The Crayon Man: the True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons


Natascha Biebow - 2019
    purple mountains’ majesty, mauvelous, jungle green, razzmatazz… What child doesn't love to hold a crayon in their hands?  But children didn't always have such magical boxes of crayons. Here’s the true story of an inventor who so loved nature’s vibrant colors that he found a way to bring the outside world to children – in a box for only a nickel!

13 Artists Children Should Know


Angela Wenzel - 2009
    The book proceeds chronologically, accompanied by a timeline to offer helpful historical context. Each artist's entry includes a concise biography, beautiful reproductions of major works, and lively texts that speak directly to young readers. Games, quizzes and other activities help readers learn about the significant contributions of each artist in a way that is both fun and inspiring. Additional information about museums, suggestions for further reading, and online resources will satisfy the most curious minds.

Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando


Andrea Wang - 2019
    Magic Ramen tells the true story behind the creation of one of the world's most popular foods.Every day, Momofuku Ando would retire to his lab—a little shed in his backyard. For years, he'd dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was quick, convenient, and tasty for the hungry people he'd seen in line for a bowl on the black market following World War II. Peace follows from a full stomach, he believed.Day after day, Ando experimented. Night after night, he failed. But Ando kept experimenting.With persistence, creativity, and a little inspiration, Ando succeeded. This is the true story behind one of the world's most popular foods.

Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team


Audrey Vernick - 2012
    It was the1930s, and many families had lots of kids. But only one had enough to field a baseballteam . . . with three on the bench! The Acerras were the longest-playing all-brotherteam in baseball history. They loved the game, but more important, they cared forand supported each other and stayed together as a team. Nothing life threw their waycould stop them.Full of action, drama, and excitement, this never-before-told true story is vividlybrought to life by Audrey Vernick’s expert storytelling and Steven Salerno’s stunningvintage-style art.

Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero


Patricia McCormick - 2017
    They had no idea that the skinny, underfed horse had one of the biggest and bravest hearts they’d ever known. And one of the biggest appetites!Soon Reckless showed herself more than willing to carry ammunition too heavy for the soldiers to haul. As cannons thundered and shells flew through the air, she marched into battle—again and again—becoming the only animal ever to officially hold military rank—becoming Sgt. Reckless—and receive two Purple Hearts.This is the first picture book from award-winning novelist Patricia McCormick, sumptuously illustrated by acclaimed artist Iacopo Bruno.

How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure


John Rocco - 2020
    But what did it really take to get us there?The Moon landing is one of the most ambitious, thrilling, and dangerous ventures in human history. This fully illustrated book tells the stories of the 400,000 unsung heroes--the engineers, mathematicians, seamstresses, welders, and factory workers--and their innovations and life-changing technological leaps forward that allowed NASA to achieve this unparalleled accomplishment.From the shocking launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik to the triumphant splashdown of Apollo 11, Caldecott Honor winner John Rocco answers every possible question about this world-altering mission. Each step in the space race is revealed, examined, and displayed through diagrams, experiments, moments of crisis, and human stories.

Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois


Amy Novesky - 2016
    A picture book biography of sculptor Louise Bourgeois focusing on how her childhood family life influenced her later works.

A Walk in London


Salvatore Rubbino - 2011
    Listen closely and you might just learn a secret about the Whispering Gallery in Saint Paul's Cathedral. Then it's on to the Tower of London and the river Thames, where a fold-out surprise awaits. Readers will be enchanted by Salvatore Rubbino's cheerful, sophisticated illustrations and abundant trivia about the one and only city of London. Cheerio!

Mr. Ferris and His Wheel


Kathryn Gibbs Davis - 2014
    Capturing an engineer’s creative vision and mind for detail, this fully illustrated picture book biography sheds light on how the American inventor George Ferris defied gravity and seemingly impossible odds to invent the world’s most iconic amusement park attraction, the Ferris wheel.     A fun, fact-filled text by Gibbs Davis combines with Gilbert Ford’s dazzling full-color illustrations to transport readers to the 1893 World’s Fair, where George Ferris and his big, wonderful wheel lifted passengers to the skies for the first time.

The Book of World History


Anne Millard - 1979
    A brilliant overview of world history from prehistoric times to the early 20th century

Mother Jones and Her Army of Mill Children


Jonah Winter - 2020
     Here's the inspiring story of the woman who raised her voice and fist to protect kids' childhoods and futures-- and changed America forever. Mother Jones is MAD, and she wants you to be MAD TOO, and stand up for what's right! Told in first-person, New York Times bestelling author, Jonah Winter, and acclaimed illustrator, Nancy Carpenter, share the incredible story of Mother Jones, an Irish immigrant who was essential in the fight to create child labor laws. Well into her sixties, Mother Jones had finally had enough of children working long hours in dangerous factory jobs, and decided she was going to do something about it. The powerful protests she organized earned her the name the most dangerous woman in America. And in the Children's Crusade of 1903, she lead one hundred boys and girls on a glorious march from Philadelphia right to the front door of President Theodore Roosevelt's Long Island home.Open this beautiful and inspiring picture book to learn more about this feminist icon and how she inspired thousands to make change.

Colorful Dreamer: The Story of Artist Henri Matisse


Marjorie Blain Parker - 2012
    His parents expected him to learn a trade when he grew up, but being a law clerk bored him, and he continued to dream of a colorful, exciting life, and of being noticed. Then Henri started painting . . . and kept painting and dreaming and working at his craft until he'd become one of the most admired and famous artists in the world.This lyrical, visually rich picture book is more than an excellent biography; at its core, this remarkable book is an encouragement to never give up on your dreams.

The Quest for Z: The True Story of Explorer Percy Fawcett and a Lost City in the Amazon


Greg Pizzoli - 2017
    Most people didn't even believe this city existed. But if Fawcett could find it, he would be rich and famous forever. This is the true story of one man's thrilling, dangerous journey into the jungle, and what he found on his quest for the lost city of Z.

Sprouting Wings: The True Story of James Herman Banning, the First African American Pilot to Fly Across the United States


Louisa Jaggar - 2021
    

Just Like Rube Goldberg: The Incredible True Story of the Man Behind the Machines


Sarah Aronson - 2019
    Want to become an award-winning cartoonist and inventor? Follow your dreams, just like Rube Goldberg! From a young age, Rube Goldberg had a talent for art. But his father, a German immigrant, wanted Rube to have a secure job. So, Rube went to college and became an engineer.But Rube didn’t want to spend his life mapping sewer pipes. He wanted to follow his passion, so Rube got a low-level job at a newspaper, and from there, he worked his way up, creating cartoons that made people laugh and tickled the imagination. He became known for his fantastic Rube Goldberg machines—complicated contraptions with many parts that performed a simple task in an elaborate and farfetched way. Eventually, his cartoons earned him a Pulitzer Prize and his own adjective in the dictionary. This moving biography is sure to encourage young artists and inventors to pursue their passions.