Showing results by author "Susan Yoder Ackerman" in All Categories

Zoey and her brother help their family raise sled dogs. She is responsible for teaching and training a pup named Jip, until he is ready to go on his first run!

Courtney, her brother Jed, and the whole family must chip in to take care of Shyla, the Labrador retriever puppy, before she is sent to The Seeing Eye to become a guide dog for the blind. Shyla is trained at every opportunity, but the year she stays with Courtney's family goes by fast!

Enjoy this collection of stories about children exploring the world around them. The collection begins with "Nature's Treasures", a poem featuring a young girl who learns about the wonders of the natural world. After this poem, enjoy eight short stories of children looking closer at nature: "Hidden Wonders", "The Building Season", "Weeds and Worms and Things that Squirm"," "A Pond for Maddie", "Flowers that Fly", "The Wasp's Picnic", "Firefly Tag", and "While Alena Was Sleeping".

A girl named Nina celebrates her birthday with her family and enjoys eating chocolate mice—her favorite treat! When she wants more, her mother says that she must wait a year. Eager with anticipation, she celebrates other holidays and enjoys the seasons. By her sixth birthday, she can't wait to enjoy the chocolate mouse treats again!

There are so many fun things to do outside during the summer! When the flowers bloom, there is flower fun for everyone! When their hollyhock ladies and daisy chains wilt, Lily Rose and her friend learn how to preserve flowers by drying them. There's always an adventure in nature!

During the Civil War, the lines between Union and Confederate forces were impassable for everyone, even pacifist Mennonites—unless you were sly like a fox. In this adventurous story of historical fiction, discover how a courageous boy finds a way to help his community while respecting his beliefs.

After Hugo develops sharp pains in his tummy, he finds out he has appendicitis and needs surgery to get his appendix removed.

Lucas and Samia decide to use the scientific method when helping Grandma bake cookies. They change ingredients one by one to result in a unique cookie each time. Samia tries adding more flour for softer cookies, and Lucas tries adding melted butter with dissolved sugar for crispier cookies.

When Ella tries to fly like a butterfly, she ends up with an injury to her arm.

Here is the story of Zerda, a little fennec fox from the Sahara Desert. She lives with her parents and brothers in a den.

Tyler's grandma is deaf, so she gets Happy, a specially trained dog who hears for her.

From check-in, through security, to the gates and boarding, the airport is a big place to get passengers to their destinations.

Thomas, Madeline, and their mother go on a walk through a Virginia tidewater marsh, spotting all kinds of wildlife along the way.

Trixie the cat next door had kittens! John's friend Everrett teaches him all about newborn kittens in the first six weeks of life.

Colette writes to her cousin, Philip, in the United States about the development of the Statue of Liberty.

Simon teaches his little cousin Adeline about how to grow a garden that will attract beautiful butterflies.

Trey and Susannah hear a loud thump and learn that the fallen tiny bird laying on their deck is a Hummingbird! Miss Nora, their neighbor, cares for birds and may be able to help them save the bird. Discover what Miss Nora does to help the Hummingbird. Will the injured bird fly again?

Sidney and his family have moved to the Great Plains. With his father, they build a house made of sod, or grassy dirt. Together, they all learn about the adventures of living in a home made of dirt! Unlike Sidney, his family can’t wait to build a new house.

Will is helping his family at the printing shop! He gets to help print book pages and make book covers. Follow along with Will and his father to observe the long process of book-making in 1794, and all of the materials they use to make ink and paper. How are cochineal beetles used in the production of ink? How do you think book-making has changed throughout history?

Did you know a baby porcupine is called a porcupette? Learn about porcupines as Porcupette goes on an adventure to look for a snack! She explores the forest and shows how her quills work to help defend her. Find out different facts about porcupines and what makes them unique!