Europe

Materials from Europe

Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto

Paul B. Janeczko’s stirring new collection of poems goes inside the walls of the notorious camp to portray the indomitable spirit of those incarcerated there. Hitler hailed Terezin (Theresienstadt) as a haven for artistic Jews, when in reality the Czech concentration camp was little more than a way station to the gas chambers. In his second book inspired by devastating history, acclaimed poet Paul B. Janeczko gives voice to this heartrending creative community: its dignity, resilience, and commitment to art and music in the face of great brutality. The many memorable characters he conjures include a child who performs in the camp’s now famed production of Brundibar, a man who lectures on bedbugs, and a boy known as “Professor,” who keeps a notebook hidden in his shoe. Accented with dramatic illustrations by the inmates, found after WW II, Janeczko’s spare and powerful poems convey Terezin’s tragic legacy on an intimate, profoundly moving scale.

The Twelfth Day of July

Sadie is Protestant, Kevin is Catholic – and on the tense streets of Belfast their lives collide. It starts with a dare – kids fooling around – but soon becomes something dangerous. Getting to know Sadie Jackson will change Kevin’s life forever. But will the world around them change too?

Stickman Odyssey

When Zozimos is banished by an evil witch (his stepmother!) from the kingdom of Sticatha-the kingdom he was next in line to rule-he trains at battle (if you call chasing after butterflies training), travels across stormy seas (thanks for that, Poseidon), slays golems and monsters (with a lot of help), charms beautiful women (not really), and somehow (despite his own ineptitude) survives quest after quest. By the love of Zeus, though, none of it brings him any closer to home!

Long Story Short

From Ireland’s first laureate for children’s literature comes a story of abuse and neglect told with sincerity, heart, and a healthy dose of humor.  Jono has always been able to cope with his mother’s drinking, but when she hits his little sister Julie, he decides it’s time for them to run away. Told in Jono’s funny, self-conscious voice, the layers of his past and the events of his escape are gradually revealed.

The Ascension: A Super Human Clash

They’d done it. Not only had Roz, Abby, Lance, and Thunder survived their first battle with a super villain, they’d defeated him. Krodin was dead, and they had saved the world. Now everything could go back to normal-good old, boring normal. School. Parents. Friends. But three weeks later, the world suddenly changes. The United States is under martial law, the people are little more than drones, and where Central Park should be there now stands a massive glass-and-steel building, home to the all-powerful Chancellor.

Four Kids, Three Cats, Two Cows, One Witch (Maybe)

Beverly, who is bossy and a bit of a snob, convinces her cautious friend Elizabeth to accompany her on an adventure to the island off the coast. Gerard, Beverly’s messy brother who is barely tolerated by the girls, insists on going with them and brings his cat. Things begin to look up when at the last minute the good-looking Kevin joins the trip, but when they become stranded on the island and encounter a strange inhabitant, this motley crew must find ways to support each other and put up with one another’s shortcomings.

Aftershock

Makis and his moher Sofia escape a devastating Greek earthquake which has claimed his father’s life. North London is a ver different place – but Makis quickly wins a covetted place in the school football team. Unlike her son, Sofia, isolated by her grief and lack of English, sinks into depression. Makis has a brilliant idea to help her – using books from school he begins to teach her to read. But competing loyalites mean that sooner or later, something has to give and his hard-won reputation at school appears to be in ruins.

The Spaghetti Detectives

Living with his mother in a Berlin apartment house, Rico, a young boy with ADHD, enjoys playing detective games but when his friend Oskar suddenly disappears, possibly taken by a serial kidnapper, Rico determines to use his skills to find his friend.

Navigators: Ancient Greece

Navigate your way through a fantastic range of subjects with this visually spectacular new series. Every spread is brimming with lively text, amazing photographs and artworks, and weblinks and quotes. Panels throughout offer focused information on specific topics. Ancient Greece was one of the greatest civilizations the world has ever known, and this book is an eye-popping introduction to the historical, cultural and intellectual legacy of this important culture. Young readers can climb aboard an Athenian trireme at war, plunge into the bloody conflict with Troy, see how the famous gods of Olympus were worshipped, watch traditional Greek theatre, and learn from some of the greatest scientific, artistic and philosophical minds of all time. Special features and links highlight contemporary websites, books and film that draw on the same content, creating connections for further exploration.