In 1933, at the age of four, Anne Frank and her family fled from the Nazis in Germany and sought safe haven in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In 1940, when the Germans invaded the Netherlands, the Frank family once again feared for their lives. Like tens of thousands of Dutch Jews, the Franks went into hiding. They lived in several hidden rooms -- known as the "Secret Annex" -- above Mr. Frank's office building. It was there that Anne wrote her now-famous diary.

The Franks lived in hiding for two years before they were discovered and sent to Auschwitz, the most well-known and feared concentration camp. Anne Frank gave a human face to the victims of the Holocaust and a courageous voice to all those who were silenced.

Though Anne Frank only lived to the age of fifteen, her inspirational childhood is perhaps the best known in history....

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In 1831, young adventurer and nature enthusiast Charles Darwin set sail on a remarkable five-year voyage that changed the study of biology forever.

In this fascinating new book, award-winning author Ruth Ashby shares the story of Darwin s famous journey aboard the British navy ship, the Beagle<\i>, which led to the development of his theories of evolution and natural selection. Ashby s lively account follows the naturalist s exciting trip around the world through seasickness, a life-threatening illness, and even an earthquake as he explores South America, the Cape Verde Islands, Tahiti, and the Galapagos Islands. During his travels, Darwin meets indigenous peoples and carefully collects and catalogs plants, fossils, birds, mammals, and insects. Darwin s observations of the distribution and diversity of plant and animal life ultimately leads to the development of his theories on evolution and the publication of ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES in 1859.

Readers will be inspired by Darwin s transformation from talented but mediocre schoolboy into a remarkable scientist as they read about the revolutionary voyage that forever changed the world of biology....

Long ago, when hardly anyone knew how to read or write, people recited stories by heart. They sat around the hearth at night, telling of heroes and monsters, great battles fought, and fortunes made and lost. On feast days, they passed the harp around the room so that everyone could sing a poem. But when the harp reached Caedmon, his thoughts dried up. He opened his mouth and nothing at all came out. It was embarrassing. No wonder he hated poetry.

A quiet man who loved tending his cows, Caedmon couldn’t recite poetry because he thought he had no stories to tell. Then after one especially upsetting experience, Caedmon stormed home, fell asleep in the barn, and began to dream. That night, everything changed for Caedmon . . .

With jovial, heartwarming illustrations and beautifully illuminated letters, this tale is based on the true story of Caedmon, the seventh-century cowherd who became known as the first English poet....