Book picks similar to
In Defense of Liberty: The Story of America's Bill of Rights by Russell Freedman
non-fiction
mensa-7-8
history
nonfiction
Titanic
Simon Adams - 1999
This Eyewitness book uncovers the story behind the story of this majestic ship, from its borth in a Belfast shipyard to its death in the icy Atlantic. Renderings, photographs, and deck plans accompany a compelling narrative of courage and cowardice, sacrifice, and survival.
Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky
Kathi Appelt - 2001
It's 4:30 in the morning, and the "book woman" and her horse are already on their way. Hers is an important job, for the folks along her treacherous route are eager for the tattered books and magazines she carries in her saddlebags. During the Great Depression, thousands lived on the brink of starvation. Many perished. In 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration under his 1933 New Deal initiative. The WPA was designed to get people back on their feet. One of its most innovative programs was the Pack Horse Library Project of Eastern Kentucky. Thoroughly researched and illustrated with period photographs, this is the story of one of the WPA's greatest successes. People all over the country supported the project's goals. But it was the librarians themselves—young, determined, and earning just $28 a month—who brought the hope of a wider world to people in the crooks and hollows of Kentucky's Cumberland Mountains.
Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow
Susan Campbell Bartoletti - 2005
Sibert Award-winner Susan Campbell Bartoletti explores the riveting and often chilling story of Germany's powerful Hitler Youth groups.In her first full-length nonfiction title since winning the Robert F. Sibert Award, Susan Campbell Bartoletti explores the riveting and often chilling story of Germany's powerful Hitler Youth groups."I begin with the young. We older ones are used up . . . But my magnificent youngsters! Look at these men and boys! What material! With them, I can create a new world." --Adolf Hitler, Nuremberg 1933 By the time Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, 3.5 million children belonged to the Hitler Youth. It would become the largest youth group in history. Susan Campbell Bartoletti explores how Hitler gained the loyalty, trust, and passion of so many of Germany's young people. Her research includes telling interviews with surviving Hitler Youth members.
George Washington and the General's Dog (Step Into Reading)
Frank Murphy - 2002
He sees a dog lost on the battlefield. Whose dog is it? How will it find its master? Early readers will be surprised to find out what happens in this little-known true story about America’s first president.
Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears
Cornelia Cornelissen - 1998
. .the west. Soft Rain is confident that her family will not have to move, because they have just planted corn for the next harvest but soon thereafter, soldiers arrive to take nine-year-old, Soft Rain, and her mother to walk the Trail of Tears, leaving the rest of her family behind. Because Soft Rain knows some of the white man's language, she soon learns that they must travel across rivers, valleys, and mountains. On the journey, she is forced to eat the white man's food and sees many of her people die. Her courage and hope are restored when she is reunited with her father, a leader on the Trail, chosen to bring her people safely to their new land. Praise for Soft Rain: "An eye-opening introduction to this painful period of American history."--Publisher's Weekly "The characters themselves transform a sorrowful story of adversity into a tale of human resilience."--Kirkus Reviews "This gentle child's-eye view will move readers enormously."--Jane Yolen
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain
Peter Sís - 2007
Through annotated illustrations, journals, maps, and dreamscapes, Peter Sís shows what life was like for a child who loved to draw, proudly wore the red scarf of a Young Pioneer, stood guard at the giant statue of Stalin, and believed whatever he was told to believe. But adolescence brought questions. Cracks began to appear in the Iron Curtain, and news from the West slowly filtered into the country. Sís learned about beat poetry, rock 'n' roll, blue jeans, and Coca-Cola. He let his hair grow long, secretly read banned books, and joined a rock band. Then came the Prague Spring of 1968, and for a teenager who wanted to see the world and meet the Beatles, this was a magical time. It was short-lived, however, brought to a sudden and brutal end by the Soviet-led invasion. But this brief flowering had provided a glimpse of new possibilities—creativity could be discouraged but not easily killed. By joining memory and history, Sís takes us on his extraordinary journey: from infant with paintbrush in hand to young man borne aloft by the wings of his art.
Katie's Trunk
Ann Turner - 1992
Katie could feel it in the air—something was wrong. Neighbors didn’t speak to each other anymore, and someone even hissed “Tory!” at her. All around Katie, men were arming themselves for war. Then one day it happened—the rebels came! Katie’s father told the family to hide in the woods. At first Katie obeyed, but as she crouched in the underbrush she got mad and ran back to defend her home. It wasn’t right for people to treat one another this way. But what could one little girl do about it?
In Mary's Garden
Tina Kugler - 2015
Inspiration struck Mary even when she wasn’t looking for it. Mary used common objects to make uncommon art. And one day, her garden was a gallery. Mary Nohl passed away in 2001 at the age of eighty-seven. Her famous garden gallery is located in the front yard of her Fox Point, Wisconsin, home to this day.
From Slave Ship to Freedom Road
Julius Lester - 1998
From the Middle Passage to the auction block, from the whipping post to the fight for freedom, this book presents not just historical facts, but the raw emotions of the people who lived them. Inspired by Rod Brown's vivid paintings, Julius Lester has written a text that places each of us squarely inside the skin of both slave and slaveowner. It will capture the heart of every reader, black or white, young or old.An ALA Best Book for Young AdultsAn NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social StudiesA Booklist Editors' Choice Book
For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai's Story
Rebecca Langston-George - 2015
But Malala Yousafzai refused to be silent. She defied the Taliban's rules, spoke out for education for every girl, and was almost killed for her beliefs. This powerful true story of how one brave girl named Malala changed the world proves that one person really can make a difference.
Jefferson's Children: The Story of One American Family
Shannon Lanier - 2000
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Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World
Susan HoodSara Palacios - 2018
From the award-winning author of Ada’s Violin, Susan Hood, this is a poetic and visual picture book that celebrates persistent women throughout history. Among the powerful pairings: Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall takes on heroic World War II spies Eileen and Jacqueline Nearne; Selina Alko is matched with the brave Malala Yousafzai; New York Times bestselling illustrator Emily Winfield Martin is paired with the inventor of the controversial one-piece bathing suit, Annette Kellerman; and Shadra Strickland introduces America’s first known female firefighter, Molly Williams. While women make up over half of the U.S. population, they face discrimination, have less representation in government and other fields, and struggle every day for their human rights. It is more important now than ever to raise a generation of girls who, in the face of adversity, persevere. This book was written, illustrated, edited, and designed by women. Includes a foreword by a prominent female activist, an author’s note, a timeline, and additional resources. This book features: Selina Alko, Sophie Blackall, Lisa Brown, Hadley Hooper, Emily Winfield Martin, Oge Mora, Julie Morstad, Sara Palacios, LeUyen Pham, Erin Robinson, Isabel Roxas, Shadra Strickland, and Melissa Sweet.
Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be
Charlotte Foltz Jones - 1991
POTATO CHIPS were first cooked by a chef who was furious when a customer complained that his fried potatoes weren't thin enough. Coca-Cola, Silly Putty, and X rays have fascinating stories behind them too! Their unusual tales, and many more, along with hilarious cartoons and weird, amazing facts, make up this fun-filled book about everyday items that had surprisingly haphazard beginnings.And don't miss Eat Your Words about the fascinating language of food!"A splendid book that is as informative as it is entertaining . . . a gem." --Booklist, Starred Review
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
William Kamkwamba - 2012
Without enough money for food, let alone school, William spent his days in the library ... and figured out how to bring electricity to his village. Persevering against the odds, William built a functioning windmill out of junkyard scraps, and thus became the local hero who harnessed the wind. Lyrically told and gloriously illustrated, this story will inspire many as it shows how—even in the worst of times—a great idea and a lot of hard work can still rock the world.
Lady Liberty
Doreen Rappaport - 2008
I share my dream of a birthday gift."It begins 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, coppersmiths -- many of them immigrants -- work together to turn the lady into a monument over 100 feet tall. Joseph Pulitzer calls on readers to help fund a pedestal, and hundreds send in nickels, dimes, and even roosters for the cause. Doreen Rappaport's historically accurate, poetic vignettes and Matt Tavares's magnificent images remind us of the true origins of a national symbol -- and show that it took a lot of people to make the Lady.Back matter includes statue dimensions, a time line, an author note, an illustrator note, sources, and suggestions for further reading.