Explore My Collection of Stories
Non-Fiction Books for Children and Teens
I specialize in non-fiction and creative non-fiction books for children and teens. Each title is crafted to educate, inspire, and entertain young minds.
Digging Deep: How Science Unearths Puzzles from the Past
Poisons and ice men and graves, oh my!
Every archaeological find adds to our understanding of the world, but sometimes a discovery is made that is so startling and different that it changes the way we view history. Digging Deep showcases the most exciting examples of these lost puzzle pieces and how recent advances in science brought them to light. From the new clues about life in the Stone Age gleaned from Ötzi the Ice Man, to new opinions about King Richard III’s villainous reputation deduced from the discovery of his long-lost tomb, Digging Deep is full of fascinating examples of how modern science has disrupted the status quo.
Sidebars and illustrations with easy-to-follow explanations of radio-carbon dating, DNA, and other scientific topics provide further reading to satisfy readers with an interest in STEM.
Illustrated
Interest Age: 10+
Grade: 5+
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People Who Said No: Courage Against Oppression
When saying no is the right thing to do.
Inspiring stories of people who stood up against oppression, discrimination, and the abuse of power –– even when it put their own lives at risk. These dramatic profiles of real-life heroes who refused to accept the injustices of their time include Sophie and Hans Scholl, siblings who distributed antigovernment pamphlets in Nazi Germany; and Andrei Sakharov, who helped develop the nuclear bomb in Cold War Russia, but then spoke out against its use. Some, like Rosa Parks, were not in positions of political power but came out of the ranks of regular citizens to stand up for human rights. Others, like Oscar Romero, archbishop of El Salvador, used their influence to challenge the status quo.
Illustrated
Interest age: 9-12
Grade: 4-7
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Fight to Learn: The Struggle to Go to School
The heroic efforts of people fighting for children’s right to an education.
In many countries around the world, universal access to education is a seemingly unattainable dream; however, determined individuals with vision and drive have made this dream come true for many.
Fight to Learn highlights people such as Okello, a former child soldier in Uganda, who founded a school for children like him whose education was derailed by war; Chicago teen Deonte Tanner, who changed one high school’s culture from guns and gangs to talking and learning; Shannen Koostachin, a feisty 13-year-old Cree whose fight for the right of indigenous children to have proper schools endured even after her untimely death.
These uplifting stories of people undeterred in their fight to bring education to children will leave young readers with excellent models of how to mobilize support when fighting for a cause they believe in.
Illustrated
Interest age: 10+
Grade: 5+
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Escape From Tibet: A True Story
by Nick Gray and Laura Scandiffio
Foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Two brothers face cruelty, hardship, and hope, on the ultimate journey in search of freedom.
Eleven-year-old Tenzin hasn’t seen his older brother, Pasang, in five years, so he is thrilled when Pasang unexpectedly returns to their Tibetan village late one night. Now eighteen, Pasang is an educated monk whose return from India provokes the suspicious and watchful eyes of the Chinese authorities. Unbeknownst to Tenzin, Pasang has conspired with their mother to leave again—taking his younger brother with him this time, in search of a better life. At first Tenzin is thrilled to embark on such an adventure. But crushing homesickness soon sets in as the brothers eke out a meager existence begging in the unfamiliar streets of Lhasa, dodging the police. They finally scrape together enough money to begin the most harrowing part of their journey: the physically excruciating, dangerous, and illegal trek to a new country on the other side of the Himalayan mountains.
Based on the true story of the brothers’ journey in the mid-1990s, first made into an acclaimed documentary by Nick Gray, Escape from Tibet is a riveting tale of courage, adventure, and triumph. The outpouring of support for the boys that resulted after the documentary aired in the UK led to the brothers moving to Britain, where they live today. Only now do they feel that the full story of their daring escape can be told.
A foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and an introduction provide historical context for the Tibetans’ controversial and ongoing struggle with China.
Photos, maps
Interest age: 12+
Grade: 7+
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Outlaws, Spies, and Gangsters: Chasing Notorious Criminals
They’re on the run––or they’re in hiding. They may be loners or have a vast network of accomplices who help them elude the law. They often have money. And they are nearly impossible to catch.
Read about eight of the world's most wanted men –– and the great lengths taken to catch them. Exciting stories of outlaws trying to evade justice.
With dramatic illustrations by Gareth Williams
Read about:
Albert Johnson: the “Mad Trapper” who sparked a manhunt in the Canadian North
John Dillinger: brazen bank robber and the first “Public Enemy Number One”
Adolf Eichmann: Hitler's elusive henchman and war criminal
Manuel Noriega: the corrupt and tyrannical president of Panama
Aldrich Ames: CIA mole driven by greed and possessing nerves of steel
Vladimir Levin: cyber thief and the world’s first high-profile hacker
Christopher Coke: the dangerous, but also revered, leader of a powerful Jamaican gang
Osama Bin Laden: the architect of the 9/11 attacks
Awards & Recognition
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Escapes!
True Stories from the Edge series
10 true illustrated stories of daring escapes through history
Ages 9+
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The Martial Arts Book (New Reissue)
A lively overview of the history and philosophies behind today’s popular martial arts.
Illustrated by Nicolas Debon
Ages 9+
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Evil Masters: The Frightening World of Tyrants
The stories of seven of history’s most evil rulers. Their ruthless tactics, in climbing to power and maintaining control at the top, are frighteningly similar and offer thought-provoking lessons about power and its responsible use in our world today. Photos, maps and art enhance each story.
Ages 12+
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Crusades
Follow Hans as he impulsively joins the Children’s Crusade of 1212, an idealistic quest from Germany to Jerusalem and, for Hans, a desperate search for his missing brother in the Holy Land.
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Aztec
Yoatl, an Aztec boy training to be a warrior in the 1500s, is plunged into events that will change his world forever, as the Spanish strangers with a thirst for gold arrive from across the ocean.
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Encourage Curiosity and Explore New Ideas
My books cover a range of topics that encourage curiosity and imagination. Browse my collection and reach out to order or inquire about my works.