Most Popular Books by Donna Jo Napoli

In 1592, Donata is a noble girl living in a palazzo on the Grand Canal. Girls of her class receive no education and rarely leave the palazzo. In a noble family, only one daughter and one son will be allowed to marry; Donata, like all younger daughters, will be sent to a convent. Donata longs to be tutored like her brothers and to see the Venice she has glimpsed only on the map. What is the world beyond her balcony, beyond what she sees when she glides, veiled, in a gondola down the canal? She dresses as a boy and escapes the palazzo on the Grand Canal to see the world before she is shut away, and to try to find a way to escape her fate. Donata risks everything; she changes her life, and her family’s life, forever when she walks through the door and encounters a Venice she never knew existed.

Tired of his mother''s overprotectiveness and intrigued by the life of African American explorer Matthew Henson, twelve-year-old Alvin travels north and spends a season with a trapper near the Arctic Circle.

When Roberto sneaks off to see a movie in his Italian village, he has no idea that life as he knows it is over. German soldiers raid the theater, round up the boys in the audience, and pack them onto a train. After a terrifying journey, Roberto and his best friend Samuele find themselves in a brutal work camp, where food is scarce and horror is everywhere. The boys vow to stay together no matter what. But Samuele has a dangerous secret, which, if discovered, could get them both killed. Lovers of historical fiction will be captivated by this tragic, triumphant, and deeply moving novel.

The gods grant immortality to the mermaid Sirena when she rescues a human man from the sea and they fall in love, but his mortality creates great conflict between love and honor when he is called to defend Greece in the Trojan War.

Told from the point of view of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, the baby on Sacagawea’s back, this breathtaking picture book reveals the adventure and natural wonders that Lewis and Clark encountered on their Western expedition in the early 1800s. Donna Jo Napoli’s lyrical text and Jim Madsen’s majestic artwork offer a fresh perspective on the remarkable sights and sounds of a young country, and give voice to a character readers are already familiar with: baby Charbonneau is shown on the golden Sacagawea dollar.

Imagine being a little angel... The Little Angel of Imagination loves to do creative things, like paint pictures and make up stories. And he always comes up with creative ways to help other people. But it will take a lot more than just imagination to help Louie.... Louie''s little brother always wants to make up silly games, like pretending the family dog is actually a racehorse. But Louie won''t play along -- he thinks make-up games are for babies. Besides, he''d rather watch TV after school than play outside. Is there a cure for this couch potato? The Little Angel of Imagination has a plan that just might work. Use your imagination!

The Little Angel of Independence helps a girl named Elena develop independence and self-reliance when she loses her beloved toy giraffe during a visit to the park.

The Little Angel of Learning tries to help Nick discover that it is more rewarding to gain knowledge than it is to make things up.

Why is everyone always so mean to Drew? Drew is miserable. He and his family have just moved to a new house in Florida and Drew has no one to play with. His sisters are mean and bossy, and his parents are too busy unpacking to pay attention to him. The only one who wants to be around him is the crazy old dog across the street -- and Drew wants nothing to do with him. Can the Little Angel of Empathy help Drew get along with others -- or will he stay lonely forever?

High in the mountains, Zel lives with her mother, who insists they have all they need -- for they have each other. Zel''s life is peaceful and protected -- until a chance encounter changes everything. When she meets a beautiful young prince at the market one day, she is profoundly moved by new emotions. But Zel''s mother sees the future unfolding -- and she will do the unspeakable to prevent Zel from leaving her..."Will leave readers spellbound."-- Publishers Weekly, starred review

A new angel has to be brave. The Little Angel of Courage is ready for her wings. At least, she thinks she is. But is she brave enough to help Paul with his problem and earn the rest of her feathers? Paul likes to watch his sister''s ballet class. But when he joins a dance class of his own, his friends tell him ballet is for girls. If the Little Angel of Courage can teach Paul to stand up for himself, she might just get those wings after all! Believe in yourself.

A serious job for a little angel The Little Angel of Responsibility has a hard time finishing what she starts. She?s been working on the same knitting project for weeks. But something more interesting always seems to come up. This time, it?s helping a little girl with a big problem. Danielle is old enough to take care of herself. So when her mother starts working again, she leaves a lot of responsibility in Danielle?s hands -- like making sure to get her homework done on time. But when the choice is left up to Danielle, she?d rather practice running for the track team than do schoolwork. Is the Little Angel of Responsibility ready to lend a hand? Be responsible!

The Little Angel of Generosity loves giving gifts to his friends, especially when he gets a gift in return. And he loves helping children, as long as he earns another feather for his wings. He''s still learning what giving is all about when he meets a little girl named Dinah who needs his help. Dinah likes to give gifts, too. And she really likes to get nice things for herself. But her family doesn''t have a lot of money, and she wants things they can''t afford -- sometimes she even wants those things badly enough to take what doesn''t belong to her. It''s up to the Little Angel of Generosity to show her that it''s not what you have, but what you give that counts.

Meet the Beast before there was Beauty in this sweeping reimagining of the prince’s origin story steeped in Persian mythology. Orasmyn is the prince of Persia and heir to the throne. His religion fills his heart and his mind, and he strives for the knowledge and leadership his father demonstrates. But on the day of the Feast of Sacrifices, Orasmyn makes a foolish choice that results in a fairy’s wretched punishment: he is turned into a beast, a curse to be undone only by the love of a woman. Thus begins Orasmyn’s journey through the exotic Middle East and sensuous France as he struggles to learn the way of the beast, while also preserving the mind of the man. This is the story of his search, not only for a woman courageous enough to love him, but also for his own redemption.

Everyone''s good at something. Stanley can''t seem to do anything right. He doesn''t draw well, he''s not good at sports, and sometimes it feels like his parakeet, Casper, is the only one who listens to him. What''s the point of trying new things if he knows he''ll never succeed? It will take the Little Angel of Persistence, and some help from a new friend, to make Stanley realize what his special talents really are. Be persistent.

T.J. has always had a problem with certain words, and rather than say them wrong, sometimes she''d rather not talk at all. Can the Little Angel of Acceptance get her the help she needs? Illustrations.

Is Ebonics really a dialect or simply bad English? Do women and men speak differently? Will computers ever really learn human language? Does offensive language harm children? These are only a few of the issues surrounding language that crop up every day. Most of us have very definite opinions on these questions one way or another. Yet as linguists Donna Jo Napoli and Vera Lee-Schoenfeld point out in this short and thoroughly readable volume, many of our most deeply held ideas about the nature of language and its role in our lives are either misconceived or influenced by myths and stereotypes. Language Matters provides a highly informative tour of the world of language, examining these and other vexing and controversial language-related questions. Throughout, Napoli and Lee-Schoenfeld encourage and lead the reader to use common-sense and everyday experience rather than preconceived notions or technical linguistic expertise. Both their questions and their conclusions are surprising, sometimes provocative, and always entertaining. This thoroughly revised second edition updates the book with a new co-author, and includes new chapters on language and power, language extinction, and what it is linguists actually do. Language Matters is sure to engage both general readers and students of language and linguistics at any level.

Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings. The Little Angel of Friendship is the most popular angel around. He''s pretty sure it won''t take much for him to earn a few more feathers and get his flying wings. But there''s a tough task ahead of him. He has to help a girl named Patricia make new friends. There''s nothing wrong with Patricia. It''s just that she has a different way of talking than most children. Plus, she''s just moved to a new town. The girl down the hall wants nothing to do with her -- she thinks Patricia is a baby. If Patricia doesn''t speak up soon, there''ll be one unhappy Little Angel of Friendship -- he needs those wings to fly! Have you made a friend today?

A sixteen-year-old stowaway discovers her destiny on Noah’s ark in this riveting reimagining from award-winning author and “master storyteller” (SLJ) Donna Jo Napoli. The rain starts suddenly, hard and fast. After days of downpour, her family lost, Sebah takes shelter in a tree, eating pine cones and the raw meat of animals that float by. With each passing day, her companion, a boy named Aban, grows weaker. When their tree is struck by lightning, Sebah is tempted just to die in the flames rather than succumb to a slow, watery death. Instead, she and Aban build a raft. What they find on the stormy seas is beyond imagining: a gigantic ark. But Sebah does not know what she’ll find on board, and Aban is too weak to leave their raft. Themes of family, loss, and ultimately, survival and love make for a timeless story. Donna Jo Napoli has imagined a new protagonist to tell the story of Noah and his ark. As rain batters the earth, Noah, his family, and hordes of animals wait out the storm, ready to carry out their duty of repopulating the planet. Hidden belowdecks…is Sebah.

One day when Albert is at his window, two cardinals come to build a nest in his hand, an event that changes his life.