Grade: 7

Told from the perspectives of both Sacajawea and Clark, this novel brings to life the famous story of Sacajawea, a Shoshone woman, who embarked on a long journey with the explorers Lewis and Clark. This intimate glimpse of Sacajawea as translator, peacemaker, caretaker, and guide makes readers understand the important role she played in making the explorers’ journey possible. Excerpts from these explorers’ journals as well as traditional tales of the Shoshone introduce chapters and add depth and a touch of humor to the story.

Safari gives armchair explorers an opportunity to visit African animals in their natural habitats. A naturalist who often travels to Africa to paint wildlife, Bateman offers 12 paintings of animals along with little-known facts. For example, watching giraffes run is like “watching a herd of galloping rocking horses,” he says, but to see how they coordinate the movement of their necks and legs, you have to rock, too.

In 1914, the English explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew of 27 sailors attempted to cross the Antarctic continent. Their expedition came to a terrifying halt when their ship, the Endurance, ended up trapped in the pack ice. What followed was a perilous series of adventures. Despite many setbacks, Shackleton courageously led every single crew member back to safety. A gripping narrative along with actual black-and-white photographs taken by an Endurance crew member bring this icy adventure to life.

Thirteen-year-old Karen Nomura loves New Jersey and knows exactly how she’ll spend the summer there: hanging out with friends and painting. But her grandmother comes for a visit from Japan and insists that Karen return with her for the summer. When she first arrives in Japan, Karen feels awkward and angry. She doesn’t understand the language, customs–or her grandmother. While Karen’s inevitable change of heart may be predictable, details about Japanese culture and Japanese-American relocation camps, as well as a realistic and likable main character, make this coming-of-age novel a compelling read.

The spider, a character in many Native American stories, is numerous things — sometimes a teacher, other times an ally, but also a trickster. This collection of Native American legends is beautifully illustrated by five different Native American artists and endorsed by tribal authorities. Legends from several culture areas — including the Southwest, Southeast, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and California — are represented. These legends are great to read aloud to younger students, and older students will enjoy reading them on their own.

Sabuda and Reinhart Studios have created another spectacular pop-up book for George Lucas’s epic STAR WARS movies! Bestselling pop-up artist and engineer Matthew Reinhart has designed a thirtieth anniversary commemorative edition that comes packed with a variety of novelty features — pop-ups, working light sabers, pull tabs, and other interactive looks at the exciting and popular movies. This beautiful book will impress all fans of STAR WARS and gives a whole new perspective to the films.

Ann Maria Weems was a slave who lived during the mid-1800s in Maryland. When she was 13 years old, she disguised herself as a boy and escaped to Canada. This carefully researched historical novel tells her story, which is one of adventure and escape fused with careful details about the Underground Railroad.

When eleven-year-old Nicholas Young secretly boards Captain Cook’s ship Endeavor in Plymouth, England, he’s more than just a stowaway — he’s a runaway! To escape a violent employer and harsh father, Nick settles aboard Cook’s ship which is sailing to Australia. His secret hideaway is known only to a few seamen — bribed to keep silent. Inevitably, Nick is discovered, and he spends the rest of the journey proving he is an able-bodied seaman. Based on true accounts, Hesse carefully supports this 1768 historical novel with journal entries, real dates, and nautical terms. The seafaring setting and a plot including squalls, scurvy, slavery, and shipwreck anchor the novel’s unique characters. As the salty accounts of the trip crest, Nick learns the depth of his own character.