Adventures on the Ancient Silk Road by
The fabled Silk Road conjures up the sights, smells and sounds of faraway lands: great and diverse cultures separated by deserts sands or windswept mountain passes. But traveling the Silk Road took years, often through bleak and rugged country with few inhabitants. Those who set out fought off bandits, battled starvation and survived treacherous storms. Adventures introduces readers to three great historical figures: Chinese Buddhist Xuanzang’s (travels 629 – 645AD), 16-year epic journey from China to India and back is the only source of information we have for huge chunks of the history and geography of this time. His successful search for Buddhist scriptures changed the course of two great nations and he remains an enduring hero of folklore. Mongolian Genghis Khan (war travels 1201 – 1227), bred from infancy to be a warrior, brought the Mongol clans together into a fighting nation to rule the Silk Road and establish the greatest empire the world had seen. Italian merchant Marco Polo (travels 1271 – 1295) journeyed through China for 24 years. His journeys changed the way Europe saw the world beyond its borders. His book even inspired Columbus to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of China. Stunning photographs and art depicting the ancient routes and peoples bring the stories to life. Maps, sidebars and an afterword that highlights the story of the Silk Road are also featured. In the end we too come to know the lands the three travelers explored, and how they were greeted—or cheated—by the folks along the way.
The Bite of the Mango by
As a child in a small rural village in Sierra Leone, Mariatu Kamara lived peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Rumors of rebel attacks were no more than a distant worry. But when 12-year-old Mariatu set out for a neighboring village, she never arrived. Heavily armed rebel soldiers, many no older than children themselves, attacked and tortured Mariatu. During this brutal act of senseless violence they cut off both her hands. Stumbling through the countryside, Mariatu miraculously survived. The sweet taste of a mango, her first food after the attack, reaffirmed her desire to live, but the challenge of clutching the fruit in her bloodied arms reinforced the grim new reality that stood before her. With no parents or living adult to support her and living in a refugee camp, she turned to begging in the streets of Freetown. As told to her by Mariatu, journalist Susan McClelland has written the heartbreaking true story of the brutal attack, its aftermath and Mariatu's eventual arrival in Toronto where she began to pull together the pieces of her broken life with courage, astonishing resilience and hope. Now in her twenties, Mariatu Kamara has been named a UNICEF Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict; a Voices of Courage Honoree by the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children; and has established The Mariatu Foundation, which aims to offer much needed refuge to the ongoing victims of the civil war in Sierra Leone. A documentary about child victims of war, featuring Mariatu, is in the works.
Charlie: A Home Child's Life in Canada by
"The story of the 100,000 British children who came to Canada as child immigrants between 1870 and 1938 is not well known. Yet the descendants of these "Home Children" number over four million people in Canada today. The author is one of them. Charlie was her father.
Charlie is a compelling account of an English boy who is sent to an orphanage following the death of his father because his heartbroken mother is too poor to feed her children. Separated from his family, Charlie works his way out of poverty to eventually become a high-ranking member of the RCMP. Charlie's story, like many others, is an inspiring part of our Canadian heritage and will fascinate adults as well as children. Readers, especially the young, will appreciate the many period photographs that accompany Charlie's story to give them a feel for the time." -Publisher's website
Green Careers by
Now more than ever, teens need to hear a positive message about the economy, and here it is: the eco job market is BOOMING, big time, all over the world. There are jobs for conservation biologists. Jobs for wind-turbine fabricators. Jobs for environmental engineers. Jobs for eco activists. Jobs for green business experts. Jobs for oceanographers. Jobs for air-quality specialists. Jobs for meteorologists. Jobs for eco fashion designers. Jobs for organic chefs. Jobs for you get the picture! Now how about some incredible examples to get readers thinking about the possibilities? In this book, we meet inspiring, impassioned young people who love being a part of the environmental job market. Turning worm poop into multi-million-dollar empires. Flying airplanes through hurricanes. Using flowers and trees to brighten the lives of kids and ex-cons. Staring down grizzly bears in the Canadian Rockies. Saving chimps in Tanzania. And strutting their hip eco-friendly frocks on the streets of Hollywood. From the icebergs of the Arctic Ocean to the jungles of Africa, these bold eco pioneers will show readers how to help save the planet and earn a paycheck at the same time.
Guardian Angel House by
Guardian Angel Housewas a convent operated by the Sisters of Charity in Budapest that sheltered Jewish children during WWII; among them were author Kathy Clark's mother and aunt.
Journey to Mars by
"Undoubtedly, getting to Mars is not going to be easy. The voyagers will face extreme physical danger - from asteroids and massive Martian dust storms to erupting giant volcanoes. Could humans survive the Red Planet? Drawing on the latest scientific research, and delving into humankind's fascination with Mars, Jonathan Webb creates a lively picture of what a Mars expedition would be like - from life aboard a Mars habitation module, how the astronauts would explore the planet's surface, to their triumphant return to Earth." -Publisher's website
No Girls Allowed by
A female pharaoh? A woman general in the Kahn's army? A female Viking raider? No way, you say? Look again. Appearances can be deceiving ? Based on legends, poems, letters and first-hand accounts, these seven biographical tales tell of women who disguised themselves as men. From ancient Egypt through the Middle Ages to the 19th century, this historically accurate graphic treatment is perfect to transport readers back to bygone eras. The lives of these daring women were often filled with danger and the fear of discovery. However, for the sake of freedom, ambition, love or adventure, these women risked everything. No Girls Allowed brings a contemporary edge to a part of history largely untold ? until now.
Tell Me Why by
"Responding to the searching questions of a thoughtful thirteen-year-old, more than twenty-five influential, inspiring figures - including Lt-Gen. Romeo Dallaire, Robert Munsch, Marc Garneau, Lynn Johnston, Rick Hansen, and many others - have shared their wisdom, their experiences, and their convictions about how to counter suffering, cruelty, and darkness. It also profiles five amazing young people who have already found ways to help." -Editor's website
Watch This Space by
This unique and timely book introduces youth to what public space is, why it is important and how best to use it. It also underscores the need to create, preserve and protect public space. Readers will learn what makes successful public spaces work, the ins and outs of sharing and designing them, the issues surrounding teenagers in public spaces and much more. Watch This Space answers the question, Why is public space important? It's important because this space belongs to all of us.
Whispers From The Ghettos by
The stories in this book come from behind the walls and barbed wire of Europe's ghettos during the Nazi regime. We hear the voices of young boys and girls as they live with the fear that they might be deported to the death camps at any moment. Theirs are stories of courage and determination, of struggle and resistance. They speak for those who, like them, managed to survive the war. And they speak for those who did not.
The Bite of the Mango by
As a child in a small rural village in Sierra Leone, Mariatu Kamara lived peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Rumors of rebel attacks were no more than a distant worry. But when 12-year-old Mariatu set out for a neighboring village, she never arrived. Heavily armed rebel soldiers, many no older than children themselves, attacked and tortured Mariatu. During this brutal act of senseless violence they cut off both her hands. Stumbling through the countryside, Mariatu miraculously survived. The sweet taste of a mango, her first food after the attack, reaffirmed her desire to live, but the challenge of clutching the fruit in her bloodied arms reinforced the grim new reality that stood before her. With no parents or living adult to support her and living in a refugee camp, she turned to begging in the streets of Freetown. As told to her by Mariatu, journalist Susan McClelland has written the heartbreaking true story of the brutal attack, its aftermath and Mariatu's eventual arrival in Toronto where she began to pull together the pieces of her broken life with courage, astonishing resilience and hope. Now in her twenties, Mariatu Kamara has been named a UNICEF Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict; a Voices of Courage Honoree by the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children; and has established The Mariatu Foundation, which aims to offer much needed refuge to the ongoing victims of the civil war in Sierra Leone. A documentary about child victims of war, featuring Mariatu, is in the works.