitution? They''re important documents that helped to shape our country. But what''s the story behind how these documents were created? And what exactly do they say? Read this book to find out.

Voices for Freedom contains three stories focusing on the Underground Railroad and the 1963 Freedom March on Washington. Stories are Friend on Freedom River, Riding to Washington, and The Listeners.In Friend on Freedom River, written by Gloria Whelan, runaway slaves ask Louis to ferry them across the Detroit River to freedom in Canada. He’s not sure what to do. If they are caught, it means prison for Louis. Written by Gwenyth Swain, Riding to Washington tells of one girl’s journey to attend the 1963 “Great March on Washington.” Janie and her father ride a bus to Washington, D.C. to hear a man named Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak. During the trip, Janie sees firsthand the injustices that many others endure. In The Listeners, another offering from Gloria Whelan, each night Ella May and her friends secretly listen outside the windows of their master’s house. They listen to learn their fates and those of the other slaves.

Experience World War II as you never have before! YOU CHOOSE the path you will take. You decide the battles you will fight. Follow the path of soldiers on land, sea, and air in these thrilling nonfiction adventures.

An original collection of voices, filled with hope and tears, chronicles the history of Ellis Island and the people it served. Indians, settlers, immigrants, inspectors, doctors, nurses, cooks, and social workers all played a big part in that history. Author Gwenyth Swain reimagines the lives of those who landed, lived, and worked on the island through fictional letters, monologues, dialogues, and e-mails, basing them on historical documentation and real-life people. In doing so, she creates a moving picture of their struggles and triumphs. Illustrated with poignant and affecting photographs, this is a unique exploration of Ellis Island''s history. Includes further resources, bibliography, and source notes.

Describes World War I, using the reader''s choices to reveal historical details from the perspectives of a Belgian resistance fighter, a British soldier, and an American Field Service volunteer.

Jump into a life from long ago! YOU CHOOSE who to be, where to go, and what to do. Will you succeed? Will you fail? Will you even survive? It''s up to you!

Janie is not exactly sure why her daddy is riding a bus from Indianapolis to Washington, D.C. She knows why she has to go-to stay out of her mother''s way, especially with the twins now teething. But Daddy wants to hear a man named Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak and, to keep out of trouble, Janie is sent along. Riding the bus with them is a mishmash of people, black and white, young and old. They seem very different from Janie. As the bus travels across cities and farm fields to its historic destination, Janie sees firsthand the injustices that many others are made to endure. She begins to realize that she''s not so different from the other riders and that, as young as she is, her actions can affect change.Though fiction, Riding to Washington is a very personal story for Gwenyth Swain as both her father and grandfather rode to Washington, D.C., to participate in the 1963 civil rights march on the nation''s capital. Ms. Swain''s other books include Chig and the Second Spread and I Wonder As I Wander. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. Artist David Geister has entertained audiences for years with his costumed portrayals of historic characters from the nineteenth century, and his artwork reflects his interest in history and dramatic storytelling. Riding to Washington is his third title with Sleeping Bear Press. David lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Mary Church Terrell grew up after the Civil War with many opportunities. Although she received an excellent education and had a distinguished teaching career, Mary grew up African American in a segregated country. There were opportunities she did not have. Always determined, she joined the fight for equal rights. By lecturing, picketing, and writing she made her voice be heard and helped to end segregation.

Growing up in a Quaker family in the South in 1830, Levi Coffin did not support slavery, but he was exposed to its atrocities. Convinced that every person deserved to be free, Levi began helping slaves escape to the North along the Underground Railroad, and during the following 40 years he was able to help over 3,000 people find freedom.

When nine-year-old Booker T. Washington was finally freed from slavery, he soon discovered that freedom had a price, and that he had to work, and work hard, to make his way in the world. After years of study and struggle, Washington became a teacher at what would become the famed Tuskegee Institute. Built from the ground up by Washington, his students, and his staff, Tuskegee became one of the finest schools for black students in the nation. More than one hundred years later, it still is.

Despite her small stature, eight-year-old Chig makes large contributions to her southern Indiana community during the Great Depression.

Isabella changed her name to Sojourner Truth because she “was to travel up an’ down this land...to declare truth to the people.” Her strong voice and faith forced people to listen to her, in spite of her being a woman and a former slave. She traveled thousands of miles and spoke out for God, against slavery and for women’s rights. Her moving speeches inspired hope and change in many that heard her.

Famous for her elegantly written and whimsically illustrated children''s books Millions of Cats, The Funny Thing, Snippy and Snappy, and Tales from Grimm, Wanda Gag (1893-1946) lived a life not unlike that of the characters in the German fairy tales that her grandparents told her as a girl. In a new biography for young readers, award-winning author Gwenyth Swain brings the visionary and eccentric artist to life. Swain takes readers into Wanda''s girlhood in rural Minnesota, where, from an early age, her artistic talents flourished. Yet Wanda, the eldest of seven siblings, was pushed abruptly into adulthood when her father''s untimely death left her in charge of the household. After years of struggle, Wanda Gag was finally able to go to New York to pursue her passion. Her art was eventually featured at top galleries and her books, influenced by her love of nature and animals, became wildly popular among children and critics across the United States. Complemented by Wanda''s illustrations, letters, and diary entries, Wanda Gag: Storybook Artist illuminates for young readers the amazing life of a charismatic artist who triumphed over adversity to realize her dreams.

Traces the life of Theodore Roosevelt, discussing the childhood, family life, political career, and contributions of the twenty-sixth president of the United States.

Relates the story of the slaves whose eleven-year legal battle to assert their right to be free resulted in the Supreme Court decision that brought the northern and southern states one step closer to war.

Looks at the life of the Dakota Indian chief, describing his childhood, his travels from the Mdewakanton, and his role in the Dakota War of 1862.

Explores the origin, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

The son of a wealthy, repected admiral, William Penn did what was forbidden in seventeenth-century England--he openly practiced the Quaker religion. Penn dreamed of a place with freedom of religion. He asked for land in the New World and was given a colony called Pennsylvania. His success in establishing a new and just government there later became the blueprint for thirteen newly independent colonies.

A fictional account of the folk song''s origin. Music and lyrics appear on concluding pages.

Explores the importance of celebrating to people all over the world.

Photographs and a brief text portray children from around the world getting dressed.

Photographs and a brief text portray children from around the world getting ready for bed.

Discusses how children all over the world wash and keep themselves clean.

Discusses how people all around the world help keep things clean and tidy.

An introduction to the land, history, people, economy, and environment of Indiana.

The largest of all wild cats, the tiger is also a graceful and beautiful creature. This new book delivers an in-depth look at this amazing cat with easy-to-understand information with fun-facts and full-color photos. Provides an ideal introduction to wildlife.

All over the world children wash up and this book, which is one of a series, looks at how children learn to take care of themselves. Through the use of photographs and text, it attempts to give beginner readers and pre-school children a glimpse of different peoples'' lives.

Introduces the history, geography, people, industries, and environmental issues of Pennsylvania.

John Chapman loved all forms of nature, and he worked throughout his lifetime to improve it by planting apple trees. Known as the folk hero Johnny Appleseed, John helped to build America--not with a hammer and nails, but with a bag of seeds and a handful of dirt.

In photographs and rhyming text, describes the foods and eating customs of people around the world.