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Richly hued illustrations and an engaging text (that reads aloud well) present a brief look at the life of a girl who was well ahead of the 19^th century in which she lived. Ada’s mother left her husband, the philandering poet Lord Byron, moving to London. There she encouraged Ada’s passion for all things math, including developing algorithms for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, an early computer.

Kids ages 9 to 14 will enjoy reading about important American events and places, from colonial Williamsburg to famous battles of the Civil War to the Gold Rush to the Korean War. Just because it’s in the past doesn’t mean it has to be boring. COBBLESTONE magazine takes kids on a journey through history that is designed to excite their imaginations and bring the past to life!

A full cast voices this production which brings to life the summer of 1964 and the changes that were taking place in Greenwood, Mississippi.

The author retells the saga of Hiawatha who with the Peacemaker was instrumental in creating the federation of tribes, known as the Great Iroquois Nation. Dramatic illustrations evoke mystery and drama to complement the straightforward narration. An author’s note concludes this sophisticated, unique and handsome book.

Harriet Powers was born into slavery but learned a great deal about fabric and quilting which she used when freed after the Civil War. Her story unfolds in upbeat illustrations and informative text. An author’s note provides additional insight into the artist and her quilts.

History is made up of moments. Twenty-eight moments revealed in poetry, well-known quotes, and more and rich, swirling illustration are presented – one for each of the days in Black History Month. This creative presentation, however, amply demonstrates that African American history is worth sharing all year.

Baseball was very popular in 1900 but it was played mostly by boys.  In a small state in a small town in New England, however, a girl named Lizzie was going to change that. Lizzie’s natural skill at the sport was evident early on and she (with the support of her family) stuck with it to become the Queen of Baseball. Buoyant illustrations and readable text combine to present an upbeat story of this early female athlete.

A cat, now a mummy, explores the pyramid in search of his much-loved owner, they young queen, Hatshepsut. Stylized illustrations effectively present ancient Egypt, its hieroglyphics, and the affection between a pet and its owner. Back matter introduces mummies as well as to the period and place in which they were used.

A mother tells her child the story of the real Winne, the true story of how a young veterinarian left his native Canada to fight during the First World War. The bear cub he found became a part of his military before finding a more permanent home and inspired a childhood classic. Gentle illustrations depict the fondness between the man and bear and that shared by mother and child pictured in spot illustrations. Factual information about Harry Colebourn is included as an album. Another book about how Winnie-the-Pooh came to life is presented by Sally Walker in Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh with gentle watercolor illustrations. (2016 Caldecott Medal Winner)

How the times in which people live is reflected in what they wear is presented in a crisp text and loads of illustration. Readers travel through time beginning with fashions seen in hieroglyphics to the space age. Well organized and engaging, this is sure to inform as well as intrigue – and perhaps inspire further exploration of history or fashion.

Poor Mary Mallon did not realize that she carried a disease that might (and sometimes did) kill the families for whom she cooked. How the early 20^th century medical mystery was solved is presented in a well-researched, spellbinding narrative. In addition, Gail Jarrow’s Fatal Fever: Typhoid Mary (Calkins Creek) focuses on those responsible for tracing Mary.

Listen to the “groove” as readers make their way through the history of Motown, the people who made and performed it, and the times in which it was performed. The history of Motown is inextricably tied to the history of African Americans in the U.S. and is presented here in vivacious narrative and extended by images of the time. Source notes and other back matter complete the riveting portrait.

This episode details the time when Benjamin Franklin was in France and how he explained the mysterious cures proffered by Dr. Franz Mesmer. The light touch in a format reminiscent of a graphic novel makes the snippet of history accessible and appealing. Source notes complete the book.

Delphine is now twelve years old in this third (and final book) about her, and her younger sisters. The girls are sent to Alabama where they are supposed to come to know their grandmother, great grandmother, and other family members. Instead, the girls are caught up in a family feud and learn that adults, too, have issues. Things change radically when Vonetta goes missing during a tornado. Family history and sibling loyalty are strong themes in this engaging conclusion. 

It’s 1953 and 11-year-old Penny dreams of a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. This coming-of-age story is populated by a cast of vivid family characters and it explores the things that tear them apart and the things that bring them back together. The book includes an Author’s Note with photographs and additional background on World War II, Internment camps, and 1950s America.

Twelve-year-old tomboy May Amelia Jackson, the youngest of seven children and the only girl in a Finnish immigrant family, lives in the wilderness along the Nasel River in Washington State in 1899. Through May Amelia’s travels, readers witness the diverse ways of life in the expanding West: peaceful relations with the Chinook Indians, the dangers posed by the neighboring logging camp, her aunt’s life in the nearby boomtown of Astoria, Oregon, as well as the rhythms of the seasons.

Orphaned at birth, Lanesha has second sight, giving her the ability to see her mother’s ghost. She also senses an impending storm which will devastate New Orleans and that her grandmother won’t survive. How Lanesha stays alive and the people she meets and helps along the way — plus a bit of magic realism — create a compelling read. See the two other two books in the Louisiana Girls Trilogy, Bayou Magic (opens in a new window) and Sugar (opens in a new window).

Cornelius Washington was proud of his hometown, New Orleans. His job as a sanitation worker was important before Hurricane Katrina devastated the city but became even more important after when Cornelius worked with others to help restore it. Textured illustrations and a hope-filled narrative combine fact with fiction for a moving look at a catastrophic event.

Linda Blackmon was the youngest person to march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, during the Civil Rights Movement. An informal tone in an open, heavily illustrated format provides insight into the time and events, sure to spark discussion among readers.

In the early 20th century, an Irish woman named Mary Mallon worked as a cook. The New York home in which she operated was struck with typhoid fever to become the first of many incidents. The story of the cook who became known as Typhoid Mary is presented as a medical mystery which introduces the time and its history in a riveting narrative.

A poetic form called the “clerihews” was established in 1890. It’s the short form used to briefly present presidential factoids that are sometimes irreverent but always humorous and based in fact. Each four-line poem is accompanied by a black and while line caricature of the president to magnify the humor.

In 1924, four biplanes from the United States were the first to circumnavigate the world. The journey is presented through well-researched narrative in a handsome format and highly illustrated with maps, period graphics, and photographs. The epilogue concludes the amazing trip where it started — in Seattle, Washington — where a memorial to the flyers remains.

Jack and Annie are transported back to Normandy, France, when Europe is in danger of falling to the Germans and the D-Day invasion is about to begin. Though necessarily simplified, this adventure gives an age appropriate introduction to WWII. “Track the Facts” concludes this “super edition” of the popular Magic Tree House series.

Learn tidbits of information about our 16th President, the times in which he lived and more. Brief entries for each letter of the alphabet present Lincoln the man and the president. Detailed illustrations are both informative and humorous.