Joseph Kelly

An account of the two hundred-year practice of slavery in Charleston examines its hotly contested debates and early slave rebellions through the Nullification crisis and the secession that sparked the Civil War.

Many Christians struggle to balance the religious and secular elements of Christmas, but the history of the feast shows that this is nothing new. The religious Christmas has changed over the centuries and, contrary to many critics, is thriving today. This brief, accessible account will explain that: The first Christians did not celebrate Christmas at all. The earliest mention of the feast occurs in the fourth century. In the Middle Ages, Christmas...

The question of evil presents a profound challenge to humanity - why do we do what we know to be wrong? This is especially a challenge to religious believers. Why doesn't an al-good and omnipotent God step in and put an end to evil? The Problem of Evil in the Western Tradition examines how Western thinkers have dealt with the problem of evil, starting in ancient Israel and tracing the question through post-biblical Judaism, Early Christianity (especially...

There have been twenty-one universal gatherings 'ecumenical councils 'of the Catholic Church. The first opened in 325, the last closed in 1965, and the names of many ring out in the history of the church: Nicea, Chalcedon, Trent, Vatican II. Though centuries separate the councils, each occurred when the church faced serious crises, sometimes with doctrinal matters, sometimes with moral or even political matters, and sometimes with discerning the church's...

Meet Martin Bridge-a most special and ordinary boy whose well-meant plans sometimes go awry. In three illustrated stories, Martin encounters two bus drivers with very different ways of relating, makes a tough decision about a friend's pet and takes on an extremely competitive model rocket project that almost costs him a friendship. The daily rhythms, struggles and triumphs of childhood-at home, at school and with friends-are evoked with warmth, understanding,...

Martin's back in two more stories. He gets a new babysitter and learns that dancing isn't all bad. In the second story, Martin and his friend Stuart find themselves locked in a toy store with no way out.

Three more stores of Martin's plans unravelling. This time, he has to entertain an unwanted guest, share lunch with a boy who eats erasers and embark on a madcap search for his school's escaped pet parakeet.

Martin's back in two more stories. For their science fair project, Martin's team is going to help save the planet by organizing a beach walk. In the second story, Martin learns what it takes to score an A+ in teamwork and puts his knowledge of tools to good use as a volunteer at Bicycle Recycle.

Martin Bridge faces the music and learns the ropes in this installment in the widely acclaimed chapter-book series.