This poetic book is a resounding tribute to Tubman’s strength, humility, and devotion. With proper reverence, Weatherford and Nelson do justice to the woman who, long ago, earned over and over the name Moses.

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The New York Times bestselling series is now available in a box set!

What makes a hero? Brad Meltzer and illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos answer that question, one great role model at a time. And now you can buy the first four—Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, and Albert Einstein—together in a wonderfully designed slipcase that includes an exclusive, autographed print, suitable for framing.

“This is not just a series of books,” says bestselling author Brad Meltzer. “This is my dream for my daughter. My dream for my sons. These aren’t just the stories of famous people. They’re what we’re all capable of on our very best days. This is our history and, I hope, our greatest legacy.”

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A Life Not with Standing chronicles the adventures—by turns exhilarating, agonizing and amorous—of an iron lung alumna. It shatters stereotypes about people with disabilities, enabling others to view disability with pride, not prejudice. It celebrates family, faith, music, tenacity, idealism and indignation.

But most of all, A Life Not with Standing tells a story beyond Chava Willig Levy’s polio chronicle: how calamities can befall innocent people and how those calamities can evolve into and, in fact, become ingredients of and prerequisites for ensuing joy.

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All William Ellsworth Hoy wanted to do was play baseball. After losing out on a spot on the local deaf team, William practiced even harder?eventually earning a position on a professional team. But his struggle was far from over. In addition to the prejudice Hoy faced, he could not hear the umpires’ calls. One day he asked the umpire to use hand signals: strike, ball, out. That day he not only got on base but also changed the way the game was played forever. William “Dummy” Hoy became one of the greatest and most beloved players of his time!

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Plastic bags are cheap and easy to use. But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed? In Njau, Gambia, people simply dropped the bags and went on their way. One plastic bag became two. Then ten. Then a hundred.

The bags accumulated in ugly heaps alongside roads. Water pooled in them, bringing mosquitoes and disease. Some bags were burned, leaving behind a terrible smell. Some were buried, but they strangled gardens. They killed livestock that tried to eat them. Something had to change.

Isatou Ceesay was that change. She found a way to recycle the bags and transform her community. This inspirational true story shows how one person’s actions really can make a difference in our world.

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A great read for kids and cats of all ages 🙂

Chicken is a soulful expression of the love between cat and person as it collides with the powerful tide of family, friends, loss, and the invisible forces that connect us.

Double Gold Winner in the 2016 Global E-book Awards for Best Children’s Nonfiction and Best Pet Nonfiction! For anyone who has ever loved a cat, Chicken‘s true story is a graphic novel that touches the heart. From funny to emotional, sweet to silly, thoughtful to mystical, this true cat memoir captures it all in 72 full-color, smile-making illustrations with bonus fun facts about cats and their habits.

“A beautiful, tenderly told story that’s appropriate for both children and adults. If you pay attention to all the little doodles, background decoration and the notes scattered throughout the illustrations, there’s a second story brewing just for adults. Look carefully, there are little gems buried in the details of the illustrations!”

— The Hungry Monster

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When author/illustrator Lita Judge found hundreds of tracings of feet in her grandmother’s attic, she was intrigued and moved to share the story behind them.

One Thousand Tracings tells that story. In the aftermath of World War II a family in America established contact with a family in Germany and to help them sent them supplies, including shoes. The German family was extremely grateful and asked if their American friends would help others in Europe. Soon shoe tracings from all over the continent started pouring in to the modest Midwest farm. The network of families helping from the U.S. started to grow so that ultimately hundreds of people on both sides of the Atlantic were touched by this remarkable process.

Illustrated with a combination of paintings and collages of original photographs and foot tracings, this moving story is a granddaughter’s tender tribute to her grandparent’s who organized this relief effort.  By sending hope and kindness they began healing the wounds of war. It is powerful reminder of the importance of humanitarianism during wartime.

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When Monique, a young visiting nurse, steps into the home of an elderly patient, she finds herself in rooms filled with the most vivid color she has ever seen. Her patient is the artist Henri Matisse, and as Matisse recovers from his illness, he and Monique become good friends. Later, Monique enters a convent where she becomes a nursing nun?and by happy coincidence, she meets Matisse once again. Her religious order is so poor that they don’t have a chapel of their own, but Matisse decides that with Monique’s help, he can remedy that situation. He develops a sketch drawn by Monique into a brilliant set of stained-glass chapel windows, and then uses his influence to raise enough money for the chapel’s construction. This true account of Matisse and the chapel at Vence, in southern France, is the main focus of Laurence Anholt’s newest delightful children’s story. Anholt’s illustrations faithfully reproduce many of Matisse’s wonderful artworks in this beautiful storybook.

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If there was anything in the world better than playing baseball, Marcenia Lyle didn’t know what it was. As a young girl in the 1930s, she chased down fly balls and stole bases, and dreamed of one day playing professional ball.

With spirit, spunk, and a great passion for the sport, Marcenia struggled to overcome the objections of family, friends, and coaches, who felt a girl had no place in the field. When she finally won a position in a baseball summer camp sponsored by the St. Louis Cardinals, Marcenia was on her way to catching her dream.

Full of warmth and youthful energy, Catching the Moon is the story of the girl who grew up to become the first woman to play for an all-male professional baseball team. Readers everywhere will be inspired by her courage to dream and determination to succeed.

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This is the most complete and thorough biography of Jose Raul Capablanca, one of the greatest players in the history of chess. Beginning with his family background, birth, childhood and introduction to the game in Cuba, it examines his life and play as a young man; follows his evolution as a player and rise to prominence, first as challenger and then world champion; his loss of the title to Alekhine and his efforts to recapture the championship in the last years of his too-short life. What emerges is a portrait of a complex man with far-ranging interests and concerns, in stark contrast to his robotic reputation as “the chess machine.”

Meticulously researched, utilizing many sources available only in Capablanca’s home country, it puts truth to legend regarding a man who stood astride the chess world in of its most dynamic and dramatic eras. Numerous games and diagrams complement the text, as do a wealth of photographs.

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FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Describes how a small dog became the lead dog as her musher, Pam Flowers, prepared for and made her historic journey alone across the North American Arctic.

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A Step 3 Biography Reader about Theodor Geisel and his transformation from a doodler into the beloved Dr. Seuss. Little Ted Geisel always had a sketchpad and pencil in hand. He was a Boy Scout with a penchant for creating zany creatures. He grew up with a love of books and words from his mother, and his inventor father spawned a wildly imaginative and perfectionist side. It’s no wonder that these qualities led to the beloved work of Dr. Seuss, the Great Doodler.
 
Follow his career as an ad man, political cartoonist, creator of forty-five indelible children’s books, and Pulitzer Prize winner. Not bad for a lifelong doodler! Includes fun facts and several of Dr. Seuss’s original sketches and artwork!
 
Step 3 Readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics. For children who are ready to read on their own.

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Birdwatching as we know it emerged sometime in the late eighteenth century, and a lively literature about birds and bird behavior positively erupted in the decades that followed. In An Exhilaration of Wings, Jen Hill has for the first time gathered together the most vital and engaging of these writings, which, while historically specific, are timeless in their evocation of what the passion for birds is all about.

As Hill remarks in her introduction, birdwatching is “an experience of the ears and intellect as much as it is of the eye,” all of which comes across clearly in the instructive, revealing, and beautifully written excerpts she has culled for this book. Over seventy-five writers, famous and unknown–from John Muir, John James Audubon, and William Wordsworth to the largely forgotten ornithologists Florence Merriam and Olive Thorne Miller and the English country poet John Clare–share their infectious observations about bird song, migration, nests, raptors, sea birds, hummingbirds, and much more. The entries are by turns practical, lyrical, humorous, literary, scientific–on occasion even mystical–as they illuminate the magical and occasionally unexpected ways in which birding connects us both to the history of the natural world and to that of human experience. This charming compendium is certain to delight birdwatchers and natural history lovers alike.

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Dick “Quiet Thunder” Gilbert is a traditional Lenape Indian elder and chief residing in the state of Delaware. For three decades, he has inspired thousands of grade schoolers and adults in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Southern New Jersey, thrilling them with his authentic presentations and stories. The Original People is a compelling collection of the chief’s childhood memories and a history of his tribe. He describes tribal ceremonies, traditions and social life before contact with Europeans. The book is a tribute to a highly esteemed Native American and extols the wisdom of his people who enjoyed a peaceful existence for untold generations. It is a story few people know. Quiet Thunder wrote: “I am fortunate to know many of the traditional ways of the Lenni-Lenape. The name Lenni-Lenape means Original People.” The Lenni-Lenape were the Grandfather Tribe of all the Algonquin (Woodland) Indians. Working for over seven years recording and transcribing hundreds of interviews, stories and conversations, author Greg Vizzi allows Quiet Thunder to speak in his own voice. His voice, like his name, has a restrained power that is hard to resist. As thunder accompanies lightening, his words bring new light to our understanding of American Indians. This book does not speculate about their lives from an archaeological or academic worldview five hundred years after the fact. Instead, it is based on the ancient practice of oral history. This is a tradition of passing down historical knowledge through family, friends and elders. It is knowledge of their culture: family and social relations, tribal law, religion, education, and their relationship to the land. The primary story comes down through Quiet Thunder’s own family lineage and oral history. In his early-eighties, this “peaceful warrior” has an important message to share coming straight from his heart and native culture: “The earth is our mother, and we all have a sacred obligation to learn to live in harmony with her and protect her for future generations.” His message has not changed over the years and becomes even more relevant today as our planet comes under escalating environmental impacts from industrial extraction and over-consumption.

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Once there was a redwood tree?one of the world’s largest and tallest trees, and one of the oldest. And once, born nearly a thousand years after the tree first took root, there was a girl named Julia, who was called Butterfly.

When exploring her beloved forest, Butterfly wandered into a grove of ancient trees. One tree had broken branches and a big blue “X” on the side. It was going to be chopped down. Butterfly climbed up into the tree. A tree wouldn’t be cut down if it had a person living in it. This is the story of Julia Butterfly Hill and Luna, the redwood tree she lived in for two years, never once coming down. That is, not until Luna’s future was safe.

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José was a boy with a song in his heart and a dance in his step. Born in Mexico in 1908, he came into the world kicking like a steer, and grew up to love to draw, play the piano, and dream. José’s dreaming took him to faraway places. He dreamed of bullfighters and the sounds of the cancan dancers that he saw with his father. Dance lit a fire in José’s soul.
With his heart to guide him, José left his family and went to New York to dance. He learned to flow and float and fly through space with steps like a Mexican breeze. When José danced, his spirit soared. From New York to lands afar, José Limón became known as the man who gave the world his own kind of dance.
¡OLÉ! ¡OLÉ! ¡OLÉ!
Susanna Reich’s lyrical text and Raúl Colón’s shimmering artwork tell the story of a boy who was determined to make a difference in the world, and did. José! Born to Dance will inspire picture book readers to follow their hearts and live their dreams.

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What’s your dream?

If you could be anything, what would you be? Are you afraid to share it? Worried someone will laugh and make fun of you? You are not alone.

“Your son will be the leader of a gang and dead by the time he’s sixteen. You might as well give up on him.” These are the words my mother heard at my 6th grade parent-teacher conference.

At the age of twelve, my potential had already been limited. Like so many other young people in this world, I was faced with a decision. My choice was to either surrender to the opinions and expectations of others or I could tap into my passions and follow my dreams.

This book is my story on how I went from a little boy with no hope, to a determined young man receiving a full athletic scholarship.

I want to remind you . . . you have Permission to Dream.

Thomas R. Williams

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The inspiring story of an Iraqi librarian’s courageous fight to save books from the Basra Central Library before it was destroyed in the war.
It is 2003 and Alia Muhammad Baker, the chief librarian of the Central Library in Basra, Iraq, has grown worried given the increased likelihood of war in her country. Determined to preserve the irreplacable records of the culture and history of the land on which she lives from the destruction of the war, Alia undertakes a courageous and extremely dangerous task of spiriting away 30,000 books from the library to a safe place.
Told in dramatic graphic-novel panels by acclaimed cartoonist Mark Alan Stamaty, Alia’s Mission celebrates the importance of books and the freedom to read, while examining the impact of war on a country and its people.

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Freckles is the true story of a dog abandoned in the southern Arizona desert. Frightened and alone, she gives birth to six puppies and she somehow manages to protect them all from the heat and from coyotes, hawks, and other dangers. The dog and her pups are eventually rescued by a deputy sheriff and kept in a jail cell where they are cared for by the inmates.

When they’re old enough, the puppies are adopted, but no one wants the rather beat-up mom. Then a woman visits the jail and falls in love with the little white dog with brown spots and takes her home.

Day by day, the dog they’ve named Freckles provides the woman and her husband with clues about her mysterious past. Amazed by what they learn and by the intuitive way in which Freckles takes care of their granddaughter and their other dogs, they enroll her in a program that leads to her becoming a pet therapy dog. Once homeless and abused, Freckles now provides unconditional love to children, many of whom come from backgrounds similar to her own.

Freckles–The Mystery of the Little White Dog in the Desert is a gentle, inspiring story that promotes not only a deeper appreciation for all animals, but also for each other. Written for children, Freckles is certain to be loved by everyone. It includes a glossary of desert terms used in the book, story discussion topics to aid teachers and parents, and additional information about adopting pets and about animal-assisted therapy.

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Once upon a time there were five little girls who shared a dream. They wanted to be ballerinas and dance on stage like their sisters and cousins and friends.

But it would be hard for these girls to make their dream come true. They had cerebral palsy or other physical disabilities, which meant their muscles didn’t move the way they wanted them to. Some wore leg braces. Some used wheelchairs and walkers to get around. But these girls were determined. They had a dedicated teacher. Every week they practiced. They worked hard. And one day they were ready.

Ballerina Dreams is an inspiring true story of love, hope and courage for everyone and anyone who has ever wished (and worked) hard enough to make their dreams come true.

Ballerina Dreams is the winner of the 2008 Bank Street – Flora Stieglitz Award.

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On April 8, 1974, America watched as Hank Aaron stepped up to the plate and hit home run number 715! With that hit, he surpassed Babe Ruth’s legendary baseball record and realized a lifelong dream.
Before blacks were allowed in the major leagues, Hank was determined to play. This is the story of how Hank Aaron became a great ballplayer and an inspiration to us all.

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Do you know how a poor boy from Brazil who loved fútbol more than anything else became the biggest soccer star the world has ever known? Turn the pages of this book to read the true life story of Pelé, King of Soccer, the first man in the history of the sport to score a thousand goals and become a living legend. Rudy Gutiérrez’s dynamic illustrations make award-winning author Monica Brown’s story of this remarkable sports hero truly come alive!

¿Sabes cómo un niño brasileño pobre que amaba el fútbol más que nada en el mundo se convirtió en la estrella más importante del deporte? Lee este relato y entérate de la historia de Pelé, El rey del fútbol; el primer hombre en la historia del deporte capaz de marcar mil goles y convertirse en una leyenda viva. Las dinámicas ilustraciones de Rudy Gutiérrez destacan vívidamente los momentos recreados por la escritora premiada Mónica Brown en este extraordinario libro.

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Do you want to learn about God? Do you know that God is KIND? God is very KIND and very loving. He gives us families and he loves us very much. Colour in the pictures and learn some new words. Have fun and about how KIND God is. Illustrated by Derek Matthews.

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An analysis of Georges Seurat’s famous painting, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, including where and when it was made, interesting details, and the techniques used to create a sense of stillness.

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This story begins with shoes.
This story is all for true.
This story walks. And walks. And walks.
To the blues.

Rosa Parks took a stand by keeping her seat on the bus. When she was arrested for it, her supporters protested by refusing to ride. Soon a community of thousands was coming together to help one another get where they needed to go. Some started taxis, some rode bikes, but they all walked and walked.

With dogged feet. With dog-tired feet. With boycott feet. With boycott blues.

And, after 382 days of walking, they walked Jim Crow right out of town. . . .

Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney present a poignant, blues-infused tribute to the men and women of the Montgomery bus boycott, who refused to give up until they got justice.

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This picture-book biography tells the story of Cathy Williams, who in 1866 disguised herself as a man in order to join the U.S. Army as a Buffalo soldier and earn good pay. No one found out, until she grew tired of army life and revealed her identity. Young readers will be fascinated by the story of this daring and courageous woman.

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FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Based on the author’s own experiences as a child growing up in the projects, a delightful picture book follows DeShawn Williams, who wants to be a rap star and who is terrified that the graffiti in his neighborhood will come alive.

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