FIRST GIRL SCOUT:
The Life of Juliette Gordon Low

Now available!

Just in time for the 100th Anniversary of the Girl Scouts in 2012, a lavishly illustrated account of the fascinating life of the woman who started it all.

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ANNIE OAKLEY

Annie Oakley was a farmer's daughter from Ohio who became a famous sharpshooter and performer.  She toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and performed in Great Britain for Queen Victoria. (Ages 8 and up)

Published by Lerner Publications / Barnes & Noble Books

Selected for the 2009 California Collections. CALIFORNIA READERS

 

CESAR CHAVEZ

With illustrations by Mark Schroder

Migrant farm workers led difficult lives. They worked long hours, lived in small, dirty shacks, and were barely paid enough to survive. Cesar Chavez was one of these workers.  In the 1960s and '70s, he helped form a farm workers union and led strikes and marches that forced the landowners to increase wages and improve working conditions.  Chavez inspired those around him and proved that it was not necessary to resort to violence to produce change. (Ages 7 and up)

Published by Carolrhoda Books

Available in Spanish language edition.

 

 

 

BENJAMIN BANNEKER

With illustrations by Craig Orback

Gazing up at the stars, Benjamin Banneker longed to understand how and why things worked as they did.  In a time when most black Americans were slaves, Banneker lived a life of freedom and became known as America's first black man of science. (Ages 7 and up) 

Published by Carolrhoda Books

An Outstanding Trade Book for Students K-12, NATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION AND CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL

 “ . . . a noteworthy contribution to literature that can stimulate interest in practical science and science careers for children of all colors."  SCIENCE BOOKS AND FILMS

“ . . .  realistic oil paintings assist the author in her clear account of a significant scientific pioneer."  CONTRA COSTA TIMES

 

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS

It all began on December 17, 1903.  Orville and Wilbur Wright, brothers and best friends, were at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.  They were ready to test the Flyer.  With Orville at the controls, the Flyer lifted off shakily, under its own motor power, and flew for twelve seconds.  Wilbur took his turn next, soaring above the sand dunes.

The Wright Brothers had built and flown the world's first airplane.  They changed the way we travel around the world. (Ages 8 and up)

Published by Lerner Publications / Barnes & Noble Books

Selected for the 2008 California Collections. CALIFORNIA READERS

 

LAURA INGALLS WILDER, Storyteller of the Prairie

Laura Ingalls was a pioneer girl—traveling in a covered wagon with her family all over the Midwest. The Ingalls family faced drought, grasshopper plagues, and blizzards, but they also had many happy times of celebration. When Laura was in her sixties, she started writing about her pioneer childhood. These stories became the classic series known as the "Little House" books. (Ages 9 and up)

Published by Lerner Publications

 

LAURA INGALLS WILDER, (On My Own)

With illustrations by Shelly O. Haas

As a girl, Laura Ingalls Wilder was always telling stories, just like her Pa.  And she kept telling stories.  Many years later, she decided to write down some of her childhood memories.  This easy-to-read "On My Own" biography captures the story of the brave pioneer girl who grew up to write many books that are still popular today. (Ages 7 and up)

Published by Carolrhoda Books

 

JOHN BURROUGHS, The Sage of Slabsides

In the late 1800s and early 1900s naturalist John Burroughs often walked in the New York woods, then returned home to write essays about what he observed.  His involvement in the early stages of the modern conservation movement led to unique friendships with Walt Whitman, John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. The Burroughs Medal, the most prestigious award for natural history writing, is given annually in John Burroughs's name. (Ages 9 and up)

Published by Clarion Books: Find this book at your local library or a previously-owned book outlet like Abebooks.

Selected as a 1998 Book for the Teenager by the New York Public Library

"A thoughtful, well-illustrated life of the naturalist who wrote his best-known essays at Slabsides, his rustic cabin in New York State" THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

 

SUSAN BUTCHER, Sled Dog Racer

Called "The Last Great Race on Earth," the Iditarod Sled Dog Race has won acclaim across the globe. Officially, it is in commemoration of the diphtheria serum run of 1925. From the gold rush, to the serum run, to the race's competitors, it honors the colorful heritage of the trail and memorializes the heroes and legends made there.

The over 1,100 miles of Iditarod Race trail passes through the roughest, most stunning terrain nature has to offer.  Susan Butcher won this race four times. (Ages 9 and up)

Published by Lerner Publications: Find this book at your local library or a previously-owned book outlet like Abebooks.

" . . . provides dramatic descriptions of the races, interspersed with information on how the woman raises and trains her dogs." SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

 

JOHN MUIR, Wilderness Protector

Anyone who has ever visited one of the national parks in the United States knows of the beauty and grandeur of the American wilderness. Because of the influence of John Muir, these places still exist.

A self-taught botanist and geologist, Muir explored much of North America on foot, and in the late 19th century began writing about what he saw. His writings were instrumental in the creation of our national park system as well as the Sierra Club. (Ages 10 and up)

Published by Lerner Publications: Find this book at your local library or a previously-owned book outlet like Abebooks.

"The Mountains are calling me and I must go."  JOHN MUIR

Selected for 1992 John Burroughs List of Best Nature Books for Young Readers

"Worthy of Special Note" from 1993 Jefferson Cup Awards by Virginia Library Association: " . . . [an] excellent and accessible biography."

"With photographs of his life and his beloved Yosemite, this biography, through expressive language, captures Muir’s life, journeys, and values." THE HORN BOOK GUIDE (Recommended Rating)

 

RACHEL CARSON, Voice for the Earth

Rachel Carson was a soft-spoken marine biologist whose first books about the sea inspired public appreciation of ocean life. When her fourth book, Silent Spring, was published in 1962, the response was anything but silent. The book aroused public anger of the reckless use of pesticides and heightened worldwide awareness of the need to protect our fragile environment. Silent Spring is still a classic and one of the most influential books written in the 20th century. (Ages 10 and up)

Published by Lerner Publications

A SSLI Best Book in Science

"Worthy of Special Note" from 1993 Jefferson Cup Awards by Virginia Library Association: " . . . notable for both its illustrations and superb text."

"Wadsworth does an admirable job illuminating her subject’s life . . . Written in a lively style." THE HORN BOOK GUIDE (Superior Rating) 

“ . . . successfully conveys the story of Carson's life and her powerful ecological message."  SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

 

JULIA MORGAN, Architect of Dreams

From the turn of the century until her retirement in 1951, San Francisco Bay Area architect Julia Morgan designed more than 700 buildings. Her work ranged from Hearst Castle in San Simeon in California to private homes and public buildings. Yet she was an elusive, secretive person who shunned publicity. Today she is acknowledged as the most extraordinary woman in the history of American architecture. (Ages 10 and up)

Published by Lerner Publications

"My buildings will be my legacy . . . they will speak for me long after I am gone."  JULIA MORGAN

A SSLI Best Book

A NCSS/CBC Notable Trade Book

An ACL Distinguished Book

"Written in extremely readable and entertaining style, this biography reveals the story of a very private, extremely caring, and unusually talented woman. APPRAISAL

"Wadsworth’s portrait of Morgan is respectful and enthusiastic. This handsome book . . . will appeal to younger readers interested in architecture . . . and in pioneering women of great accomplishment." NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW