The influenza epidemic in 1918 killed more people than World War I. Read this book to learn more about the history of this infectious disease.

The bubonic plague is a disease spread by fleas that live on rats. Outbreaks of the disease killed millions of people. Read this book to learn more about the history of this infectious disease.

In May 1939, nearly one thousand German-Jewish passengers boarded the M.S. St. Louis luxury liner bound for Cuba. They hoped to escape the dangers of Nazi Germany and find safety in Cuba. In this novel in verse, twelve-year-old Ruthie Arons is one of the refugees, traveling with her parents. Ruthie misses her grandmother, who had to stay behind in Breslau, and worries when her father keeps asking for his stomach pills. But when the ship is not allowed to dock in Havana as planned—...

Heroes lead, inspire, and perform memorable acts that shape the lives of others. In the pages of this book, readers will learn the stories behind Kearny's heroes--the people whose contributions made Kearny into the thriving, diverse community it is today. Ed Karolasz gave his life for his country during the war in Iraq. Councilman Norman Doyle helped a young girl get the medical attention she needed. College student Gabriela Salvador restores historic costumes for the town museum. Real est...

Even at the age of nine, little Golda Meir was known for being a leader. As the president of the American Young Sisters Society, she organizes her friends to raise money to buy textbooks for immigrant classmates. A glimpse at the early life of Israel's first female prime minister, who was born in Russia and grew up in Milwaukee, this story is based on a true episode in the early life of Golda Meir.

Harriet Tubman has become perhaps the most well-known African American in American history. Readers will learn about how the determined Tubman made her own destiny, using the Underground Railroad to return to the South nineteen times to bring her family and hundreds of others to safety. This lively text describes the intense physical hardships she faced, as well as the constant threat of capture, as she fought for freedom, gave speeches, and worked as a Civil War nurse, cook, and spy.

What do you do when your best friend becomes the enemy?Growing up in Newark, NJ, in the 1930s, Tommy Anspach and Benjy Puterman have always done everything together. It never mattered that Benjy was Jewish and Tommy was of German descent. But as Adolph Hitler and his Nazi party comes to power in Germany and war brews in Europe, everything changes. Tommy is sent to Camp Nordland, a Nazi youth camp for German Americans, where he quickly learns that Jews are the enemy...

Ships, bridges, and tall buildings are marvels of engineering. They are designed to be strong and safe. But even state-of-the-art designs don't always hold up in the real world. Learn about the biggest engineering goofs throughout history—from bridges that collapsed to ships that sank. Discover how engineering mistakes have also led to improvements, such as stricter building regulations and the use of sturdier materials.

Convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage for the Soviet Union against the United States, Ethel Rosenberg shares the story of her beliefs, loves, secrets, betrayals, and injustices in this compelling YA novel in verse.In 1953, Ethel Rosenberg, a devoted wife and loving mother, faces the electric chair. People say she’s a spy, a Communist, a red. How did she get here? In a series of heart-wrenching poems, Ethel tells her story. The child of Jewish immigrants, Ethe...

Science is all about the pursuit of knowledge. But sometimes that pursuit leads scientists down the wrong path, and things can go spectacularly wrong! Learn about some of the biggest fails in the history of science, from scientists accidentally poisoning themselves to accidentally poisoning the environment. Nuclear meltdowns, a space telescope that didn't work, and fake science all help illustrate how scientists sometimes fail and how they learn from their missteps.

Without inventors, we wouldn't have cars, airplanes, or light bulbs. Inventors build devices that make our lives better. But not all inventions succeed. In fact, the history of inventions is filled with missteps and blunders. Learn about the biggest goofs—from flying cars to Smell-O-Vision. Discover how invention mistakes have also led to brand-new products, such as Bubble Wrap and sticky notes.

Explore some of history's biggest failures in medicine—from bloodletting to early remedies—and how some of those failures eventually led to success.