Author & Illustrator Profile
Trinka Hakes Noble
4 Books
Trinka Hakes Noble is an author and illustrator of children's books known for her humorous and heartwarming storytelling. She is widely recognized for writing the Jimmy's Boa series, which has delighted young readers with its escalating, silly adventures and chaotic class trips. Her broader body of work includes cherished historical fiction and nostalgic seasonal tales like Apple Tree Christmas. She crafts imaginative stories that combine lively text with engaging themes of family, nature, and unexpected fun.
Books in "Tales of Young Americans"
A Civil War Tale
Gabe is only eleven, but on a Civil War battlefield, even a boy’s bugle call can carry life-or-death meaning.
At Gettysburg in 1863, Gabe serves as a Union Army bugler and tries to protect his older brother Davy, the last brother he has left. He knows the calls, understands his duty, and wants to be brave. Then he meets a young bugler from the Confederate side, and the sharp lines of war begin to feel painfully complicated.
The Last Brother is a tense, compassionate historical picture book about family, friendship, and moral courage in wartime. Readers who like American history will find a personal story set inside a major Civil War battle, told through the eyes of a boy forced to think about loyalty, loss, and humanity.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
48 Pages
A Thanksgiving Story
Rettie is only nine, but in her crowded New York City tenement, she carries grown-up worries every day.
It is 1918, and influenza is spreading across the country. With her mother ill and her family struggling, Rettie cleans, shops, cooks, and works small jobs to help keep everyone going. Thanksgiving is coming, and the Ragamuffin Parade could bring a chance for prize money, but quarantines and public health rules may stop the celebration before it begins.
Rettie and the Ragamuffin Parade is a moving historical picture book about resilience, poverty, family care, and hope during a frightening moment in American history. Young readers will meet a determined girl whose courage shines through hardship without losing the warmth of a Thanksgiving story.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
Gordy learns to box from his father, and their hero is Joe Louis, the great fighter from Detroit.
But the Great Depression has shaken the city, and Gordy’s father loses his job in the auto industry. When Gordy’s mother finds work with a Jewish tailor, Gordy meets Ira, a boy who also follows boxing. Their friendship grows as America watches Joe Louis prepare for his 1938 rematch against German boxer Max Schmeling, a fight many people see as larger than sport.
A Fist for Joe Louis and Me is a powerful historical picture book about friendship, prejudice, family hardship, and standing up for someone else. It gives young readers a personal doorway into Depression-era Detroit, boxing history, and a tense moment before World War II.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
40 Pages
In Philadelphia in 1777, Maddy Rose learns that war can reach even the games children play.
Her father has died at the Battle of Princeton, her brother is away with Washington’s army, and spies move through the city as the fight for American independence grows more dangerous. Maddy helps at home, but small signals and secret actions begin to pull her toward a role far bigger than she expected.
The Scarlet Stockings Spy is a suspenseful historical picture book about courage, family, sacrifice, and patriotism during the American Revolution. It offers young readers a personal look at wartime Philadelphia and shows how a child’s bravery can matter when a country’s future is uncertain.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
48 Pages
