Books with author John Woodruff

When seventeen-year-old Lena Beckford hears the lock turn in her bedroom door she begins her nightly ritual to honor the moon. But instead of seeing the usual visions from her father, the flame, she’s contacted by her grandmother pleading for Lena’s help after she’s been buried alive in the Strangers’ Graveyard.As Lena begins her search she meets two witches, like herself, who promise to help her find her grandmother. One is a ridiculous old crone who seems to be leading her around in circles, and the other is a seductive man she’s immediately drawn to. But she can’t quite seem to escape from either of them when she realizes they're armed with their own devilish motives, which blur the lines between friend and foe, sanity and insanity.Is it murder Lena must commit, or justice she must serve, to finally free her grandmother from the darkness of the grave?

John Wood discovered his passion, his greatest success, and his life's work not at business school or helping lead Microsoft's charge into Asia in the 1990s but on a soul-searching trip to the Himalayas. He made the difficult decision to walk away from his lucrative career to create Room to Read, a nonprofit organization that promotes education across the developing world. By the end of 2007, the organization will have established over 5,000 libraries and 400 schools, and awarded long-term scholarships to more than 3,000 girls, giving more than one million children the lifelong gift of education. If you have ever pondered abandoning your desk job for an adventure and an opportunity to give back, Wood's story will inspire you. He offers a vivid, emotional, and absorbing tale of how to take the lessons learned at a hard-charging company like Microsoft and apply them to the world's most pressing social problems.

John Wood discovered his passion, his greatest success, and his life's work not at business school or helping lead Microsoft's charge into Asia in the 1990s but on a soul-searching trip to the Himalayas. He made the difficult decision to walk away from his lucrative career to create Room to Read, a nonprofit organization that promotes education across the developing world. By the end of 2007, the organization will have established over 5,000 libraries and 400 schools, and awarded long-term scholarships to more than 3,000 girls, giving more than one million children the lifelong gift of education. If you have ever pondered abandoning your desk job for an adventure and an opportunity to give back, Wood's story will inspire you. He offers a vivid, emotional, and absorbing tale of how to take the lessons learned at a hard-charging company like Microsoft and apply them to the world's most pressing social problems.

Through generations, their honor and bravery prevailed.In the early 19th century, a Blackfoot Indian warband slaughters a group of Irish immigrants. Soon after, another war party finds the wagon - and a baby still alive in the wreckage.He soon becomes known as the White Crow - one of the Dog Soldiers of the tribe - and makes a name for himself as a warrior. But after a journey to Old California, his life takes a drastic turn.This historical fiction saga follows the life of the Crow family, from their beginnings in 1816 to the American Civil War and the times of the U.S. Marshals, and finally to the story of Charles Crow - the last son of The House of Crow.Praise from readers:★★★★★ - "Historical fiction brought to life with strong-willed, likable protagonists and plenty of adventure"★★★★★ - "An interesting story. Caught and held my attention from the beginning."★★★★★ - "This book is an epic journey reminiscent of a James Clavell or a Louis L'amour saga... I thoroughly enjoyed it."★★★★★ - "A thrilling family saga with strong characters and enough action to satisfy any fan of historical fiction."

Plankton are microscopic organisms living in large bodies of water. They are a major food source for several kinds of sea creatures, and although they are tiny, they have a major impact on many other living things. Accessible explanations of marine life, food chains, and other essential science curriculum topics enhance readers' knowledge of the natural world and the part every living thing plays in it. Additional features, such as fact boxes and full-color photographs deepen readers' understanding of these tiny yet hugely important creatures.

The desert is home to many different animal species. These animals make their habitats in this dry climate, which can sometimes be difficult to survive in because of the hot temperatures and scarce food sources. Fun facts about desert animals are presented through age-appropriate text, which covers common science curriculum topics such as animal adaptations and biomes. Vibrant, full-color photographs provide readers with examples of what desert animals look like and how they appear in their natural habitats.

John Wood discovered his passion, his greatest success, and his life's work—not at business school or leading Microsoft's charge into Asia in the 1990s—but on a soul-searching trip to the Himalayas. Wood felt trapped between an all-consuming career and a desire to do something lasting and significant. Stressed from the demands of his job, he took a vacation trekking in Nepal because a friend had told him, "If you get high enough in the mountains, you can't hear Steve Ballmer yelling at you anymore."Instead of being the antidote to the rat race, that trip convinced John Wood to divert the boundless energy he was devoting to Microsoft into a cause that desperately needed to be addressed. While visiting a remote Nepalese school, Wood learned that the students had few books in their library. When he offered to run a book drive to provide the school with books, his idea was met with polite skepticism. After all, no matter how well-intentioned, why would a successful software executive take valuable time out of his life and gather books for an impoverished school?But John Wood did return to that school and with thousands of books bundled on the back of a yak. And at that moment, Wood made the decision to walk away from Microsoft and create Room to Read—an organization that has donated more than 1.2 million books, established more than 2,600 libraries and 200 schools, and sent 1,700 girls to school on scholarship—ultimately touching the lives of 875,000 children with the lifelong gift of education.Leaving Microsoft to Change the World chronicles John Wood's struggle to find a meaningful outlet for his managerial talents and entrepreneurial zeal. For every high-achiever who has ever wondered what life might be like giving back, Wood offers a vivid, emotional, and absorbing tale of how to take the lessons learned at a hard-charging company like Microsoft and apply them to one of the world's most pressing problems: the lack of basic literacy.

In 1992, the centennial year of the University of Alabama football program, the Crimson Tide won its 12th national championship. Few major college football programs can claim as many. Through the medium of photography, this book tells the story of the greatness of University of Alabama football, from its origins as a club sport in 1892, through the death of its most famous head coach, Paul W. Bryant. Over the course of those nine decades, Alabama would win 11 of its 12 national championships and forever change the face of college football. What began as a sport dominated by elite teams in the Northeast and Midwest, would, by the time of Bryant’s death, be the hallmark sport of the American South. And the University of Alabama would, for many of those years, be the premier team in one of America’s greatest football conferences, the Southeast Conference. Historic Photos of University of Alabama Football provides a window into a storied past that is the foundation upon which the program’s future greatness will stand.

Complete guide to astronomers and astronomical terms and theories. The Firefly Astronomy Dictionary is an invaluable reference for understanding the major terms and theories used in astronomy. There are 1,000 up-to-date entries that are extensively cross-referenced. This dictionary also provides concise coverage of the many new developments in space exploration. Two hundred color illustrations and 35 tables provide concise details about the planets and stars. Written in a style that is both interesting and accessible, its compact size is ideal for a handy reference and study guide. As well as defining scientific terms and explaining theories, the dictionary provides brief biographies of over 100 famous astronomers including Ptolemy, Galileo, Johann Kepler, Copernicus and Edwin Hubble. An appendix provides tables of symbols and mathematical units and calculations used in astronomy. From aberration to Zwicky, the Firefly Astronomy Dictionary is an invaluable reference for active observers, armchair enthusiasts and students.

Pearson English Readers bring language learning to life through the joy of reading. Well-written stories entertain us, make us think, and keep our interest page after page. Pearson English Readers offer teenage and adult learners a huge range of titles, all featuring carefully graded language to make them accessible to learners of all abilities. Through the imagination of some of the world’s greatest authors, the English language comes to life in pages of our Readers. Students have the pleasure and satisfaction of reading these stories in English, and at the same time develop a broader vocabulary, greater comprehension and reading fluency, improved grammar, and greater confidence and ability to express themselves. Find out more at english.com/readers

Through generations, their honor and bravery prevailed.In the early 19th century, a Blackfoot Indian warband slaughters a group of Irish immigrants. Soon after, another war party finds the wagon - and a baby still alive in the wreckage.He soon becomes known as the White Crow - one of the Dog Soldiers of the tribe - and makes a name for himself as a warrior. But after a journey to Old California, his life takes a drastic turn.This historical fiction saga follows the life of the Crow family, from their beginnings in 1816 to the American Civil War and the times of the U.S. Marshals, and finally to the story of Charles Crow - the last son of The House of Crow.Praise from readers:★★★★★ - "Historical fiction brought to life with strong-willed, likable protagonists and plenty of adventure"★★★★★ - "An interesting story. Caught and held my attention from the beginning."★★★★★ - "This book is an epic journey reminiscent of a James Clavell or a Louis L'amour saga... I thoroughly enjoyed it."★★★★★ - "A thrilling family saga with strong characters and enough action to satisfy any fan of historical fiction."

These are difficult times for the Catholic Church and the United States of America. There is only one solution to the problems we face... saints! Becoming a saint is a choice, and we must begin choosing the saint within each of us. The biggest crisis of our time is not economic, health care, or vocations, but is an identity crisis. We have forgotten our mission to become saints and forgotten our story as Catholics. We must rediscover that mission and hold each other accountable for accepting responsibility for that mission. Business, as usual, is not going to cut it. We need heroic Catholicism. We must stop talking, and start walking... stop crying, and start sweating... stop defining ourselves by our sins, and start realizing we are saints in the making! Everything we need to accomplish our mission is in the Church... but the Catholic Church is a sleeping giant. It is time we wake the sleeping giant! This book is a five-step guide to choosing the saint within you. The world doesn't need another John Paul II or Mother Teresa. The world needs you. Your ordinary life has an extraordinary purpose.