by Yona Zeldis McDonough, Illustrated by Lauren Mortimer
No one knows where the term Underground Railroad came from–there were no trains or tracks, only “conductors” who helped escaping slaves to freedom. Including real stories about “passengers” on the “Railroad,” this book chronicles slaves’ close calls with bounty hunters, exhausting struggles on the road, and what they sacrificed for freedom. 8-12 years
William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad
By Don Tate
William Still’s parents escaped slavery but had to leave two of their children behind, a tragedy that haunted the family. As a young man, William went to work for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, where he raised money, planned rescues, and helped freedom seekers who had traveled north. And then one day, a strangely familiar man came into William’s office, searching for information about his long-lost family. Could it be?
Motivated by his own family’s experience, William began collecting the stories of thousands of other freedom seekers. As a result, he was able to reunite other families and build a remarkable source of information, including encounters with Harriet Tubman, Henry “Box” Brown, and William and Ellen Craft. 6-9 years
History Smashers: The Underground Railroad
By Kate Messner and Gwendolyn Hooks, Illustrated by Damon Smyth
Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth about the Underground Railroad and Black Americans’ struggle for freedom. Before the Civil War, there was a crack team of abolitionists who used quilts and signal lanterns to guide enslaved people to freedom. RIGHT? WRONG! The truth is, the Underground Railroad wasn’t very organized, and most freedom seekers were on their own. With a mix of sidebars, illustrations, photos, and graphic panels, this book delivers the whole truth about the Underground Railroad. 8-12 years
Eliza’s Freedom Road: An Underground Railroad Diary
By Jerdine Nolan, Illustrated by Shadra Strickland
It is 1852 in Alexandria, Virginia. Eliza’s mother has been sent away. It is Abbey, the cook, who looks after Eliza, when Eliza isn’t taking care of the Mistress. Eliza has the quilt her mother left her. And the memory of the stories she told her to keep her close. The Mistress’s health begins to fail. Eliza overhears the Master talk of her being traded. She takes to the night.
She follows the path and the words of the farmhand Old Joe, “ … travel the night … sleep the day. Go East. Your back to the set of the sun until you come to the safe house where the candlelight lights the window.” All the while, Eliza recites the stories her mother taught her along her Freedom Road from Maryland to St. Catherine’s, Canada. 8-12 years
Freedom’s a-Callin’ Me
By Ntozake Shange, Illustrated by Rod Brown
Fleeing on the Underground Railroad meant walking long distances. Swimming across streams. Hiding in abandoned shanties, swamps, and ditches. And always on the run from slave trackers and their dogs.
The Underground Railroad operated on secrecy and trust. But who could be trusted? There were free black and white men and women helping. They risked their lives too. Because freedom was worth the risk. 6-10 years
If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad
By Ebony Joy Wilkins, Illustrated by Steffi Walthall
What if you lived in a different time and place? What would you wear? What would you eat? How would your daily life be different? How did the Underground Railroad get its name? Why is it called a railroad? How did people find it? Who operated it? Ebony Joy Wilkins answers all these questions and more in this guide to the Underground Railroad. 7-10 years
Underground
By Shane W. Evans
A family silently crawls along the ground. They run barefoot through unlit woods, sleep beneath bushes, take shelter in a kind stranger’s home. Where are they heading? They are heading for freedom by way of the Underground Railroad. 4-8 years
Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad
By Ellen Levine, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Henry Brown doesn’t know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves’ birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom. But that dream seems farther away than ever. He is torn from his family and put to work in a warehouse.
Henry grows up and marries. But he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Then one day, as he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows what he must do. He will mail himself to the North in a crate. After a long journey, Henry finally has a birthday. It’s his first day of freedom. 5-9 years
The Patchwork Path: A Quilt Map to Freedom
By Bettye Stroud, Illustrated by Erin Susanne Bennett
Hannah’s papa has decided to make the run for freedom. Her patchwork quilt is not just a precious memento of Mama. It’s a series of hidden clues that will guide them along the Underground Railroad to Canada. 5-8 years
Unspoken
by Henry Cole
A farm girl discovers a runaway slave hiding in the barn. She is at once startled and frightened. But the stranger’s fearful eyes weigh upon her conscience. She must make a difficult choice. Will she have the courage to help him? 8-11 years
Under the Quilt of Night
by Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by James E. Ransome
A runaway slave girl spies a quilt hanging outside a house. The quilt’s center is a striking deep blue. This is a sign that the people inside will help her. But can she navigate the Underground Railroad? Can she lead her family to freedom? 5-10 years
The books descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
Poet Emma Lazarus wrote these famous words as part of a sonnet for a fundraising auction.
As a girl, Emma wrote poetry and translated poems from German and French into English. Her father, recognizing her talent, published her first book of poems, Poems and translations by Emma Lazarus, written between the ages of Fourteen and Seventeen.
Emma met and then wrote to one of America’s best known poets, Ralph Waldo Emerson, when she was nineteen. She and Emerson worked together as student and mentor. Emma continued to write and publish books of poetry.
Emma also dedicated herself to helping Russian Jewish refugees escaping persecution in their homeland. The refugees lived in poor conditions on Ward’s Island in New York Harbor. Emma brought them clothing and food, set up English classes, and a trade school. She wrote about their plight hoping they would be accepted into American society.
In 1883, a committee invited Emma to participate in a fundraising campaign to provide a pedestal for the Statue of Liberty. The committee asked her to write a sonnet to be auctioned to help raise money for the pedestal.
The statue, a gift from France, sat disassembled in crates on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor. The people of France paid for the statue. Now Americans raised money to pay for the pedestal to support it. But an economic depression made fundraising difficult.
At first, Emma declined the invitation to write a sonnet. Not only was the auction a week away, but as she told a pedestal committee member, Ms. Harrison, “A poem written to order would be flat.” Ms. Harrison asked Emma to think about the Russian Jewish refugees she had been helping. They could inspire her poem.
Emma thought it over. It seemed to her that the statue would light the way for immigrants entering New York Harbor. The Statue of Liberty would welcome them to their new home. She decided to write the poem and called it “The New Colossus.”
Joseph Pulitzer, the publisher of The New York World, asked people around the country to contribute money to build the pedestal. To help with the cause, he published Emma’s poem in his newspaper.
Pulitzer raised over $100,000. Most of the contributions were less than $1.00. The pedestal was built and the statue reassembled. President Grover Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty on October 28, 1886.
In 1903, words from Emma’s “The New Colossus” were inscribed on a plague placed in the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal. Unfortunately, Emma had died in 1887. She never knew that her words, inspired by refugees, welcomed generations of new immigrants seeking freedom in America.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Louis Braille lived in the French village of Coupvray. Born in 1809, he was the fourth child of a harness maker and his wife. Louis was a bright and curious child. He especially enjoyed watching his father at work.
One day, three-year-old Louis decided to try out his father’s awl, a very sharp tool. Unfortunately, he injured his eye. It became infected and when Louis touched the uninjured eye, the infection spread, blinding him.
Louis Braille House, Coupvray, France
Louis’s family and a village priest helped him. His father made a cane so that Louis could walk without assistance. His sisters made an alphabet from straw so that he could learn letters. And the priest read to Louis and taught him to listen to the sounds of birds to recognize them.
Louis later went to school with sighted children and listened to and remembered the lessons. But for Louis, that wasn’t enough. He wanted to read books.
When he was ten-years-old, he traveled to Paris to attend the Royal Institution for Blind Youth. The school’s founder had created books with raised letters. But the letters were enormous with only a few sentences or less on a page. The books were not practical.
Then a French army captain named Charles Barbier invented a system of sending messages to soldiers on the field. His system used raised dots so that the soldiers could read the messages without light and not give away their location to the enemy.
The army seemed unimpressed, so Barbier sent his system to the Royal Institution for Blind Youth. Louis and the other students recognized right away that this system was not practical. The dots represented sounds not letters. They were difficult for the students to read.
Louis Braille’s Six-Dot Braille System
Louis Braille decided to adapt Barbier’s system and make it practical. He worked for three years to perfect it. By the age of fifteen, he had developed the six-dot Braille System we know today. Each letter of the alphabet uses a different pattern of raised dots. Louis’s system is used in every country in the world.
Braille
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
By Walter Dean Myers, Illustrated by Christopher Myers
There’s a crazy syncopation/and it’s tearing through the nation/and it’s bringing sweet elation/to every single tune. It’s Jazz. From bebop to New Orleans, from ragtime to boogie, and every style in between, this collection of Walter Dean Myers’s energetic and engaging poems takes readers on a musical journey from jazz’s beginnings to the present day.
A Child’s Introduction to Jazz:
The Musicians, Culture, and Roots of the World’s Coolest Music
By Jabari Asim, Illustrated by Jerrard K. Polk
Welcome to jazz! Feel the music and rhythms of all the different styles of jazz, from swing and Dixieland to the blues and bebop, with this interactive introduction to the world’s coolest music.
Author Jabari Asim will take you on the journey through the history of jazz as you discover the most important musicians and singers while hearing some really cool sounds. You’ll learn all about the roots of jazz in Africa and New Orleans and how the music traveled to different parts of the United States and around the world. Along the way you’ll meet legendary trumpeter Louis Armstrong, who shaped a new form of jazz called improvisation; pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington, who helped create the big band sound of the swing era; and the singer Billie Holiday, whose songs such as “God Bless the Child,” “Don’t Explain,” and “Lady Sings the Blues” have become jazz standards. 8-12 years
Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald
by Roxane Orgill, Illustrated by Sean Qualls
When Ella Fitzgerald danced the Lindy Hop on the streets of 1930s Yonkers, people passing by said goodbye to their loose change. For a girl who was orphaned and hungry, with raggedy clothes and often no place to spend the night, small change was not enough. One amateur night at Harlem’s Apollo Theater, Ella made a discovery: the dancing beat in her feet could travel up and out of her mouth in powerful song — and the feeling of being listened to was like a salve to her heart.
Birth of Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound
By Kathleen Cornell Berman, Illustrated Keith Henry Brown
As a young musician, Miles Davis heard music everywhere. This biography explores the childhood and early career of a jazz legend as he finds his voice and shapes a new musical sound. Follow his progression from East St. Louis to rural Arkansas, from Julliard and NYC jazz clubs to the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival. Rhythmic free verse imbues his story with musicality and gets readers in the groove. Music teachers and jazz fans will appreciate the beats and details throughout, and Miles’ drive to constantly listen, learn, and create will inspire kids to develop their own voice.
Little Melba and Her Big Trombone
By Katheryn Russell-Brown, Illustrated by Frank Morrison
Melba Doretta Liston loved the sounds of music from as far back as she could remember. As a child she daydreamed about beats and lyrics, and hummed along with the music from her family’s Majestic radio. At the age of seven, Melba fell in love with a big, shiny trombone, and soon taught herself to play the instrument. By the time she was a teenager, Melba’s extraordinary gift for music led her to the world of jazz. She joined a band led by trumpet player, Gerald Wilson, toured the country, and became famous.
Trombone Shorty
By Troy Andrews, Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Hailing from the Treme neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was tall. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today he headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest.
Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane
By Carol Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls
Young John Coltrane was all ears. And there was a lot to hear growing up in the South in the 1930s. There were preachers praying, music on the radio, and the bustling sounds of the household. These vivid noises shaped John’s own sound as amusician. This picture book is a rich hymn to the childhood of jazz legend John Coltrane.
Who Was Louis Armstrong?
By Yona Zeldis McDonough, Illustrated by John O’Brien
If not for a stint in reform school, young Louis Armstrong might never have become a musician. A teacher at Colored Waifs Home gave him a cornet, promoted him to band leader, and recognized talent in this tough kid from the even tougher New Orleans neighborhood of Storyville. It was Louis’s own passion and genius that pushed jazz into new and exciting realms.
This Jazz Man
By Karen Ehrhardt, Illustrated by R.G. Roth
SNAP! BOMP! BEEDLE-DI-BOP! In this toe-tapping jazz tribute, the traditional “This Old Man” gets a swinging makeover, and some of the era’s best musicians take center stage. The tuneful text and vibrant illustrations bop, slide, and shimmy across the page as Satchmo plays one, Bojangeles plays two…right on down the line to Charles Mingus, who plays nine, plucking the strings that sound divine.
Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker
By Patricia Hruby Powell, Illustrated by Christian Robinson
Josephine Baker worked her way up from the slums of St. Louis to the grandest stages in the world. Her powerful story is one of struggle and triumph and is an inspiration.
Mister & Lady Day: Billie Holiday and the Dog Who Loved Her
By Amy Novesky, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton
Billie Holiday—also known as Lady Day—had fame, style, a stellar voice, gardenias in her hair, and lots of dogs. She had a coat-pocket poodle, a beagle, Chihuahuas, a Great Dane, and more, but her favorite was a boxer named Mister. Mister was always there to bolster her courage, even at her legendary appearance at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Stylish illustrations keep the story focused on the bond between Holiday and her dog. An author’s note addresses the singer’s troubled life, and includes a little-known photo of Mister and Lady Day.
How Jelly Roll Morton Invented Jazz
By Jonah Winter, Illustrated by Keith Mallett
This unusual and inventive picture book riffs on the language and rhythms of old New Orleans and turns its focus to one of America’s early jazz heroes, Jelly Roll Morton.
Ella Queen of Jazz
By Helen Hancocks
Ella Fitzgerald sang the blues and she sang them well. Ella and her fellas were on the way up. It seemed like nothing could stop her, until the biggest club in town refused to let her play… and all because of her color. But when all hope seemed lost, little did Ella imagine that a Hollywood star would step in to help. This is the incredible true story of how a remarkable friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe was born – and how they worked together to overcome prejudice and adversity. 4-8 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Gene Barretta asks in his book Lincoln and Kennedy: A Pair to Compare: “How much could these two presidents have in common?” The answer is: an amazing amount.
100 Years Apart
Abraham Lincoln was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1846. He was nominated to be a vice-presidential candidate in 1856. And he was elected president in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1946. He was nominated to be a vice-presidential candidate in 1956. And he was elected president in 1960.
Their vice-presidents were born one hundred years apart. Lincoln’s (second v.p) in 1808 and Kennedy’s in 1908.
Lincoln defeated Stephen A. Douglas born in 1813 and Kennedy defeated Richard M. Nixon born in 1913 in their respective presidential bids.
Names
Lincoln’s secretary was Mrs. Kennedy and Kennedy’s secretary was Mrs. Lincoln.
Lincoln’s second vice-president was Andrew Johnson. Kennedy’s vice-president was Lyndon B. Johnson.
Civil Rights
Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation giving freedom to slaves living in the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Kennedy proposed civil rights laws to end segregation and discrimination of African-Americans. He gave a speech in 1963, a few months before his death, outlining these laws. Kennedy’s successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Death
Both presidents were assassinated on a Friday shortly before a major holiday — Lincoln before Easter and Kennedy before Thanksgiving.
We know the two assassins by three names: John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln’s assassin, and Lee Harvey Oswald, Kennedy’s assassin.
Booth shot Lincoln in a theater. He was captured in a barn that served as a warehouse storing tobacco. Oswald shot Kennedy from a warehouse, The Texas Book Depository. He was captured in a theater. Both men were killed soon after the assassinations.
Lincoln and Kennedy: A Pair to Compare has more examples comparing these two great presidents.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Amelia Earhart was a woman of many firsts. In 1932, she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. In 1935, she became the first woman to fly across the Pacific. From her early years to her mysterious 1937 disappearance while attempting a flight around the world, readers will find her life a fascinating story. 8-12 years
Daring Amelia
By Barbara Lowell, Illustrated by Jez Tuya
Even as a kid, Amelia Earhart was always looking for adventures. She had mud ball fights, explored caves, and even built a roller coaster in her backyard. The adventures continued as she grew up.
Amelia took flying lessons and was soon performing stunts in the sky. She became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Still, Amelia wanted to achieve more. She set out to fly around the world. Tragedy struck when Amelia was unable to find the smallisland in the Pacific Ocean she needed to land on. Amelia Earhart is remembered today as a daring explorer who loved to fly. 6-8 years. Teacher Guide available at:https://barbaralowell.com/teacher-guide-2/
Trailblazers: Amelia Earhart, The First Woman Over the Atlantic
By Sally J. Morgan, Illustrated by David Shepard
On June 19, 1928, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to cross the Atlantic in an airplane. From building her own roller coaster as a child, to climbing to the roof of her boarding school, Amelia was a born daredevil. Find out how the girl who loved watching air shows blazed a trail in aviation! 8-12 years
Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Sky!
By James Buckley, Jr., Illustrated by Kelly Tindall
When Amelia Earhart became the first woman to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932. She immediately became an American icon and a subject of endless fascination for generations to come. This book is the story of the bold and daring aviator’s life presented in graphic novel format, with full-color illustrations and historically accurate details. From her hardscrabble childhood to her final flight—and mysterious disappearance—Earhart’s journey will entertain, captivate, and inspire readers of all ages. 8-12 years
It’s Her Story — Amelia Earhart, A Graphic Novel
By Kim Moldofsky, Illustrated by Alan Brown
Amelia Earhart was the first women to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She piloted many record-breaking flights, became an author, advised engineers, taught college students, and defended women’s rights. And then somewhere in the South Pacific, she disappeared on an attempted flight around the world. This is her story. 7-10 years
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride
By Pam Munoz Ryan, Illustrated by Brian Selznick
Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt were birds of a feather. Not only were they two of the most admired and respected women of all time, they were also good friends.
On a brisk and cloudless evening in April 1933, Amelia and Eleanor did the unprecedented: They stole away from a White House dinner, commandeered an Eastern Air Transport jet, andtook off on a glorious adventure, while still dressed in their glamorous evening gowns. 7-10 years
Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator
By Shelley Tanaka, Illustrated by David Craig
Ever since Amelia Earhart and her plane disappeared on July 2, 1937, people have wanted to know more about this remarkable woman. This book follows the charismatic aviator from her first sight of an airplane at the age of ten to the last radio transmission she made before she vanished. 8-12 years
Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic
By Robert Burleigh, Illustrated by Wendell Minor
Robert Burleigh has captured Amelia Earhart’s first solo flight across the Atlantic in 1932. She was the first woman and only the second person to do this. 4-8 years
When Amelia Earhart Build a Roller Coaster
By Mark Weakland, Illustrated by Oksana Griviana
Amelia Earhart was one of America’s most famous aviators. But do you know what she was like as a child? From running on the river bluffs and playing football to building a roller coaster, Amelia was an active and confident child. Her childhood story will help young readers connect to this historic figure and inspire them. 6-12 years
I am Unstoppable: A Little Book About Amelia Earhart
By Brad Meltzer, Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos
This friendly, fun biography focuses on the traits that made Amelia Earhart great—the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. In this new board book format, the very youngest readers can learn about one of America’s icons a lively, conversational way. The short text focuses on drawing inspiration from the famous pilot and includes an interactive element and factual tidbits that young kids will be able to connect with. 2-5 years
Amelia Lost
By Candace Fleming
In alternating chapters, Candace Fleming deftly moves readers back and forth between Amelia’s life, from childhood to her last flight, and the exhaustive search for Amelia and her missing plane. With photos, maps, and handwritten notes from Amelia, this book tackles everything from the history of flight to what Amelia liked to eat while flying. 8 and up
Amelia Earhart: A Photographic Story of a Life
By Tanya Lee Stone
With more than 100 full-color photographs, illustrations, and detailed sidebars, this book celebrates an aviation pioneer who changed how the world is viewed: aviatrix Amelia Earhart. 10 years and up
The descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you liked this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Leonardo da Vinci painted two of the best known paintings in the world: Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. In addition to his magnificent work as an artist, Leonardo designed inventions that are familiar to us today, almost 400 years later.
Leonardo sketched and wrote about his inventions in notebooks. Most of his ideas could not be made into working objects during his lifetime. Engineering was a new science and many of his designs were technically complicated.
These are six of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions:
In the Air:
Glider — Leonardo’s glider design looks similar to both a bird in flight and a modern hang glider. Leonardo studied birds as he worked on his design.
Helical Screw — This is Leonardo’s design for an early type of helicopter. Four men inside operated the screw. It would compress air to fly just like helicopters do today.
Parachute — Leonardo imagined floating through the air using a parachute. Designed to be made of linen and wood, his parachute had a triangular shape.
Anemometer — Leonardo designed this instrument to measure wind speed. Anemometers are used at weather stations today.
Under Water:
Scuba Gear — Leonardo designed a leather suit with a head covering attached to two tubes. The tubes connected to an above water diving bell. The diver would breathe air from the water’s surface through the tubes. Today, scuba divers breathe air from the tanks they carry underwater. Early divers used Leonardo’s method.
On Land:
Tank — Leonardo turned again to the natural world for this design. A turtle shell inspired it. The tank’s design provided for a 360 degree rotation. Four men inside would operate the tank with hand cranks while other men would fire the weapons. Modern tanks first appeared in World War I.
This beautifully written biography tells the story of E.B. White, the author of Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little. Caldecott Honor winner Melissa Sweet mixes White’s personal letters, photos, and family keepsakes with her own artwork to tell the story of this American literary icon. E.B White was a journalist, New Yorker contributor, and children’s book author who loved words his whole life.
Through the Wardrobe: How C.S. Lewis Created Narnia
By Lina Maslo
As a child, Clive Staples Lewis imagined many things . . . heroic animals, and knights in armor, and a faraway land called Boxen. He even thought of a new name for himself—at four years old, he decided he was more of a Jack. As he grew up, though, Jack found that the real world was not as just as the one in his imagination. No magic could heal the sick or stop a war, and a bully’s words could pierce as sharply as a sword. So Jack withdrew into books and eventually became a well-known author for adults.
But he never forgot the epic tales of his boyhood, and one day a young girl’s question about an old family wardrobe inspired him to write a children’s story about a world hidden beyond its fur coats . . . a world of fauns and queens and a lion named Aslan. A world of battles between good and evil, where people learned courage and love and forgiveness. A magical realm called Narnia. And the books he would write about this kingdom would change his life and that of children the world over.
Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen: The Story of Six Novels, Three Notebooks, a Writing Box and One Clever Girl
By Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by Qin Leng
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of our greatest writers. But before that, she was just an ordinary girl. In fact, young Jane was a bit quiet and shy; if you had met her back then, you might not have noticed her at all. But she would have noticed you. Jane watched and listened to all the things people around her did and said, and locked those observations away for safekeeping.
Jane also loved to read. She devoured everything in her father’s massive library and before long, she began creating her own stories. In her time, the most popular books were grand adventures and romances, but Jane wanted to go her own way…and went on to invent an entirely new kind of novel.
The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Suzy)
by Barbara Kerley, Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham
Suzy Clemens thought the world was wrong about her papa. They saw Mark Twain as “a humorist joking at everything.” But he was so much more, and Susy was determined to set the record straight. In a journal she kept under her pillow, Susy documented her world-famous father from his habits (good and bad) to his writing routine to their family’s colorful home life. Her frank, funny, tender biography (which came to be one of Twain’s most prized possessions) gives rare insight and an unforgettable perspective on an American icon.
Pioneer Girl: The Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder
by William Anderson, Illustrated by Dan Andreasen
This picture book biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder tells the remarkable story of the pioneer girl who would one day immortalize her adventures in the beloved Little House books. This biography captures the essence of the little girl called “Half-pint,” whose classic books and pioneer adventures have made her one of the most popular literary figures in America.
A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creator of the Snowy Day
By Andrea Davis Pinkney, Illustrated by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher
The story of The Snowy Day begins more than one hundred years ago, when Ezra Jack Keats was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. The family were struggling Polish immigrants, and despite Keats’s obvious talent, his father worried that Ezra’s dream of being an artist was an unrealistic one. But Ezra was determined. By high school he was winning prizes and scholarships. Later, jobs followed with the WPA and Marvel comics. But it was many years before Keats’s greatest dream was realized and he had the opportunity to write and illustrate his own book. For more than two decades, Ezra had kept pinned to his wall a series of photographs of an adorable African American child. In Keats’s hands, the boy morphed into Peter, a boy in a red snowsuit, out enjoying the pristine snow; the book became The Snowy Day, winner of the Caldecott Medal, the first mainstream book to feature an African American child. It was also the first of many books featuring Peter and the children of his — and Keats’s — neighborhood.
Will’s Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk
by Jane Sutcliffe, Illustrated by John Shelley
When Jane Sutcliffe set out to write a book about William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre, she ran into a problem: Will’s words keep popping up all over the place. What’s an author to do? After all, Will is responsible for such familiar phrases as “what’s done is done” and “too much of a good thing.” He even helped turn “household words” into household words. But — what better words are there to use to write about the greatest writer in the English language than his very own?
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams
by Jen Bryant, Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
When he wrote poems, William Carlos Williams felt as free as the Passaic River rushing to the falls. His notebooks filled up, one after another. His words gave him freedom and peace, but he also knew he needed to earn a living. He became a doctor yet never stopped writing poetry. This biography celebrates the amazing man who found a way to earn a living and to honor his calling to be a poet.
Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People
By Monica Brown, Illustrated by Julie Paschkis
Once there was a little boy named Neftalí who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly. From the moment he could talk, he surrounded himself with words. Neftalí discovered the magic between the pages of books. When he was sixteen, he began publishing his poems as Pablo Neruda.
Pablo wrote poems about the things he loved―things made by his friends in the café, things found at the marketplace, and things he saw in nature. He wrote about the people of Chile and their stories of struggle. Because above all things and above all words, Pablo Neruda loved people.
Enormous Smallness: A Story of E.E. Cummings
by Matthew Burgess, Illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo
Some of E.E. Cummings’s wonderful poems are integrating into a story that gives readers the music of his voice and a spirited, sensitive introduction to his poetry. This book emphasizes the bravery it takes to follow one’s own vision and the encouragement E.E. received to do just that.
Beatrix Potter and the Unfortunate Tale of a Borrowed Guinea Pig
By Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by Charlotte Voake
Deborah Hopkinson takes readers back to Victorian England and the home of budding young artist and animal lover Beatrix Potter. When Beatrix brings home her neighbor’s pet guinea pig so that she can practice painting it, well . . . it dies! Now what? Written in the form of a “picture letter,” this mostly true tale is a wonderful introduction to a beloved author/illustrator. An author’s note includes photographs and more information about Beatrix Potter’s life and work.
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Author Ellen Levine and illustrator Kadir Nelson bring Henry “Box” Brown’s amazing story to life in Henry’s Freedom Box.
One of the most famous slaves on the Underground Railroad didn’t travel by foot. Henry Brown, with the help of two friends, mailed himself from Richmond, Virginia to Philadelphia. The wooden box he traveled in measured only 3 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet, 8 inches deep.
Henry Brown began his life as a slave in Louisa Country, Virginia in about 1815. In Henry’s Freedom Box, the author writes: “Henry and his brothers and sisters worked in the big house where the master lived. Henry’s master had been good to Henry and his family. But Henry’s mother knew things could change. ‘Do you see those leaves blowing in the wind? They are torn from the trees like slave children are torn from their families.'”
At age 15, his master gave Henry to his son. From then on, Henry worked in a tobacco factory away from his family.
Henry married Nancy, a slave owned by a different master. One day, he watched as pregnant Nancy and their three children were led away, sold to a North Carolina plantation. Henry knew he would never see them again.
With the loss of Nancy and their children, Henry decided to escape slavery and make his way to a free state. He devised a dangerous plan. He would travel by steamboat, train, and wagon in a wooden box. Henry asked his friend, a free black, James Smith, and Dr. Samuel Smith, a white man who opposed slavery, to help him.
On March 23, 1849, Henry was nailed shut in the box with only biscuits, some water, and a tool, called a gimlet, to make air holes. Dr. Smith shipped Henry to The Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society. He wrote on the box: “This Side Up With Care” hoping to keep Henry right side up during the trip. But Henry spent part of the trip upside down with blood rushing to his head. Once, Henry thought he would die that way, until two men on the steamboat moved Henry’s box and sat on top. Lucky for Henry the move put him right side up again.
Henry was delivered to the Anti-Slavery Society safely after spending 27 hours inside the box. Four men opened the wooden box and welcomed Henry to freedom. Newspapers reported Henry’s story and he became known around the world as Henry “Box” Brown, a free man.
By Martin Luther King, Jr., Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
On August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave one of the most powerful and memorable speeches in our nation’s history. His words, paired with Caldecott Honor winner Kadir Nelson’s magnificent paintings, make for a picture book certain to be treasured by children and adults. The themes of equality and freedom for all are not only relevant today, fifty years later, butalso provide young readers with an important introduction to our nation’s past. (Audio CD included)
A Place to Land
By Barry Wittenstein, Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Martin Luther King, Jr. was once asked if the hardest part of preaching was knowing where to begin. No, he said. The hardest part is knowing where to end. “It’s terrible to be circling up there without a place to land.”
Finding this place to land was what he struggled with, alongside advisers and fellow speech writers, in the Willard Hotel the night before the March on Washington, where he gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech. But those famous words were never intended to be heard on that day, not even written down for that day, not even once. 7-10 years
My Little Golden Book About Martin Luther King, Jr.
By Bonnie Bader, Illustrated by Sue Cornelison
Learn all about Martin Luther King Jr. Day with this Little Golden Book biography all about the civil rights leader! The perfect introduction to nonfiction for preschoolers. This Little Golden Book captures the essence of Martin Luther King, Jr. for the littlest readers. They’ll learn how his childhood in segregated Atlanta—and in his father’s church—shaped the future civil rights leader. And they’ll gain a clear understanding of the way he became an eloquent, powerful voice for African Americans. 2-5 years
My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
By Martin Luther King, III, Illustrated by A.G.
What was it like growing up as a son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? This picture book memoir provides insight into one of history’s most fascinating families and into a special bond between father and son. His son gives an intimate look at the man and the father behind the civil rights leader. Mr. King’s remembrances show both his warm, loving family and a momentous time in American history.
Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968
By Alice Faye Duncan, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
In February 1968, two African American sanitation workers were killed by unsafe equipment in Memphis, Tennessee. Outraged at the city’s refusal to recognize a labor union that would fight for higher pay and safer working conditions, sanitation workers went on strike. The strike lasted two months, during which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was called to help with the protests.
While his presence was greatly inspiring to the community, this unfortunately would be his last stand for justice. He was assassinated in his Memphis hotel the day after delivering his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” sermon in Mason Temple Church. Inspired by the memories of a teacher who participated in the strike as a child, author Alice Faye Duncan reveals the story of the Memphis sanitation strike from the perspective of a young girl with a riveting combination of poetry and prose. Picture book, 9-12 years
Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Peaceful Leader
By Sarah Albee, Illustrated by Chin Ko
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed it was possible to change the world with peaceful protest. His powerful words and actions helped the civil rights movement achieve many great changes. His incredible leadership is still remembered and celebrated today.
Beginning readers will learn about the milestones in Martin Luther King Jr.’s life in this Level Two I Can Read biography, which combines a traditional, illustrated narrative with historical photographs at the back of book—complete with a timeline, illustrations, and interesting facts.
Martin Luther King Jr.: A Peaceful Leader is a Level Two I Can Read, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help. 4-8 years
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King
By Jean Marzollo, Illustrated by J. Brian Pinkney
This book is a beautifully rendered study of Dr. King’s life told in simple, straightforward language for even the youngest readers. The illustrations convey both the strength and gentleness of Dr. King’s character. This book carries his central message of peace and brotherhood among all people.
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
By Doreen Rappaport, Illustrated by Brian Collier
Doreen Rappaport weaves the immortal words of Dr. King into a captivating narrative to tell the story of his life. With stunning art by acclaimed illustrator Bryan Collier, this book is an unforgettable portrait of a man whose dream changed America.
Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.?
By Bonnie Bader, Illustrated by Nancy Harrison
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was only twenty-five when he helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Soon he was organizing African Americans across the country in support of desegregation, and civil rights. Maintaining nonviolent and peaceful tactics even when his life was threatened, Dr. King was also an advocate for the poor and spoke out against racial and economic injustice.
Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song
By Andrea Davis Pinkney, Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. His strong voice and powerful message were joined and lifted in song by world-renowned gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. It was a moment that changed the course of history and is imprinted in minds forever. The stories of these two powerful voices and lives are told side-by-side — as they would one day walk — following the journey from their youth to a culmination at this historical eventwhen they united as one. This book inspires kids to find their own voices and speak up for what is right.
Martin Luther King, Jr. and the March on Washington
By Frances E. Ruffin, Illustrated by Stephen Marchesi
On August 28, 1963, more than 250,000 people came to the nation’s Capitol. They came by plane, by bus, by car, even on roller skates, to speak out against segregation and to demand equal rights for everyone. They came to hear the words of a very special leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. This book captures the spirit of this landmark day in American history and brings Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech to life for young children.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
By Kitson Jazynka
In this Level 2 biography, readers will learn about the fascinating life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The book descriptions used are primarily the publishers.
