"Long before Harry Potter and J. K. Rowling, there were Gandalf, Bilbo Baggins, and J. R. R. Tolkien . . . This will bring the creator to vivid life" ( Booklist).A philologist of world renown, a professor at Oxford, and the author of academic treatises, J.R.R. Tolkien was far more than a fantasy book writer. His lifelong fascination with medieval texts and languages gave him a unique vision and endless inspiration for his tales. His broad interests made po...

The Hobbit tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who goes on an adventure with the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield. Their goal is to reclaim the dwarves' treasure which was stolen by the dragon Smaug, who now lives deep in the Lonely Mountain. They will face danger and adventures beyond their wildest imagination in this classic tale!

WHEN YOU GROW up in a small town in the north woods, you have to make your own excitement. High spirits, idiocy, and showing off for the girls inspire Gary Paulsen and his friends to attempt:• Shooting waterfalls in a barrel• The first skateboarding• Breaking the world record for speed on skis by being towed behind a souped-up car, and then . . . hitting gravel• Jumping three barrels like motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel, except they only have bikes...

American Biographies Series provides descriptions and stories of people important in the history of the United States. Including the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death, the series also presents highlights of various aspects of his or her life.Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American author and journalist. His economical and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of a...

A #1 New York Times Bestseller and Winner of the Caldecott Medal about the remarkable true story of the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh.In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war.Harry Colebourn's real-life great-granddaughter tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and an even ...

Born in Missouri in 1928, Maya Angelou had a difficult childhood. Jim Crow laws segregated blacks and whites in the South. Her family life was unstable at times. But much like her poem, "Still I Rise," Angelou was able to lift herself out of her situation and flourish. She moved to California and became the first black—and first female—streetcar operator before following her interest in dance. She became a professional performer in her twenties and toured the U.S. and Europe as an opera st...

Peter Sís's remarkable biography The Pilot and the Little Prince celebrates the author of The Little Prince, one of the most beloved books in the world.Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was born in France in 1900, when airplanes were just being invented. Antoine dreamed of flying and grew up to be a pilot—and that was when his adventures began. He found a job delivering mail by plane, which had never been done before. He and his fellow pilots traveled to f...

In this fascinating, moving autobiography, Lois Lowry explores her rich history through personal photographs, memories, and recollections of her childhood. Lowry’s writing often transports readers into other worlds. Now, we have the rare opportunity to travel into a real world that is her own—her life.This new edition features a refreshed design, an introduction by New York Times best-selling author Alice Hoffman, and original material from Lois as she shares memories from ...

Revised and updated, the autobiography of the Master of Fright, RL Stine!The autobiography of RL Stine, creator of the Goosebumps series, now a motion picture in theaters October 16, 2015!Has he had a horrifying life?-Was RL Stine a SCARY kid?-Did he have a WEIRD family?-Did his friends at school think he was STRANGE?- Why does he like to TERRIFY his readers?-Where does he get the frightening ideas for his stories?All of your questions about best-selling your favor...

Meet the man who created Alice, the Mad Hatter, and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum!Lewis Carroll is the pen name of Charles L. Dodgson, a mathematician and church deacon, who taught at Oxford University. He was inspired to write his best known works, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, by one of the Dean's daughters, Alice Liddell. The books were hugely successful and brought Carroll wide acclaim, especially for the nonsen...

In 1977, when Zhongmei Lei was eleven years old, she learned that the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy was having open auditions. She'd already taken dance lessons, but everyone said a poor country girl would never get into the academy, especially without any connections in the Communist Party of the 1970s. But Zhongmei, whose name means Faithful Plum, persisted, even going on a hunger strike, until her parents agreed to allow her to go. She traveled for three days and two nights to get t...

Learn about the life events and aspirations of 10 influential Native American and First Nations writers whose novels, short stories, poems, and plays encompass the soul of Native life. The entertaining and poignant creative works of these writers will inspire young readers to continue their education and reach for their own success. Featured writers include Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur d'Alene), Louise Erdrich (Ojibwa), Joseph Bruhac (Abenaki), Tomson Highway (Cree), Joseph Boyden (Cree/M...