The Legend of the Bluebonnet

The Legend of the Bluebonnet
Author: Tomie dePaola
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 36
Release: 1996-04-16
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0399548181

Thick clusters of vivid blue flowers, which resemble old-fashioned sunbonnets, cover the Texas hills in the springtime every year. These lovely wild flowers, known by the name of bluebonnet, are the state flower of Texas. This favorite legend based on Comanche Indian lore, tells the story of how the bluebonnet came to be. Tomie dePaola's powerful retelling and his magnificent full-color paintings perfectly capture the Comanche People, the Texas hills, and the spirit of She-Who-Is-Alone, a little girl who made a sacrifice to save her tribe.

My First Legends

My First Legends
Author: Tomie DePaola
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2011
Genre: Bluebonnets (Lupines)
ISBN: 9780448455327

A retelling of the Comanche Indian legend of how a little girl's sacrifice brought the flower called bluebonnet to Texas.

Bluebonnet Bride

Bluebonnet Bride
Author: Colleen Coble
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Total Pages: 100
Release: 2014-04-08
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 140168999X

Irresistible romance meets thrilling suspense in this historical short story from USA Today bestselling novelist Colleen Coble. At the turn of the 20th century, Elli Korpela boarded The Baltic as a mail order bride. But the threat she thought she was escaping somehow followed her to America . . . Escaping a forced engagement, Elli sought refuge in an arranged, mail-order marriage. Her betrothed is a Texan named Nathan White. As she glimpses her future husband and his darling niece at the train station, she instantly knows her risk will prove the best decision she's ever made. Nathan White never took an interest in marriage until he became the guardian of four-year-old Hannah. He’s arranged a mail order wife to love and care for his orphaned niece. But his mind changes when he first sees the beautiful Elli Korpela. After a glorious wedding ceremony in the gardens of a place called Butterfly Palace—the grandest estate Elli's ever seen—a peaceful beginning takes a disquieting turn. An intruder brutally attacks Elli. Nathan intervenes, but the devil escapes unidentified, leaving Elli to face two chilling possibilities: either the attack was arranged by strike workers in Nathan's employ or her shadowy past followed her across the sea. As the danger mounts, Elli and Nathan must face their enemy together, fighting for their newfound marriage—and for their lives. Historical romantic suspense Stand-alone story that includes characters from Butterfly Palace Story length: 20,000 words Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Bluebonnet at the Alamo

Bluebonnet at the Alamo
Author: Mary Brooke Casad
Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company, Inc.
Total Pages: 36
Release: 2013-08-29
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 9781455618064

In her latest Texas adventure, everyone's favorite armadillo visits San Antonio. While at the Alamo, she meets Digger Diller, whose Great Great Grand Diller was there during the famous battle. Digger Diller even has Jim Bowie's knife! Bluebonnet thinks he should donate his family treasure to the Alamo Museum so everyone can learn from it. Can Bluebonnet convince him to share?

A Handful of Stars

A Handful of Stars
Author: Cynthia Lord
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 146
Release: 2015-05-26
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545700299

This powerful middle-grade novel from the Newbery Honor author of RULES explores a friendship between a small-town girl and the daughter of migrant workers. When Lily's blind dog, Lucky, slips his collar and runs away across the wide-open blueberry barrens of eastern Maine, it's Salma Santiago who manages to catch him. Salma, the daughter of migrant workers, is in the small town with her family for the blueberry-picking season. After their initial chance meeting, Salma and Lily bond over painting bee boxes for Lily's grandfather, and Salma's friendship transforms Lily's summer. But when Salma decides to run in the upcoming Blueberry Queen pageant, they'll have to face some tough truths about friendship and belonging. Should an outsider like Salma really participate in the pageant-and possibly win?Set amongst the blueberry barrens and by the sea, this is a gorgeous new novel by Newbery Honor author Cynthia Lord that tackles themes of prejudice and friendship, loss and love.

Pass Go and Collect $200

Pass Go and Collect $200
Author: Tanya Lee Stone
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company (BYR)
Total Pages: 21
Release: 2018-07-17
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1250213924

Boldness, imagination, and ruthless competition combine in Tanya Lee Stone and Steven Salerno's Pass Go and Collect $200, a riveting picture book history of Monopoly, one of the world's most famous games. In the late 1800s lived Lizzie Magie, a clever and charismatic woman with a strong sense of justice. Waves of urban migration drew Lizzie’s attention to rising financial inequality. One day she had an idea: create a game that shows the unfairness of the landlord-tenant relationship. But game players seemed to have the most fun pretending to be wealthy landowners. Enter Charles Darrow, a marketer and salesman with a vision for transforming Lizzie’s game into an exciting staple of American family entertainment. Features back matter that includes "Monopoly Math" word problems and equations. Excellent STEM connections and resources. This title has Common Core connections. Christy Ottaviano Books

El Chupacabras

El Chupacabras
Author: Adam Rubin
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 49
Release: 2018-03-27
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0399539298

From the bestselling author of Dragons Love Tacos comes a whimsical re-telling of the chupacabra folktale, written in a blend of English and Spanish A long time ago, a girl named Carla lived on a goat farm with her father, Hector. One night, a goat disappeared from the farm and turned up flat as a pancake. Only one creature could do that--El Chupacabras, the goatsucker! Legend has it that El Chupacabras is a fearsome beast, but you can't believe everything you hear...and sometimes the truth is even more interesting. Told in equal parts English and Spanish by bestselling author Adam Rubin, and cinematically illustrated by acclaimed Hollywood creature creator Crash McCreery, this lighthearted take on a modern legend is not told in the traditional bilingual style. Each sentence is half-Spanish/half-English followed by a repetition of the same line translated the other way around. This mirroring technique allows the languages to intermingle equally. A fun and unique way to introduce either Spanish or English to new readers. A note from author Adam Rubin: "I decided to tell this story in an unusual way to explore the beauty of harmony. It's easy to dismiss the unfamiliar, but compassion takes a little more effort. With so many people trumpeting divisiveness right now, it's more important than ever to teach kids that there is more than one way to understand the world."

Butterfly Palace

Butterfly Palace
Author: Colleen Coble
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2014-01-28
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1401690076

Elegance and wealth. Privilege and politics. The extravagance of the Butterfly Palace overwhelmed Lily’s senses and nearly smothered her painful memories. She pushed away her misgivings . . . She was perfectly safe in this huge house. Austin, Texas—1904: Abandoned by the love of her life and still mourning the loss of her mother, Lily Donaldson has turned her back on the pain and come to Austin for a fresh start, working for the Marshall family as a kitchen maid in their luxurious mansion, the Butterfly Palace. The tasks before her are legion, and her mistress less than pleasant, but at least Lily’s new life will be, if nothing else, distracting. But one night, while serving at a dinner party, Lily recognizes the man who abandoned her, Andy, her liaison from the livery stable, the blacksmith’s son . . . sitting among the distinguished guests. Though he recognizes her, Andy does not acknowledge her aloud, and Lily is left reeling, flabbergasted, and irate. But before she can get an explanation, the path of the Servant Girl Killer swerves very close to the Butterfly Palace, sowing terror among the maids. Having come to Austin to start anew, Lily suddenly feels trapped in a spider web. How can she know who to trust in a house where lies come dressed in fine suits and deceit in silk gowns the colors of butterfly wings? “This story about the importance of having faith, especially in your darkest hour, is recommended for fans of Amanda Quick and Sandra Brown and for readers who enjoy romantic suspense and historical fiction.” —Library Journal

The Texas Bluebonnet

The Texas Bluebonnet
Author: Jean Andrews
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Total Pages: 72
Release: 1993-01-01
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 9780292704473

A revised edition of the classic text on the popular Texas state flower discusses folklore, the flower's place in Texas history and culture, driving tours to display areas, botanical information, and tips on growing bluebonnnets in the home garden.

Someplace to Call Home

Someplace to Call Home
Author: Sandra Dallas
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Total Pages: 244
Release: 2019-10-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1534146210

Winner! Western Writers of America 2020 Spur Award - Best Western Juvenile Fiction Category. In 1933, what's left of the Turner family--twelve-year-old Hallie and her two brothers--finds itself driving the back roads of rural America. The children have been swept up into a new migratory way of life. America is facing two devastating crises: the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Hundreds of thousands of people in cities across the country have lost jobs. In rural America it isn't any better as crops suffer from the never-ending drought. Driven by severe economic hardship, thousands of people take to the road to seek whatever work they can find, often splintering fragile families in the process. As the Turner children move from town to town, searching for work and trying to cobble together the basic necessities of life, they are met with suspicion and hostility. They are viewed as outsiders in their own country. Will they ever find a place to call home? New York Times-bestselling author Sandra Dallas gives middle-grade readers a timely story of young people searching for a home and a better way of life.