Books with author Margaret Blair

Making Peg Dolls is Margaret Bloom’s first book and it introduces us to her magical world of peg dolls. Coming from the Waldorf handcraft tradition, these peg dolls are made from natural materials and are linked to the seasonal cycle, and favourite fairytales and festivals from around the world. They encourage the whole family to participate in the act of making as well as playing and living creatively.

Sam Fights a Fire: When a wild fire approaches the farm, Sam has to call on his straw friends to help him. With the policeman, the Scotsman and the window cleaner all working together, the band of scarecrows fight the blaze and save the farm and all the animals.Sam to the Rescue: When Sam learns that Fred, the fisherman is stuck in the lake; he has to seek help from the other scarecrows. With the big billy goat, Gentleman James, the clown on stilts, and the sailor; the scarecrows manage to pull the fisherman out of the lake. Sam's first adventure was told in the story, "The Day the Scarecrows came to Town."Sam is always pleased to see his friends and hopes to see them again before too long.

"This is a great book to enjoy with the kids, as a parent or teacher, but even if you don't have children, let yourself reconnect with your inner child and fall in love with this magical world of tiny wooden characters. I don't have any children, but I confess, I'm completely enchanted by these sweet little dolls, and at some point I'm going to cave in to the need to create my own little Gnome, or Bear, or Bunny, or Dragon, or Owl, or maybe even a Cat!" ―Dawn Bevins (read her full review at UKHandmade.com)Peg dolls are small, enchanting, and easy to make. They are a perfect craft for children and can become the inspiration for endless play and storytelling. Margaret Bloom invites you to enter the tiny magical world of peg dolls. Coming from the Waldorf handcraft tradition, these irresistible dolls encourage creative play and promote the emotional and imaginative development of young children. Peg dolls can be made from natural materials to reflect the seasonal cycle, favorite fairy tales and festivals from around the world. Inside Making Peg Dolls, you will find patterns for creating bluebirds & butterflies, flowers & fairy-tale figures, gnomes, winter angels and more: Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for children and crafters of all levels and experience Beautiful color illustrations and photos More than sixty designs and patterns for peg dolls Ideas for peg dolls as gifts and toys, for seasonal nature tables, or for fairs An inspiring section on storytelling with peg dolls Making Peg Dolls is a valuable resource for families and classrooms with young children.

Adventure, excitement, and fearlessness take wing in the dramatic true story of the twenty aviatrixes who set off on the first Women's Cross-Country Air Derby. Readers will thrill to the feats of "the roaring twenty," the daredevil pilots who pioneered women's aviation in this 2800-mile race from Santa Monica, California, to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1929. This cross-country odyssey was the first of its kind: nine days of grueling endurance that was dismissively dubbed the "Powder Puff Derby" by the press. Yet the American public was captivated. The nation already knew and loved Amelia Earhart, and it soon warmed to such colorful characters as the cigar-smoking stunt flyer Florence Pancho Barnes, former wing-walker Phoebe Omlie, and New York society rebel Opal Kunz. The experienced adventurer Marvel Crosson was one of the early favorites—until her mysterious disappearance. Americans eagerly followed the daily drama, charmed, then shocked, as the race left a twisting trail of intrigue in its slipstream. Relive the intense competition and the death-defying dangers: stormy weather, mechanical challenges, typhoid fever, and even the suspicion of sabotage. The views of a condescending and often hostile press are recounted, as well as the heroines' glamorous appearances at balls and banquets during their soaring nine-day escapade. This real-life tale also provides a bird's-eye view of a feverish period in American social history, as women redefined their roles throughout the "roaring '20s" and the country partied through the Jazz Age before crashing back to Earth with the Depression. Superbly illustrated with fifty evocative duotone photographs, and featuring a detailed National Geographic map of the route, this is a book to capture the imagination and dreams of young girls from coast to coast.

Liberty or Death is the little-known story of the American Revolution told from the perspectives of the African-American slaves who fought on the side of the British Royal Army in exchange for a promise of freedom. Motivated by the 1775 proclamation by Virginia’s Royal Governor that any slaves who took up arms on his behalf would be granted their freedom, these men fought bravely for a losing cause. Many of the volunteers succumbed to battle wounds or smallpox, which ran rampant on the British ships on which they were quartered. After the successful Revolution, they emigrated to Canada and, ultimately to West Africa. Liberty or Death is the inspiring story of the forgotten freedom fighters of America’s Revolutionary War.

The Henry Brothers are opposites: Rob, dark and intense, is shy and a perfectionist, while redheaded Jamie is an easygoing, sociable fellow. They have quarreled and competed with each other since they were small boys. It is therefore not surprising that when Rob becomes a Confederate reenactor, Jamie shows up as a Union drummer boy. Also at the reenactment of the Battle of Antietam is the object of their latest competition: the lovely Sarah Singleton. Dressed in Civil War-era clothes, the three pose for an old style photograph, only to mysteriously travel back in time to the actual Antietam campaign in September, 1862. This time the brothers really are at war!

‘Grandma's Windmills’ introduces young children to wind power as a source of energy. All Jake wants to buy at the showground is a plastic windmill but there are none for sale. So his Grandma takes him on a hunt for real windmills.Worms are good for the environment and help to dispose of waste. In ‘Wild Worms’, Grandad has a worm farm and every day Simon helps to feed the worms. But when the worms grow too big and numerous, Grandad has a major problem. Fact and fantasy collide to resolve the problem.