Award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson deftly brings to life the thrilling true story of the desperate fight to save the world-famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna and its beloved Lipizzaner horses during World War II, perfect for fans of I Survived!

Scholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle grade and young adult readers. These books help readers learn about the world in which they live and develop their critical thinking skills so that they may become dynamic citizens who are able to analyze and understand our past, participate in essential discussions about our present, and work to grow and build our future.

In the closing months of World War II, American bombs rained down on Nazi Germany and its territories, including Austria.

As glass shattered around them in Vienna, an ordinary-looking horse named Nero and his stable mates, the dancing white Lipizzaner stallions of the famed Spanish Riding School, quiver and shake in fear. But they do not panic. Somehow, they sense the school’s director, dedicated horseman Alois Podhajsky, will do everything he can to keep them safe.

Yet Alois can’t do it alone. And in the chaotic last days of the war, as their fate becomes more uncertain than ever, Nero will play a key role in helping Alois appeal for aid from an unlikely ally — America.

But time is running out. It will take a daring band of American soldiers — along with horse lovers from opposing sides — to pull off a secret mission to save the Lipizzaners from certain destruction. United by their love of horses, these unsung heroes risked their lives to preserve the majesty of this rare breed for generations to come.

Join the ride as critically acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson brings to life the exhilarating true story of Operation Cowboy and the miraculous survival of the Spanish Riding School. Featuring rare family photos and told for the first time for young readers, They Saved the Stallions is bound to please every history fan and horse lover.

Step into the quiet magic of this celebration of summer nighttime and the mystery of a world lit differently by the moon.

On a summer night, the world is still. Even the crickets think it’s too hot to sing. But all at once, a girl wakes. In the kitchen, the cat rolls onto its soft paws. A neighbor’s small white dog yaps, a brown rabbit peeks from a hedge, and the leaves of a cherry tree begin to stir in the breeze. Readers witness and wonder: Who has woken them all? In this soothing bedtime story, the quiet of a warm summer night is brought to vivid, magical life with the soft steps of bare feet, the padding of paws, and the bright, golden light of the moon. One by one, each creature is roused and then gently returned to sleep in a lovely and lyrical exploration of wakefulness, restfulness, and the mysterious calm of the night.

PERFECT FOR BEDTIME . . . OR ANYTIME: This beautifully illustrated children’s book is ideal for soothing young readers to sleep—or encouraging a contemplative break in an energetic day. The story’s engagement with the wonders of nighttime will help children feel comforted by the dark and the prospect of going to sleep rather than afraid of them.

READ-ALOUD READINESS: With its lyricism and short refrains, this gentle story is just right for sharing.

CONNECTION TO NATURE: This magical book gradually reveals the moon as a character as it wakes girl, cat, dog, rabbit, tree, air, and cloud in turn—and connects them to one another through the welcoming quiet and wonder of a world gilded by moonlight.

THE POWER OF SLOWING DOWN: Picture books are often wonderful excuses to slow down and share a moment of gentleness in kids’ (and parents’) busy lives; this book feels like a deep breath and offers a chance to wonder and reflect.

Perfect for:

• Kids who can’t sleep on hot summer nights
• Parents, grandparents, and caregivers seeking a sweet bedtime book
• Librarians and storytime leaders looking for a summer read-aloud
• Gift givers who want to share a beautiful, lyrical book with someone special
• Readers of such classic bedtime stories for kids as Goodnight Moon and The Going to Bed Book

One small kitten learns about the great big world as he sets sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human, in this historical fiction intermediate reader.

Trim like’s being part of the ship’s crew. The captain says that I’s like a family or a team. Every has a jobs they do alone and they help each other too. And there’s a big problem, then it’s all hands on deck.

But what is Trim’s job? He really wants to help, but everyone is very busy. Penny is helping the sailors mop the deck, so Trim decides to mop too. Swish! Swish! SWISH! Trim gets water everywhere. Jack is helping the captain steer the ship, so Trim thinks he can steer too. Whee! Whee! WHEE! But there’s not enough room on the wheel. Doesn’t anyone have a job for a small kitten who really wants to help?

This is a comprehensive and accessible picture book biography of Marie Curie, the groundbreaking scientist and two-time Nobel Prize winner, from an acclaimed author and illustrator duo.

Before Marie Curie was the first woman in France to earn the highest degree in physics,

before she discovered two new radioactive elements,

and became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize (and then the first person to win two!)—

she was a little girl named Marie Sklodowska who dreamed of being a scientist—and was determined to make that dream come true.

This is an accessible and compelling homage to Marie Curie, whose life and legacy continue to inspire to this very day.

One small kitten learns about the great big world as he sets sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human, in this historical fiction intermediate reader.

When Trim trips over a napping dog, little does he know that soon he’ll set sail and begin learning how to be a ship’s cat. Among his first lessons: the parts of the ship (the front is called the bow, like “bow wow”), the dynamics among his new colleagues (Jack the ship’s parrot is not so easy to befriend), and basic skills like climbing (up is easier than down) and swimming. With the assistance of Captain Flinders, Penny the ship’s dog, and Will the ship’s artist, Trim learns new skills, tests his limits and abilities, and finds a way to contribute to life onboard.

This delightful early reader series by acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson is inspired by the true story of Trim, often called the most famous ship’s cat in history. Owned by British explorer Matthew Flinders, Trim traveled on the HMS Investigator on the first expedition to circumnavigate Australia (1801–1803).

One small kitten learns about the great big world as he sets sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human, in this historical fiction intermediate reader.

Trim is eager to do a good job on his first day as ship’s cat—but what is his job? All around him, members of the crew are busy with their responsibilities—too busy to notice a small kitten looking for an opportunity to contribute. Jack the parrot directs Trim to the hold, to patrol for rats. But Jack neglects to tell Trim exactly what a rat is. Surely Princess Bea, the new friend he meets below deck, isn’t a rat. She doesn’t resemble the creepy, scary-looking creature that Jack warned Trim about and she’s happy to have an assistant to fetch her biscuits from the galley.

Help your little one dream big with a Little Golden Book biography about Dr. Jonas Salk, the creator of the polio vaccine. Little Golden Book biographies are the perfect introduction to nonfiction for young readers—as well as fans of all ages!

This Little Golden Book about Dr. Jonas Salk–virologist and one of the pioneers of the first successful polio vaccine–is an inspiring read-aloud for young children with an interest in STEM-related topics.

It’s a bustling theatrical romp worthy of a standing ovation.

A thrilling account of the most daring American P.O.W. rescue mission of World War II.

Scholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle-grade and young adult readers. These books help readers learn about the world in which they live and develop their critical thinking skills so that they may become dynamic citizens who are able to analyze and understand our past, participate in essential discussions about our present, and work to grow and build our future.

Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, America entered World War II, and a new theater of battle opened up in the Pacific. But US troops, along with thousands of Filipino soldiers who fought alongside them, were overtaken in the Philippines by a fiercely determined Japanese navy, and many Americans and Filipino fighters were killed or captured.

These American and Filipino prisoners of war were forced to endure the most horrific conditions on the deadly trek known as the Bataan Death March. Then, the American servicemen who were held captive by the Japanese military in Cabanatuan Camp and others in the Philippines, faced beatings, starvation, and tropical diseases, and lived constantly under the threat of death.

Unable to forget their comrades’ fate and concerned that these POWs would be brutally murdered as the tides of war shifted in the Pacific, the US Army Rangers undertook one of the most daring and dangerous rescue missions of all time. Aided by the “Angels of the Underground,” the Sixth Ranger Battalion and courageous Filipino guerrilla soldiers set out on an uncertain and treacherous assignment. Often called the Great Raid, this remarkable story remains largely forgotten.

Sibert Honor author Deborah Hopkinson presents an extraordinary and unflinching look at the heroic servicemen and women who courageously weathered the worst of circumstances and conditions in service to their country, as well as those who answered the call to save their fellow soldiers.

This fact-filled Little Golden Book is about Earth Day–what it is and why it’s important–and offers suggestions for actions kids can take to help protect and heal our planet.

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 each year, but this Little Golden Book about the history and importance of Earth Day will inspire children to appreciate our planet each and every day! Includes directions for family-friendly projects, such as composting, growing baby carrots on a windowsill, making a bug hotel, and more.

This lyrical, environmentally focused picture book showcases the unique beauty of our one and only universe–its galaxies, stars, and planets–as well as our one and only Earth and the precious life it contains.