Young Palmetto Books

Fragments of the Ark follows the exploits of runaway slave Peter Mango, his family, and a band of fellow escaped slaves as they commandeer a Confederate gunboat out of Charleston harbor and deliver it to the Union navy. Mango is made captain of this liberated vessel and commands its crew through the duration of the war. He also travels to Washington to meet President Lincoln, adding his voice to others trying to persuade the president to allow black men to enlist in the armed forces. After the war Mango bought a home from his former master and became a political organizer for voting rights. Eventually he was elected a delegate to South Carolina's state convention to rewrite its constitution. Based on the inspirational life of Robert Smalls, Fragments of the Ark explores the American Civil War through the eyes of its most deeply wounded souls. Against this chaotic backdrop, the novel sweeps readers into Mango's heroic quest for the most basic of human rights, a safe haven to nurture a family bound by love and not fear, and the freedom to be the master of his own life.

Low country storyteller Delores B. Nevils and acclaimed artist Jonathan Green collaborate to share the story of Amadeus, a loud and proud leghorn rooster who comes to live with a widow lady in the Corners community of St. Helena Island on the South Carolina coast. The widow lady's dogs-Kane and Able-and cats-Mae Liza, Scooter, and Pumpkin-are unhappy with the arrival of this new resident in their yard. Amadeus makes himself at home and becomes the pride of the neighborhood. When the widow lady comes to welcome Amadeus and his constant cock-a-doodle-doing, a rivalry develops between the rooster and the original residents of the yard, with unexpected results. The cautionary story of Amadeus teaches a valuable lesson for readers of all ages about what can be lost without cooperation and friendship. As the characters learn from the consequences of their actions, if you do not take care of everyone and everything around you, then you just might end up with nothing.

When Art and his friends-Robbie, Jason, and Amy-are having a sleepover, they decide to use Art's telescope for some stargazing. They are shocked to see a purple spaceship hurtling toward Earth. While his parents think his imagination is getting the best of him, Art thinks Earth is at risk of an alien invasion. What should he do? Should Art and his fellow science detectives alert the authorities, or should they take matters into their own hands? When the local police don't seem concerned about Art's report, the kids decide to apply their knowledge of science and critical thinking skills to prepare for the impending attack. They need a plan-and fast! What transpires as they gear up for the spaceship's arrival will amuse and educate. Art Smart, Science Detective will appeal to budding scientists and even reluctant young readers as it answers burning questions such as "How close is science fiction to real life?" and "Can peanut butter really keep your brain safe from an alien assault?" This entertaining journey through the science of the sky is easily incorporated into middle-grade science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics courses.

Crabbing is a story about young boys learning from their grandfather about the coastal tradition of catching crabs during an eventful day on a saltwater creek. Tilda Balsley's realistic yet poetic depictions coupled with Monica Wyrick's beautiful watercolor illustrations provide a glimpse into the diversity of life along the backwaters of the low country. Crabbing is an intriguing "how-to" for children and evokes nostalgic reminders for readers of any age who have enjoyed the challenge of catching blue crabs.

Founded in 2013 by Steven Lynn, dean of the South Carolina Honors College, this annual writing contest was designed to engage the state's future leaders and thinkers. Each year the Honors College invited South Carolina high school juniors and seniors to respond to the question "How can we make South Carolina better?" in 750 words or fewer, in the genre of their choice. The finalists, selected by a panel of preliminary judges, were invited to the University of South Carolina campus for a second round comprising a forty-minute impromptu writing contest. This round was evaluated by two grand judges-South Carolina natives who have achieved national acclaim: short-story writer and novelist Pam Durban and poet Nikky Finney. Each chose a topic for the impromptu contest: write about a meaningful book and complete the statement "I come from...." This volume features the writing of the seventy-one finalists from the 2016–17 South Carolina High School Writing Contest.

Katie's Cabbage is the inspirational true story of how Katie Stagliano, a third grader from Summerville, South Carolina, grew a forty-pound cabbage in her backyard and donated it to help feed 275 people at a local soup kitchen. In her own words, Katie shares the story of the little cabbage seedling and the big ideas of generosity and service that motivated her to turn this experience into Katie's Krops, a national youth movement aimed at ending hunger one vegetable garden at a time. Katie's Cabbage reminds us of how small things can grow and thrive when nurtured with tender loving and care and of how one person, with the support of family, friends, and community, can help make a powerful difference in the lives of so many. Katie's Cabbage was illustrated by Karen Heid, associate professor of art education at the University of South Carolina School of Visual Art and Design. Editorial assistance was provided by Michelle H. Martin, a dedicated gardener and the Augusta Baker Chair in Childhood Literacy at the University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science. Patricia Moore-Pastides, First Lady of the University of South Carolina and author of Greek Revival from the Garden: Growing and Cooking for Life, offers a foreword about her friendship with Katie and her admiration of Katie's dream to end hunger one garden at a time.

"How can we make South Carolina better? Normally this question is reserved for lawmakers and voters, but Writing South Carolina, volume 3, gives voice to fifty high school juniors and seniors from across the Palmetto State who have offered suggestions. The University of South Carolina Honors College annual writing contest presents a necessary voice for them as well as a revealing portrait of their lives and desires using their own words and insights. Contest judge Mary Alice Monroe has said of the contributing students, "They are astonishingly talented, further ahead in the game than I was at their age." Through a variety of short, creative genres, students share their own gripping experiences in South Carolina, often about growing up and going to school here. This year's selections range from poems about the cycle of abuse to short stories about minimum wage to essays about problematic sex education in public schools. Writing South Carolina, volume 3, offers a collection steeped in creativity, honesty, and clarity. High school students witness and encounter some of the most subtle and serious problems in South Carolina's school system-and they demand change. Monroe, a New York Times best-selling author of children's books and novels, including A Lowcountry Christmas and The Butterfly's Daughter, provides a foreword.

Three Wild Pigs: A Carolina Folktale, written and illustrated by Lisa Anne Cullen, is an adaptation of James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps's The Story of the Three Little Pigs. Set on Bird Island along the Carolina Coast, this creative retelling of the timeless tale features three generations of a pig family-Lulu, her father, and her grandfather. On the island Lulu is known for being wise in the ways of the world. Pop is wise in the ways of the waters. Grandpaw Curly, the oldest and smartest pig of all, is wise in the ways of the winds. While shrimping in the Atlantic Ocean, the pigs experience harsh winds and see ominous clouds. Knowing these are warning signs of impending bad weather, they row home. Before long a whirling, swirling, huffing-and-puffing Hurricane Wolf arrives to wreak havoc on the pigs, their homes, and Bird Island. Cullen's colorful illustrations mirror the weather, flora, and fauna of the Carolina coast. Three Wild Pigs features maps of North and South Carolina as well as select state symbols and will educate, entertain, and enlighten early readers and listeners of all ages as Lulu, Pop, and Grandpaw Curly struggle to survive Hurricane Wolf.

The Shark's Tooth is a poetic tale of imagination and conservation in which a young girl visiting her grandparents' beach house finds friendship with the ocean's creatures. Sharks' teeth are given to her by her new aquatic friends as gifts, symbolic of her connections to nature and the sea. As the little girl grows up and moves away to the city, she loses her kinship to the natural world. When she returns to the beach house as an adult, she is convinced that her childhood memories were only acts of make-believe-until she receives a sign that her ocean adventures may have been real after all. The Shark's Tooth is the first children's book written by New York Times best-selling author Ron Rash. Cecile L. K. Martin's colorful cut-paper illustrations complement the story, and novelist and children's author Mary Alice Monroe provides an engaging afterword on the story's empowering message of creativity and conservation.

Nipper of Drayton Hall is the just-about-true story of real-life characters who loved a grand old house and the natural beauty of its surroundings on the Ashley River of Charleston, South Carolina. Join Nipper, an energetic little dog, and his beloved Charlotta Drayton as they travel from Charleston's Battery to historic Drayton Hall and spend a spring day in 1916. At Drayton Hall, Nipper plays with his friend, eight-year-old Richmond Bowens. Both Charlotta and Richmond have family ties to Drayton Hall going back many generations, and both do their part to preserve the history and spirit of their families' homes. With his ever-present red ball, Nipper lets his curiosity-and Charlotta's and Richmond's lessons-guide his adventures as he explores the house and grounds. As the story unfolds, he has a close call with an alligator, but he makes it home to dream his way to the stars. The story by Amey Parsons Lewis and the watercolor illustrations by Gerry McElroy give readers of any age an informative and engaging look into the past of Drayton Hall, a historic house museum operated by the Drayton Hall Preservation Trust and owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Drayton Hall is the oldest surviving example of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States and one of just a few pre–Revolutionary War homes still in near-original condition today. As much a story of friendship and discovery as of facts and history, Nipper's tale is a welcoming invitation to see and share in the beauty and lasting significance of Drayton Hall. Seven generations of the Drayton family are tied to the history of the home and its grounds, from John Drayton, who established the plantation in 1738, to Charles and Frank Drayton, who transferred the property to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the State of South Carolina in 1974 to ensure its preservation. Seven generations of African Americans are connected to Drayton Hall as well, most notably the Bowens family, including Richmond Bowens (1908–1998), who would become Drayton Hall's oral historian, its greatest resource on African American history at Drayton Hall, and the inspiration for its Connections: From Africa to America program, which continues to this day. Through the innocent eyes of Nipper, this story of Charlotta Drayton and young Richmond Bowens honors both families and brings Drayton Hall vibrantly to life. A timeline of Drayton Hall history and a glossary of important features and names enhance the story and artwork to the benefit of readers, parents, and teachers.

More than 500 years ago, a tribe of Native Americans lived peacefully next to a river in an area called Cofitachequi, near what is now Camden, South Carolina. A kind and generous woman, who was a member of the Otter Clan, ruled this tribe. She became known as the Lady of Cofitachequi. All the people of the tribe and animals in the area loved the Lady. An adoring otter tells this true historical account of what happened to the Lady and her kin when Spanish explorers led by Hernando de Soto came looking for gold and silver. De Soto demanded that the tribe hand over precious metals and gems, but all the people had to offer were freshwater pearls and copper. In anger de Soto ordered his army to loot the temples and take all the food. Before leaving, they took the Lady captive and forced her to go with them. Otter watched with tears in his eyes as the Lady was taken away. Where did the Lady of Cofitachequi go, and would Otter and the people of the town ever see her again?

Penelope's Poppy always wears khaki pants. When he finds a hole in one pair, he asks Penelope to patch it. Penelope likes to sew, but she soon realizes that mending the hole is more complicated than she first thought. Penelope struggles with the challenges and frustrations, but, with a little help from her mama, she finally-and creatively-repairs Poppy's pants. Poppy's Pants is about perseverance and problem-solving. Through Penelope's example youngsters discover the satisfaction of finding solutions on their own, even if the solution is not the way other people might solve it. Sometimes the best solutions come from being creative-using your head and your hands. A postscript written by the author's father, Pat Conroy, best-selling author of The Great Santini and The Prince of Tides, gives a personal, behind-the-scenes description of the book's characters and the author.

Making peace with her spiteful classmate, Clara, seems impossible to Jane. Despite encouragement from Mother Baptista, the mother superior at their convent school, Jane and Clara dig in their heels. As the girls brood they hear the cannons of the Civil War explode outside their school as General Sherman and the Union army attack the city of Columbia, South Carolina, in February 1865. Mother Baptista asks Sherman for protection for her nuns and students, and he promises they will be safe inside their convent school. But despite his promise they have to flee in the middle of the night through a chaotic, burning city. Will Mother Baptista forgive Sherman for breaking his promise? Can Jane and Clara make peace when the adults in their world are at odds and at war? Set during the most deadly and divisive war in U. S. history, this compelling story is based on first-person accounts of true events. Fire and Forgiveness is a reminder of the important role forgiveness and peacemaking play in life's conflicts big and small, whether between quarreling children, proud adults, or warring nations.