n the vaulted Gothic towers of Notre-Dame Cathedral lives Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bellringer. Mocked and shunned for his appearance, he is pitied only by Esmerelda, a beautiful gypsy dancer to whom he becomes completely devoted. Esmerelda, however, has also attracted the attention of the sinister archdeacon Claude Frollo, and when she rejects his lecherous approaches, Frollo hatches a plot to destroy her, that only Quasimodo can prevent. Victor...

In 1935 Alabama, when twelve-year-old MaryJake is abandoned by her financially-strapped parents and told to walk to the house of unknown relatives, she dresses like a boy and joins the household of an old widow before discovering secrets about her own family.

"Set during the Irish Land Wars (1879-1882) this novel in verse follows Anna Mallon through a series of tragedies as her mother dies, older sibling immigrate to America, and she and her father and sister with special needs are about to be evicted from their farm"--

The authority of the pope was challenged by Martin Luther, a monk who wished to reform some corrupt practices of the Catholic Church. This challenge ended up changing not just Christianity but the social order. Artwork and texts provide a window into the events of this fascinating time.

An abridged version of the misfortunes that plague a prominent New England family because of greed and a two-hundred-year-old curse.

"The oldest civilizations on Earth started in ancient Mesopotamia. There, small settlements grew into large, complex cities. Some were completely forgotten until archaeologists began to dig up their foundations, but the contributions they made to the world live on today. Informative main text is supplemented with full-color photographs and engaging sidebars. A thorough timeline gives readers a clear idea of the sequence of events in ancient Mesopotamia,...

Presents facts about the lack of sanitation, personal hygiene, dental care, antibiotics, and insecticides in eighteenth-century America and the unfortunate results this had on everyday living conditions.

"Ghosts in the fog is the first narrative nonfiction book for young adults to tell the riveting story of how the Japanese invaded and occupied the Aleutian Islands in Alaska during World War II. This fascinating little-known piece of American history is told from the point of view of the American civilians who were captured and taken prisoner, along with the American and Japanese soldiers who fought in one of the bloodiest battles of hand-to-hand...

When orphaned eleven-year-old Pollyanna comes to live with austere and wealthy Aunt Polly, her philosophy of gladness brings happiness to her aunt and other unhappy members of the community.

Discusses the facts and myths about life in the nineteenth century American West, including if cowboys wore large hats, if stagecoaches were robbed, and if Calamity Jane was a real person.