New Releases by Madeleine Comora

The north light streamed into the studio while my father, Rembrandt, painted my portrait. "Sit very still, Titus," he said, "and I will paint you the way I see you." I heard the ships'' bells echo along the canals of Amsterdam as I watched him brush a layer of oil paint onto the canvas. It was then that I decided to write this story about my father and how I learned to see the world through his eyes. Rembrandt is one of the most recognized and beloved painters in the world. He was born in the Netherlands at a time when the arts were just beginning to blossom and he was free to paint as he wished. Rembrandt painted with honest and integrity, finding beauty and drama in everyday things. His use of light against darkness is the telltale sign of his art, the subjects of his paintings glowing amidst shadowy backgrounds. Just as most sons wish to know and understand their fathers, so did Rembrandt''s son Titus. Together they would walk along the streets and rivers of Amsterdam while Rembrandt taught Titus to see the world as he saw it. Titus began to help his father with his business and began painting himself. Over time, Titus was able to appreciate the way his father saw the world. I listened to the bells ringing on the ships sailing out to sea as sunlight streamed through the leaded glass windows, flooding the studio with golden light. I have learned to see through my father''s eyes.

In this reverentially funny tale from Deborah Chandra written in verse and based on Washington''s letters, diaries, and other historical records, readers will find out what really happened as they follow the trail of lost teeth to complete tooflessness. From battling toothaches while fighting the British, to having rotten teeth removed by his dentists, the Father of His Country suffered all his life with tooth problems. Yet, contrary to popular belief, he never had a set of wooden teeth. Starting at the age of twenty-four, George Washington lost on average a tooth a year, and by the time he was elected president, he had only two left! Illustrated in watercolors with subtle humor by Brock Cole, George Washington''s Teeth is followed by a four-page time line featuring reproduced period portraits of Washington.

Recounts the love story behind the building of the Taj Mahal in India, discussing how it was constructed and providing information on Indian culture.