Children's Middle Grade Books / Biography Best Sellers

Author-illustrator Vashti Harrison shines a bold, joyous light on black men through history in this #1 New York Times bestseller. An important book for readers of all ages, this beautifully illustrated and engagingly written volume brings to life true stories of black men in history. Among these biographies, readers will find aviators and artists, politicians and pop stars, athletes and activists. The exceptional men featured include writer James Baldwin, artist Aaron Douglas, filmmaker Oscar Devereaux Micheaux, lawman Bass Reeves, civil rights leader John Lewis, dancer Alvin Ailey, and musician Prince. The legends in Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History span centuries and continents, but each one has blazed a trail for generations to come.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Meet the little leaders. They''re brave. They''re bold. They changed the world. Featuring 40 trailblazing black women in history, this book educates and inspires as it relates true stories of women who broke boundaries and exceeded all expectations, including: Nurse Mary Seacole Politician Diane Abbott Mathematician Katherine Johnson Singer Shirley Bassey Bestselling author and artist Vashti Harrison pairs captivating text and beautiful illustrations as she tells the stories of both iconic and lesser-known female figures. Among these biographies, readers will find heroes, role models, and everyday women who did extraordinary things.

Rush Revere rides again! Saddle up with Rush Limbaugh's really good pal for a new time-travel adventure. "Whoa there, young historians! Before we go rush, rush, rushing off anywhere, I'd like a moment. I'm Liberty, Rush Revere's loquacious equine companion -- his trusty talking horse! Always at the ready to leap from the twenty-first century into America's past, that's me. When he says 'Let's go!' I'm so there. I'm jazzed, I'm psyched, I'm --" "Ah, excuse me, Liberty?" "Yeah, Rush?" "Usually you say 'oh no, not again!' and 'while we're in colonial Boston, can I try the baked beans?'" "Okay, fine -- you do the talking. I'll just be over here, if you need me." Well, he's sulking now, but I couldn't be your tour guide across time without Liberty! His name says it all: the freedom we celebrate every July Fourth with fireworks and hot dogs (and maybe some of those baked beans). But how did America get free? How did thirteen newborn colonies tell the British king where he could stick his unfair taxes? Jump into the bustling streets of Boston in 1765, where talk of revolution is growing louder. I said LOUDER. You'll have to SHOUT to be heard over the angry cries of "Down with the king!" and "Repeal the Stamp Act!" that fill the air. You'll meet fierce supporters of liberty like Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and my idol, Paul Revere, as they fearlessly defy British rule. It's an exciting, dangerous, turbulent, thrilling time to be an American. Exceptional young patriots like you won't want to miss a minute. Let's ride! - Publisher.

A brief biography of the Commander-in-Chief of the American forces during the Revolution and first President of the new country.

Lincoln's Last Days is a gripping account of one of the most dramatic nights in American history—of how one gunshot changed the country forever. Adapted from Bill O'Reilly's bestselling historical thriller, Killing Lincoln, this book will have young readers—and grown-ups too—hooked on history. In the spring of 1865, President Abraham Lincoln travels through Washington, D.C., after finally winning America's bloody Civil War. In the midst of celebrations, Lincoln is assassinated at Ford's Theatre by a famous actor named John Wilkes Booth. What follows is a thrilling chase, ending with a fiery shoot-out and swift justice for the perpetrators. With an unforgettable cast of characters, page-turning action, vivid detail, and art on every spread, Lincoln's Last Days is history that reads like a thriller. This is a very special book, irresistible on its own or as a compelling companion to Killing Lincoln.

Life as a boy band.

When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Salva becomes separated from his family and must walk with other Dinka tribe members through southern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in search of safe haven. Based on the life of Salva Dut, who, after emigrating to America in 1996, began a project to dig water wells in Sudan.

With the first cup of tea you are a stranger. With the second . . . a friend. With the third cup of tea, you are family. In 1993, Greg Mortenson tried to climb K2, which is the second highest mountain in the world. On the way down, he became lost in the mountains of Pakistan and stumbled into a poor village. There, the village chief and his people offered Greg even more than three cups of tea: they nursed him back to health. Moved by their kindness, he promised to return and build a school for their children. This is the story of that promise's extraordinary result. Despite death threats, a kidnapping, and more, Mortenson has built over sixty schools-especially for girls-in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He has dedicated his life to promoting peace through education, one child at a time. It was announced in 2010 that US President Barak Obama would be dividing the Nobel Peace Prize money between several charitable organisations, one of which is that founded by Greg; The Central Asia Institute. Weblink to the news as follows: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/03/obamas-nobel-prize-money-going.html?hpid=news-col-blog