Books with author Thomas F. Yezerski

A New York Times Notable Children's Book for 2011 One of Horn Book's Best Nonfiction Books of 2011 The 20,000 acres of wetlands in New Jersey now known as the Meadowlands were once home to hundreds of species of plants and animals. But in the four hundred years since European explorers first arrived in the Meadowlands, people have dammed up, drained, built over, and polluted this formerly vibrant ecosystem―and all but destroyed it. Still, signs of life remain―under bridges, on the edges of parking lots, and beside train tracks. Slowly but surely, with help from activist groups, government organizations, and ordinary people, the resilient creatures of the Meadowlands are making a comeback, and the wetlands are recovering.

A boy's initiation into old-time canal transportAsa doesn't know what to expect when his mother tells him it's time he made his first full hand. After all, he's only nine years old. But his father needs some help. He carries coal on his boat along the canal all the way across New Jersey, and he needs Asa to drive the two mules who pull the boat. While leading the mules along their route, Asa learns about loading at the coal chutes and the mechanisms of locks, aqueducts, and inclined planes. Finally, when a violent storm threatens the mission, Asa finds out what it really means to make a full hand.Set against a backdrop of luminous illustrations, fascinating information about old-time canal freighting is seamlessly woven into this warm and exciting father-and-son story.

Katie's neighbor Mrs. Muddle declares more holidays than anyone else, and she celebrates them in style. In March, she makes peanut-butter-and-birdseed cookies for the birds to enjoy on First Robin Day. The next month, she and Katie dance in the rain during First Shower of April. As the year goes on, Mrs. Muddle creates a unique holiday for each month, and all of Katie's friends get in on the fun. Then Katie comes up with a special holiday of her own, and Mrs. Muddle Day is the biggest celebration her neighborhood has ever seen!The particular joys of each season are brought to life in lively, entertaining watercolor-and-ink illustrations by Thomas F. Yezerski.

What Mom really wants for her birthdayThree sisters who have nothing in common but the room that they share are bound to argue. And they do--about everything. To settle, once and for all, which sister is the Queen of the World, they have a contest: whoever makes Mom the best birthday present wins. But things don't work out as they'd planned, and instead they end up making their mom cry -- on her birthday. They feel awful, until they figure out that what mom would really like is something that the three of them have to work on together -- getting along, that is. In this humorous story with delightful pictures of sibling rivalry in action, Thomas F. Yezerski shows that if you're family, you always have something important in common.

A New York Times Notable Children's Book for 2011 One of Horn Book’s Best Nonfiction Books of 2011 The 20,000 acres of wetlands in New Jersey now known as the Meadowlands were once home to hundreds of species of plants and animals. But in the four hundred years since European explorers first arrived in the Meadowlands, people have dammed up, drained, built over, and polluted this formerly vibrant ecosystem—and all but destroyed it. Still, signs of life remain—under bridges, on the edges of parking lots, and beside train tracks. Slowly but surely, with help from activist groups, government organizations, and ordinary people, the resilient creatures of the Meadowlands are making a comeback, and the wetlands are recovering.

Mimmy and Sophie live in Brooklyn, New York, during the Great Depression. Like most sisters, they have a lot in common, but they're also different: Mimmy dreams of owning an Oldsmobile that she can fix with her own tools, and of growing up to be a trolley driver, while Sophie prefers to talk to her dolls. Sometimes Mimmy and Sophie are best friends, sometimes they aren't. But no matter what, they are always sisters. And although their family may not have enough money for a vacation, they can make a ride down Pitkin Avenue or a picnic on the Brooklyn Bridge seem just as much fun. These four irresistible stories unfold in fifty-eight picture frames, capturing the essence of time and place and sisterhood.

A welcome addition to the pantheon of early reader booksMeet Rose and Riley, a vole and a groundhog, who are best friends. And like all best friends, they don't always see eye to eye. Whether it is best to carry an umbrella when rain is predicted but there isn't a cloud in the sky, or a good idea to celebrate un-birthdays (a birthday party every day!) or learn how to stop worrying, these two friends demonstrate, with their true affection for one another, the importance of discussion and why opposites attract.The very simple text, coupled with adorable watercolors, will charm those just starting to read.