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The Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero
When Frank Thompson sees a poster calling for new recruits for the Union army, he does not hesitate to enlist. But Frank is hiding a massive secret. He is not actually a man at all. He is really Sarah Emma Edmonds, a fiercely independent nineteen-year-old who has been living in disguise to escape a terrible arranged marriage. Desperate to fight for her country during the Civil War, Sarah joins a Michigan infantry regiment and proves herself to be an exceptional soldier. After taking on the grueling job of nursing the wounded, her incredible heroism catches the attention of military leaders. Soon, she is asked to cross enemy lines and infiltrate a Confederate camp as a master spy. Discover the breathtaking true story of one of history's bravest and most unlikely heroes.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
48 Pages
Kenichi Zenimura just wants to play baseball, even though everyone tells him he is much too small. He proves them all wrong by growing up to be a true star, eventually playing alongside legends like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. But everything changes in 1941. When the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, Zeni and his family are forced from their home and sent to a dusty, desolate internment camp along with thousands of other Japanese Americans. Trapped behind barbed wire in a bleak desert, Zeni decides he will not let his spirit be broken. Using sheer determination, he builds a baseball diamond right in the middle of the camp. Discover the inspiring true story of how one man brought a beloved game and a vital sense of hope to a community that desperately needed a reason to cheer.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
52 Pages
The Strange Creatures of Mark Nagata
A box of bright Japanese monster toys can change everything.
When Mark Nagata was a child in California, a Christmas package from relatives in Japan opened his eyes to kaiju: strange, colorful creatures unlike any toys he had seen before. He gave them names, imagined battles, and filled his world with wild shapes, bold colors, and roaring possibilities.
This picture book biography follows Mark from a young artist who loved comics, movies, and monsters to a celebrated toy designer and painter whose kaiju creations are collected around the world. With lively energy and a strong sense of wonder, Monster Maker shows how childhood curiosity, cultural connection, and creative practice can grow into a one-of-a-kind art career.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
40 Pages
The True Cinderella Story of Caroline Herschel, the First Professional Woman Astronomer
A girl once expected to spend her life doing chores looks up and finds a sky full of possibility.
Caroline Herschel grew up in a time when girls were not usually encouraged to study science. But with curiosity, music, math, and a fierce love of learning, she found her way from a difficult household into the world of telescopes, stars, and comets.
This picture book biography tells Caroline’s true story with a Cinderella-like shape, but the real magic is her own intelligence and persistence. Young readers who love space, science, and stories about women who changed history will discover how Caroline became the first professional woman astronomer and helped expand what people knew about the night sky.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
60 Pages
Mary McLeod Bethune grew up in South Carolina after the Civil War, when school opportunities for Black children were painfully limited. She wanted education—not just for herself, but for many others.
This biography follows Bethune’s determination to learn, teach, and build better opportunities for African American students. Eloise Greenfield presents her as an educator and leader whose work grew from courage, discipline, and a powerful belief that children deserved the chance to study and succeed.
Written for young readers, Mary McLeod Bethune offers a clear introduction to an important figure in American history. It is a meaningful choice for children learning about education, perseverance, Black history, women’s history, and people who worked to make lasting change.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
44 Pages
Rosa Parks did not set out to become a symbol. She was a quiet, determined woman who knew that unfair rules were wrong.
This biography introduces young readers to Rosa Parks’s childhood in Montgomery, Alabama, the segregation laws that shaped daily life, and the courageous bus protest that helped spark the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Eloise Greenfield presents Parks as more than one famous moment: a person with patience, strength, and a deep belief in justice.
Clear and accessible for elementary readers, the book offers an important entry point into the Civil Rights Movement. It shows how one act of resistance, joined with the efforts of a community, became part of a larger struggle for equal rights.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
64 Pages
Step into the past and meet a true hero. Mary Seacole is a brave and determined nurse with a big heart. When a war begins far away in the Crimea, she knows exactly what she must do. Mary packs her bags and sails across the ocean to help the sick and injured soldiers. She even bravely walks right onto the dangerous battlefield to care for those who need her most. Follow Mary on her incredible journey as she shows the world what true courage looks like. This true story brings history to life, showing how one person's kindness and bravery can make a lasting difference.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
31 Pages
A Story of John James Audubon
Young John James Audubon loves nothing more than exploring the great outdoors and watching birds. After moving from France to Pennsylvania in 1804, he becomes fascinated by the peewee flycatchers nesting near his home. Driven by curiosity, he sets out to answer a question that has puzzled people for thousands of years: do small birds return to the same nest every spring? Follow along as this determined young scientist uses careful observation and clever tracking to unlock the secrets of bird migration.
6-8 Years
37 Pages
How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song
Miriam Makeba’s voice could fill a room, cross an ocean, and carry the hopes of a people.
This picture book biography introduces young readers to the South African singer known around the world as Mama Africa. As apartheid separates and harms Black South Africans, Miriam sings in clubs, on stages, at rallies, and before powerful leaders, using music to speak against injustice when silence would be easier.
Kathryn Erskine’s lively, rhythmic text and Charly Palmer’s bold illustrations present Makeba as both artist and activist: a performer whose songs celebrate her culture and call for freedom. Written with energy and respect, this inspiring nonfiction book helps children understand how music, courage, and one determined voice can become part of a larger fight for human rights.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
48 Pages
Step into the clay dusty workshop of Dave, a man who lived nearly two hundred years ago. While Dave was a slave in South Carolina, he was also a remarkable artist and a brave poet. This beautiful story shows you how Dave would take a simple mound of earth and transform it into magnificent jars and jugs, some large enough to hold a whole harvest.
Before he sent his pottery to the kiln, Dave did something incredible: he carved his own poems and signed his name into the wet clay. At a time when he was not supposed to know how to read or write, Dave used his jars to speak to the world. You will see how his steady hands and creative spirit helped him find a sense of freedom, leaving behind a legacy of beauty and words that we still admire today.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
40 Pages
Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan
Gina Shaw
Meet Helen Keller, a young girl who lost her sight and hearing, and Anne Sullivan, the remarkable teacher who changed her life forever. When Anne arrived to help Helen, she brought the gift of communication, teaching her how to understand the world through touch.
This inspiring true story shows how the bond between a dedicated teacher and a determined student helped them overcome impossible challenges. You will learn how Helen learned to read, write, and speak, proving that with patience and courage, anything is possible.
Discover the incredible teamwork that made Helen and Anne two of the most famous figures in history. Their friendship will inspire you to face your own obstacles with a brave heart.
6-8 Years
8 Pages
Born to parents who had escaped slavery, Elijah McCoy grew up with big dreams and a brilliant mind for machines. He traveled all the way to Scotland to study mechanical engineering, learning everything there was to know about designing and building powerful engines. But when he returned to the United States, railway companies refused to hire him as an engineer because of the color of his skin. Instead, he was given the dirty, exhausting job of shoveling coal into train fireboxes. You will discover how Elijah refused to let this unfair treatment stop his brilliant ideas. While working on the trains, he invented a groundbreaking automatic oiling cup that kept engines running smoothly without having to stop. Learn how his incredible invention revolutionized train travel and machinery around the world, proving that true talent and determination can overcome even the highest barriers.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
32 Pages
