Books published by publisher Charlesbridge Publishing Feb - 2000

Climb aboard Alvin, the famous deep-sea submersible credited with helping to find the Titanic, and take a trip two miles down to the bottom of the ocean. Experience a day in the life of an Alvin pilot and join scientists at the seafloor to collect samples and conduct research. Along the way, discover what one wears, eats, and talks about during a typical eight-hour trip in a underwater craft and find out more about the animals that live deep in our oceans. "An appealing, exhilarating, and informative vicarious journey of discovery." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) "Wong’s detailed illustrations add an exciting immediacy to the descent and to the glowing wonders of the deep." (Washington Post)

The House That George Built takes listeners through the process of how the president’s house came to be - starting with the contest George held to choose the perfect design for this legendary landmark, all the way to President John Adams’ move into the grandiose home. Cleverly written in the familiar format of The House That Jack Built, author Suzanne Slade supplements her rhyming verse with lively conversational prose, describing how George was involved in this project from beginning to end, from selecting the location to figuring out how to get the thousands of heavy bricks to the construction site.

Pig Pig doesn't want to go on a road trip with Aunt Wilma and Uncle Fred! Pig Pig would rather stay home and spend his summer vacation building a rocket ship model or reading back issues of Daring Pig Exploits. Besides, his mother and Fluffy the cat might miss him too much. His uncle insists that this is the opportunity of a lifetime, and soon Pig Pig is enjoying an eye-opening road trip. But he worries - what if his mother and Fluffy don't remember him when he gets back? This charming and timeless story of trying new things and managing trips away from home and family will delight.

Poop! Ewwww! No, don’t say "Ewwww." Ask, "Whose poop is that?" This simple, and yes, charming audiobook asks this question about seven examples of animal poop. By investigating clues, young listeners can learn to identify the animal through its droppings. For instance, find a sample of poop with bits of bone and tufts of hair. Keep listening to learn it came from a fox! Backmatter includes further information about the poop and what scientists can learn from an animal’s droppings. "A primer on poop and a guessing game, especially for those just beyond toilet training" (Kirkus Reviews) "Gross-out details will provoke glee...but kids will learn plenty about the variety and importance of animal waste, too" (Publishers Weekly) "As accessible to newly independent readers as it is to younger listeners" (Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books) "Sure to appeal to curious youngsters. Recommended for collections that can't get enough titles on poop" (School Library Journal) "The kid-friendly illustrations and matter-of-fact tone make this title an informative, rather than a gross-out, pick, though is certainly what will get kids reaching for the shelves" (Booklist) "Friendly and inviting to novice naturalists" (Horn Book) "What are you waiting for? Come get the 'scoop on poop'!" (NSTA Recommends)

Everyone loves chocolate, right? But how many people actually know where chocolate comes from? How it’s made? Or that monkeys do their part to help this delicious sweet exist? This delectable dessert comes from cocoa beans, which grow on cocoa trees in tropical rain forests. But those trees couldn’t survive without the help of a menagerie of rain forest critters: a pollen-sucking midge, an aphid-munching anole lizard, brain-eating coffin fly maggots - they all pitch in to help the cocoa tree survive. A secondary layer of text delves deeper into statements such as "Cocoa flowers can’t bloom without cocoa leaves...and maggots," explaining the interdependence of the plants and animals in the tropical rain forests. Two wise-cracking bookworms appear throughout, adding humor and further commentary, making this book accessible to listeners of different ages.

In this latest book by acclaimed science writer April Pulley Sayre, young listeners follow along as a mother humpback whale and her calf make their annual trek from the warm waters of the Caribbean to their summer feeding grounds off the coast of New England and back again. Within this extraordinary story of migration, Sayre provides information about how humpback whales breathe, sing, and how they got their name - a secondary layer of text expands upon the more intricate details. But aside from the basics about the humpback whale species, Here Come the Humpbacks! also delves into the dangers these whales face - from other mammals and sea life such as hungry orcas, to man-made threats like pollution and giant ships.

Listeners are introduced to twin snow leopard cubs and their mother from the Hindu Kush mountains of Pakistan. Lyrical, informative text leads listeners through the struggles these snow leopards face - from finding food to bearing harsh weather conditions - and the lessons the young cubs learn as they prepare for a life on their own, out from underneath the watchful, caring eye of their mother.

Kathy Sullivan wanted to go everywhere. She loved blueprints and maps. She loved languages and the ocean. She didn’t like the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” She wanted to explore and do exciting things that girls weren’t supposed to be able to do. Only men had the exciting jobs. Kathy liked fishing and swimming, flying planes and studying science. That’s what she liked, and that’s what she decided to do with her life. She followed her heart and eventually became a NASA astronaut and the first woman to walk in space. Kathy wanted to see the whole world, and so she did: from space!

In 1959, the Boston Red Sox was the last team in the Major Leagues to integrate. But when they call Elijah “Pumpsie” Green up from the minors, Bernard is overjoyed to see a black player on his beloved home team. And, when Pumpsie’s first home game is scheduled, Bernard and his family head to Fenway Park. Bernard is proud of Pumpsie and hopeful that this historic event is the start of great change in America. This fictionalized account captures the true story of baseball player Pumpsie Green’s rise to the major leagues. The story is a snapshot of the Civil Rights Movement and a great discussion starter about the state of race relations in the United States today. "A grand slam." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) "The story's moments of triumph sound the loudest notes." (Publisher's Weekly) "This uplifting account of a family and the integration of Boston baseball will be inspiring to many youngsters." (School Library Journal) "This picture book contributes to children's understanding of America's past, while telling a good story." (Booklist)

A giant whale trapped in nets and ropes. Can she be helped? A humpback whale migrating south along the California coast becomes tangled in a fishing trawler’s ropes and nets. As she struggles to free herself, the ropes twist more tightly around her body, digging into her skin. The whale fights until she is too tired to continue. What happens next will astound and inspire. Based on true events, this is a story of interspecies cooperation and the importance of human responsibility to protect the earth and its many inhabitants.

A volcano is a scary, catastrophic phenomenon that creates mass destruction as far as its deadly lava can reach, right? Not quite.... Elizabeth Rusch explores volcanoes in their entirety, explaining how they’re not all as bad as they’re made out to be. Using examples of real volcanoes from around the world, Rusch explains how some volcanoes create new land, mountains, and islands where none existed before, and how the ash helps farmers fertilize their fields. Simple, straight-forward prose provides listeners with the basics, while a secondary layer of text delves deeper into the science of volcanoes.