Books with author Laura L. Sullivan

******************************************************************In SNAKE PLANT, the new short story from acclaimed children's writer Laura L. Sullivan, Oskar wants a pet snake more than anything. His cold, unkind mother refuses, but finally says that if he can take care of a plant for six months, she'll let him have a snake. Little does Oskar know that she plans to sabotage his plant. But this plant is special – and her efforts to kill it only make it stronger!Part horror, part comedy, SNAKE PLANT is a tale of a very dysfunctional mother and son.

Poetic Percy Python loves to recite poetry to his jungle neighbors. But one night poachers whisk all the animals away and put them on a ship, bound for the zoo. Percy ignores the fact that all the animals hate him because he's a snake, and he sets out to save them. Percy sees some truly absurd sights while searching for the animals, and when he does eventually find them, he 'snake charms' the crusty old sea captain into releasing them. Once the animals gain their freedom, they realize snakes are animals too. Percy then gives a poetic performance for the ages. All ages, not just 4-8 year olds.

Thirteen-year-old Rose Carlisle, a shy loner, is moving to a new town and a new school, a move that she is convinced will be awful. While spending the summer with her grandmother at the old family mansion called Fineweather, Rose meets a girl named Ring, and they become fast friends. The perfect summer is clouded by some unpleasant involvement with their nearest neighbor, Dooley Birdsong, and his "wolf-dog." When Birdsong makes some accusations against Rose, she must use her intelligence and powers of deduction to try and prove her innocence.Rose learns to be more proactive and self-reliant, but she believes it's because Ring has told her what to do. How will she survive after they say their final goodbyes?At summer's end, Rose's grandmother tells of a girl she met at Fineweather years ago. She sounds a lot like Ring. Could they be the same girl?

Present your young readers with a fascinating South American country that is rich in diverse geography and wildlife. Venezuela is home to the Andes Mountains, the Amazon rain forest, wide grasslands, and beautiful coasts. It also has many large, modern cities. Though there have been political and social problems throughout its history, Venezuelans continue to work and play in the country they call home. Through engaging sidebars, colorful photographs, and quick facts, kids will learn about this history, as well as about Venezuela's economy, nature, culture, food, and more.

Every sound starts with a movement, like clapping your hands or plucking a string. These movements set off vibrations, which spread from one molecule to the next, traveling through air, liquids, and solids. In this book, kids will learn how sounds move and how the human body translates vibrations into sounds we can understand. Familiar examples aid comprehension, and a simple, fun experiment using common kitchen items allows kids to see the vibrations caused by sound waves. They will learn how people came to understand how sound moves, from the earliest ideas of Aristotle to modern applications in music, the military, and beyond.

This globe-trekking guide allows young readers to explore this fascinating and often overlooked European country. Best known to many for the region of Transylvania, Romania is a cultural crossroads for Eastern, Central, and Southeastern Europe. Through quick and engaging chapters, kids will discover the unique aspects of Romanian life, including the language, geography, music, festivals, and food. Colorful photographs, cool sidebars, and fun facts will keep students interested as they discover what life is like in Romania today.