Books with author Catherine Ham

As a kid, I loved history. But whenever a history book started a boring dive into the economy, class structure, and archaeological finds of this or that era, I turned off my flashlight and went to sleep.Kids like stories. Whether these are stories of heroism in scary wars, or of the wisdom and intrigue of ancient kings and rebels, or of the sudden turns of fate that befall fortune-seekers, kids are always fascinated by a story with a plot. They learn from stories, not from dense paragraphs about the phases of the Bronze age, the location of trade routes, or the injustices of the social order here and there. I discovered that my kid remembers minute details of Greek mythology - which is a story-based narrative - and can't recall any cities of Ancient Greece, or any historical figures after reading non-fiction on the subject. To him, Ancient Greece is Odysseus and the Sirens. Because that's a memorable story, while the development of agricultural tools is not.This book follows the old-fashioned, story-based, traditional route of teaching history - through the stories of heroes and kings, with no tribute paid to modern economic and social perspectives. If my kid remembers who Solon was because he recalls a couple funny anecdotes about him, I know he will put two and two together when he is studying the agricultural subsistence economy of that era down the road in Social Studies. But if he knows all about the injustices of slavery in Ancient Greece and doesn't know who Themistocles was, he will grow up lacking in cultural education. Culture is memes. And that means historical figures, and anecdotes about them. The suggested reader age for this book is 8 to 14 years old. To write this book, I went back to Herodotus, Plutarch, Diogenes Laertius, and other ancient sources of biographical anecdotes, and extracted from them the stories that will be most memorable to a modern kid. I retold them without adding any fictional color. I have omitted some things, however. Anything gruesome or seriously cruel is not included. Anything off-color, or outside traditional-family-friendly morality is not included. I have included only accounts of the most major battles, and without much detail. Battles are important, but as a kid - maybe as a girl - I was falling asleep over the ancient battles. Politics: Again, I have included only major turns of events.I wove the information about the social order and geography of Ancient Greece into the stories of the era's historical figures. So, no worries, the kid will learn about the Agora and Acropolis of Athens, the city-states of Corinth and Sparta, daily life in an Ancient Greek household, the major Greek temples, and the three orders of Ancient Greek architecture.vThis book is richly illustrated. I don't agree that if you are 13 or 16 you should be content with pages and pages of text and no pictures. Illustrations help both kids and grownups to visualize - and therefore to remember - events and descriptions. I have illustrated the book mostly with paintings portraying historical figures or everyday life in classical Greece. Whenever I could, I chose late 19th century and early 20th century art over the older neoclassical paintings for a more accurate representation of the Ancient Greek costume and environment. I added some photos of the sculpture, artifacts, and architectural monuments of Ancient Greece.Important: I have selected illustrations with absolutely no nudity, so it's safe to take this book to school!Here is a list of the historical figures included in this book: Homer, Aesop, Drakon, Solon, Croesus, Pythagoras, Pheidippides, Leonidas, Themistocles, Pericles, Phidias, Socrates, Aspasia, Hippocrates, Alexander the Great, Diogenes, Plato, Herostratus, Aristotle, Archimedes.

Brooke has major boy problems—from her brothers to her crush to her horse—in this sixth book in a contemporary middle grade series in the tradition of Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague.Boys + ponies = trouble. Lots of it. Brooke’s parents force Brooke to share Foxy with her little brothers and Brooke is none too happy. But she is happy that her friend Adam has been hanging around more again. She even lets him talk her into entering Foxy in a local show. But it doesn’t help that the twins riding Foxy so much lately is making the pony backslide in her training and act up a bit. And then: disaster! Adam backs out of attending the show, and Brooke almost backs out as well when Foxy throws her off for the first time ever! Will Brooke give up on riding for good?

In this high contrast board book, playful images of friendly animals hop and splash, tweet and purr in captivating, contrasting black and white illustrations that will engage babies and toddlers and make this a favorite read-aloud book for young readers. Hip, Hip is a fun way to encourage language and vocabulary development while sharing a book with your child!

How can she rule a kingdom, when the kingdom rules her every move?Rani is heir to a kingdom where human touch is outlawed. Surrounded by a harsh desert and ruled by a vicious Board, every twenty-eight turns of the sand, the women must submit to a siring to save the declining population. Rani has no say in any of this, forced to comply or be released into the desert and left to die.But Aarow knows there’s another way to live. That touch is no longer deadly. That it’s time to break down generations of fear. All they need to do is start a revolution…As love sparks in the hot desert sands, Rani and Aarow will need to unite and lead a battle to set the people free. Free to live the life they choose, free to raise their own children and free to place their hands on the people they love.Read this series in order or dive in at any book! Each story stands alone but interconnects with the others.With a story that will set your heart ablaze, the third book in the spellbinding The Kingdoms of Evernow series is a must-read by award-winning author, Heidi Catherine. Get your copy now! FREE on Kindle Unlimited.

In this high contrast board book, playful images of friendly animals hop and splash, tweet and purr in captivating, contrasting black and white illustrations that will engage babies and toddlers and make this a favorite read-aloud book for young readers. Hip, Hip is a fun way to encourage language and vocabulary development while sharing a book with your child!

How does a deer mouse make a thimble? Which bird is a backyard acrobat? What makes a firefly glow? Worms and squirrels, deer and little brown bats: Creatures in every part of your backyard, from under the ground to up in the trees, come to life in Backyard Wilderness. Whether your backyard is 50 acres in the country or 500 square feet in the city, it is a wilderness for you to explore. You may have seen birds and butterflies, squirrels and spiders, but there is probably a whole lot more going on that you have never seen or thought about! In this book you will learn about a variety of creatures that may live in your backyard wilderness. Many of the kinds of animals we show here—from mammals to insects—occur throughout much of North America. If a certain species does not live in your area, a similar one probably does. For example, if an eastern cottontail doesn’t live where you do, perhaps a desert cottontail does instead. Be creative as you seek the creatures around you.

In this high contrast board book, playful images of friendly animals hop and splash, tweet and purr in captivating, contrasting black and white illustrations that will engage babies and toddlers and make this a favorite read-aloud book for young readers. Hip, Hip is a fun way to encourage language and vocabulary development while sharing a book with your child!

Playful puppies! Cuddly kittens! Beautiful birds! In the next book in the hit Little Kids First Big Book series, readers learn all about pets with fur, feathers, fins, scales, and shells--and how to find and care for the perfect pet for their family.From cats to dogs to guinea pigs to birds to fish to snakes and more, this adorable reference book introduces kids to a wide variety of family-friendly pets. Readers learn which kinds of animals make good pets and which ones are better off staying in the wild, along with how each type of pet eats, sleeps, and plays. Packed with more than 200 colorful photos, the book also provides information on animal breeds, characteristics, and behavior and includes tips for training pets. Filled with fun facts and designed for interactive learning, this book will quickly become a favorite at storytime, bedtime, and any time.