Books with author Frances Schoonmaker

It had been quiet along the Santa Fe Trail for more than a year when the Stokes Company set out for California, the Willis family among them. A reluctant traveler, young Grace Willis longs for her fortunate, safe, and comfortable life at home. Just as she is learning to negotiate life in a wagon-train, Grace is kidnapped by fellow travelers and taken into Oklahoma Territory. She must decide if she will cave in to despair or muster the courage to run away and search for her parents. Grace finds help in unlikely places. She discovers that there really is such a thing as magic, and there are some things only a child can do.

See the beauty and magic of the everyday world through the eyes of Emily Dickinson, one of America’s best-loved and most renowned poets. Flowers, birds, sunrises, sunsets, the moon, and even her own existence take on surprising meanings and colorful illustrations accompany more than thirty-five of her best-loved poems. An ideal way to introduce young readers to the marvels of prose, the Poetry for Young People series opens up the world of wonderful word images by pairing classic verses with beautiful illustrations, and by providing helpful definitions and commentary.

Children instinctively love poetry, with its appealing mixture of rhythm and rhyme. And Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, with his suspenseful narrative verse, deceptively simple structure, and powerful images of 19th-century United States, makes an especially suitable subject for the critically acclaimed Poetry for Young People series. Brilliant, specially commissioned artwork brings to life all the atmosphere, drama, and emotion of his writing including: the vital energy of "The Village Blacksmith," the urgency of "Paul Revere's Ride," and the sorrow of "The Wreck of the Hesperus." This handsome volume of Longfellow poems is now available in paperback – at a great price and with a bold new cover design – to bring the love of classic poetry to a broad new audience.

When they board the L.A. bound Santa Fe Chief in Kansas City, the Harrison kids have never heard of the Last Crystal or the magic surrounding it. Worried about their father, who has been injured in World War II, they dread a summer with their boring, old Uncle James. But before the train is half way to L.A., J.D., Mary Carol, Robert, and Grace have crossed paths with a Nazi spy and one of the four has been kidnapped. Then, without warning, they find themselves off the train, drawn into a quest for the Crystal. To get home again, they must cross two thousand miles of wilderness and find the Crystal, with nothing to guide them but their wits, each other, and an old map that only the youngest can read.Winner of 2019 Agatha Award for Best Middle Grade/Young Adult Mystery

It had been quiet along the Santa Fe Trail for more than a year when the Stokes Company set out for California, the Willis family among them. A reluctant traveler, young Grace Willis longs for her fortunate, safe, and comfortable life at home. Just as she is learning to negotiate life in a wagon-train, Grace is kidnapped by fellow travellers and taken into Oklahoma Territory. She must decide if she will cave in to despair or muster the courage to run away and search for her parents. Grace finds help in unlikely places. She discovers that there really is such a thing as magic, and there are some things only a child can do.

When they board the L.A. bound Santa Fe Chief in Kansas City, the Harrison kids have never heard of the Last Crystal or the magic surrounding it. Worried about their father, who has been injured in World War II, they dread a summer with their boring, old Uncle James. But before the train is half way to L.A., J.D., Mary Carol, Robert, and Grace have crossed paths with a Nazi spy and one of the four has been kidnapped. Then, without warning, they find themselves off the train, drawn into a quest for the Crystal. To get home again, they must cross two thousand miles of wilderness and find the Crystal, with nothing to guide them but their wits, each other, and an old map that only the youngest can read. Winner of 2019 Agatha Award for Best Middle Grade/Young Adult Mystery

When their father is critically wounded in World War II, the four Harrison children take the famous Santa Fe Chief to stay with an uncle in California. Worried about their father and less than enthusiastic about a summer with their boring uncle, the four soon discover that this is no ordinary train trip. In rushing to get off of the train, a passenger whom they have barely met asks them to deliver a message to someone they will meet at one of the train stops-a message critical to the allied effort. Then, by accident, they blunder into a private car where they meet the beautiful and mysterious Celeste. She shows an usual interest in the youngest, Grace. When the train breaks down in the desert, Celeste lures them to her car. Her plans become clear. She wants to send Grace on a quest to find a crystal holding water from the beginning of time, water set aside for the healing of the earth. Celeste says it will heal their father, but they suspect that she wants it for herself. In trying to escape her, they leap from the train only to discover themselves in the prehistoric West. Their only hope of return is to find the crystal. But to do so, they have to cross thousands of miles of wilderness. They have nothing but each other, their wits, and a map than only Grace can read.

It had been quiet along the Santa Fe Trail for more than a year when the Stokes Company set out for California, the Willis family among them. A reluctant traveler, young Grace Willis longs for her fortunate, safe, and comfortable life at home. Just as she is learning to negotiate life in a wagon-train, Grace is kidnapped by fellow travellers and taken into Oklahoma Territory. She must decide if she will cave in to despair or muster the courage to run away and search for her parents. Grace finds help in unlikely places. She discovers that there really is such a thing as magic, and there are some things only a child can do.

Now beautifully redesigned, this Poetry for Young People collection brings us into the world of Emily Dickinson, where even the most ordinary things can turn magical. In addition to a brief biography of Dickinson, more than 35 much-loved poems include “I'm nobody, who are you?” and “I started early, took my dog." Superb, yet always child-friendly, images make this a volume not to be missed.

Children instinctively love poetry, with its appealing mixture of rhythm and rhyme. And Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, with his suspenseful narrative verse, deceptively simple structure, and powerful images of 19th-century United States, makes an especially suitable subject for the critically acclaimed Poetry for Young People series. Brilliant, specially commissioned artwork brings to life all the atmosphere, drama, and emotion of his writing: the vital energy of "The Village Blacksmith," the urgency of "Paul Revere's Ride," and the sorrow of "The Wreck of the Hesperus." An opening essay tells of Longfellow's life: his childhood in Maine, his family history (the Longfellows played a major role in New England politics), his success as a professor of foreign languages, and his often-tragic personal life. More than just a biography, it reveals the inspiration for many of Longfellow's most popular works. Nearly 30 poems appear, most in their entirety, including "The Arrow and the Song," "The Rainy Day," "Woods in Winter," "The Forest Primeval" (from "Evangeline"), "Hiawatha's Childhood" (from "Song of Hiawatha"), "A Psalm of Life," and the abolitionist "The Witnesses." As always in this series, supplementary word definitions give children the knowledge they need to fully understand the poems. 48 pages (all in color), 8 1/2 x 10.

"Well-written, engaging introduction...illuminates Millay's personal history and writing...luminous, evocative watercolors...A noteworthy addition to the poetry shelf...both informs and intrigues."--Booklist. "Luminous, elegant illustrations bring these complex and insightful verses to life...all are fresh and alive and will draw readers into the book."--School Library Journal. "A good assortment of Millay's poetry."--Kirkus. "The watercolor artwork creates atmospheric settings for her words."--Publishers Weekly.