"The Caucasus is a jagged land. With Turkey to the west, Iran to the south, and Russia to the north, the Caucasus is trapped between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. If it didn't already possess the highest mountain range in Europe, the political pressure exerted from all sides would have forced the land to crack and rise. A borderland between Christian and Muslim worlds, the Caucasus is the front line of a fascinating and formidable clash of cultures: Russia versus the predominantly Muslim mountains." "Writer Nicholas Griffin travels to the mountains of the Caucasus to find the root of today's conflict. Mapping the rise of Islam through myth, history, and politics, this travelogue centers on the story of Imam Shamil, the greatest Muslim warrior of the nineteenth century, who led a twenty-five-year campaign against the invading Russians. Griffin follows the Imam's legacy into the war-torn present and finds his namesake, the Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev, continuing his struggle." Today, the balance of power in the Caucasus is based, as before, on Russia's relationship with her borderlands and the thorny question of Chechnya's desire for independence. The matter is complicated by a growing Islamic movement and a reputed 100 billion barrels of Caspian oil. The explosiveness of such a combination has fueled conflict after conflict, and still shows no sign of abating. Caucasus lifts the lid on a little-known but crucially important area of world.

Caucasus: Mountain Men and Holy Wars

History

Griffin, N.

Europe

Review

Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11 (Smashie McPerter Investigates)

Who stole the hamster from Room 11? A once-happy class is set on edge in this humorous, highly relatable mystery perfect for middle-grade readers. The day the hamster disappears from Smashie McPerter’s class begins like any other. Well, except for the fact that the teacher is out sick and Smashie’s class is stuck with Mr. Carper, the worst substitute in the world. And except for the mysterious business with the glue. And except for the fact that Smashie is wrestling with a terrible problem, which only partly stems from her extreme aversion to hamster feet. As the peaceable and productive days of Room 11 turn into paranoia-fueled chaos, as natural suspects produce natural alibis and motives remain unmotivated, Smashie and her best friend, Dontel, are forced to the limits of their parlor-room detecting to set things right.

Children's Books

Animals

Candlewick

Who stole the featured item for the talent show? Secret codes and crazy schemes are in play as Smashie and best friend Dontel put their thinking powers to work. When the third-graders of Room 11 learn that they all must take part in a musicale, Smashie can’t wait to sing something heartfelt and loud. But the others are not so eager. Luckily, Charlene’s mom has agreed to donate her special gel that lengthens and sculpts hair into shapes (from a musical note to a roller skate), and soon, with the help of some retro sixties go-go dancing, all the kids are raring to go. That is, until their jars of goop go missing! Who would steal their beloved Herr Goop, and why? Time for Smashie and her best friend, Dontel, to get out their Investigation Notebooks! Discussions of motives and perps, hasty mis-accusations and apology brownies, a math lesson used to crack a mysterious code, and more than a few choice red herrings build up to a truly hilarious madcap finale. Starring a quirky and relatable heroine, a level-headed sidekick, and an appealing group of good kids, this entertaining and lighthearted mystery may well have readers donning their own Investigator Suits.

Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of the Missing Goop (Smashie McPerter Investigates)

Humor

“Smashie will endear herself to many readers. . . . A gentle and humorous mystery for younger middle grade readers.” — School Library Journal The day the hamster disappears from Smashie McPerter’s class begins like any other. As Room 11 descends into paranoia-fueled chaos, as natural suspects produce natural alibis, and as motives remain unmotivated, Smashie and her best friend, Dontel, are forced to the limits of their parlor-room detecting to set things right.

A field trip to the planetarium goes awry when Dontel’s technically correct picture of a working rocket is stolen. Can Smashie solve the trickiest mystery yet?\nSmashie McPerter and her classmates from Room 11 are going on a field trip to the planetarium! Nobody is more excited than Smashie’s best friend, Dontel, who dreams of becoming an astrophysicist. In fact, Dontel has even created an accurate drawing of a working rocket, piloted by his and Smashie’s favorite action figure, Brainyon. In a surprise move, Dontel’s grandmother, who’s chaperoning, brings the rocket drawing with her to enter into the planetarium’s science contest. But in a shocking turn of events, the drawing goes missing before they get there! Smashie is on the case (luckily she brought an array of interesting hats to help get into character). But the suspect list keeps growing—prankster Billy, who prefers the Haddock over Brainyon; tight-lipped Tatiana, who’s wearing a NASA T-shirt; and . . . Smashie herself? Nobody is above suspicion in this third hilarious and clever Smashie McPerter mystery.

Smashie McPerter and the Shocking Rocket Robbery (Smashie McPerter Investigates)

Literature & Fiction

“Classroom dynamics and a diverse cast add a realistic element to this fast-paced tale of go-go dancing, rapid bilingual alphabetization, and general mayhem.” — Booklist When the third-graders of Room 11 learn that they all must take part in a musicale, Smashie can’t wait to sing something heartfelt and loud. But the others are not so eager. Luckily, Charlene’s mom has agreed to donate her special gel that lengthens and sculpts hair into shapes, and soon, with the help of some retro sixties go-go dancing, all the kids are raring to go. That is, until their jars of goop go missing! Time for Smashie and her best friend, Dontel, to put on their Investigation Suits. . . . Discussions of motives and perps, hasty misaccusations and apology brownies, a math lesson used to crack a mysterious code, and a few choice red herrings build up to a truly hilarious madcap finale.

One of the very best G tuning five-string bluegrass banjo methods available! The book teaches how to pick out tunes single-string style (one note at a time), how to play chord accompaniment, and how to play solos in the full three-finger, bluegrass style. Topics include note and tab reading, chord background styles, traditional bluegrass techniques, fills and endings, use of the capo, rolls, slides, hammers, pull-offs, choking, harmonics, and up-the-neck playing. In notation and tablature.

Mel Bays Complete Bluegrass Banjo Method

Arts & Photography

Music

Mel Bay Pubns

Anthology of Five String Banjo Styles

What happens when everything you’ve got to give isn’t enough to save someone you love?It’s Maine. It’s winter. And it’s FREEZING STINKIN’ COLD! Dinah is wildly worried about her best friend, Skint. He won’t wear a coat. Refuses to wear a coat. It’s twelve degrees out, and he won’t wear a coat. So Dinah’s going to figure out how to help. That’s what Dinah does—she helps. But she’s too busy trying to help to notice that sometimes, she’s doing more harm than good. Seeing the trees instead of the forest? That’s Dinah. And Skint isn’t going to be the one to tell her. He’s a helper guy too. He’s worried about a little boy whose dad won’t let him visit his mom. He’s worried about an elderly couple in a too-cold house down the street. But the wedge between what drives Dinah and what concerns Skint is wide enough for a big old slab of ice. Because Skint’s own father is in trouble. Because Skint’s mother refuses to ask for help even though she’s at her breaking point. And because Dinah might just decide to…help. She thinks she’s cracking through a sheet of ice, but what’s actually there is an entire iceberg.

The Whole Stupid Way We Are

Teen & Young Adult

Atheneum Books for Young Readers

What happens when everything you’ve got to give isn’t enough to save someone you love? This transformative portrayal of “injustice, frustration, and rage is wrenching and difficult to forget” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). It’s Maine. It’s winter. And it’s FREEZING STINKIN’ COLD! Dinah is wildly worried about her best friend, Skint. He won’t wear a coat. Refuses to wear a coat. It’s twelve degrees out, and he won’t wear a coat. So Dinah’s going to figure out how to help. That’s what Dinah does—she helps. But she’s too busy trying to help to notice that sometimes, she’s doing more harm than good. Seeing the trees instead of the forest? That’s Dinah. And Skint isn’t going to be the one to tell her. He’s a helper guy too. He’s worried about a little boy whose dad won’t let him visit his mom. He’s worried about an elderly couple in a too-cold house down the road. But the wedge between what drives Dinah and what concerns Skint is wide enough for a big old slab of ice. Because Skint’s own father is in trouble. Because Skint’s mother refuses to ask for help even though she’s at her breaking point. And because Dinah might just decide to…help. She thinks she’s cracking through a sheet of ice, but what’s actually there is an entire iceberg.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Griffin, N.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Griffin, N.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Griffin, N.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Caucasus: Mountain Men and Holy Wars

Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11 (Smashie McPerter Investigates)

Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of the Missing Goop (Smashie McPerter Investigates)

Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11 (Smashie McPerter Investigates)

Smashie McPerter and the Shocking Rocket Robbery (Smashie McPerter Investigates)

Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of the Missing Goop (Smashie McPerter Investigates)

Mel Bays Complete Bluegrass Banjo Method

Anthology of Five String Banjo Styles

The Whole Stupid Way We Are

The Whole Stupid Way We Are