Books published by publisher Ruby Mountain Press, Ltd.

Everyone knows that trains helped build the West, but few know the story of Blind Tom, a sightless workhorse who pulled flatcars for construction crews on the world�s first transcontinental rail-road. Stalwartly pulling his heavy load through rain, mud, and snow, Tom contributed in his own way to American history.Although Tom was blind, his strength and spirit led him to be chosen as the lead horse for the Union Pacific line. Hardworking, patient, and loyal, he was the pride of the UPRR. Telegraph operators tracked the rail workers� daily progress by asking, �Where�s BlindTom today?� He even became a minor celebrity as reporters around the country picked up the story of the tenacious blind horse.As informative as it is entertaining, this charmingly illustrated book includes a map of the railroad route, a �Things to Know� page, and a list of museums and Web sites with information about railroad history.

Ancestors of today�s Native Americans populated the Great Plains about 14,000 years ago, about the time glaciers of the last Ice Age began melting back to the north. Prehistoric people living on the dry plains east of the Rocky Mountains were hunter-gatherers�they moved from place to place in search of animals to hunt and seeds, roots, and berries to gather. Archaeologists have reconstructed the history of these hunter-gatherers by studying old camp sites and tools made of stone and antler. Author Lauri Travis introduces readers to the science of archaeology, shedding light on how field scientists find evidence of people who did not build permanent houses and how researchers determine the age of an arrowhead and what it was used to kill. Archaeological illustrator Eric Carlson brings to life the day-to-day activities of these early people, such as how they used drive lines to funnel animals over buffalo jumps, how sinew was used to attach points to spears, and how grinding stones were used to mash seeds into flour. The book also includes photographs of artifacts and excavation sites, as well as a list of archaeological sites you can visit while exploring the vast plains where mammoths used to roam.

How could the loss of just one single species matter? Against a backdrop of dramatic and colorful artwork, this book tells the story of Dr. Robert T. Paine’s landmark research on ochre sea stars. His study revealed that the presence or absence of one single species can affect an entire ecosystem. The main story introduces readers to intertidal life along the Pacific coast while describing the steps of Paine’s research. Gradually revealing the connections that tie together the existence of many diverse species in this tumultuous ecosystem, the book clearly conveys the surprising importance of one individual species. Through the story and extensive back matter, readers learn about ecology, keystone species, and the invisible connections that exist everywhere in nature.

When the explorers Lewis and Clark asked the Shoshone woman Sacagawea and her husband, French trapper Toussaint Charbonneau, to act as interpreters for their expedition, the couple brought along their two-month-old son, Jean Baptiste. Over the course of the two-year journey, baby Baptiste won the hearts of the rough men of the corps. Captain Clark called him "my little dancing boy." But the rest of the story of this intriguing young figure has been largely untold--until now.Sacagawea's Son: The Life of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau tells the action-packed, sometimes poignant story of a boy born to adventure. Baptiste's experiences with the Corps of Discovery were only the beginning. Educated in St. Louis by Captain Clark, he went on to live in a royal palace in Europe and to speak many languages. But, truly his parents' son, he returned to the American West, living out his life as a trapper, scout, and explorer alongside the likes of Kit Carson, James Bridger, and John Fremont. Readers ages ten and up will thrill to this lively and fascinating account of the life of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau--a child chosen by history.

Smoky, the Cowhorse is the story of a horse--from his first hours on the prairie sod to his final years out to pasture. Smoky grows up wild and wise to the ways to the range, fighting wolves and braving stiff winds. Clint, a bronco-busting cowboy on the Rocking R Ranch, spots the spirited four-year-old and thinks it is the finest little horse he ever saw. After many adventurous years on the Rocking R, Smoky mysteriously disappears, only to turn up later as an outlaw bucking horse on the rodeo circuit. The reader follows the story--from range to ranch to rodeo--through Smoky's eyes. We feel his terror of man, his struggle against the rope, his growing love for turning cows, and his anger when mistreated. First published in 1926, Smoky, the Cowhorse is for anyone who loves horses the way Will James did. As James writes in the preface, "Smoky is just a horse, but all horse, and that I think is enough said."

The seventh installment of Mountain Press�s state-by-state series for teen readers, Bold Women in California History reveals what women can do when they dare to be bold. From Sally Ride, the first American female astronaut, to Yoshiko Uchida, Japanese internment camp survivor turned children�s author, to Elvira Virginia Mugarrieta, who dressed as a man in order to do things women of the time could not, the thirteen women portrayed in this collection broke down barriers of sexism, racism, and political opposition to emerge as heroines of their time. Whether that meant pushing for change in the state senate, as Rose Ann Vuich did, or escaping slavery and later doing good for the community, as Bridget �Biddy� Mason did, each and every one of these stories, unique as they are, show ways in which women have created lasting change. Perfect for school or home, this collection of short but informative biographies is both a valuable resource and an entertaining read.

The sun has set; the sky is dark.Bright stars shine in the night.It’s time to rest, to dream sweet dreams,then wake with morning’s light.The animals will slumber, too.Some near, some far away.How will they settle down to sleep?Each has a special way.Fourteen animals, including the cuddly koala, the hairy anteater, and the wise owl, are featured in this lyrical bedtime story about the unusual ways that animals sleep. Natural history notes explain how each animal sleeps, from the magnificent frigatebird, which naps while flying hundreds of feet above the sea, to the walrus, which sleeps with its tusks anchored in floating ice. Whimsical watercolors of dozing animals will help any weary child fall to sleep with a smile.

Their dad has lost his mind. Their famous mom writes dark, disturbing poetry and ignores them. They are forbidden to contact Grandmother Magenta because she's a weirdo who solves gruesome crimes and talks to dead people, and the cutest boy they ever met, died decades ago. Have Audrey and Aislinn inherited the gift that got Magenta banished from the family? The Hanover twins became teenagers two months ago, and already their lives are falling apart. Family secrets emerge, and the isolated wreck of a house they must live in all summer, is infested with ghosts only they can see. And no matter how hard they try to hide their secret, they're destined to become the biggest story on the evening news. The first book in the Low Country Supernatural Mystery series featuring psychic twins, Audrey and Aislinn Hanover.

From the mysterious "Angel of Goliad" to the influential Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, the eleven women portrayed in this engaging book were indeed bold--breaking down barriers of sexism, racism, and political opposition to emerge as heroines of their time. The second in a new state-by-state series for teen readers, Bold Women in Texas History revewals the feminine side of the Lone Star State's storied past. Within these pages are tales of fearless femmes who dared to dream and resolved to take action. Among them we meet Mollie Kirkland Bailey, circus owner and mother of nine, who served in the Civil War as both a nurse and a spy; "Brave Bessie" Coleman, who traveled to France to get the pilot's license that, because of her sex and her race, she was not allowed to earn in her home country; and Mildred "Babe" Zaharias, one of the greatest female athletes of all time.Perfect for school or home, this collection of short but informative biographies is both a valuable resource and an entertaining read. For readers young and old, Bold Women in Texas History proves what women can accomplish when they dare to be bold.

The cheetah may be the fastest land mammal, but is it the fastest animal of all? Or does the award go to a soaring bird, slithering snake, or sailing fish? The fourteen animals presented in Who’s Faster? span a range of speeds, from the slow crawl of a sloth to the breakneck blur of the fastest animal in the world. With lyrical text, author Eileen Meyer describes each animal’s unique movement and then asks readers, “Who’s faster?” Kids won’t be able to stop turning the pages until they find out who’s fastest. Beautiful watercolors by award-winning illustrator Constance Bergum capture each animal’s graceful movement and include intricate details of hooves, whiskers, fins, and feathers. An appendix provides more information about each animal.

In their ancestral home in the South Carolina Low Country, teen twins, Aislinn and Audrey, have seen their share of ghosts. Now, Landon, the four-year-old they baby sit, has seen a ghost, or maybe a mummy. A boy and girl from their new school have been kidnapped. Their father's long-dead hero has returned to balance karma. Two murder victims seek justice. The Deckers have disappeared.They all expect Aislinn and Audrey to harness their evolving powers and save them. Donovan, the cute ghost who has a room in their attic, should be helping, but he's too busy with his invisible teachers, doing things he can't tell mortals about. The only living being who can tell them what they must know, is a tree. Grandmother Magenta is teaching them as fast as she can, but new powers manifest faster than they can learn to use them. A murderer has his eye on them.The Low Country is a perilous place for teenage twins who can see its ghosts.