Books with author Burgan Michael

The world's great powers have all been swept up in the first global war. Spying on the enemy can provide information that might be useful for your country’s war effort. The work is dangerous but exciting. Will you: Offer your services to the German intelligence agency as an English-speaking spy? Work as an Allied female spy in German-occupied Belgium? Be sent to Russia as a member of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service? You Choose offers multiple perspectives on history, supporting Common Core reading standards and providing readers a front-row seat to the past.

As a young boy, Thomas Alva Edison was fascinated with technology and chemical experiments. Later, his attempt to improve the telegraph led to his first creation, the phonograph, that set the stage for his life of discovery and invention. His incandescent light bulb made him a popular hero, and many dubbed him the Wizard of Menlo Park. Driven by his curiosity and desire to make life easier for everyone, Edison ended up changing the world.

President Theodore Roosevelt called Jacob Riis "the best American I ever knew." The pioneering photojournalist, an immigrant from Denmark, drew attention to the poverty and evils of slum life in the late 1800s. Riis won national acclaim when his photos illustrated his bestselling book How the Other Half Lives. The book focused on the difficult time immigrants faced as thousands of newcomers flooded into the United States each year. Riis called for reform and hoped to prod government officials to help the poor people who were forced to live under horrible conditions. The impact of Riis' photos came from capturing the poor and homeless as they lived and worked, with the subjects' eyes often staring directly into the camera. The great photographer Ansel Adams called them "magnificent achievements in the field of humanistic photography." But the reforms that came from Riis' work have not eliminated urban poverty and homelessness, and important work remains to be done.

The story behind two battles collectively known as the Battle of Saratoga makes an unforgettable tale, yet it's unfamiliar to many people. These battles are considered the turning point of the American Revolution. They halted Britain's southern advance and convinced France to provide invaluable military support and monetary aid to the American cause. Without victories in Saratoga, the American struggle for liberty may have fallen apart.

Robert Hooke is best known for his studies of light, sound, and microscopic beings. Sometimes called England’s Leonardo da Vinci, Hooke’s works included detailed drawings and descriptions of his observations of nature, and he was a creative genius and inventor. Although Hooke had enemies who felt that he did not deserve credit for his experiments, he never stopped working and studying. Robert Hooke devoted his life to learning more about the modern world, and many of his findings are used today.

DK Biography: Ronald Reagan tells the story of the 40th president of the United States, including his boyhood in Illinois, his successful career as a Hollywood actor, his tenure as governor of California, and his two terms in the Oval Office. Along the way, it examines his vision, his strengths and weaknesses, and his enduring legacy as an American icon. Featuring detailed sidebars, handy vocabulary boxes, and a visual timeline, DK's Biography series is perfect for book reports or anytime reading. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

An in-depth look at the third smallest state.A True Book: My United States series allows readers to experience what makes each of the fifty state distinctive and exceptional. Readers will get to know each states' history, geography, wildlife and future outlook. This series includes an age appropriate (grades 3-5) introduction to curriculum-relevant subjects and a robust resource section that encourages independent study.As the third-smallest state in the country, Connecticut is not very big. However, it is packed with just about every kind of natural beauty you can imagine. Readers will tour the entire state as they find out what it is like to live there. They will also learn how Connecticut is governed, what role it has played in U.S. history, what kinds of traditions the state's people celebrate, and more.

My First Bible Storybook brings 72 of the best-loved Bible stories to life for the very young. Staying close and faithful to the Bible text itself, the stories are presented in a way young listeners and readers will find easy to understand and enjoy. My First Bible Storybook is a great introduction to God's wonderful Word for children and families to treasure. The fun colorful illustrations make this a wonderful visually appealing presentation for children as young as 2 years of age. My First Bible Storybook also comes in a bilingual edition featuring both English and Spanish on the same page.

Believe it or not, New York's past was as wild, exciting, and contentious as its present. It's hard to imagine now that New York City was once a wilderness, but Manhattan takes its name from an Algonquian Indian word meaning "hilly island." Henry Hudson's haul of fine furs convinced the Dutch to establish their colony at the gateway to the New World, and the island was bought from the Native Americans.Once settled, New York soon became the crucible of commerce in America, and the steely spirit of New Yorkers was forged fast. The narrative of New York has been marked ever since with the spirit of its inhabitants' fierce independence and individuality.National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

The story behind two battles collectively known as the Battle of Saratoga makes an unforgettable tale, yet it's unfamiliar to many people. These battles are considered the turning point of the American Revolution. They halted Britain's southern advance and convinced France to provide invaluable military support and monetary aid to the American cause. Without victories in Saratoga, the American struggle for liberty may have fallen apart.