In this poignant companion to Elijah of Buxton, two boys united by tragedy find friendship and adventure in the Canadian woods. Benji and Red couldn’t be more different. They aren’t friends. They don’t even live in the same town. But their fates are entwined. A chance meeting leads the boys to discover that they have more in common than meets the eye. Both of them have encountered a strange presence in the forest, watching them, tracking them. Could the Madman of Piney Woods be real? In a tale brimming with intrigue and adventure, Christopher Paul Curtis returns to the vibrant world he brought to life in Elijah of Buxton. Here is another novel that will break your heart—and expand it, too. This critically acclaimed story by National Book Award finalist Christopher Paul Curtis joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes extra bonus content! Praise for The Madman of Piney Woods “Humor and tragedy are often intertwined, and readers will find themselves sobbing and chuckling, sometimes in the same scene.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review “A delight, featuring the author’s obvious love for his characters, his skillful use of sentiment, and his often hyperbolic humor.” —Booklist, Starred Review “Heady stuff. Funny stuff. Smart stuff. Good stuff. Better get your hands on this stuff.” —School Library Journal “So suspenseful . . . Curtis deftly makes what might have been simply heart-rending hopeful and redeeming instead . . . A thrill ride of a plot.” —TheNew York Times

This is the story of an extraordinary school in the piney woods of Mississippi and of the enduring people of Piney Woods Community who forged on against incredible odds to make a better world for themselves and their children. To these poor backwoods turn-of-the-century African Americans of Rankin County, Mississippi, Laurence C. Jones (1882-1975) brought the Booker T. Washington model of training African Americans to be good workers. Because the school followed Jim Crow social codes and mirrored what were then expedient race relations in the South, Piney Woods School thrived without controversy and with encouragement from Mississippi whites. It served a noble purpose by opening its doors for the educational training of underprivileged rural African American students as well as for the visually and physically impaired of the state at a time when there was absolutely no other institution for them. Piney Woods School: An Oral History is based upon a series of interviews with e

As the Civil War draws to a close, a young Virginia girl grieving over the death of her brother meets a Confederate deserter As the Civil War rages nearby, Cassie Willis and her family struggle to scrape a living from their small Virginia farm, while Cassie’s father and beloved brother, Jacob, are away fighting with the Confederate army. When a letter arrives with the news that Jacob has been killed, Cassie and her dog, Hector, immediately go to the secret hiding place Cassie and Jacob shared—a thicket deep in the piney woods. But when she finds the remains of a campsite, she realizes that someone has been living in their special place. Suddenly afraid, Cassie tries to flee, but runs smack into a Confederate deserter. With Hector’s help, she escapes. But she can’t forget the man’s crazed eyes—or the way he threatened her. Soon, Cassie begins to have the strange feeling that she’s being watched—and then things start disappearing from the farm. Has the deserter returned to make good on his warnings, or is someone else lurking in the woods, waiting to harm Cassie and her family? This ebook includes a historical afterword.

Piney Wood Atlas is a project by Carolina Porras & Alicia Toldi that catalogues small, emerging, and unconventional artist residencies around the United States. This book focuses on the Northwest region.

Story of the founding of the Houston, East and West Texas Railroad, its symbiotic relationship with forests and the lumber industry and its role in the development of East Texas.

In this ghostly guide to the haunts of East Texas, you’ll find many strange tales... • The spirit of a young bride who etched her name in her bedroom window glass on her wedding day many years ago, and continues to visit that room to this day... • An old, creaking staircase where phantoms from a time long ago wander up and down during the wee hours of the night... • An Indian brave in full battle regalia who is said to appear at the site of a terrible East Texas massacre... You'll read about these spirits and many, many more – all from the Pineywoods region of the Lone Star State.

"A supernatural wonder of a book. This Grimm-like fantasy is vividly detailed and will appeal to young and old readers alike." --School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW) "Toalson intersperses Lenora's story with Richard's journal excerpts and an enigmatic, menacing character's first-person narrative, all of which lends context and dimension. The seamless blend of fantastical and realistic elements is particularly effective at exploring the multifaceted impact of tragedy and loss." --Booklist "Mysterious and beautifully rendered, R.L Toalson's THE WOODS is a heartbreaking story of family, magic and grief that will touch readers' hearts." --Samantha M Clark, author of THE BOY, THE BOAT, AND THE BEAST After a tragic explosion causes Lenora to lose her family, she goes to live with her estranged uncle at his estate. There, Lenora is drawn to the nearby woods and the magic she discovers within them. Can this magic reunite her with her family, or is it more sinister than she realizes? Twelve-year-old Lenora's world is turned upside down after an explosion makes her the lone surviving member of her immediate family. She has nowhere to go, until her estranged Uncle Richard shows up and takes her away to live with him in his lonely mansion. Quiet and stern, he spends most of his time in his study conducting research and experimenting. Lenora is able to explore parts of the mansion and its lovely gardens, but Uncle Richard has one rule for her: Stay out of the woods. Years ago, Lenora's cousin, Bobby went into Gilgevnah Woods and never came out. Now, Uncle Richard will do anything he can to destroy them. Lenora knows she is meant to stay away, but her grief and loneliness draw her in. Upon entering the woods, she finds a world full of enchantment and beauty. Lenora befriends Bela the Scorlaman, keeper of Gilgevnah Woods, who shows her the wonder and the mystery of the place, but also promises to reunite her with her family. Is it too good to be true? Will Lenora find peace in the magic of Gilgevnah Woods, or will she find something darker? The Woods is an entrancing magical realism novel from author R.L. Toalson that tackles profound loss, grief, and finally, acceptance.