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Written as a report by a fictitious student, this biography of Monet profiles his life and artworks.

"When Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Virginia Hall was traveling in Europe. Which was dangerous enough, but as fighting erupted across the continent, instead of returning home, she headed to France. In a country divided between freedom and fascism, Virginia was determined to do her part for the Allies. An ordinary woman from Baltimore, Maryland, she dove into the action, first joining a French ambulance unit and later becoming an undercover agent for both the British Special Operations Executive and the US Office of Strategic Services. Working as a spy in the intelligence network, she made her way to Vichy, coordinating Resistance movements, assisting in the sabotage of Nazis, and rescuing downed Allied soldiers. She passed in plain sight of the enemy, and soon found herself being hunted by the Gestapo. But Virginia cleverly evaded discovery and death, often through bold feats and daring escapes. Her covert operations, efforts with the Resistance, and risky work as a wireless telegraph operator greatly contributed to the Allies' eventual win"--.

An English boy during World War I comes to believe that the battles he enacts with his toy soldiers control the war his father is fighting on the front.

"Albert Camus is one of the . . . philosophers of the twentieth century, as well as a . . . novelist. Active in the first half of the twentieth century, his views contributed to the rise of the philosophy known as absurdism, and his works have inspired numerous movies, and even pop songs, and are frequently referenced in contemporary politics. In this [book, the author] explores the life and work of a man full of contradictions, who occupied an ambiguous position in troubled and conflicted times. A fearless journalist who tirelessly investigated the terrible conditions of people in French-occupied Algeria in the 1930s, Camus also stated that the only salvation for France was to remain an 'Arab Power'. While he published articles during the German Occupation in a clandestine resistance newspaper, Camus also withdrew a chapter on Kafka to ensure that his philosophical treatise would pass the Nazi-controlled censorship. Over the course of his life he ranged from being strongly in favor of the death penalty to deploring it in his philosophy. Following a broad chronological framework, [the author] explores the major philosophical and literary works of Camus in the historical context in which they were written and published, and analyzes how the reception and popularity of these works are connected with contemporary political, social and cultural issues, shaping the ideological landscape that surrounds us"--Provided by publisher.

World War II resistance fighter Pearl Witherington Cornioley describes her experiences as a special agent for the British Special Operations Executive (SOE).

"To say Virginia 'Dindy' Hall was ambitious would be an understatement. She was that girl at your high school who makes everyone else look like a slacker, no matter how hard they're working. But how many of them can say they've been on Nazi Germany's Most Wanted list? At a time when most women were expected to becomes wives and mothers, Virginia craved adventure. And with the world gearing up for a second World War, this fearless woman knew that she had to find a way to get involved. When the State Department proved to be a sexist boy's club that wouldn't allow her in, she went to England to join their Special Operations unit, which was more than happy to hire this talented, brilliant woman. Even after a terrible accident left her needing a wooden leg, she remained undeterred. Soon Virginia became an essential part of the Allied mission and the French Resistance, earning the dangerous honor of being named 'the most dangerous of all Allied spies' by the Gestapo"--Provided by publisher.

Introduces the life and art of twentieth-century Spanish artist Pablo Picasso through a retrospective of the paintings, sculptures, prints, and ceramics he created at different periods of his long career.

A documentary portrait of a one-room schoolhouse in rural France where dedicated teacher Georges Lopez trains children from ages four to twelve in how to read, write dictation, cook, and get along in the world.

Tells the story of how the people of Chabannes, a small village in unoccupied France during World War II, provided safety for four hundred Jewish refugee children, housing them in a local chateau that was used as a school. Includes accounts from some of the students, teachers, and townspeople.

" ... Marie Curie for Kids details Curie's remarkable life, from her childhood under a repressive czar in Poland to her tireless work supporting herself through college to meeting her ideal match in scientist Pierre Curie to her revolutionary research. Kids learn how Curie quietly flouted societal norms, working in full partnership with her husband while also teaching and raising two daughters. Scientific concepts are presented in a clear, accessible way, and a range of activities--from making Polish pierogi to exploring magnetism, to using electrolysis to split water--allow for exploration of Curie's life, times, and work."--Provided by publisher.