Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh in 50 Maps offers unique new views of a city at a crossroads—culturally, economically, and demographically.

There are countless ways to map a city. Roads, bridges, and waterways help you navigate the twists and turns; topography gives you the lay of the land; population trends show you a region’s changing fortunes. But the best maps let you feel what a city’s really like. Whether you call it the Steel City, the City of Bridges, City of Champions, Hell with the Lid Off, or even the Paris of Appalachia, Pittsburgh’s distinctive character is undeniable. Pittsburgh in 50 Maps considers the boundaries of the city’s 90 distinct neighborhoods (plus Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood), the legacy of the steel industry, and how immigration continues to shape the city. You’ll also find the areas with the highest concentrations of bike lanes, supermarkets, tree cover, and fiberglass dinosaurs. Each colorful map offers a new perspective on one of America’s most consistently surprising cities and the people who live here.

Sure to be a conversation starter for Pittsburgh locals, transplants, and expats, Pittsburgh in 50 Maps is for anyone keen to understand the city in new and unexpected ways.

Next stop, Philadelphia! That's the call from author-illustrator Martha Day Zschock, who has taken children and their delighted parents on Journeys Around Boston, New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Chicago, Maine, Nantucket, and Cape Cod since starting this bestselling series in 1999. Zschock is not only a brilliant artist but also a committed educator, whose books are embraced by teachers and principals nationwide. These are far more than alphabet books. Each page is headed by an alliterative sentence that evokes an important theme. For example, Philadelphia's A page, featuring Benjamin Franklin, is headed Aphorisms and advice appear in the almanac. A playful factoid at the bottom of each page expands on the theme. (Did you know that the aphorism Haste makes waste is traceable to Poor Richard, i.e. Franklin?) In each city she visits, Zschock thoughtfully looks beyond the tourist attractions to the community residing there. For example, here the N page explains how Neighborhoods define urban nature. The O page describes how Old Order Amish obey the Ordnung, while the U page celebrates Philadelphia's stop on the Underground Railroad that helped enslaved African Americans escape the South before the Civil War. Now the second leading history destination in the U.S. (after Washington D.C.), Philadelphia is the perfect city for this thoughtful, beautiful series.

Located in the scenic Perkiomen Valley, the adjacent boroughs
of Trappe and Collegeville have a rich and fascinating history. Trappe was founded in 1717 by German immigrant Jacob Schrack Sr., who ran a tavern known as the Trap, after which the village was named. Its most famous early residents were Lutheran patriarch Henry Melchior Muhlenberg and his sons Peter, a Revolutionary War general, and Frederick, first speaker of the US House of Representatives. Collegeville, initially known as Freeland, developed primarily in the 1800s following the completion of the Perkiomen Bridge in 1799. It was named after several early colleges, including Freeland Seminary, established in 1848, and the Pennsylvania Female College, established in 1851. These institutions were succeeded by Ursinus College in 1869. A pioneer in women's education, Ursinus became coeducational in 1880. Trappe and Collegeville were formally incorporated as separate boroughs in 1896.

The murder that still haunts a Pennsylvania city

On the morning of August 8, 1975, sixteen-year-old Debbie Gama disappeared after leaving her home in Erie, only to be found dead days later in a creek nearly thirty miles from her home. What followed was an investigation that lacked suspects or even evidence pointing to a viable suspect. That is, until a private investigator named Dan Barber uncovered evidence leading directly to her killer: her English teacher, Raymond Payne. After Payne’s arrest, Debbie’s mother, Betty Ferguson, embarked on her own quest for justice, which unexpectedly led her on an incredible journey of forgiveness.

Utilizing newspaper articles, court documents and investigative files never before revealed, Justin Dombrowski presents a gripping narrative of one investigator’s pursuit of justice and a mother’s search for the truth.

In this revised and expanded edition, a harrowing new arrest in the cold case, intense trial and key developments are presented alongside the original narrative.

Friday, August 15, 1975, began as a typical summer day in the suburbs. Young children played with their friends; adults prepared for work or planned for their vacation at the Jersey Shore...

That all changed in the hours before noon, when Gretchen Harrington, the eight-year-old daughter of a Presbyterian minister and his wife, was kidnapped while walking to a Vacation Bible School less than a quarter mile from her house. Her body was found by a jogger in a state park nearly two months later. The crime forever changed the lives of the children who were about Gretchen’s age and their parents, many of whom chose to live in Marple Township because they considered it a safe refuge from the crime-ridden streets of Philadelphia.

Journalists Mike Mathis and Joanna Falcone Sullivan examine the kidnapping, murder, nearly five-decade-long investigation.

Prize-winning Atlantic Online cartoonist Sage Stossel brings her Find-the Animals bestselling series to its next stop: The City of Brotherly Love! Children will have hours of entertainment finding the Philadelphia Zoo animals in On the Loose in Philadelphia -- whether a monkey at Independence Hall, a kangaroo at the art museum, or a hippopotamus at a Phillies game! Over 100 animals are hiding cleverly in favorite Philadelphia locations in this colorfully-illustrated rhyming picture book.

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 Pennsylvania 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 Keystone 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 Pennsylvania content—from favorite local cuisine (Philly cheesesteak) to interesting attractions (Penn's Cave)—provides an even more personalized experience.