SUMMARIES

​Because of Winn-Dixie 
Opal was new to Naomi, Florida. She liked to go to the library with her dog, named Winn-Dixie. One day the librarian saw Winn-Dixie looking in the window. She thought Winn-Dixie was a bear.Opal told Miss Franny that she was positive it was her dog, not a bear, in the window. Then Opal asked Miss Franny to tell about her experience with a bear. Miss Franny let Winn-Dixie come inside for the story. Miss Franny sat down to tell her story properly. One day, when Miss Franny was reading in the library, something peculiar happened. She looked up and saw a bear. She thought the bear was in the mood to eat her. She intended to fight. That was Miss Franny’s story. 
After the story, Winn-Dixie smiled at Miss Franny. Miss Franny said that smiling was a wonderfultalent. Winn- Dixie was very good at smiling. After that, Opal and Miss Franny became friends. They were able to spend time together and comfort each other, just as good friends do. 

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My Brother MartinMy Brother Martin Christine King grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, with her brothers, Martin Luther and Alfred Daniel. Their family was a loving family. At that time, there were laws to keep colored people separate from white people. This was called segregation. Christine’s whole family knew that these laws were unfair and cruel. Christine did not ever recall seeing her father ride a streetcar. He preferred to stay close to home. He wanted to protect his children from injustice. Martin Luther said that someday he would change things. The cruelty of segregation could not keep the family down. Even after other children stopped playing with them, Christine and her brothers had hope. They heard stories of encounters with cruelty, but they believed things could change. Many years later, Martin Luther King Jr. became an important leader. He led marches and gave numerousspeeches. He always remembered the example of his father. Together, that strength and Martin’sdream have changed the world.

My Librarian Is a Camel 
Many communities around the world do not have libraries. But children in those places can still get books and become avid readers. In Canada, children in isolated places get books through the Borrower-by-Mail program. Children can ask for a book by e-mail or phone. A librarian mails the book to the child. The child mails it back after reading it. In Finland, books are sent to children on remote islands by boat. Each boat carries about 600 books! In Kenya, some roads are impassable by car. So camels carry books to children in remote villages. In Mongolia, many people are nomads. They move with their herds as the herds graze. A driver in a minibus take books to children in those communities.
In Peru, children in places without libraries get books in a bag or in wooden suitcases. Some children in rural schools get books brought to them by wagon. In Thailand, elephants carry books to remote villages in the jungle. In the capital of Thailand, old train carriages have been turned into a library. The police set up this library. It is meant to be a safe place for street children.

The Power of W.O.W.!
Ileana is friends with Mrs. Nyugen. Ileana loves to read. Mrs. Nyugen drives the bookmobile, Words on Wheels. Regretfully, Mrs. Nyugen tells Ileana that W.O.W. will have to close. There is no money to keep the program going. Ileana wants to assist Mrs. Nyugen. Ileana tells her friends about Mrs. Nyugen’s problem. Ileana and her friends then come up with a scheme to raise money to help Mrs. Nyugen. 
The friends decide to hold a car wash. Prior to the car wash, the kids pass out flyers to let people know about the event. They also talk Ileana’s uncle into letting them have the car wash at his parking lot as a favor. The day of the car wash arrives. The friends aren’t making much money. A news van arrives, and a reporter interviews the children. Soon, many people arrive because they saw the interview on TV. Mrs. Nyugen announces that they have enough money to rescue Words on Wheels

Stormalong
Stormalong was found on the beach. A huge tidal wave crashed on the beach and left him there. Stormy was only a baby, but he was already eighteen feet tall! Stormalong loved the sea. When he was twelve years old, he became a sailor on a ship. One day, the anchor got stuck at the bottom of the sea. Stormalong swam to get the anchor. He fought with an octopus for the anchor. Finally, he appeared through the foaming waves and brought the anchor back. Everyone loved him. Stormy was too big to be a sailor. He was too strong and heavy for ordinary ships. Stormalong felt like the sea had betrayed him. He became a farmer, but he missed being a sailor. Stormy was always yearning for the sea. When he went back, Stormy looked terrible! The sailors noticed his condition. They wanted to help, so they built him a huge ship. Stormy became the captain of the ship. People thought Stormalong was the best sailor ever.

Invasion From Mars 
Carl Phillips was a newsman. He was speaking on a radio show live from a farm in New Jersey. A strange metal object just crashed at a farm. Phillips interviewed the farmer. The farmer said that he heard a hissing sound. And then he saw a greenish streak hit the ground. Police tried to close off the roadway to the farm. But people broke through it. One daring man wanted to touch the object, which was in a deep pit. The crash created the pit. A policeman stopped him. Phillips interviewed a professor. The professor said that the object was extraterrestrial, or not from Earth. Phillips watched the top of the object unscrew itself. Phillips got excited. This was an extraordinary experience. Then, something wriggled out of the object. Philips said that the monster that wriggled out looked like a gray snake with tentacles. The police waved a white handkerchief, a flag of truce, at the monster. But a humped shape rose out of the pit. It released jets of flame at the men. The whole field caught on fire. Phillips’ newscast faded out. The microphone crashed. Then, there was just dead silence.

Coming Distractions: Questioning Movies
Moviemakers try to make every scene in a movie entertaining. They show thrilling action scenes with exciting jolts. They may focus on things they want people to see, and leave out the rest. Sometimes they use tricks like camera angles and Computer-Generated Imagery. Lighting and sound make movies interesting. Moviemakers use lighting to show if characters are good or evil. They add a musical soundtrack after filming. Good music makes a good screenplay even better. Moviemakers want people to pay attention to certain messages. Sometimes, they use their movies to advertise products and to send messages to target audiences. Audiences don’t always realize that some of the situations they see aren’t real. Movie studios promote their movies to make sure people watch them. Good reviews from critics also help. Sometimes it seems that, because of these tricks and advertisements, it may seem like a bad idea to watch movies. But watching movies is fun. Just ask questions and pay attention!

Me and Uncle Romie
James visits his Aunt Nanette and Uncle Romie. He is concerned because he doesn’t know them very well. Uncle Romie is a collage artist. He spends most of his time working in his studio. Aunt Nanette shows James around New York City. They laugh together. She makes a special cake for his birthday. Then Aunt Nanette must leave for a funeral. James misses her and thinks being with his uncle will ruin his birthday. He goes into Uncle Romie’s studio. The studio is a glorious mess. Paint is smeared on the floor, and strips of cloth are everywhere. James loves it. James has a wonderful birthday. Uncle Romie makes a feast for breakfast. James gets a model train from his parents. Aunt Nanette even returns home to eat cake. When James goes home, he misses his aunt and uncle and creates a collage of his vacation with them.

Dear Mr. Winston
Cara must write to apologize to Mr. Winston, the librarian. She must say she’s truly sorry for bringing a snake into the library. Her parents insisted she tell him she was wrong. Cara tells Mr. Winston she’s sorry he’s in the hospital. She says that it wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t opened the box and let the snake out. She apologizes, but her apology doesn’t seem genuine. Cara tells Mr. Winston she wanted to borrow a reference book to see what kind of snake it was. If he had let her use the book, he wouldn’t have seen the snake and fainted. Her parents say it was her fault anyway. Cara brings Mr. Winston flowers. She tells Mr. Winston the flowers she bought him are proof that she really didn’t mean to scare him. The snake was a local snake, not slimy or poisonous. Cara tells Mr. Winston she’s sorry he’s in the hospital. She says that it wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t opened the box and let the snake out. She apologizes, but her apology doesn’t seem genuine. 

José! Born to Dance
José Limón was born in Mexico. When he was very young, a civil war broke out in Mexico. José’s family decided to move to the United States to be safe. They moved near the border to wait until they got permission to move to the United States. Then, a friend invited him to a dance concert. José was so excited. He decided to become a dancer. He took lessons every day.José loved to visit the theater and watch dancers on stage. When he was twenty years old, José moved to New York City.
In six weeks, José had his debut and performed on stage for the first time. José went on to become a famous choreographer. He toured the globe in triumph, performing for many important people.
José dreamed of becoming an artist. At first, José worked as a janitor, hauling garbage cans. He became discouraged. He thought he would never be an artist. Then, a friend invited him to a dance concert. José was so excited. He decided to become a dancer. He took lessons every day.José loved to visit the theater and watch dancers on stage. When he was twenty years old, José moved to New York City.
In six weeks, José had his debut and performed on stage for the first time. José went on to become a famous choreographer. He toured the globe in triumph, performing for many important people.

Hurricanes: Earth’s Mightiest Storms
Hurricanes are great whirling storms. They form in the air. Air surrounds Earth and presses on its surface. The air pressure is always changing. Some days are times of high pressure. That’s when the air presses down hard on Earth. Some days are times of low pressure. That’s when the air lifts up from Earth. No one knows exactly what causes a hurricane. Hurricanes form over low pressure areas over warm ocean waters. The low-pressure area acts like a chimney. Warm air is drawn in rapidly at the bottom. It rises in a column. It spirals. It cools and spreads out. This creates a storm, or hurricane.    Several instruments, or tools, can help predict that a hurricane will form. Those instruments are a barometer, a hygrometer, a thermometer, and an anemometer.   Some people call hurricanes by a different name. They call them typhoons, cyclones, or willy-willies. People use technology to measure the winds of a hurricane. They also use it to measure temperature and humidity. They take photographs of the hurricane. They use satellites to see the size, growth, and exact location of a hurricane. They can create computer models of hurricanes. They can warn people to get out of the hurricane’s path.

The Earth Dragon Awakes

Chin has never been in an earthquake. But his father, Ah Sing, isn’t scared. Chin tries to be brave when the apartment trembles. Then the whole tenement starts to creak. The timbers of the building crack. They hide under a table. Chin’s apartment falls onto the apartments below, crushing them. 
The street was built on a landfill. The earthquake causes water from underground to mix with debris. The soil becomes like quicksand. Houses sink. Buildings collapse and people are trapped. Chin and Ah Sing are trapped, too. They dig through the wreckage. They have to rescue themselves. They make a tunnel. Only Chin can fit through it. Chin’s father tells him to go on without him. Chin can hardly breathe in the tunnel. Dust chokes him. When people pull him out, Chin turns back to the tunnel. People help him start digging. They want to help him save his father.

Antarctic Journal
Antarctica is a cold, icy continent in the South Pole. The author of Antarctic Journal traveled there to live for four months. While she was there, she visited a protected island called Litchfield Island.
The author carried food and water with her in case she got stranded. The penguins there flapped, stretched, and rubbed against each other in an ecstatic display. She watched from a sheltered spot. She did not touch the wildlife. But the curious penguins came close to her. The author got to taste krill, just like whales eat. She concluded that krill had very little taste. One day, she went exploring and fell into a crack in the ice.It took her hours to get out. She was very frightened. One evening, she got to see the green flash, a special light that appears at sunset on the horizon. She also got to take home a sterile penguin egg.

The Life and Times of the Ant
Ants live in social communities and take care of one another. Ants are very strong and hard working. They dig dirt and make bricks with it. They reinforce the tunnels of their nests with the bricks. Their nests have chambers that create a safe environment for the queen and her eggs. Anthills may have just one small chamber or thousands of chambers. Ants often connect their anthills to a food source. The ants use trails to transport food to the anthill. They march in columns, bringing home food for the colony. Through their wastes and digging, ants release nutrients into the soil. This helps plants grow. Some ants even help recycle leaves. But the ants must be careful. Anteaters and other animals eat ants. Anteaters can destroy an anthill. Then the hardworking ants must rebuild their homes.

Ecology for Kids 

Ecology is the science that deals with the relationship between organisms and their surroundings. An organism’s surroundings include all the living and nonliving things that have an effect on it. Examples of nonliving things that affect organisms are water, wind, sunshine, rocks, and temperature. Ecology also studies the best ways to use Earth’s resources while still protecting them. 
An ecosystem is all the plants, animals, and nonliving things that have an effect on each other. Forests and seas are examples of ecosystems. One ecosystem can directly affect other ecosystems. If the sea doesn’t have fish, animals in the forest can’t eat. If the rain forest doesn’t have enough trees, living things don’t have enough oxygen.
Tropical rain forests, seas, and the ozone are some of the Earth’s ecosystems. The Earth used to have vast tropical forests. Without trees, animals have to leave their habitats. Forests make the oxygen we need to breathe. 
The sea covers most of the Earth. A large variety of animals live in the sea. Fish are a great resource. If people take too many fish, different species can be in danger. The ozone layer is part of the atmosphere that protects us from radiation made by the sun. 
We can protect the Earth’s ecosystems by stopping pollution. You can put trash in the right place. Turn
lights off when you’re not using them. Save water whenever you can. You can also teach other people how to protect the Earth.