Books with author Catherine Cates

Each heartbeat leads Joss closer to a shocking truth that will change everything.Joss Olstad wins the fight to switch from her private school to a public high to “find her pieces” she lost when the Indian artist father she never knew died. There, Joss struggles with a slutty friend, who flirts with her new love; Indian Culture Club girls who press her on her past, as well as her stoner mother’s lies back at home. Armed only with her handmade heart boxes that hold private messages, Joss’s search for identity leads her to a scary industrial section of Queens, and a shocking family secret that changes everything.

our kid has fallen in love with unicorns - great! Capitalize on this lucky turn of events to introduce your young unicorn lover to the major eras of European history all through the lens of what people knew about unicorns in ancient times, in the Dark Ages, Middle Ages, Renaissance, and the Age of Reason. Yes, it's all real history, with dates, origins of every unicorn legend, pictures from dusty medieval manuscripts, pages from old science books, historical unicorn paintings, and more. This book is not for unicorn sceptics.It is written from the standpoint of truths about unicorns that every kid knows and every grownup forgets. As kids we are well aware what unicorns look like. We know that they are gentle, noble in spirit and always ready to offer you their support and friendship. But when we grow up, short of becoming outright unicorn deniers, we behave like we've never seen a unicorn! And that's the problem with many historical anecdotes and legends about unicorns, as well as supposedly factual sources, such as medieval bestiaries or reports by Ctesias, Pliny the Elder, Albertus Magnus and others, where a unicorn is mixed up with a donkey, or a goat, or a rhinoceros, or portrayed as a ferocious forest bully constantly chasing elephants and lions.So, as we present all these historical sources to our young reader, we don't hesitate to point out blatant mistakes and glaring omissions in their narratives. We practice our critical thinking!Along with history materials, the book features comic-book-style pages reasserting our firm belief in unicorns and making fun of grownups so lost in their unicorn denial.Of course, along with misconceptions and fictional reports, European history offers inspiring material for unicorn lovers.Many great men - from Julius Caesar to Leibniz - believed in unicorns. There are some striking legends about them. Did you know that it was a unicorn who saved India from Genghis Khan's invasion? In Christian writings of the Dark and Middle Ages the unicorn became a symbol of Christ, and as Christian influence elevated the ethical code and the status of women through charity, chivalry, and courtly love, the unicorn also became a symbol of loyalty in marriage and selfless love. It's not hard at all to narrate this cultural history of unicorns in a language accessible to 2nd graders and up. Our kids' love for unicorns opens a unique door for learning history, and discussing our heritage and values - with respect and a healthy dose of humor.

This book closely follows the gospel stories of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection from the Annunciation through Pentecost. It has the dual goal of introducing young readers to the gospel narratives and teaching them to appreciate and interpret works of art portraying gospel-based stories and allegories. The heritage of Christian art is a vital part of the history of Europe and the Western world. Whether our families are Christian, non-Christian, or secular, our cultural education is incomplete without a knowledge and appreciation of art inspired by Christian concepts and symbolism.Each mini-chapter of this book consists of two parts:1. Event NarrationEach story from Jesus' life is narrated, directly quoting newer, easy-to-read gospel translations and partially summarizing events to keep the narration compact. The narration carefully avoids any "preachy" or interpretative elements suggesting this or that theological or denominational angle. 2. Illustrations and Art CommentaryEach event is illustrated with one or two paintings - great works of European art from the Middle Ages through the 19th century. The Art Commentary section - draws the attention of a young reader to the stylistic features of each painting, - teaches them to spot Christian symbolism and interpret the emotions of characters,- presents glimpses of art history and teaches the reader to recognize historical art styles, such as medieval Gothic art, Renaissance, Mannerist, Baroque, Academic, Pre-Raphaelite, and realistic art styles.The reading level of this book is about age 9 and up. Whenever the narration includes any theological terms (such as Annunciation, Ascension, Messiah) or art terms (such as foreground, perspective, composition) I provide a definition.

In Victorian London at the height of the industrial revolution, Horatio Lyle is a former Special Constable with a passion for science and invention. He's also an occasional, but reluctant, sleuth. The truth is that he'd rather be in his lab tinkering with dangerous chemicals and odd machinery than running around the cobbled streets of London trying to track down stolen goods. But when Her Majesty's Government calls, Horatio swaps his microscope for a magnifying glass, fills his pockets with things that explode and sallies forth to unravel a mystery of a singularly extraordinary nature.Thrown together with a reformed (i.e. 'caught') pickpocket called Tess, and a rebellious (within reason) young gentleman called Thomas, Lyle and his faithful hound, Tate, find themselves pursuing an ancient Chinese plate, a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of polite society and a dangerous enemy who may not even be human. Solving the crime will be hard enough - surviving would be a bonus...

It is midnight on Midsummer's Eve and Miranda's nightlight has gone out. She climbs on her rocking horse and makes a wish... And so begins a magical midnight journey with the great white owl, the little red hare, the big white bear, and the giant stag, all the way to the Tree of Constellations, where Miranda plucks one small star. The great white goose takes her safely home, where now the night light glimmers, star-like, as Miranda sleeps. A mysterious, magical picture book with beautiful, dreamlike illustrations.

This is activity material for ages 8 and up, and a book for independent reading with the core vocabulary at 2nd-3rd grade level (US), or around reading level 4. When I was in the 3rd grade, I found in our attic an old British tabloid with a spread laying out the basics of palmistry, or palm reading. I promptly learned the 2 pages by heart, and the next day in school my meteoric rise to popularity began. Friends and foes, and their grandmas lined up to have their palms read. While my family humorously dismissed my new-found talent, some kids and family friends were in awe and authentically grateful. Fast forward some decades: I didn't become a fortune teller, and have never even visited a "psychic," but those 2 magazine pages gave me something that lasted beyond a few months of fortune-telling stardom. It was my first experience of learning a knowledge system on my own, and applying it in real life. It was also the first time I was thinking on my own about people's psychological and behavioral traits and comparing my observations with the interpretations drawn from that system.Later I invested time into studying palmistry for real, with Indian palmists, and comparing it with the Western system. It was purely a hobby: I have never used this art as a basis for any real-life decisions, or practiced it as a commercial pursuit. Recently it occurred to me that my son and any kid - boy or girl - may enjoy playing with the palmistry system, and may be able to reap the same benefits I did as a child. Afte r all, quite randomly, I ended up having an expert-level training in something I don't use: I'd better share it before I forget everything!This book is based on the actual traditional Indian system of palmistry. I have not added anything from outside that system. My only contributions are: - avoiding any gloom and doom in the interpretations of the lines and signs; - avoiding any references to class or social status, as well as any fixation on 'wealth'; - avoiding any grownup content if you know what I mean; - focusing on empowering content - such as finding and growing your talents, developing self-confidence, making good choices, and so on. I don't offer any judgement regarding whether palmistry works or not - it's up to my readers to decide! My readers and I make sure we respect both those who believe in esoteric arts (as long as they are not charlatans), and those who don't. We don't laugh at other people's beliefs. The way I present the palmistry system is straightforward, with no unnecessary humor or simplification, just like I would teach an adult (so as an adult you may enjoy it too!) We'll start by drawing a strong line between the fortune-telling activity of modern-day psychics/clairvoyants (we'll learn a new word - 'charlatans'!) and the traditional system of palmistry with a history going back thousands of years to ancient India. Then I will lay out the theory, and we'll practice using my hand, and then the hands of my best friend Katie, and of my son Eric. Along the way we'll learn a few random facts from history, culture, and mythology. Here are the benefits of playing with this book: • It's an activity that requires no toys, supplies, or guidance; • It will prompt kids to think about their own and their friends' traits of character, behavior and its consequences from a non-didactic angle - just exploring a mysterious ancient art rather than being told what behavior works and what doesn't; • It can help a kid learn about the talents, careers and achievements of family members and friends; • It will help kids develop critical thinking in distinguishing real expertise from charlatanism, and learn their family's position on esoteric arts; • It may boost a kid's social popularity, just as it did mine!

Summer is supposed to be a time for sun, friends, and independence . . . but for two teenage girls in this bind-up of two irresistibly romantic novels it's also the season for drama. Between new friends, demanding bosses, and potential first loves, it's sure to be a summer to remember.In So Inn Love, Liza McKenzie has landed her dream job working at the Tides Inn. But fitting in with the "inn" crowd isn't always easy, especially when the hotel's cutest employee keeps sending mixed messages. . . .And in Better Latte Than Never, Peggy Fleming Farrell didn't plan to spend the summer as barista in a gas station coffee shop because she owes her parents money after crashing two cars. She is determined to make the best of a bad situation, though, and the first step to saving her summer is getting the boy she's been pining for to finally notice her. After all, at this point what does she have to lose?This bind-up features two repackaged fan-favorite novels that are sure to delight readers of Stephanie Perkins, Jennifer Echols, and, of course, Catherine Clark.

This page-turning fantasy thriller introduces Julia—a thief and spy for hire. Witchcraft may be illegal in her world, but magic still rules. “The first book in the Witch’s Child trilogy has adventure, murder, romance, intrigue, and betrayal with a 16-year-old heroine that is both fierce and flawed at the same time. Catherine Egan is an exciting new talent.” —Hypable.com Julia has the unusual ability to be . . . unseen. Not invisible, exactly. Just beyond most people’s senses. It’s a dangerous trait in a city that has banned all forms of magic and drowns witches in public Cleansings. But it’s a useful trait for a thief and a spy. And Julia has learned—crime pays. She’s being paid very well to infiltrate the grand house of Mrs. Och and report back on the odd characters who live there and the suspicious dealings that take place behind locked doors. But what Julia uncovers shakes her to the core. She certainly never imagined that the traitor in the house would turn out to be . . . her. “Egan’s debut novel sparkles. A beautifully rendered world and exquisite sense of timing ensure a page-turning experience.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “Readers will find themselves immediately immersed in the narrative and invested in the fate of Julia, who is both feisty and flawed. There is a richness to this inaugural volume of the Witch’s Child trilogy, and readers will be hard pressed to put it down.” —Booklist, starred review

In Victorian London at the height of the industrial revolution, Horatio Lyle is a former Special Constable with a passion for science and invention. He's also an occasional, but reluctant, sleuth. The truth is that he'd rather be in his lab tinkering with dangerous chemicals and odd machinery than running around the cobbled streets of London trying to track down stolen goods. But when Her Majesty's Government calls, Horatio swaps his microscope for a magnifying glass, fills his pockets with things that explode and sallies forth to unravel a mystery of a singularly extraordinary nature.Thrown together with a reformed (i.e. 'caught') pickpocket called Tess, and a rebellious (within reason) young gentleman called Thomas, Lyle and his faithful hound, Tate, find themselves pursuing an ancient Chinese plate, a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of polite society and a dangerous enemy who may not even be human. Solving the crime will be hard enough - surviving would be a bonus...

This book is fantasy-fiction-style educational activity material for the young fans of Harry Potter, Descendants, Sofia the First, and other books and films of the magic fantasy genre.Does your kid want to go to a "real" magic school, like Harry Potter and other characters of fantasy fiction? Well tell him/her: You can take a course of real magic at home, with this real magic school textbook! And luckily for you and me, I am the author of a number of textbooks written for my courses at one of the best magic schools of Middle Earth, the North Landing Academy of Magic Arts.Even though I graduated from North Landing, I'll never send my son there. The place is infested with dragons, something large is crawling in the underground vaults every time the castle floods during the full moon, and the food is not as great as fantasy fiction authors want you to think. No. My baby stays here, and I'll homeschool him in magic. So should you. If your kid is new to magic training, advise him/her to start with my Invincible Magic Book of Spells. In Star Magic we build on the ideas first introduced in Invincible Magic.The spells in this book use only safe everyday objects and substances you have at home (like milk, sugar, paper, tree leaves, rocks, etc.); absolutely no use of fire, or any ingredients or items you may not have in your kitchen at the moment (like rosewater, or sage, or a crystal ball).These spells are not based on any witchcraft, New Age, or religious lore. Any esoteric concepts mentioned in this book are introduced in the context of the history of ideas (like ancient Egyptian mythology), or popular culture (like Zodiac signs, or palm-reading). This book will help kidsdevelop imagination and engage in fantasy play, which is vital for their intellectual and emotional development;learn a few scientific facts (What causes tides?), some history (Stonehenge), brush up some geometry (horizontal-vertical, parallel-perpendicular, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional) and more.develop their interest in reading, and grow their reading fluency with an easy, 1st-2nd grade core vocabulary (reading levels 3-4).Have you ever wondered if ABRACADABRA is a real magic word? Well, once your child reads this book, they'll have a definitive answer to this question, as well as to many other questions, like:What is Ouroboros?What is the meaning of the word Zodiac?How do solstices and equinoxes happen?How to make your own sundial?Which runes did Vikings use for magic?What are the names of the stars in Orion's Belt?When was the hourglass invented?How do fortune-tellers read your palm?Which constellation is Aldebaran in?How do you make a Möbius strip?How do you say "Forever Grateful," or "Let there be light" in Latin?How to find North, South, East, and West by the sun?What is the difference between Astronomy and Astrology, Chemistry and Alchemy?Which stars were considered the most powerful in the ancient world?What's so strange about the Uffington white horse?What is the infinity sign?...And more!

In the early 19th century, the American Colonization Society was formed with the sole intent of creating a colony for free blacks and former slaves. Both blacks and whites took passionate stands either for or against this proposal. Despite the controversy, the first group of settlers landed on the west coast of Africa in 1822. They faced numerous problems arising from the unfamiliar climate, hostile encounters with the indigenous people, and the failure of other nations to recognize their independence, but they managed to build a nation, naming it Liberia, for liberty. Today, partly because of these difficult beginnings, Liberia is a country plagued by unrest. In this accessible and well-written book, award-winning author Catherine Reef presents a significant but as of yet relatively unexplored chapter in African American history. Her account is filled with excerpts from diaries and letters of the settlers and richly illustrated with period photographs and prints, many of which have never been published before. Photo gallery, endnotes, bibliography, index.