Sparkling Stars #23

When a gruesome, mysterious creature called the "Thing" begins terrorizing the Hell's Angels—three former flying tiger pilots now running an air-freight line and ranch—they find themselves caught between Fritz Neron's relentless schemes and his shadowy world-wide spy boss, the X-Z. With cattle dying mysteriously, their planes crashing, and a ransom demand for Lank's atomic-rocket plans, the trio must uncover whether the creature is just another of Neron's tricks or something far more sinister, all while evading the law and fighting for their survival in the desert.

A young athlete with big dreams enrolls at Stanford University in 1891, determined to play football despite the school having no team—so he takes matters into his own hands, organizing a squad to challenge the mighty University of California. His grit and resourcefulness off the field prove just as valuable as any player could be, and the underdog Stanford team pulls off a stunning upset that would echo through his entire life.

Raised as a prince and trained to rule like a king, Christina Queen of Sweden inherits her throne at just six years old, destined to lead a nation exhausted by three decades of religious war. As a young queen, she defies the resistance of her governors and clergy to secretly negotiate peace, ultimately bringing the Treaty of Westphalia to fruition and ushering in an era of religious freedom across Europe. This remarkable non-fiction account chronicles how a woman dismissed at birth became one of history's boldest peacemakers.

Scout Tom McCollister exemplifies the highest spirit of scouting when he plunges into the raging Chagrin River near Willoughby, Ohio to save a young girl caught in the dangerous current. As McCollister battles the river's undertow and treacherous waters, he must fight to keep both himself and his rescuee afloat long enough to reach safety. This true account of bravery in the face of nature's fury shows why McCollister earned recognition for his life-saving heroism.

"Silver Made From Clay" traces the fascinating history of aluminum's discovery and refinement, from H. C. Oersted's first extraction in 1825 through the breakthrough electrolytic process independently developed by Charles Hall and Paul L. T. Heroult in 1886. The story charts how these advances transformed aluminum from an impossibly expensive precious metal into an affordable industrial material, and showcases the metal's modern applications—from aircraft and automobiles to wartime equipment and the promise of all-aluminum vehicles and helicopters of the future.