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Not all pirates did their dirty work on the sea and not all of them were men. The stories in history and lore of the Sea Queens are presented in an evocative format with bold illustrations, separating fact from fiction.

When Colton Wescott sees this sign for the Pony Express, he thinks he has the solution to his problems. He’s stuck with his ma and two younger sisters on the wrong side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with no way to get across. They were on the wagon train heading to California when Pa accidentally shot Colton and then galloped away. Ma is sick, and Colton needs money to pay the doctor. He’d make good money as a Pony rider. he also needs to get to California to deliver freedom papers to Ma’s sister, a runaway slave. The Pony Express could get him there too…

Regardless of where they live or what they look like, all families have much in common. They all cook, eat, play, and celebrate together as seen in engaging photographs and described through crisp text.

Annie and Jack find themselves in remote and frozen Antarctica in contemporary times on a mission to save a small orphan — and Merlin himself. In this Magic Tree House story, fact combines with fantasy though readers can learn more about the place and its inhabitants in a companion volume, Penguins and Antarctica: A Magic Tree House Research Guide (opens in a new window).

In 1950’s Appalachia, the Collins family leads a hard existence. The youngest sister, Carolina, is adrift, when her guitar-playing cousin, Tadpole, unexpectedly arrives. Tadpole’s beautiful singing and positive outlook inspire the family, but when they learn he’s on the run from an abusive uncle, they worry the uncle will come and take Tadpole away.

Information about the symbols, emblems, and gods from Ancient Egypt is included with step-by-step instructions on how to draw them. A guide to pronunciation and where to go for more information on Egyptian antiquities is also included.

People have kept old and interesting things for a long, long time — in fact, Princess Bel-Shati Nannar in 550 BC kept her collections in what she called a museum. Read about unusual and interesting collections housed in museums in this gripping, informative, and highly readable book.

Regardless of where they are found, mazes are amazing! Visit mazes that can be found around the world in this brief, informative, and intriguing look at these mysterious labyrinths.

This fun, fact-filled glimpse at the states begins with a warning that many of the facts are “wacky and outrageous” but buckle up and join the romp! (Leominster, MA, was the birthplace of the plastic lawn flamingo, for example.) Factoids combine with humorous illustrations to engage travelers on the go!

As her cat goes out, a girl imagines his world travel: on a gondola in Venice, in Spanish soccer games, and more before he returns to his home and favorite person. The rhyming text combines with richly detail, naive illustrations for a satisfying armchair adventure.

Dogs say “bow-wow” in English, “goo-ow” in Spanish, “wah-wah” in French, and “wan-wan” in Japanese. But no matter where the cow lives, it says “moo!” Bright, bold, playful illustrations introduce how animals sound in different languages.

When new neighbors move near Rabbit; he learns from a wise owl to “do unto otters as you would have otters do to you.” That includes saying please and thank you (in several languages), cooperating, and more. The humorous take on manners makes them fun to see in practice, in stylized, engaging illustrations.

Count people and animals doing what they do on a Caribbean island. From one to ten, the rhyming text combines with brightly colored, child-like illustrations to produce the sense of place and people.

Grandparents and grandchildren share something special everywhere. Here the universal story of a grandmother and her granddaughter is made unique as it reflects their Hawaiian life and style.

Ms. Frizzle, the amazing teacher whose students experience field trips in extraordinary fashion, now moves into history and other social studies areas. In this installment, Ms. Frizzle and her class travel by dragon to 11th century China to experience its history.

Based on the author’s experience, a child visits the village in Korea where her mother lived before immigrating to America. The simplicity of the text provides rich details of everyday life in the small Korean village, enhanced by realistic illustrations.

The poet celebrates growing up in the Caribbean, in Jamaica. Lively illustrations decorate the lively language used, including some dialect, in this evocative collection.

The song made famous by Louis Armstrong has been reinterpreted with brilliantly colored illustrations showing a multinational cast of children doing a puppet show. Though most young children will not recognize Armstrong, the optimism of the song is sure to please.

Rhythmic, original poems combine lyrical, evocative language and gentle lessons in this attractively illustrated collection. Each original poem begs to be shared aloud and is sure to delight both reader and listener.

Tales drawn from the oral tradition are retold with verve and musical language certain to delight listeners of all ages. Bryan’s paintings decorate each tale, bringing characters and plot vividly to life.

Growing up in Soviet-controlled Czechoslovakia, Sis craved Western pop culture, subverted authority in small ways, and maintained a strong fear of the secret police. This title won the Sibert medal for distinctive non-fiction for children.

For many years, Lekuton taught school in the DC area, but before that he grew up in the Kenyan desert. Now, he’s back in Kenya, serving in parliament. This is an autobiography of his Kenyan childhood.

Graciella’s father leaves his family to pick fruit far away, but calls every Sunday. The surprise he sends for Graciella’s seventh birthday is lost as is the child’s hope of seeing Papi — at least temporarily. This realistic, universally appealing story told from the child’s point of view is gently illustrated.

Coyote howls at the moon because of a small, smart, and very tricky rabbit. This lively retelling of an Oaxacan (Mexico) tale has familiar elements like rabbit becoming stuck on a farmer made of sticky beeswax. The energetic tale is complemented by illustrations reminiscent of folk art.