* Gold Fever California's 1849 gold rush - Historical Fiction G.P. Putnam's Sons (Published 1999) *Kirkus, *SLJ, * PW * A Best Children's Book of the Year 2000 (Children's book committee at Bank Street College of Education)

* Iron Horses Building the transcontinental railroad - NonFiction G.P. Putnam's Sons (Published 1999) * Kirkus,* SLJ , * Children's Book Council's Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People list for 2000. * Society of School Librarians International Honor Book (1999) named to the 2001 Missouri Reading Circle for the Primary Grades (1-4)

* Covered Wagons, Bumpy Trails A family moving west in a covered wagon - Historical Fiction G.P. Putnam's Sons (Published 2000) *Named to the 2001 Missouri Reading Circle for Primary Grades (1-4) (Recommended Reading List, sponsored by the Missouri State Teachers' Association

* Tattered Sails A colonial family's voyage from England - Historical Fiction G.P. Putnam's Sons (Fall '01) * A 2001 Best Children's Book (Child Magazine)

Broken Feather The story of a young boy from the Nez Perce tribe - Historical Fiction G.P. Putnam's Sons (Oct 14, 2002)

Homespun Sarah Everyday life in 1700's Colonial America - Historical Fiction G.P. Putnam's Sons (Spring '03)

Orphan Train Three children are sent west to find new homes - Historical Fiction G.P. Putnam's Sons (Summer '03)

Rough, Tough Charley Biography of stagecoach driver Charley Darkey Parkhurst - Non-Fiction Millbrook Press (Fall '04)

Hornbooks & Inkwells One boy's adventures in a one room schoolhouse - Historical Fiction G.P. Putnam's Sons (TBA)

Drummer Boy The Civil War through a drummer boy's eyes - Historical Fiction G.P. Putnam's Sons (TBA)

Verla gives a dynamic, exciting presentation allowing children a look behind the scenes of a working author. How a book is conceived and written, what happens inside publishing houses and how to get started as an author are just some of the things that Verla will share with your students. A packet of materials that compliments Verla's books will be given to participating teachers. These packets include free bookmark masters, recipes suitable for classroom use for Johnny Cakes (old-time pancakes,) Leather Britches (dried, cooked green beans,) and Steaks of Snakes (Mock,) master copies of color/cut/paste craft sheets and master copies of "story cubes" that can be made and used by children to help generate their own story ideas. A Gold Panning demonstration, which includes a packet of gold-panning materials (including some real gold flakes!) to be left behind with the school so the children can practice panning on their own, is also available. Verla has successfully given presentations to both individual classes and full assemblies for grades K-6.

P.O. Box 67

Soulsbyville, CA 95372