When war erupts between the States in 1861, President Lincoln makes an impassioned plea for volunteers. Determined not to remain on the sidelines, young Emma Edmonds poses as a man and enlists in the Union Army, becoming a cunning master of disguise, risking discovery and death behind Confederate lines. Illustrations.

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.

During World War II, carrier pigeons were used to send messages across enemy lines. G.I. Joe was one such pigeon, working closely with British and American troops to help them communicate over long distances and coordinate their attacks. Full color.

Junko Tabei of Japan is an intrepid young woman who loves climbing mountains. As a college student in Tokyo, she joins a post-war club of climbers and hones her mountaineering skills. After time she creates to an all-girls group and befriends Rumie, another female climber. Every weekend she and Rumie pursue multiple peaks at creative angles. While climbing with Rumie, a very famous climber notices ...

Junko Tabei of Japan is an intrepid young woman who loves climbing mountains. As a college student in Tokyo, she joins a post-war club of climbers and hones her mountaineering skills. After time she creates to an all-girls group and befriends Rumie, another female climber. Every weekend she and Rumie pursue multiple peaks at creative angles. While climbing with Rumie, a very famous climber notices ...

Raven and Ellison tell the true story of an all-black Little League team formed in 1955 in segregated Charleston, South Carolina, that was not allowed to participate in the Little League World Series.

Muted, neutral tones covey the gravity of war, while leaving room for the emotional warmth only a dog's devotion can elicit. One of the earliest-known "mascot dogs" allowed in the U.S. Army, Rags became trench mouse catcher, messenger, and guard dog. Even in the thick of battle, Rags and his owner worked together as one. A difficult sadness punctuates the text toward the end, but thankfully the ep ...

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 ...

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 ...

Eleven-year-old Willie McLean knows that General Lee will defeat the Yankees and win the Civil War, he just knows it. When a battle moves to the fields near his home in Appomattox, Virginia, Willie's thrilled--especially when General Lee, himself, comes to Willie's house! But then General Grant comes, too. Overhearing the two men talk, Willie hears one word: Surrender. Is the war really over?

Young Henk was hidden on the farm when Nazi soldiers came and his family was taken away. Now that the war is over, can Henk make a new life for himself in the big city?

Drawing from the rich store of Civil War reminiscences handed down in her family, acclaimed author/illustrator Polacco tells the true story of a remarkable wartime friendship between a young white Union soldier and a young black Union soldier who are captured by Confederate soldiers and sent to Andersonville Prison.

During the Nazi occupation of France, Monique's mother hides a Jewish family in her basement and tries to help them escape to freedom. In the tradition of "Pink and Say, " Polacco once again dips into her own family's history to reveal her Aunt Monique's true story of friendship from the French Resistance. Full color.

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 ...

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.

Thirteen-year-old Rosie Beckett embarks on the adventure of her life when her family takes a trip to the World's Columbian Exposition, a.k.a. the Chicago World's Fair, in 1893. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

It is 1848 and 14-year-old Francis Tucket is heading west on the Oregon Trail. When he lags behind to practice shooting his new rifle, he is captured by Pawnees. It will take wild horses, hostile tribes, and a mysterious one-armed man to help Francis come of age and survive the gritty frontier.