Paul Roberts

"A sweeping new history of the city of Rome, told through its emperors and the monuments they built to make their mark on one of the great capitals of the classical world. 'What is worse than Nero? What is better than Nero's Baths?' - so wrote the poet Martial in the first century AD, demonstrating the power that buildings have on public consciousness. In ancient Rome, who built a monument and why mattered as much as its physical structure. Over centuries...

Handbook on how to avoid boredom by doing fascinating things that todays children's parents did when they were kids.

Eleven-year-old Ellis discovers family secrets, makes new friends, and adjusts to his parents' recent divorce during a hijinks-filled summer helping his father open the world's first chocolate chip cookie store in 1976 Hollywood.

A child discovers his distinguished heritage through the achievements of Black leaders from sports, entertainment, law and leadership.

"Biscuit the dog is adopted from the shelter and loves his new home and his new human family. The dad, especially, takes good care of Biscuit and is the person who walks him the most. But Biscuit soon realizes that not everyone shares his feelings about his human. His human is Black, and some people in the neighborhood are scared by that. Some people hold their purses closer, or tighten their grip on their children's hands. With honest, age-appropriate...

Chicago fifth-grader Simon, an aspiring rapper who lacks self-confidence, uses his rhymes to help bring his community together.

"Sakura's dad gets a new job in America, so she and her parents make the move from their home in Japan. When she arrives in the States, most of all she misses her grandmother and the cherry blossom trees, under which she and her grandmother used to play and picnic. She wonders how she'll ever feel at home in this new place, with its unfamiliar language and landscape. One day, she meets her neighbor, a boy named Luke, and begins to feel a little more...

"When eleven-year-old Simon Barnes joins the basketball team, he's so excited to be part of a neighborhood tradition. But when he shoots an AIR BALL, Simon knows he needs reinforcements. He recruits his best friend C.J. to the team and it's finally looking like the Creighton Park Panthers have a shot at breaking their four-season losing streak-until some of the other players abandon them for a better team. Now Simon isn't sure the Panthers will ever...