Eric Velasquez

Miata Ramirez has made a terrible mistake: she left her mother’s special folklórico skirt on the school bus. The skirt is not just part of a dance costume. It belonged to her mother when she was a child in Mexico, and Miata is supposed to wear it for a performance on Sunday. Now it is Friday, time is running out, and Miata does not want her parents to find out she has lost something important again. With her best friend Ana beside her, she has to think fast, be brave, and find a way to get the skirt back. The Skirt is a warm, suspenseful chapter book about family, friendship, responsibility, and cultural pride, with a heroine whose worries and determination feel wonderfully real.

It is the freezing winter of 1856, and John Price has just made a daring escape. Crossing the icy Ohio River from Kentucky, he seeks refuge in the town of Oberlin, Ohio. At a time when the Fugitive Slave Act is strictly enforced across the country, the people of Oberlin hold a powerful belief that every person deserves to be free. John begins to build a new life in this welcoming community, but danger is never far behind. When ruthless slave catchers arrive in town and capture John, the residents of Oberlin do not just stand by. They join forces in a dramatic and risky showdown, putting their own lives and freedom on the line to demand his release. This true story reveals how ordinary people can come together to fight against injustice. Step back in time to witness a remarkable moment in history, beautifully brought to life through captivating artwork. You will discover how one man's pursuit of freedom helped ignite a movement that changed the nation forever.