The Japanese Samurai details famous samurai battles in Japan. Readers learn about samurai swords, the Bushido code, and the decline of the ancient samurai. Part of the Ancient and Medieval People series, which profiles some of the fiercest warriors in history.
All Ages
Material appropriate for all ages
Asian Tales and Tellers
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More than 30 stories from the rich Asian cultural panorama illuminate the wisdom and humor of Eastern cultures. In her search for stories, Cathy Spagnoli has slid through Indian rice fields, sipped sake with Japanese epic singers, met with monks in Thailand and Korea, and hiked the Himalayas with Tibetan dancers.
Norman and Brenda
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Some people face the world with confidence. They are popular, charismatic, incredibly successful and often beautiful. They achieve these things by sheer determination, talent and cosmetic surgery. They have big houses, big cars and big hair. They have gorgeous children who become even richer and more famous than they are, simply by breathing and being able to tie their own shoelaces. Norman and Brenda are nothing like these people.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: America Keeps the Memory Alive
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened in Washington D.C., in April 1993. This book walks the reader through the museum, floor by floor. It interweaves the story of the Holocaust with a description of the museum. The book describes the Nazis’ rise to power, the “final solution”, and the aftermath of the Holocaust (1945 to present).
Mexico the Land (Lands, Peoples, and Cultures)
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This book looks at the land of Mexico, including its history, regions, natural resources, wildlife, environmental problems, and transportation systems.
The Emperor’s Silent Army: Terracotta Warriors of Ancient China
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A description of the archaeological discovery of thousands of life-sized terracotta warrior statues in northern China in 1974, and the emperor who had them created and placed near his tomb.
Fisherman and the Turtle
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Although this is based on the Grimm Brothers’ The Fisherman and His Wife, the author shifts the setting to Aztec society and reshapes the story so that the fisherman’s good wishes come from a wise old sea turtle. Shortly after he frees the sea turtle from his net, the modest fisherman first asks for four fish–a huge bounty as he usually only catches two–but his wife has other ideas. Her greed forces the fisherman to ask for a stone house and riches and the kingship of the Aztec people. But when she asks to become a god, neither she nor her husband is prepared for how the sea turtle will respond to the wish.
Korean Children’s Favorite Stories
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Korean Children’s Favorite Stories is a captivating collection of Korean folk tales that have thrived for generations. Some are unique to Korea, while others echo those told in other countries. Written with wit and pathos, they reveal the follies of people everywhere and expose the human-like qualities of animals and the animal-like qualities of humans.
Mexico
Introduces Mexican culture using crafts, recipes, games, and folktales.
Adelina’s Whales
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Adelina is a ten-year-old girl who lives in a quiet fishing village in Baja California, Mexico. Adelina has some very special friends-the gray whales-that come every year to spend the winter months and give birth to their calves in the protected lagoon near her home. This beautifully photographed photo-essay introduces young readers to a very special way of life, offering insights into the world of these giant mammals of the sea. Text and photographs by Richard Sobol.