Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books, based on her own childhood and later life, are still beloved classics almost a century after she began writing them. Now young readers will see just how similar Laura's true-life story was to her books. Born in 1867 in the "Big Woods" in Wisconsin, Laura experienced both the hardship and the adventure of living on the frontier. Her life and times are captured in engaging text and 80 black-and-white illustrations.

From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island was the gateway to a new life in the United States for millions of immigrants. In later years, the island was deserted, the buildings decaying. Ellis Island was not restored until the 1980s, when Americans from all over the country donated more than $150 million. It opened to the public once again in 1990 as a museum. Learn more about America's history, and perhaps even your own, through the story of one of the most popular landmarks in the country.

Galileo is another Renaissance great known just by his first name. A name that is synonymous with scientific achievement. Born in Italy, in the sixteenth century, Galileo contributed to the era's great rebirth of knowledge. He invented a telescope with which he was able to observe the heavens.

In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, an armada of 7,000 ships carrying 160,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Nazi-occupied France. Up until then the Allied forces had suffered serious defeats, yet D -Day, as the invasion was called, spelled the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany and the Third Reich. Readers will dive into the heart of the action and discover how it was planned and carried out and how it overwhelmed the Germans who had been tricked into thinking the attack would take place elsewhere. D-Day was a major turning point in World War II and hailed as one of the...

This nonfiction reader shines a light on Thomas Edison and his greatest invention--the lightbulb

As a curious child who was always asking questions, it's no wonder Thomas Edison grew up to become a famous, prolific inventor. This easy-to-read nonfiction story follows Edison from his time in school to his career as a full-time inventor. While it focuses on his groundbreaking creation of the lightbulb, this illuminating account also details other important innovations of his, like the phonograph and the microphone. Edison's discoveries will fascinate and inspire all curious young...

Who was the real Charlie Chaplin? Kids will learn all about the comic genius who created "The Little Tramp"
Charlie Chaplin sang on a London stage for the first time at the age of five. Performing proved to be his salvation, providing a way out of a life of hardship and poverty. Success came early and made Chaplin one of the best loved people in the United States until the McCarthy witch hunts drove Chaplin from his adopted country. This is a moving portrait of a multi-talented man--actor, director, writer, even music composer--and the complicated times he lived in.

Signed on September 17, 1787, the Constitution laid out the supreme law of the United States of America. Here is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the hotly fought issues and the key players who suffered through countless revisions to make the Constitution happen. Illustrations.