Books published by publisher Houghton Mifflin School

How do you keep a crowd of energetic young penguins entertained? Put on a play, perhaps? But will they pay attention through an entire performance? If Tacky’s center stage, they might. Even in his flowing blond wig and little red “skipping shoes,” everyone’s favorite misfit penguin imbues the character of Goldilocks with his own indomitable personality and style. So what if the set is in shambles? This is one performance Mrs. Beakly’s students won’t soon forget.

Out of the seven Apollo expeditions to land on the moon, six of the efforts succeeded outstandingly and one failed. Lost Moon is the story of the failure and the incredible heroism of the three astronauts who brought their crippled vehicle back to earth. This account--written by Jim Lovell, commander of the mission, and his talented coauthor, Jeffrey Kluger--captures the high drama of that unique event and is told in the vernacular of the men in the sky and on the ground who masterminded this triumph of heroism, intellectual brilliance, and raw courage. A thrilling story of a thrilling episode in the history of space exploration.

Most of the people you will meet in this book lived long ago in places that may seem very different to you now. But they all had feelings just like yours and faced many of the same challenges you will face in your life. And whether they were great leaders or ordinary people, their decisions and actions helped shape California and the world you live in.