From acclaimed author Kate Messner comes the powerful story of a young girl with the courage to make her voice heard, set against the backdrop of a summertime mystery. When Mia moves to Vermont the summer after seventh grade, she’s recovering from the broken arm she got falling off a balance beam. And packed away in the moving boxes under her clothes and gymnastics trophies is a secret she’d rather forget. Mia’s change in scenery brings day camp, new friends, and time with her beloved grandmother. But Gram is convinced someone is trying to destroy her cricket farm. Is it sabotage or is Gram’s thinking impaired from the stroke she suffered months ago? Mia and her friends set out to investigate, but can they uncover the truth in time to save Gram’s farm? And will that discovery empower Mia to confront the secret she’s been hiding–and find the courage she never knew she had? In a compelling story rich with friendship, science, and summer fun, a girl finds her voice while navigating the joys and challenges of growing up.

Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth behind the infamous Pearl Harbor attack with beloved educator/author Kate Messner. Perfect for fans of I Survived! and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a completely unpredictable attack on the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Right? Well, that’s not quite the real deal. Some military experts had suggested that Pearl Harbor was a likely target. There were other warning signs, too, but nobody paid much attention. From the first wave of the Japanese bombers to the United States’ internment of thousands of Japanese Americans, acclaimed author Kate Messner smashes history by exploring the little-known truths behind the story of Pearl Harbor and its aftermath.

Don’t miss History Smashers: The Mayflower and Women’s Right to Vote

Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth about history’s pandemics, from the Black Death to COVID-19. Perfect for fans of I Survived! and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.

During the Black Death in the 14th century, plague doctors wore creepy beaked masks filled with herbs. RIGHT?
WRONG! Those masks were from a plague outbreak centuries later–and most doctors never wore anything like that at all!
 
Acclaimed author Kate Messner delivers the whole truth about diseases like the bubonic plague, cholera, smallpox, tuberculosis, polio, influenza, and COVID-19.

Discover the nonfiction series that smashes everything you thought you knew about history! Don’t miss History Smashers: The Mayflower, Women’s Right to Vote, Pearl Harbor, Titanic, and American Revolution.

Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth behind the Revolutionary War with beloved educator/author Kate Messner. Perfect for fans of I Survived! and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.

On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere rode through Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, shouting, “The British are coming!” to start the American Revolution.RIGHT?

WRONG! Paul Revere made it to Lexington, but before he could complete his mission, he was captured!

The truth is, dozens of Patriots rode around warning people about the Redcoats’ plans that night. It was actually a man named Samuel Prescott who succeeded, alerting townspeople in Lexington and then moving on to Concord. But the Revolutionary War didn’t officially start for more than a year after Prescott’s ride. No joke.

Discover the nonfiction series that smashes everything you thought you knew about history. Don’t miss History Smashers: The Mayflower, Women’s Right to Vote, Pearl Harbor, and Titanic.

Myths! Lies! Secrets! Smash the stories behind famous moments in history and expose the hidden truth. Perfect for fans of I Survived and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.

In 1620, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock and made friends with Wampanoag people who gave them corn. RIGHT?

WRONG! It was months before the Pilgrims met any Wampanoag people, and nobody gave anybody corn that day.

Did you know that the pilgrims didn’t go straight from England to Plymouth? No, they made a stop along the way–and almost stayed forever! Did you know there was a second ship, called the Speedwell, that was too leaky to make the trip? No joke. And just wait until you learn the truth about Plymouth Rock.

Acclaimed author Kate Messner smashes history by exploring the little-known details behind the legends of the Mayflower and the first Thanksgiving.

“Kate Messner serves up fun, fast history for kids who want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Absolutely smashing!” –Candace Fleming, award-winning author

Don’t miss History Smashers: Women’s Right to Vote!

Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth behind the sinking of the Titanic with beloved educator/author Kate Messner. Perfect for fans of I Survived! and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.

On April 15, 1912 an “unsinkable” ship called the Titanic unexpectedly hit an iceberg and sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic. Right?

Wrong! Nobody was really talking about the Titanic being unsinkable until after it sank.

The truth is, four different ships wired the Titanic to report icebergs and field ice in the area. But the Titanic never slowed down. In fact, when the Californian warned that it was trapped in ice, the Titanic’s wireless operator was so busy sending outgoing messages that he replied, “Shut up!” No joke.

Discover the nonfiction series that demolishes everything you thought you knew about history.

Don’t miss History Smashers: The Mayflower, Women’s Right to Vote, and Pearl Harbor.

Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth about the Underground Railroad and Black Americans’ struggle for freedom. Perfect for fans of I Survived! and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.

Before the Civil War, there was a crack team of abolitionists who used quilts and signal lanterns to guide enslaved people to freedom. RIGHT? WRONG! The truth is, the Underground Railroad wasn’t very organized, and most freedom seekers were on their own.
 
Acclaimed author Kate Messner and coauthor and Brown Bookshelf contributor Gwendolyn Hooks deliver the whole truth about the Underground Railroad.

Discover the nonfiction series that smashes everything you thought you knew about history!

Myths! Lies! Secrets! Smash the stories behind famous moments in history and expose the hidden truth. Perfect for fans of I Survived and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.

In 1920, Susan B. Anthony passed a law that gave voting rights to women in the United States. RIGHT?

WRONG! Susan B. Anthony wasn’t even alive when the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified. Plus, it takes a lot more than one person to amend the constitution.

The truth is, it took millions of women to get that amendment into law. They marched! They picketed! They even went to jail. But in the end, it all came down to a letter from a state representative’s mom. No joke.

Acclaimed author Kate Messner smashes history by exploring the little-known details behind the fight for women’s suffrage.

Don’t miss History Smashers: The Mayflower!

A careful snip, a delicate fold. Fabric the color of new petals. Skirts that flare like upside-down blossoms. A garden bursts into bloom!There is no “good enough.” For Ann, only the best will do.Award-winning author Kate Messner and costume historian Margaret E. Powell tell the powerful story of the groundbreaking Ann Lowe, who grew up in a small Alabama dress shop and became the first nationally known African American fashion designer. Sought after by millionaires and movie stars, her designs walked the red carpet and graced the wedding of Senator John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier.At a time when the world around her thought African Americans deserved no more than second-class treatment, Ann expected no less of herself, and no less for herself, than the best.

A little girl, out cross-country skiing with her father, thinks about the various ways familiar animals survive the harsh winter weather. Review Quotes: “Utterly charming, and informative, to boot.” – Kirkus Reviews Review Quotes: “Kate Messier… weaves a nature lesson” – USA Today Review Quotes: “Beautifully rendered” – The Horn Book Magazine, starred review Review Quotes: “[A] lovely study of the ways animals spend the winter.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review Review Quotes: “Throughout the book, Neal’s crisp, clean mixed-media illustrations cleverly provide above- and belowground views, and Messner’s back material will educate children about the subnivean zone and animal adaptations” – School Library Journal Review Quotes: “Messner packs much information into the serene wintry landscape, beautifully captured in Neal’s stunning retro-style illustrations.” – The New York Times Review Quotes: “This book depicting beauty in nature is a gem… Anyone looking for a picture book that also teaches science will love this title” – Library Media Connecton, Starred Review Awards: Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens | Recommended | Up to Seven | 2012 – 2012 ; Golden Kite | Winner | Picture Book Text | 2012 – 2012 ; E.B. White Read Aloud Award | Finalist | Picture Book | 2012 – 2012 ; Virginia Readers Choice Award | Nominee | Primary | 2014 – 2014 ; Keystone to Reading Book Award | Nominee | Primary | 2013 – 2013 ; Ladybug Picture Book Award | Nominee | Children’s Picture | 2013 – 2013

Over the waves, sea lions bark and seagulls wheel and call. The bay is smooth and bright in the sun.
But under the waves, there’s a whole hidden forest full of whales and wolf eels, sardines and sea bass, and leopard sharks and luminous jellies, as well as the waving kelp that shelters them all.
Discover the magical depths of the kelp forest and all the fascinating creatures living just a paddle’s length away—over and under the waves.