Countless school children have recited the opening line of Poe's The Raven: "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary..." But Poe is valued not only for his poetry. He was also a prolific writer of short stories, the creator of two literary forms that readers everywhere enjoy--the detective story and the horror thriller.

The true story of Lore Baer who as a four-year-old Jewish child was placed with a Christian family in the Dutch farm country to avoid persecution by the Nazis.

In this spooky book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, tragedy strikes Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692 as the community is torn apart by accusations of witchcraft. When a group of girls came down with a horrible, mysterious bout of illness, they pointed the finger at people in their community they claimed were witches. Soon, the whole town was convinced they were in danger from supernatural forces. Today, we have details about the accusations, trials, and those who lost their lives, but the question remains: What caused the mass hysteria? Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

Traces the history of anti-Semitism from biblical times through the twelve years of the Nazi era, 1933-1945, and describes Hitler's plans to annihilate European Jews by focusing on the Warsaw Ghetto and the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps. Also discusses the continuing effort to remember the horrors of the Holocaust.

History--with the good bits put back. Discover the drama, discoveries, dirty deeds and derring-do that won the American West. With a storyteller's voice and attention to the details that make history real and interesting, Steve Sheinkin's Which Way to the Wild West? delivers America's greatest adventure. From the Louisiana Purchase (remember: if you're negotiating a treaty for your country, play it cool.) to the gold rush (there were only three ways to get to California--all of them bad) to the life of the cowboy, the Indian wars, and the everyday happenings that defined living on the frontier.

A true-crime thriller -- the first book for teens to tell the nearly unknown tale of the brazen attempt to steal Abraham Lincoln's body. Reissued in Scholastic Focus, with an exciting new cover. The action begins in October of 1875, as Secret Service agents raid the Fulton, Illinois, workshop of master counterfeiter Ben Boyd. Soon after Boyd is hauled off to prison, members of his counterfeiting ring gather in the back room of a smoky Chicago saloon to discuss how to spring their ringleader. Their plan: grab Lincoln's body from its Springfield tomb, stash it in the sand dunes near Lake Michigan, and demand, as a ransom, the release of Ben Boyd -- and $200,000 in cash. From here, the action alternates between the conspirators, the Secret Service agents on their trail, and the undercover agent moving back and forth between them. Along the way readers get glimpses into the inner workings of counterfeiting, grave robbing, detective work, and the early days of the Secret Service. The plot moves toward a wild climax as robbers and lawmen converge at Lincoln's tomb on election night: November 7, 1876.A dynamic and thrilling tale from critically acclaimed author Steve Sheinkin.

A companion to Never to Forget, this is the story of those Gentiles who sought to rescue their Jewish neighbors from annihilation during WWII. A story that needs telling.--School Library Journal, starred review. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

Surviving Auschwitz, 18-year old Elli leaves behind painful memories to start fresh in America in 1951. She faces challenges of creating a new life in hectic New York City. A powerful glimpse of immigrant America through the eyes of this teenager.

After a day spent slaying ogres and swimming like mermaids, the average young adventurer is a bit peckish. The delightful fairy tales in this collection are coupled with nutritious and satisfying dinners and side dishes. Jacks Magic Party Beans will not produce an enormous bean stalk, but the dish is undeniably magical in taste. Other stories include the Turkish tale Hodja Borrows a Pot and the Russian classic The Great Turnip. Fascinating facts about each storys origins and the history of the dishes will fill the mind with wonder and the tummy with delightful nourishment.

In this spooky book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, set off on the high seas to a ghost ship left completely abandoned and adrift on the waves. The Mary Celeste was discovered adrift on the open sea by another ship in 1872—with no sign of captain or crew. What happened? Did the crew mutiny? Were they attacked by pirates? Caught in a storm? No one ever found out. Inside this book are the clues that were left behind and the theories of what people think happened aboard that ship. Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

A book for every patriotic American kid! Never before has the riveting American saga of "The Star-Spangled Banner" been so beautifully and thoroughly presented. This info-packed story of our national anthem includes: ★ Illustrated lyrics ★ The fascinating history of the War of 1812 and the battle that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the words ★ Musical notation ★ Historical images ★ A reproduction of Key's original manuscript Caldecott Medalist Peter Spier's magnificent tribute takes readers from our anthem's turbulent origins at the Battle of Baltimore through the flag's significance in modern-day America. It's a must-have for every American family's library.

This globe-spanning history of sugar is "an epic story on a broad canvas that never loses sight of individual moments of human drama; a historical methodology infused with political, intellectual, cultural, and social strands; a complex sequence of cause and effect; an illuminating synthesis of primary and secondary sources; and a thoughtful marriage of words, picture, and design." (Horn Book starred review) Here is the story of how one product allows us to see the grand currents of world history in new ways. Using songs, oral histories, maps, and over 80 archival illustrations, Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos put a human face on this vast pageant. Time line, source notes, bibliography, and index included. The history of sugar runs like a bright band from religious ceremonies in India to Europe's Middle Ages, then on to Columbus, who brought the first cane cuttings to the Americas. Sugar caused the loss of countless lives, but it also planted the seeds of revolution that led to freedom in the American colonies, Haiti, and France. Cane, not cotton or tobacco, drove the bloody Atlantic slave trade and took the lives of countless Africans who toiled on vast sugar plantations under cruel overseers. And yet the very popularity of sugar gave abolitionists in England the one tool that could finally end the slave trade. Sugar moved, murdered, and freed millions; sugar changed the world.

More than a sing-along, these selections present hop-alongs, turn-alongs, count- and spell-alongs, chime-ins and rhyme-alongs, in a lot of different ways. The 22 songs reinforce concepts from disciplines including math, grammar and foreign languages, and include: The Ants Go Marching * Big Ol' Cat * Head and Shoulders * Little Bunny Foo-Foo * Rosie Wrong Rhyme * Wiggle Your Finger.

Germans Versus Rome--The Goghic Kingdoms--The Darkness Comes--The Merovingians--The Mayors of the Palace--From Mayor to King--Charlemagne--The Successors of Charlemagne--The End of the Carolingians--The Darkness Begins

Who was the real John Henry? The story of this legendary African - American figure has come down to us in so many songs, stories, and plays, that the facts are often lost. Historian Scott Nelson brings John Henry alive for young readers in his personal quest for the ''''true story'''' of the man behind the myth. Nelson presents the famous folk song as a mystery to be unraveled, identifying the embedded clues within the lyrics, which he examines to uncover many surprising truths. He investigates the legend and reveals the real John Henry in this beautifully illustrated book. Nelson's narrative is multilayered, interweaving the story of the building of the railroads, the period of Reconstruction, folk tales, American mythology, and an exploration of the tradition of work songs and their evolution into blues and rock and roll. This is also the story of the author's search for the flesh - and - blood man who became an American folk hero; Nelson gives a first - person account of how the historian works, showing history as a process of discovery. Readers rediscover an African - American folk hero. We meet John Henry, the man who worked for the railroad, driving steel spikes. When the railroad threatens to replace workers with a steam - powered hammer, John Henry bets that he can drive the beams into the ground faster than the machine. He wins the contest, but dies in the effort. Nelson's vibrant text, combined with archival images, brings a new perspective and focus to the life and times of this American legend.

Caught in the Nazi trap in her native Poland, Rose Zar's father urged her to save herself by hiding in the mouth of the wolf -- within the enemy itself. She survived as a housekeeper for an SS commandant.

When Jacqueline met Anne on her way home from school in the 1940s, the two girls formed an instant friendship. But with every day came an increasing sense of fear, especially as the Nazis took over Amsterdam. Despite the impending war, the friendship between Anne Frank and Jacqueline van Maarsen would never be broken, even when Anne was forced into hiding. In this beautiful memoir, Jacqueline remembers Anne, their friendship, and the chilling Holocaust experience of barely escaping deportation by the Nazis, helplessly watching friends and family disappear, and starting her life again after the war. Through Jacqueline's memories and black-and-white photos, Anne Frank will come to life and continue to be remembered. "[A] fascinating account of Anne, her family, and her friends before she went into hiding . . . This absorbing book vividly portrays life in occupied Amsterdam and throws interesting sidelights on Anne Frank's story."— Booklist

The author of Mesmerized delivers another fascinating glimpse into history, this time the story of two brave suffragists on a trek across America to spread the word: Votes for Women! In April 1916, Nell Richardson and Alice Burke set out from New York City in a little yellow car, embarking on a bumpy, muddy, unmapped journey ten thousand miles long. They took with them a teeny typewriter, a tiny sewing machine, a wee black kitten, and a message for Americans all across the country: Votes for Women! The women’s suffrage movement was in full swing, and Nell and Alice would not let anything keep them from spreading the word about equal voting rights for women. Braving blizzards, deserts, and naysayers—not to mention a whole lot of tires stuck in the mud—the two courageous friends made their way through the cities and towns of America to further their cause. One hundred years after Nell and Alice set off on their trip, Mara Rockliff revives their spirit in a lively and whimsical picture book, with exuberant illustrations by Hadley Hooper bringing their inspiring historical trek to life.

Acclaimed author Milton Meltzer gathers together a cast of characters in this compelling collage of eyewitness accounts from the American Revolution. Photos and documents throughout make the vivid text come alive. Will make young readers look at history in a whole new way.--Booklist. ALA Best Books for Young Adults.

Illustrated with Nelly's original watercolors, this powerful memoir tells the true story of how a little girl's imagination helped her survive World War II. The Nazis come to Poland when Nelly is six. By the time she turns eight, the events of World War II have taken almost everyone she loves. Scared, lonely, and running from the Nazis, Nelly hides in the bedroom of a Gentile couple in Lwow, Poland. For over a year, she lives in fear of discovery, writing in her diary and painting pictures of a fantasy world filled with open skies and happy families. For 13 months during World War II, the author and her mother were hidden from the Nazis. Like Anne Frank, Nelly kept a diary and through that outlet transformed her grim reality into an enchanting fantasy world. "Without emphasizing horror and loss, Toll conveys the effects of human evil and human folly, summoning up the forces of tragedy and courage." -- Publishers Weekly "In Toll's remembrance, art equals hope: her happy family pictures, painted in the secret room where she and her mother hid from the Nazis and the Poles, show extraordinary preteen talent as well as the will to survive." -- Kirkus Reviews