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Sophie admired Jean-Pierre Blanchard, the first man to cross the English Channel in a hot air balloon. She would marry him and become the first woman to first fly solo in a balloon after her husband’s death. Colorful illustrations dramatically bring 18^th century France to life; when coupled with an action-paced text Sophie and her bravery come into crisp focus.

Since little is known about the real Amelia Simmons, the author invites readers to imagine what became of her after her father’s death. Amelia would become a “bound girl,” to work for others. She may have made an Independence Cake perhaps tasted by General George Washington! The colonial period is clearly imagined here in illustration and lively text, complete with a cake recipe.

Drasko is Milo’s son who carries on his father’s flower business even after things in Sarajevo change seemingly overnight. Milo is called to the battlefield. A blast kills people in line at the bakery. Only the power of beauty through music brings hope. Based on actual events, this moving story is one of faith in spite of hatred and violence.  A CD read by the author provides additional information about the event and includes the music played by cellist Vedrun Smailovic.

Visually stunning and informative, Ali’s early life, how it influenced him, as well as his many accomplishments are presented. Dramatic illustrations are enhanced by the presentation of text in different typefaces. A timeline concludes this brief biography.

Callie is interested in science and wants to be a veterinarian so she practices when the local vet is away. But it was tougher in the early 20^th century when girls couldn’t do everything that they do today. Callie, however, helps a prize sheep give birth and more in the latest, lively and engaging installment about Callie and her family. From the Calournia Tate, Girl Vet series.

The humble and sometimes abused copper penny tells its own story in this humorous combination of fact and fantasy. It begins, “I was born in Philadelphia, where the United States was born” and continues revealing its adventures small and historical. Cartoon illustrations in simple line and real pennies augment the combination of fiction and information. The penny’s history and additional resources conclude this entertaining book.

Fifth-grade Maria and her younger brother live with their parents on a farm in Yuba City, California near the end of World War II. Their father is from India, their mother from Mexico. Maria loves to play baseball and is encouraged by her teacher but confronts other problems. Will their field be destroyed? Will the family lose their home? Both humorous and poignant, readers will gain a sense of the period and many of the issues that feel very contemporary. 

Lyrical poems introduce a “variety of amazing people …” including Pura Belpre became a New York librarian. She offered “Two Languages at the Library.” Tomas Rivera wrote “Courageous Poetry” and became the first Latino leader at the University of California.  Each short piece is accompanied by a striking portrait. This handsome, accessible volume concludes with a bit of additional information about each subject. 

Four young people come together at the Metropolitan in New York City on the very day that Pearl Harbor is bombed. Their quest involves Arthurian legend, creepy villains, and a bit of magic in this well-paced, riveting narration will be enjoyed by sophisticated listeners.

Marshall Taylor’s bike stunts get him a job at the famous Indiana bike shop Hay and Willits. But he’s meant for even bigger things — namely the 1899 World Cycling championship — where his skin color attracts as much attention as his domination on the racetrack.

Malala’s story is one of the resilience that comes from strong conviction. It is told through a present tense narrative and dramatic, vivid, stylized illustrations. The early life of the girl and her supportive family, her struggle against the Taliban and her ultimate recovery from a murder attempt is further enhanced by extensive back matter which includes photographs and additional information and resources. 

The true story of a mother, her four daughters, one son, and a handsome white cat named Kunkush is a journey out of war-torn Iraq to resettle in Norway. It is also the tale of valiant volunteers who reunite Kunkush with his brave family after being separated during the grueling jouney. Richly hued, realistic illustrations accompany the straightforward text. Photos of the family, Kunkush, and the volunteers conclude the book.

Long ago, a bespectacled boy dreamed of color in his drab industrial French town. Henri’s world exploded with color when, as an adult, he was given a box of paints. The contrast in Henri’s life is brought to life through straightforward text and black and white illustrations juxtaposed with those brilliantly hued to evoke the artist’s recognizable style.

Early experiences brought the inequality of America into focus for young Joan, a white southerner.  So she became an activist in the Civil Rights Movement. Joan was a Freedom Rider, joined the sit-ins, attended the March on Washington in 1963, and even met Martin Luther King, Jr. Her story is part of a much broader story, presented in dramatic images, photographs, and actual documents from Joan’s memorabilia (e.g., an arrest record and a letter from a Mississippi jail to Joan’s mother).

Jean-Michel Basquiat, an American artist born of a Haitian father and a Brooklyn born mother of Puerto Rican decent, became known as an artist whose work effectively made social commentary. The original illustrations call to mind Basquiat’s visual style while presenting his life and unique work, which broke old tenets of art to became popular in the 1980s.

An introduction brings the Harlem Renaissance into focus, followed by a description of a particular form of poetry. Original “Golden Shovel” poetry by Grimes is interspersed with poetry by poets of the period including Langston Hughes, Jean Toomer, and Countee Cullen. Full-color art by a range of contemporary African American illustrators is interspersed in this small, handsome book. Additional information about the poets and artists concludes this unique collection.

Photographs — many taken during the event and on site — document the 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his now-famous “I Have a Dream” speech. A lucid text provides information about the Civil Rights Movement, general information about the period, and its impact. The images, however, have their own power even without the worthy narration. 

John Lewis, son of a sharecropper, grew up to become an activist and later, a U.S. Congressman. His life and crucial role in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement is dramatically presented in word and image in graphic format in three volumes (March: Book Two (opens in a new window) and March: Book Three (opens in a new window)). The story of the young John Lewis can be shared with children as young as four years in the picture book biography, Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis written by Jabari Asim, illustrated by E.B. Lewis.

The saga of Mildred, a young African American, and Richard, a white teen, who met and fell in love in their Virginia town, is poetically told in an open, strikingly handsome format. Mildred and Richard’s courage to stand up for their right to marry and live where they wanted took them all the way to the US Supreme Court. Their struggle will be best appreciated by sophisticated readers. The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage (opens in a new window) by Selina Alko and Sean Qualls presents the family’s story for younger children, a picture book for children from 6-8 years old. 

Original documents from an early 19^th century Southern estate that appraised enslaved Africans provided the inspiration for original poems and powerful, full-page paintings of eleven individuals who were bought and sold. The result is very moving — portraits in poetry and image of enslaved people whose lives, aspirations, and hopes have been mostly anonymous — until now.

Join the rhythmic countdown to Sunday afternoon, the one time when enslaved Africans in 19^th century Louisiana could relax in what became known as New Orleans’ Congo Square. Vibrant paintings, reminiscent of Jacob Lawrence, further enliven the portrait of people as they toiled daily, culminating on Sunday. An introduction provides historical insight and perspective of this little known part of American history.

In 1958, photographer Art Kane gathered up a who’s who of jazz musicians on a New York City street for what is now an iconic image of African American artists. Original poems accompanied by vivid paintings depict the period, the people, and more. Not only is the original photo included, so are short biographies of each of the musicians as well as additional resources sure to inspire further exploration.

Writer extraordinaire, Walter Dean Myers, created original poetry to accompany selections of late 19^th (perhaps early 20^th) Century monochromatic photographs of African American children. The result is a handsome, sepia-toned album of poems and pictures that not only read aloud well but also capture the universal joys of children and childhood. 

Growing up is never easy, not even when one is on a path to the White House. Though each of these guys grew up to become a U.S. President, each had regular kid problems like dealing with bullies and being a klutz. Humorously illustrated, each vignette reminds readers that those who became Presidents are not unlike themselves.