Most Popular Books by James McDonald

Ten-year-old Gabriella''s brother is a jerk, and his best friend and their neighbor is worse, Daddy just brought home a Nancy in the Nook doll that''s even creepier than the Ned in the Nook, and all she wants is to protect her back-yard domain and survive gymnastics. Now, Grandmother is visiting from her Austrian village to visit for the holidays, bringing heirloom decorations, her famous stöllen recipe, and a family legacy.When her grandmother gives her a special gift, will she use it to save her brother, or follow an ancient power?

After the cold of Winter, comes the warmth of Spring. I Am Spring takes young children on a journey through the many important events that occur uniquely in the beautiful growing season of Spring. From sprouting seeds to buzzing bees, children, preschool through first grade, will learn the important changes that happen during this season of rebirth.Bright and colorful pictures of busy landscapes full of life are great for keeping the attention of kids ages 3-7. Large print and illustrations make it a perfect classroom book for preschool, kindergarten and first grade. I Am Spring is a vibrant nonfiction book that represents the science of the season of Spring in a storytelling fashion that is excellent for kids 5-8.When the day becomes longer than the night, and the leaves begin to sprout on the bare branches, and bugs and animals that were hiding start to reappear, get ready, because that means Spring is here!

John Bolt had destroyed the biggest human trafficking ring in Europe...Singlehandedly. Deprived of the assets of MI5, Bolt finds that the very men whom he had disgraced were using all their considerable power to bring him down. But Bolt had unfinished business.

When the Nazis came to power in Germany, they persecuted all the Jews. It mattered not to them that a great number of Jews were non practicing and considered themselves as proud Germans first and Jews second. A lot of these Jews had fought for Germany in the Great War. This is the story of one such family.

Sami and Thomas continue their adventure in this vibrantly illustrated collection of contemporary poems for children. Whether it''s celebrating the value of family and friends or trying to quiet kittens with pairs of mittens, these poems will make you laugh, remember and imagine.

Berlin, 1987. A City Divided. A World on the Brink. Jimmy Hart, a young signals specialist stationed at Teufelsberg, is trained to listen. Every intercepted Soviet transmission, every coded whisper, could mean the difference between peace and war. But when fragments of a shadowy operation called "Atlas" emerge, Jimmy is thrust into a conspiracy that reaches far beyond the Iron Curtain. As tensions boil over along the Berlin Wall, Jimmy''s mission becomes personal. Klara, a fiery activist with a past as mysterious as her motives, challenges his loyalties and forces him to question the very foundations of his duty. Is she a freedom fighter, a spy, or a pawn in a game far larger than either of them? From icy standoffs at the border to the haunting stillness of a city under constant surveillance, Whispers Through the Wall. plunges into the heart of the Cold War, where every decision comes with a price-and every signal could spark catastrophe. In a world of secrets and shadows, the only certainty is that the wall is watching. "A masterful blend of historical tension and gripping suspense. You won''t put this down until the final signal fades." Between the mid-1980s and the dawn of the 1990s, the world stood at the brink of transformation. The Cold War, an era defined by ideological divides and the looming specter of nuclear conflict, was entering its final, tumultuous act. This book begins in mid-1986 and unfolds over the course of a single pivotal year, capturing the fragile balance of power, the simmering tensions, and the clandestine battles fought in the shadows. It is a fictional story rooted in the reality of an extraordinary time. In 1986, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev stood as the faces of two opposing superpowers, their leadership shaping the course of history. Reagan, with his resolute stance against the Soviet Union, called for an end to the division of Berlin, famously challenging Gorbachev to "tear down this wall." Gorbachev, meanwhile, was steering the USSR through reforms under the banners of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), trying to breathe new life into a system that was buckling under its own weight. Yet these attempts at change were met with resistance within his own government, fueling internal and external tensions. At the heart of this struggle was Berlin, a city divided not just by ideology but by the infamous Berlin Wall. Erected in 1961, the Wall separated East from West, cutting families in two and turning neighbors into enemies. Amid this division, a quiet war raged in the ether. Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) became one of the most critical tools in the Cold War arsenal, with operatives on both sides intercepting and decoding messages to gain insight into enemy plans. This shadow war was a battle of codes, frequencies, and whispers, fought by men and women who often saw the consequences of their work play out on the nightly news-or not at all. This is a fictional account of those times, and some readers will notice inconsistencies in military roles and responsibilities and impossibilities in unit placement. While the characters and specific events are imagined, they are deeply informed by the historical realities of the Cold War, the divided city of Berlin, and the high-stakes world of SIGINT. It is a story of walls-those made of concrete and those built in the hearts and minds of people. And as history has shown, no wall can stand forever.

John Bolt was on a rampage through Europe. Enraged by the killing of his friend and the kidnapping of his wife, He was on a killing spree which would only end when he had his revenge on the men responsible. Despite the police and the security forces arrayed against him, Bolt was determined to finish the job once and for all.

The Sun warms our days and brings light to the dark. Let''s find out about the Sun, and why it''s so important to life on Earth.There are many stars in the night sky, but only one that we''ve found so far that supports a planet filled with life, that''s our star, the Sun! I Am the Sun introduces kids to the basic concepts of Space and Earth science while also teaching how important the Sun is to our very existence here on Earth. From the air we breathe to the everchanging weather, the Sun is a source of life for all of us.Young children will learn about basic concepts of astronomy, how the sun got its start in space, and how it''s the glue that holds the solar system together. I Am the Sun is a great beginning science book for kids. Images are big and bright for kids ages 3-8. The concepts are basic and geared for preschool through second grade learners.