Most Popular Books by Donna Jo Napoli

A NEW YORK TIMES/NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST ILLUSTRATED CHILDREN''S BOOK • A stunning picture book for young nature lovers about starlings and the fascinating phenomenon of murmurations. Illustrated by the award-winning artist Marc Martin, this book about the natural world vividly explores how such an enigma is even possible. Sweeping, diving, twisting, turning. To look up at a murmuration of starlings is an experience like no other. Hundreds, thousands, and sometimes millions of starlings fly together as one flock. The group ripples, whirls, and waves as each bird stays close to its neighbors in a harmonious synchronicity of movement. The story is told from the point of view of the flock, which gives the reader an inside look at what is happening, and the breathtaking illustrations perfectly capture the ebb and flow of a murmuration. Young readers will witness and fully appreciate the extraordinary communication and collaboration abilities of these birds and may be able to apply these lessons to their own lives.

Sly (aka Sylvia) is now famous around the neighborhood for her problem-solving abilities. With her Sherlock Holmes type observations, Sly solves three new cases, each with a foody theme. And there are always lots of funny moments to keep kids laughing.

Set in medieval Venice, this captivating fairy tale retelling by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli explores belonging, beauty, and the transformative power of love through the eyes of a teenage girl. Dolce has grown up hidden away on an island in a lagoon. She is a giant, a freak, tormented by everyone but her loving mother. She spends her time learning the valuable secret of making mirrors. Following a tragedy, Dolce swims away and lands on an island where people see her as normal, even beautiful. Marin, a kind widower, and his little daughter bring Dolce to live with them in their grand palazzo. Eventually, Dolce and Marin marry. She secretly continues to make mirrors, not realizing that quicksilver endangers her . . . and so evil begins in innocence.

One woman. One seed. One hope for the future. Thayu nyumba -- Peace, my people. Wangari grew up in the shadow of Mount Kenya listening to the stories about the people and land around her. Though the trees towered over her, she had loved them for as long as she could remember. So strong, so beautiful, how the trees made her smile. Wangari planted trees one by one to refresh her spirit. When the women came to her for help with their families, she told them to do the same. Soon the countryside was filled with trees. Kenya was strong once more. Wangari had changed her country, tree by tree. Donna Jo Napoli tells a story inspired by the life of 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai that will touch the hearts and spirits of all who read it. Kadir Nelson''s stunning collage illustrations honor the spirit of a land and of the woman who saved it.

Jimmy, the froglet son of an enchanted frog-prince, tries to save his pond from the evil hag and in the process finds himself transformed into a human boy.

In this charming blend of storytelling and math, four siblings use their fraction skills to get their dearest wish. Full color.

Meet a sailor with an ogre wife in a story from China, a young girl who outsmarts giants in a tale from Fiji, a clever rooster seeking its fortune in a tale from Morocco, a music-playing jaguar in a story from Ecuador, and princes turned to statues in a story from Italy. Donna Jo Napoli''s powerful storytelling makes these stories fresh and fun, and Christina Balit''s dazzling illustrations make this book a true treasure-a very special gift and a must-have for family bookshelves.

Researchers address in this collection all of the factors changing the cultural landscape for deaf people, including cochlear implants, genetic engineering, mainstreaming, and other ethical dilemmas.

Illustrated stories of gods, goddesses, heroes and monsters come to life in this collection of Norse myths, including those of the thunder god Thor, the one-eyed god and Allfather Odin, and the trickster god Loki.

This introduction to linguistic methodology and theory acquaints students with the analytical study of language and the ways in which linguists think and approach their material. Reader-friendly and highly accessible, the book assumes no previous background in linguistics. Linguistics is unique among texts today in that it brings the reader face-to-face with current cutting-edge theories. It covers in depth the five core areas of theoretical linguistics - phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics - and adds brief discussions of conversation interaction and historical/comparative linguistics where appropriate. Throughout the book, readers are asked to consider various hypotheses and to use them to account for a range of data. Accordingly, problem sets are included at the end of each chapter. While the data in these problems are drawn from multiple languages, all chapters contain problem sets on at least English, a Romance language, Japanese, and American Sign Language.

When ten-year-old Adam discovers that his freckles can see and talk, he plans to use this secret to get onto the school soccer team.

Hers is the most famous portrait in the world. Here, in prose as rich as the high Renaissance, is Mona Lisa''s tale. A story of passion, loss, and, above all, love. Elisabetta longs for romance, though she thinks she''s too plain. Then, on a visit to Florence, she catches the eye of the great Leonardo da Vinci, and falls for a boy, Giuliano de Medici. It''s a dangerous time to be involved with a Medici. As tragedy and chaos threaten their happiness, Elisabetta faces the bittersweet truth of love.

Talullah, Louisiana. 1899. Calogero, his uncles, and cousins are six Sicilian men living in the small town of Tallulah, Louisiana. They work hard, growing vegetables and selling them at their stand and in their grocery store. To 14-year-old Calogero, newly arrived from Sicily, Tallulah is a lush world full of contradictions, hidden rules, and tension between the Negro and white communities. He’s startled and thrilled by the danger of a ’gator hunt in the midnight bayou, and by his powerful feelings for Patricia, a sharpwitted, sweet-natured Negro girl. Some people welcome the Sicilians. Most do not. Calogero’s family is caught in the middle: the whites don’t see them as equal, but befriending Negroes is dangerous. Every day brings Calogero and his family closer to a a terrifying, violent confrontation.

Don Giovanni was once the wealthiest and handsomest young man in Messina. Then a tidal wave changed everything. When a well-dressed stranger offers him a magical purse, he knows he shouldn''t take it. Only the devil would offer a deal like this, and only a fool would accept. Don Giovanni is no fool, but he is desperate. He takes the bet: he will not bathe for 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days. Beauty is a small price to pay for worldly wealth, isn''t it? Unless he loses the wager—and with it his soul. Set against the stunning backdrop of ancient Sicily, Donna Jo Napoli''s new novel is a powerful tale about discovering what truly matters most.

The new National Geographic Treasury of Egyptian Mythology is a stunning tableau of Egyptian myths, including those of pharaohs, queens, the boisterous Sun God Ra, and legendary creatures like the Sphinx. The lyrical storytelling of award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli dramatizes the timeless tales of ancient Egypt in the year when Angelina Jolie will make Cleopatra a multimedia star. And just like the popular National Geographic Treasury of Greek Mythology, the stories in this book will be beautifully illustrated to bring ancient characters vividly to life. The stories are embellished with sidebars that provide historical, cultural, and geographic context and a mapping feature that adds to the fun and fascination. Resource notes and ample back matter direct readers to discover more about ancient Egypt. With its attractive design and beautiful narrative, this accessible treasury stands out from all other mythology titles in the marketplace.

Kepi is a young girl in ancient Egypt, content to stay home with her family, helping her father, who was wounded in the construction of a pyramid for the cruel pharaoh Khufu. But that was before she and her pet baboon, Babu, were kidnapped and held captive on a boat bound for the capital city, Ineb Hedj. And when Kepi and Babu are separated, she knows she has only one choice: to make her way to the capital on her own, rescue Babu, and find a way to appeal to the pharaoh. Khufu is rich and powerful, but Kepi has her own powers, deep inside her—ones she herself doesn’t even know about yet. Donna Jo Napoli, acclaimed author of Zel and Beast, revisits the fabled origin of fairies in this strikingly orig-inal and affecting novel of friendship.

"Crazy Jack" is a retelling of a favorite fairy tale, "Jack and the Beanstalk." Jack is only nine years old when his father disappears after climbing a cliff in search of a pot of gold. Seven years later, Jack trades the family cow for magic beans at the market. Then he plants the magic beans at the base of the cliff grow, so he can search for his father. The cannibalistic, wife beating giant chanting "Fee, fi, fo, fum" enters the story. Napoli puts a twist in the traditional story by adding a tale of romance between Jack and the cheese-making neighbor''s daughter, Flora.

Harriet the tortoise likes to do things slowly. She explores her home on the Galápagos Islands—slowly. She eats—slowly. And when the sun goes down, she slumbers deeply all night long. When Harriet’s friends tell her to pick up the pace, Harriet decides to journey to a neighboring island to see what there is to see. She parades with penguins and rides with dolphins, encountering adventure at every turn. But is life in the fast lane right for a tortoise who loves to take her time?