Books in I Witness War series

When his father is killed fighting for the Union in the War Between the States, thirteen-year-old Tom Carroll must take a job to help support his family. He manages to find work at a bustling ironworks in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, where dozens of men are frantically pounding together the strangest ship Tom has ever seen. A ship made of iron. Tom becomes assistant to the ship’s inventor, a gruff, boastful man named Captain John Ericsson. He soon learns that the Union army has very important plans for this iron ship called the Monitor. It is supposed to fight the Confederate “sea monster”--another ironclad--the Merrimac. But Ericsson is practically the only person who believes the Monitor will float. Everyone else calls it “Ericsson’s Folly” or “the iron coffin.” Meanwhile, Tom’s position as Ericsson’s assistant has made him a target of Confederate spies, who offer him money for information about the ship. Tom finds himself caught between two certain dangers: an encounter with murderous spies and a battle at sea in an iron coffin …

Early Whitcomb's family needs a miracle. Their Iowa farm has been in the family for generations, but a long drought has withered their savings and left them in debt. Meanwhile, the great Chicago and Northwestern Railroad wants their land, and if the Whitcombs can't pay their loans, the local banker, Judge Fuslin, will foreclose and sell the farm as his own.

Over the course of nearly eight years, the Iraq War claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. This volume traces the entire conflict from Saddam Hussein's rise to power, decades before the war started, to the war's lingering effects today. The book includes primary source accounts describing what it's like to live through unimaginable violence and encourages readers to consider the information presented to form opinions of their own.

The Syrian Civil War has led to one of the most pressing humanitarian crises in the world today. For young people living thousands of miles away, it can be difficult to understand the situation and the toll the violence has taken. Through firsthand accounts, thought-provoking questions, and a concluding activity, this volume provides a relatable and engaging look at a conflict that is poised to shape our world for years to come.

[Children (Ages 8-12)] [Read by Tyler Greenlaw] This is a brilliantly written description of a major sea battle through the eyes of a teenaged boy who both helped build the Monitor and fought on it. After his father is killed fighting for the Union, thirteen-year-old Tom Carroll takes a job at a Brooklyn ironworks to support his family. He quickly learns that they are building an ironclad ''unsinkable'' ship to be called the Monitor to finally sink the Confederates' ''unsinkable'' ship, the Merrimac.

Today, war is often waged not against other countries, but against terrorist groups that change, reorganize, and fight using guerilla tactics. ISIS is no exception, and the terrorist organization's evolution is often unpredictable and always unsettling. This volume paints a detailed picture of the forces combatting ISIS and explains the history of the fight while emphasizing the people who have experienced the senseless violence ISIS has wrought.

Understanding the war in Afghanistan is a critical component of understanding today's geopolitical climate. Yet facts and figures alone aren't able to capture the experiences of the men, women, and children who lived through the war. Through firsthand accounts, historical context, and critical thinking questions, this volume presents a human perspective on a war that continues to influence foreign policy today.

Early Whitcomb's family needs a miracle. Their Iowa farm has been in the family for generations, but a long drought has withered their savings and left them in debt. Meanwhile, the great Chicago and Northwestern Railroad wants their land, and if the Whitcombs can't pay their loans, the local banker, Judge Fuslin, will foreclose and sell the farm as his own.

Information and disinformation can be powerful weapons. In the internet age, nations and nonstate actors seek to accomplish foreign policy goals using cyberspace. Cyber Wars traces the outcomes of these efforts through eyewitness accounts, background information about conflicts, and question prompts that encourage critical thinking about the ways that technology affects world events.

The violence that surrounds drug dealing and drug trafficking has decimated whole communities, and, in some cases, reshaped daily life in entire countries. This volume takes a closer look at the people affected by the drug trade and the efforts being made to combat it. The book includes firsthand stories, critical thinking questions, and a summative activity, all with the aim of showing the human toll of the drug economy.

When his father is killed fighting for the Union in the War Between the States, thirteen-year-old Tom Carroll must take a job to help support his family. He manages to find work at a bustling ironworks in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, where dozens of men are frantically pounding together the strangest ship Tom has ever seen. A ship made of iron. Tom becomes assistant to the ship’s inventor, a gruff, boastful man named Captain John Ericsson. He soon learns that the Union army has very important plans for this iron ship called the Monitor. It is supposed to fight the Confederate “sea monster”--another ironclad--the Merrimac. But Ericsson is practically the only person who believes the Monitor will float. Everyone else calls it “Ericsson’s Folly” or “the iron coffin.” Meanwhile, Tom’s position as Ericsson’s assistant has made him a target of Confederate spies, who offer him money for information about the ship. Tom finds himself caught between two certain dangers: an encounter with murderous spies and a battle at sea in an iron coffin …