Clara and Davie

Clara and Davie
Author: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 40
Release: 2017-02-28
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 0545692970

From the bestselling author, the true story of young Clara Barton and the big brother who supported and encouraged her in the face of adversity. Animals and flowers were Clara’s best friends. She had a special way with critters and found joy in the beauty that sprang from the soil. But whenever Clara talked, her words didn’t come out right. As hard as she tried, she could not get over her lisp. Clara’s older brother Davie understood that his sister was gifted. When folks made fun of Clara’s stilted words, Davie was always at her side reminding her that she had a talent for healing creatures. Davie told his sister, “Some day you are going to be a very great lady.” And that’s exactly what happened. Clara Barton became one of the most famous medical practitioners of all time and founded the American Red Cross. Praise for Clara and Davie “Drawing once again on her family history, Polacco shares the story of a distant relative . . . Polacco's characteristic mixed-media illustrations are lively and evocative, and the winter scenes are especially appealing. This heartwarming story of sibling devotion and overcoming obstacles will whet readers' interest and lead them to further study.” —School Library Journal

Show Way

Show Way
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 49
Release: 2005-09-08
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0399237496

Winner of a Newbery Honor! Soonie's great-grandma was just seven years old when she was sold to a big plantation without her ma and pa, and with only some fabric and needles to call her own. She pieced together bright patches with names like North Star and Crossroads, patches with secret meanings made into quilts called Show Ways -- maps for slaves to follow to freedom. When she grew up and had a little girl, she passed on this knowledge. And generations later, Soonie -- who was born free -- taught her own daughter how to sew beautiful quilts to be sold at market and how to read. From slavery to freedom, through segregation, freedom marches and the fight for literacy, the tradition they called Show Way has been passed down by the women in Jacqueline Woodson's family as a way to remember the past and celebrate the possibilities of the future. Beautifully rendered in Hudson Talbott's luminous art, this moving, lyrical account pays tribute to women whose strength and knowledge illuminate their daughters' lives.

What Miss Mitchell Saw

What Miss Mitchell Saw
Author: Hayley Barrett
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 44
Release: 2019-09-03
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1481487604

Discover the amazing true story of Maria Mitchell, America’s first professional female astronomer. Every evening, from the time she was a child, Maria Mitchell stood on her rooftop with her telescope and swept the sky. And then one night she saw something unusual—a comet no one had ever seen before! Miss Mitchell’s extraordinary discovery made her famous the world over and paved the way for her to become America’s first professional female astronomer. Gorgeously illustrated by Diana Sudyka, this moving picture book about a girl from humble beginnings who became a star in the field of astronomy is sure to inspire budding scientists everywhere.

I Am Darn Tough

I Am Darn Tough
Author: Licia Morelli
Publisher: Tilbury House Publishers and Cadent Publishing
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2020-09-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0884487822

Girls (and boys!) can become stronger and more resilient simply by realizing how strong and resilient they already are, and running provides a pathway to that realization. Programs like Girls on the Run (which serves more than 200,000 girls each year, through 200 councils, across all 50 states) help kids discover their inner reservoirs of fortitude. Such programs address the whole child when she most needs a counterbalance to harmful stereotypes of who she should be and how she should act. In the words of participants, “Girls on the Run made me realize that I am the boss of my brain.” “At Girls on the Run I learned how to be comfortable in my own skin!” Refusing to quit, overcoming weariness, skinned knees, and self-doubt to finish a cross-country run, the resolute narrator of I Am Darn Tough realizes that she is stronger than she thought, inside and out. I Am Darn Tough shapes the Girls on the Run philosophy into a beautifully illustrated narrative to inspire any child, anytime, who wants to run toward greater confidence in themselves.

Brave Girl

Brave Girl
Author: Michelle Markel
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2013-01-22
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 9780061804427

The true story of the young immigrant who led the largest strike of women workers in U.S. history. This picture book biography about Ukrainian immigrant Clara Lemlich tackles topics like activism and the U.S. garment industry. The art, by Caldecott Honor winner Melissa Sweet, beautifully incorporates stitching and fabric. A bibliography and an author's note on the garment industry are included. When Clara arrived in America, she couldn't speak English. She didn't know that young women had to go to work, that they traded an education for long hours of labor, that she was expected to grow up fast. But that didn't stop Clara. She went to night school, spent hours studying English, and helped support her family by sewing in a shirtwaist factory. Clara never quit, and she never accepted that girls should be treated poorly and paid little. Fed up with the mistreatment of her fellow laborers, Clara led the largest walkout of women workers the country had seen. From her short time in America, Clara learned that everyone deserved a fair chance. That you had to stand together and fight for what you wanted. And, most importantly, that you could do anything you put your mind to. This picture book biography about the plight of immigrants in America in the early 1900s and the timeless fight for equality and justice should not be missed.

When Ruth Bader Ginsburg Chewed 100 Sticks of Gum

When Ruth Bader Ginsburg Chewed 100 Sticks of Gum
Author: Mark Weakland
Publisher: Capstone
Total Pages: 33
Release: 2018
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 151583039X

A picture book presentation of the childhood and youth of U.S. Supreme Court judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Desmond and the Very Mean Word

Desmond and the Very Mean Word
Author: Desmond Tutu
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Total Pages: 37
Release: 2013-11-12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0763667978

Based on a true story from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s childhood in South Africa, Desmond and the Very Mean Word reveals the power of words and the secret of forgiveness. Features an audio read-along read by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. When Desmond takes his new bicycle out for a ride through his neighborhood, his pride and joy turn to hurt and anger when a group of boys shout a very mean word at him. He first responds by shouting an insult, but soon discovers that fighting back with mean words doesn’t make him feel any better. With the help of kindly Father Trevor, Desmond comes to understand his conflicted feelings and see that all people deserve compassion, whether or not they say they are sorry. Brought to vivid life in A. G. Ford’s energetic illustrations, this heartfelt, relatable story conveys timeless wisdom about how to handle bullying and angry feelings, while seeing the good in everyone.

Haunted Memphis

Haunted Memphis
Author: Laura Cunningham
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 125
Release: 2009-09-15
Genre: History
ISBN: 1625842686

“Spine-tingling ghost stories . . . Thrilling tales of the Bluff City’s past” (Memphis Reads). Much like its muddy riverbanks, the mid-South is flooded with tales of shadowy spirits lurking among us. Beyond the rhythm of the blues and tapping of blue suede shoes is a history steeped in horror. From the restless souls of Elmwood Cemetery to the voodoo vices of Beale Street, phantom hymns of the Orpheum Theatre and Civil War soldiers still looking for a fight, peer beyond the shadows of the city’s most historic sites. Author and lifelong resident Laura Cunningham expertly blends fright with history and presents the ghostly legends from Beale to Bartlett, Germantown to Collierville, in this one-of-a-kind volume no resident or visitor should be without. Includes photos! “There are plenty of places in Memphis to go where the spirits aren’t in costume or getting paid to make you scream. Laura Cunningham reveals all the terrifying details in [ Haunted Memphis].” —WREG.com

One Green Apple

One Green Apple
Author: Eve Bunting
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Total Pages: 37
Release: 2006-06-12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0547350112

Farah feels alone, even when surrounded by her classmates. She listens and nods but doesn’t speak. It’s hard being the new kid in school, especially when you’re from another country and don’t know the language. Then, on a field trip to an apple orchard, Farah discovers there are lots of things that sound the same as they did at home, from dogs crunching their food to the ripple of friendly laughter. As she helps the class make apple cider, Farah connects with the other students and begins to feel that she belongs. Ted Lewin’s gorgeous sun-drenched paintings and Eve Bunting’s sensitive text immediately put the reader into another child’s shoes in this timely story of a young Muslim immigrant.