As a young boy, Rick Hansen loved to fish and play ball. At 15, an accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. However, Rick was a very determined young man. He'd still fish and play ball and live out his dreams -- he'd just learn to do them differently. Boy in Motion shows how Rick literally set his dreams in motion made them come to life. Sensitive text and lovely watercolor illustrations c ...

Based on the childhood of NFL superstar twins Tiki and Ronde Barber, this inspiring story, written along with the award-winning author of "Hoops," illustrates the values of family and the importance of never giving up. Full color.

Who knew? Rosa Parks started the Montgomery bus boycott in 1956, right? Well, no, she was preceded by sixteen-year-old Claudette Colvin who refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. Claudette had grown up in rural Pine Level, Alabama, and moved to inner-city Montgomery as a young teen. She was nurtured by wise parents and wise teachers who gave her courage to see right from wrong and justic ...

Presents a sparse, poetic, and beautiful retelling of an influential life, paired with luminous illustrations.

Benjamin Banneker was born free when most blacks were still enslaved. A self-taught mathematician and astronomer, he was the author of the first published almanac written by a black man. Throughout his life Bannecker was troubled that all blacks were not free. So, in 1791, he sent a letter to Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Here is the extraordinary correspondence between the two men. Full-co ...

Another stunning picture book biography of a prominent twentieth-century African-American in the arts, from the creative team behind Alvin Ailey.

The intriguing story of Eleanor Roosevelt told by an award-winning author traces the life of the former first lady, from her early childhood through the tumultuous years in the White House to her active role in the founding of the United Nations after World War II. 140 photos.

Growing up in a wealthy family that believed nursing wasn't a respectable job, Florence Nightingale was determined to help others. After more than sixty years of service as a nurse, she had helped to make nursing an honorable profession, left behind safer, cleaner hospitals, and saved countless lives.

Learn about the abolitionist Frederick Douglass and his fight for freedom in this Step 3 Biography Reader! Frederick Douglass was a keystone figure in the abolitionist movement, and his story has impacted generations of people fighting for civil rights in America. He was born to an enslaved mother and grew up with the horrors of slavery. In the course of his childhood, he was able to learn to read ...

Compelling, life-sized, carefully-detailed illustrations, punctuate the depth of Frederick Douglass's devotion to justice and liberty for all. The dark pain of loss at a young age translated into grim determination to learn words because "...Frederick sensed that words had power. ...he traded food for words." In a world of fast food and e-books, Rappaport reminds us to value the influence of speak ...

Ronde and Tiki are each other's best friends and biggest fans, and now they are on the same football team. Tiki gets all the glory for his touchdowns, but Ronde feels slighted because if he hadn't led the way with his blocking, Tiki wouldn't have scored.

Cheryl Harness uses her wonderfully vibrant art and down-to-earth writing style to "chip away the marble" and present George Washington as more than a monument. We see George the adventurous boy, tromping through the woods with his dog and his hunting rifle; George the courageous military leader fighting alongside his men; George the cunning military strategist, outfoxing the British and forcing t ...

Born a slave near the end of the Civil War, George Washington Carver was a small and sickly child. Too frail to work in the fields of the Missouri farm where he grew up, George did chores around the house. But when his work was done, he headed for the woods. There his lifelong love of nature was born. As a teacher and scientist at Alabama's Tuskegee Institute in the 1900s, George Washington Carver ...

Once a kidnapped slave baby, George Washington Carver found freedom in learning everything he could about the world around him. Overcoming poverty and racism, George became a brilliant scientist and a gifted professor who dedicated his expertise to helping black farmers escape the devastating grip of poverty. George's scientific creativity knew no limits. His ingenious experimentation with peanut ...

When Alta Weiss throws a corncob at a tomcat chasing her favorite hen, folks know one thing for sure: She may be a girl, but she's got some arm. This is the exciting story of the pioneering female baseball player--a true American original. Full color.

A magazine spread about migrant workers moved then-porter Gordon Parks to buy a camera and teach himself the craft. He sensed injustice, particularly "the unfairness of segregation" and soon learned to tell its story through the lens. His skilled shots eventually landed in major magazines, their first captures by a black photographer. An impactful way to show how the efforts of one man can give vo ...

While this is primarily Pedro Martinez's biography, it is equally a celebration of the relationship he shared with his talented baseball-player brother, Ramon. A humble upbringing challenged them both to creatively pursue their love of baseball, and eventually dedicated practice and big dreams gave way to major-league contracts, friendly rivalry on national stages, and a championship win. Gorgeous ...

While this is primarily Pedro Martinez's biography, it is equally a celebration of the relationship he shared with his talented baseball-player brother, Ramon. A humble upbringing challenged them both to creatively pursue their love of baseball, and eventually dedicated practice and big dreams gave way to major-league contracts, friendly rivalry on national stages, and a championship win. Gorgeous ...