New Releases by Monica Kulling

This thoughtful and beautifully illustrated picture book shares the story of a trailblazer who has inspired generations of girls to change the world. Sara Josephine Baker was a strong girl who loved adventure. Growing up in New York in the late 1800s was not easy. When she lost her brother and father to typhoid fever, she became determined to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. In Jo''s day, medical schools were closed to women, but times were changing, and Jo was at the forefront. When she graduated in 1898, Dr. Jo still faced prejudice against women in her field. Not many people were willing to be seen by a female doctor, and Dr. Jo''s waiting room remained mostly empty. She accepted a job in public health and was sent to Hell''s Kitchen, one of New York''s poorest neighborhoods where many immigrants lived. There, she was able to treat the most vulnerable patients: babies and children. She realized that the best treatment was to help babies get a stronger start in life. Babies need fresh air, clean and safe environments, and proper food. Dr. Jo''s successes, fueled by her determination, compassion and ingenuity, made her famous across the nation for saving the lives of 90,000 inner city infants and children.

A Step 3 BIOGRAPHY READER about the unsung historical figure and Founding Mother Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. Hamilton, the musical, is igniting American history fever in adults and kids--especially about the central figures of the play. Kids clearly want to know more, and this companion to early reader Alexander Hamilton: From Orphan to Founding Father will fill the void. Eliza Hamilton was so much more than just Alexander Hamilton''s wife. She was a spirited girl who grew up to be a strong woman with a big heart and amazing strength of character. She rescued many children in need during her life. In fact, she and others established New York City''s first orphanage--which became a place that is still helping needy children to this day. She lived for 50 years after Hamilton''s death in the infamous duel, and she preserved his historical legacy and contributed to American history with other Founding Mothers in ways that will finally be shared widely with those newly interested in Colonial and Revolutionary War times. Step 3 Readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics--for children who are ready to read on their own.

The amazing story of how the world’s greatest fossilist found her first huge find at the age of twelve. Mary was born in 1799 in Lyme Regis, England. Her father, a carpenter and part-time fossil hunter, taught his children to look for fossils. When her father injured himself and was unable to work, Mary quit school and took up fossil hunting full-time to help support her family, a task that became even more important when her father died, leaving the Annings in debt. At the age of twelve, Mary, with her older brother Joe, found what they believed to be the skeleton of a gigantic crocodile, the Great Croc of the legends. Between dodging her rival fossil hunter the Curiman, and the sheer work of carefully digging out the fossil, Mary took almost a year to excavate what would later be termed the Ichthyosaurus. Mary Anning was uneducated, poor and a woman, but her life’s work of fossil hunting led her to make many discoveries that influenced our understanding of prehistoric creatures and the age of the Earth. In this triumphant novel about scientific discovery, Monica Kulling brings Mary Anning and her world to life for young readers. Key Text Features author''s note historical context resources facts further reading

Fans of the Broadway musical Hamilton and American history lovers will want to share this illustrated biography of Alexander Hamilton with their young readers. Did you know that one of our Founding Fathers was not born in America? An orphan from the West Indies, Alexander Hamilton came to the colonies and played an important role in the Revolutionary War, rising to become General George Washington’s right-hand man. But his accomplishments don’t stop there! He helped obtain the ratification of the Constitution; he was America’s first secretary of the treasury; and he established the first national bank and the U.S. Mint. A man of ambition, loyalty, and principle, he is now being celebrated as the prominent patriot he was. Step 3 Readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics—for children who are ready to read on their own.

Growing up in Smiljan, Croatia, Nikola Tesla dreamed about harnessing the power of Niagara Falls. In 1884, he walked down the gangplank into the New York Harbor with four cents in his pocket, a book of poems, a drawing of a flying machine, and a letter of introduction to Thomas Edison, the "electrical wizard" of America. Upon meeting, Edison sent Tesla to fix the SS Oregon as a test and was so astounded that he offered Tesla a job at his factory. Tesla and Edison had different views about electricity; Tesla wanted to develop an alternate current while Edison wanted to stick to the direct current system. Edison offered Tesla a large sum to make his direct current system more efficient, but when the work was done, Edison refused to pay. Tesla quit and when things were looking bleak, he met George Westinghouse, who also thought that alternating current was the way to light up America. He gave Tesla a job and in 1896, Tesla and Westinghouse built a generator at Niagara Falls that was able to send power as far as Buffalo, New York.

It’s Alice’s birthday! A beautiful spring afternoon in Paris — what could be better? Little does she know that her friend has arranged some surprises! It’s Alice’s birthday! But her friend Gertrude seems to have forgotten. No matter, Alice goes out and enjoys her day just the same. A beautiful spring afternoon in Paris — what could be better? Little does she know that her dear friend has a few surprises up her sleeve. While Alice spends the day walking around Paris — riding a carousel in the park and watching a puppet show — Gertrude turns her attention to the kitchen. She is determined to make a lavish dinner with all of Alice’s favorite things and write a poem to match the occasion. But the lure of the perfect poetic line proves to be too distracting, and just as Alice’s day takes an exciting and unexpected turn, Gertrude’s big dinner falls all to pieces. The poem turns out beautifully, of course, but the house is a bit of a mess. It’s a good thing Alice doesn’t mind cleaning up. And that she has such a good brownie recipe for their guests. Inspired by the lives of artist Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, Monica Kulling’s warm and whimsical narration is perfectly balanced by Qin Leng’s bright and energetic illustrations. This is a sweetly joyful story of love, friendship and creative inspiration. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

"A biography about the early life and invention of the ferris wheel by George W. Ferris, an American engineer"--

Grant Wood believed that to be a real artist, he had to live in Paris. But once he got there, he realized that to be a great painter he needed to return to the people and places—and even animals—that he knew and loved the best. Inspired by the life of artist Grant Wood, this is the sensitively imagined story of the great American painter and a cow named Tillie. Skillfully mixing fact with fiction, Monica Kulling’s text explores the making of an artist, while Sydney Smith’s illustrations echo Grant Wood’s own techniques. The result is a gently wise picture book that will encourage young readers and artists to trust the love that is sometimes only found close to home. Includes an author’s note that provides biographical information about Grant Wood.

The Tweedles are back and ready to take another exuberant swing at going modern. When their neighbors the Hamms announce that they’ve “gone online” by buying a telephone, Mama excitedly follows suit. But will the lure of the telephone be too much of a distraction for this sweetly old-fashioned family? Fresh from their adventure with their new electric car, Mama decides that the family needs a telephone to keep up with the changing times, and daughter Frances could not be more thrilled. But not all the Tweedles are convinced. Son Francis only has eyes for the family’s car, and Papa worries about the family’s privacy. Once the phone is installed in the family’s home, they can hardly believe the noise it makes! But Frances takes a shine to the telephone immediately, and her enthusiasm for the new device threatens to keep the whole family up at night. Eventually Mama and Francis warm up to the telephone, too, and soon they can’t sit still long enough to play a family game of Crokinole. Will the Tweedles ever be able to go offline again? This clever companion to The Tweedles Go Electric gently pokes fun at our modern addiction to technology, while further endearing readers to the sweetly odd Tweedles family.

Born into a life of privilege in 1878, Lillian Moller Gilbreth put her pampered life aside for one of adventure and challenge. She and her husband, Frank, became efficiency experts by studying the actions of factory workers. They ran their home efficiently, too. When Frank suddenly died, Lillian was left to her own devices to raise their eleven children. Eventually, she was hired by the Brooklyn Borough Gas Company to improve kitchen design, which was only the beginning. Lillian Gilbreth was the subject of two movies (Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes), the first woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and the first female psychologist to have a U.S. postage stamp issued in her honor. A leading efficiency expert, she was also an industrial engineer, a psycologist, an author, a professor, and an inventor.

In 1818, seven-year-old Elisha was fascinated by farm machinery. As a young man, he tried a variety of ways to make a living, but nothing fired his imagination more than the job he found in a bed-frame factory. Soon he invented a machine that made frames four times faster than ever before. In 1852, while overseeing the construction of a new factory, he had to find a way to move heavy machinery to the second floor. He didn''t trust the hoisting platform, so he invented a safety brake. It was so successful that rather than lift machine parts, Elisha decided to build "people-hoisting machines." In 1857, Elisha Otis installed his first successful passenger elevator in a five-storey department store in New York City. Before Elisha''s invention, buildings were never higher than six stories. At last it was possible to build skyscrapers!"

An easy-to-read, page-turning account of Harriet Tubman''s life--from her childhood in slavery to her years as a conductor on the Underground Railroad to her later work as a suffragette and as a spy in the Civil War. This remarkable true story brings to life one of America''s greatest female role models.

The fifth book in Tundra''s Great Idea Series, Making Contact! tells the story of Guglielmo Marconi, who became the father of wireless communication. As a boy, Marconi loved science and invention. Born in 1874 in Bologna, Italy, to a wealthy family, Marconi grew up surrounded by books in his father''s library. He was fascinated with radio waves and learned Morse code, the language of the telegraph. A retired telegraph operator taught him how to tap messages on the telegraph machine. At the age of twenty, Marconi realized that no one had invented a wireless telegraph. Determined to find a way to use radio waves to send wireless messages, Marconi found his calling. And, thanks to his persistence, on December 12, 1901, for the first time ever, a wireless signal traveled between two continents. The rest is history. Monica Kulling''s playful, informative text, combined with the compelling illustrations of artist Richard Rudnicki, bring an amazing inventor and his times to life.

George Eastman had a new hobby: photography. The year was 1877, and photography was not as easy as you might think. It cost a lot and the equipment was bulky, but George was about to change all that. What he lacked in formal education, George more than made up for in ingenuity: he invented dry plates, film, and the Brownie camera! The rest is history. For anyone who has ever taken a picture or posed for one, It''s a Snap! George Eastman''s First Photograph, with its playful, informative text and lively illustrations, is a splendid introduction to biography, to photography, and to the amazing man who had so much to do with putting picture-taking within reach of us all.

Mr. Dash may not have a pedigree (he can count five different breeds of dogs as family), but from his furry head to his wagging tail, he is a gentleman. His fine manners make him a perfect companion to Madame Croissant. Their life together is graceful and civilized, what with walks in the park, stamp-collecting, and a passion for flowers. Mr. Dash is also in charge of delivering Madame Croissant''s world-famous cupcakes. All is well until Daphne, Madame Croissant''s rather lively niece, arrives to turn the cupcake world upside down. Filled with humour, this delectable story will appeal to dog-lovers AND cupcake-lovers the world over.

Lump the dachshund, who lives with a photographer and a larger dog in Italy, travels to the south of France to meet Pablo Picasso, who promptly names him "Lumpito," in a story based on actual events.

Mr. Dash may not have a pedigree (he can count five different breeds of dogs as family), but from his furry head to his wagging tail, he is a gentleman. His fine manners make him a perfect companion to Madame Croissant. Their life together is graceful and civilized, what with walks in the park, stamp-collecting, and a passion for flowers. But the well-ordered household is turned on its head whenever Madame Croissant’s granddaughter, Daphne, comes to visit. She’s as wild as Mr. Dash is courtly, and she makes the poor dog’s life miserable. But when she finds herself in real trouble, Mr. Dash proves that he is not only well-mannered but as brave as any knight. Merci Mister Dash! is not only a hilarious salute to common courtesy, it will appeal to dog lovers and to anyone who is trying to civilize an untamed creature – of any kind.

Recounts the life of Margaret Knight, eventual holder of twenty patents, who fought discrimination and proved that she was just as intelligent an inventor as a man.

Anxious to enter a contest for turning a messy room into a clean one, Jon and Lucas work hard to clean Jon''s very messy room but lose the contest form in the process.

Presents an abridged version of the adventures of Tom and his friends growing up in a small Missouri town on the banks of the Mississippi River in the nineteenth century. Simultaneous.

Alexander Graham Bell invents a talking machine he calls the telephone and demonstrates it at the World''s Fair in Philadelphia in 1876.

Relates the excitement caused by Henry Ford as he drove the "horseless carriage" he built, particularly when he decided to win a race to get money to build a new car that anyone could afford.

What happens when a lonely little Hawaiian girl adopts a pet that is actually an experiment-gone-wrong from an alien planet? Join the fun with the ever-lovable Lilo and Stitch in this captivating Step 1 Step into Reading book!

There’s a new horse on the farm! He was just born yesterday, but he already weighs 100 pounds and can stand all by himself. Kids will love following this little colt through his first two years of life in this very young nonfiction Pictureback that’s simple and fun enough to be read as a story. Young horse enthusiasts will especially appreciate the horse vocabulary and care information.

Describes the physical characteristics, hunting and feeding behavior, habitat, life cycle, methods of communication, and endangered status of alligators.

Queen Amidala''s handmaidens are trained to protect her if she is in danger. But Queen Amidala wants to learn to defend herself. She joins the training disguised as Padmé so her handmaidens won''t worry. Can she handle the training? Read this colorful fully-illustrated beginner reader and find out!

Harry Houdini was a great escape artist, but perhaps his greatest trick was becoming the famous magician that we have come to know. As a child, Houdini worked hard--and even quit school--to help support his family. But his dream always was to become a great magician and performer. He practiced day and night, thinking up new tricks and more and more dangerous stunts. His intense ambition paid off, and soon Harry Houdini became known worldwide! This kid-appealing Step 3 traces Houdini''s life from his poor beginnings to his eventual success as the most famous mystical magician and escape artist of all time.

Edgar Badger and his best friend Duncan Bear have a squabble when they go on a fishing trip.