Best Selling Books by Shannon Smith

In 1854 in Eastern Maryland twelve-year-old Ann is a slave, grateful that her family is still all together; but when their master, in need of money, decides to sell Ann and her younger brother, their parents decide to take the dangerous step of running away north to freedom--a journey filled with danger, especially since they are not sure how to find the first station on the Underground Railroad.

Twelve-year-old Lena is aware of racism, but she lives a comfortable life in the segregated but relatively wealthy Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma; but on May 31, 1921 racial tensions explode, and men from downtown Tulsa invade Greenwood, set on killing and destroying the district--and as the violence escalates Lena, her parents, and her older sister search desperately for a safe place to hide from the mob.

In 1851 twelve-year-old Sarah is a free Black, happy living with her parents, grandparents, and brother on their own farm in Iowa; but her father has been bitten by the gold bug and wants to take the trail west to California, and after some argument it is decided that the the grandparents will stay on the farm, but the rest of the family will go; the journey will be difficult and dangerous, but if they survive extreme weather, difficult terrain, illness, and the racism of others in the group there may be a better life waiting for them at the end of the trail. Includes nonfiction material on the Oregon Trail, a glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts.

In 1864 twelve-year-old former slave Charlotte is lucky enough to live on a plantation near Richmond, Virginia, owned by a Miss Van Lew, who hates slavery, and when Charlotte overhears a conversation she realizes that her mistress is gathering information and passing it on to the Union army; Charlotte is eager to help, (especially since her own cousin, Mary, is involved) but her enthusiasm may endanger them all--or help free 400 Union soldiers who are being moved from Richmond further south. Includes historical note, glossary, and discussion questions.

Third-grader Azaleah Lane has been chosen STEM lab monitor for the week, but on her first day Harry the lab guinea pig gets out of his cage and escapes, and Azaleah has to figure out a strategy to locate where in the room he is hiding and catch him; but she also has another problem--how to get Terrance to listen to Rose, Jamal, and herself and work with the group on their Rube Goldberg machine project.

When Jazmine and Jason''s younger brother''s bike gets stolen, they team up to compete in a treasure hunt TV competition so they can use the prize money to replace it. But when they realize they have different strengths and different competing styles, the treasure hunt becomes more challenging than they ever imagined. Will they be able to work together long enough to take home the prize?

From Nikki Shannon Smith, author of Stranded, comes a story of the Titanic, family, survival, and the secrets we hide from those we love. Colette only wants three things: to prove she isn''t weak, to get a job, and to uncover the mystery surrounding her father. All her life she''s heard that he died in a factory accident, but she''s haunted by dreams of bitter cold and a sea of stars -- and part of her knows it''s somehow connected to him. Colette is not to work, is not to leave the house, and is to never speak of her father. But when Colette secretly gets a job, she becomes fascinated by the stories that Walter, the store owner, tells. He was aboard the Titanic before it sank. He saw the ship fall beneath the waves and watched as his brother perished in the sea. His memories bewitch Colette in a way she can''t explain. She''s drawn to the Titanic, and the more she learns, the more intense her dreams become. Then the stock market crashes. As things get desperate, Colette clings to Walter''s stories -- especially the ones about a man he knew who shared her father''s name. But then Walter reveals a truth that changes Colette''s life and identity forever. Can Colette live the life she''s lived all these years, knowing the truth now? Can she forgive her mother for lying to her? What if the repercussions of the truth are more daunting than secrets? Her memories aboard the Titanic will be the key to the life she''s always been denied. Seamlessly weaving between the Great Depression and a journey aboard the Titanic, Nikki Shannon Smith tells a story about what it means to survive, and all those we leave behind to do so.

Matthew is a young African-American boy who dreams of becoming an Olympic runner like his hero, Jesse Owens. There''s one big problem, though Matthew has asthma, which makes it hard for him to run. When his journalist father is assigned to cover the 1936 Olympics in Germany, Matthew jumps at the chance tag along. He has never been out of Ohio before, let alone to Europe. Will Owens''s amazing Olympic victories inspire Matthew in his own chosen career?

One storm. One winter. One girl''s fight for survival. A contemporary My Side of the Mountain, Stranded is the story of a wilderness-hungry Black girl from Manhattan whose journey in the Adirondack mountains becomes a nail-biting story of courage, independence, and survival. Nature-loving Ava yearns to leave the noise of New York City behind for a real adventure in the great outdoors—that’s why she’s thrilled when her parents allow her to move in with her Auntie Raven in the Adirondack Mountains! It’s a dream come true . . . until Auntie Raven is called away and Ava''s stay is cut short. But when wires get crossed, Ava finds herself alone in her aunt''s secluded cabin. Winter comes early in the mountains, and one night, a single storm will change everything. With a destroyed cabin, no cell reception, and no neighbors for miles, Ava begins to realize this adventure is more than she ever could have imagined. Surrounded by mountains blanketed with snow and ice, Ava is completely on her own. It’s the ultimate test . . . and her newly-developed survival skills may not be enough for her to last through the winter. Ava might not be able to fight the cold and the storms that come her way, but can she work with nature long enough to survive it?

Includes discussion questions, writing prompts, and instructions on making a diorama.

It''s almost Christmas! Count down the days with festive activities in this next installment in the Brown Baby Parade series. It’s 10 days ‘til Christmas! We set up our tree— ornaments, twinkling lights, pretty as can be. It’s 10 days ’til Christmas! A little girl and her family prepare by putting up the tree, wrapping presents, baking delicious treats, and much more. Read along as they count down to Christmas Day! Nikki Shannon Smith''s soothing, rhythmic text and Letícia Moreno''s warm, welcoming illustrations pair beautifully to create heartwarming scenes of Black and brown babies in everyday life. The many seasonal activities will allow kids to relate no matter how their families celebrate!

Thirteen-year-old Noelle feels like the luckiest girl in the world to be cruising the Atlantic aboard the famed Titanic. The trip is made even better by her new friend, Pauline, a girl who is traveling with her father to live in America. The girls spend the first days of the journey exploring, but on the fifth night, Noelle awakes to a sinking ship. Women and children will be rescued first, and Noelle realizes motherless Pauline will be left all alone. Despite her parents'' wishes, Noelle breaks away from her family to find and help her friend. Nonfiction information, a gloassary, and reader response questions make up the back matter of this Girls Survive story.

It’s Halloween, and little friends are all dressed up! Follow along as they go from house to house, having fun and saying "Trick-or-treat!" in this second installment of the Brown Baby Parade series. It’s Halloween! Time to go—off into the night. Little friends all dressed up. They are quite a sight. A group of friends in costumes have a blast trick-or-treating from house to house. Each friend is dressed up, so you''ll see a ballerina, an astronaut, a pumpkin, and even a president! Nikki Shannon Smith''s soothing, rhythmic text and DeAndra Hodge''s warm, welcoming illustrations pair beautifully to create heartwarming scenes of brown babies in everyday life. The varied costumes on children of diverse skin tones allows these kids to envision themselves in any costume they like!

Baby and Daddy are taking a walk in their neighborhood! Read along as they say hello to their friends and celebrate their community in this next installment of the Brown Baby Parade series that''s perfect for ages 0-3. Baby’s home with Daddy. He wants to take a walk. They have friendly neighbors, who like to wave and talk. The neighborhood is bustling with friends who are planting, playing baseball, blowing bubbles, and more! Read along as Baby and Daddy say hi to them all! Nikki Shannon Smith''s soothing, rhythmic text and Tamisha Anthony''s warm, welcoming illustrations pair beautifully to create heartwarming scenes of everyday life. The joyful depiction of a diverse community will allow children to see themselves and encourage them to interact with their own neighborhood!

It’s time for some Easter fun! Read along as a young girl spends Easter Sunday with her family in this next installment of the Brown Baby Parade board book series that''s perfect for ages 0-3. I quickly spy a pink egg. But guess what? There are more! We have to keep on hunting, much harder than before. A little girl and her family celebrate Easter by visiting loved ones, eating a special meal, and going on an Easter egg hunt. Nikki Shannon Smith''s bouncy, rhythmic text and Ashley Evans''s vivid, welcoming illustrations pair beautifully to create heartwarming scenes of everyday life. The joyful depiction of a Black family celebrating Easter traditions together will allow children to relate no matter how they celebrate!