Nate Tanner is a rich boy whose family owns coal mines near Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He has everything a kid could want or need - except a friend. Then he meets Johnny, an easygoing Polish American boy who works sorting coal in a filthy, dark building called a breaker. Unaware that Nate is the boss's son, Johnny invites him to play baseball with the breaker boys. As the summer of 1897 progresses, Nate finds himself piling lie on top of lie to keep his identity secret from Johnny, and the friendship secret from his family. In the patch town where the mining families live, Nate confronts disturbing realities; back at home, he learns of his family's fears about the future. Meanwhile, the miners are joining a labor union to challenge the owners - and the owners are trying to stop a strike. As Nate's moment of truth draws near, so does a violent confrontation that will alter coal country lives forever. Originally published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, now in paperback for the first time, The Breaker Boys explores both sides of a timeless issue through a nuanced portrayal of both immigrant laborers and the coal-mine owners who employed them.

The American Revolution is underway, and fiery Jake Mallery wants freedom from tyranny - the tyranny of his strict father, that is. Jake doesn't care about fighting for liberty. To him, the pursuit of happiness is sailing the high seas, seeking adventure on a privateer. But his father insists that Jake remain at home on the Connecticut coast, tending the family's ferry and joining the local militia in case the town is attacked. Which, Jake knows, will never happen. He's destined to a life of boring chores, militia drills, and verbal sparring with Hannah, the insufferable indentured servant of his best friend Tim's family. But on July 4, 1779, Jake's world is turned upside down. The British are coming, and they mean to suppress the Patriot rebellion by any means necessary. The brutal Battle of New Haven sets off a series of horrific events that will shatter Jake's life. And only when he has lost his own freedom does he begin to understand what's at stake in this war.

Homes burned. Horses stolen. Men murdered. Lives destroyed. This is Missouri's Civil War, pitting Southern guerrilla fighters against Union forces ... and neighbor against neighbor. It's the summer of 1863, and Matt Howard, 15, wishes he could just farm his dead father's land in peace. But there's no way that can happen. His best friend, Jesse James, is planning to join the ruthless guerrilla leader Quantrill - and he wants Matt to fight, too. His mother intends to take her children back home to Pennsylvania - and she wants Matt to go along. As the violence intensifies and events spiral out of control, Matt has no choice but to decide: Join the guerrillas with Jesse, or escape to safety with his family? When published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 2003, GUERRILLA SEASON was a Junior Library Guild selection and a Bank Street Best Book. Publishers Weekly called it a compelling story about courage and sacrifice. While designated a young adult novel, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch called GUERRILLA SEASON a must-read historical novel for readers interested in the Civil War or Jesse James.

This book speaks truth and life, and explains why we do not have abundant life. Heed the words and prosper as God would have you prosper. M. K. Beeler

He saw the look on his dad's face. He would never forget it. Dad had asked his wayward nineteen-year-old son, ''Where are you living now, Pat?

Here he exclaimed. His siblings cheered. Mom smiled. Dad wondered what was next.

Later that night, his dad started reminiscing about the last few years in Billings, Montana. Nine years ago, he was in a financial hole that seemed impossible to ever climb out of. He had skipped paying the last ten house payments. He hadn't gotten late payment statements or anything. He went into the bank and looked up an old friend who worked there. Someone had made a clerical error eleven months earlier and had recorded receiving ten payments instead of one. His banker friend said that he was going to make another clerical error and increase the term of his loan for another ten months. He told dad he would call him for the next few months to remind him to make his house payment.

Dad prayed for a better paying job. Months later, Dad fell into his business where all of a sudden, he employed one hundred salesmen. Years later, he prayed for a bigger house, and someone mentioned that a neighbor wanted to move into a smaller house. Somehow, they traded houses, and moved within a month or two. Now they had a house with one more bedroom and one more bathroom. He had also prayed for one less child in the house. I was the one less child he had prayed for. He mentioned Matthew 18:10 about his personal guardian angel. Why the hell would I want to know all that crap? Pat wondered as he headed for the party.

Years later, after the passing of both of his parents and most of his older relatives, he wonders, What was my dad thinking, how could he have done that, why did he do that... Pat decided that his children could read what he was thinking, how he did that, why he did that. He decided to write it down. After a few years of writing and losing many typed backups, he started sorting his collection of stories into two groups: Moments and My Guardian Angel. Publishing a book, combining these two groups of stories, is an attempt to save his writings. There is much more. This is just the first book.

First Published in 2001. This guide sets out to prepare primary teacher training students to teach history well -whatever the topic or aspect of the Programme of Study. It also provides opportunities and encouragement for students to develop their own personal subject knowledge of history. The course content is covered in nine chapters. Each chapter begins with a statement of its learning outcomes and lists the materials that are needed to complete the work of the chapter and achieve these objectives.

Breaking Barriers to Learning in Primary Schools takes an expert and informative look at the integrated children's services agenda in practice in today's primary schools. Examining the ways in which an increasing number of different professionals help to improve children's life chances, the author examines the roles of those employed directly by the schools themselves, for instance Learning Mentors, HLTAs and Teaching Assistants, and those employed by health/social and other agencies, such as school nurses, Educational social workers, study support workers, school attendance workers and Educational Psychologists.

Through an exploration of how each individual helps break down barriers to children's learning, this book:

• examines the growth and development of the children's workforce
• provides a broad and integrated view of the wider school network
• explores the roles of individuals within the school workforce
• makes links to Every Child Matters and Extended Schools initiatives
• provides evidences of breaking down barriers, through interviews and studies with those working at the heart of integrated schools
• presents an analysis of recent statistics relating to children's lives
• gives practical advice for good practice throughout.

An essential text for all those working in education and in training to become part of this wider school network, this book takes into account the findings of the recent Primary Reviews, government data and original research to fully explain how to build, maintain and successfully work with today's primary children. It is an excellent text for Foundation Degree students as well as those studying Education Studies and those training to be teachers.

This study guide has been revised to give practical guidance on the new standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and updated in line with the latest special needs Code of Practice and recent legislation. It is a firm base for student teachers on all types of initial teacher education courses - PGCE, BA (QTS), BEd and modular - and for those returning to primary teaching after a career break. It also serves as a 'refresher course' for experienced teachers, especially those transferring to primary teaching from other phases of education.

Sufficiently rooted in practicalities to bridge the notorious theory/practice divide, the book is challenging and inspiring. Its friendly, supportive and interactive style enables the reader to take control of the learning process and there are planning sheets, pro formas and reminders to develop effective classroom practice. Each chapter provides its own learning objectives, followed by information, insights, activities and references to other sources of information and guidance. Overall, the Guide is an excellent starting point for those who wish to become good teachers of primary school children.

This book speaks truth and life, and explains why we do not have abundant life. Heed the words and prosper as God would have you prosper. M. K. Beeler

First Published in 2001. This guide sets out to prepare primary teacher training students to teach history well -whatever the topic or aspect of the Programme of Study. It also provides opportunities and encouragement for students to develop their own personal subject knowledge of history. The course content is covered in nine chapters. Each chapter begins with a statement of its learning outcomes and lists the materials that are needed to complete the work of the chapter and achieve these objectives.

This study guide has been revised to give practical guidance on the new standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and updated in line with the latest special needs Code of Practice and recent legislation. It is a firm base for student teachers on all types of initial teacher education courses - PGCE, BA (QTS), BEd and modular - and for those returning to primary teaching after a career break. It also serves as a 'refresher course' for experienced teachers, especially those transferring to primary teaching from other phases of education.

Sufficiently rooted in practicalities to bridge the notorious theory/practice divide, the book is challenging and inspiring. Its friendly, supportive and interactive style enables the reader to take control of the learning process and there are planning sheets, pro formas and reminders to develop effective classroom practice. Each chapter provides its own learning objectives, followed by information, insights, activities and references to other sources of information and guidance. Overall, the Guide is an excellent starting point for those who wish to become good teachers of primary school children.