Books published by publisher Royal Fireworks Publishing

This is the third volume in the chronicles of the irrepressible Jake's schooling. We first met him in Jake's the Name, Sixth Grade's the Game and followed by his exploits in Those Sevy Blues. Jake is deaf and has relied on an interpreter to sign the spoken words in his classrooms. For most of his teachers and classmates he was the first mainstreamed deaf student they had encountered. By the time he has reached high school Jake has a deaf classmate and long acquaintance with his peers. They know what mischief he can generate. The book is a series of flashbacks from the perspective of high school graduation, and Jake Zulinski has plenty of time for remembrance while his classmates receive their diplomas in alphabetical order. There was the explosion of parts in small engine repair and the major problem in the welding class. Jake is reminded of his first date, and the girl's father who was more than a little concerned. There was the problem of sign language in the darkroom in photography and of his female interpreter in the boys' locker room for track. Then there was the incident...but you'll have to read the book to find out how much mayhem one student can cause. Deb Piper has drawn on her more than twenty years' experience working with deaf children to create this highly popular student. Jake has become a particular favorite of hearing-impaired students, and he has found a following among his peers in the mainstream.

This is the story of Columbia Victoria Stuart Boyden who found herself a virtual orphan after her father went to fight in the Civil War and her mother died. She made the long and difficult trip to her uncle's Virginia plantation where she was taken in and treated as a member of the family. Her uncle was the illustrious General Jeb Stuart, and she became part of an exciting world of war, privilege, and adventure. Through her eyes, we see the exuberant world of the Virginian Confederacy in the early years of the Civil War. Author, Dr Joy Fowler, is Chair of the Writing Department at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she has taught for more than twenty years. Much of her writing is connected to her hobby of historic re-enacting and portrayals of historic characters.

It is said in the magic profession that when a true magician leaves this realm, another one is sent to take his place. Harry Houdini died on October 31, Halloween. Sam Sullivan, now 10, was born on this day-and his passion always has been magic. Maybe he is the one. ** Make Me Disappear is a present day adventure set in the real world and Wundriana, the land of magic where things go when they disappear. It is also a Christmas story with a wonderful cast of characters. ** At 10, Sam's fate seems set. His widowed father will marry the dishonest, materialistic, manipulative Cynthia, who wants Sam out of the way in a boarding school. Sam loves doing magic tricks and is well-read about the profession. When Choko the Clown performs magic tricks at his 10th birthday party, and Sam later discovers him to be The Great Blackwell LaVeque, Sam's fortune changes. Because Sam's birthday is Houdini's day of leaving this realm, Blackwell accepts Sam as his apprentice and welcomes him into his home and heart. Cynthia has been making Sam's life miserable; therefore, when Blackwell sends him to Wundriana as part of his apprenticeship, Sam determines to return one day and remain there. In Wundriana he meets, the stranded, beautiful Kristina and the evil Sinjin who the young Blackwell banished years before for murdering his own love and assistant, Lily. Both desperately want to get back to the real world. Only Sam has the means in Blackwell's book, but he must discover and use the magical way. Sams intelligence prevails as he sends Kristina back and outwits Sinjin. ** Back in the real world, Sam's disappearance shakes his father and straightens out his values. He sees Cynthia for what she is. Kristina arrives with news of Sam. Together they go to see Blackwell, now in the hospital,too weak with trying to retrieve Sam. Sam alone must now affect his own return. Sam again outsmarts Sinjin, performs the necessary magic, and returns. ** In a wonderful scene reaffirming concern for his son's feelings, one evoking their Christmas tree ritual of years past, Sam's father trashes Cynthia's plastic, decorator tree, stomps across the "sacred" lawn, axes a prized ornamental tree, lugs it across the living room and anchors it in an antique oriental vase. The rare Persian rug becomes the tree's skirt. As they both scan the room for something to use for a star, a perfect five pointed one suddenly appears on top of the tree with "a light so clear and pure that it seemed to let them know that everything was going to be fine." Novel Type: Fantasy/Family relationships/values clarification adventure Primary Audience: Boys Interest Level: 8-11 yrs; Grade 3-5 Author Style: Straightforward Narrative Mood: Serious

A Guide to Creative Questioning for Middle School Literature Based on Bloom's Taxonomy Completely Revised 2014 Edition The books covered in this volume are: The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Then Again, Maybe I Won't, River Rats, The Weaver's Scar, Death Be Not Proud, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Outsiders, Lyddie, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, A Day No Pigs Would Die, The Scarlet Letter, The Slave Dancer, Ivanhoe, The Old Man and the Sea, Where the Red Fern Grows, Billy Budd, Rebecca, Legend of the North, The Count of Monte Cristo, Abe and the Wild River, Troubling a Star, The Tale of a Hero and the Song of Her Sword, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Key to Honor, Nadia of the Night Witches, Beyond the Yellow Star to America, We Have to Escape, Cassie's War, Treasure Island, Going Solo, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Journal of Jenny September, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Charissa of the Overland, The Shot Not Heard Around the World, Surviving Erebus: An Antarctic Adventure, Unswept Graves, Strangers in Black, In Sherman's Path, The Price of Command, Through Goya's Eyes, The Lady or the Tiger

"I am enchanted by the book. Bravo!!!"-L.A./Seoul Olympic high bar champion Philippe Chartrand"It is very entertaining-a great read."-Nalani Cook: national gymnastics coach and judge for elite-level men's gymnastics "The book captures the essence of emotions as well as the thought processes of this age group!"-Principal Mrs. Catherine Thompson, St. Francis De Sales, Las Vegas Strap Bar is an entertaining novel about the hopes, dreams and frustrations of young sports champions aiming for the top. It has been described as a "must-read" for young athletes, parents, and coaches. It tells the story of Bryce, the gymnast, dedicated to his sport and supported by his family. He wins when he competes so his coaches use him as a model for the perfect athlete. But when injuries and poor scores accumulate, he has an epiphany regarding his coach, and chooses to relocate to a new gym-but the coach is a woman! There is so much to gamble, and just days before Nationals. Will talent, coaching, and training prove secondary to his attitude? Will they be enough to win? And if not, will the sport be enough without the medals? Strap Bar will strike a chord with many students and their parents experiencing the joys, sacrifices, dedication, pride, injuries, and struggles of an aspiring champion trying to balance school, friends, family, and everyday life. The story is based on the real-life experiences of the author's gymnast son, and is illustrated with photographs taken of Bryce in action at meets, with detailed descriptions of his moves.

A learn-while-doing guide speaking directly to the learner, this book first defines a poetic concept, then offers a series of activities using the concept in creative practice. The Poetry Pad covers: Alphabet Verse; Parody; Quatrain; Two Word Poem; Concrete Poetry; Clerihew; Tongue Twisters; Simile; Free Verse; Jingles; Metaphor; Limerick; Found Poetry; Kenning; Triangular Triplet; Acrostic; Diamante; Patchwork Poetry; Haiku; Collage Poetry; Tercet Versee; Tanka; Cinquain; Sijo; Dramatizing a Poem; Chants; Creative Poetry Activities; Couplet.

Based on a true family adventure, is the story of three children who suspect that their neighbor might be Santa Claus. The children, vacationing in Vermont with their grandparents, form a spy club to find out if the man who lives down the street with the long white beard, a belly that shakes like jelly and a bunch of reindeer in his front yard is the same person who slides down their chimneys every Christmas. The story is told from the point of view of six-and-three-quarter year old Abby who insists that she will believe in Santa Claus even when she is in "the hundredth grade." This inter-generational tale, celebrating old-fashioned family values with up-to-date, real, characters, encourages people to put the heart back in the holidays. www.themanwhocouldbesanta.com. introduces the real-life characters who inspired the story and gives young readers' reactions. A Review: "A delightful holiday story that will rekindle the excitement about the existence of Santa Claus. Children who read this book may look at their own neighbors and ponder the hidden identities behind their everyday personas. Is the UPS man Superman in disguise? Does the dental hygienist moonlight as the tooth fairy? This book with the small town setting will inspire imagination and wonder for the spirit of Christmas."-Shelly Becker, Assistant Librarian, Bridport, Vermont Joanna Wolper is an Emmy Award winning writer and producer of television documentaries and entertainment shows. Ms. Wolper has a Masters Degree in educational theater from New York University and wrote and directed a children's series for ABC-TV: Our Special Kids. She has also produced features for the in-school Channel One Network and wrote a live show at The New York Public Library for The National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum that honored the best young scientists in the world. She has written articles and columns for magazines, newspapers and web sites.

Ever since 12-year-old Josh could remember, people told stories about Poplar Island. Indians massacred settlers there, ghosts of pirates walked there, a weird old man lived there alone. Everyone had a story, but no one had really gone to find out more. Josh agreed to explore with his buddy, Teague. The mission is a near disaster when their boat sinks and the boys are at the mercy of the island’s mysterious Mr. Melvin Wright for a boatride home. Josh, who loves boats and who is a genius with small machinery, is determined to buy another boat, an inexpensive wreck that he and Teague can repair. They plan to work at odd jobs for the money. Jimmy, a sleazy teenager, sells the boys a dilapidated scow, which they take into their hearts, and on which they lavish love, elbow grease, and money. But the boys learn that the boat was actually stolen property and must be returned immediately without compensation for their work and expense. Mad and depressed, they commiserate with Melvin, who is a good lis-tener. As their friendship grows, they learn that Melvin is the island’s caretaker. His oyster and rockfish beds help the environment. Soon the three join forces in a mutually beneficial venture. The boys will harvest and sell the fish to local restaurants, thereby earning the money for a new boat. The business is good, and friendship grows. Tragedy strikes when Melvin has a heart attack. Jimmy sneaks onto the island to steal a very special boat to sell to support his drug habit. The boys save Melvin and foil Jimmy’s plot, but not before Josh discovers the boat, takes on Jimmy, and gets the boat to run. This is a wonderful story of friendship and what can go right with a little well-placed Beth Deemer is a native of Maryland.

For all who love horses. Molly Grimaldi is not impressed with fashions, cell phones, texting, or even boys. She believes there is nothing more important than tradition and saving the farm that has been in the family for generations. When golden palomino Amazing Grace has a hopelessly crippled foal, Molly knows the right thing for a farmer is to allow the horse to die. But when she sees jet-black "Handsome Augie," she begs her father to give her the chance of rescuing a horse with the blood lines of champions. With the determination of generations of Grimaldis, Molly works day and night to rescue a stallion and a farm.

The Bog Spell is the story of Joseph McNulty, one of Irelands immigrants to The New World following The Starving Time in mid-nineteenth century Ireland. Historical background is meticulously accurate and the eerie tale against the stark reality is so beautifully conveyed that it is at once shocking, yet sensitive. Joseph is fleeing more than the deprivation of his homeland. Since childhood he has been pursued by the specter of The Bog Spell, an ancient Druid bloodrite that threatens to destroy him along with his young wife, Sarah. Only a supreme act of courage and self-sacrifice can break the power of the spell. For the sake of all that he holds dear, Joseph must find inner courage as his defining moment draws near. This is a hauntingly beautiful love story steeped in Irish mysticism. Sarah, Josephs beloved wife has recently drowned, but her body has not been recovered. Their two daughters carry on as best they can at home while Joseph is away long hours at work. Joseph suffers from blinding headaches that are sapping his strength and his ability to work to support his two children. When he nears the scene of Sarahs accident, as he must on his way home, he believes that he is hallucinating her to be still alive. But, slowly and painfully, he realizes that this is cruel reality. Beloved Sarah is alive beneath the bog, caught in time by the evil spell and demon who dwells there. Joseph must relive shocking childhood memories involving his father, and deal with their revelation and consequences, in order to bring Sarah back to the bogs surface and earthly life again.

Winner of a Bronze Medal LIVING NOW Book Awards 2011. Finalist, Book Of The Year Awards, 2011 "...the wonders of nature and wonders of childhood are artfully intertwined..." The first book in our new Nature Study Curriculum introduces the idea that all families, wherever they live, can explore their neighborhood and find a 'wild spot' to study and observe the changing seasons. With wonderful illustrations and examples, Laurel Dodge writes with passion and sensitivity. She shows how you can record and identify what you find; how to go at a pace appropriate for children to connect with what they see; how to stay safe; how to co-operate with others, and how to develop nature study as an enriching part of family life. The author writes from a lifetime of experience of exploring nature as a child, introducing nature study with her homeschooled children, and as an expert in environmental studies. Laurel Dodge writes in the book: "The nature lore you discover with your children today may be passed down as a precious gift to your grandchildren in years to come...The strongest influences on children's lives are the actions and values of their families. A family that demonstrates its values by getting outside, getting moving, and getting engaged with nature teaches com­passion, conservation, and curiosity with every step. It is up to you to show your family what you value." "Laurel Dodge loves nature as she does her children. What makes this book special is that the wonders of nature and wonders of childhood are artfully intertwined. Laurel makes each experience in the wild a "personal one", bringing the reader along on the walk and making it all the more meaningful." Lynn Hamlen, Executive Director, Darien Nature Center CT

This Antarctic adventure story is set in the nineteenth century onboard Her Majesty's ships Erebus and Terror. During the historic voyage of Sir James Clark Ross to Antarctica in 1839, David Smythe, a stowaway and very curious young sailor, is forced to fight for his survival, first among the crew and second, out on the vast Ross Ice Shelf while nearly frozen to death. He must decide whether or not to save a shipmate who has plunged down a crevasse, one who has been his major tormentor during the entire voyage. Smythe and the crew experience attempted murder, ship collisions, nearly being frozen in for a winter in the Bay of Whales and the ship's sinking. The boy's adventures of exploration and discovery are described graphically and accurately and the reader can almost hear the cracking of the ice and the creaking of the ship's timbers as winter closes in; we feel the discomfort of the cramped and basic living quarters and share the fear of young David as he wonders how he got himself into this most challenging environment. That he comes through, survives to become a valued crew member and grows up, is due not only to his resilience, deep curiosity and basic good nature, but also to the support of an important mentor, the ship's scientist who enrolls him as his assistant. Author John Barell sailed to Antarctica on board USS Glacier, and served as Operations Officer during Operation DeepFreeze '63 and '64. Now professor emeritus at Montclair State University, Barell worked for several years as a consultant to The American Museum of Natural History in New York City helping teachers and students develop their inquisitiveness about the wonders of earth and space. "A recommended and engaging tale"—Midwest Book Review