Books with author Stephen Krensky

Noah's trying to build an ark, but with the snakes quacking, the beavers crowing, and the pigs howling, he can't even hear himself think, much less make a giant boat. Pretty soon Noah's barking in annoyance—and then it starts to rain! Discover how each animal came to make the noise it does today in this whimsical retelling of the beloved Noah's ark story.

Read all about the secrets of ancient Egypt--from hieroglyphs to underground tombs. The Scholastic History Readers series was created especially to bring history to life for beginning readers.Examines life in ancient Egypt, including the importance of the Nile River, and the daily life of both nobles and commoners. Several major pharaohs are discussed, as well as various gods and religious beliefs, especially those having to do with the preparation of a body for the afterlife.Hieroglyphs are included, and a sidebar highlights the discovery of the Rosetta Stone.

Growing up, Paul Bunyan was always too big. Too big for the furniture. Too big for regular clothes. Too big to play with the other kids. But out among the tall trees in the great northern forests, Paul felt at home. So he set out with his big blue ox, Babe, to live the life of a lumberjack. The adventures of Paul and his friends are recounted by author Stephen Krensky and artist Craig Orback in this tallest tale of them all.

Have you ever wondered what Santa did before he was Santa? When Santa was young and needed a job, no one was looking for a man in a red suit to deliver gifts on Christmas. So Santa tried just about everything -- from a chimney sweep to a postman to a circus performer. But none of these worked out. It wasn't until he met a group of elves who helped him use all his special talents, that Santa was able to find his dream job.

From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 1-Spark is a dragon who's afraid of fire. To help overcome his fear of blowing flames, he decides to become a volunteer fireman. The other firefighters put him through a rigorous training, including push-ups, sit-ups, a lot of reading about fire injuries, school demonstrations, and learning how to use the equipment. Then he is ready to go on real jobs. Gradually he becomes brave, and then a hero when he uses his special dragon attributes to lead animals out of a burning barn. Now over his fear, Spark leaves the fire department and begins to explore traditional dragon duties like protecting treasure, returning to his old job every once in a while to teach recruits. Simply told with bright cartoon pictures and a dragon to hold interest, the slight story teaches fire safety in an appealing way. It also contains a subtle lesson on facing and overcoming one's fears.-Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Twelve-year old Charlie Banks used to be rich. Of course in 1934, during the Great Depression, a lot of people can say that. But Charlie still has at least one rich friend, Nora Winston, and he’s taking the train to her family’s country estate to visit her for the weekend. Charlie can’t help feeling a little awkward about his newly poor situation, but still he wants to make a good impression on Nora and her family. However, strange things are going on around the Winstons, things that only Charlie happens to see. There’s a mystery to be solved, one that may cost Charlie his good impression, but also one that could cost the Winstons a great deal more.

Discover the inspiring story of Leonardo da Vinci, the artist, inventor, and engineer of the Italian Renaissance...Leonardo was a creative genius who wanted to understand how things worked. This book traces his life, from his birth in a hilltop village near Florence, Italy, through to his work as a painter, sculptor, and engineer. Leonardo made hundreds of drawings and paintings, including the Mona Lisa - probably the most famous painting in the world. Learn how Leonardo made detailed sketches of the human body and designs of parachutes, helicopters, and armored tanks - many years before the technology existed to build them.This new kids' biography series from DK goes beyond the basic facts to tell the true life stories of history's most interesting and inspiring people. Full-color photographs and hand-drawn illustrations complement age-appropriate narrative text to create an engaging book children will enjoy reading. Definition boxes, information sidebars, inspiring quotes, and other nonfiction text features add depth, and a handy reference section at the back makes DK Life Stories the one biography series everyone will want to collect.

Loaded with archival photographs and amazing facts, the DK Biography series introduces young readers to some of history's most interesting and influential characters. From his early life in Hawaii and Indonesia, to his work as a community organizer in Chicago, to his first months in the Oval Office, DK Biography: Barack Obama tells the story of the 44th president of the United States. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

Batter up! It's Jackie Robinson's first game in the major leagues. April 15, 1947, is a big day for ten-year-old Matty Romano. His dad is taking him to see his favorite team—the Brooklyn Dodgers—on opening day!It's also a big day for the Dodgers' new first baseman, Jackie Robinson. Many white fans don't like the fact that an African American is playing in the major leagues. By putting Jackie on the team, the Dodgers are breaking the color barrier. How will Jackie respond to the pressure? Is he the player who can finally help the Dodgers make it back to the World Series?