Böcker av Monica Kulling

Mr. Dash may not have a pedigree (he can count five different breeds of dogs as family), but from his furry head to his wagging tail, he is a gentleman. His fine manners make him a perfect companion to Madame Croissant. Their life together is graceful and civilized, what with walks in the park, stamp-collecting, and a passion for flowers.But the well-ordered household is turned on its head whenever Madame Croissant's granddaughter, Daphne, comes to visit. She's as wild as Mr. Dash is courtly, and she makes the poor dog's life miserable. But when she finds herself in real trouble, Mr. Dash proves that he is not only well-mannered but as brave as any knight.Merci Mister Dash! is not only a hilarious salute to common courtesy, it will appeal to dog lovers and to anyone who is trying to civilize an untamed creature - of any kind.

The Tweedles are back and ready to take another exuberant swing at going modern. When their neighbors the Hamms announce that they¿ve ¿gone online¿ by buying a telephone, Mama excitedly follows suit. But will the lure of the telephone be too much of a distraction for this sweetly old-fashioned family?Fresh from their adventure with their new electric car, Mama decides that the family needs a telephone to keep up with the changing times, and daughter Frances could not be more thrilled. But not all the Tweedles are convinced. Son Francis only has eyes for the family¿s car, and Papa worries about the family¿s privacy.Once the phone is installed in the family¿s home, they can hardly believe the noise it makes! But Frances takes a shine to the telephone immediately, and her enthusiasm for the new device threatens to keep the whole family up at night. Eventually Mama and Francis warm up to the telephone, too, and soon they can¿t sit still long enough to play a family game of Crokinole. Will the Tweedles ever be able to go offline again?This clever companion to The Tweedles Go Electric gently pokes fun at our modern addiction to technology, while further endearing readers to the sweetly odd Tweedles family.

Francis Scott Key was a very busy man. He and his wife had 11 children. He was a lawyer and many people came to him for advice. But whenever he had a moment, he would jot down a line of poetry. He loved writing poems. When the War of 1812 broke out, Francis became even busier. He was well-respected and often called upon to help keep the peace as the war between the United States and England raged on. One fateful night Francis and his friend helped talk the British Navy into releasing a prisoner of war. But they couldn't return home just yet because the Battle of Fort McHenry was starting! If the British captured the fort, America might very well lose its independence. Francis and his friends could only sit on a boat and observe the battle. For 25 hours they watched in awe. What Francis saw inspired him to write a poem that would become America's national anthem! This Step 3 reader is perfect for children who are ready to read independently.

Join Tom Sawyer's wild adventures along the banks of the Mississippi River in this exciting addition to the Step into Classics line. Tom and his best friend, Huck Finn, share exciting make-believe escapades as treasure hunters, swashbuckling pirates, and soldiers in battle. They also unwittingly become real-life witnesses to a terrible crime!

Though eight-year-old Aidan and his friend Gussie want to go to school, like many other children in 1903, they work twelve hours, six days a week, at a cotton mill in Pennsylvania instead. So when the millworkers decide to go on strike, the two friends join the picket line. Maybe now life will change for them. But when a famous labor reformer named Mother Jones comes to hear of the millworkers'' demands, she tells them they need to do more than just strike. ΓÇ£Troubled by all she had seen, Mother Jones wanted to end child labor. But what could she do? Why, organize a children''s march and bring the message right to President Theodore Roosevelt at his summer home in Oyster Bay, of course!ΓÇ¥Written by Monica Kulling, with vibrant illustrations by Felicita Sala, this nonfiction picture book uses an entertaining story about fictitious characters to bring a real event in history to vivid life. The actual march raised awareness across North America and contributed to the passage of the first child labor laws. It offers an excellent model for how ordinary people, including children, can make a difference by standing up for what''s right. For lesson planning, there''s more about Mother Jones, the march and child labor laws at the end of the book. There''s also information about child labor today and concrete suggestions for getting involved and helping, making this book perfect for discussions about social justice, activism and citizenship.

This Step 2 BIOGRAPHY READER marks the 200th birthday of this bold suffragette and the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment, giving women the right to vote."It's not fair." Susan B. Anthony was very concerned about fairness and equality for women and girls in America. She knew it wasn't fair to pay a woman less than a man for the same job. She knew it wasn't fair not to allow women to vote in elections. In fact, it was illegal for women to vote. But she felt so strongly, she voted in an election--and was arrested--anyway. Young readers will learn about young Susan B. Anthony and how she grew up to become a suffragette--a fighter for women's equality. She joined forces with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and others and gave speeches around the country to gain support for women's right to vote. She fought her whole life, and believed that "failure is impossible." She was right; her work made the 19th Amendment to the Constitution possible!Step 3 Readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics--for children who are ready to read on their own.

Harry Houdini was a great escape artist, but perhaps his greatest trick was becoming the famous magician that we have come to know. As a child, Houdini worked hard--and even quit school--to help support his family. But his dream always was to become a great magician and performer. He practiced day and night, thinking up new tricks and more and more dangerous stunts. His intense ambition paid off, and soon Harry Houdini became known worldwide!This kid-appealing Step 3 traces Houdini's life from his poor beginnings to his eventual success as the most famous mystical magician and escape artist of all time.

Growing up in Smiljan, Croatia, Nikola Tesla dreamed about harnessing the power of Niagara Falls. In 1884, he walked down the gangplank into the New York Harbor with four cents in his pocket, a book of poems, a drawing of a flying machine, and a letter of introduction to Thomas Edison, the "electrical wizard" of America. Upon meeting, Edison sent Tesla to fix the SS Oregon as a test and was so astounded that he offered Tesla a job at his factory.Tesla and Edison had different views about electricity; Tesla wanted to develop an alternate current while Edison wanted to stick to the direct current system. Edison offered Tesla a large sum to make his direct current system more efficient, but when the work was done, Edison refused to pay. Tesla quit and when things were looking bleak, he met George Westinghouse, who also thought that alternating current was the way to light up America. He gave Tesla a job and in 1896, Tesla and Westinghouse built a generator at Niagara Falls that was able to send power as far as Buffalo, New York.

It's 1901 and Henry Ford wants to build a car that everyone can own. But first he needs the money to produce it. How will he get it? He enters a car race, of course! Readers will love this fast-paced, fact-based story!