Jim Whiting

Early in January 2005, high officials of many world governments gathered in the Polish town of Auschwitz. They were there to remember the sixtieth anniversary of its liberation from Nazi tyranny. The concentration camp at Auschwitz is the primary symbol of one of the worst crimes ever committed against human beings: the Holocaust. Under the orders of German dictator Adolf Hitler, the Holocaust was the organized killing of an estimated six million...

The United States and the Soviet Union were two of the nations that defeated Nazi Germany in World War II. Yet their systems of government were completely different. These differences soon developed into the Cold War. Both sides became bitter enemies. But there was no actual fighting. That situation nearly changed in 1961. The Soviets secretly installed missiles with nuclear warheads in Cuba. These missiles could reach many cities in the United States....

The Japanese attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, was one of the worst defeats in U.S. military history. It began a string of Japanese successes that seemed to threaten the security of the United States. Many U.S. citizens and government leaders were on the verge of panic. But the attack was probably the greatest mistake the Japanese made during World War II. At that time, many Americans didn t want to go to war. The...

Frogs are very sensitive to their environment. Changes in their appearance and their rapid disappearance can tell us when the environment is unhealthy. When people around the world began noticing that frog species were dying or becoming deformed at an alarming rate, they knew something had to be done. Frogs in Danger gives an overview of some of the frog species that have become endangered and why. Read about a flesh-eating fungus that thrives in...

The formation of the State of Israel in 1948 is one of the most important events in recent history. About 3,000 years ago, Israel was a powerful nation. But it soon fell from power and in the second century CE most Jews were forced out of their homeland. Many went to Europe, where they were subject to prejudice and persecution for centuries. By far the worst case was the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were killed. Their suffering accelerated...

Annie Oakley had a difficult childhood. Her father died when she was six, so she had to live with other people, including a family who threw her out of the house in the middle of a snowstorm. But Annie persevered. She found she had a natural gift for shooting, and she used her gift to defeat a traveling marksman named Frank Butler. Soon they were married and partners in shooting exhibitions. When Annie joined Buffalo Bill s Wild West Show, she became...

Ordained as a priest, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi became one of Europe s most popular composers during the early part of the eighteenth century. He wrote hundreds of concertos, dozens of operas, and many sacred works before his music fell out of fashion during the latter part of his life. He died in obscurity and his work suffered a similar fate for almost two centuries. His music was rescued from oblivion in the 1930s. His most famous work, The Four Seasons,...

What better guides to help students learn about the world than teens of the world? This unique series looks at 12 countries, one of which is the Navajo Nation inside the United States, through the eyes of both expert authors and real-life teens who live in those countries. The author provides background information on the history, culture, customs, politics, and economy of the country, while the teen describes for readers their points of view on teen...

From an early age, Galileo Galilei was curious about the world around him. He began conducting scientific experiments. No one had ever done that before. He invented many useful devices, such as improved clocks and tools to help sailors find their way at sea. His greatest fame came after he invented a more powerful version of the telescope. This new telescope allowed him to observe the skies in more detail than anyone before him. His observations...

The Seahawk dives-it's a catch! Through narrative nonfiction, timelines, and Fun Facts, readers will engage with the history and superstars of the Seattle Seahawks like never before.