Most Popular Books by Jennifer Armstrong

As bullets ring and bombs are dropped, children watch—mostly from the sidelines, but occasionally in the direct line of fire. Unaware of the political issues or power struggles behind the battle, all they know are the human, emotional consequences of this thing called war. This collection examines all of war’s implications for young people—from those caught in the line of fire to the children of the veterans of wars long past. Critically acclaimed author Jennifer Armstrong brings together 12 powerful voices in young people''s literature to explore the realities of war from a child''s perspective. The settings vary widely—the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, an attempted coup in Venezuela, the American Civil War, crisis in the Middle East—but the effects are largely the same. In war, no life is ever left untouched. In war, lives are shattered.

It is the year 2007. The world has been wiped out by a deadly plague that killed all the adults. Without them, children perished of hunger and disease. No more people, no more electricity, no more civilization -- just mildewed houses, overgrown yards, and abandoned cars. Yet on a highway strip outside a small town in Florida, the words "We''re Still Here" are painted in letters big enough to be seen from an airplane -- although no planes ever cross the empty sky. Miraculously, seven children have survived among the ruins. They cannot remember their names, their families, or much else from the Before Time. But they have forged a new family, with new names: Mommy, Hunter, Teacher, Action Figure, Teddy Bear, Baby, and Doll. They must face each day with enough hope to endure and the strength to realize that there may be nothing out there worth living for. Then one day, a new kid shows up on their doorstep and changes everything. He invites them to join him on a dangerous journey to Washington, to find a man called President if he''s still alive -- and seek the answers to the mystery at the heart of the Fire-us. In this first book of the Fire-us Trilogy, Jennifer Armstrong and Nancy Butcher weave a compelling post-apocalyptic tale, luring readers into a world that is inventive enough to intrigue, yet true enough to believe.

Previously published as: A three-minute speech: Lincoln''s remarks at Gettysburg, Aladdin Paperback, 2003.

In 1855 two thirteen-year-old girls, one white and one black, run away from a southern farm and make the difficult journey north to freedom, living to recount their story forty-one years later to two similar young girls.

Irreverant poems on history, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe, nationalist psychology and the past.

Four score and seven years ago... So begins one of the most important speeches in the history of the United States -- Abraham Lincoln''s Gettysburg Address. Given on a cold November day, it wasn''t much of a speech, really -- just a few remarks. Not meant to be remembered. But these few remarks have been remembered. Why? What was the true meaning behind them? Where did they come from? Why is it so important that we never forget what President Lincoln said on that cold November day?

Jennifer Armstrong’s two masterful novels about Mary Mehan are now together in one volume. Set against the pivotal events of the American Civil War, The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan depicts an Irish immigrant girl and her family, struggling to find their place in a country at war with itself. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews said, “Armstrong mixes vision and reality with breathtaking virtuosity, salting Mairhe’s narrative with poetic turns of phrase, snatches of song, story, and history.” Mary Mehan Awake takes up Mary’s story after the war when, much like the broken country, Mary must begin a journey of emotional and physical renewal. Of this book, The Horn Book Magazine said, “The story unfolds effortlessly and richly. It’s The Secret Garden for an older audience, with friendship and nature gratifyingly providing healing and wholeness.” This new Readers’ Circle edition includes an interview with the author discussing her ideas about how history is remembered and recorded, and the obligations and opportunities of the historical novelist.

From the bestselling author of Sienfeldia, a behind-the-scenes history of the Mickey Mouse Club that is a treat for anyone who grew up with Walt Disney''s television classic. Full of nostalgia, this book gives you the never before told story of how The Mickey Mouse Club paved the way for all that came after, from its humble beginnings as a marketing ploy, through its short but mesmerizing run, to the numerous resurrections that made it one of television''s first true cult hits--all through the recollections of those regular kids-turned-stars who made it a phenomenon. It will reveal, for the first time ever, the stories of Annette, Darlene (and her famous rivalry with Annette), Cubby and Karen, Bobbie and the rest of the beloved cast. It will explore, through the reminiscences of former fans who grew up to be some of television''s finest minds, what made the show so special. Finally, it will examine why the formula the creators of the show invented is more relevant than ever, and whether we''ll ever see yet another Club for a new generation. Take a trip down memory lane with the original Mickey Mouse Club cast and creators, through drama and unexpected fame, to see how an television institution came into being.

A young girl learns the secret of a strange whittler whose carvings magically come to life.

A stranger arrives at a remote village and becomes the tailor, sewing magical embroidered scenes into the pockets of their plain clothes, which transforms their humdrum lives forever.

American history comes alive in these 100 true stories that define our country. This magnificent treasury tells the story of America through 100 true tales. Some are tales of triumph—the midnight ride of Paul Revere, the Wright brothers taking to the air, Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. Some are tales of tragedy—the fate of the Donner Party, the great fire in Chicago, the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. There are stories of inventors and athletes and abolitionists and artists. Stories about struggling for freedom—again and again, in so many ways. With full-color illustrations on nearly every page and short, exciting stories, this book is perfect for browsing by the entire family. Notes at the end of each story direct readers to related stories. And a guide to thematic story arcs offers readers (and teachers) an easy way to follow their particular interests throughout the book. A treasure trove of a book that belongs in every home! “This lively and engaging collection of stories recounting American history is a wonderful gift not only to the children of this country but also their parents. I can’t wait to share it with my grandchildren.” —Tom Brokaw

Retells the Civil War through the eyes of photographer Mathew Brady and other field photographers as they record a brutal and deadly time.

Fresh life is possible, but first the fighting of the father-daughter war. Colonalism, war and regeneration: there may be no more extreme loss than loss of country, identity, historical context and cultural recognition and support. Also the sense of tension is high when blood has been spilt for a cause. In that case, the nervous system is already shattered. What can possibly remain for it but some kind of transcendent or mystical regeneration? A father and daughter cross swords, but which is which and who has righteousness and justice on their side? Traditional colonialism has had to die but what will be reborn in its place? Death brings regeneration. But war and loss are eternal. I may never write again, but I have brought you this. Here is the legacy of the death of previous generations that supported what they thought was right, which turned out not to be.

Magnus lives and works at the Broadway Firehouse. He knows that when the fire alarm clangs, he and his partners, Billy and Sparks, are supposed to spring into action. Without them the firemen would never be able to move the gigantic steam pumper. And without a pumper the crew wouldn''t be able to put out fires. Then one day the captain drives into the firehouse on a loud, newfangled contraption called a motorized fire truck. It doesn''t need horses to pull it to a fire. So just like that, Magnus, Sparks, and Billy are out of a job. A little history, a little humor, and a whole lot of heart are artfully blended in this rousing tale of one high-spirited horse who can''t accept being put out to pasture. And thank goodness! Because it''s this steadfast sense of duty that ultimately saves the day.

Illustrations and rhyming text follow the sun and moon as they shine on a young boy''s day.

A lyrical novel about a day in the life of a young pioneer girl growing up on the Dakota prairie is now available in a Knopf Paperback edition. This widely praised and beautifully crafted tale deftly evokes the vast expanse of the American West, the hardships faced by pioneer families, and the strong bonds of family and community.

In August 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton set out from England in an attempt to lead the first expedition across the Antarctic continent. What followed was one of the most extraordinary survival stories in history: a ship trapped and then wrecked by ice; an expedition marooned, first on the constantly shifting Antarctic pack, then on a remote, uninhabited island; a daring open boat journey across the world''s most violent ocean; a trek over unmapped mountains; and finally an amazing rescue. Jennifer Armstrong''s Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World received widespread praise and won the Orbis Pictus Award. Now she tells the Endurance story for a younger audience, in an oversize format with color paintings re-creating the detail and drama of the expedition''s ordeal.

The continent has been divided in two for nearly a century; one side a snow covered world of magic, rules, and dictatorship, the other a warm, adventure filled place of wonder. This is at least how Ezivan Lentaris, the daughter of the dictating sorcerer, sees it. In search of adventure she runs from her father to the other side of the continent, taking up a new identity, making new friends, and indeed, finding more adventure that many would see in a lifetime. However, breaking away from her father''s tight grip and the control of her past is a little harder then she may have originally suspected.

This compelling collection of stories explores the powerful impact that music has in our lives—especially in the lives of teens. Each story strikes a new note: Ron Koertge introduces us to the boys in the band—the marching band; Joseph Bruchac contributes a Native American boy with no rhythm whatsoever; Jennifer Armstrong writes about what was perhaps the first battle of the bands—during the American Civl War; and David Levithan offers up a love song that speaks powerfully to an unintended audience. But while each story is different, they combine into a harmonic song of praise—for the depths music can reach in us, and the power it has to bind us together.

A study of love, life and loss, though the lens of post-migratory fragmentation

Everyday signs serve as captions for this pictorial tale of what happens after a man tosses a banana peel into the garbage can and misses.

Jailed by an evil foe, a king receives invaluable help from a crow that regularly brings him the latest news.

Like Tom, the hyena could be seen, soon lapping up the traces of the morning''s spoils, ingesting the sweet carrion through its lulling glands, along the track it follows. Tom absorbed the air of the explorers -- Sucked it down, ingested it. Until he was but a fractured remnant of the Western world -- Still part Africa, not yet civil, holy. He had no real home, not any more, yet he followed a dream, that will of an apparition; dream of a man with a raised and pointed spear. ""That other life is not for you, Tom. "" ""Here you might breathe. . . ."" the warm alcohol releases fears and dreams. "" . . .If you must breathe at all"" . . .

Mairhe, who lives in an Irish slum in Washington, D.C., in the 1860s, struggles to come to grips with the impact of the Civil War on her family.

We don''t just want to live a long time. We want to live young! We want to enjoy life, be active, look good, travel, make love and socialize. Robert Yonover, PhD, attacks the problem of aging with personally researched techniques and practical advice from today''s medical experts. Jennifer Armstrong, M.D., Advanced Skincare and Surgery Medcenter, Newport Beach, CA, shares guidelines for keeping skin young. Adam Crowe, PDC, permaculture consultant, herbalist and organic farmer, gives practical advice on growing bursting-with-nutrition food. Katie Amato, BS, MA Public Health, shares healthy and delicious recipes. Hardcore Health-Live Young! is a wellness and health book that attacks the problem of aging by staying healthy, fighting age and disease with diet and lifestyle, and "living young." We seem to be bifurcating as a society into those who learn about how to be healthy and take care of themselves and those who choose instead to simply live the commercialized low-nutrient, high-toxin, sedentary lifestyle. Since you are reading this book, I suspect you are one of the former. Not only have the guidelines to healthy living presented in this book been shown effective, but having practiced this myself virtually my whole life, I have had direct personal experience watching what happened to my friends and family according to the choices they made…Do you want a shorter life burdened with disease and fatigue? Or do you want a life of vitality and adventure? The choice is yours, —Joseph Pizzorno, ND, author of the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (2,000,000 copies in six languages), the internationally acclaimed Textbook of Natural Medicine, The Toxin Solution.

An adaptation of the bestselling adult version of The Century, offering young Americans a unique look at the past 100 years, via not only archival material but through the eyes of the people who lived through it.

Illus. in full color. When Chin Yu Min''s wealthy husband drowns, her life of idleness comes to an end--until she meets a mysterious ginger cat fishing with his long tail. Striking illustrations complement this original folktale of a haughty widow whose life is transformed by friendship.

Thinking he is dreaming, Pierre, a lazy, foolish man, shows no fear as he performs many amazing and dangerous circus acts.

Illus. in full color by Jon Goodell. Little Salt Lick, the Second Assistant Rotisserie Turner in the Department of Roasted Meats at the court of King Louis XIV, is fed up. Every day the dogs of Versailles lie in wait for him until he finishes work, when they chase him through the palace trying to lick the salt from his sweaty arms. "Shoo!" he scolds--to no avail. Then, after a banquet, King Louis''s precious poodle is missing. Everyone searches, but it is Little Salt Lick who finds Chou-Chou, resulting in a promotion.

If Pets, Inc., doesn''t get more organized their business will be in danger. As much as Tina loves animals, too many pets means too many problems.

Two sisters and their best friends decide to form a pet-sitting business.