Books published by publisher Filter Pr Llc

An enormous castle of ice was built during the winter of 1895 in Leadville, Colorado. It was a difficult time for the mining town after the silver crash, and the desperate citizens came up with the idea of an 'ice palace' to boost tourism and the economy. Construction began in November of 1895 and was completed in January of 1896. The result delighted everyone, particularly young people - until the spring thaw of 1896. Afton Rorvik tells this remarkable story for young readers in Palace of Ice.

"At first I thought everything in America would look like New York City, with shops and crowded streets, but I have discovered, the farther west we travel, that there are long stretches of nothing. Absolutely nothing.I only hope the place we are going to is not so empty."Nancy Oswald's historical novel is based on the establishment of a Russian-Jewish community in Cotopaxi, Colorado, in 1882. Emma and her family, along with their neighbors have escaped persecution in Tsarist Russia to seek a better life in America, but they face hardship and struggle in the harsh climate of the Rocky Mountains. Nothing Here but Stones is winner of the Willa Literary Award and a finalist for the Spur Award from Western Writers of America.

In Meadow Lark, the third book in Mary Peace Finley’s Santa Fe Trail Trilogy, 13-year old Teresita Montoya dreams of learning to read and of leaving her small village to follow her brother Julio and her father eastward. When she joins a wagon train headed to Bent’s Fort and beyond, her courage and resourcefulness are tested with each challenge along the way. Terisita’s adventure-filled journey from Taos, Mexico, to Independence, Missouri, marks the beginning of a future filled with possibilities. Winner of the Colorado Book Award; Finalist for the WILLA Award. “This exciting story of courage in the face of adversity is sure to please all ages.” —Rudofo Anaya

Nine-year-old Raephy McDowell is NOT a snoop. At least, she doesn't think so. She's mighty curious, though. Who wouldn't be with talk of a brand new town where there's nothing for miles except for the Santa Fe Railroad Station? When Mary Peace Finley learned how Lamar, Colorado, was founded, she knew she had a story—a lighthearted, fun story. Her heroine, nine-year-old Raephy McDowell, was one of four children who lived with their parents squeezed into the second story of an isolated prairie railroad station. Their mother was the telegraph operator; their father the ranch foreman. When Mama and Daddy learn of the secret plan to move the station and 'boom' a town, they have two problems: How to work around rancher Amos Black who owns the land they live on, and how to keep their very curious daughter from finding out. Right on track, at midnight on May 22, 1886, the railroad company brought in workers, lifted the station and outbuildings onto flat cars, and moved them four miles down the track. The station was unloaded and the telegraph lines reconnected before dawn. Within two days, families were buying lots and a town was born. Mary Peace Finley is author of the award-winning Santa Fe Trail Trilogy—Soaring Eagle, White Grizzly, and Meadow Lark. Judith Hunt is the illustrator of many children's books including Prunes and Rupe

With his blonde hair and green eyes, Julio Montoya is different from the others in his village, but as far as he is concerned, he is Mexican. Still, he can't help but wonder whether there's some secret about his birth. In the first novel of the Santa Fe Trail Trilogy, Julio discovers his own strength and develops a strong friendship with the Cheyenne when he is stranded in the wilderness after the death of his father.

At first I thought everything in America would look like New York City, with shops and crowded streets, but I have discovered, the farther west we travel, that there are long stretches of nothing. Absolutely nothing.I only hope the place we are going to is not so empty.Nothing Here but Stones is based on a Russian Jewish colony that settled in Cotopaxi, Colorado, in 1882. Told from the viewpoint of eleven-year-old Emma, the book vividly portrays the hardships and struggles of the colony.They were promised housing and rich ground for farming. Instead, the land is rocky and of poor quality. The houses are small and unfinished, and the colonists lack equipment and livestock for tilling and planting.The actual Jewish settlers faced many of the same hardships that Emma and her family did. There was an early frost, and the crops were stunted. The colonists were threatened by marauding bears and visited in the winter by starving Indians, who came to their doors begging for food.This new edition of Nancy Oswald’s award-winning novel brings brings an important piece of Colorado history to a new generation of young readers.

Trouble Returns is the third installment in the Ruby and Maude Adventure series.Winner of the 2017 Spur Award from Western Writers of America for Best Juvenile Fiction.Eleven-year-old Ruby is in an unbelievable amount of trouble. Trouble in school, trouble with the Sisters of Mercy, trouble with her cat named Trouble, and trouble with Pa after he proposes to the school principal. In 1896 Cripple Creek, Colorado, Ruby narrowly escapes death, and her donkey, Maude, steals the story with an unexpected surprise.“If you haven’t met Ruby, Maude, and Trouble, you’re in for a treat and a surprise ending. Enjoy!”—Lois Ruby, author of Steal Away Home

When the bloodiest labor dispute in U.S. history burst forth in 1913-14 in the coal fields of Southern Colorado, the miners knew whom to praise, and the owners knew whom to blame. Mary Harris Jones, known from New York to Colorado as Mother Jones, could incite a riot or calm a crowd with her amazing oratory gifts. She dedicated her life to helping miners organize to negotiate, even demand, better wages and working conditions.“I hope there is no war in Trinidad,” Mother Jones had said, referring to the entire Trinidad coal field expanse, “for it will cause suffering. But if the war has to be made that the boys in the mines may have their rights let it come!” In the long run, did she help or harm the progress toward workers’ rights? Were the deaths of mothers and children at Ludlow too great a price to pay?“It is extremely important that readers of all ages know what happened at Ludlow, and the role played by that spectacular rabble-rouser, Mother Jones. Lois Ruby has told this gripping story with just the right balance of fact and dramatic power. The eyes of the nation were on southern Colorado in 1914, when much that has made America what it is—the lives of immigrants, the conflict between corporate power and organized labor—lay in the balance. This story will speak to our time as provocatively as it spoke a century ago, and this book will engage and inform anyone who gives it attention.”—David Mason, Colorado Poet Laureate

In 1858 Edward Wynkoop arrived in the frontier town of Denver City. He was twenty-two years old and soon became a town leader and Denver’s first sheriff. During the American Civil War, he joined the Colorado Volunteers and played an important role in the Union victory at the Battle of Glorieta Pass in New Mexico.After the Civil War, Wynkoop worked to see that the Plains Indians were treated fairly. He was a popular public figure until he spoke out in protest after the Sand Creek Massacre. His investigations into the actions of Colonel John Chivington’s men at Sand Creek turned the public against him. Today he is a hero to Coloradans. Wynkoop Street in Denver is named for him. Number Seventeen in the Now You Know Bio series.Ages 10 and up72 pages; illustrated PaperbackTrim: 5.5” by 8.5”Publication date: 2014

Emily Griffith is surely the most influential Coloradan! The school she established ‘for all who wish to learn’ practically invented adult education. Emily was committed to practical education that would lead to employment and a better life. Today, almost 100 years after the establishment of the school, more than a million students have turned to the Emily Griffith Opportunity School.Great Lives in Colorado History biographies bring the stories of notable Coloradans to elementary grade readers. Each book in the series is bilingual, containing full text in both English and Spanish.Ages 8 to 10 Bilingual in English and Spanish 78 pages (English 38/Spanish 40) Paperback Trim: 5" by 8" Publication date: 2013

Rescue in Poverty Gulch transports the reader to 1896 Cripple Creek, Colorado, where gold was in the hills and the town was booming. Ruby May Oliver and her donkey, Maude, are happy with things just the way they are, traveling with Pa to mining camps to sell candlesticks to miners. However, life changes drastically when Ruby and her Pa are stranded in Cripple Creek. Spending days in a schoolhouse when she already knows her numbers and how to read, doesn’t strike Ruby as the best use of her time. To make things worse, Pa decides Ruby needs a ‘proper upbringing’. The hilarious antics of Maude, a menacing figure set on kidnapping Maude, and the historic backdrop of the destructive Cripple Creek fires of 1896 make for an exciting page-turning read.Nancy Oswald is author of two previous historical novels: Nothing Here But Stones and Hard Face Moon.“Rescue in Poverty Gulch is filled with delights. With eloquent charm, Nancy Oswald recreates life in the rough-and-tumble gold mining town of Cripple Creek.”—Margaret Coel, author of Chief Left Hand and the Wind River novels“Readers are sure to adore best friends Ruby and Maude. Her donkey, Maude, is the best friend a tomboy like Ruby can have! This is a page-turning adventure laced with twists, turns, humor, and a cast of memorable characters. We can only hope that Ruby and Maude team up for more fast and fun adventures.”—Randall Platt, Award-winning author of Hellie Jondoe“Nancy Oswald has the magical ability to let her young readers see life as it was a century ago. Ruby’s story gives the reader a great sense of 1896 Cripple Creek. This is a great read for kids!”—Jan Collins, Director, Cripple Creek District Museum, Cripple Creek, Colorado

In the second book of Mary Peace Finley's Santa Fe Trail Trilogy, young Julio Montoya travels the Santa Fe Trail in 1845 in search of his Anglo grandfather and clues to his past. On his journey, Julio is attacked by a grizzly, treated by a Cheyenne healer, left to die by Texas freebooters, captured by Pawnee, and protected by a powerful spirit. EVVY Award Winner from Colorado Independent Publishers Association Ben Franklin Award finalist from Independent Book Publishers Association. "Intelligently written, and dappled with rich details of the period, this exciting tale is well suited for young adults....Finley's vivid recreation of the time just prior to the Mexican-American War is irresistible." — Today's Librarian "The action never ceases." — Booklist "White Grizzly is an electrifying, page-turner of an historical novel written and highly recommended for young readers ages 10 and older." — Midwest Book Review "The story is entertaining and the historical framework viable." — School Library Journal