Books published by publisher Harcourt Inc

Violet's paralyzing fear of the earthquakes that are rocking the San Francisco Bay Area makes it difficult for her to overcome her "baby" image. But things change when her family renovates an old building. While she helps her sisters sweep up, an aftershock dislodges a letter addressed to Baby V from 1906-- and Violet is certain the message in the letter is intended for her. More mysterious writings from the past tumble into her hands with each quake. The girls try to unravel the mystery behind these supernatural communications, but as ever more frequent earthquakes rattle their own lives, they realize their time may be running out....

In the spring of 1970, artist Ralph Steadman went to America in search of work and found more than he bargained for. At the Kentucky Derby he met a former associate of the Hell’s Angels, one Hunter S. Thompson. Their working relationship resulted in the now-legendary Gonzo Journalism. The Joke’s Over tells of a remarkable collaboration that documented the turbulent years of the civil rights movement, the Nixon years, Watergate, and the many bizarre and great events that shaped the second half of the twentieth century. When Thompson committed suicide in 2005, it was the end of a unique friendship filled with both betrayal and under­standing. A rollicking, no-holds-barred memoir, The Joke’s Over is the definitive inside story of the Gonzo years.

A fully illustrated retelling of the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen complete with compact disc of more than forty-five of the grandest talents in the entertainment world. “The cast is A-list. The plot, legendary” (USA Today). Among the writers are Academy Award -winning and -nominated actors and actresses and other personalities from the worlds of entertainment and popular culture. Each celebrity contribution is illustrated with a stunning piece of art by illustrators who have created some of the most treasured classics of children's literature-Caldecott Medal and Honor winners, Kate Greenaway Award winners, Pulitzer Prize -winning cartoonist, New Yorker cover contributors, and many other internationally esteemed artists.The contributors' talents are outshined only by their generosity: All of the royalties and contributors' fees from this book have been donated to Starbright, an innovative charitable foundation committed to improving the lives of seriously ill children. The result is a gift book like no other, a glorious celebration for the whole family.

We know--and love--the story of the American Revolution, from the Declaration of Independence to Cornwallis's defeat. But the Articles of Confederation, our first government, was a disaster. This crisis caused a group of men to journey to Philadelphia in 1787 to create a lasting and more stable government. The lawyers and politicians, some famous and others just ordinary men, had no great expectations for the document they were fashioning. Somehow, in the amalgam of ideas, argument, and compromise, a great thing happened: A constitution and a form of government were created that have served us well. Carol Berkin tells the story of that amazing summer in Philadelphia, and makes you feel as if you were there, listening to the arguments, getting to know the framers, and appreciating the difficult and critical decisions being made. Retelling a story that is more hallowed than understood, Berkin brings us into the world of eighteenth-century America and shows us the human side of a great accomplishment.