New Releases by Jim Gigliotti

Blake Shelton is a country music superstar. So how did this incredible talent rise to the top? In this fascinating introduction, young readers will learn about Blake’s childhood in Oklahoma and how he achieved his dream of becoming a country music icon. Each 24-page book in this series of introductory biographies features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple sentence construction. The narrative text, colorful design, and colorful photos will speak to even the most reluctant of readers.

J.J. Watt is one of football’s best defensive players. So how did this incredible athlete rise to the top? In this fascinating introduction, young readers will learn about J.J.’s early life and his many achievements. Each 24-page book in this series of introductory biographies features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple sentence construction. The narrative text, colorful design, and colorful photos will speak to even the most reluctant of readers. J.J. Watt is part of Bearport’s Amazing Americans: Football Stars series.

Odell Beckham Jr. is a superstar football player. So how did this incredible wide receiver rise to the top? In this fascinating introduction, young readers will learn about Odell''s early life and his many achievements. Each 24-page book in this series of introductory biographies features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple sentence construction. The narrative text, colorful design, and colorful photos will speak to even the most reluctant of readers. Odell Beckham Jr. is part of Bearport''s Amazing Americans: Football Stars series.

Ariana Grande is one of pop music''s shining stars. So how did this incredible talent rise to the top? In this fascinating introduction, young readers will learn about Ariana''s early life and her many musical achievements. Each 24-page book in this series of introductory biographies features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple sentence construction. The narrative text, colorful design, and colorful photos will speak to even the most reluctant of readers. Ariana Grande is part of Bearport''s Amazing Americans: Musical Artists series.

"What''s Up, Doc?" Find out in this lively biography of the most celebrated director in animation history! Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of many classic animated cartoon shorts. They starred Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, Pepé Le Pew, Porky Pig and a slew of other Warner Brothers characters. When he moved on to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, his work includes a series of Tom and Jerry shorts as well as the television adaptation of Dr. Seuss''s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Jones was nominated for eight Academy Awards, won three, and received an honorary Oscar for his work in the animation industry. His career spanned almost seventy years, during which he made over 250 animated films, including What''s Opera, Doc?, a classic Bugs Bunny/Elmer Fudd short that is considered to be one of the greatest cartoons of all time.

Discover more about Stevie Wonder, the music prodigy whose awards include 25 Grammy Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Stevie Wonder is one of the most successful singer-songwriter-musicians of our time. Signing his first record deal when he was only eleven, he had his first No.1 hit when he was thirteen. Since then he has had thirty US top ten hits, won a range of awards for his music and his civil rights work, and created such iconic songs as "Isn''t She Lovely" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You." Stevie Wonder is a beloved entertainer who continues to tour and perform around the world.

The National Football League began in 1919 with a dozen franchises; now it has 32 teams in almost every major market across the nation. This living history of the NFL traces the sport back to its amateur roots, and describes the growth of pro football, decade by decade. Special features cover the players, owners, coaches, championship games, draft, and media. Fully illustrated with archival photographs, many rare, as well as images of memorabilia from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this unique volume also contains removable facsimile reproductions of documents of historic importance. Presented in an attractive slipcase, The Official Treasures of the National Football League is a must-have for every football fan. Fully authorized and produced in partnership with the National Football League and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour has showcased some of the most talented female golfers on Earth. From Annika Sorenstam to Michelle Wie, meet some of the greatest LPGA players in Great Girl Golfers, a Girls Rock! book.

Introduces the life of Ronald Reagan, including early life, his achievements as president, and the ways he is remembered today.

When the New York Giants need a player to come through in the final minutes of a game, they call on their star quarterback--Eli Manning. For more than a decade, Eli has helped lead the Giants to victory, including two Super Bowls wins. His powerful arm and ability to think quickly set him apart on the field. Yet Eli is much more than an incredible quarterback. He''s also passionate about helping others. When his home city of New Orleans was hit by a terrible storm, Eli gathered supplies to help those affected. Eli also raises money to help people with disabilities and to fund a children''s hospital. In Eli Manning, readers will follow this NFL superstar''s football career and discover how he has made a difference in people''s lives both on and off the field. Large, full-color action photos and engaging text will keep readers turning the pages for more.

The San Diego Chargers know they can depend on quarterback Philip Rivers when the going gets tough. This hard-throwing quarterback has led his team to dozens of incredible comeback victories. He is also known for shattering many of the team''s passing records. Philip shines on the field as an amazing athlete, but he''s also a leader in his community. Dedicated to helping children in need, he started the Rivers of Hope Foundation to benefit foster children. Another cause close to Philip''s heart is helping sick children. In Philip Rivers, readers will follow this NFL superstar''s football career and discover how he has made a difference in people''s lives both on and off the field. Large, full-color action photos and engaging text will keep readers turning the pages for more.

"With the first selection in the draft . . ." With those words each spring, the NFL commissioner makes a dream come true for one young man. Today, that dream-come-true moment is watched more closely than ever, and has been talked about, analyzed, and dissected for months leading up to it, and to the hundreds of draft picks that follow. The annual selection of college players by the NFL has turned into a year-round extravaganza of stats, stories, and predictions. A veteran football journalist is the ringmaster of reporting for this circus, which connects money, media, and miracles.Professional football is clearly the most popular and successful sports league in American history. Rather than focus on the star players or big games, this series takes a broader, deeper look at the sport off the field. The insider experience of the authors reveals the secrets that make the NFL No. 1. Just because you know who won the Super Bowl doesn''t mean you know ALL ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL. The National Football League is by far Americas most popular and successful sports league. Fans know who won the Super Bowl and who the top players are, but do they know how the league is run? How games get on TV? How the draft works? This series, written by longtime pro football journalists, takes an inside look behind the scenes of pro football, opening up new ways to enjoy the game (or even consider careers off the field). Bonus volumes on the state of high school and college football help readers get perspective on the roles of those levels of the sport on the NFL itself. For NFL fans, for sports fans, for business students, this series scores a touchdown! Each title in the ALL ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL series includes color photos throughout, and back matter including an index and further reading lists for books and internet resources. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities, and expand their viewpoints through our content rich nonfiction books. Key Icons in this series are: Words to Understand shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are set in boldfaced color type in that chapter, so that readers are able to reference back to the definitions, building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content-rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text-Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter referring back to subjects covered within. They challenge the reader''s comprehension of the material they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and give readers suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. Educational Videos are offered in chapters through the use of a QR code, that, when scanned, takes the student to an online video showing a moment in history, a speech, or an instructional video. This gives the readers additional content to supplement the text. A Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter containing terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the readers knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.

Born in 1860s Missouri, nobody expected George Washington Carver to succeed. Slaves were not allowed to be educated. After the Civil War, Carver enrolled in classes and proved to be a star student. He became the first black student at Iowa State Agricultural College and later its first black professor. He went on to the Tuskegee Institute where he specialized in botany (the study of plants) and developed techniques to grow crops better. His work with vegetables, especially peanuts, made him famous and changed agriculture forever. He went on to develop nearly 100 household products and over 100 recipes using peanuts.

Filled with broken hearts and black ravens, Edgar Allan Poe’s ghastly tales have delighted readers for centuries. Born in Boston in 1809, Poe was orphaned at age two. He was soon adopted by a Virginia family who worked as tombstone merchants. In 1827 he enlisted in the Army and subsequently failed out of West Point. His first published story, The Raven, was a huge success, but his joy was overshadowed by the death of his wife. Poe devoted his life to writing and his tragic life often inspired his work. He is considered to be the inventor of detective fiction and the father of American mystery writers. His work continues to influence popular culture through films, music, literature, and television.

Born a humble girl in what is now Albania, Agnes Bojaxhiu lived a charitable life. She pledged herself to a religious order at the age of 18 and chose the name Sister Teresa, after the patron saint of missionaries. While teaching in India, where famine and violence had devastated the poor, Teresa shed her habit and walked the streets of Calcutta tending to the needs of the destitute. Her charity work soon expanded internationally, and her name remains synonymous with compassion and devotion to the poor.

Presenta la vida de una niña albanesa, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, que se conoció como Madre Teresa y pasó la mayor parte de su vida sirviendo "a los más pobres de los pobres" en Calcuta, India.

Science and sports are coming together to create winning teams around the world, and this book tells that story. Read how scientists are making sports safer and easier to play; how engineers are creating ways for disabled athletes to excel; and how nutritionists are using science to change the way athletes eat to win. From auto racing to baseball, from football to soccer, science has become as big a part of sports as wins and losses. The entire STEM in SPORTS series tells the story of how science, technology, engineering, and math are not just an exciting and innovative part of education, but also part of the winning formula for success in sports. In this series, find out how these fields of study are hard at work on the fields of play.

Her reign of 63 years and seven months is known as the Victorian Era, a period of industrial, cultural, scientific, and political change that was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire. But Victoria was raised under close supervision and near isolation until she became Queen of the United Kingdom at the young age of 18. She married her first cousin, Albert, and had nine children who married into families across Europe. By the time she had earned the nickname “The Grandmother of Europe” and the title “Empress of India” it was indeed true that the sun never set on the British Empire. Publicly, she became a national icon, but privately, Who Was Queen Victoria?

Bruce Lee was a Chinese American action film star, martial arts instructor, filmmaker, and philosopher. His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated the traditional martial arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim. Through such films as Way of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon, Lee helped to change the way Asians were presented in American films and, in the process, he became an iconic figure known throughout the world. Although he died at the young age of 32, Bruce Lee is widely considered to be the one of the most influential martial artists of all time.

I was a baseball hero and an inspiring humanitarian. I am Roberto Clemente. A unique hero, Roberto Clemente is not only famous for his impressive baseball career, but also for his generous humanitarian efforts. Nearly 40 years ago, the same year he swung his 3,000th major league baseball hit, he died in an airplane accident on his way to deliver aid to earthquake victims. His heroics on the field earned him a place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the first Latin American to be granted access. Just in time for Hispanic heritage month, learn all about this legend''s life from his inspiring beginnings to his tragic end. This book will feature a full-color illustrated cover, one-color illustrations throughout, a detailed time line, introductions to other notable people from the story, a map, sidebars, and a top-ten list of important things to know about Roberto Clemente.

This fun volume explores the personalities, the history, and the crazy cars associated with the wild world of drag racing. Readers get a look into the different types of drag racing, and a "day at the races" for an exciting you-are-there feeling.

Every football game begins with a kick-off . . . but how did the first football game begin? And when? This brilliant book, packed with football memorabilia and historic photos, takes readers back to the early rough-and-tumble days of football. Find out why Teddy Roosevelt played a big part, who ran the "flying wedge", and just how Pudge Hefflefinger was! For fans of the NFL, college football, or high school football, this book will show them how their favourite sport evolved from a backyard brawl into a mighty empire! Get ready for KICK-OFF!

"Find out what makes these players some of the best!"--Back cover.

Discusses powerboat racing, including the different types of powerboats and the competition of powerboat racing.

This book briefly examines personal watercraft, and how they are used.

An introduction to the sport of skydiving.

Whether you''re cheering on your favorite team at its home stadium with thousands of other fans or watching the game at home with your friends, the excitement of the National Football League is unmatched in the world of sports. The crisp fall air and the sound of pads crashing are enough to capture any fan''s attention. From the first game''s kickoff to the final moments of the Super Bowl, each season provides the thrilling action that fans crave. AFC North lets you spend the off-season getting to know more about the division''s teams. Statistics and history give you the inside scoop on your favorite team and its biggest rivals. Player profiles get you up close and personal with the league''s brightest stars. From the Baltimore Ravens to the Pittsburgh Steelers, AFC North has all the information you need to become an expert on the teams of the NFL''s AFC North division. Touchdown! Book jacket.

Examines the history, stars, and stadium of each team in the AFC South division.