Books with author Steven Schnur

The story of firefighting in New York City is one of danger, tradition, pride, excitement, and tragedy. It is also the story of man's triumph over destructive forces. From the gaslight days of horse-drawn steam engines to the World Trade Center tragedy of 2001, the heroic men and women who make up the city's most dynamic public service have risked and often lost their lives in order to protect and serve the people of New York City.New York City Firefighting: 1901-2001 chronicles the proudest fire department in America. The proximity of buildings in the city streets and the construction materials made each fire especially dangerous, but determined firefighters never hesitated to battle the flames and rescue the victims. Later, facing unprecedented heights and unparalleled danger, firefighters in New York City were called upon to battle infernos in the first skyscrapers, often using the most rudimentary equipment and barely protected from the flames. In its most trying moments, the Fire Department of New York responded to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 1993 and 2001, dutifully rushing into the towers to save as many lives as possible and ultimately losing hundreds of their own.

On a crisp autumn day two centuries ago, a barefoot, bent old man hurries along a country lane in New England carrying an old pair of shoes stuffed with wild apples. Concealed in his coat and pants pockets, in his shirt and under his shapeless hat are many other treasures he has discovered that bright fall day, treasures nature leaves for all to find-if one has the eyes and the heart to see and value them. The Apple Gatherer has both. Living simply, he has uncovered the deepest secrets of the woods and has learned to live in harmony and contentment with nature. "Farmers think all the harvest is in the fields," the Apple Gatherer tells the young narrator of this gentle tale of awakening to the glories of the natural world, "but that ain't the half of it. The woods, son. There's riches there in every season." And to prove it, he pulls from his pockets, shirt, and hat a dazzling array of such riches. In the end the young narrator gains a new appreciation not only of nature but of the passage of time. An ideal introduction to the wonders of nature that so captivated the author of Walden, Henry David Thoreau, The Apple Gatherer will leave its young readers awestruck by the splendor and mystery that exist all around them.

Baseball is Dannys life but when the season opener is scheduled for the first night of Passover Danny faces the same dilemma that legendary Jewish pitcher, Sandy Koufax played. How important is the game? How important is his religion? How important is his family? Intense conflict and dramatic baseball make this an exciting and thought-provoking tale.

The Narrowest Bar Mitzvah: When a water main bursts outside the synagogue on the eve of Alex's Bar Mitzvah, Grandpa saves the day, moving the service and celebration to the extremely narrow house he built years ago. In the process the family discovers the real meaning of Bar Mitzvah.The Return of Morris Schumsky: On the morning of Rebecca's wedding, Grandpa--the irrepressible Morris Schumsky--disappears. In the midst of last minute wedding preparations, the family is suddenly faced with the prospect that some harm has befallen Morris, unaware that he is secretly planning to make Rebecca's celebration far more meaningful than anyone had dreamed possible.

The story of firefighting in New York City is one of danger, tradition, pride, excitement, and tragedy. It is also the story of man's triumph over destructive forces. From the gaslight days of horse-drawn steam engines to the World Trade Center tragedy of 2001, the heroic men and women who make up the city's most dynamic public service have risked and often lost their lives in order to protect and serve the people of New York City.New York City Firefighting: 1901-2001 chronicles the proudest fire department in America. The proximity of buildings in the city streets and the construction materials made each fire especially dangerous, but determined firefighters never hesitated to battle the flames and rescue the victims. Later, facing unprecedented heights and unparalleled danger, firefighters in New York City were called upon to battle infernos in the first skyscrapers, often using the most rudimentary equipment and barely protected from the flames. In its most trying moments, the Fire Department of New York responded to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 1993 and 2001, dutifully rushing into the towers to save as many lives as possible and ultimately losing hundreds of their own.

The Narrowest Bar Mitzvah: When a water main bursts outside the synagogue on the eve of Alex's Bar Mitzvah, Grandpa saves the day, moving the service and celebration to the extremely narrow house he built years ago. In the process the family discovers the real meaning of Bar Mitzvah.The Return of Morris Schumsky: On the morning of Rebecca's wedding, Grandpa--the irrepressible Morris Schumsky--disappears. In the midst of last minute wedding preparations, the family is suddenly faced with the prospect that some harm has befallen Morris, unaware that he is secretly planning to make Rebecca's celebration far more meaningful than anyone had dreamed possible.

Everybody in Mrs. Hamilton's fifth-grade class thinks Rafi is merely clumsy. But when he keeps coming to school with serious cuts and bruises, Hannah, one of his classmates, begins to suspect he is being physically abused by his stepfather. Through her friendship Hannah discovers the terrible truth and tries to rescue her new friend from further harm.