Books with author Maria Nelson

If you watch the majestic American bald eagle fly above the treetops, its easy to see why it stands for freedom and strength in the United States. As the national emblem, its seen on government buildings and documents, and is often used to symbolize national pride. Readers learn how the American bald eagle came to be the national bird of the United States and the many ways its image is used. Full-color photographs of the American bald eagle highlight its fierce beauty. A timeline guides readers through its creation as a national symbol.

Cells are the building blocks of life. It's amazing to think that life begins with a single cell. Readers will learn how cells multiply, differentiate, and construct the various organisms on Earth. They'll learn the difference between human, plant, and bacteria cells, and the structures within each that help it function. Remarkable photographs bring the text to life and further support key biology concepts.

Horses are a popular pet and are often members of a family for many years. Theyre commonly trained for horse shows and the excitement of racing. But even well-trained show ponies can be willful sometimes! Through jokes and wordplay, readers learn the sillier aspects of horse ownership and many fabulous funnies they can share with their friends. Colorful images and fun facts will encourage readers to saddle up and keep reading.

Bee stings arent a laughing matterbut its easy to giggle at other mis-bee-havior! Readers will buzz right through more than two dozen jokes and puns about beesand these humdingers will make them ask for more! Colorful, funny illustrations of bees enhance the fun while silly facts about bees will encourage readers to seek out even more cool science information they can share with their friends.

It might seem impossible to drive from Alaska to Argentina, but with a passport handy, thats a road trip people can take. The Pan-American Highway is a system of connected roads and highways that travel roughly north to south through North and South America. Readers learn about the many environments travelers would drive through on such a journey as well as the history of the highway. Full-color photographs illustrate the many cool destinations along the way as fun fact boxes suggest places to see along the route.

Called the Higher House of Congress, the US Senate is structured so that older, wiser state representatives hold office in it. The Founding Fathers wanted one part of Congress to have longer terms to take on bigger responsibilities and see them through. Similarly, students running for a leadership position in a school-wide organization need to have experience and vision. Readers explore the process of becoming a senator through the unique lens of wanting to obtain leadership themselves. Clear tie-ins to readers campaigns engage them with the main content, including integral parts of the social studies curriculum.

Quiet for more than 135 years, the voices of Seneca Village are rising again. Angela Riddles ponders being free-but-not-free. The orphaned Donnelly brothers get gold fever. A conjurer sees past his era and into ours.Drawing upon history and her exquisite imagination, Newbery Honor medalist, two-time Coretta Scott King Honor medalist, and National Book Award nomineee Marilyn Nelson recreates the long lost community of Seneca Village. A multi-racial, multi-ethnic neighborhood in the center of Manhattan, it thrived in the middle years of the 19th century. Families prayed in its churches, children learned in its school, babies were born, and loved ones were laid to rest. Then work crews arrived to build Central Park, and Seneca Village disappeared.Illustrated in the poet’s own words — with brief prose descriptions of what she sees inside her poems — this collection takes readers back in time and deep into the mind’s eye of one of America’s most gifted writers. Included as well is a foreword that outlines the history of Seneca Village and a guide to the variety of poetic forms she employs throughout this exceptional book.