For Little Historians & Young Explorers

Ghost stories from the Midwestern United States have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

The haunted history of the Midwest comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit Ohio, the oldest state in the Midwest, to glimpse ghosts in the Butler County Historical Museum. Or travel to Crown Point, Indiana, and see Ruffle Shirt Hill’s Underground Railroad site. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained all across America’s Midwestern states; just be sure to keep the light on.

Sometimes the coolest places are right outside your front door. Learning about Chicago's interesting and unique culture has never been so super fun!

Did you know that Chicago's Home Insurance Building was the world's first skyscraper? Or that lacrosse was originally created by the Algonquian people? Have you ever heard that Walt Disney was born in Chicago? From the Great Chicago Fire, to delicious deep-dish pizza, Super Cities!: Chicago covers it all, and is sure to engage any reader with fun facts about the history, culture, and people who make this city great. Dive into Lake Michigan, explore Little Italy, and join in the fun at Lollapalooza, all right here. Take a peek inside to learn more about the impressive, unusual, super history of Chicago!

Welcome to Chicago! In this board book from bestselling children's author-illustrator Martha Day Zschock, a parent and child bear explore Chicago, Illinois. Join them on their visit to The Windy City where they take the elevated train around The Loop, ride the Ferris wheel on Navy Pier, cheer for The Cubs at Wrigley Field, eat deep dish pizza, and meet some new friends at the Lincoln Park Zoo! For ages 0-3. Made in the USA.

Ghost stories from the City of Gardens have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

Welcome to the spooky streets of Rockford, Illinois!

 

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know the Burpee Museum is haunted by the ghosts of years past? Or that if you take a cruise down Blood Point Road, you may be chased by haunted hounds and a pickup truck determined to run you off the road? Have you heard the of the witch who kidnapped children as an act of vengeance?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Rockford forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

Next stop, Chicago! That's the shout from conductor Martha Day Zschock, who has taken children and their delighted parents on Journeys Around Boston, New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Maine, Nantucket, and Cape Cod since starting this bestselling series in 1999. Hop aboard the L, circle the Loop, board a water taxi, walk the waterfront! From the Lincoln Park Zoo to Wrigley Field, from the Magnificent Mile to Navy Pier, Journey Around Chicago from A to Z takes readers on a tour of the Second City that is second to none. Over 250,000 copies of Zschock's work are in print, perhaps because Zschock is not only a brilliant artist but also a committed educator, whose books are embraced by teachers and principals nationwide.

What do you get when you cross a read-aloud storybook with a write-in memory book?
Magic moments between kids and adults!
The Lucky to Live in Illinois book is the perfect tool to jump-start meaningful conversations between generations. Read-aloud rhymes set up interesting topics. Then write-in prompts invite children to record their own views to create a personal Prairie State keepsake.
The real gift lies in the interactive nature of the book as it offers the perfect opportunity for adults to share their own stories and wisdom about such issues as friendship, community, team spirit, and other topics that help develop a child's social and emotional skills. Customized Illinois content--from favorite local cuisine (deep-dish pizza) to interesting attractions (Lincoln Home National Historic Site)--provides an even more personalized experience.

Read-aloud time is about to get a lot more fun!

The Illinois Wise Animal Handbook offers laugh-out-loud animal kingdom advice for kids of every age! Engaging animal photos entertain while charming read-aloud rhymes help jump-start conversations about practical life solutions.
The Read Together/Do Together? experience continues with pull out coloring pages in the back of the book featuring fun facts about special Prairie State animals including the northern cardinal and painted turtle.
Enjoy the opportunity to share your own practical wisdom with your favorite little one as you read-aloud... and laugh-aloud....again and again.