I Have a Dream


Martin Luther King Jr. - 1973
    The appendixes include texts of some of King's most famous speeches.

The Holy Twins: Benedict and Scholastica


Kathleen Norris - 2001
    Illustrations.

Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions


Chris Barton - 2016
    You know the Super Soaker. It’s one of top twenty toys of all time. And it was invented entirely by accident. Trying to create a new cooling system for refrigerators and air conditioners, impressive inventor Lonnie Johnson instead created the mechanics for the iconic toy. A love for rockets, robots, inventions, and a mind for creativity began early in Lonnie Johnson’s life. Growing up in a house full of brothers and sisters, persistence and a passion for problem solving became the cornerstone for a career as an engineer and his work with NASA. But it is his invention of the Super Soaker water gun that has made his most memorable splash with kids and adults.

One Beetle Too Many: The Extraordinary Adventures of Charles Darwin


Kathryn Lasky - 2006
    And despite his father's efforts to turn young Darwin — a poor student — into a doctor or clergyman, the born naturalist jumped instead at the chance to sail around South America, observing and collecting flora and fauna all the way. In a clear, engaging narration, Kathryn Lasky takes readers along on Darwin's journey, from his discovery of seashells on mountaintops that revealed geological changes to his observations of variations in plants and animals, suggesting that all living things are evolving over time. Matthew Trueman's striking mixed-media illustrations include actual objects found in nature, enhancing this compelling look at the man behind the bold theory that would change the way we think about the world — and ourselves.

28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World


Charles R. Smith Jr. - 2015
    J. Walker, who after years of adversity became the wealthiest black woman in the country, as well as one of the wealthiest black Americans, to Barack Obama, the country's first African-American president.With powerful illustrations by Shane Evans, this is a completely unique look at the importance and influence of African Americans on the history of this country.

Phoebe the Spy


Judith Berry Griffin - 1977
    Phoebe gets a job as George Washington's housekeeper, but her real job is to work as a spy. She listens and watches very carefully, and she meets her father every day to tell him what she has learned. One day Phoebe's father tells her that Washington is planning to leave town in a few days, and the person plotting against him will act before then. Phoebe is very frightened, but she is determined to figure out who is after Washington before it's too late. . . . "This episode drawn from the Revolutionary War is related with historical accuracy and suspense and illustrated with finesse."(School Library Journal)

Who Was Anne Frank?


Ann Abramson - 2007
    But Hitler brought her childhood to an end and forced her and her family into hiding. Who Was Anne Frank? looks closely at Anne's life before the secret annex, what life was like in hiding, and the legacy of her diary. Black-and-white illustrations including maps and diagrams provide historical and visual reference in an easy-to-read biography written in a way that is appropriate and accessible for younger readers.

The Story of Ruby Bridges


Robert Coles - 1995
    Because even if they say those bad things, They don't know what they're doing."This is the true story of an extraordinary 6-year-old who helped shape history when she became the first African-American sent to first grade in an all white school. This moving book captures the courage of a little girl standing alone in the face of racism.

Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women


Catherine Thimmesh - 2000
    Their creations are some of the most enduring (the windshield wiper) and best loved (the chocolate chip cookie). What inspired these women, and just how did they turn their ideas into realities?Features women inventors Ruth Wakefield, Mary Anderson, Stephanie Kwolek, Bette Nesmith Graham, Patsy O. Sherman, Ann Moore, Grace Murray Hopper, Margaret E. Knight, Jeanne Lee Crews, and Valerie L. Thomas, as well as young inventors ten-year-old Becky Schroeder and eleven-year-old Alexia Abernathy. Illustrated in vibrant collage by Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet.

Poor Richard


James Daugherty - 1941
    A biography of Benjamin Franklin from his birth in Boston in 1706 through his years as printer,statesman, inventor, author, and reformer.

Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua


Gloria Amescua - 2021
                    As a young Nahua girl in Mexico during the early 1900s, Luz learned how to grind corn in a metate, to twist yarn with her toes, and to weave on a loom. By the fire at night, she listened to stories of her community’s joys, suffering, and survival, and wove them into her heart. But when the Mexican Revolution came to her village, Luz and her family were forced to flee and start a new life. In Mexico City, Luz became a model for painters, sculptors, and photographers such as Diego Rivera, Jean Charlot, and Tina Modotti. These artists were interested in showing the true face of Mexico and not a European version. Through her work, Luz found a way to preserve her people's culture by sharing her native language, stories, and traditions. Soon, scholars came to learn from her.

Alfred Nobel: The Man Behind the Peace Prize


Kathy-jo Wargin - 2009
    This new biography explores the enduring legacy of the man who established the award and for whom it is named, Alfred Nobel. Illustrations.

Summer Birds: The Butterflies of Maria Merian


Margarita Engle - 2010
    Maria Merian was only a child, but she disagreed. She watched carefully as caterpillars spun themselves cocoons, which opened to reveal summer birds, or butterflies and moths. Maria studied the whole life cycle of the summer birds, and documented what she learned in vibrant paintings.This is the story of one young girl who took the time to observe and learn, and in so doing disproved a theory that went all the way back to ancient Greece.

Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins


Carole Boston Weatherford - 2004
    This insightful story offers a child's-eye view of this seminal event in the American Civil Rights Movement. Connie is used to the signs and customs that have let her drink only from certain water fountains and which bar her from local pools and some stores, but still . . . she'd love to sit at the lunch counter, just like she's seen other girls do. Showing how an ordinary family becomes involved in the great and personal cause of their times, it's a tale that invites everyone to celebrate our country's everyday heroes, of all ages.

The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle: The Cool Science Behind Frank Epperson's Famous Frozen Treat


Anne Renaud - 2019
    Since inventing begins with experimenting, Frank spends a lot of time in his “laboratory” (i.e. his back porch) trying out his ideas, such as building a double-handled handcar that whizzes past the single-handled cars in his neighborhood. What Frank loves most, though, is experimenting with liquids. When he invents his own yummy flavored soda water drink, his friends love it! And this gets him to thinking: “I wonder what this drink would taste like frozen?” Though he doesn't yet realize it, his curiosity will lead to his best invention ever: the Popsicle!In this innovative picture book, Anne Renaud tells a lively story inspired by a real person and true events. Budding scientists will be inspired to emulate the way Frank follows his curiosity, works hard and never gives up --- a growth mindset in action. Interwoven within the story are full-page illustrated instructions for four science experiments that Frank performs, so readers can try them at home or school. Thoroughly researched back matter provides additional historical notes, photos and a bibliography. This readable book covers social studies topics including early twentieth-century history and inventions and inventors, as well as science topics, such as simple chemistry experiments and an overview of the skills and strategies of scientific inquiry.