New Releases by Maryann K. Cusimano

A mother sings a lullaby to her precious child as he goes to sleep.

Illustrations and rhyming text combine in a celebration of the relationship between teacher and student. Full color.

In 2003, Turkmenistan faced U.S. sanctions for failure to comply with two different U.S. laws: the Jackson-Vanik Amendment of the Trade Act of 1974, for not allowing people to leave the country freely; and the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, for severe violations of religious freedom. The country had a long history of dictatorial rule, dating back to before Soviet rule, but conditions had worsened after an attempted attack against President Saparmurat Niyazov the Great the previous year. This case study asks participants to assess how the new U.S. ambassador to Turkmenistan handled these challenges when she arrived in Ashgabat to take up her duties. Many of the lessons students draw here could be applicable in other countries where American diplomats have limited leverage with which to persuade autocrats to promote democracy and good governance, and respect religious freedom and other basic human rights.

When John V. Hanford III was sworn into office in May 2002 as the U.S. ambassador-at-large for religious freedom, he chose Vietnam as the country he would visit first in his new role. Although bilateral ties had rapidly warmed following the normalization of relations in 1995, Hanoi''s human rights record was so poor that many members of Congress wanted to designate Vietnam a "country of particular concern" under the terms of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. This case study asks participants to assess Ambassador Hanford''s strategy for deciding whether adding Vietnam to the CPC list would improve or exacerbate conditions.

Illustrations and rhyming text describe how a grandmother and child complement one another.

"Help the Lucky Ducks to see. What begins with A, B, C? Can you spot the apple on the picnic blanket? What about the boat near the water? The castle in the sand? Join the Lucky Ducks for alphabet fun! Follow the text to find objects that start with different letters of the alphabet in the bright and colorful photos. Each scene is quack-full of delightful, surprising details for hours of learning fun!"--Page 4 of cover.

Un album écrit à la première personne pour une déclaration poétique et tendre d''un parent à son bébé, qui évoque le plaisir partagé d''être ensemble