New Releases by Deborah Hopkinson

Inspired by the life of pioneering female baseball player Alta Weiss, and dramatized by Terry Widener’s bold illustrations, Girl Wonder tells the unforgettable story of a true American original. Alta Weiss was born to play baseball, simple as that. From the age of two, when she hurls a corncob at a pesky tomcat, folks in her small Ohio town know one thing for sure: She may be a girl, but she’s got some arm. When she’s seventeen, Alta hears about a semipro team, the Independents. Here’s her big chance! But one look at Alta’s long skirts tells Coach all he needs to know—girls can’t play baseball! But faster than you can say “strike out,” Alta proves him wrong: Girls can play baseball!

Based on the life of Ella Sheppard Moore, this glowing picture book tells the story of a determined and resilient singing group with a lasting legacy. A loving narrator shares the story of her great-grandmother Ella with her niece. Ella, the daughter of a slave, and the Jubilee Singers traveled all over the world singing the old sorrow songs, the songs of slavery. Their hard work raised funds to keep their college open and pave the way for thousands of students. This luminous, lyrical story is a poignant reminder that the old spirituals, or jubilee songs, stood for hope and freedom.

When his father leaves to fight in World War I, Mikey joins the Central Park Knitting Bee to help knit clothing for soldiers overseas.

This Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Book and ALA-ALSC Notable Children''s Book provides a riveting brick-by-brick account of how one of the most amazing accomplishments in American architecture came to be. It’s 1930 and times are tough for Pop and his son. But look! On the corner of 34th Street and 5th Avenue, a building straight and simple as a pencil is being built in record time. Hundreds of men are leveling, shoveling, hauling. They’re hoisting 60,000 tons of steal, stacking 10 million bricks, eating lunch in the clouds. And when they cut ribbon and the crowds rush in, the boy and his father will be among the first to zoom up to the top of the tallest building in the world and see all of Manhattan spread at their feet.

"What is breathtakingly shown here, through accurate, cross-hatched watercolor paintings; excerpts from Sullivan’s correspondence to her former teacher; and concise and poetic language, is the woman’s patience and belief in the intelligence of her student to grasp the concepts of language," praised School Library Journal in a starred review. Author Deborah Hopkinson and illustrator Raul Colón present the story of Helen Keller in a fresh and original way that is perfect for young children. Focusing on the relationship between Helen and her teacher, Annie Sullivan, the book is interspersed with excerpts of Annie''s letters home, written as she struggled with her angry, wild pupil. But slowly, with devotion and determination, Annie teaches Helen finger spelling and braille, letters, and sentences. As Helen comes to understand language and starts to communicate, she connects for the first time with her family and the world around her. The lyrical text and exquisite art will make this fascinating story a favorite with young readers. Children will also enjoy learning the Braille alphabet, which is embossed on the back cover of the jacket.

Narrates the tale of twelve-year-old Charles Dickens who, despite poverty and long hours of factory work, still has time to discover and share the stories of other residents of 1824 London. Includes author''s note about Dickens'' life and some of the bookshe wrote.

Hopkinson and Ford capture the inspiring story of the first African-American First Lady, in this beautiful picture-book biography. Full color.

This stunning picture book offers a riveting account of African--American explorer Matthew Henson''s 1909 journey to the North Pole with Admiral Peary. Many know the story of Robert Peary''s great 1909 expedition to reach the North Pole. Yet few people know that Peary was joined on this grueling, history--making journey by fellow explorer Matthew Henson. Henson was born just after the Civil War, a time when slavery had been abolished, but few opportunities were available for black people. Even as a child, he exhibited a yearning for adventure, and at the age of only thirteen, he embarked on a five--year voyage sailing the seven seas and learning navigation, history, and mathematics. Henson''s greatest adventure began when he accepted an invitation from Robert Peary to join his expedition to the North Pole. The team endured storms, shifting ice, wind, injuries, accidents, and unimaginable cold. Finally on April 1, Peary, Henson, and four Inuit men began the final 133--mile push to the Pole. Readers will share in the excitement and drama of this remarkable adventure as award--winning author Deborah Hopkinson pays tribute to a great but under--recognized figure from America''s past. Illustrator Stephen Alcorn''s large--format, stylized ink--and--watercolor illustrations capture all the action. Excerpts from Henson''s expedition diaries, a time line, and an epilogue place the story in its historical context.

Danger Close To Home Papa is in danger for helping to rescue a free-state settler who was unjustly arrested by Kansas''s proslavery sheriff. He has gone into hiding, and Momma and the Keller children are alone in their remote cabin while marauding border ruffians are roaming the countryside, looking for livestock to steal. But there''s a lot more at stake at the Keller homestead than their chickens and cows. Charlie has come upon Lizzie, a runaway slave girl trying to make her way to freedom in Canada, and the Kellers are hiding her at their cabin. With the violence in Kansas Territory escalating, the Underground Railroad isn''t running. Can Charlie and his family keep Lizzie safe until she can escape from Kansas?

A boy who hates being a slave joins the Union Army to fight for freedom, and proves himself brave and capable of handling a mule team when the need arises.

Read about the importance of cotton in America''s history and learn about the lives of people who picked it and worked with it.

Susan B. Anthony was taught that girls and women could do anything boys and men could do--if only they were allowed. She fought for a woman''s right to own property, hold down a job, and, more importantly, vote. Full color.

As a young boy, Charles Darwin hated school and was often scolded forconducting “useless” experiments. Yet his passion for the natural world was so strong that he suffered through terrible seasickness during his five-year voyage aboard The Beagle. Darwin collected new creatures from the coasts of Africa, South America, and the Galapagos Islands, and expanded his groundbreaking ideas that would change people''s understanding of the natural world. About 100 illustrations and a clear, exciting text will make Darwin and his theory of evolution an exciting discovery for every young reader.

One penny. In the hot, mean summer of 1933, a penny is enough to buy caramels or red hots or peppermint sticks or licorice strings. Is it enough to buy Miss Elsie''s Strawberry Farm? There''s only one way to find out. Davey takes a deep breath and shouts, "One penny for Strawberry Farm!" Set during the Great Depression, and illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Rachel Isadora, Saving Strawberry Farm brings Davey''s Midwestern town to life as friends and neighbors plan to save the farm the only way they can -- with a secret penny auction!

During the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, a mother and son shelter a young Confederate deserter.

Apples, ho! When Papa decides to pull up roots and move from Iowa to Oregon, he can''t bear to leave his precious apple trees behind. Or his peaches, plums, grapes, cherries, and pears. Oh, and he takes his family along too. But the trail is cruel -- first there''s a river to cross that''s wider than Texas...and then there are hailstones as big as plums...and there''s even a drought, sure to crisp the cherries. Those poor pippins! Luckily Delicious (the nonedible apple of Daddy''s eye) is strong -- as young ''uns raised on apples are -- and won''t let anything stop her father''s darling saps from tasting the sweet Oregon soil. Here''s a hilarious tall tale -- from the team that brought you Fannie in the Kitchen -- that''s loosely based on the life of a real fruiting pioneer. Apple Facts More than 7,500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world. About 2,500 varieties grow in the United States. The apple variety Delicious is the most widely grown in the United States. Apples are part of the rose family. The science of fruit growing is called pomology. Fresh apples float. That''s because 25 percent of their volume is air. Cut an apple in half, across the core, and you''ll see a star shape. It takes apple trees four to five years to produce their first fruit. It takes about thirty-six apples to make one gallon of apple cider.

Klondike or bust! Stowing away on the steamer "Al-Ki" was only the beginning of Davey''s daring quest to find his uncle in the Klondike. Now he''s camping in the rough-and-tumble town of Skagway, working for his photographer friend Erik Larsen, and preparing for his next challenge -- the steep, treacherous, hundreds-of-miles-long Chilkoot Trail. When Erik falls ill on the trail, Davey fears he will not be able to go on -- until he gets help from a surprising ally.

While tension over slavery grows in Kansas Territory, causing the Underground Railroad to shut down, and Papa is away, hiding from a false arrest, Charlie and his family risk everything to hide a runaway slave girl in their cabin.

As a young girl, budding astronomer Maria Mitchell dreams of searching the night sky and some day finding a new comet.

The diary of a ten-year-old girl who moves with her family in 1855 from a town on the Maine coast to rugged Turtle Island where her father is to be the lighthouse keeper.

An inspiring tale of creativity and determination on the Underground Railroad from Coretta Scott King Award winner James Ransome and acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson. Clara, a slave and seamstress on Home Plantation, dreams of freedom—not just for herself, but for her family and friends. When she overhears a conversation about the Underground Railroad, she has a flash of inspiration. Using scraps of cloth from her work in the Big House and scraps of information gathered from other slaves, she fashions a map that the master would never even recognize. . . . From the award-winning author-illustrator team of Deborah Hopkinson and James Ransome, this fictional tale of the Underground Railroad continues to inspire young readers 25 years after its original publication. "Inspiring." —The New York Times "A triumph of the human spirit." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

O segundo livro da série ''Quem Foi?'' apresenta Charles Darwin e suas teorias e descobertas para o público infanto-juvenil. A proposta de imersão no universo de Darwin é reforçada por ilustrações, verbetes e uma bibliografia sugerida no final da obra.