A teenaged pacifist and a PTSD-afflicted Marine form an unexpected bond over a secret buried in a decommissioned nuclear missile silo. Twyla Jane Lee has one goal. To finish senior year so she can get out of her military hometown of Halo, Montana. But to graduate, she needs to complete forty hours of community service, and that means helping out a rude and reclusive former Marine named Gabriel Finch. A young veteran of the conflicts in the Middle East, Gabriel spends his days holed up in a decommissioned nuclear missile silo on his family farm. Twyla assumes he’s just another doomsday prepper, readying his underground shelter for Armageddon. But soon she finds out the truth, and it takes her breath away. Gradually the two misfits form a bond, and Twyla begins to unearth the secrets that have left the Marine battling ghosts. Her discoveries force her to question her views on the wars until she realizes that even if she gets out of Halo, she won’t ever be able to leave Gabriel Finch’s story behind her. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3 Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

Our Gigantic Zoo tells the story of Bernhard Grzimek, the most important European wildlife conservationist, and his role in creating a permanent sanctuary for innocent animals in Serengeti National Park.

Curious kids will delight in the wonder of the creative process with the fifty art-inspiring activities in The Budding Artist! With great ways for you and your budding artist to create beautiful memories together, this book shows parents and kids how to paint with bubbles, create glue webs, make a blooming tablecloth, and construct homemade paper valentines. Perfect for kids ages three to six, this fun-filled introduction to arts and crafts features easy-to-follow instructions and easy-to-find materials that will help you and your child have as much fun creating art as viewing the finished product.

A close-up look at the contradictions and wonders of the modern zoo Orangutans swing from Kevlar-lined fire hoses. Giraffes feast on celebratory birthday cakes topped with carrots instead of candles. Hi-tech dinosaur robots growl among steel trees, while owls watch animated cartoons on old television sets. In American Zoo, sociologist David Grazian takes us on a safari through the contemporary zoo, alive with its many contradictions and strange wonders. Trading in his tweed jacket for a zoo uniform and a pair of muddy work boots, Grazian introduces us to zookeepers and animal rights activists, parents and toddlers, and the other human primates that make up the zoo's social world. He shows that in a major shift away from their unfortunate pasts, American zoos today emphasize naturalistic exhibits teeming with lush and immersive landscapes, breeding programs for endangered animals, and enrichment activities for their captive creatures. In doing so, zoos blur the imaginary boundaries we regularly use to separate culture from nature, humans from animals, and civilization from the wild. At the same time, zoos manage a wilderness of competing priorities—animal care, education, scientific research, and recreation—all while attempting to serve as centers for conservation in the wake of the current environmental and climate-change crisis. The world of the zoo reflects how we project our own prejudices and desires onto the animal kingdom, and invest nature with meaning and sentiment. A revealing portrayal of comic animals, delighted children, and feisty zookeepers, American Zoo is a remarkable close-up exploration of a classic cultural attraction.

When Eva can't find her cat, Luna, she looks under her bed and finds the Moonlight Zoo, a magical place for lost pets and animals. Can Eva find Luna before the zoo disappears at dawn? Eva has looked everywhere for her missing cat, Luna. Then she discovers the Moonlight Zoo – a magical place for all lost animals and pets. She sees every imaginable animal there--lions, elephants, parrots, dogs, penguins, and even guinea pigs. Can Eva find Luna before the zoo fades at dawn? Features breathtaking illustrations and a wonderful representation of diversity with a hearing-impaired heroine.

"Over 35 projects and ideas for indoor and outdoor mosaics, including frames, pots, boxes, paving stones, and a splashback"--Cover.

A comprehensive survey of New York City's vibrant neighborhood art