• Develop self-mastery--and let go of what you can't control.
• Overcome anxiety--and build powerful mental habits.
• Remove mental blocks--and get out of your own way.
• Train your subconscious mind--and release limiting beliefs.

This contemporary classic explores the role of boys who fought in the Civil War. No reader's vision of America's most brutal and bloody war will be the same after reading this book.

This wrenching look at our nation's bloodiest conflict through the eyes of its youthful participants serves up history both heartbreaking and enlightening. --Publishers Weekly

Some Union and Confederate soldiers were as young as twelve when they went off to fight in the Civil War. It is thought that as many as ten to twenty percent of all Civil War soldiers may have been under sixteen.

The Boys' War follows these young soldiers through the rigors of camp life and drilling, right into the chaos of the battlefield. Jim Murphy skillfully weaves together firsthand accounts and personal letters of these countless young men with historical context to paint their portrait--young soldiers who, either seeking escape from the drudgery of farm work or embracing fantasies of glory, participated in the Civil War.

Handsomely produced with numerous period photographs and drawings, The Boys' War is a winner of the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

Making extensive use of the actual words--culled from diaries, journals, memoirs, and letters--of boys who served in the Union and Confederate armies as fighting soldiers as well as drummers, buglers, and telegraphers, Murphy describes the beginnings of the Civil War and goes on to delineate the military role of the underage soldiers and their life in the camps and field bivouacs. Also included is a description of the boys' return home and the effects upon them of their wartime experiences. An excellent selection of more than 45 sepia-toned contemporary photographs augment the text of this informative, moving work. --School Library Journal (starred review)

This well-researched and readable account provides fresh insight into the human cost of a pivotal event in United States history. --The Horn Book (starred review)

Philadelphia is known as the home of vibrant colonial history: the Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House, and Independence Hall. But the City of Brotherly Love is also home to--and less well known for--its quirky history. The country's first quarantine station was located here. One of Philly's clocks has a face larger than Big Ben's in London. And a unique skill of Black abolitionist James Forten saved him from a life of West Indian servitude (and Forten was not even his real name).

In Real Philly History, Real Fast, Jim Murphy provides an original tour of the city. He highlights artistic gems including the Dream Garden Tiffany mosaic and Isaiah Zagar's glittering Magic Gardens. He profiles intriguing historical figures from military leader Commodore Barry to civil rights heroes like Lucretia Mott. Murphy also explores neighborhoods from Chinatown to the Italian Market and the unique architectural details of Carpenters' Hall and the PSFS building.

Each chapter provides a pithy story about a historical person or site, along with bullet points featuring interesting oddities, and nearby attractions along with fun facts such as: Why there are so many churches? What is the Philadelphia Eagles' connection to the U.S. Custom House? Which famous artist may have been Philadelphia's first nude model? And where was the Liberty Bell secretly damaged? (We didn't do it )

This is Philly history in bites that are as digestible as a soft pretzel with mustard.

Powerful and riveting, this Newbery Honor-winning narrative describes the illness known as yellow fever, the toll it took on the nation's capital--and the eventual triumph over the disease.

Long before Covid and the West Nile virus, yellow fever was a medical mystery that forced thousands in Philadelphia, the nation's temporary capital, to flee and brought the workings of the federal government to a virtual halt. A riveting account of this country's first large-scale medical epidemic, An American Plague is generously illustrated with archival prints and photographs and includes a bibliography, map, and index.

This is the story of how half the city's residents fled and half of those who remained died; neighboring towns, cities and states barricaded themselves; George Washington himself fled, setting off a constitutional crisis; and bloodletting caused blood to run through the streets. It is also the story of a little known chapter in Black history in which free Blacks nursed the sick only to be later condemned for their heroic efforts.

Meticulously researched, first-hand accounts, newspaper clippings, death lists, and period engravings recreate the fear and panic while exploring the political, social, cultural, medical and scientific history of the times. A final chapter explores the causes of the epidemic and provides a wake-up call about the potential for epidemics today.

Newbery Honor Book * National Book Award Finalist * Winner of the Sibert Medal

The story of the American Revolution as experienced by a Connecticut farm boy who enlisted in the army in 1776. A Young Patriot skillfully weaves together excerpts from the boy's wartime account with the author's explanatory text to create a fascinating and factual history of the American Revolution.

Only fifteen when he enlisted, Joseph Plumb Martin spent the rest of his teen and young adult years marching, working, fighting, foraging, and starving while serving under the likes of Washington and Lafayette.

Through the mix of Martin's observations and experiences, the historical context that Murphy provides, and maps and archival prints, the book vividly reveals the grit and drama of war--and a teenager who was eyewitness to a Revolution.

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Who knew the biography of a germ could be so fascinating?--Kirkus (starred review)

This is the story of a killer that has been striking people down for thousands of years: tuberculosis. After centuries of ineffective treatments, the microorganism that causes TB was identified and the cure was thought to be within reach--but drug-resistant varieties continue to plague and panic the human race.

The biography of this deadly germ and the social history of an illness that could strike anywhere are woven together in an engrossing, carefully researched narrative. Includes a bibliography, source notes, and index.

This medical detective story is also a social history of a disease that has known no social bounds. Treatment that began long ago as bloodletting, and the healing touch of a king, centuries later grew into a worldwide sanatorium movement for children and adults. Long considered a romantic illness amongst artists and poets, treatment was often unavailable to poor and minorities.

In the end, the effort to combat TB spurred the development of public health in America and, along with HIV and Malaria, the effort to fight for global health around the world.

A Junior Literary Guild Selection * A Booklist Top 10 Science and Health Books for Youth

In Versions of May we are pushed from our present moments forward into other histories, / no sights, no path, no guide. Every poem is a little trip, visiting cathedrals, temples, tombs, battlefields, forests, and creeks, and with every stop, there is an opportunity to delete our presence here, and free us from/ ourselves. What comes after we are gone charts the pulse of this collection. When the poet communes with his troubled heroes - Lou Reed, Miles Davis, Jim Morrison, and many more - we have fleeting moments of understanding that are easy and pure, just like pouring light into a suitcase. And in the spirit of passing it on, passing it down, passing it forward, we are given hope that the greats that came before us can hear us and that when we die, we'll all become the chords. With both vastness and precision, Jim Murphy peers between the notes for the universal mysteries that happen when you are looking the other way.

-Elizabeth Hughey, Author of White Bull

Without seeming to at first glance, Jim Murphy's Versions of May succeeds in speaking to the anxieties that move beneath the surface waters of our times. It is a collection of tremendous depth and breadth, piercing insight and tenderness. Global, and yet attentive to particulars of nature and human spirit, these poems artfully blend elements of elegy, Zen, jazz, and popular music. In line after line that resonate with echoes of terror and loss, but simultaneously with stunning celebrations of beauty, they sweep us off center, in the traditions of Zen or jazz masters, leaving us almost breathless, startled by the silence and light. No truths / but this bright and noble moment, Murphy writes, and elsewhere, We vanished. We left in total silence. These are poems to be savored, ones that will stay with us long after our reading.

Jones Beach State Park, located on the south shore of New York's Long Island, is the largest, oceanfront public bathing facility in the history of the world. The park, founded in 1929, attracts more than 15 million visitors every summer. The Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps. consists of approximately 350 elite ocean-rescue lifeguards, men and women who watch over and protect thousands of swimmers in the rough ocean. The lifeguards make 500 rescues on any given weekend and thousands of rescues over the course of the summer season. In 1971, The Jones Beach lifeguards went on an eight-week strike in a bitter dispute with New York State involving workforce size, pay raises, continued employment for older lifeguards, and multiple safety issues. The result of the strike had deadly consequences.

Written for young AND old, this engaging story, along with alluring illustrations, may well encourage kids to feel confident to meet some of life's challenges.

Donovan's Dream is a fun read for a child. And when a person reads it along with a child, important beliefs can surface, those that a child can grasp and practice.

In his dream, building blocks go on different adventures. With teaching moments throughout the book, important values surface, such as showing kindness, respecting others (and yourself), and conquering your fears. The blocks also reveal individual gifts by being creative, strong, and pensive.

Survival is a daily battle for An Dong and his family when the French colonial empire and the Japanese invaders wage war on Vietnamese soil. But in The Next Buddha, J.E. Murphy unveils a story beyond mere survival-a tale of destiny, memory, and enlightenment. An Dong remembers a future filled with both incredible promise and unimaginable despair. With the guidance of Krishna, his mystical ally, and the support of figures like the gentle Thanh and the resourceful Ha Linh, An Dong seeks to uncover the purpose of his life. What role will he play in the cycles of karma and revolution? And who will emerge as the next Buddha? This deeply human story, layered with spiritual richness, will resonate with lovers of historical fiction and philosophical narratives alike.

The Next Buddha is an unforgettable blend of historical fiction and spiritual awakening. An Dong's extraordinary memories of a future life set him apart in a world ruled by violence and greed. Spanning from the plantations of colonial Vietnam to the monasteries of Tibet, this novel illuminates the strength of human connections and the mysterious forces that guide us. J.E. Murphy offers a poignant, thought-provoking narrative that lingers long after the final page.

Gold...silver...precious gems...the stuff dreams are made of. This is the story of a hoard of just such valuable metals and stones, whose journey begins in the year 1311, when the Knights Templar were prosecuted. A small band of valiant knights escape with the hoard and the turbulent journey begins. It's 2525, and enter Mary and James McGoldenck, a young couple from Laramie, Wyoming, who fall in love with metal detecting and rock hounding, and because of those activities, trek all over Wyoming seeking buried treasures. Enter a villain from Louisiana, Jean Pierre LaCroix - drug dealer, money launderer, human trafficker, murder - these are just a few of his methods of making money. Follow Mary and James as they deal with deadly encounters, ambushes, difficult terrains, a mysterious American Indian, Thomas Light Horse, who shows up out of nowhere, and an old rancher named Chester Wilcox, who owns the ranch that holds Crashed Wagon Canyon.

An account of Robert Louis Stevenson's twelve-day journey from New York to California in 1879 to see his ailing fiancé provides the opportunity to experience a cross-country journey firsthand. Drawn from Stevenson's journal, Across America offers a unique and fascinating primary-source account of transcontinental train travel.

Interwoven with descriptions of traveling companions, other emigrants, and their collective experiences, Across America weaves together the broader story--the building of the transcontinental railroad and the settling of the West.

Stevenson's journey becomes the dramatic and moving window through which to experience the effect of the railroads on the territories they crossed; the disruption and destruction of Native American life they caused; the slaughter of the buffalo; as well as portraits of the towns that quickly came and vanished as the construction crews moved on. Through Stevenson's memoirs, one also experiences the excitement of hope and the lure of the West.

Illustrated with numerous period maps, drawings, photos and engravings that bring the story of westward expansion uniquely to life.

NCTE Orbis Pictus Award * The Jefferson Cup Award * An ALA Notable Children's Book

Simple, clear explanations are provided on how the inventions worked or failed to work. Now for the first time in paperback, and chock-full of nearly one hundred color illustrations of these crazy creations, this is the perfect gift for any child interested in science and invention.

A Dark Journey into Cartel Life Discover The Paradise Passage, a gripping tale of ambition and desperation. Follow Gil Ganesh as he transitions from a small-time thief to a major player in the Ishtar Cartel. Set against a backdrop of danger and deceit, this fast-paced thriller captures the high-stakes world of cartel wars and the human stories within. Packed with twists and unforgettable characters, it's a journey you won't want to miss.

A Masterclass in Suspense When petty thief Gil Ganesh steals the wrong purse, he unwittingly begins a journey that will lead him into the depths of the criminal underworld. The Paradise Passage chronicles his meteoric rise within the Ishtar Cartel, guided by the ruthless yet charismatic Queen of Heaven. With vividly drawn characters and relentless suspense, this novel explores the dark intersections of loyalty, power, and morality.

The story of Gil, a two-bit purse snatcher who gets recruited by a Mexican drug cartel in Miami. Gil moves rapidly up the ranks of the cartel until he is made the mayor of a small but strategic town just across the Mexican border from Arizona. Here, Gil encounters an unusual individual who convinces him to turn against the cartel, resulting in an adventure beyond his imaginings.