Large watercolor illustrations warmly portray Helen Keller—overcomer, speaker, and briefly, actress. This reading experience highlights Annie Sullivan's belief in Helen's potential, and Helen's increasing connections that strengthened her mind and ambition. Readers sense the importance of pushing beyond difficult limits. Large-print quotes give voice to Helen's dogged determination that hig ...

This engrossing and thorough biography of an American legend reads like a great story. The author, a black woman who passed away in the 1990's, uses the term "Negro" throughout the book (originally published in 1955), so young readers may need instruction regarding the term's background and use. While many books relate Harriet Tubman's story, this one may retell it the best.

While this is meant to honor the role of the black soldier during World War I, the irony in some of the text's prose and the saturated dark illustrations bring it just short of a celebration. Jim Reese, the charismatic leader of the band of musical players, eventually-turned Harlem Hellfighters - the 369th Infantry Regiment, embodied the soulful passion, talent, bravery, courage, and plight of thi ...

Now in paperback, this book recreates the true story of Will Knox, a 19-year-old boy who undertook the dangerous task of transporting 183 cannons from New York's Fort Ticonderoga to Boston--in the dead of winter--to help General Washington win an important battle.

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 ...

In 1920 three American navy officers were on a routine practice run by balloon. A sudden storm hit sending them drastically off course. Subsequent actions to avoid a crash led them even further north into the snowy Canadian wilderness. Each man uses his strengths to encourage the others’ weaknesses. Kloor is the youngest, the most fit, and the best trained balloonist. Farrell is the oldest and l ...

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 ...

This fascinating new book takes readers into the secret world behind the Revolutionary War in which they can follow the escapades of spies and intelligence agents of the time and learn about the methods used in wartime espionage. Illustrations. Maps.

From battling toothaches while fighting the British, to having rotten teeth removed by his dentists, readers get a tongue-in-cheek dental history of the Father of His Country, who suffered all his life with tooth problems.

The sheer will to survive propels Matt through this historical adventure. As he races time to complete his dangerous mission while saving himself, his sister, and his friends, Matt finds himself caught up in the lives of those living this period of history. He witnesses the complexities of the American Revolution and with each decision he makes, his life and beliefs hang in the balance. This book ...

In the midst of a backyard camp out, ten-year-old Matt and four other children find themselves transported back into the time of George Washington and the American Revolution, where they begin to live out American history firsthand and learn the sober realities of war.

This Ready-to-Read, Level 2 selection relates the story of 11-year-old George Washington, whose mother will not allow him to visit his brother who lived many miles away. George then thinks of a clever way to convince her to let him go. Full color.

Boom! Bang! Guns fire! Cannons roar! George Washington is fighting in the American Revolution. 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.

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 ...

This unique approach to the story of the American Revolution weaves the tale around two quite similar leaders--George Washington and King George III--with two very different viewpoints. Includes bibliography, source notes, and an index. Full color.

A beautiful message conveyed here: true freedom allows for the right to be a servant to others.

With simple but engaging text, paintings, and an illuminating author's note telling the true account of a young slave who joins the Union Army, this tale of a real person's role in the Civil War is ideal for beginning readers and burgeoning history buffs. Full color.

Louis relies upon his father's words of wisdom when a runaway slave and her two children come looking for safe passage. In this newest title in the Tales of Young Americans series, Whelan beautifully creates a suspenseful coming-of-age story while illuminating a difficult time in America's past. Illustrations.