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author: Gare Thompson rating: asin: 0448431440 binding: Paperback list price: $4.99 USD amazon price: $3.83 USD

At age two, Helen Keller became deaf and blind. She lived in a world of silence and darkness and she spent the rest of her life struggling to break through it. But with the help of teacher Annie Sullivan, Helen learned to read, write, and do many amazing things. This inspiring illustrated biography is perfect for young middle-grade readers. Black-and-white line drawings throughout, sidebars on related topics such as Louis Braille, a timeline, and a bibliography enhance readers' understanding of the subject.

Illustrated by John O'Brien.

author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley rating: asin: 0385326947 binding: Hardcover list price: $15.95 USD amazon price: $15.95

Mallie is so tired of being an identical twin, she could scream! To everyone in Cedarville, she's just the second half of Hallie and Mallie, the adorable pair. Mother sews them matching dresses, and their teacher has even assigned them the same poem to recite together at the school picnic. It may look as if the twins are the same child twice, but inside, Mallie feels as different as the Gypsies who have set up camp nearby. If only her family and her best friend, Ruthie, understood.

Mallie's summer will bring more than its share of struggle and disappointment. But with the help of a surprising new friend and the joy of a secret hobby, it may also bring its share of discovery and wonder. It just may be one of a kind.

Tender, lively, and rich in details of Midwestern life during World War I, this is a charming companion to the acclaimed novel B>Ruthie's Gift. Mallie is an endearing, memorable heroine in an exuberant tale of individuality and the comfort of family.

author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley rating: asin: 0440414059 binding: Paperback list price: $4.50 USD amazon price: $58.30 USD

Set in a small Indiana farming community at the start of World War I, this is the heartwarming and gently humorous story of Ruthie, an 8-year-old tomboy who develops a stronger sense of self and selflessness during a particularly dramatic year in her life: the year her sixth brother is born, the year she makes her first friends (twin girls), the year she almost dies of pneumonia, the year the war takes one of her brothers from her.

Rich in setting and brimming with lovable characters, Ruthie's Gift is a thoroughly satisfying story of family and identity.

author: Jess Brallier rating: asin: 0448424967 binding: Paperback list price: $4.99 USD amazon price: $3.83 USD

Everyone has heard of Albert Einstein-but what exactly did he do? How much do kids really know about Albert Einstein besides the funny hair and genius label? For instance, do they know that he was expelled from school as a kid? Finally, here's the story of Albert Einstein's life, told in a fun, engaging way that clearly explores the world he lived in and changed.

author: Deborah Hopkinson rating: asin: 0448437643 binding: Paperback list price: $4.99 USD amazon price: $4.49 USD

As a young boy, Charles Darwin hated school and was often scolded for conducting "useless" experiments. Yet his passion for the natural world was so strong that he suffered through terrible seasickness during his five-year voyage aboard The Beagle. Darwin collected new creatures from the coasts of Africa, South America, and the Galapagos Islands, and expanded his groundbreaking ideas that would change people’s understanding of the natural world. About 100 illustrations and a clear, exciting text will make Darwin and his theory of evolution an exciting discovery for every young reader.

author: Elizabeth McDavid Jones rating: asin: 160754198X binding: Paperback list price: $15.25 USD amazon price: $15.25 USD

In 1918, caring for her family's homing pigeons while her father is away fighting in World War I, twelve-year-old Pam comes to suspect that a mysterious stranger in her small North Carolina town is a German spy.

author: Joy Hakim rating: asin: 1588341607 binding: Hardcover list price: $24.95 USD amazon price: $23.20 USD

Not too long ago, in earth time, no one thought the universe had a history. The scientific and religious experts believed that the world had been created as it is today and that nothing had changed. Those experts did their best but they were wrong--really wrong. The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way tells the amazing but true story of the quest to answer an important question: What is this universe of ours all about? From the lost city of Alexandria with its gigantic lighthouse and steam-powered vehicles, to faraway lands where Hindu and Arab mathematicians invented the number zero, Hakim invites readers of all ages to meet the forefathers of modern science and experience their greatest discoveries in astronomy, math, and physics. Along the way, readers learn the answers to questions like:

What can a baboon bone tell us about calendars?

Why can't we feel the earth moving?

How did math contribute to Archimedes' death?

author: Melissa Wiley rating: asin: 0061148180 binding: Paperback list price: $5.99 USD amazon price: $376.98 USD

LITTLE HOUSE. BIG ADVENTURE. Right on the heels of the repackages of the original Little House books come the newly abridged and repackaged novels about Laura’s family members, all sporting the same striking photographic look. The Far Side of the Loch is the second story about Martha, Laura’s great-grandmother.

author: Candice Ransom rating: asin: 0786940271 binding: Paperback list price: $4.99 USD amazon price: $4.99 USD

First in an exciting all-new series for children, complete with time travel, adventure, and American history!

In this brand-new series by acclaimed author Candice Ransom, three children meet unsung heroes who shaped America’s history. Follow the children as they hop in and out of various eras, learning important life lessons along the way. Children will enjoy the fun, easy-to-read style, and librarians, educators and parents will appreciate the learning their young readers pick up along the way. Each book ends with a fun, do-it-yourself craft project that encourages readers to delve deeper into the subject of the story.