Five-year-old Alex and his three-year-old brother Bryan have secret identities as superheroes. Alex is Raceboy and can move hyper-fast. Bryan is Super Qwok and is a powerhouse of strength. Together the boys protect the Village of Clifton from the mad scientists Dr. Brick and Dr. Devious, from the conniving Mr. Mischief, and from the magical forces of the Wicked Witch. They must also stop smart slime, halt extra-terrestrial invasions, and overcome remote controlled glue. Sometimes ridiculous, other times hilarious, this collection of more than twenty-five stories mixes superhero action with science fiction, fairy tales, mythology, and even classic literature. Originally told by Andrew Winkel as bedtime stories for his children, Raceboy and Super Qwok Adventures has been super-charged with over fifty illustrations by Christopher Brault.

In 1848, gold was discovered in California, attracting over 300,000 people from all over the world, some who struck it rich and many more who didn't. Hear the stories about the gold-seeking "forty-niners!" With black-and white illustrations and sixteen pages of photos, a nugget from history is brought to life!

The true story of a shy boy who grew up to be one of America's greatest civilrights leaders is told in this picture book biography. Full color.

Welcome to José's neighborhood. In his barrio, people speak an easy mix of Spanish and English and sometimes even Chinese. The masked revelry of Halloween leads into the festive remembrances of the Day of the Dead. And murals on the walls and buildings sing out the stories of the people who live here. As familiar as any neighborhood yet as strange as a foreign country, Jose's barrio isn't in Mexico or Argentina--it's in San Francisco. Award-winning author and photographer George Ancona follows José through a season in the barrio, and in the process gives readers a glimpse of a community as rich and varied as America itself.

Between 1921 and 1955, Italian immigrant Simon Rodia transformed broken glass, seashells, pottery, and a dream to "do something big" into a U.S. National Landmark. Readers watch the towers rise from his little plot of land in Watts, California, through the eyes of a fictional girl as she grows and raises her own children. Chronicled in stunningly detailed collage that mimics Rodia's found-object art, this thirty-four-year journey becomes a mesmerizing testament to perseverance and possibility. A final, innovative "build-your-own-tower" activity makes this multicultural, intergenerational tribute a classroom natural and a perfect gift-sure to encourage kids to follow their own big dreams.

A tour guide to the landmarks and interesting sights of San Francisco.

Through the use of rare historic footage and photographs, and personal recollections of a dozen former internees and others, this documentary explores the experiences of more than 10,000 Japanese Americans who were relocated to a remote desert facility during World War II.

Excerpts from the diary of Sallie Hester, a fourteen-year-old girl who tells her family's journey along the Oregon-California Trail during 1849-1850. Includes activities and a timeline related to the era.

Born a slave in Georgia in 1818, Bridget "Biddy" Mason learned to survive in a harsh world. Taken from her parents as a young child, Biddy grew up to be self-reliant and hard working. When she and her children finally found freedom in California in 1855, she turned her nursing skills into a successful career as a midwife. Even after she became a wealthy landowner in Los Angeles, Biddy never forgot her basic philosophy of sharing with others: "The open hand is blessed," she always said, "for it gives in abundance, even as it receives."

*Discover the important history of California’s migrant workers and their strike for fair wages during the Delano grape strike in the 1960’s *Learn about Latino civil rights activist César Chávez and Filipino-American labor organizer Larry Itliong *From Sibert award-winning author Larry Dane Brimner Here is the gripping story of the Grape Strike that stirred a nation, as well as the rise of Latino civil rights activist César Chávez and the United Farm Workers of America. In the 1960’s, while the United States was at war and racial tensions were boiling over, Filipino-American workers were demanding fair wages and decent living conditions in California’s vineyards. When the workers walked off the fields in September 1965, the great Delano grape strike began. Did the signing of labor contracts with growers in 1970 mean an end to the problems of the American field laborers, or was it a short-lived truce? This nonfiction book for young readers follows the five-year long strike and also provides details about César Chávez and the United Farm Workers. Award-winning author Larry Dane Brimner’s riveting text, complemented by black-and-white archival photographs and the words of workers, organizers, and growers, tells the powerful history.