Books with author Monica Kulling

Growing up in Smiljan, Croatia, Nikola Tesla dreamed about harnessing the power of Niagara Falls. In 1884, he walked down the gangplank into the New York Harbor with four cents in his pocket, a book of poems, a drawing of a flying machine, and a letter of introduction to Thomas Edison, the "electrical wizard" of America. Upon meeting, Edison sent Tesla to fix the SS Oregon as a test and was so astounded that he offered Tesla a job at his factory.Tesla and Edison had different views about electricity; Tesla wanted to develop an alternate current while Edison wanted to stick to the direct current system. Edison offered Tesla a large sum to make his direct current system more efficient, but when the work was done, Edison refused to pay. Tesla quit and when things were looking bleak, he met George Westinghouse, who also thought that alternating current was the way to light up America. He gave Tesla a job and in 1896, Tesla and Westinghouse built a generator at Niagara Falls that was able to send power as far as Buffalo, New York.

Grant Wood believed that to be a real artist, he had to live in Paris. But once he got there, he realized that to be a great painter he needed to return to the people and places — and even animals — that he knew and loved the best.Inspired by the life of artist Grant Wood, this is the sensitively imagined story of the great American painter and a cow named Tillie. Skillfully mixing fact with fiction, Monica Kulling’s text explores the making of an artist, while Sydney Smith’s illustrations echo Grant Wood’s own techniques. The result is a gently wise picture book that will encourage young readers and artists to trust the love that is sometimes only found close to home.Includes an author’s note that provides biographical information about Grant Wood and historical context for his European and American artistic influences.

Each of the four March sisters is special in her own unique way. Meg is a dreamer, Jo is a tomboy, Beth is shy and thoughtful, and Amy is a bundle of energy. But despite their differences, the girls pull together to get through a difficult winter holiday. Based on the first chapter of the enduring classic Little Women, this enchanting retelling will introduce a new generation of "little women" to the works of Louisa May Alcott.

George Eastman had a new hobby: photography. The year was 1877, and photography was not as easy as you might think. It cost a lot and the equipment was bulky, but George was about to change all that. What he lacked in formal education, George more than made up for in ingenuity: he invented dry plates, film, and the Brownie camera! The rest is history. For anyone who has ever taken a picture or posed for one, It's a Snap! George Eastman's First Photograph, with its playful, informative text and lively illustrations, is a splendid introduction to biography, to photography, and to the amazing man who had so much to do with putting picture-taking within reach of us all.

This Step 2 BIOGRAPHY READER marks the 200th birthday of this bold suffragette and the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment, giving women the right to vote."It's not fair." Susan B. Anthony was very concerned about fairness and equality for women and girls in America. She knew it wasn't fair to pay a woman less than a man for the same job. She knew it wasn't fair not to allow women to vote in elections. In fact, it was illegal for women to vote. But she felt so strongly, she voted in an election--and was arrested--anyway. Young readers will learn about young Susan B. Anthony and how she grew up to become a suffragette--a fighter for women's equality. She joined forces with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and others and gave speeches around the country to gain support for women's right to vote. She fought her whole life, and believed that "failure is impossible." She was right; her work made the 19th Amendment to the Constitution possible!Step 3 Readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics--for children who are ready to read on their own.

It’s Alice’s birthday! But her friend Gertrude seems to have forgotten. No matter, Alice goes out and enjoys her day just the same. A beautiful spring afternoon in Paris — what could be better? Little does she know that her dear friend has a few surprises up her sleeve.While Alice spends the day walking around Paris — riding a carousel in the park and watching a puppet show — Gertrude turns her attention to the kitchen. She is determined to make a lavish dinner with all of Alice’s favorite things and write a poem to match the occasion.But the lure of the perfect poetic line proves to be too distracting, and just as Alice’s day takes an exciting and unexpected turn, Gertrude’s big dinner falls all to pieces. The poem turns out beautifully, of course, but the house is a bit of a mess. It’s a good thing Alice doesn’t mind cleaning up. And that she has such a good brownie recipe for their guests.Inspired by the lives of artist Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, Monica Kulling’s warm and whimsical narration is perfectly balanced by Qin Leng’s bright and energetic illustrations. This is a sweetly joyful story of love, friendship and creative inspiration.

In 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton set out with his crew aboard the ship the Endurance. He wanted to sail to Antarctica, but 100 miles from the South Pole, the Endurance became trapped in a sea of ice. Against all odds, Shackleton undertook a journey that led to the rescue of this crew after almost two years of nail-biting survival. Based on a true story!

Scotland, 1815. Fettes, a young medical student, is learning more than he ever wanted to know about corpses. He is shocked to realize that the corpses they are using in class are not donated, but rather stolen from fresh graves--and now he must get himself a new one. Fettes thinks he's up to this terrifying task, but he can't anticipate what will happen that night--or the body that will haunt him for the rest of his life. Adapted from the short story by Robert Louis Stevenson, this easy-to-read, edge-of-your-seat version will grab reluctant readers who expect a good scare!