New Releases by Gare Thompson

A very basic introduction to screws, levers, planes and more.

A survey of how rain forests work in the Amazon River Region.

Describes the Serengeti Plain and the animals that live there.

Gives a first-person account of the science behind a hot-air balloon ride from takeoff to landing

For a long time, the main role of First Ladies was to act as hostesses of the White House...until Eleanor Roosevelt. Born in 1884, Eleanor was not satisfied to just be a glorified hostess for her husband, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Eleanor had a voice, and she used it to speak up against poverty and racism. She had experience and knowledge of many issues, and fought for laws to help the less fortunate. She had passion, energy, and a way of speaking that made people listen, and she used these gifts to campaign for her husband and get him elected president-four times! A fascinating historical figure in her own right, Eleanor Roosevelt changed the role of First Lady forever.

Padre Carlos Ramón is visiting the Delgado family in Californina, where he shares stories of early California mission life with the Delgado children.

The U.S.S. Monitor was an entirely new type of warship when it launched in 1862. Dubbed "the forefather of the modern Navy," this ironclad ship changed how wars are fought at sea. But on New Year''s Eve, 1862, it sank off the coast of North Carolina in a terrible storm. No one thought the Monitor could be raised, but after 140 years, parts of the ironclad have finally been brought to the surface. This book chronicles the Monitor''s revolutionary design, exciting battle, and intriguing excavation. Illustrated by Larry Day.

At age two, Helen Keller became deaf and blind. She lived in a world of silence and darkness and she spent the rest of her life struggling to break through it. But with the help of teacher Annie Sullivan, Helen learned to read, write, and do many amazing things. This inspiring illustrated biography is perfect for young middle-grade readers. Black-and-white line drawings throughout, sidebars on related topics such as Louis Braille, a timeline, and a bibliography enhance readers'' understanding of the subject.

It Is 1852, and 12-year-old Sarah Marshall and her family are on their way west to make a new life farming Oregon''s fertile land. But the journey will not be easy. The Marshalls must leave everyone and everything that will not fit in a covered wagon. They must risk their lives every day to disease, accidents, outlaws, river crossings, and Indians as they walk thousands of miles across the North American continent. In this deft combination of rich factual background and fictional story, Gare Thompson brings to life the adventures and challenges that faced the intrepid pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail. Book jacket.

Dubbed "the forefather of the modern Navy," this ironclad ship changed how wars are fought at sea.

Follows a Jewish family as they leave Russia in 1893 and begin a new life in New York City, where they find new challenges and opportunities on their way to becoming Americans.

Follow Mary Lewis and her family as they move from Kentucky to Nicodemus, Kansas, one of the first African American homesteading towns in our country. See how the settlers lived and how their community changed over time.

Kids learn about the earth''s resources and what they can do to help the environment.

Examines how corn began to grow in the early Americas, why it was important to Native Americans, and how it became a staple product in many other countries.

Introduces basic facts about 14 endangered animals. Earth Awareness.

Timothy Mole writes of escapades and adventures in letters to his mom and dad while traveling with his school band to Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC.

This pairing of fiction and non-fiction literature features a short play which is a retelling of the story of Pinocchio. The companion book describes how plays are put on and describes different people needed to perform a play.

A young man named Jack finds a great way to thank his friends for the help they gave him when he needed a home.

N. America is made up of many peoples. All of them came from other places-willingly. People coming from other places are called immigrants. They came to try to make a better life.