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J.M. Bedell spent most of her childhood daydreaming in hayfields, talking to cows and finding new friends between the pages of her books. Encouraged by a college professor to pursue a degree in writing, she completed a BA in 1999. It took writing for television and video, then speeches, articles, and brochures for the Anoka County Sheriff's Office before J.M. realized there was a way to combine her writing skills and her love of history. Her first project was writing the children's musical Mischief and Eve and co-writing the lyrics. The success of that play spurred her on to more and more projects. Jane is a full-time writer of historical fiction and nonfiction for children. She is currently finishing the research for her MFA thesis from Hamline University in Minnesota. Finding Courage: History's Young Heroes and Their Amazing Deeds is J.M.'s first nonfiction book for children. She lives in Portland Oregon with her husband, youngest son, and two Siberian Huskies. |
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Hildur, Queen of the Elves, and Other Stories In 870 AD, the first explorers arrived on the volcanic island that one day would be called Iceland. The men and women Who settled there, on the edge of the Arctic Circle, beside the last vestiges of ancient Ice Age glaciers, were a resourceful and hardy folk. They withstood fierce winter storms, plunging arctic temperatures, violent volcanic eruptions, powerful earthquakes, and the lonely isolation of this distant island. In the eleventh century, Iceland's governing body grew weary of civil war and grudgingly accepted the rule of the king of Norway. For the next 700 years, these fiercely independent Icelanders suffered under various foreign rulers. Then, in 1944, after finally gaining full independence, the people and the country began to flourish. Out of this tumultuous geography and history emerged a unique oral tradition, which gave birth to these famous Icelandic legends. You will read the stories of elves and trolls, ghosts and goblins, as well as tales of scary monsters and thrilling mysteries. As folklorist Terry Gunnell writes, the stark and shifting landscape of Iceland is itself a storybook. These legends hold a particular wary respect for nature and a wry wisdom that states that we human beings are mere tenants on earth, with no control over weather or ghosts or wild creatures. |
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Finding Courage: "There are courageous kids on every continent and in every nation. From ancient China to modern, war-torn Israel , they continue to fight for peace in their homelands, justice for themselves and others, and the right to live, learn, and grow in a world free from hate and tyranny." What does it take to become a hero? The courage to believe that you can make a difference! In J.M. Bedell's book, Finding Courage, everyday kids from the past and the present summon the hero within when daunting circumstances challenge them to stand up for their beliefs. From Fa Mu Lan, who was only a young girl when she disguised herself as a man to fight in the Chinese army against the brutal Tartar, to Dilli Chaudhary who continues to fight against slavery and is the founder of a powerful group that works for the abolition of bonded labor in Nepal, to you and your own story of courage; this empowering collection of biographies will inspire both kids and adults to see the world as a place where one person really can make a difference. Finding Courage: History's Young Heroes and Their Amazing Deeds tells the stories of twenty-seven real kids—different countries, different languages, different lives—who wanted to change the world. They made real differences because of their heroic deeds. You might recognize the names of some of these kids, but there are others you've never heard about, some of whom are still working to make a difference today. |
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