Gr 8 Up-In this gritty novel of World War II, 16-year-old Erik Brandt is forced to fight for the emaciated German army, and because of his knowledge of the Russian language, he is sent to the Russian front. The train trip that Erik and the other young men take is symbolic of their transition from child to man. These boys are sent to the front with only a few weeks of basic training and the directions to kill or be killed. After the first battle, Erik makes the life-altering decision to take the uniform of a dead Russian soldier and pretends to be Russian for most of his remaining time as a soldier, surviving serious wounds and finding the love of his life while he recuperates in a war hospital. There he pretends to have amnesia and takes the moniker "Soldier X." When the hospital is attacked, Erik and his girlfriend escape. After a harrowing journey filled with enemy encounters, they find a safe house in Czechoslovakia and eventually make their way to Berlin. The story is framed with a prologue and epilogue f

More than 100 compelling, true stories of personal heroismand valor– in a special expanded edition honoring courage in theface of war Here are dramatic accounts of the fearless actions thatearned American soldiers in Vietnam our highest militarydistinction–the Medal of Honor. Edward F. Murphy, head of the Medalof Honor Historical Society, re-creates the heroic acts ofindividual soldiers from official documents, Medal of Honorcitations, contemporary accounts, and, where possible, interviewswith survivors. Complete with a list of all Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients, thisbook offers a unique perspective on the war–from the early days ofU.S. involvement through the return home of the last soldiers. Itpays a fitting tribute to these patriotic, selfless souls.

Grade 2-4-The adorable and intelligent hamster introduced in The World According to Humphrey (Putnam,2004) is dismayed to find that he shares his status as classroom pet with a frog.Try as he might,Humphrey cannot seem to make friends with Og,who just splashes him or says"BOING!"The little rodent,who can secretly write,learn,and get out of his cage,also uses his wits to effect positive outcomes of the various subplots,including a new girl who won't talk and has trouble making friends,two pals who get into a terrible fight,a bully who causes trouble on the bus,and the janitor who dreams of going back to college.The theme of friendship is as pervasive as the title implies,making this chapter book a charming read-aloud.Pair this tale with Frank Asch's Survival School(S & S,2003)for an appreciation of animals in the classroom.

On April 29, 1968, the North Vietnamese Army is spotted lessthan four miles from the U.S. Marines’ Dong Ha Combat Base. Intensefighting develops in nearby Dai Do as the 2d Battalion, 4thMarines, known as “the Magnificent Bastards,” struggles to ejectNVA forces from this strategic position. Yet the BLT 2/4 Marines defy the brutal onslaught. Pressingforward, America’s finest warriors rout the NVA from theirfortress-hamlets–often in deadly hand-to-hand combat. At the end oftwo weeks of desperate, grinding battles, the Marines and theinfantry battalion supporting them are torn to shreds. But againstall odds, they beat back their savage adversary. The MagnificentBastards captures that gripping conflict in all its horror, hell,and heroism. “Superb . . . among the best writing on the Vietnam War . . .Nolan has skillfully woven operational records and oral historyinto a fascinating narrative that puts the reader in the thick ofthe action.” –Jon T. Hoffman, author of Chesty “

"These four slim volumes offer new insight into the particular age by means of a highly readable text interspersed with color photos of classical art, architecture, and maps...These titles promise to be useful to students needing research materials but may also appeal to casual readers. Highly Recommended." -- Book Report, May/June 1999 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

本书是从战国时期起就风靡流传的军事著作，古今中外的军事家们都使用其中论述的军事理论来指导战争，而且，其中论述的基本理论和思想还被运用到了现代经营决策和社会管理方面。然而，这部著作者是谁呢？学术界议论纷纷，一种认为是春秋时期齐国的孙武所著，一种认为是孙膑整理而成，一种认为是战国初年某位山林处士编写，还有的说是三国时代曹操编撰的。直到1972年4月间，在山东临沂银雀山发掘的两座汉代墓葬中同时发现了用竹简写成的《孙子兵法》和《孙膑兵法》，这样，数百年的争论方告结束，《孙子兵法》的作者被确认为春秋时期吴国的将军孙武。

TITLES IN THIS SERIES：The Ancient Egyptians The Ancient Greeks The Aztec Empire China s Tang Dynasty India s Gupta Dynasty。