This title focuses on the creation and impact of the Emancipation Proclamation, including its historical context and how it altered the course of the war. Critical thinking questions and two "Voices from the Past" special features help readers understand and analyze the various views people held at the time.

Captain Wilm Hosenfeld was an ardent admirer of Adolf Hitler, but after witnessing Nazi brutality, he was moved to become a rescuer. Hosenfeld's heroism was not known outside Poland until The Pianist, a best-selling book later made into an Academy Award winning movie, revealed an amazing man whose compassion for Poles and Jews saved more than 80 people.

Winner of the 2012 Batchelder Award Based on a real series of events that happened during World War II, Soldier Bear tells the story of an orphaned bear cub adopted by a group of Polish soldiers in Iran. The soldiers raise the bear and eventually enlist him as a soldier to ensure that he stays with the company. He travels with them from Iran to Italy, and then on to Scotland. Voytek's mischief gets him into trouble along with way, but he also provides some unexpected encouragement for the soldiers amidst the reality of war: Voytek learns to carry bombs for the company, saves the camp from a spy, and keeps them constantly entertained with his antics.Always powerful and surprising, Bibi Dumon Tak's story offers readers a glimpse at this fascinating piece of history.

World War II soldier Bill Wynne met Smoky while serving in New Guinea, where the dog, who was smaller than Wynne's army boot, was found trying to scratch her way out of a foxhole. After he adopted her, she served as the squadron mascot and is credited as being the first therapy dog for the emotional support she provided the soldiers. When they weren't fighting, Bill taught Smoky hundreds of tricks to entertain the troops. Smoky became a war hero herself at an airstrip in Luzon, the Philippines, where she helped save forty airplanes and hundreds of soldiers from imminent attack. After the war, Bill worked as a Hollywood animal trainer and then returned to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. He and Smoky continued to perform their act, even getting their own TV show, How to Train Your Dog with Bill Wynne and Smoky. Nancy Roe Pimm presents Bill and Smoky's story to middle-grade readers in delightful prose coupled with rich archival illustrations. Children will love learning about World War II from an unusual perspective, witnessing the power of the bond between a soldier and his dog, and seeing how that bond continued through the exciting years following the war.

This book gives an exciting overview of the Green Berets, from when this special force first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.

This title focuses on John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, guiding readers through its historical context, goals, and legacy. Critical thinking questions and two "Voices from the Past" special features help readers understand and analyze the various views people held at the time.

The Second World War in 1939 meant that everyone in Britain helped out. The ATA girls flew planes. This is their story. Awesome ATAs is a book-banded reading book for developing readers, carefully levelled at Blue Book Band for guided reading. Illustrated throughout with beautiful photographs, this non-fiction title is suitable for struggling teen and adult readers. Awesome ATAs features a longer, less structured text with a more flexible vocabulary. There is variation in sentence patterns and content, little repetition, and longer language patterns. It has a full range of punctuation. Awesome ATAs is part of Ransom's Neutron Stars, a structured reading programme for teens and adults learning the basics of reading. The series offers progression through ten levels of reading, four phonics and six coloured book bands. More information on the structure of the scheme can be found here.

'I am a sky diver. I am in the Red Devils.' Jump out of an aircraft and fall 10,000 feet without a parachute. You'll be falling at 120 miles per hour. After that, you can try the 'chain of death'. Have you got what it takes? This is life at the edge. This new edition of Sky Dive, now introduces more difficult words and fuller sentences to make it ideal for children reading at the Purple Book Band level. Sky Dive is part of the 321 Go! series, a non-fiction series which cover heart-in-the-mouth, jaw-droppingly exciting experiences! Using real-life photographs and comic-format speech bubbles, the book is narrated by expert sky-diver. You couldn't get closer to the action! This is the perfect read for beginning and struggling readers who want something much more visual to develop their literacy skills.

'I am flying at 1,200 miles per hour. This is the best fighter aircraft in the world.' Take a test flight in the F-22 Raptor. Find out why they say 'First look, first shot, first kill.' Have you got what it takes? This is life at the edge. This new edition of Drag Race, now introduces more difficult words and fuller sentences to make it ideal for children reading at the Gold Book Band level. Drag Race is part of the 321 Go! series, a non-fiction series which cover heart-in-the-mouth, jaw-droppingly exciting experiences! Using real-life photographs and comic-format speech bubbles, the book is narrated by a real drag-racing driver. You couldn't get closer to the action! This is the perfect read for beginning and struggling readers who want something much more visual to develop their literacy skills.

'Hi! My name is Nigel Hook. I race powerboats.' Join the crew for a P1 Evolution powerboat Grand Prix. It's an 80 mile race at more than 110 miles an hour. The boat is three times more powerful than a Ferrari. Have you got what it takes? This is life at the edge. This new edition of Powerboat Race, now introduces more difficult words and fuller sentences to make it ideal for children reading at the Purple Book Band level. Powerboat Race is part of the 321 Go! series, a non-fiction series which cover heart-in-the-mouth, jaw-droppingly exciting experiences! Using real-life photographs and comic-format speech bubbles, the book is narrated by a powerboat racing world champion. You couldn't get closer to the action! This is the perfect read for beginning and struggling readers who want something much more visual to develop their literacy skills.

'Today is flight day. Today we go into space.' How does it feel to orbit the Earth at more than 17,000 miles per hour? Join the crew of the Space Shuttle on a trip you won't forget. Have you got what it takes? This is life at the edge. This new edition of Astronaut, now introduces more difficult words and fuller sentences to make it ideal for children reading at the Gold Book Band level. Astronaut is part of the 321 Go! series, a non-fiction series which cover heart-in-the-mouth, jaw-droppingly exciting experiences! Using real-life photographs and comic-format speech bubbles, the book is narrated by a real astronaut. You couldn't get closer to the action! This is the perfect read for beginning and struggling readers who want something much more visual to develop their literacy skills.

n the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, an armada of 7,000 ships carrying 160,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Nazi-occupied France. Up until then the Allied forces had suffered serious defeats, yet D -Day, as the invasion was called, spelled the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany and the Third Reich.

Readers will dive into the heart of the action and discover how it was planned and carried out and how it overwhelmed the Germans who had been tricked into thinking the attack would take place elsewhere.

D-Day was a major turning point in World War II and hailed as one of the greatest military attacks of all time.

This title focuses on the Battle of Gettysburg and the Siege of Vicksburg, helping readers understand how these two events altered the course of the war. Critical thinking questions and two "Voices from the Past" special features help readers understand and analyze the various views people held at the time.

At the outset of World War II, Denmark did not resist German occupation. Deeply ashamed of his nation's leaders, fifteen-year-old Knud Pedersen resolved with his brother and a handful of schoolmates to take action against the Nazis if the adults would not. Naming their secret club after the fiery British leader, the young patriots in the Churchill Club committed countless acts of sabotage, infuriating the Germans, who eventually had the boys tracked down and arrested. But their efforts were not in vain: the boys' exploits and eventual imprisonment helped spark a full-blown Danish resistance. Interweaving his own narrative with the recollections of Knud himself, here is Phil Hoose's inspiring story of these young war heroes.

During World War II, a young Japanese-American boy and his family are sent to an internment camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Despondent in their desolate surroundings, father and son pull the camp together to build a baseball diamond and form a league.

This title focuses on the leaders, beliefs, and events that led to the creation of the Confederate States of America. Critical thinking questions and two "Voices from the Past" special features help readers understand and analyze the various views people held at the time.

Darius, son of an escaped Iranian scientist, is a pupil at an exclusive Swiss school, but his father's former bosses want him back and have no regard for the boy's LIFE or his FREEDOM. The Special Forces Cadets are sent to PROTECT Darius. When the assassins launch a DEADLY ATTACK, their only escape is into the mountains. Pursued by their enemies, can the cadets triumph and SURVIVE the deadly natural HAZARDS of the alpine winter?

This title focuses on Sherman's March to the Sea, guiding readers through its historical context, goals, and impact on military strategy. Critical thinking questions and two "Voices from the Past" special features help readers understand and analyze the various views people held at the time.

This title focuses on the hardships and opportunities experienced by black Americans during the Civil War, especially those who fought for the Union. Critical thinking questions and two "Voices from the Past" special features help readers understand and analyze the various views people held at the time.

This book describes the key events that took place on the Western Front during World War II, including the Axis advance, the liberation of France, and the invasion of Germany. In addition to historic photos, this book includes a table of contents, two infographics, critical thinking questions, two "A Closer Look" special features, a reading comprehension quiz, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. This Focus Readers title is at the Voyager level, aligned to reading levels of grades 5-6 and interest levels of grades 5-9.

This book gives an exciting overview of the US Coast Guard, from when it first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.

This fascinating title sets the world scene in the two decades between the end of World War I and the start of World War II. Readers will get a snapshot of the political and economic situations around the world. Most countries experienced booming economies following WWI. But Germany, punished under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, suffered under great hardship. With the stock market crash in 1929 and the Great Depression that followed, the world found itself moving again toward war. Find out how the humiliation and poverty of the German people led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party - and a second world war.

The life story of this World War II Navajo Code Talker introduces middle-grade readers to an unforgettable person and offers a close perspective on aspects of Navajo (or Dine) history and culture. Thomas H. Begay was one of the young Navajo men who, during World War II, invented and used a secret, unbreakable communications code based on their native Dine language to help win the war in the Pacific. Although the book includes anecdotes from other code talkers, its central narrative revolves around Begay. It tells his story, from his birth near the Navajo reservation, his childhood spent herding sheep, his adolescence in federally mandated boarding schools, and ultimately, his decision to enlist in the US Marine Corps. Alysa Landry relies heavily on interviews with Begay, who, as of this writing, is in his late nineties and one of only three surviving code talkers. Begay's own voice and sense of humor make this book particularly significant in that it is the only Code Talker biography for young readers told from a soldier's perspective. Begay was involved with the book every step of the way, granting Landry unlimited access to his military documents, personal photos, and oral history. Additionally, Begay's family contributed by reading and fact-checking the manuscript. This truly is a unique collaborative project.