Books published by Charlesbridge Publishing,U.S.

While Mom works the night shift at NASA, Dad helps an intrepid girl get ready for sleep as she imagines she''s exploring Mars.In this rhyming bedtime book, a girl whose mother works at NASA imagines that she''s exploring Mars with the Curiosity rover as she gets ready for bed. She describes taking off, observing Mars, communicating with mission control, and operating the rover. Young space explorers everywhere will want to head for Mars, too!

Marking the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims arriving in North America on the Mayflower, master storyteller Jane Yolen channels the voice of Plymouth Rock itself in a chronological history of this famous national monument. But does Rock needs some factchecking of its claims?The history of Plymouth Rock is explained--by the rock itself. Playful, clever verses offer a comprehensive window into the events leading up to the 1620 landing and beyond, dispelling common misconceptions along the way. Alternating with Rock''s poems is a witty analysis of the truthfulness of its statements, told in the voice of the Factchecker. Truly a history book for today''s savvy media consumers!

A playful picture-book biography of the father of space-age bachelor-pad lounge music.Gorgeously illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, this lively biography follows Juan Garcia Esquivel from Mexico to New York City. Juan grew up to the sounds of mariachi bands; he loved music and became a musical explorer. Defying convention, he created music that made people laugh and planted images in their minds. His musical dreams brought him from Mexico to America and gained him worldwide renown. Juan's space-age lounge music-popular in the fifties and sixties-has found a new generation of listeners. This account honors Esquivel as one of the great composers of the 20th century.

A brother and sister's search for a new life and new home . . .5,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia during a terrible drought, Jomar and Zefa's father must send his children away to the city of Ur because he can no longer feed them. At fourteen, Jomar is old enough to apprentice with Sidah, a master goldsmith for the temple of the moongod, but there is no place for Zefa in Sidah's household. Zefa, a talented but untrained musician, is forced to play her music and sing for alms on the streets of Ur. Marjorie Cowley vividly imagines the intrigues, and harsh struggle for survival in ancient Mesopotamia.

It's ice-fishing season for two very opposite otters. Pessimism, prepare to meet optimism!On one side of a frozen lake, Odie imagines all the fish he'll catch today. On the other side of the lake, Milton is doubtful he'll catch anything at all. As each otter imagines what lurks--or doesn't lurk--under the ice, opposites attract, attitudes change, and a friendship is formed.