Books with author James Ransome

Come meet the good, the bad, and the ugly—yes, germs!There’s so much to discover about germs. Did you know that germs make your stomach growl as they break down your food? Or that they can travel the world on anything from fleas and ticks to trains and buses? Told from the perspective of Sam the Salmonella, this informative picture book introduces young readers to helpful and harmful germs, exploring their discovery; the breakout of historic diseases; the invention of pasteurization, vaccination, and penicillin; and other fascinating details about the world of microscopic organisms. A Christy Ottaviano Book

This is the story of early iron mining and manufacturing, and what remains to be seen today, in the hills that cross the northeastern border of New Jersey into New York. Centrally located in the Colonies, New Jersey was in an especially advantageous position: its waterways provided power and excellent transportation and its dense forests furnished the charcoal essential for making pig and bar iron. During the two major wars on American soil New Jersey and New York ironworks turned out badly needed supplies―among them the huge chains and booms used to block the British advance up the Hudson during the Revolution; and ordnance, made and shipped in record-breaking time, for Union troops.This is also the story of the hardy men who made this industry possible―where they came from, what their homes and company towns that grew up near each ironworks were like, how they lived, and left their mark on American history. James Ransom spent twenty-five years inspecting remains of mines (75 are described and located), furnaces and forges, dams and millraces, and other ruins closely associated with iron production in the Ramapo region. But not all was on-the-spot research. He also searched through old account books, newspapers, and records, and he has evaluated their historical importance. When word spread of his intense interest in the field, he was offered material unknown to historians―in particular, a collection of old ledgers, some dating back two hundred years, and a group of rare photographs from 1865 to 1905. From such extensive investigation, Mr. Ransom has uncovered previously unknown facts, filled in gaps, and corrected mistakes made by earlier writers on the subject.

"This deceptively simple-seeming picture book offers a clever take on sharing.Up and down! Round and round! Tom is having a blast zooming all over the neighborhood on his new red bike. But when Tom stops by Sam's house to show off his wheels, he's in for an unhappy surprise. The new bike is suddenly . . . gone. Could his best friend Sam be the culprit?"

So what if Gunner is rounder than most football players? He throws a stellar pass! When he becomes third-string quarterback on his Pee Wee Football team, he fears he won't ever get to take the field. But in the championship game his team's luck runs out, and it is up to Gunner to lead them to victory. Will his awesome arm save the game? James Ransome's illustrations add humor and life to this unusual story about sportsmanship.

The remarkable true story of how former slave Isabella Baumfree transformed herself into the preacher and orator Sojourner Truth, an iconic figure of the abolitionist and women's rights movements.Written in the fiery and eloquent voice of Sojourner Truth herself, My Name Is Truth will captivate readers just as Sojourner's passionate words enthralled her listeners.The text by acclaimed author Ann Turner and the paintings from award-winning illustrator James Ransome underwent expert review by two historians of the period.This beautifully illustrated and impeccably researched picture book biography includes a detailed historical note and a list of suggested supplemental reading materials.