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Showing 1 - 20 of 810 items
The great fire
By Jim Murphy. 1995
An account of the conflagration that levelled much of Chicago in 1871. Chronicles events from the fire's outbreak and rapid…
spread to its extinguishment by rain, as reported by survivors and in documents of the period. Examines the origins, circumstances, and official failures that contributed to the disaster. Grades 5-8. A 1996 Newbery Honor Book. c1995.The Hindenburg disaster (A true book)
By Peter Benoit. 2011
Have you ever heard of the famous Hindenburg blimp that crashed and burned in New Jersey on May 6, 1937?…
Learn about the history of airships (also called zeppelins after the man who invented them, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin), and the Hindenburg, and about what happened the day of the crash - how sixty-two people managed to survive, and that it’s still not known why the crash took place. Also includes facts about the blimps of today, statistics, and a timeline. Grades 3-6. 2011.The bite of the mango
By Mariatu Kamara, Susan McClelland. 2008
Sierra Leone. At the age of 12, Mariatu Kamara was raped by a family friend, then captured by rebels who…
cut off her hands. Despite her wounds, Kamara walked out of the bush and sought help, ending up in an amputee camp, where she gave birth to a son who died of malnutrition. When foreign journalists interviewed Kamara in the camp, her story garnered international interest and assistance, which eventually brought her to Toronto. Her autobiography testifies to Kamara's horrific trauma, but with the aim of fostering hope and reconciliation. Winner of the 2011 Red Maple Non-Fiction Award. For junior high and older readers. Some strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some descriptions of violence. c2008.The best of Shakespeare: Retellings Of 10 Classic Plays (The Opie library)
By E Nesbit, William Shakespeare. 1997
Ten of Shakespeare's plays retold in simple language. Nesbit compiled the collection after a visit to the poet's home with…
her children. She encouraged them to try reading some of the original plays, only to be told the writing was too difficult to understand. This volume includes Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Macbeth, and Othello. Grades 5-8 and older readers. 1997.Survivors: into the wilderness (Mission impossible)
By Jim Pipe. 2011
Highlights some extreme survival stories of adventurers who met with disaster, from being adrift on the ocean to getting lost…
in the Sahara Dessert. Explains the split-second decisions that make the difference between living and dying. And find out what to do if you’re lost in the jungle, the mountains, or in the middle of the ocean. Grades 3-6. 2011.Tales from Shakespeare
By Tina Packer. 2004
Ten of Shakespeare's best-known plays retold as stories: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, Much Ado about Nothing, Macbeth, The Tempest,…
Othello, As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, and King Lear. Includes a brief introduction to Shakespeare's life and times. Grades 5-8. 2004.Survivors!: true death-defying escapes
By Larry Verstraete. 2003
Think about your worst fears - being attacked by a wild animal, swept away by a killer storm, trapped in…
a wrecked car or a burning building. Here are 29 stories of real people who survived life-threatening situations. Each section includes Survival Tips that give readers essential information about what to do in dangerous circumstances. Some descriptions of violence. Winner of the 2004 Silver Birch Award. Grades 4-7. Bestseller 2005. 2003.Sex is a funny word: a book about bodies, feelings, and YOU
By Cory Silverberg, Fiona Smyth. 2015
A comic book for kids that includes children and families of all makeups, orientations, and gender identities, this is an…
essential resource about bodies, gender, and sexuality for children ages 8 to 10 as well as their parents and caregivers. Much more than the "facts of life" or "the birds and the bees," it opens up conversations between young people and their caregivers in a way that allows adults to convey their values and beliefs while providing information about boundaries, safety, and joy. The follow up to the Lambda-nominated "What Makes a Baby". Winner of the 2016 Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction. Grades 2-4. 2015.Smiley: a journey of love
By Joanne George. 2017
Smiley, a most remarkable Golden Retriever, was born without eyes. He was rescued from a puppy mill and has become…
a superb therapy dog, providing therapy to people all over the world through social media and television. This is his story. Winner of the 2018 Silver Birch Express Award. Winner of the 2019 Red Cedar Information Book Award. Winner of the 2019 Hackmatack Award for non-fiction. Grades 4-6. 2017. Smiley, the therapy dog -- Smiley and Joanne -- Smiley and Joanne's new family -- St. John Ambulance therapy dogs -- Smiley, the blind therapy dog -- Smiley, the celebrity -- Ways you can help.Stormy seas: stories of young boat refugees
By Mary Beth Leatherdale. 2017
The plight of refugees risking their lives at sea has, unfortunately, made the headlines all too often in the past…
few years. This book presents five true stories, from 1939 to today, about young people who lived through the harrowing experience of setting sail in search of asylum: Ruth and her family board the St. Louis to escape Nazism; Phu sets out alone from war-torn Vietnam; José tries to reach the United States from Cuba; Najeeba flees Afghanistan and the Taliban; and after losing his family, Mohamed abandons his village on the Ivory Coast in search of a new life. Grades 4-7. Winner of the 2018 Silver Birch Non-Fiction Honour Book Award. 2017.At nine years old, Eugenie Clark developed an unexpected passion for sharks after a visit to the Battery Park Aquarium…
in New York City. At the time, sharks were seen as mindless killing machines, but Eugenie knew better and set out to prove it. Despite many obstacles in her path, Eugenie was able to study the creatures she loved so much. From her many discoveries to the shark-related myths she dispelled, Eugenie made wide scientific contributions that led to her being nicknamed Shark Lady. Winner of 2018 Forest of Reading The Blue Spruce Award. Grades K-3. 2017.Sir Walter Raleigh and the quest for El Dorado
By Marc Aronson. 2000
Biography of the adventurous English explorer and courtier of Queen Elizabeth I. Describes the numerous expeditions to the New World…
in search of a golden kingdom and how court politics determined his fortunes. For junior and senior high readers. Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. 2000.Romeo and Juliet
By William Shakespeare. 1997
A romantic tragedy of two teenagers from rival families who fall in love. A sentence of exile and an impending…
arranged marriage force the two to flee. A friar suggests a ruse to accomplish their union, but miscommunication causes it to backfire. This is a fully dramatised unabridged version. For Senior High readers. Originally published in 1597. 1997.Royal murder: the deadly intrigue of ten sovereigns
By Elizabeth MacLeod, Barbara Pulling, Heather Sangster. 2008
What would you do for absolute power? Step into the world of palatial intrigue, where holding the throne means evading…
death... or causing it. While Cleopatra of Egypt once rolled herself into a rug and was carried out past her enemies' noses, other royals were brutal when dealing with foes. Read the stories of ten sovereigns, including Vlad the Impaler, "Bloody Mary", and The Romanovs of Russia. Descriptions of violence. Grades 4-7. Winner of the 2009 Red Maple Non-fiction Award. 2008.Romeo and Juliet (SmartPass)
By William Shakespeare, Simon Potter, Phil Viner, Jools Viner. 2006
The noble Veronese houses of Montague and Capulet are locked in a bitter feud. When Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet,…
a Capulet, fall in love they are swept up in a series of violent events and cruel twists of fortune. For senior high readers. 2006.Pink is for blobfish: discovering the world's perfectly pink animals
By Jess Keating. 2016
Some people think pink is a pretty colour. A fluffy, sparkly, princess-y colour. But it's so much more. Sure, pink…
is the colour of princesses and bubblegum, but it's also the colour of monster slugs and poisonous insects. Not to mention ultra-intelligent dolphins, naked mole rats and bizarre, bloated blobfish. Isn't it about time to rethink pink? Grades 3-6. Winner of the 2017 Silver Birch Express Honour Book Award. 2016.Out of darkness: the Jeff Healey story
By Cindy Watson. 2010
Losing both eyes to retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer, opened a door to another world for Jeff Healey. Out…
of darkness he created music, becoming one of the most influential blues-rock and jazz performers of our time. Winner of the 2012 Golden Oak Award. Grades 5-8. 2010.Othello (SmartPass)
By William Shakespeare, Mike Reeves, Phil Viner, Jools Viner. 2007
Othello, a Moorish general in the service of Venice, has married Desdemona, beautiful daughter of a Venetian Senator. But Iago,…
Othello's malignant ensign, is determined to destroy their happiness. For senior high readers. 2007.On board the Titanic: what it was like when the great liner sank (I was there book)
By Shelley Tanaka, Ken Marschall. 1996
The story of the Titanic, once the world's largest ocean liner, as told through the experiences of two of its…
survivors. Detailed explanations about the ship, passengers, and crew are interwoven with an account of its tragic sinking in 1912. Grades 4-7. Winner of the 1997 Silver Birch Award. c1996.No shelter here: making the world a kinder place for dogs
By Rob Laidlaw. 2011
Dogs have been loyal to humankind for thousands of years, but today, millions of dogs are neglected and malnourished, and…
millions of other dogs are used in scientific research and for entertainment, and kept as pets in a remarkable diversity of conditions. Laidlaw explores the world of homeless, mistreated, and exploited dogs, and the challenges they face, but he also focuses on the people he calls "dog champions" – people around the world who dedicate their lives to helping dogs. Some descriptions of violence. Grades 3-6. Winner of the 2013 Silver Birch Non-Fiction Award. Winner of the 2013-14 Hackmatack Award for non-fiction. 2011.