Books in Playaway Children series

The pirates of legend sailed the seven seas, exercised a salty vocabulary, and pursued lives full of swordplay and adventure. But what was life like for the real pirates of history? What odd animals did William Dampier have on board? Why did Grace O’Malley cut off her hair? And which pirate liked to wear pajamas on deck? Through the spyglass of the seafaring, Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt return to their acclaimed series of collective biographies, complete with fascinating facts and sly characters. From the notorious to the forgotten, Lives of the Pirates digs up the treasure buried in pirate history—perfect for scurvy dogs and curious readers of all ages.

“Nope, that little feller don't look like he'll amount to much.” That's what almost everyone said about Little Bub. But young Joel Goss knew that Little Bub was a special colt, even though he was a runt. When schoolteacher Justin Morgan asked Joel to gentle the colt, Joel was thrilled. Little Bub proved that size and breed weren't everything. Soon word spread throughout the entire Northeast that this spirited colt could pull heavier loads than a pair of oxen and run faster than thoroughbreds. This book, which garnered a Newbery Honor, presents the true story of a simple horse who, through pure spirit, rose to greatness. His descendants, who helped settlers tame the American wilderness, would become a world-famous breed of American horses, the Morgan.

Jenna, Livvy, Heather, and Manda strive for their best in their respective sports: gymnastics, figure skating, ice-dancing, and downhill skiing. Their ultimate goal: the Olympics. As each girl struggles with life's challenges and rejoices with each triumph, the encouragement of the other Girls Only club members and their faith in God give the girls the moral support needed to push their limits and learn important lessons. Dreams on Ice When Livvy's family moves across the country and away from her amazing ice-skating coach, Livvy is sure her Olympic dreams are shattered. Only the Best Jenna lives and breathes gymnastics, but now she must decide: compete in the all-important meet at the Olympic Training Center or go with her parents to meet her adopted brother. A Perfect Match Heather wants to end her couples' ice-dancing career to skate solo, but when she doesn't get her family's support, she wonders if she's really going for what she wants or if she's just being selfish. Reach for the Stars Manda is focused on her ski competition, but when her mom needs help, Manda has to put her dream of winning the Dressel Hills Downhill Classic on ice.

For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a “savvy” - a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Grandpa Bomba moves mountains, her older brothers create hurricanes and spark electricity. . . and now it's the eve of Mibs's big day. As if waiting weren't hard enough, the family gets scary news two days before Mibs's birthday: Poppa has been in a terrible accident. Mibs develops the singular mission to get to the hospital and prove that her new power can save her dad. So she sneaks onto a salesman's bus. . . only to find the bus heading in the opposite direction. Suddenly Mibs finds herself on an unforgettable odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up -and of other people, who might also have a few secrets hidden just beneath the skin.

Ruthie thinks nothing exciting will ever happen to her until her sixth-grade class visits the Art Institute of Chicago, where she and her best friend Jack discover a magic key that shrinks them to the size of gerbils and allows them to explore the ThorneRooms--the collection of sixty-eight miniature rooms from various time periods and places--and discover their secrets.

In the center of Luster towers an enormous tree that is the Heart of the World. Now the tree is wounded, pierced by a tunnel that connects it to Earth. Through that tunnel strides Beloved, the ancient enemy of the unicorns, followed by an army of Hunters eager to destroy every last unicorn. At the center of this great struggle is the human girl, Cara Diana Hunter, who sets out with her friend, the gryphon Medafil, to ask a dragon to aid the unicorns. As she travels Cara meets not only the dragon, but a mysterious stranger who may hold the key to Lusters secrets. As the threads of destiny weave about her, Cara will discover at last the truth about the unicorns - a truth that brings hard choices for everyone she loves as this magnificent, multi-stranded saga thunders to its astonishing conclusion.

Night of the Homework Zombies: * The new substitute teacher is turning every kid in the school into a brain-boggled zombie who loves homework! Can Trevor save his friends from this truly disgusting fate? Jimmy Sniffles Dognapped: * Tells the story of how Jimmy's nose helps solves the crime of the disappearing dogs. Tiger Moth Insect Ninja: * Young Tiger Moth is a ninja-in-training, a martial arts warrior who fights evil in the streets and classrooms of the bug world. With the help of his best friend, pillbug Kung Pow, he works for truth and justice, while still hoping to finish the 4th grade.

Shh! We're Writing the Constitution With wit and scrupulous accuracy, Jean Fritz introduces the viewer to the delegates at the 1787 summer convention in Philadelphia. Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, James Madison, and many others representing the thirteen states gathered there to draft a plan that would unify these states while preserving their sovereignty. And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? Paul Revere comes to life in this meticulously detailed story of what he did before, between and after his patriotic adventures. Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? Children will learn about the ambitious, vain and charming man, John Hancock, whose signature on the Declaration of Independence was so large that the King didn't need spectacles to read it! Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May? This is a colorful portrait of Patrick Henry, lawyer, statesman, and naturalist, who cared most for his state of Virginia and her freedom.

Rosa Author - Nikki Giovanni Narrator - Nikki Giovanni On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a Montgomery, Alabama city bus and refused to give up her seat to a white man, an act that ignited a movement that changed modern history. March On! Author - Dr. Christine King Narrator - Farris Lynn Whitfield In celebration of the 45th Anniversary of the March on Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s sister presents a personal, stirring account of the remarkable day Dr. King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech and of the man who went on to inspire the nation. I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote Author - Linda Arms White Narrator - Joan Allen This is the true story of Esther Morris, who started out life believing she could do anything, and then proved it, by building her own business, raising a family in the Wild West, working to get women the vote for the first time, AND becoming the first female judge and the first woman in the US to hold a political office! The Star-Spangled Banner Aretha Franklin On September 11, 1814, the British Fleet arrived at the mouth of the Patapsco River. Thus began the Battle of Baltimore, which inspired Francis Scott Key to pen The Star-Spangled Banner.