A concise, engaging, practical overview of children's literature that keeps the focus on the books children read. This brief introduction to children's literature genres leaves time to actually read children's books. Written on the assumption that the focus of a children's literature course should be on the actual books that children read, the authors first wrote this book in 1996 as a "textbook for people who don't like children's literature textbooks." Today it serves as an overview to shed light on the essentials of children's literature and how to use it effectively with young readers, from PreK to 8th grade. The authors use an enjoyable, conversational style to achieve their goal of providing a practical overview of children's books that offers a framework and background information, while keeping the spotlight on the books themselves.

To Hell and High Water tells the story of the quest of two brothers to conquer the extreme conditions of outback Australia, recreating the Bourke to Hungerford 'tramp' that influenced some of Australian literary legend Henry Lawson's greatest works. The book is part autobiography and part biography. It is an autobiography of the author's experiences with his brother overcoming significant obstacles to achieve his dream of walking in Lawson's footsteps. It paints a vivid picture of some of Australia's most remote country, the challenges and dangers, the heat, the distance, mosquitoes, blisters and thirst. At the same time it blends in the biography of Henry Lawson's captivating life including his marriage, struggles with alcoholism, his suicide attempt, influences upon his writing and his ideals of mateship. Extracts of Lawson's own writing have been carefully selected and woven into the narrative in a manner that draws parallels between the two experiences and offers fresh insights into his life. It is a story both of Australia's past and Australia's present-in fact a relatively little known past and present. As Henry Lawson wrote: "And in the land of Lord-knows-where- Right up and furthest out-You find a new Australia there That we know nought about." This is an opportunity for readers to find out about an Australia that they know "nought about." This book is also the story of an ordinary person achieving extraordinary things through unwavering mateship and a dogged determination never to give up.

The Book on Laughable and Disturbing Police Reports was written with the intent of the author to give a glimpse of the lighter side of law enforcement to the general public, providing a description of actual police reports based on actual incidents.