New Releases by Jessica Gunderson

How BIG is that egg? How BIG is that paw? Is that the biggest dog you ever saw?

"Benjamin Franklin led a productive life, but is it possible his accomplishments include everything attributed to him? The answer is yes, for the most part. He never did suggest the wild turkey should be the national symbol of the United States. He did, however, lend his wisdom to the founding of the country, and he was the only person to sign four of the documents most critical to the creation and character of the nation."--Provided by publisher.

Benedict Arnold may be the most prominent villain in United States history. But was he the truly evil man that American folklore has made him out to be? In the beginning of the American Revolution, he was a staunch patriot and military hero, but by the end of the war his frustration led him to betray his nation. The bad reputation that resulted has lived on in infamy.

Josh is terrified of clowns, and the news that someone dressed as a clown in a neighboring town has been kidnapping children does not help, especially after the kidnapper escapes custody; so when he encounters a threatening clown at the House of Horrors at the amusement park he panics--but will he be able to save himself, much less rescue a little girl who is lost in the hall of mirrors?

Abraham Lincoln watched a play. James Garfield walked through a train station. William McKinley shook hands with his public. John Kennedy smiled and waved from a motorcade. In these moments shots rang out and four presidents suffered mortal wounds. Some say their assassins were calculating killers. Others say they were madmen guided by strange notions of the world. Assassins’ America examines the lives of each killer and his victim. Their stories are full of twists and mysteries, and even today Americans live with lasting effects of these terrible crimes.

How DOES a penniless fisherman make his wife''s dreams come true? Magic? Crooked deals? Go sleuthing with the wife in this classic fairy tale with a fun, fishy twist.

"Fact Finders is published by Capstone Press."

Kamilla has a wonderful singing voice, but she doesn''t want to sign up for the Memorial Middle School musical because she sees herself as overweight, even though the doctor tells her she''s not--so can exercise and the support of her family and friends help her overcome her negative image and lead her to the starring role her talent demands?

In today''s uncertain world, many families are leaving their home countries and seeking a better life in the United States. Immigrants from Somalia and Other African Countries explores the stories of two families who left their home countries to find a better life in the United States. Follow their journeys to find out why they left their homelands and understand the challenges they faced in moving to a new country.

Offers a brief overview of the life and work of President William McKinley as well as profiling the life and motivation of his assassin, Leon Czolgosz.

Abraham Lincoln was watching a play at Ford''s Theatre when a gunman crept up from behind an fired at the president''s head. As Lincoln crumpled with a terrible wound, the shooter leapt from the balcony and fled before a shocked audience. He was John Wilkes Booth, a well-known stage actor, and he imagined himself a hero avenging the South''s defeat in the Civil War. Soldiers searched for Booth as Lincoln suffered long hours before dying. There would be no reversing the results of the war, but Lincoln''s death put the cause of freedom and equality in danger. His presidency had been cut short, and even today the country lives with the effects of his assassination.

Like many slaves, Robert Smalls was forced to fight for the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War. One night, Robert and his crew of fellow slaves aboard the ship, the Planter, decided to steal the ship and head for the safety - and freedom - of Union waters only seven miles away. Would they make it to freedom, or would they be captured and face certain death?

This You Choose adventure is told from three different perspectives--White Snow is a secret agent in Good Prince''s army, looking for a computer with secret codes for a bomb; Mrs. White desperately searches for her runaway daughter Snow; and Charming, towed by his seven loyal sleddogs, goes to rescue his friend and mentor Meteorologist Snow-White, who is trapped in a raging blizzard in the Arctic--the reader chooses which plot to pursue.

When a princess learns of her husband''s secret past, he turns into a snake. The princess must be brave in order to help him. Can they work together to break the prince''s curse? A young man is given a special shape-changing power. He and his brother use the new power to trick and take from others. Will they get caught and pay the price for their trickery?

What happens when the mighty god Zeus and the Titan ruler Cronus battle to reign over the world? War rages, as seas boil and mountains crumble. The sky roars with the wrath of gods. Whose side will you be on? Do you have what it takes to be victorious? Full-page illustrations, interactive stories, and multiple endings transport you back to ancient Greece and into the battle between the Olympian gods and the Titans.

Stow away with Samuel as he journeys from France to the New World in search of fortune.

"This book explores the people, places, and history of the North Carolina Colony"--

An examination of the art movement known as Romanticism from its beginnings in the late 1700s to its decline in the mid-1800s, including an introduction to great artists and works.

"Tells the story of the election of 1860 and the immediate and lasting effects it had on a nation on the brink of Civil War"--

A humorous retelling of the fairy tale as told from the point of view of the misunderstood wolf, who suffers from "uncontrollable breathing syndrome" and really just wants to be friends.

In 1910 eleven-year-old Emma and her ethnically German family immigrate to America from Russia to escape poverty and tyranny, but on her journey she encounters hardships on the overcrowded ship, inspection at Ellis Island, and the struggle to reunite with her father and brother in North Dakota.

In this You Choose adventure, Cinderella can be a modern-day girl living in a city, a young man in a medieval fairy tale, or a girl in a futuristic space society--the choice is up to the reader.

This historical e-book tells the story of two boys living in the South during the tragic days of the Civil War. James is a proud Southerner who feels responsible for providing for his newly widowed mother and his younger sister. Eli is the lone outdoor slave of a bitter man who sold off Eli''s mother two years earlier. When circumstances force them to work side by side, each boy''s eyes are opened to new ways of thinking, leading to an exciting conclusion. Filled with thoughtful prose and historical references, The Songs of Stone River brings the Civil War era to life.

"In a narrative nonfiction format, follows people who experienced the events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln"--

Maggie Tinsdale dreams of one day running her family''s plantation in South Carolina, but her dreams must be set aside now that the Revolutionary War has turned her world upside down. After her patriot father is taken prisoner by the British, Maggie is sent to live with her aunt, a loyalist in Charlestown. Maggie is desperate to help the American cause, but what can she do as a young rebel living among redcoats? Filled with action and drama, this historical novel shows how dare and determination were at the heart of the patriots'' fight, leading them to victory.

Everyone at Victory has to take swimming class, but that doesn''t mean they like it. Kenzie feels frustrated in the pool when her kicks are too strong. Waves are going everywhere. It almost seems like there''s a hurricane in the pool! Will Kenzie keep her kicks and temper under control?

A fight to the last man. A cry of, Remember the Alamo! This national symbol of sacrifice and freedom is what most readers know about the Battle of the Alamo. Engaging photos, historic illustrations, and explorative infographics help kids learn even more about the legend surrounding this monumental battle site.

Retells the classic German version of the fairy tale of a girl and a wolf, along with similar tales from Italy and Taiwan.