Rejected by the tribe for his club foot, Tao's success as a cave artist depended on choosing between his tribe's mystical traditions and the truth of his own experience.
Tao knew his life was forever in the balance. His mother's shocking fight —against the elders and tribal custom— had saved her only child from being thrown to the hyenas. Despite his club foot, he grew to be quick and nimble. As an outcast he often violated tribal taboos. He befriended a wolf, hunted in the swamp of demons, and loved to draw animals —a taboo punishable by death! Could a low ranked and deformed youth survive, to become a cave painter? How is the battle between natural knowledge and religion & authority different today?
This unique story shows a child thinking: Sarah has outgrown her boots and, after a struggle to stretch them, realizes that growing up is natural, happy and irreversible.
Sarah's wonderful old rain boots wouldn't fit her feet. Nothing she tried made them bigger. The dog pulled on them, she filled them with rocks, and she planted them in the ground. Mathew inherited them, to Sarah's annoyance, and her mother bought her new ones. When Mathew worried her boots would shrink for him too, what would Sarah say? The illustrations show Sarah's thought processes and her appropriate, emotional, reactions delightfully.
A 13 year old Cro-Magnon boy learns that genuine manhood is not found through initiation rites, but through his heroic quest to acquire a spear-thrower.
Cowley's archaeologically accurate story begins with Dar nervously awaiting his initiation to manhood. While emptying his Uncle Kernok's traps he meets a stranger with a remarkable tool. The smallish man uses it to hurl a spear with shocking force, exceeding that of powerful Kernok. Once the initiation ceremony gives Dar his independence, he sets out to get a spear-thrower from the stranger's clan. Exciting moments, surprising connections and life affirming lessons bring Dar into a genuine, confident manhood.
A Japanese woman's interest in The Holocaust becomes a passionate pursuit for truth about the life of Auschwitz intern, Hana Brady, which poignantly reveals the value of every child to us all.
Young Fumiko Ishioka was astounded by the horror of the Holocaust. With the arrival of a battered suitcase from the Auschwitz museum, Fumiko's determination became personal and unrelenting. It was a child's suitcase, simply labeled "Hana Brady", Who was Hana"? What happened to her? Hana's Suitcase tells children, sensitively, of wrenching injustice. Yet its stunning surprises teach us of the humanity possible to Men. Through Hana, Fumiko shows us how special a life is. You will thank Goodness for Hana, and for Fumiko!
Dying of boredom in his retirement pasture, Charlie, a spirited Clydesdale, rediscovers his joie de vivre by setting the entire village "on schedule" for his favorite daily event.
The sorriest sort of creature is the one without a purpose. Marguerite Henry has captured this gravely important principle in a way that children can understand, and has done so by using a draft horse as her main character. One can still be active and important during retirement and Charlie delightfully ensures he is both.
Bright humorous writing helps even young children understand the Emperor Penguin's extraordinary effort at laying and caring for a single egg, and then chick, through an Antarctic winter.
Imagine sitting for two months without food, in driving snow, high winds, -40C temperatures, and you have to keep an egg on top of your feet! Jenkins writes, "... I'd be very, very miserable. Luckily the penguins don't seem to mind too much. They have thick feathers and lots of fat..." In this way kids can enjoy learning the amazing way Emperor Penguins care for their young. Even the well executed illustrations are informative.
Hilariously, a five year old is confused by convincing 'evidence' that his body is disassembling, like a cheap doll.
The pop-eyed characters of Parts completely complement the crazy fear the main character experiences. More importantly, Arnold shows children how true facts can be misconstrued. Laugh with your children. Then, see if you can find real world examples to show older children that the logic error in Parts is horrifically common, even among information specialists such as journalists & academics.
A mongoose battles two devious and deadly Cobras, that are bent on destroying a human family that had saved him from drowning.
One of the all time great children's stories, Rikki Tikki Tavi tells of an Indian mongoose rescued by a British family. He overhears two Cobras planning to make the walled family garden safe for their hatchlings —by killing his benefactors! Rikki, in justice & loyalty to the family, determines to defeat the deadly cobras. For a children's story, the war of wits & agility that ensues is remarkable and compelling.
There are great things to do, but you must work towards them even in the midst of failure... "There's fun to be done!"
The Geisel's offer the best advice anyone can give a child facing the world: use your free will, take charge of your own direction, enjoy the ups and wrestle through the downs, but never stop. Rather than penning a nonsense story in rhyme, the Geisel's have used their considerable talent to provide readers of all ages with the ultimate 'life' pep-talk: One can always choose a direction, and go, You should choose this book for your kids.
Five young, Czech orphans attempt a daring escape by train to avoid a future under Communist tyranny.
Thirteen year old Franta is the oldest of 5 war orphans living in Czechoslovakia, with middle aged Ms. Novak. When the Communists take over in 1951, the "family" learns they will be broken up and sent to Communist educational centres. Though young, Fran knows the only preventative is a daring escape. All Aboard for Freedom is based on true events.
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