Books with author Armstrong Sperry

A journey of thousands of miles from San Francisco to the jungles of New Guinea would seem an extraordinary vacation to most boys of fourteen, but to Chad Powell it was not unusual, for his father was an ornithologist and he had joined him in many strange and he had joined him in many strange and faraway places. Now Mr. Powell was deep in the Rain Forest looking for a rare specimen of the bird of paradise and Chad was eager to be with him. Unexpected events kept Mr. Powell from meeting his son at Port Moresby, so arrangements were made for Chad to proceed to the jungle with the famed A.C.'s (Armed Constabulary", an expedition which led into high adventure among treacherous jungle passes, wild creatures and the dreaded Kuku-Kukus, a fierce tribe of wild natives. -Exerpt inside flap

In this stirring tale of a Navajo boy and his family there is plenty of action. And there are many interesting details about their daily lives--tending sheep, weaving blankets, Medicine Men and their magic, and the Night Chant which is one of the biggest of all Navajo ceremonies.' Armstrong Wells Sperry (1897-1976) was an American writer and illustrator of children's literature. His books include historical fiction and biography, often set on sailing ships, and stories of boys from Polynesia, Asia and indigenous American cultures. He is best known for his 1941 Newbery Medal-winning book Call It Courage.

CALL IT COURAGE Mafatu's name means "Stout Heart," but his people call him a coward. Ever since the sea took his mother's life and spared his own, he has lived with deep fear. And even though his father is the Great Chief of Hikueru -- an island whose seafaring people worship courage -- he is terrified, and so scorned. By the time he is fifteen years old, Mafatu can bear it no longer. He must conquer his fear alone...even if it means certain death. This classic tale of a young boy's hidden strength has been a favorite of readers of all ages since its 1940 publication -- and this handsome new edition preserves its original illustrations in all their beauty.