Books in The Nautilus Series series

"A snapshot of the civil-rights movement in one city provides insight into the important role of individual communities as change moved through the country a case study of how citizens of one city both precipitated and responded to the whirlwind of social change around them."—Kirkus Reviews"A profoundly moving tribute to the intrepid unsung heroes who risked their lives to help bring an end to Baltimore's Jim Crow Era."—Kam Williams, syndicated columnistOn August 28, 1963—the day of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech—segregation ended finally at Baltimore's Gwynn Oak Amusement Park, after nearly a decade of bitter protests. Eleven-month-old Sharon Langley was the first African American child to go on a ride there that day, taking a spin on the park's merry-go-round, which since 1981 has been located on the National Mall in front of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Round and Round Together weaves the story of the struggle to integrate that Baltimore amusement park into the story of the civil rights movement as a whole.Round and Round Together is illustrated with archival photos from newspapers and other sources, as well as personal photos from family albums of individuals interviewed for the book. There is a timeline of major Civil Rights events."Amy Nathan's book deftly describes the courageous struggle by blacks and whites to end discrimination in the park, the city, and the nation. Readers will walk away with a clearer understanding of segregation and the valiant Americans who fought against this injustice."—Debra Newman Ham, Professor of History, Morgan State University"Round and Round Together tells the inspiring story of how a generation of college and high school students provided the energy and enthusiasm that ended racial segregation in Baltimore's Gwynn Oak Amusement Park and changed the direction of Maryland's history."—James Henretta, Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland"With clarity and passion, Amy Nathan portrays the struggle of everyday citizens to end racial segregation in Baltimore. This compelling history, for and about young people, is simple but profound like freedom itself."—Taylor Branch, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of the trilogy America in the King YearsAmy Nathan is an award-winning author of several books for young people, including The Young Musician's Survival Guide, Count on Us: American Women in the Military, Yankee Doodle Gals: Women Pilots of World War II, Meet the Musicians, and Surviving Homework. She grew up in Baltimore and went to Western High School.

"For a child poised between Harry Potter and Tolkien, there really is nothing better than Sutcliff."—The New Yorker"Rosemary Sutcliff is a spellbinder."—New York Times Book Review"The preeminent master of British historical fiction for young people."—Kirkus Reviews"All three stories are powerful, deep, and memorable; the (original) Victor Ambrus illustrations infuse further intensity and emotion."—The Horn BookCherished author Rosemary Sutcliff presents three stories of youthful courage and fidelity in ancient times.The Chief's Daughter: A Welsh chieftain's daughter helps a young Irish boy—captured from a raiding party and held prisoner by her father—make his escape, risking the wrath of her gods and her Clan.A Circlet of Oak Leaves: A horse-trader is reminded of his past with the Roman Legions, of the life-changing, secret favor he once did a friend and the glory he will never be able to openly claim.A Crown of Wild Olives: A tentative, but caring, friendship is formed between two young runners, a Spartan and an Athenian, who will compete against each other for the Olympic Olive Crown and the honor of their warring nations.These stories are clever and powerful, the plots twisting and turning unexpectedly while the characters remain always true to their own moral codes. Indeed, in each story the characters are full of heart and human failings—and feelings that transcend time and history.British writer Rosemary Sutcliff (1920–1992) authored more than fifty books including The Eagle of the Ninth, The Lantern Bearers, Sword at Sunset, and Song for a Dark Queen. Acclaimed for her historical novels for young adults, she won many book awards including The Carnegie Medal, the UK's oldest and most prestigious book award for children's writing.Victor Ambrus has twice won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Gold Medal for Illustration. He has illustrated over 200 books.

Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal"A fine, authentic, historical tale, valuable for its picture of medieval times."—New York Herald TribuneIn 14th-century England, Alys de Renneville sits alone in the loft of her manor house mourning her father and brother who are thought to have been killed in battle in Scotland. Late one evening, a strange knight appears and tells Alys that her father and brother are alive and being held for ransom by the Scots. When no one believes her story, she sets off secretly to rescue them herself.Traveling on horseback across the lush countryside and dense cities of medieval England, Alys is accompanied only by her friend and servant, Hugh. Alys and Hugh show great courage and determination, but the journey is arduous and they encounter many delays and hardships along the way. Will they reach Scotland in time to save Alys’s father and brother?"Her narratives have the ring of tales told by skald and bard, and her choice of words would fill great halls. Her literary fairy tales are lushly romantic, with poetic language and an almost other-worldly knowledge that informs and enriches them. Open one of her books and read it aloud. See how her words will still echo in the storytelling rooms and libraries that have become our great halls."—Janice M. Del NegroBarbara Leonie Picard (1917–2011) was the author of over twenty-five books, all of which have received praise for the mature and thought-provoking fare they offer young readers. Her first book was published in 1949. Her works include five historical novels for young adults, many retellings of myths and epics—including the Odyssey and the Iliad, the story of King Arthur, and legends of the Norse gods—and collections of fairy tales. Several of her books have been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, the oldest children's book award in the UK. Paul Dry Books also publishes Picard's book One Is One.

"This whimsical Italian fantasy, originally published in 1922, belongs on the shelf next to The Little Prince and Alice and Wonderland. Simple language by translator Gilson gives the novel a poetic tone, while STO's charming black-and-white illustrations add humor."—VOYAAlone in a room with nothing but an old mirror and a chess set, a young boy anticipates a boring afternoon. But like Alice just before she fell down the rabbit hole—and wound up in Wonderland—this boy is about to embark on a marvelous adventure. Gazing at the mirror, he discovers that the chess pieces (the reflections, not the real ones) are alive! When the White King invites him into the world on the other side, the excitement begins. There, all the rules of the real world are reversed. There, you can have a perfectly reasonable conversation with a perfectly unreasonable chess piece. There, you can meet anyone who's ever looked into the mirror (even a hundred years ago). This bewildering experience leads to some odd questions: What goes on inside a mirror when no one is looking at it? What if the reflected world is more real than the one where we live? And speaking of our world, how will our hero get back to this side of the mirror?Join him on his fantastic journey where nothing is more absurd than reason or more important than freedom of imagination."[A] story told in a voice that's charmingly direct, sweetly self-referential and more than a little trippy Like all good books for children, it also has unusual insights into childhood itself: ' when you're ten years old, standing or sitting are exactly the same.'"—Philadelphia Inquirer"The narrator's dry wit, reminiscent of P. G. Wodehouse, makes for an appealing journey and, coupled with the whimsical pen-and-ink drawings, a charming package with a timeless air."—Publishers Weekly"Motherhood is the theme of these two intimate novellas by Italian writer Bontempelli, who preceded such better-known authors of 'magic realism' as Jorge Luis Borges and Alejo Carpentier by more than two decades in his fusion of the miraculous and the matter-of-fact The elegantly restrained passion of these two tales, penned in Bontempelli's delicate prose, proves yet again the writer's literary genius."—Publishers Weekly (review of Separations)"Separations is a complete triumph. Bontempelli's work prefigured the magic realism popularized by many Latin American writers, andSeparations is an excellent example of this style. Elegant, superbly crafted, and masterfully written, these tales are not easily forgotten; the heroines are haunting and the plots finely honed. Bontempelli is truly a 'fantastic' writer."—Library Journal (review of Separations)A protégé of Pirandello, Massimo Bontempelli (1878–1960) was a prolific writer of poetry, plays, and prose fiction. Bontempelli now occupies a major place in 20th century Italian letters, and his works are translated in every major European language.Sergio Tofano, also known as STO, was an Italian illustrator, actor, director, and playwright. For fifty years his illustrated work appeared in the children's supplement of Corriere della Sera, one of the oldest and most widely read newspapers in Italy.Estelle Gilson's translation of Umberto Saba's Stories and Recollections won both the Italo Calvino and PEN Renato Poggioli awards, and the MLA's first Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione award in 1994 as the best literary translation of the previous two years. Her fiction, essays, and articles appear in many publications. She translated Bontempelli's Separations.

Pageants of Despair is a story of a boy caught in a battle between good and evil. After unknown assailants attack his mother, Peter is sent by train to stay with his grandparents. On that ride an uncanny figure leads him back in time to the fourteenth century village of Dunfield, where Peter will take part in a mysterious play in which the actors become the characters they portray. Peter believes he has been brought there to counter an unearthly, menacing influence, but a succession of terrifying experiences leads him to suspect, instead, that he might be destined to cause the disaster he is trying to avert. He needs courage to face the crisis and intelligence to solve the mystery. In this tale where ancient pageants morph into horrific realities, the author draws on the actual medieval Townley Cycle of Mystery Plays—which were performed annually at Wakefield, England—to give Peter's experience in the imaginary village of Dunfield a vivid true-to-life."The history is fascinating Hamley has hit on the right road back to such lace-edged, antique virtues as honesty, gentleness, vision, and love."—Best Sellers"The ancient tussle between God and the Devil seems to lie at the heart of this tale of sinister skullduggery in the Middle Ages. A good deal of background information on the Mystery Plays and extracts from some of the performances crystallise the setting; the atmosphere of religious superstition and its hold over simple folk are captured with a grim reality and a sense of lurking foreboding. [Readers who] allow the tensions of time and mystery to work will share a strange experience in an unfamiliar world."—The Junior Bookshelf"Hamley does create a lively picture of how the audiences and actors must have responded to the powerful messages of the miracle plays."—Kirkus Reviews"The pageants are a frightening battleground—replete with medieval images of corporeal and spiritual corruption—from which Peter and his friends emerge triumphant."—BooklistDennis Hamley was born in 1935 in Kent, England. He read English at Cambridge University and worked for many years as a teacher, a teacher-trainer, and an adviser to schools. He also founded the Lending Our Minds Out creative writing courses for children. Hamley's first book was published in 1962, a modern version of three Miracle Plays. Pageants of Despair, his first children's novel, was originally published in 1974. In 1992 Hamley turned to writing full-time. His latest title, Ellen's People, is published in the UK by Walker Books. In between, he wrote more than fifty other books, including short stories, books for schools, and non-fiction for all ages. Hamley lives with his wife in Hertford, England.