Bøger udgivet af Cricket Books, a division of Carus Publishing Co

The vast night sky holds a special attraction for young readers, and Stargazing with Jack Horkheimer: Cosmic Comics for the Sky Watcher captures that sense of wonder in words and pictures. Jack, whose monthly cartoon "Stargazing with Jack Horkheimer,” has been a popular feature in Odyssey Magazine for many years, appears in animated form. As his human counterpart does in real life at the Miami Space Transit Planetarium, this cartoon Jack guides youngsters into space, helping them to explore the amazing lore and science of the moon, the sun, the planets and constellations, and other objects visible in the night sky. The book also introduces the basic concepts of stargazing and mind-boggling facts - all presented from the viewpoint of Jack and his quirky cast of cartoon characters. Individual chapters cover "The Bright Stars and the Patterns They Make,” "Seasonal Star Watching,” and seasonal sky changes. Included are more than 50 cosmic comics, seasonal star-watching activities, star charts, tips for the best sky-watching, and an astronomy glossary and index.

Fact: Some beetles eat dung and lay an egg on top of a ball of it so that the baby will have plenty of good dung to eat when it hatches. Another fact: Butterflies taste with their foot hair, not their fancy, hollow tongues! In Bugs readers explore the world of bugs with articles full of fun facts and an exciting story about a young girl''s trip with her parents to a rainforest in Costa Rica, and the parade of ants she saw with each one wearing a green leaf hat on their head.

When Jefferson Davis announced the secession of his home state of Mississippi from the Union, he didn’t expect that he would soon be elected president of the Confederate States of America. As a veteran of the United States-Mexican War, he had planned on taking a military role in the newly formed country. Instead, Davis faced the greatest challenge of his life: unifying states that were keenly interested in preserving states’ rights and fighting a war against an established and better-supplied country — the United States.Jefferson Davis and the Confederacy tells the story of a man who was devoted to his country to the bitter end. Explore Davis’s years as an army officer, a congressman, and as secretary of war. Meet the Confederate States’ only president and Varina Anne, the “Daughter of the Confederacy.” Discover the hardships Davis faced in keeping the Confederacy together, from a food shortage to a spy in the Confederate White House.

When young Thomas Jackson was promoted three times in 15 months during the United States-Mexican War, his superior officers saw that he had the potential to be a great leader. Fourteen years later, in the early days of the Civil War, General Jackson quickly became a Confederate hero. Throughout the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, at Manassas, and at Chancellorsville, Jackson repeatedly proved his courage, loyalty, and honor.Stonewall Jackson: Spirit of the Sout tells the story of the general who rallied the South during the first two years of the Civil War. Explore Jackson's days at the United States Military Academy at West Point and his later teaching career at Virginia Military Institute. Discover how his actions at the Battle of First Manassas earned him the nickname "Stonewall.” Meet the man whose death General Robert E. Lee mourned as the loss of his "right hand.”

When the South seceded to form the Confederate States of America, few people knew the name Ulysses S. Grant. But by the end of the Civil War, the Union general had become a national hero. He possessed all of the qualities that President Abraham Lincoln wanted for the commander of the Union army. He was decisive, daring, and stubborn. Some Northerners proudly called him "Unconditional Surrender” Grant, because he would accept nothing less from a defeated enemy.Ulysses S. Grant: Confident Leader and Hero tells the story of the man who brought an end to the Civil War. Meet an Ohio boy with a passion for horses who grew up to be a great general and later a U.S. president. Explore how strategy and perseverance helped Grant win the battle of Shiloh. Discover why Confederate general Robert E. Lee believed that nowhere in history was there a better general than Ulysses S. Grant.

After the Civil War ended in April 1865, the country needed to rebuild itself. Yet putting the country back together was not a simple task: Too much blood had been shed and too much hatred lingered between the North and the South.

Gettysburg, a quiet Pennsylvania farm town, was located at the intersection of nine major roads. The town, set amid rolling hills and valleys, was an ideal spot for a battle -- but neither army planned it that way. When the Union and Confederate armies collided there, they fought in a wheat field and a peach orchard, where the fruit was just beginning to ripen. It would be the deadliest battle of the Civil War. The bodies of the thousands of soldiers who died littered the fields, and the town's churches, homes, and farms were converted into hospitals for the wounded. "Gettysburg: Bold Battle in the North" tells the story of how General Robert E. Lee pushed his troops into Union territory hoping to change the tide of the war for the Confederacy. Explore Lee's strategy for disrupting Union troops. Discover the chilling details of this fierce three-day battle. Meet the brave soldiers who fought in horrendous hand-to-hand combat for their causes.

When people read about the Civil War, it is often stories about daring soldiers in battle. But soldiers were not the only ones involved in the war. In every town and city, on every farm and in every school, children played a role in the conflict. Whether Union or Confederate, young people cheered their soldiers in the army with letters from home. They took care of the family homes and farms while fathers and brothers were away in battle. And all children suffered from the difficulties and the uncertainties of war, just as grownups did.Young Heroes of the North and South tells the story of the many brave and courageous children who participated in the Civil War — from the home front and on the battlefield. Discover how young people helped in the war effort by raising money for food and medical supplies. Explore the ways children assisted on farms, lifted spirits by performing in plays, and helped nurse wounded soldiers. Meet young people who served as spies and marched into battle as drummer boys and soldiers.

Fleeing an abusive home in 1915, Taf is terrified that she accidentally has killed her stepbrother. Her escape quickly becomes a quest as she sets out to find her long-missing father. Chance and scraps of memory guide her to Pendleton, Oregon, where she meets a boy who hides her, an old woman with second sight, and a beautiful half-Chinese, half-Nez Perce youth.192 pp.

This groundbreaking bilingual anthology, carefully designed for middle readers, is a mosaic of voices demonstrating the energy, creativity, and diversity of the fastest-growing minority group in America. Wachale! (Spanglish for "watch out!”) includes folk tales, stories, and poems in both English and Spanish, and brief autobiographical essays by both well-established and emerging writers representing all shades of Latinos, such as Chicanos in the Southwest, Puerto Ricans in New York, and Cubans in Florida, as well as Dominicans, Guatemalans, and other subgroups. Geared toward ten- to thirteen-year-olds, this is a window to Latino experiences north of the Rio Grande.

The Vo family has just moved to Paris from a small town in northern France. The change is almost more than nine-year-old Vero can manage. Her parents are too busy to keep an eye on her in the big city, and her older brother, Philippe, wants nothing to do with her. In fact, the siblings can barely stand each other. Since Vero and Philippe aren’t allowed to play outside, they must find ways to amuse themselves. Vero devises imaginative activities like raising a prize snail, creating families of chestnuts, and engineering a fake monster to scare her brother. Philippe does his best to put up with her antics, though the task becomes increasingly difficult. Francine, the young maid and nanny, is little help, consumed as she is by housework and a new boyfriend. Over the course of the year, everyone in the family learns to adjust to their new home. Vero survives her brother’s meanness, her father’s attempts at cooking, and a new school. And when Francine is fired, Vero and Philippe unite in the cause to get her back.

Fourteen-year-old Afton is alienated from her mother, who is the perfect wife when her sailor husband is home, but emotionally distant when he is away. When her mother's brother, Bailey, turns up - an uncle Afton never knew existed - Afton begins to wonder who her mother really is. With quiet determination, Afton sets out to uncover Bailey's secret, and along the way she learns the price that a family pays for letting the past fester unresolved. In a style richly evocative of small-town southern life in the 1940s, Scorpio's Child shows Kezi Matthews at her best. The characters that populate this poignant coming-of-age novel are as unusual and complicated as the situations that bind them. Matthews's straightforward handling of difficult themes creates a depth of feeling that will leave a lasting impression.

It all starts when Karen and Yasmine trade lunch boxes. Such an act would hardly raise eyebrows anywhere else, but Karen lives on an Israeli kibbutz and Yasmine in a nearby Palestinian village, and distrust between the two cultures runs deep. Karen's father was killed several years ago in the war in Lebanon, and her family still hasn't fully accepted the loss. Karen focuses on running as a way to heal, and her place on the Arab-Israeli track team is something she holds dear. Yasmine's family disapproves of her love for track, and when the coach won't allow her to run in a long skirt, Yasmine's father forces her to drop out. But soon Yasmine and Karen begin meeting secretly to run together in "no man's land," a strip of woods that separates their communities. Karen is preparing for an important meet, and as Yasmine helps her train, she begins to view the sport as more than just an opportunity to win races. When their friendship is exposed, however, the consequences threaten to pull their communities even farther apart. Running on Eggs offers a frank portrayal of modern-day Israel and recounts the story of two girls whose loyalty to each other helps them overcome the obstacles in their path.

"What's smarter than a talking bird?” A spelling bee. "How did the convict use his computer to escape from prison?” He hit the escape key. "What does Harry Potter use to correct his magic?” The spell-checker. This follow-up to the popular You Must Be Joking contains a fresh assortment of jokes, riddles, and knock-knocks. There's also hilariously fractured song, movie, and book titles arranged by such topics as "Laptop Laughs,” "Screams of Laughter,” and "Fiddle with Riddles.” But these jokes aren't just for reading: author/illustrator Paul Brewer includes 11-1/2 tips that show future comedians how to prepare and perform their own stand-up routines. In addition to memorizing jokes from books, he encourages young comics to make up their own. He also suggests they watch old movies and television shows to study the comic styles of greats like Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx, and Lucille Ball. This blend of practical advice - "Use crazy cartoon voices, facial expressions, hand gestures, and walks” - witty artwork, and plenty of jokes is a must-have for budding comics or any young reader who enjoys a good laugh.

Sarah Tufts is en route to the colonies with her father when pirates swarm their ship. In the melee, Sarah tumbles overboard and washes ashore on an island ruled by the wicked Mr. Grim, who sends his pirate son Black Tooth out to steal babies and then raises these hapless tykes to become Woolies, weavers of fine rugs. Chased by Mr. Grim, Sarah stumbles into the enclosure known as Woolie World and meets Freck, a timid five-year-old dressed head to toe in a fuzzy white garment. Sarah quickly discovers the marvels of a world populated by singing, dancing Woolies. But she also sees a darker side. Failed Woolies are turned into "Worms," exiles who live in underground tunnels and scrounge for food. Sarah befriends Mr. Grim's twitchy but kind-hearted son Nigel and joins forces with Thomas, the 12-year-old Woolie leader. Will they be able to outwit Mr. Grim and rescue Woolies and Worms from servitude? This unique fantasy adventure sparkles with wit and wordplay, harrowing adventure, and heartfelt emotion.

Scary stories are a perennial favorite among youngsters, and Robert D. San Souci obliges them with 13 more spine-tingling horror stories in "Triple-Dare to Be Scared." Each elegantly crafted vignette draws readers into the life of a young person like themselves just as a bad decision or an act of fate brings the characters face-to-face with the supernatural. Each story hurtles through twists and turns toward a surprise ending much more compelling than in a traditional spook story. "Second Childhood" wonders where to take shelter from a recently awakened child-ghost? (Answer: Not its former home!) "Plat-Eye" features twins who learn why they should be afraid of a big, bad shapechanger who's paying a little too much attention to them. "Far Site" expands a video game into something much larger -- and more frightening! "Field of Nightmares" turns an innocent baseball game on old man Fletcher's field into a fight for life. These exciting stories feature children of various ethnicities taking on all manner of threats from beyond the grave -- and beyond logic -- while David Ouimet's creepy illustrations add that extra twinge of terror.

Alex and his dog Patch are out for a walk when the boy discovers a little toy mouse dressed in a red vest. He falls in love with the tiny creature -- promptly named Reggie -- and takes it home. Soon, "lost mouse" signs appear in Alex's neighborhood, but he ignores them -- after all, anyone who could lose such an adorable thing must deserve to lose it. His friend Brian tries to convince him to return the mouse to its heartbroken owner, but Alex won't hear of it. The boys quarrel, and poor Patch ends up in the middle. Brian storms off -- and so does the jealous Patch. When Alex calls the dog to his supper, the gate is open and Patch is gone. Alex and his parents search the neighborhood, but no Patch. They put up flyers, but still no Patch. Whoever's found a beloved pet like Patch wouldn't just keep him . . . would they? Alex's struggle to overcome selfishness rings true with young readers.

Hamish loves stories. He especially loves listening to his grandpa, who reads with lots of expression. Hamish's brother, Nathan, is a good reader, too. Actually, Nathan is a genius. Hamish himself is just smart, or thinks he's smart until he starts third grade, and his teacher, Miss Margin, asks him to read aloud. Instead of reading, he makes up a wild story about the Happy Jolly Farming Cow. Before too long, Hamish's secret is out. Miss Margin escorts Hamish to Mr. Robinson, the reading teacher, who tells Hamish that reading is a very serious matter. Still, Hamish insists on making up stories instead of reading the flashcards. Mr. Robinson sends Hamish home with a note to his parents, who are stunned to learn that Hamish can't read. Eventually Nathan steps in, persuading Mom and Dad to buy Hamish a toy truck if he learns to read a children's picture book. Hamish has always wanted an awesome toy truck, but is he up to the challenge? Kate Walker's witty, sensitive text answers that question in a beautifully illustrated story with an important message about conquering fears and setting -- and surpassing -- new goals.

A year ago, Tanya Zeshonski was living in Wisconsin, interning at the public television station, and eating Polish food on the holidays. Then her mother divorced her father, reclaimed her maiden name of MacDonald, and moved to North Carolina to submerge them all in their Scottish heritage. So now, at 15, Tanya is the oldest beginning student at the Flora MacDonald School of Highland Dance. Instead of pursuing her dream of being a filmmaker, she’s learning the Highland Fling, one of the national dances of Scotland. Learning it means a lot to her mother, though, so Tanya resigns herself to practicing for the biggest event of the summer, the Cross Creek Highland Games. At the games, Tanya must face not only the intricacies of the dance, but the complications brought on by a handsome bagpiper named Miguel, a ghostly ancestor, and the arrival of her father. Tanya’s sharp, funny voice rings true as she describes the delicate steps of the dance and the beginning of her new life.