Books with author Rob Kirkpatrick

One dedicated woman...giving voice to the suffering of many Born to an unavailable mother and an abusive father, Dorothea Dix longs simply to protect and care for her younger brothers, Charles and Joseph. But at just fourteen, she is separated from them and sent to live with relatives to be raised properly. Lonely and uncertain, Dorothea discovers that she does not possess the ability to accept the social expectations imposed on her gender and she desires to accomplish something more than finding a suitable mate. Yearning to fulfill her God-given purpose, Dorothea finds she has a gift for teaching and writing. Her pupils become a kind of family, hearts to nurture, but long bouts of illness end her teaching and Dorothea is adrift again. It’s an unexpected visit to a prison housing the mentally ill that ignites an unending fire in Dorothea’s heart—and sets her on a journey that will take her across the nation, into the halls of the Capitol, befriending presidents and lawmakers, always fighting to relieve the suffering of what Scripture deems, the least of these. In bringing nineteenth-century, historical reformer Dorothea Dix to life, author Jane Kirkpatrick combines historical accuracy with the gripping narrative of a woman who recognized suffering when others turned away, and the call she heeded to change the world.

The Change and Cherish trilogy, based on the true story of Emma Wagner Giesy, now available in one volume: A Clearing in the Wild When Emma’s outspoken ways and growing skepticism lead to a clash with the 1850s Bethel, Missouri colony’s beloved leader, she finds new opportunities to pursue her dreams of independence. But as she clears a pathway West to her truest and deepest self, she discovers something she never expected: a yearning for the warm embrace of community. A Tendering in the Storm Determined to raise her children on her own terms, Emma suddenly finds herself alone and pregnant with her third child, struggling to keep her family secure in the remote coastal forest of the Washington Territory. As clouds of despair close in, she must decide whether to continue in her own waning strength or to humble herself and accept help from the very people she once so eagerly left behind. A Mending at the Edge As a mother, daughter, sister, and estranged wife, Emma struggles to find her place inside—and outside—the confines of her religious community. Emma reaches out to others on the fringe, searching for healing and purpose. By blending her unique talents with service to others, she creates renewed hope as she weaves together the threads of family, friends, and faith.

A Smithsonian Notable Book for Children A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year “Genius.” —The New York Times Book Review A beautiful repackage marking the twentieth anniversary of the beloved, award-winning novel that celebrates teachers and learning.Ten-year-old Frederika (Fred for short) doesn’t have much faith that the new teacher in town will last very long. After all, they never do. Most teachers who come to their one-room schoolhouse in remote Alaska leave at the first smell of fish, claiming that life there is just too hard. But Miss Agnes is different: she doesn’t get frustrated with her students, and finds new ways to teach them to read and write. She even takes a special interest in Fred’s sister, Bokko, who has never come to school before because she is deaf. For the first time, Fred, Bokko, and their classmates begin to enjoy their lessons—but will Miss Agnes be like all the rest and leave as quickly as she came?

In the previous book, The Year of Miss Agnes, it’s 1948 and a new teacher comes to teach in the tiny Athabascan village on the Koyukuk River in Alaska. Ten-year-old Fred tells why Miss Agnes is the best teacher they’ve ever had in their one-room school, and different in every way. ln the sequel, Miss Agnes and the Ginger Tom, their wonderful teacher is back. And she’s brought a cat, the first they’ve ever seen. But how long will she stay? Miss Agnes has arranged for her extraordinarily gifted student, Jimmy Sam, to go away to a college prep school “outside.” If he can pass the test. Miss Agnes starts Jimmy on a rigorous program of study for the test and Fred and the others learn right along with him. The whole village is part of Miss Agnes’ school. She’s brought boxes of books and soon everyone in town is reading something from the school bookshelves. And she’s brought a movie projector so the village people can see movies for the first time. The village’s anxiety increases as the school year goes on, waiting for Jimmy’s test. Grandma says it’s hutlaanee, bad luck, to talk about the test, but they can’t help it. If Jimmy doesn’t pass it he will have to leave school next year to do a man’s work with his father and brother, all his dreams of being a scientist come to nothing.

One woman, an impossible dream, and the faith it took to see it through, inspired by the life of Hulda Klager German immigrant and farm wife Hulda Klager possesses only an eighth-grade education—and a burning desire to create something beautiful. What begins as a hobby to create an easy-peeling apple for her pies becomes Hulda’s driving purpose: a time-consuming interest in plant hybridization that puts her at odds with family and community, as she challenges the early twentieth-century expectations for a simple housewife. Through the years, seasonal floods continually threaten to erase her Woodland, Washington garden and a series of family tragedies cause even Hulda to question her focus. In a time of practicality, can one person’s simple gifts of beauty make a difference? Based on the life of Hulda Klager, Where Lilacs Still Bloom is a story of triumph over an impossible dream and the power of a generous heart. “Beauty matters… it does. God gave us flowers for a reason. Flowers remind us to put away fear, to stop our rushing and running and worrying about this and that, and for a moment, have a piece of paradise right here on earth.”

PowerKids Press is proud to announce Reading Power, dynamic new high/low materials for challenged readers. Our first two sets of high-interest, low-reading-level books are designed for third and fourth grade readers reading at a first-grade level. The vocabulary, syntax, and level of picture/text correspondence in the books matches Level 8 of a first grade program, or the middle of the school year for an at-level first-grade reader. This first-grade level of simplicity and accessibility is complemented by high-interest, sports-driven subject matter, which is sure to engage a third or fourth grader. Featuring popular athletes from a wide range of sports, these books will give your kids the information they want and the reading skills they need. Turn your at-risk readers into power readers by plugging into this new PowerKids Press outlet for leveled and remedial reading materials.Power Players are perfect for second, third and, fourth graders, whose reading levels are lower than their peers, but whose interests are the same! With low-level text and high-impact photos, the Power Players set offers at-risk readers new tools, and new incentives, for improving their reading skills.Readers will be drawn in by this rising basketball star. Former "Slam Dunk" champion Kobe Bryant went straight from his high school team to the NBA's L.A. Lakers.