Books published by publisher Chicago Review Press

Finalist for the 2020 AAAS / Subaru SB&F Excellence in Science Book exemplify outstanding and engaging science writing and illustration for young readers. George Washington Carver was a scientist, educator, artist, inventor, and humanitarian. Born into slavery during the Civil War, he later pursued an education and would become the first black graduate from Iowa Agricultural College. Carver then took a teaching position at the Tuskegee Institute, founded by Booker T. Washington. There, Carver taught poor Southern farmers how to nourish the soil, conserve resources, and feed their families. He also developed hundreds of new products from the sweet potato, peanut, and other crops, and his discoveries gained him a place in the national spotlight. George Washington Carver for Kids tells the inspiring story of this remarkable American. It includes a time line, resources for further research, and 21 hands-on activities to help better appreciate Carver’s genius. Kids will: Turn a gourd into a decorative bowlConstruct a model of a sod houseBrew ginger teaCreate paints using items found in natureGrow sweet potatoesBuild a compost bin for kitchen and yard wasteLearn how to pickle watermelon rindsAnd more!

Heading West traces the vivid saga of Native American and pioneer men, women, and children from the colonial beginnings of the westward expansion to the last of the homesteaders in late 20th century Alaska. In many respects, life in the backwoods and on the prairie was similar to modern life—children attended school and had daily chores, parents worked hard to provide for their families, and communities gathered for church and social events. But unlike today, pioneers lived against a backdrop of isolation, harsh weather, disease, and even plagues of locust. And for Native Americans, the westward expansion of settlers posed the most direct threat to their centuriesold cultures. But pioneer life was not all hardship. Settlers were able to build lives and communities, and experience a freedom brought on by new possibilities. Author Pat McCarthy has woven dozens of firsthand accounts from journals and autobiographies of the era to form a rich and detailed story. Readers will find more than 20 activities to help them better understand their pioneering ancestors. Children will churn butter, dip candles, track animals, play Blind Man’s Bluff, create a homestead diorama, and more. And before they finish, readers won’t have just headed west, but back in time as well.

Charity Selborne, a lovely war widow, and her irreverent artist friend, Louise Cray, arrive in the South of France expecting a conventional holiday. The vistas of Provence delight them, and Charity soon meets David, a young man of 13 who is having trouble with his dog. He introduces himself and Charity is charmed—until she senses a terrible maturity behind his grave eyes and shortly hears the rumors about his father. From this point on, the tension mounts steadily until it reaches the breaking point, while the thirsty summer heat, the noise of cicadas, and the dust of country roads all contribute to the superb realism of Mary Stewart’s very first novel. Combining her keen wit, zest for adventure, and eye for the details that make her characters interesting and memorable, Mary Stewart leads the reader on a swift, breathless chase that turns this quiet story into a masterpiece of romantic suspense.

People throughout history have written messages in code and ciphers to pass along closely held, secret information. Today, countries around the world enlist cryptanalysts to intercept and crack messages to keep our world safe. Code Cracking for Kids explores many aspects of cryptology, including famous people who used and invented codes and ciphers, such as Julius Caesar and Thomas Jefferson; codes used during wars, including the Enigma machine, whose cracking helped the Allies gather critical information on German intelligence in World War II; and work currently being done by the government, such as in the National Security Agency. Readers also will learn about unsolved codes and ciphers throughout history, little-known codes used today, and devices used over the years by governments and their spies to conceal information. Code Cracking for Kids includes hands-on activities that allow kids to replicate early code devices, learn several different codes and ciphers to encode and decode messages, and hide a secret message inside a hollow egg.

An NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young PeopleChristopher Columbus is one of the most famous people in world history, yet few know the full story of the amazing, resourceful, and tragic Italian explorer. Christopher Columbus and the Age of Exploration for Kids portrays the “Admiral of the Ocean Seas” neither as hero nor heel but as a flawed and complex man whose significance is undeniably monumental. Kids will gain a fuller picture of the seafarer’s life, his impact, and the dangers and thrills of exploration as they learn about all four of Columbus’s voyages to the New World, not just his first, as well as the year that Columbus spent stranded on the island of Jamaica without hope of rescue. Students, parents, and teachers will appreciate the in-depth discussions of the indigenous peoples of the New World and of the consequences of Columbus’s voyages—the exchange of diseases, ideas, crops, and populations between the New World and the Old. Fun hands-on activities illuminate both the nautical concepts introduced and the times in which Columbus lived. Kids can:Tie nautical knotsConduct a blanket (silent) tradeMake a compassSimulate a hurricaneTake nautical measurementsAnd much more

Biology is the study of life, and all the wonderful, squishy, messy parts that living things are made of. And children love messy science, especially hands-on experimentation! Junk Drawer Biology will demonstrate that you don't need high-tech equipment to make learning fun—just what you can find in your recycling bin and around the house. Aspiring doctors can build a model of human lungs with balloons and a soda bottle, and a homemade stethoscope with tubing and plastic lid. Budding gardeners will germinate beans and explore how leaves "breathe" and "sweat." And all ages will enjoy a double helix made of candy.Science educator Bobby Mercer provides readers with hands-on experiments to explain the building blocks of living matter for children of all ages. The projects can be modified to meet the skill levels of the children doing them, from elementary school kids to teenagers. Though each challenge includes suggested materials and one step-by-step, illustrated solution, children are encouraged to think further come up with more questions to answer. Educators and parents will find this title a handy resource to teach children while having a lot of fun.

Students discover the basic principles necessary to build all types of structures used in everyday life including bridges, skyscrapers, and other architectural gems. Line art illustrations help to explain projects that demonstrate how these principles keep structures solid. Perfect for kids who wonder why, and love to figure things out! All projects are easily done with materials found around-the-house.

Featuring hands-on activities, games, and crafts that introduce children to the diversity of Latino culture, this guide teaches them about the people, experiences, and events that have shaped Hispanic American history. Broken down into sections covering descendants from Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Central and South America, topics include Spanish colonial history; the missions and early settlements in Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, California, and Texas; the Santa Fe Trail and the United States-Mexican War of 1848; immigration; and the plight of migrant farm workers. Sidebars focus on famous Latinos and language lessons, while projects highlight arts, games, food, clothing, unique celebrations, and folklore. Kids can fill Mexican cascarones for Easter, learn to dance the merengue from the Dominican Republic, write a short story using magical realism to learn about the literature of Colombia, make a Cuban sandwich, and create Guatemalan worry dolls. A time line, glossary, teacher's guide, and recommendations for Latino books, movies, museums, and websites round out this multicultural excursion.

Named a Smithsonian Notable Book for Children for 2010 Theodore Roosevelt’s heart was as big as the great outdoors he loved. A sickly, undersized boy, he grew into a physically fit, energetic man whose courage knew no bounds. Roosevelt hailed from the top of American society, but wealth could not shield him from human tragedy. As leader of a young, vigorous nation, he steered a middle course between the power brokers of big business and the needs of ordinary working people. A keen student of nature, Roosevelt would protect millions of acres for posterity. He was a writer, ranchman, politician, soldier, explorer, family man, and America’s 26th president, the youngest person to ever hold the office. Theodore Roosevelt for Kids brings to life this fascinating man, an American giant whose flaws were there for all the world to see. Twenty-one hands-on activities offer a useful glimpse at Roosevelt’s work and times. Readers will create a Native American toy, explore the effects of erosion, go on a modern big game hunt with a camera, and make felted teddy bears. The text includes a time line, online resources, and reading list for further study. And through it all, readers will appreciate how one man lived a “Bully!” life and made the word his very own.

Rose Cottage, a tiny thatched dwelling in an idyllic English country setting, would appear the picture of tranquility to any passerby. But when Kate Herrick returns to her childhood home to retrieve some family papers in the summer of 1947, she uncovers a web of intrigue as tangled as the rambling roses in its garden. The papers are missing. The village is alive with gossip. Did her elderly neighbors, suspected of being witches, really see nighttime prowlers and ghosts in the cottage garden? Kate's search for the truth brings her together with many childhood friends and neighbors, some suspicious of her return, but most eager to help. It also leads her down a trail of family bitterness, jealousy, and revenge--and into an exploration of her own past. She ends up discovering a long-hidden secret that will change her life dramatically--along with romance in a place she least expects. First published in 1997 and a major bestseller, Rose Cottage is, to date, the last and most mature novel from one of Britain's greatest writers.

Following Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s Corps of Discovery as they navigate the muddy Missouri River and begin a great adventure, this activity book is set against the background of the vast North American continent. It takes children from President Jefferson’s vision of an exploratory mission across a continent full of unique plants and animals through their dangerous and challenging journey into the unknown to the expedition’s triumphant return to the frontier town of St. Louis. Twenty-one activities bring to life the Native American tribes they encountered, the plants and animals they discovered, and the camping and navigating techniques they used. A glossary of terms and listings of Lewis and Clark sites, museums, and related websites round out this comprehensive activity book.

Michael Bond never intended to be a children’s writer. Though an avid reader, he was by no means a model student and quit school at 14. He repaired rooftop radio transmitters during the bombing of Britain in World War II and later joined the army. He wrote about the war and more, selling stories here and there. One day, while searching for inspiration at his typewriter, hoping for a big story that would allow him to write full time, a stuffed bear on top of the shelf—a Christmas present for his wife—suddenly caught his eye. Bond poured his personal feelings about the events of his era—the refugee children his family had hosted in the countryside, a war-torn country in recovery, the bustling immigrant neighborhood where he lived—into the story of a little bear from Peru who tries very, very hard to do things right. The result was A Bear Called Paddington. An incredible true tale, More than Marmalade: Michael Bond and the Story of Paddington Bear is the first biography about the writer behind the beloved series. Author Rosanne Tolin reveals how world history, Bond’s life, and 1950s immigrant culture were embedded into Paddington’s creation, bringing middle-grade readers a delightful, informative, and engaging book with a timely message of acceptance.