2007 Teacher's Choices-Intermediate Readers (Grade 3-5)

Brooklyn, 1875: Bird Mallon lives on Water Street where you can see the huge towers of the bridge to Manhattan being built. Bird wants nothing more in life than to be brave enough to be a healer, like her mother, Nory, to help her sister Annie find love, and to convince her brother, Hughie, to stop fighting for money with his street gang. And of course, she wishes that a girl would move into the empty apartment upstairs so that she can have a new friend close by.

But Thomas Neary and his Pop move in upstairs. Thomas who writes about his life in his journal--his father who spends each night at the Tavern down the street, the mother he wishes he had, and the Mallon family downstairs that he desperately wants to be a part of. Thomas, who has a secret that only Bird suspects, and who turns out to be the best friend Bird could ever have.


From the Hardcover edition.

From New Hampshire's formidable Mount Washington to San Francisco's spectacular Golden Gate Bridge, the scenic treasures of the United States are brilliantly captured in this artistic tour de force. Award-winning poet Diane Seibert's inventive poems are perfectly paired with Caldecott Honor–recipient Stephen Johnson's compelling imagery. Each turn of the page offers a surprise—whether it's an impressionistic painting of Niagara Falls, a wild collage of Las Vegas, or an evocative tallgrass prairie landscape. Additional facts about each site and a list of art media are provided, making this distinguished volume a gem for the study of literature, art, history, or geography.

Side-splittingly funny, spine-chillingly spooky, this companion to a Newbery Honor–winning anthology The Dark Thirty is filled with bad characters who know exactly how to charm.

From the author's note that takes us back to McKissack's own childhood when she would listen to stories told on her front porch... to the captivating introductions to each tale, in which the storyteller introduces himself and sets the stage for what follows... to the ten entertaining tales themselves, here is a worthy successor to McKissack's The Dark Thirty. In "The Best Lie Ever Told," meet Dooley Hunter, a trickster who spins an enormous whopper at the State Liar's contest. In "Aunt Gran and the Outlaws," watch a little old lady slickster outsmart Frank and Jesse James. And in "Cake Norris Lives On," come face to face with a man some folks believe may have died up to twenty-seven different times!

With a stirring quote set within a stunning and incisive collage, Zalben sets the tone for each of the sixteen peacemakers she profiles in this book. Mahatma Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Cesar Chavez,Aung San Suu Kyi, and the most recent Nobel Prize winner, Dr.Wangari Maathai, are some of thepeople she chose to represent different eras and parts of the globe. Many started down their path to peace during childhood, and all challenge us to think about improving the lives of others. Also included in this beautiful volume are art notes, a glossary, a bibliography, further reading, and an index, making it an excellent resource for teachers and students.

TWIN POLAR BEAR CUBS

Kalluk and Tatqiq were only three months old when they were found orphaned in Alaska. Together they were brought to the World-Famous San Diego Zoo to be cared for.

From the cubs' first tentative months in the zoo's infirmary to their home in the Polar Bear Plunge, this book chronicles the twins' development with exclusive photographs from the zoo and Joanne Ryder's poetic, informative text. Playful and curious, Kalluk and Tatqiq have won the hearts of more than three million people who visit the zoo each year. Whether they're diving into the water, rolling in the dirt, or sliding down a snowdrift, these adorable bears will charm readers of all ages.

This poetic book is a resounding tribute to Tubman's strength, humility, and devotion. With proper reverence, Weatherford and Nelson do justice to the woman who, long ago, earned over and over the name Moses.

Most elephants in America live in circuses and zoos, and their lives are very different from what they would be in the wild. But there's a very special place in Tennessee called the Elephant Sanctuary, where elephants can finally have the freedom to roam and have elephant friends. Why do elephants come to the Elephant Sanctuary, and what is their everyday life like there? Some are like Shirley, who performed in a circus before an injury forced early retirement and a transfer to a zoo. She lived at the zoo for many years and received good care, but she didn't have elephant friends. Then plans were made for Shirley to move to the Elephant Sanctuary, a place just for elephants. It was a big surprise to everyone when Shirley recognized another elephant when she arrived—they greeted each other with great excitement and joy and lots of trumpeting. Jenny had been a baby elephant at the circus where Shirley had worked so long ago. (Elephants do remember!) Shirley and Jenny spent that first night standing close, with their trunks wrapped around each other. And in the morning, Jenny led Shirley outside to explore the fields and ponds and woods and meet all the other elephants. Now Shirley has a special family, in a place just for elephants.

Jesse is a dreamer.
At fourteen he's already thinking about his future, and the excitement of Navy life is calling him.

Lucy is just the opposite.
She can't imagine ever leaving her beloved mountainside community or saying good-bye to those she cares about.

But despite their desires, these two best friends know that their futures have been decided for them. The year is 1820, and Jesse's parents expect him to continue in the family tradition of working at the forge on the mountain, while Lucy's father expects her to marry someone outside their community and find a better, more sophisticated life somewhere else. So what happens when family expectations clash with what's in a teenager's heart? Is it possible to find a balance between one's destiny and one's dreams -- or must these two friends risk everything to create their own path to happiness?

Hearts of Iron is a moving novel about family, friendship, the power of love, and the few precious opportunities we're given to set the course of our life.

Nominated for a GRAMMY Award in the Best Spoken Word Album for Children category!

Anne Frank?s diary changed how the world saw the Holocaust? this book will change how you see Anne Frank. Beginning with Otto Frank?s idyllic childhood, follow the family?s journey from its proud German roots through life under Nazi occupation to their horrifying concentration camp experiences. Interspersed with their story are personal accounts of survivors, excerpts from the other victims? journals, and black-and-white photos. A perfect blend of historical information and emotional narratives, this book makes an excellent companion to the diary, offering an indepth look at the life of Anne Frank, and an intimate history of the young people who experienced the Holocaust.