Showing results by author "Jessica Gunderson" in All Categories

After Yung-lu's father dies of mercury poisoning, the young girl leaves for Chang'an. She is determined to take her father's place as a warrior. When Yung-lu arrives, she is met with two big surprises. The emperor is taking mercury, and the army is not what she had imagined. Will Yung-lu become a warrior? More importantly, will she save the emperor from mercury poisoning?

Lindsey is sad when her friend Julia moves away. She is convinced she will never find another friend to play with her in the garden. But when Julia’s tulip bulb finally blooms in Lindsey’s garden, a new friendship will also bloom.

The Bremen Town Musicians never wanted to be heroes. They wanted a recording contract! At least that's the story listeners hear from the donkey's point of view in this charming twist on a classic fairy tale that supports curriculum standards.

Soldier and commander. Traitor and turncoat. Benedict Arnold has been called many names throughout history. But who was the real Benedict Arnold? Explore Arnold's life as he fights his way through the American Revolution. Then decide for yourself whether he was a hero or a villain.

In 2003, Jay-Z retired from making music. He had made award-winning albums, founded a record label, and had his own line of clothing. He walked away, but he couldn't stop writing songs. Three years later, he was back on the charts with a hit album and the title of greatest MC of all time. Track this hip hop hero as he makes it in the music world and becomes one of the best known rappers in the world.

Follow the dramatic story of the Lewis and Clark expedition. In 1804, these two explorers, along with their "Corps of Discovery", traversed the unmapped American West, leading to scientific discoveries, interactions with Native nations, and route to the Pacific Ocean.

After Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender on April 9, 1865, the Civil War finally appeared to be coming to a close. But the nation's joy was about to be cut short by a sinister assassination plot and one of the largest manhunts in US history. Through powerful narrative storytelling, follow the tales of people who experienced the tragedy firsthand.

Throughout the 1850s, the issues of slavery and states' rights had divided the nation. With the election of 1860, these issues finally came to a head, setting the stage for the American Civil War. Compelling, action-packed text, vivid sensory details, and primary source quotes bring the story to life so that listeners feel as if they were actually alive during the historical event.

When election season starts, the race is on! But what do campaigns, candidates, polls, and the Electoral College have to do with voting for our nation's leaders?

On April 14, 1865, only days after the Civil War had come to a close, a gunshot rang out in Ford’s Theatre and President Abraham Lincoln slumped forward in his seat. Hours later, the United States had lost its leader. Now listeners can step back in time to learn about what led up to the assassination plot, how the fateful evening unfolded, and the ways in which one tragic day changed America forever.

Revisit the tale of Sleeping Beauty. Cursed by a bad fairy, the princess sleeps for a hundred years. Will she wake up, or stay in a deep sleep until the end of time?

Think there's just one fairy tale with a girl who meets danger in disguise? Think again! Cultures all around the world have their own Little Red Riding Hood stories.

Some of the most important American industries and ideas stem from people born outside the United States. Immigrants have had major influence on daily life in the United States, from how Americans search the internet and use their phones to the clothes they wear and the buildings in which they live.

Ida Lewis spent a lifetime on the water, starting when her family moved to the island of Lime Rock in 1857 for her father's job as lighthouse keeper. By age 15, Ida was the best swimmer in Newport, Rhode Island. And when her father suffers a stroke, Ida herself takes over as keeper of the lighthouse. But guarding the shore also means guarding the water. And when Ida spots four local boys in danger on the water, she knows she must take action, the boys' lives depend on it.

In 1777, the American Revolution is well underway. At 16, Sybil Ludington knows the war all too well. Her father is a colonel in the Continental Army, battling for America's independence from Great Britain. Colonel Ludington and his regiment are home for the season when word comes that the British Army is attacking nearby. With her father too ill to ride, it's up to young Sybil to alert the American militia that the British are coming.

Revisit the tale of Hansel and Gretel. Left in the woods, the two encounter a witch. Will the brother and sister find their way out of the forest safely, or be left at the hands of the witch?

Think there's just one fairy tale with a beautiful girl and an evil stepmother? Think again! Cultures all around the world have their own Snow White stories. Visit Albania, Germany, Mozambique, and Turkey, and find out who meets 40 dragons instead of "seven dwarfs," and on whose forehead a bright star shines.

Revisit the tale of Beauty and the Beast. Beauty's father gets lost in the woods and stumbles onto a castle. He reaches for a rose to bring to his daughter—but there's a price. Will Beauty win her freedom, or be trapped in the Beast's castle forever?