Books with author Maria Nelson

Having good manners is more than saying please and thank you. Good manners are displayed by everyday actions, such as holding the door for someone or shaking someones hand when you meet them. Readers will learn all about being polite through common situations and colorful photographs. Relatable examples will help them understand the different times its important to be polite, as well as complement character education curriculum standards. Readers learn that it's fun being polite!

Learning to speak in a polite manner can be tough. Sometimes, people receive gifts they dont like, dont want to help out at home, or are just in a hurry! Readers learn that politeness is easy to spread with just a few simple wordsplease and thank you. Taking the time to thank someone lets him or her know they are appreciated. Saying please shows a similar respect. Easy-to-read language aids beginning readers navigating both text and good manners for the first time.

The House of Representatives is the voice of the American people, just like the student council speaks for the student body or class. Being part of student council or taking another leadership role in school can be a great experience for students. But the road to election can seem like a long oneand even longer for those who aspire to a political career! With main content including the setup of the House, who is eligible, and how one is elected, this book uniquely relates House candidates experiences to readers working for student leadership positions.

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.

Showing someone you care about them might be as easy as letting them play with a favorite toy or giving them a piece of your cookie. Sharing time and energy can also be very valuable to family and friends. Readers will learn the many ways to share through descriptions of everyday situations. Full-color photographs make the stories even more relatable, while the main content enhances character education learned in the classroom. Readers will be eager to share their toys and their new knowledge after reading this book!

Few bugs can fly with the skill and precision of a dragonfly. If you have ever seen dragonflies zigzagging their way trough tall grass near a lake, it can be like watching colorfully costumed ballet dancers on stage. Spectacular photographs show colorful dragonflies soaring and hunting for food. Readers will surely enjoy discovering fascinating facts about dragonflies, including how fast they fly, what they eat, and how baby dragonflies survive underwater.

The Saint Bernard is thought to have gotten its name from its early history spent helping travelers in the Saint Bernard Pass in the Swiss Alps. These longtime rescue dogs supposedly saved over 2,000 people in their centuries serving in the mountains. Readers will learn more about this intelligent, lovable breed in this book. Including beautiful photographs and detailed information about owning a Saint, this book will fascinate any dog lover.

In The Fields of Praise, Marilyn Nelson claims as subjects the life of the spirit, the vicissitudes of love, and the African American experience and arranges them as white pebbles marking our common journey toward a “monstrous love / that wants to make the world right.”Nelson is a poet of stunning power, able to bring alive the most rarified and subtle of experiences. A slave destined to become a minister preaches sermons of heartrending eloquence and wisdom to a mule. An old woman scrubbing over a washtub receives a personal revelation of what Emancipation means: “So this is freedom: the peace of hours like these.” Memories of the heroism of the Tuskegee Airmen in the face of aerial combat abroad and virulent racism at home bring a speaker to the sudden awareness of herself as the daughter “of a thousand proud fathers.”Whether evoking spiritual longing or a return to the wedding at Cana, Nelson renders the interior landscape of all her speakers with absolute precision. This is a beautiful collection indeed, and readers will come away from The Fields of Praise with a reawakened appreciation for life’s minor miracles, one of them being the power of the word.