"...intriguing and fascinating young adult adventure..." Readers' Favorite'47 DAYS' is a novelette and an excerpt from the award-winning biographical novel, SURVIVING THE FATHERLAND--A True Coming-of-age Love Story Set in WWII Germany. In March 1945 Hitler ordered his last propaganda command: send all 15 and 16-year old boys to defend the fatherland. 47 DAYS tells the true story of Günter and Helmut, best friends, who dared to defy and disobey. Without knowing how long the war might continue, they spent 47 harrowing days as fugitives on the run. Being caught meant certain execution.SURVIVING THE FATHERLAND tells the true and heart-wrenching stories of Lilly and Günter struggling with the terror-filled reality of life in the Third Reich, each embarking on their own dangerous path toward survival, freedom, and ultimately each other. Based on the author's own family and anchored in historical facts, this story celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the strength of war children. Read more

When 16-year-old Helmuth Hubner listens to the BBC news on an illegal short-wave radio, he quickly discovers Germany is lying to the people. But when he tries to expose the truth with leaflets, he's tried for treason. Sentenced to death and waiting in a jail cell, Helmuth's story emerges in a series of flashbacks that show his growth from a naive child caught up in the patriotism of the times, to a sensitive and mature young man who thinks for himself. Read more

“In 1945 the war ended. The Germans surrendered, and the ghetto was liberated. Out of over a quarter of a million people, about 800 walked out of the ghetto. Of those who survived, only twelve were children. I was one of the twelve.” For more than fifty years after the war, Syvia, like many Holocaust survivors, did not talk about her experiences in the Lodz ghetto in Poland. She buried her past in order to move forward. But finally she decided it was time to share her story, and so she told it to her niece, who has re-told it here using free verse inspired by her aunt. This is the true story of Syvia Perlmutter―a story of courage, heartbreak, and finally survival despite the terrible circumstances in which she grew up. A timeline, historical notes, and an author’s note are included. Read more

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is known to most of the world as Kate Middleton. Bullied in elementary school, she was an ordinary girl on her way to an ordinary life -- until she met her Prince Charming. After almost a decade of waiting, she and her prince wed in a ceremony viewed by millions worldwide. Now, she travels the world, meeting with leaders, working with charities, and setting fashion standards along the way.Here you'll find an inside look into the life of the woman who will one day be Queen of England. **Updated with chapters on each of her children. Read more

A complicated and much-hated Tudor queen tells her side of the story in this engaging novel of Anne Boleyn.   Anne Boleyn was born without great beauty, wealth, or title, but she has blossomed into a captivating young woman—and she knows it. Determined to rise to the top, she uses her wiles to win the heart of England’s most powerful man, King Henry VIII. Not satisfied with the king’s heart, however, she persuades Henry to defy everyone—including his own wife—to make her his new queen. But Anne’s ambition would prove to be her fatal flaw.   Named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, among other honors, Doomed Queen Anne is part of the historical fiction Young Royals series that has illuminated the youthful lives of Europe’s most compelling—and sometimes, infamous—queens and princesses. Read more

Aged and increasingly ailing European film icon Lída Baarová is taken care of by her stepmother Marcela, a woman five years her junior. As Lida becomes distraught by the effects of the Parkinson disease ravaging her body, and riddled with the fear of dying, her stepmother thinks up a way to distract her—she should recount her life, and leave a lasting legacy to her fans. For the next several months, Marcela records on paper as the actress tells her story.In 1936, at the height of her career, the film star has it all—recognition, a man she loves, worshiping fans all over the continent. But when the all-powerfulPropaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels lays eyes on her, everything changes. He pursues her relentlessly, and pressed both by fear and desire, she finally slips. It soon becomes clear this was the greatest mistake of her life.The affair, though fairly brief, does not pass unnoticed by the terrifying, ever-watching conspirators. Immediately placed under surveillance by the infamous Gestapo, Lída Baarová is banned from acting, appearing in public, and forbidden from leaving the German Empire. With the help of a friend, she manages to flee Germany to her native Czechoslovakia. But her country no longer welcomes her. In fact, she now is regarded as an enemy of the state, a spy, a double agent. She is arrested, accused of high treason, and sent to the infamous Pankrác Prison. And it is from then on that the real tragedy of her truly begins.From a childhood of both family little dramas and unconditional love to making her way to stardom in the 1930s to her fatal decision to accept Goebbels as her lover to the unrelenting tragedies ensuing afterward, Lída unspools a tale of startling naïveté, a doomed forbidden love affair, and the swiftness with which a worshipping world can turn against you. Read more

History is about to change – in the hands of the unlikeliest of culprits. A Viking raid hits a small village in Northumbria. Onboard one of the ships is a terrified Ulv. The youngest of the crew - he is not a Viking, not a warrior, not a fighter. Despised by most of the hird he has to prove himself worthy as a raider. His honor and his life is at stake, as he faces a battle with enemies on both sides.Standing on the pier, Marcus watches in horror as the Viking ships appear. This time he is old enough to fight. To stand, side by side with the other men against the mighty foe. The scourge of the North. At least, he hopes he can slow the Northmen down so that his little sister, Julia, can get away.In a twist of fate, both teenage boys ends up hiding in a cellar. From that moment, their destiny is intertwined in a relationship spanning from friends to enemies, from thrall and master to weapon brothers, and from friendship to hate.Follow Ulv, Marcus, Julia and the whole band of Viking misfits as they changes the course of history. In the epic story of ‘Two Kings’ you will meet real historical figures like Ragnar Lothbrok and Charles the Bald. You will bear witness to the occupation of Dublin and the siege of Paris. You will visit Hedeby and Rouen, and take part in battles, sieges and duels. Start your journey today; pick up your copy of Viking now. Read more

Freedom Or Death!What would you risk to break free? Throughout history, ordinary people and legends alike have faced impossible odds—and won. These are the unforgettable stories of their courage, ingenuity, and determination.Defy Tyranny. Survive Nature. Rewrite History.A Family’s Skyward Gamble: In the dead of night, a family floats over the Berlin Wall in a homemade hot air balloon, risking everything for freedom.Escape from "The Rock": Three prisoners vanish from Alcatraz—did they outwit guards and the treacherous currents of San Francisco Bay?Cold and Calculated: Shackleton leads his stranded crew through ice and storms, proving that survival isn’t just about skill—it’s about unbreakable willpower.Freedom Underground: Union soldiers dig their way out of the Civil War’s infamous Libby Prison, battling rats, darkness, and discovery at every turn.Outlaw Bluff: John Dillinger carves a fake gun and pulls off the most audacious jailbreak in American history.Gladiator Turned Rebel: Spartacus escapes the blood-soaked sands of a Roman arena to lead an uprising that shakes an empire.These 23 incredible escapes—from the jungles of Devil’s Island to the frozen Arctic wilderness —bring history’s most daring moments to life.Defying chains. Outwitting captors. Fighting for freedom. These stories prove that no cage is unbreakable.Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Read more

I do not remember when I discovered how my mother died, it seems to be something I always knew, a horror I absorbed through my skin.Determined, passionate and headstrong, Elizabeth I shaped the destiny of a kingdom.Her mother; Anne Boleyn, was executed by her father Henry VIII. From that moment on, Elizabeth competed with her two half-siblings for love and for Britain’s throne. In the gilded corridors of the royal palace, enemies she couldn’t see – as well as those bound to her by blood – plotted to destroy her.Using her courage to survive and her wits to confound those who despised her, this young woman became one of the greatest monarchs the world has ever seen.Even though she was just a girl, she had already lived a lifetime. Read more

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Eleanor of Aquitaine is in Heaven, waiting to learn whether or not her second husband, King Henry II of England, will be able to join her. Henry had died even before Eleanor, but he still had not won admission into Heaven. Waiting with Eleanor are Henry's mother, Matilda-Empress, and William the Marshal. A chance encounter with Abbot Suger, an old friend of Eleanor's from the time of her first marriage, starts the four of them remembering times past. Each person in turn tells a part of Eleanor's life, vividly illustrating the excitement of living in twelfth-century England and France, and especially the excitement of being Eleanor. Wife of two kings, mother of two others, Richard the Lion Heart and John, she set the tone of court life for her times, sponsored poets and musicians, established the legend of King Arthur as a romantic feature of English literature, set the Rules of Courtly Love, and helped rule a kingdom that spanned from Scotland to the Pyrenees. And she did all this in a time when a king could keep his queen a prisoner -- and did! This book is a novel, fiction, fantasy even. But everything in it about Eleanor and her family and her times is true. Read more

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings find escape from their constrained lives via their rich imaginations. The glittering world of Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy world of Gondal literally come to life under their pens, offering the sort of romance and intrigue missing from their isolated parsonage home. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as the characters they have created—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go. Gorgeously written and based on the Brontës’ juvenilia, Worlds of Ink and Shadow brings to life one of history’s most celebrated literary families in a thrilling, suspenseful fantasy. Read more

Could you survive in a cave...for a whole year? That's the challenge facing fourteen-year-old Jacob. Set in Ukraine during the final months of World War II, THE HIDDEN ROOM is based on the true story of a Jewish family who escapes from the Nazis by taking refuge in a remote cave. Jacob adjusts to the hardships of living underground and the dangers of night-time adventures outside the cave. Food is scarce. Darkness, bone-chilling cold, and the fear of being captured are constant. But a surprising discovery gives his family reason to hope. Bringing young readers back to this time of terror, THE HIDDEN ROOM reveals little-known but vivid historical details of Ukraine, including Stalin's brutal pre-war campaign of forced starvation, known as the Holodomor. You will celebrate the courage of a family who stays positive, even in the face of adversity that threatens their survival. William Durbin, winner of the Great Lakes Book Award and two Minnesota Book Awards, is the author of fourteen historical novels, including THE BROKEN BLADE; WINTERING; BLACKWATER BEN; DEADMAN'S RAPIDS, co-authored with his wife, Barbara; THE DARKEST EVENING; and three books in Scholastic's My Name is America Series.For additional information visit williamdurbin.com Read more

Eleanor of Acquitaine has been waiting in Heaven for a long time to be reunited with her second husband, Henry II of England. Finally, the day has come when Henry will be judged for admission--and while Eleanor waits, three people close to her during various times of her life join her, helping to distract her and providing a rich portrait of a remarkable woman in history. Read more

Based on the true story of the author's mother and aunt—two Jewish sisters who survived the Holocaust—this moving novel is set in 1944 during the German occupation of Hungary. Susan and Vera are sent to a convent to hide from the Nazis; there they learn the true meaning of courage, thanks to the nuns who risk their lives to conceal the girls. But when German soldiers arrive in the middle of the night, will Susan and Vera be kept safe from the enemy at the gates? Historical notes and photographs illuminate the story and educate young readers about what life was like during World War II.Basada en la historial real de la madre y la tía de la autora—dos hermanas judías que sobrevivieron el Holocausto—esta novela conmovedora toma lugar en 1944 durante la ocupación de los alemanes en Hungría. Susan y Vera son enviadas a un convento para esconderlas de los nazis; allí aprenden el verdadero significado del valor gracias a las monjas que arriesgan sus vidas acogiéndolas. Pero cuando los soldados alemanes llegan tarde en la noche, ¿estarán Susan y Vera a salvo del enemigo a la puerta? Anotaciones y fotografías históricas iluminan la historia y educan a los jóvenes lectores acerca de cómo era la vida durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Read more

At the Crossroads is the heartfelt story of Bridgie Ned, a woman whose life began in the rugged beauty of rural Doona, Ballycroy, in the West of Ireland. From the simplicity of her childhood in a small stone cottage without electricity or running water, to her journey across the Atlantic at just 17, Bridgie’s story is one of resilience, love, and laughter.Settling in America, she built a new life, but her heart never truly left her village, with its windswept shores, close-knit neighbors, and the ever-watchful Slieve Mor. Through her wit, humor, and enduring spirit, Bridgie brings to life a world that has all but disappeared, filled with family, faith, hard work, and the joy of the little things.This book, told in her own voice, captures not just the story of one extraordinary woman but also the spirit of an entire generation—the crossroads between the old world and the new, between Ireland and America, between tradition and change. Bridgie Ned’s journey is a tribute to the ties that bind us to home, no matter how far we roam. Read more

Capture memories of the books that have captured your attention for many hours.How often have you read a book, only to forget what you thought of it or the quotes that inspired you?This lovely Reading Log has room to record details of 100 books.Includes:Contents pages - to see at a glance which books are in your log100 Book Log sheets (review, memorable quotes, ratings and more, all with cute decorations)Books on loan pages (never wonder who has your book again!)100 Top Books - in case you need an idea for your next great readExtra notes pagesPremium paper to reduce ink bleedQuality strong, soft coverLarge 8.5" x 11"Don't let your reading pleasure, time, and effort fade into a distant memory. Get the most out of your reading and grab a copy of this gorgeous Reading Log today! Also makes a great gift for a bookworm friend or relative. Read more

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Unlock the door to a forgotten garden and discover the healing power of nature, hope, and friendship in this beloved and timeless classic written by Frances Hodgson Burnett.This edition features:Original & unabridged manuscript: read the classic story as it was originally written.Bonus Chapters: Read a biography of the author and explore the historical context, themes, and cultural significance of this classic story.Beautiful cover and easy to read: Stunning cover and formatted with larger font for easy reading for all agesWhen orphaned Mary Lennox is sent to live with her mysterious uncle at the sprawling, isolated Misselthwaite Manor, she feels as desolate as the Yorkshire moors that surround her.Everything changes when Mary discovers the key to a secret, neglected garden hidden behind ancient stone walls. With the help of her newfound friends, the spirited Dickon, who has a special way with animals, and her sickly cousin Colin, Mary brings the forgotten garden back to life. As the garden blooms, so do the hearts and spirits of those who nurture it.Step inside the enchanted world where hope grows wild, and magic lies just beyond the garden gate Read more

Can one lonely little boy show the strength and determination to survive the dangers that lie ahead? Traveling along the rocky road from boyhood to manhood, how can David learn who to trust and who to love? Will David’s friends bring him happiness or heartache? In this inspiring tale of trust, betrayal, courage and love, Charles Dickens presents a world of colorful characters to amuse us, astonish us, disgust us and move us to tears. Once encountered, David Copperfield’s friends and enemies will never be forgotten. Read more