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.

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 ...

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 ...

Spare, evocative language and exquisite illustrations by Ral Col, n depict the life of Roberto Clemente, a great athlete and an even greater man, who became one of the most respected baseball players of all time.

From a Maryland cabin to the top of the world, Matthew Henson knew how to take advantage of opportunities, prove himself, and become a partner in exploration and accomplishment. An unforgettable look at an adventurer who deserves to be known by readers, young and old.

Curriculum Connections: Historical fiction, based on true events, biographical account; Susan B Anthony, point of view; Bessie Keith Pond- young girl main character, Story elements: setting; Berkley, California- 1896, Plot and character development, illustrations enhance meaning and tone, Conflict: man vs man, man vs society. Comprehension strategies; cause and effect relationships, author's purpo ...

How does a man decide to ignore life-threatening consequences in order to attempt the rescue of others? When a hurricane batters and breaks not one tanker, but two in half the same night, it leaves 84 seaman at its mercy. Survival is against all odds, and this story's authors pay relentless attention to detail and perspective that places readers in the midst of split-second decisions that risk eve ...

Golenbock describes the racial prejudice experienced by Jackie Robinson when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first black player in Major League baseball and depicts the acceptance and support he received from his white teammate Pee Wee Reese.

While on a hiking trip, Donn became separated from his family and guide because of impatience. When dense fog shrouded Mount Katahdin, Maine's highest peak, Donn's problems were compounded. What follows is a true story of how a young boy survived on his own for nearly two weeks. Through the ordeal, he never gave up hope, believing Someone was watching over him. A truly inspiring story of faith, ho ...

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 ...

Award-winning author Warren combines haunting photographs from World War II concentration camps with the inspiring words of Jack Mandelbaum to tell the powerful true story of a boy becoming a man during the Holocaust.

This definitive picture book biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is an unforgettable portrait of a man whose dream changed America--and the world--forever.

More than 50 years after her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus, Mrs. Rosa Parks is the subject of this picture-book tribute to her courageous action and the events that followed.

Under arrest! The words came as a shock to young Esther Rudomin, Polish citizen. Because of their Jewish heritage and Father's business success, Esther's family faced certain deportment to Siberia. This sobering tale of a family torn from their homeland, from close relatives, and eventually from one another, paints a vivid picture of grim determination to survive against overwhelming odds. The Sib ...

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.

Rich descriptors establish this memoir’s compelling setting so that readers feel the African heat , the desperation of starving families seeking sustenance from dry, barren farmland, and the wind’s power to help a helpless community. Against this backdrop a small, young boy with an insatiable appetite for knowledge lets curiosity drive his desire to help his family and his village. T ...

“Unlike my parents, I had no concept of what war was actually like.” With these words, 10-year-old Leon Leyson foreshadows his shattered innocence. Deft writing presents horrific injustices of war, grievous loss, and unfathomable disdain for humanity with an authentic voice that acknowledges such evil but chooses to more significantly highlight every scrap of hope and celebrate every s ...