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All Aboard!: Elijah McCoy's Steam Engine (Great Idea Series #2)
By Monica Kulling. 2010
In the second of Tundra's Great Idea series, biographies for children who are just starting to read, Monica Kulling presents…
the life of an extraordinary man.There were few opportunities for the son of slaves, but Elijah McCoy's dreams led him to study mechanical engineering in Scotland. He learned everything there was to know about engines - how to design them and how to build them. But when he returned to the United States to look for work at the Michigan Central Railroad, the only job Elijah could get was shoveling coal into a train's firebox.Undaunted, he went on to invent a means of oiling the engine while the train was running, changing the face of travel around the world.With playful text and lively illustrations, All Aboard! Elijah McCoy's Steam Engine may be the first biography a child discovers, and it will whet the appetite for many more.Jacky Daydream
By Jacqueline Wilson. 2007
Lots of Jacqueline Wilson's characters are well-known and well-loved by thousands of readers: Hetty Feather, Ruby and Garnet, Pearl and…
Jodie, Elsa, Lily and, of course, the brilliant Tracy Beaker! But how much do you know about Jacqueline herself? Jacqueline takes a look back at her own childhood and teenage years in this captivating story of friendships, loneliness, books, family life and much more. She explores her past with the same warmth and lightness of touch that make her novels so special. Best of all, she reveals how she was always determined to be a writer; from the very first story she wrote, it was clear that this little girl had a very vivid imagination! But who would've guessed that she would grow up to be the mega-bestselling, award-winning Jacqueline Wilson?With original photographs and new illustrations by Nick Sharratt, this book is a delight for all of Jacky's fans, and a treat for any new readers too.Fantastic Mr Dahl
By Michael Rosen. 2012
Life story of Roald Dahl, World's No.1 storyteller, creator of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox, Matilda, The…
BFG, James and the Giant Peach and many more, brought to life by Michael Rosen - author, poet and former Children's Laureate. Written especially for children, with fun pages and illustrations by Quentin Blake.So, how did Roald Dahl get into writing? Where did he get his ideas from? What ingredients in his life turned him into the kind of writer he was? Michael Rosen comes up the answers to these key questions in his lively biography of the world's No.1 storyteller, written specially for children. Full of stories and funny anecdotes from Roald Dahl's school days and family life, Michael Rosen's fascinating observations creates a vivid picture of one of the most famous writers of all time.Young Trailblazers: The Book of Black Inventors and Scientists
By M. J. Fievre. 2021
Discover Incredible Inventions by Black People (Ages 8-12) #1 New Release in Children's Inventors Books Young Trailblazers: The Book of…
Black Inventors and Scientists is a fun new book for children that teaches kids about inventions by Black people that have impacted the world through their ingenuity and trailblazing innovation. From Black Inventors to Black Scientists. Take your child on an adventure and travel through time to meet famous black inventors who changed the game. Countdown to liftoff with Katherine Johnson, who helped pioneer U.S. crewed space missions. Safely cross the street with Garrett Morgan, who invented the traffic signal—or even sing your heart out with James West&’s invention of the microphone. All of these inventions by Black people have, in one way or another, shaped the past and present through trailblazing creativity and resilience; these stories are sure to inspire every child. Experience an array of rich Black history. In this book, there are Black scientists and Black inventors we all know, such as Lewis Howard Latimer and Sarah Boone. There are also dozens of Black trailblazers that we don&’t, all of whom have accomplished remarkable things in literature, entertainment, education, STEM, business, military and government services, politics and law, activism, sports, spirituality, and more. Inside this book of inventions by Black people, you&’ll find: A fun and engaging introduction to Black inventors for kids Essential Black history for kids to learn about Interesting fun facts and beautiful illustrations If you enjoyed Black Women in Science, Black Inventors, or Black Heroes, then you&’ll love Young Trailblazers.The unlikely true story of why we know the name William Shakespeare today, and the four-hundred-year-old book that made it…
possible.Four hundred years ago, no one bothered to write down the exact words of stage plays. Characters&’ lines were scribbled on small rolls of paper (as in, an actor&’s role) and passed around, but no master script was saved for the future. The main reason we&’ve heard of Romeo, Juliet, Hamlet, and Shakespeare himself is that a group of people made the excellent choice to preserve the plays after the Bard died. If they hadn&’t created the book known as the First Folio, Shakespeare and his works would surely have been lost to history. Part literary scavenger hunt (the search for every existing First Folio continues today), part book trivia treasure trove, and part love letter to Shakespeare, this behind-the-scenes, sharply funny true story is an ideal introduction to the Bard and his famous plays.Becoming Madeleine: A Biography of the Author of A Wrinkle in Time by Her Granddaughters
By Charlotte Jones Voiklis, Léna Roy. 2018
This middle-grade biography explores the life and works of Madeleine L'Engle —written by her granddaughters.This elegant and insightful biography of…
Madeleine L’Engle (1918–2007) was written by her granddaughters, Charlotte Jones Voiklis and Léna Roy. Using never-before-seen archival materials that include photographs, poems, letters, and journal entries from when Madeleine was a child until just after the publication of her classic, A Wrinkle in Time, her granddaughters weave together an in-depth and unique view of the famous writer. It is a story of overcoming obstacles—a lonely childhood, financial insecurity, and countless rejections of her writing—and eventual triumph. Becoming Madeleine will speak not only to fans of the icon’s work, but also to anyone interested in writing.This title has Common Core connections.Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller
By Breanna J. McDaniel. 2024
From an award-winning author and illustrator comes this picture book biography about beloved librarian and storyteller Augusta Braxton Baker, the…
first Black coordinator of children’s services at all branches of the New York Public Library. Before Augusta Braxton Baker became a storyteller, she was an excellent story listener. Her grandmother brought stories like Br’er Rabbit and Arthur and Excalibur to life, teaching young Augusta that when there’s a will, there’s always a way. When she grew up, Mrs. Baker began telling her own fantastical stories to children at the 135th Street branch of the New York Public Library in Harlem. But she noticed that there were hardly any books at the library featuring Black people in respectful, uplifting ways. Thus began her journey of championing books, writers, librarians, and teachers centering Black stories, educating and inspiring future acclaimed authors like Audre Lorde and James Baldwin along the way. As Mrs. Baker herself put it: “Children of all ages want to hear stories. Select well, prepare well and then go forth and just tell.”Before Darwin . . . before Lewis and Clark . . . there was Alexander von Humboldt. Explorer. Naturalist. All-around…
genius. Lost hero of science. In his time, Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) was world-famous. Why? He led one of the first major scientific expeditions into the South American rain forest and another into the wilds of Siberia. Carrying fragile instruments, he navigated perilous rapids and climbed the volcano of Tenerife. He observed animals, plants, and cultures that no one in Europe had ever dreamed of, and his books about them inspired a whole generation of scientists—including Charles Darwin. But before he did any of that, he was a little boy who was curious about everything (especially bugs)! The Incredible yet True Adventures of Alexander von Humboldt will whisk you away to another time and place. Meet the young man who, defying his mother’s wishes, became a daring explorer-scientist—and follow along as he makes his amazing discoveries. Lavish illustrations bring Humboldt’s untamed world to life. See nature through the eyes of a great early scientist. Wonder awaits!Comet Chaser: The True Cinderella Story of Caroline Herschel, the First Professional Woman Astronomer
By Pamela S. Turner. 2024
The real-life Cinderella story of the very first professional woman astronomer—Caroline Herschel! Comet Chaser is the thrilling and beautifully…
illustrated biography of a woman who made a lifetime of incredible contributions to science. She was the first woman to discover a comet, the first officially recognized in a scientific role, and the first to be given a Gold Medal by the Royal Astronomical Society. In a day when girls were barely educated at all, Caroline Herschel's father taught her math and music . . . until, suddenly, he died. Her mother saw her as little more than a household servant. Caroline might have been doomed to a life of drudgery and dimness if not for her brother, who took her from Germany to England. There they started building telescopes in their free time, gradually making them larger and larger, and discovering new comets—even new planets! When the great astronomers of the day wondered how Caroline and her brother accomplished this and came to see for themselves, they found that the Herschels had made the best telescopes of their time. From household drudge to belle of the scientific ball, Caroline Herschel won international prizes never before awarded to a woman and earned a professional wage from the king. She and her discoveries remain as stunning today as they were then. Some of her calculations are still in use! In this delightfully imaginative retelling of Caroline's career, her fairy godmother is none other than her own bright intelligence, hard work, and passion for science. Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.Once I Was You: A Memoir (Atria Espanol Ser.)
By Maria Hinojosa. 2020
NPR&’s Best Books of 2020BookPage&’s Best Books of 2020Real Simple&’s Best Books of 2020Boston.com readers voted one of Best Books…
of 2020&“Anyone striving to understand and improve this country should read her story.&” —Gloria Steinem, author of My Life on the RoadThe Emmy Award–winning journalist and anchor of NPR&’s Latino USA tells the story of immigration in America through her family&’s experiences and decades of reporting, painting an unflinching portrait of a country in crisis in this memoir that is &“quite simply beautiful, written in Maria Hinojosa&’s honest, passionate voice&” (BookPage).Maria Hinojosa is an award-winning journalist who, for nearly thirty years, has reported on stories and communities in America that often go ignored by the mainstream media—from tales of hope in the South Bronx to the unseen victims of the War on Terror and the first detention camps in the US. Bestselling author Julia Álvarez has called her &“one of the most important, respected, and beloved cultural leaders in the Latinx community.&”In Once I Was You, Maria shares her intimate experience growing up Mexican American on the South Side of Chicago. She offers a personal and illuminating account of how the rhetoric around immigration has not only long informed American attitudes toward outsiders, but also sanctioned willful negligence and profiteering at the expense of our country&’s most vulnerable populations—charging us with the broken system we have today.An urgent call to fellow Americans to open their eyes to the immigration crisis and understand that it affects us all, this honest and heartrending memoir paints a vivid portrait of how we got here and what it means to be a survivor, a feminist, a citizen, and a journalist who owns her voice while striving for the truth.Also available in Spanish as Una vez fui tú.Benjamin Franklin: Benjamin Franklin (10 Days)
By David Colbert. 2008
You're about to be an eyewitness to the top ten days in Ben Franklin's life, including: A cunning escape from…
a cruel brother.A shrewd plan to save the colonies.A treacherous spy game in Paris.A shocking battle with a vengeful aristocrat.And a last-minute triumph that bound American together. These days and five others shook Franklin's world - and yours.Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson
By Katherine Johnson. 2019
&“This rich volume is a national treasure.&” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)&“Captivating, informative, and inspiring…Easy to follow and hard to put…
down.&” —School Library Journal (starred review)The inspiring autobiography of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who helped launch Apollo 11.As a young girl, Katherine Johnson showed an exceptional aptitude for math. In school she quickly skipped ahead several grades and was soon studying complex equations with the support of a professor who saw great promise in her. But ability and opportunity did not always go hand in hand. As an African American and a girl growing up in an era of brutal racism and sexism, Katherine faced daily challenges. Still, she lived her life with her father&’s words in mind: &“You are no better than anyone else, and nobody else is better than you.&”In the early 1950s, Katherine was thrilled to join the organization that would become NASA. She worked on many of NASA&’s biggest projects including the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first men on the moon.Katherine Johnson&’s story was made famous in the bestselling book and Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures. Now in Reaching for the Moon she tells her own story for the first time, in a lively autobiography that will inspire young readers everywhere.Spaceman: An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe
By Mike Massimino. 2016
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NASA astronaut Mike Massimino shares incredible true stories from space—a rare, wonderful world where science…
meets the most thrilling adventure. &“Mike is a spaceman through and through; he tells how hard work can take you out of this world.&”—Bill Nye the Science Guy Have you ever wondered what it would be like to find yourself strapped to a giant rocket that&’s about to go from zero to 17,500 miles per hour? Or to look back on Earth from outer space and see the surprisingly precise line between day and night? Or to stand in front of the Hubble Space Telescope, wondering if the emergency repair you&’re about to make will inadvertently ruin humankind&’s chance to unlock the universe&’s secrets? Mike Massimino has been there, and in Spaceman he puts you inside the suit, with all the zip and buoyancy of life in microgravity.Massimino&’s childhood space dreams were born the day Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. Growing up in a working-class Long Island family, he catapulted himself to Columbia and then MIT, only to flunk his first doctoral exam and be rejected three times by NASA before making it through the final round of astronaut selection.Taking us through the surreal wonder and beauty of his first spacewalk, the tragedy of losing friends in the Columbia shuttle accident, and the development of his enduring love for the Hubble Telescope—which he and his fellow astronauts were tasked with saving on his final mission—Massimino has written an ode to never giving up, revealing just what having &“the right stuff&” really means.Searching Beyond the Stars: Seven Women in Science Take On Space's Biggest Questions
By Nicole Mortillaro. 2022
Are we alone in the cosmos? Could we one day live on a different planet? How is life formed? What…
other secrets does the universe hold? Through profiles of seven remarkable women scientists and their achievements in their respective fields, Searching Beyond the Stars takes us deep into space, looking at once to the distant past and the distant future to capture the awe and intrigue of some of the biggest questions we can possibly ask.Making connections across astronomy, chemistry, physics, history, and more, Nicole Mortillaro draws on her own experience as a woman in STEM to highlight the incredible odds each scientist faces while chasing new discoveries and the ways in which sexism and racism, among other barriers, still affect women scientists to this day. Sidebars filled with fascinating facts take readers behind the science and encourage them to delve deeper. Vibrant illustrations by Amanda Key showcase the wonder of space and the passion and eternal curiosity that drive each scientist in their work unfurling the mysteries of our universe.Scientists ProfiledKatherine Johnson, research mathematician and aerospace technologist at NASA. Helped get the first American astronauts into space and safely home again. Lived in Newport News, Virgina.Jill Tarter, radio astronomer and project scientist at NASA. Opened up possibilities for communicating with aliens. Lives in Berkeley, California.Sara Seager, astrophysicist and planetary scientist. Credited with laying the foundation for the field of exoplanet atmospheres and the search for life on exoplanets. Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Sara now lives in Massachusetts.Emily Lakdawalla, planetary scientist, journalist, speaker, and expert science communicator formerly of The Planetary Society. Lives in Los Angeles, California.Tanya Harrison, planetary scientist and geologist. Was on the science operations team for NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter analyzing imaging from a geologist’s standpoint to see whether we might one day live on Mars. Director of Science Strategy at Planet Labs. Lives in Washington, D.C.Renée Hložek, astrophysicist and cosmologist. Her work is to imagine, dream, and calculate the mathematical equations that govern and predict the end of the universe. Originally from South Africa, Renée now lives in Toronto, Ontario.Ashley Walker, astrochemist, science communicator, and activist. Co-organizer of #BlackinChem, #BlackInAstro, and #BlackInPhysics to highlight and amplify the voices of Black researchers and scholars in these fields. Lives in Chicago, Illinois.*A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard SelectionOnce I Was You: A Memoir (Atria Espanol Ser.)
By Maria Hinojosa. 2020
NPR&’s Best Books of 2020BookPage&’s Best Books of 2020Real Simple&’s Best Books of 2020Boston.com readers voted one of Best Books…
of 2020&“Anyone striving to understand and improve this country should read her story.&” —Gloria Steinem, author of My Life on the RoadThe Emmy Award–winning journalist and anchor of NPR&’s Latino USA tells the story of immigration in America through her family&’s experiences and decades of reporting, painting an unflinching portrait of a country in crisis in this memoir that is &“quite simply beautiful, written in Maria Hinojosa&’s honest, passionate voice&” (BookPage).Maria Hinojosa is an award-winning journalist who, for nearly thirty years, has reported on stories and communities in America that often go ignored by the mainstream media—from tales of hope in the South Bronx to the unseen victims of the War on Terror and the first detention camps in the US. Bestselling author Julia Álvarez has called her &“one of the most important, respected, and beloved cultural leaders in the Latinx community.&”In Once I Was You, Maria shares her intimate experience growing up Mexican American on the South Side of Chicago. She offers a personal and illuminating account of how the rhetoric around immigration has not only long informed American attitudes toward outsiders, but also sanctioned willful negligence and profiteering at the expense of our country&’s most vulnerable populations—charging us with the broken system we have today.An urgent call to fellow Americans to open their eyes to the immigration crisis and understand that it affects us all, this honest and heartrending memoir paints a vivid portrait of how we got here and what it means to be a survivor, a feminist, a citizen, and a journalist who owns her voice while striving for the truth.Also available in Spanish as Una vez fui tú.Alexander Graham Bell for Kids: His Life and Inventions, with 21 Activities (For Kids series #70)
By Mary Kay Carson. 2018
Winner of the 2019 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Book Alexander Graham Bell invented not only the telephone,…
but also early versions of the phonograph, the metal detector, airplanes, and hydrofoil boats. This Scottish immigrant was also a pioneering speech teacher and a champion of educating those with hearing impairments, work he felt was his most important contribution to society. Bell worked with famous Americans such as Helen Keller and aviators Glenn Curtiss and Samuel P. Langley, and his inventions competed directly with those of Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers. This unique biography includes a time line, a list of online resources, and 21 engaging hands-on activities to better appreciate Bell's remarkable accomplishments. Kids will: Construct a Pie Tin Telegraph and a Pizza Box Phonograph "See" and "feel" sound by building simple devices Communicate using American Sign Language Send secret messages using Morse code Investigate the properties of ailerons on a paper airplane Build and fly a tetrahedral kite And more!Discover the life of Marie Curie—a story for kids 6 to 9 about discovering big things through hard work Marie…
Curie became one of the most celebrated scientists in history. Before she changed the world with her discoveries in physics and chemistry, Marie was an intelligent girl who studied hard to reach the top of her class. She overcame many challenges, including people who told her she couldn't be a scientist because she was a woman. She didn't let anything stop her, and her important research is still helping people today. Explore how Marie Curie went from being a young girl growing up in Poland to a famous, Nobel Prize-winning scientist. The Story of Marie Curie includes: Helpful glossary—Find easy-to-understand definitions for some of the more advanced words and ideas in the book. Lasting change—See how Marie Curie made the world a better place for future generations. Test your knowledge—Take a fun quiz about the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of Marie's life. How will Marie's determination and curiosity inspire you?One of a Kind: The Life of Sydney Taylor
By Richard Michelson. 2024
For fans of All-of-a-Kind Family, here is the true story of how Sarah Brenner, a poor girl from New York…
City&’s Lower East Side, became Sydney Taylor: dancer, actress, and successful children&’s book author.Sarah Brenner might have come from an all-of-a-kind family (five sisters who all dressed alike), but she was always one of a kind. Growing up in a Jewish immigrant family on New York&’s impoverished Lower East Side, Sarah loved visiting the library, celebrating holidays with her family, and taking free dance classes at the Henry Street Settlement. But she was always aware of things that weren&’t fair—whether it was that women couldn&’t vote, or how girls were treated in her school, or that her parents had had to leave Europe because they were Jewish. When she grew up, Sarah changed her name to Sydney and became an actress and a dancer, but she never forgot the importance of fighting unfairness, whether it was anti-Semitism at her job or the low wages of workers. And when her daughter complained that it wasn&’t fair that there were no books about Jewish children like her, Sydney put pen to paper and wrote a one-of-a-kind children&’s book.From well-known Jewish children&’s author Richard Michelson, this is the story of how Sarah became Sydney and how she showed children the joy of seeing their culture reflected on the page.Who Was Langston Hughes? (Who Was?)
By Billy Merrell, Who Hq. 2024
Find out how a young boy from the Midwest became one of the most important writers and activists of the…
Harlem Renaissance in this addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series!Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, and was raised by his grandmother, who told him many stories of the Black American experience and taught him to be proud of his race from a young age. With her guidance, Langston went on to become a talented writer in high school, creating dramatic plays, poetry, and articles for the school paper. His career as a writer would continue to blossom. Langston pioneered Jazz Poetry and published nearly twenty poetry books during his lifetime as well as novels, books for children, nonfiction books, and plays. He was an activist and a major figure of the Harlem Renaissance period, alongside Zora Neale Hurston and Countee Cullen. Young readers can learn about Langston's beloved writing, including some of his most famous poems "Dreams" and "The Weary Blues," and his long-lasting legacy in this middle-grade biography.DK Readers L3: Women in Science (DK Readers Level 3)
By Jen Green. 2018
Read about the women who changed the landscape of science: from pioneers of the ancient world to super-scientists like Marie…
Curie to unlikely geniuses, such as Hedy Lamarr, and much more.Women in Science includes scientific pioneers who came up with incredible ideas that changed the world; women who work in the fast-paced world of technology; amazing engineers who build incredible structures; and mathematical geniuses. Perfect for 7- to 9-year-olds starting to read alone, Level 3 titles include in-depth information presented through more complex sentence structure with increasing amount of text to expand the reader's general knowledge and confidence in reading. Additional information spreads are full of extra facts, developing the topics through a range of nonfiction presentation styles, such as fliers, instructions, and record-breaker statistics.