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.

Before blacks were allowed in the major leagues, Hank Aaron was determined to play. This is the story of how he became a great ballplayer and an inspiration to us all.

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 recounting the details of this historical movement, the author leaves readers with a deep respect for the courage shown by the people involved. An engrossing and inspiring read! A note from the author regarding terminology in the book: "Many words have been used to describe people of color. I use 'black' and 'African American' interchangeably and with equal respect in the pages that follow. ...

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 ...

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 ...

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.

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 ...

High in the sky, Bessie Coleman could soar like a bird. She was free--at least until she landed. As a black woman in the 1920s, she wasn't allowed to learn how to fly. Forced to travel to France to learn, she became the first African American woman to earn her pilot's license. Whether she was wing-walking, giving a speech, parachuting, or flying, Coleman inspired people with her bravery and resolv ...

Gazing up at the stars, Benjamin Banneker longed to understand how and why things worked as they did. In a time when most black Americans were slaves, Banneker lived a life of freedom and became known as America's first black American man of science. He helped survey Washington, D.C., and became the first black American to write an almanac. Through his accomplishments, he helped advance the cause ...

Watercolors rich with color and undertones speak to the deep character of Harriet Tubman, once General Tubman, Union Spy, Moses, Araminta, and more. Concise word selection shapes historical contrasts within short lines of verse on each spread, conveying poignant truth with hope and a relentless spirit bound only by freedom.

As a successful former slave, Clara Brown used her money to help other freed slaves get a new start in life. In 1859 Clara bought her own freedom and headed west to Colorado to find her daughter, who was sold when she was just a little girl. Clara didn't find her daughter there, but she did get rich. The people she helped became her family, and she became known as Aunt Clara Brown.

This is a richly layered biography, best enjoyed by late elementary ages. Ada Byron Lovelace possessed an inquisitive mind that relished numbers, patterns, and challenge. However, she grew up during a time when measles and cholera puzzled the medical community, and both left her very ill. It was also a time when men were more readily associated with the mathematical work and invention for which Ad ...

Now in paperback, just in time for President's Day, comes the award-winning, evocative picture book. On a cool spring evening in 1865, Abe Lincoln reflects on his life, his law studies, and the war that tore his country apart. Full color.

During a crisis, how many things have to go right before you wonder if a larger plan is playing out? Survivors and rescuers confront this question in a dramatic, real-life story of survival. The writing is unrelentingly gripping, giving readers multiple perspectives as the storm rages, the waves rise, and the rescue plays out. (Includes mild language in very few quotes from individuals as they sha ...

In an unusual move within book publishing, this author/illustrator team researched Horace Pippin together. The result is a remarkably tight text-illustration experience. While Bryant's careful word choice flows easily, delighting and informing simultaneously, Sweet's illustration conveys Pippin's life story via his folk-art style, as if we readers are privy to his sketching pad. Sweet prominently ...