Guy Haydon raised and trained Midnight from the time she was a foal. The two had such a strong bond that when World War I broke out, Lieutenant Haydon slipped away from the frontlines of Gallipoli on an Egypt-bound ship to reunite with his horse. There, in the city of Beersheba, on October 31, 1917, two regiments of the Australian Light Horse Brigade took part in one of the last great cavalry charges in history. Among the first to leap the enemy trenches was Lieutenant Guy Haydon, riding Midnight—who succumbed to a bullet that might have otherwise killed her rider. In a new story from an award-winning duo, luminous illustrations and lyrical narration bring a sad moment in history to life. 5-9 years
Winnie’s Great War
by Lindsay Mattick and Josh Greenhut, Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Here is a heartwarming imagining of the real journey undertaken by the extraordinary bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. From her early days with her mama in the Canadian forest, to her remarkable travels with the Veterinary Corps across the country and overseas, and all the way to the London Zoo where she met Christopher Robin Milne (and inspired the creation of the world’s most famous bear,) Winnie is on a great war adventure.
This story is a blending of deep research and magnificent imagination. Infused with Sophie Blackall’s renderings of an endearing bear, the book is also woven through with entries from Captain Harry Colebourn’s real wartime diaries and contains a selection of artifacts from the Colebourn Family Archives. The result is a one-of-a-kind exploration into the realities of war, the meaning of courage, and the indelible power of friendship, all told through the historic adventures of one extraordinary bear. 8-11 years
Stubby The Dog Soldier: World War I Hero
By Blake Hoena, Illustrated by Oliver Ian Hurst
A stray dog named Stubby braves the World War I battlefields alongside Private J. Robert Conroy. See the story unfold as this brave little canine makes a big difference in the lives of many World War I soldiers. 5-7 years
Knit Your Bit! A World War I Story
By Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by Steven Guarnaccia
Mikey’s dad has left home to fight overseas during World War I, and Mikey wants to do something BIG to help. When his teacher suggests that the class participate in a knitting bee in Central Park to knit clothing for the troops, Mikey and his friends roll their eyes—knitting is for girls! But when the girls turn it into a competition, the boys just have to meet the challenge.
Based on a real “Knit-In” event at Central Park in 1918, Knit Your Bit shows readers that making a lasting contribution is as easy as trying something new! 5-8 years
Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I’s Most Famous Dog
By Ann Bausum
Move over, Rin Tin Tin. Here comes Sgt. Stubby! That German shepherd, Rin Tin Tin, star of the silver screen may have been born behind enemy lines during World War I, but Stubby, the stump-tailed terrier, worked behind enemy lines, and gained military honors along the way.
Private Robert Conroy casually adopted the orphan pup while attending basic training on the campus of Yale University in 1917. The Connecticut volunteer never imagined that his stray dog would become a war hero. He just liked the little guy. When Conroy’s unit shipped out for France, he smuggled his new friend aboard. By the time Stubby encountered Conroy’s commanding officer, the dog had perfected his right-paw salute. Charmed, the CO awarded Stubby mascot status and sent him along with Conroy’s unit to the Western Front. 10-13 years
DK Findout! World War I
By Brian Williams
Did you know that the Allied powers used 33,000 camels in desert warfare? Or that more than 500,000 pigeons carried messages to the war’s front lines? Find out why!
Perfect for young history buffs and fans of the Axis & Allies board games, DK findout! World War I is a highly visual world-history book sure to inspire the next amazing school project or report. Inside, author Brian Williams breaks down why the war began, how it was fought, and what brought it to an end. 6-9 years
Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood
By Nathan Hale
World War I set the tone for the 20th century and introduced a new type of warfare: global, mechanical, and brutal. Nathan Hale has gathered some of the most fascinating true-life tales from the war and given them his inimitable Hazardous Tales twist. Easy to understand, funny, informative, and lively, this series is the best way to be introduced to some of the most well-known battles (and little-known secrets) of the infamous war. 8-12
Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion
By Chris Barton, Illustrated by Victo Ngai
During World War I, British and American ships were painted with bold colors and crazy patterns from bow to stern. Why would anyone put such eye-catching designs on ships?
Desperate to protect ships from German torpedo attacks, British lieutenant-commander Norman Wilkinson proposed what became known as dazzle. These stunning patterns and colors were meant to confuse the enemy about a ship’s speed and direction. By the end of the war, more than four thousand ships had been painted with these mesmerizing designs.
Author Chris Barton and illustrator Victo Ngai bring to life this little-known story of how the unlikely and the improbable became just plain dazzling. 7-11 years
Where Poppies Grow: A World War I Companion
By Linda Granfield
When World War I began in 1914, no one knew that millions of young people would die in the agonizing years ahead. No one imagined the effect it would have on family life, or that whole villages would disappear, or that entire nations would be changed forever. They believed their sons and daughters, mothers and fathers would be home by Christmas. They were tragically mistaken.
With photos, memorabilia, and anecdotes, Linda Granfield brings us face-to-face with people from all walks of life who risked everything for their country. These painstakingly-gathered bits and pieces are remnants of conflict on a scale never before witnessed. Hastily-penned letters, notes written in code, and prayers for deliverance form an eloquent portrait of humanity, and a startling comment on the devastation of war. 11 and up
World War I For Kids: A History with 21 Activities
By R. Kent Rasmussen
One hundred years after the start of the “Great War,” World War I for Kids provides an intriguing and comprehensive look at this defining conflict that involved all of the world’s superpowers. Why and how did the war come about? What was daily life like for soldiers in the trenches? What roles did zeppelins, barbed wire, and the passenger ship Lusitania play in the war? Who were Kaiser Wilhelm, the Red Baron, and Edith Cavell? Young history buffs will learn the answers these questions and many others, including why the western front bogged down into a long stalemate; how the war ushered in an era of rapid military, technological, and societal advances; and how the United States’ entry helped end the war.
Far from a dry catalog of names, dates, and battles, this richly illustrated book goes in depth into such fascinating topics as turn-of-the-20th-century weaponry and the important roles animals played in the war, and explains connections among events and how the war changed the course of history. Hands-on activities illuminate both the war and the times.
Kids can: Make a periscope, teach a dog to carry messages, make a parachute, learn a popular World War I song, cook Maconochie Stew and much more. 9 and up
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author!
By Ronni Diamondstein, Illustrated by Bats Langley
Discover a delightful new story about Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, one of the most famous women in the world. History remembers Jackie as the consummate First Lady, especially for her White House restoration and the cultural events she instituted during her husband’s administration. Jackie was on the world stage in 1963 when President Kennedy was assassinated. She led the nation in grieving the fallen leader with grace and dignity.
In this inspirational celebration of reading, Ronni Diamondstein, with her engaging writing style in this picture book biography, introduces readers to an independent and confident Jackie and the idea of how books guided her life. The insightful story paints the portrait of a child captivated by reading and a love of literature and writing—from five-year-old Jackie reading Chekhov stories and shushing her friends to be quiet so that she can read at Miss Porter’s School, to her desk as an editor in the last two decades of her life. 4-8 years
Just Being Jackie
By Margaret Cardillo, Illustrated by Julia Denos
Jackie Kennedy was an American icon of style and grace. But there was steel under that style. Her poise under fire, intelligence, and tireless work as first lady earned her the respect of leaders and made her beloved by generations around the world. Her legacy also extended beyond her time in public life. She was a talented journalist, a preservationist who secured the legacy of national landmarks, and an editor of award-winning books. 4-8 years
Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy
By Bonnie Bader, Illustrated by Joseph J. M. Qiu
Private and bookish, Jacqueline Kennedy found herself thrust into the world spotlight as the young and glamorous wife of President John F. Kennedy. As first lady she restored the once neglected rooms of the White House to their former glory. Through her charm and elegance she became an icon of style whose influence is still felt today. Kids will be fascinated to read about a first family whose youth, intelligence, and good looks captivated America in the early 1960’s. 8-12 years
When Jackie Saved Grand Central: The True Story of
Jacqueline Kennedy’s Fight to Save an American Icon
By Natasha Wing, Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger
Before she was a First Lady of the United States, Jackie Kennedy was a born-and-raised New Yorker. She loved everything about her city, from the natural beauty of the parks to the architectural history of the buildings. So, when the owners of Grand Central wanted to build a skyscraper on top of the famous train station, Jackie knew they had to be stopped. She helped inspire thousands of people to come together and fight to protect the historic landmark. 6-9 years
When Mrs. Kennedy Went Abroad
By Vibhuti Patel, Illustrated by Jacqueline Duheme
When President and Mrs. Kennedy traveled to Paris in 1961, Jacqueline Duheme painted scenes from their historic trip. She continued to paint as she accompanied the first lady and her sister on a later tour of India, Pakistan, Rome, and London. Now these whimsical and imaginative paintings make their first appearance together in this book along with line drawings, anecdotal recollections, and historic photographs. 6-9 years
Jackie and the Mona Lisa
By Debbie Rovin Murphy, Illustrated by Jen Bricking
Jackie Kennedy loved the arts. And America loved Jackie Kennedy. The first lady knew she had the country’s attention–what would she do with it? Encourage Americans to appreciate art, of course! She turned the White House into a historical site filled with some of America’s most treasured artifacts and pieces of art. She brought Shakespearean theater to the White House and ballerinas to the South Lawn. And most epically, she brought the Mona Lisa to the states (much to the chagrin of many Parisians) to encourage Americans to visit museums–and it worked! An inspiring story about one of the nation’s most influential first ladies. 6-9 years
Jackie Kennedy (My Itty-Bitty Biography)
By Meeg Pincus, Illustrated by Jeff Bane
The My Itty-Bitty Bio series are biographies for the earliest readers. This book examines the life of former First Lady Jacqueline Lee “Jackie” Kennedy Onassis in a simple, age-appropriate way that will help young readers develop word recognition and reading skills. Includes a table of contents, author biography, timeline, glossary, index, and other informative backmatter. 4-7 years
Jacqueline Kennedy
By Lucia Tarbox Raatma
Jacqueline Kennedy became First Lady on January 20, 1961. But before she lived at the White House, she was a respected reporter. Learn about her childhood, education, and goals as first lady of the United States. 4-8 years
The book descriptions 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
It began in 1865 as a romantic idea. But ten years later Edouard Laboulaye’s dream catches fire and takes shape. Sculptor Auguste Bartholdi gives the dream the form of a lady holding a torch to “enlighten the world.” Engineers, plasterers, carpenters, and coppersmiths work together to turn the lady into a 100-foot tall monument. Publisher Joseph Pulitzer asks readers to help fund a pedestal. Hundreds of people send in nickels, dimes, and even roosters for the cause. 8-12 years
Let Liberty Rise! How America’s Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty
By Chana Stiefel, Illustrated by Chuch Groenink
On America’s 100th birthday, the people of France built a giant gift! It was one of the largest statues the world had ever seen — and she weighed as much as 40 elephants! And when she arrived on our shores in 250 pieces, she needed a pedestal to hold her up. Few of America’s millionaires were willing to foot the bill.
Then, Joseph Pulitzer (a poor Hungarian immigrant-cum-newspaper mogul) appealed to his fellow citizens. He invited them to contribute whatever they could, no matter how small an amount, to raise funds to mount this statue. The next day, pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters poured in. Soon, Pulitzer’s campaign raised enough money to construct the pedestal. And with the help of everyday Americans (including many thousands of schoolchildren!) the Statue of Liberty rose skyward, torch ablaze, to welcome new immigrants for a life of freedom and opportunity! 6-8 years
Her Right Foot
By Dave Eggers, Illustrated by Shawn Harris
This is a fun take on nonfiction that investigates a seemingly small trait of the Statue of Liberty. What is found is more than history, and more than art. It is a powerful message of acceptance that is essential to America’s creation. 6-9 years
Why is the Statue of Liberty Green?
By Martha E. H. Rustad, Illustrated by Holli Conger
Do you know that the Statue of Liberty hasn’t always looked green? Or that the first torch had to be replaced? Lady Liberty has been an important United States symbol for more than one hundred years. Join Mrs. Bolt’s class as they visit the statue and learn where it came from, how she was built, and what American ideals she stands for. 5-8 years
My Little Golden Book About the Statue of Liberty
By Jen Arena, Illustrated by Viviana Garofoli
Now the littlest readers can learn about how the Statue of Liberty came to be—and what it means to people all over the world.
Preschoolers will learn the fascinating story behind the creation of the Statue of Liberty. Simple words and bright artwork bring to life the story of the people—a professor, a sculptor, a poet, a newspaperman—who helped establish this famous landmark. Little ones will learn that the torch was created first, in time for America’s 100th birthday, and displayed in a park. And they’ll gain a clear understanding of what the Statue of Liberty has always meant to people around the world. Fun facts, such as how schoolchildren gave their pennies to help pay for the base of the statue, complete this nonfiction Little Golden Book. 2-5 years
Saving Lady Liberty: Joseph Pulitzer’s Fight for the Statue of Liberty
By Claudia Friddell, Illustrated by Stacy Innerst
Here is the story of how the Statue of Liberty got its pedestal when Joseph Pulitzer, a Jewish immigrant and famous newsman, created one of the first American crowdfunding campaigns to raise money for it.
When Joseph Pulitzer first saw the Statue of Liberty’s head in Paris, he shared sculptor Auguste Bartholdi’s dream of seeing France’s gift of friendship stand in the New York harbor. Pulitzer loved words, and the word he loved best was liberty. Frustrated that many, especially wealthy New Yorkers, were not interested in paying for the statue’s needed pedestal, Pulitzer used his newspaper, the New York World, to call on all Americans to contribute. This is the inspiring story of how one immigrant brought together young and old, rich and poor, to raise funds for the completion of a treasured national monument. 7-10 years
The Statue of Liberty (Blast Back!)
By Nancy Ohlin, Illustrated by Roger Simó
When people think about the Statue of Liberty, that iconic statue will surely come to mind. But why do we have that statue, and who is that woman anyway? This nonfiction book, complete with black and white interior illustrations, will make readers feel like they’ve traveled back in time. It covers everything from how the statue was built to the history behind its creation and more. Find out interesting, little-known facts such as how it almost didn’t get built and how the man who designed the Eiffel Tower designed the “spine” of the statue. 7-10 years
Liberty Arrives! How America’s Grandest Statue Found Her Home
By Robert Byrd
America’s most iconic national symbol was a gift from France to the United States–provided America raised the money for the pedestal on which it was to stand. Urged on by the publisher Joseph Pulitzer, it was raised, largely with the help of children, in the first example of a crowd sourced fund-raising campaign. This book tells the story of the best gift ever: how it was designed, created, transported, and then finally erected on its pedestal in the entrance to New York Harbor. Readable text is enhanced with illustrations chock-full of historical detail. 6-9 years
Naming Liberty
By Jane Yolen, Illustrated by Jim Burke
This book weaves together two stories at once as readers see young Gitl in Russia leaving her home for America. She wonders what new name she will choose for herself when she arrives. And artist Frederic Auguste Bartholdi dreams of a monument he wants to build honoring freedom. It is an arduous journey for Gitl as she and her family travel across land and sea to arrive on America’s shore. When she sees the magnificent Statue of Liberty, she knows her name must be Liberty too. 6-9 years
The Story of the Statue of Liberty
By Betsy Maestro, Illustrated by Giulio Maestro
“Written for the youngest audience…the text is very simple yet manages to convey all the major events in Liberty’s creation…” — Horn Book 6-10 years
What is the Statue of Liberty?
By Joan Holub, Illustrated by John Hinderliter
In 1876, France decided to give to the United States a very big and very special present — the Statue of Liberty. The gift was to commemorate the 100th birthday of the United States. This is the story of how the 111-foot-tall lady took her place in New York Harbor. 8-12 years
The Statue of Liberty
By Elaine Landau
This book details the history of the Statue of Liberty, where it came from, who designed it, and its significance in American culture and history. 7-9 years
Emma’s Poem
By Linda Glaser, Illustrated by Claire A. Nivola
In 1883, Emma Lazarus, deeply moved by an influx of immigrants from eastern Europe, wrote a sonnet that gave a voice to the Statue of Liberty. The statue was a gift from France to celebrate America’s national struggles for liberty and independence from Great Britain. Because of Emma’s poem, the Statue of Liberty came to define America as a nation that welcomes immigrants. 4-8 years
The Statue of Liberty
By Lucille Recht Penner, Illustrated by Jada Rowland
Over 125 years ago our beloved Statue of Liberty made its way to New York Harbor. This is the story of how Lady Liberty was sculpted, made its way from France, unveiled, and became an American icon. Level 2, 4-6 years.
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
by K.M. Koystal and Benjamin Franklin, Illustrated by Fred Harper
Discover history through the eyes of one of the smartest, funniest, and coolest figures from America’s past. Ben gives sage advice on everything from good citizenship, manners, friendship, and being happy.
Ben Franklin & the Magic Squares
By Frank Murphy, Illustrated by Richard Walz
A funny, entertaining introduction to Ben Franklin and his many inventions, including the story of how he created the “magic square.” A magic square is a box of nine numbers. They are arranged so that any line of three adds up to the same number, even on the diagonal.
What’s the Big Idea Ben Franklin
By Jean Fritz, Illustrated by Margaret Tomes
A fun historic tale by Newbery Honor-winning author, Jean Fritz! No matter how busy he was, Ben Franklin always found time to try out new ideas. A man of many talents, he was an ambassador, a printer, an almanac maker, a politician, and even a vegetarian (for a time.)
Ben Franklin Thinks Big
By Shelia Keenan, Illustrated by Gustavo Mazali
Ben Franklin was a famous inventor, statesman, and writer who helped the thirteen colonies become the United States. From inventing the lightning rod to helping write the Declaration of Independence, his big ideas had a lasting impact on American history.
Beginning readers will learn about the milestones in Ben Franklin’s life in this Level Two I Can Read biography. This biography includes bonus materials, complete with a timeline and historical illustrations, including Franklin’s electrical machine invention and his leaf print money that couldn’t be counterfeited. 4-8 years
When I Grow Up: Benjamin Franklin
By Annmarie Anderson, Illustrated by Gerald Kelley
Benjamin Franklin is one of America’s most beloved Founding Fathers and a man of many talents. He is most well-known for discovering electricity. But he was also an author, and editor, a printer, and a diplomat. And he invented many things we still use today. This book takes the reader on an exciting journey from Ben’s childhood to his adulthood as a famous American.
Who Was Ben Franklin
By Dennis Brindell Fradin, Illustrated by John O’Brien
Ben Franklin was the scientist who, with the help of a kite, discovered that lightning is electricity. He was also a statesman, an inventor, a printer, and an an author. He was a man of such amazingly varied talents that some people claimed he had magical powers.
Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin
By Gene Barretta
What would you do if you lived in a community without a library, hospital, post office, or fire department? If you were Ben Franklin, you’d set these up yourself. Franklin also designed the lightning rod. He suggested the idea of daylight savings time. And he invented bifocals. All were inspired by his common sense and intelligence.
Benjamin Franklin: Inventor of the Nation
By Mark Shulman, Illustrated by Kelly Tindall
Benjamin Franklin has been called one of the most accomplished and influential Americans in history, and his role in shaping the United States has had a lasting impact that is still felt today. From his birth in Boston in 1706 to his days as a printer, inventor, and politician.
Benjamin Franklin: Inventor of the Nation! tells the story of “the First American” in an accessible graphic novel format. Franklin’s research into topics as varied as electricity, meteorology, demography, and oceanography were as wide-ranging and important as his travels, which took him across the globe as a diplomat for the newly founded United States toward the end of the 18th century.
Benjamin Franklin (Giants of Science)
By Kathleen Krull, Illustrated by Boris Kulikov
Benjamin Franklin was a famous inventor and multitasker. He’s best remembered as one of America’s Founding Fathers. But he was also a scientist. His experiments led to important discoveries about the nature of electricity. He famously demonstrated that electricity and lightning are one in the same.
A Ben of All Trades: The Most Inventive Boyhood of Benjamin Franklin
By Michael J. Rosen, Illustrated by Matt Tavares
Young Benjamin Franklin wants to be a sailor, but his father won’t hear of it. The other trades he tries — candle maker, joiner, boot closer, turner — bore him through and through. Curious and inventive, Ben prefers to read, swim, fly his kite, and fly his kite while swimming. But each time he fails to find a profession, he takes some important bit of knowledge with him.
That tendency is exactly what leads him to become the astonishingly versatile genius we remember today. Inspired by The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Michael J. Rosen’s tale captures Ben’s spirit in playful language, while illustrations by Matt Tavares follow Ben from the workbench to the water in vivid detail.
The Remarkable Benjamin Franklin
By Cheryl Harness
No one could have thought up a more amazing character than the living, breathing Benjamin Franklin. He was everything from a “soapmaker, candle dipper, and printer” to a “postmaster, political activist, community reformer, revolutionary, statesman, international diplomat, and first great citizen of a nation which he, as much or more than anyone, helped to create.”
John, Paul, George & Ben
By Lane Smith
Once there were four lads…John [Hancock], Paul [Revere], George [Washington], and Ben [Franklin]. Oh yes, there was also Tom [Jefferson], but he was annoyingly independent and hardly ever around. These lads were always getting into trouble for one reason or another. In other words, they took a few…liberties. And to be honest, they were not always appreciated. This is the story of five little lads before they became five really big Founding Fathers.
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
“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
In this young graphic novel, Dounia, a grandmother, tells her granddaughter the story even her son has never heard: how, as a young Jewish girl in Paris, she was hidden away from the Nazis by a series of neighbors and friends who risked their lives to keep her alive when her parents had been taken to concentration camps. Hiddenends on a tender note, with Dounia and her mother rediscovering each other as World War II ends and as a young girl in present-day France becomes closer to her grandmother, who can finally tell her story. 6-10 years
Behind the Bookcase: Miep Gies, Anne Frank and the Hiding Place
By Barbara Lowell, Illustrated by Valentina Toro
Anne Frank’s diary is a gift to the world because of Miep Gies. One of the protectors of the Frank family, Miep recovered the diary after the family was discovered by Nazis, and then returned it to Otto Frank after World War II. Displaced from her own home as a child during World War I, Miep had great empathy for Anne, and she found ways―like talking about Hollywood gossip and fashion trends―to engage her. The story of their relationship―and the impending danger to the family in hiding―unfolds in this unique perspective of Anne Frank’s widely known story. 7 and up
Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued
By Peter Sis
In December 1938, a young Englishman canceled a ski vacation and went instead to Prague to help the hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Nazis who were crowded into the city. Setting up a makeshift headquarters in his hotel room, Nicholas Winton took names and photographs from parents desperate to get their children out of danger. He raised money, found foster families in England, arranged travel and visas, and, when necessary, bribed officials and forged documents. In the frantic spring and summer of 1939, as the Nazi shadow fell over Europe, he organized the transportation of almost 700 children to safety.
Then, when the war began and no more children could be rescued, he put away his records and told no one. It was only fifty years later that a chance discovery and a famous television appearance brought Winton’s actions to light. 6-8 years
The Butterfly
By Patricia Polacco
Ever since the Nazis marched into Monique’s small French village, terrorizing it, nothing surprises her, until the night Monique encounters “the little ghost” sitting at the end of her bed. She turns out to be a girl named Sevrine, who has been hiding from the Nazis in Monique’s basement. Playing after dark, the two become friends, until, in a terrifying moment, they are discovered, sending both of their families into a nighttime flight. 6-9 years
Hold on to Your Music: The Inspiring True Story of the Children of Willesden Lane
By Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen, Illustrated by Sonia Possentini
In pre-World War II Vienna, Lisa Jura was a musical prodigy who dreamed of becoming a concert pianist. But when enemy forces threatened the city—particularly the Jewish people that lived there—Lisa’s parents were forced to make a difficult decision. They chose to send Lisa to London for safety through the Kindertransport—a rescue effort that relocated Jewish children. As Lisa yearned to be reunited with her family while living in a home for refugee children on Willesden Lane, her music became a beacon of hope for those around her. 4-8 years
Survivors of the Holocaust: True Stories of Six Extraordinary Children
By Kath Shackleton, Illustrated By Zane Whittingham
Between 1933 and 1945, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party were responsible for the persecution of millions of Jews across Europe. This graphic novel tells the true stories of six Jewish children who survived the Holocaust.
From suffering the horrors of Auschwitz, to hiding from Nazi soldiers in war-torn Paris, to sheltering from the Blitz in England, each true story is a powerful testament to the survivors’ courage. These remarkable testimonials serve as a reminder never to allow such a tragedy to happen again.
Features a current photograph of each contributor and an update about their lives, along with a glossary and timeline to support reader understanding of this period in world history. 10-14 years
The Whispering Town
By Jennifer Elvgren, Illustrated by Fabio Santomauro
The Whispering Town is the story of neighbors in a small Danish fishing village who, during the Holocaust, shelter a Jewish family waiting to be ferried to safety in Sweden. It is 1943 in Nazi-occupied Denmark. Anett and her parents are hiding a Jewish woman and her son, Carl, in their cellar until a fishing boat can take them across the sound to neutral Sweden. The soldiers patrolling their street are growing suspicious, so Carl and hismama must make their way to the harbor despite a cloudy sky with no moon to guide them. Worried about their safety, Anett devises a clever and unusual plan for their safe passage to the harbor. Based on a true story. 4-8 years
Stone Angel
By Jane Yolen, Illustrated by Katie May Green
The Nazis may have taken their home, but the family still has a guardian angel. A little girl and her family live happily in Paris until Nazi soldiers arrive during World War II. They must flee or risk being sent to a concentration camp. They run into the woods where they meet resistance fighters. But they’re still not safe. They must cross tall mountains and sail in a rickety boat to England. Yet the whole time they’re struggling to survive, the little girl thinks of the stone angel near their apartment in Paris and imagines it watches over her family. 5-8 years
What Was the Holocaust
By Gail Herman, Illustrated by Jerry Hoare
The Holocaust was a genocide on a scale never before seen, with as many as twelve million people killed in Nazi death camps—six million of them Jews. Gail Herman traces the rise of Hitler and the Nazis, whose rabid anti-Semitism led first to humiliating anti-Jewish laws, then to ghettos all over Eastern Europe, and ultimately to the Final Solution. She presents just enough information for an elementary-school audience in a readable, well-researched book that covers one of the most horrible times in history. 8-12 years
Benno and the Night of Broken Glass
By Meg Wiviott, Illustrated by Josee Bisaillon
A neighborhood cat observes the changes in German and Jewish families in its town during the period leading up to Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass that becomes the true beginning of the Holocaust. The cat’s view introduces the Holocaust to children in a gentle way. 3-8 years
Star of Fear, Star of Hope
By Jo Hoestlandt, Illustrated by Joanna Kang
Set in France, during the Nazi occupation of World War II, a gentile child named Helen recalls the mounting persecution of her Jewish friend. She wonders why does her best friend, Lydia, have to wear a yellow star? Why are people in hiding and using strange names? What is Lydia afraid of? Touching upon the Holocaust with sensitivity and poignancy, Star of Fear, Star of Hope will helpreaders understand this difficult time in history. 7-10 years
The Harmonica
By Tony Johnston, Illustrated by Ron Mazellan
When the Nazis invade Poland, a family is split apart. The parents are sent to one concentration camp, and their son to another. Only his father’s gift, a harmonica, keeps the boy’s hopes alive and miraculously ensures his survival. 7-10 years
The Wren and the Sparrow
By J. Patrick Lewis, Illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg
An allegorical tale about Nazi occupied Poland in which a town’s residents are forced to turn over their musical instruments. A young student rescues the hurdy-gurdy of her teacher, who has presumably befallen a terrible fate, and later, a young boy finds the instrument and intends to pass it — and the importance of remembering — on to his future grandchildren. 8-12 years
Always Remember Me: How One Family Survived World War II
By Marisabina Russo
Rachel’s Oma (her grandmother) has two picture albums. In one the photographs show only happy times — from after World War II, when she and her daughters came to America. But the other album includes much sadder times from before — when their life in Germany was destroyed by the Nazi’s rise to power. As long as Rachel can remember, Oma has closed the other album when she’s gotten to the sad part. But today Oma will share it all. Today Rachel will hear about what her grandmother, her mother, and her aunts endured. And she’ll see how the power of this Jewish family’s love for one another gave them the strength to survive. 6-10 years
Irena Sandler and the Children of the Warsaw Ghetto
By Susan Goldman Rubin, Illustrated by Bill Farnsworth
Irena Sendler, a Polish social worker, helped nearly four hundred Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto and into hiding during World War II. 6-9 years
The book descriptions used are 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
In her book, Revolutionary Friends, Selene Castrovilla, brings to life the friendship of George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette.
Marquis de Lafayette
In the spring of 1777, nineteen-year-old Lafayette had a dream. He would go to America and help General George Washington win the Revolutionary War against Britain. King Louis XVI rejected the idea. But Lafayette left France for America determined to help.
After a long and difficult voyage, Lafayette reached South Carolina. And as Selene Castovilla writes: “…suffered a month of broken carriages, lame horses, and nightly mosquito raids as he trekked hundreds of miles” to meet George Washington inPhiladelphia.
Marquis de Lafayette meets General George Washington
When Lafayette arrived in America in June, the war was not going well. The Continental Congress needed help. They believed that Lafayette’s connections in France might be the answer. He may be able to strengthen America’s ties to his country.
The congress appointed him a major general in the Continental Army. This was an honorary appointment. But perhaps Lafayette misunderstood. He expected his role in the war would be that of a division commander.
At first, Washington complained to the Continental Congress about Lafayette’s desire to command a division. But soon Washington softened. Lafayette told him, “I am here to learn, not to teach.” Lafayette became a part of Washington’s military family. He visited the troops and rode with Washington in parades.
Washington and Lafayette
Washington and Lafayette were together at Brandywine Creek, thirty-two miles from Philadelphia. Word reached their headquarters that the Americans fighting in the Battle of Brandywine were in trouble. Lafayette asked to join the fight.Washington gave his permission. He knew that Lafayette was taking a risk.
At Brandywine, Lafayette watched the America soldiers scatter. He dismounted from his horse. Then bravely rallied them to fight the British. A musket ball tore through his leg. He was gravely wounded. But he continued the charge. The Americans again retreated. Lafayette tried to regroup the soldiers, but the battle had been lost.
General George Washington
George Washington sent his own physician to take care of Lafayette’s wound. Lafayette wrote to his wife, “When he sent me his personal surgeon, he told him to take care of me as if I were his son…” Washington asked the Continental Congress to commission Lafayette a major general.
In January 1779, Lafayette sailed to France, a hero. He named his new son George Washington Lafayette. Lafayette returned to America in April 1780. This time it was with the king’s permission. The king gave his commitment to aid America in the war. Lafayette wrote to Washington upon his arrival, “here I am, My dear General, and in the Mist of the joy I feel in finding Myself again one of your loving soldiers.”
Major General Lafayette
The French military helped the Americans at the Battle of Yorktown in October 1781. Lafayette commanded a division. The British lost the battle and the war. Lafayette realized his dream to help America win its independence. The war formally ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
Lafayette Visits George Washington at His Home, Mount Vernon, in 1784
George Washington and Lafayette wrote to each other until Washington’s death on December 14, 1799. Ten years earlier, on July 14, 1789, the French Revolution began. It was inspired by the ideals of the America Revolution. With the destruction of the prison, the Bastille, Lafayette sent the key to Washington. It hangs today in Washington’s home, Mount Vernon.
Statue of Washington and Lafayette, Washington, D. C.
Gustave Eiffel, engineer and architect, called “the magician of iron,” was known in 19th century France for building bridges and solving intricate engineering problems. We know Eiffel today as the man who built the Eiffel Tower, the iconic symbol of Paris and of France. But the Eiffel Tower was not the first tower that Gustave Eiffel built. In 1881, he began work on a tower that cannot be seen from the outside. It is the internal framework and support system for the Statue of Liberty.
Eiffel owned his own company when a world’s fair, to be called the 1889 Exposition Universelle, was planned. The fair would commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. A centerpiece for the fair that would attract lots of attention was needed.
Two of Eiffel’s engineers designed a tower they thought would be a fitting centerpiece. At first Eiffel was unimpressed. But when his master architect added decorative features to the tower design including: a cupola, arches, and a glass pavilion, Eiffel thought the design would work.
Gustave Eiffel
A contest was held to award a commission to build the fair’s centerpiece. It seemed from the start that the contest was set up to make Eiffel the winner. The design restrictions met all of the Eiffel Company’s designs.
Eiffel was given approval to build the tower on the Champs-de-Mars, a green space near the Seine River. But the amount of money awarded for construction was significantly less that what was needed.
Eiffel had to find investors. Fortunately, the French government gave him the rights to the tower for twenty years. He would keep all the money generated and repay his investors.
When the tower design was announced, it was immediately discounted as a “hateful column of bolted sheet metal” and a “ridiculous tower dominating Paris like a gigantic black smokestack.” The French arts and intellectual community was unhappy. But construction began in January 1887, despite the protests.
The foundation was completed in June. The iron tower could now be built. Over 5,000 design drawings were needed. And over 18,000 different parts were manufactured off site. They were moved by horse-drawn carts. 132 ironworkers constructed the tower’s three levels. Construction took less than two years.
In March 1889, most of the work was finished. Eiffel celebrated by climbing to the top of the tower. He climbed the 1,710 steps since the elevators were not yet operating. He raised the French flag to a 25-gun salute below.
The tower stood 984 feet tall making it the tallest structure in the world — taller than the Washington Monument, the previous record holder. The record held for 41 years until 1930 when the Chrysler Building was built. Of course, now there are many larger structures.
Today, just under 7 million people a year visit the Eiffel Tower, making it the most visited paid monument in the world.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
In October 1910, Harriet Quimby watched an air show where top aviators competed. It was The International Aviation Tournament held in Belmont Park, New York. The highlight was an aerial race from the park to the Statue of Liberty. Harriet, known for her love of driving fast cars, decided to learn to fly.
Harriet Quimby
Harriet and her friend Matilde Mosiant took flying lessons in 1911. They were two of the first five students at Matilde’s brother’s school. The famous aviator, Louis Bleriot, trained Harriet’s instructor. Bleriot was the first person to fly solo across the English Channel.
Harriet wrote about her experience flying in Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly, the magazine she worked for. She encouraged women to fly. And to “abandon skirts and don a knickerbocker uniform.” Harriet designed her own flight suit. It was made of purple wool, backed with satin, and included a hood. There were large buttons on the skirt. When buttoned, they became pantaloons.
Harriet In Her Flight Suit
On August 1, 1911, Harriet became the first American woman to earn a pilot’s license. She flew in aerial exhibitions. On September 4, 1911, she became the first woman to fly at night. She flew over a crowd on Staten Island, New York. She was part of the Moisant Aviation Exhibition Team.
Harriet and Matilde, along with the Moisant team, celebrated the inauguration of the new Mexican president. They were hired to perform in an airshow. According to one of Harriet’s biographers, Matilde dropped roses when she flew over the president’s palace. Harriet and Matilde became the first women to fly over Mexico City.
Matilde Moisant
Harriet decided to follow in Louis Bleriot’s footsteps and become the first woman to cross the English Channel. She kept her plan a secret not wanting to invite competition. Harriet sailed to England on March 7, 1912. In France, she met Bleriot. She borrowed one of his monoplanes and had it shipped to England.
On April 16, Harriet took off from Dover, England. She attempted to cross the channel and land in Calais, France. With a compass on her lap, she flew into fog. But she was able to cross the channel successfully. She landed on a beach 25 miles from Calais. The excited beachgoers carried Harriet on their shoulders.
As the first woman to pilot a plane across the English Channel, Harriet’s name would have been the top headline in newspapers. But two days before her flight, the “unsinkable” Titanic hit an iceberg and sank. Stories about the Titanic ran for weeks.
Harriet continued flying exhibitions in America. Unfortunately, she, like so many early aviators, died while flying. On July 1, 1912, she flew at the Third Annual Boston Aviation Meet in Squantum, Massachusetts. Harriet and a passenger, William Willard, flew in Harriet’s new Bleriot two-seater. Something went wrong with the plane and Harriet lost control. Both she and Willard died. Harriet was only 37 years old.
Harriet will always be remembered as one of early aviation’s stars. She was the first American woman to receive a pilot’s license and the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
To Learn More, Visit the International Women’s Air & SpaceMuseum at:http://www.iwasm.org
