Brings to light 12 forgotten Americans who made history such as Mary Elizabeth Bowser who pretended to be a slave so she could spy on a powerful Confederate family; Dave Kopay who was the first professional athlete to publicly declare he was gay; Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were used to create treatments for cancer, HIV, and many other diseases; and more. The book features historic photos, interesting sidebars, and thought-provoking prompts.
Brings to light 12 forgotten war stories such as George Washington's Immortals, a group of citizen-soldiers from Maryland who changed the course of the American Revolution; Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic who saved the lives of an estimated 2,500 Jewish children during the Holocaust; and more. The book features historic photos, interesting sidebars, and thought-provoking prompts.
Introduces readers to inspiring immigrants whose art contributions made our country great. From Jamaica's Claude McKay whose poetry sparked an art movement, to Greece's Chryssa whose neon sculptures lit up New York, to Venezuela's Tina Ramirez who created a new voice in the dance world, each profile is presented in a clear, historical context with an emphasis on their legacies.
Introduces readers to inspiring immigrants whose medicine contributions made our country great. From Australia's Elizabeth Blackburn who discovered an enzyme in chromosones, to England's George Clowes who worked to establish chemotherapy as a treatment for cancer, to Lithuania's Andrew Schally who studied the growth of nerve cells in cancerous tumors, each profile is presented in a clear, historical context with an emphasis on their legacies,.
Introduces readers to inspiring immigrants whose technology contributions made our country great. From Scotland's Alexander Graham Bell, founder of Bell Telephone and AT&T, to South Africa's Elon Musk, founder of aerospace manufacturer SpaceX and auto company Tesla, to Austria's Maria Telkes, best known for her invention of the first solar-powered heating system, each profile is presented in a clear, historical context with an emphasis on their legacies.
Introduces readers to inspiring immigrants whose political contributions made our country great. From Austria's Felix Frankfurter who served on the Supreme Court and started the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), to Czechoslovakia's Madeleine Albright, the first woman to hold the postion of Secretary of State, to Thailand's Tammy Duckworth, who became the first woman elected to Congress who was hurt fighting for America, each profile is presented in a clear, historical context with an emphasis on their legacies,.
Introduces readers to inspiring immigrants whose american military contributions made our country great. From Sweden's John Ericsson who was a naval engineer and inventor of the first armoured turret warship and screw propeller, to Russia's Igor Sikorsky who was an engineer and inventor known for crafting the first four-engine plane and the first working helicopter, each profile is presented in a clear, historical context with an emphasis on their legacies.
Introduces readers to inspiring immigrants whose sports contributions made our country great. From Nigeria's Hakeem Olajuwon who made his 7 foot mark playing basketball for the Houston Rockets, to Panama's Mariano (Mo) Rivera who became baseball's greatest closer, to Czechoslovakia's Martina Navratilova who was one of the world's top tennis players, each profile is presented in a clear, historical context with an emphasis on their legacies.
Introduces readers to inspiring immigrants whose science contributions made our country great. From Croatia's Nikola Tesla who helped design electrical systems, to Germany's Maria Goeppert Mayer who studied the atomic nucleus, to Austria's Hedy Lamarr who invented a radio guidance system for torpedos, each profile is presented in a clear, historical context with an emphasis on their legacies.
Introduces readers to inspiring immigrants whose entertainment contributions made our country great. From England's John Lennon who changed rock and roll music forever, to Mexico's Salma Hayek whose talents go beyond the camera, to South Africa's Trevor Noah who made his mark as comedian and late night TV host, each profile is presented in a clear, historical context with an emphasis on their legacies.
It’s not easy running one of the largest corporations in the world, but Indra Nooyi is up to the task. This low-level title takes early readers through the PepsiCo CEO’s childhood in India, all the way up to her present-day work, creating healthier snacks and a modern Pepsi design. Indra Nooyi is leading business into the future!
An accomplished lawyer and dedicated public servant, Michelle Obama goes far beyond the title of First Lady. This title explores her life before the White House, and how she used her position to make healthy living possible for kids across the United States. Learn more about this exceptional First Lady in this low-level biography!
It wasn’t long ago that pesticides threatened a national environmental crisis - until Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring turned the tide. A shy, serious girl, young Rachel became a biologist when few women went to college, and grew up to be one of the most influential scientists and writers of our time. Budding environmentalists will love this biography for early readers!
Sonia Sotomayor has been a trailblazer all her life. She’s the Supreme Court’s first Latina justice, and its third-ever woman! This low-level book explores Sonia’s childhood in the Bronx, her career as a tough-but-fair prosecutor, and her journey to the highest court in the U.S. Sonia Sotomayor’s extraordinary life shows young readers that anything is possible!
Just like her showy designs, Zaha Hadid challenges people’s ideas about what is normal. One of few female architects in a male-dominated field, Zaha fought for respect and ended up one of the most famous architects in the world! Learn about the life, achievements, and work of this ground-breaking architect in this biography for young readers.
Is there an Earth twin hiding in the stars? Sara Seager is on a mission to find out! The astrophysicist is leading the quest to explore planets beyond our solar system. Early readers can discover more about Sara’s life and scientific work in this engaging biography.
At fifteen, Emma Stone convinced her parentswith a PowerPoint presentationto let her move to Los Angeles, California, to pursue her dream of being an actress. This engaging book describes how, soon after, Emma became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, landing leading roles and winning fans with her great sense of humor and incredible talent.
At only seventeen, New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Ella Yelich-O'Connor, better known as Lorde, rocketed to international fame with her hit singles Royals and Team. This book follows her meteoric rise from being the youngest solo artist to ever achieve a Number One hit in the United States to being one of the most influential teenagers in the world today.
Meet the boys behind the new British Invasion! This exciting new biography tells the incredible story of pop group One Direction. From their start on the UK TV show X Factor to sold-out concerts, MTV Video Music Awards, and chart-topping hits, Harry, Niall, Liam, Louis, and Zayn show no signs of slowing down. The groups first album Up All Night made history as the first debut album by a British group to enter at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. Full-color photos and fascinating facts make this book a must for any Directioner.
John Muir spoke, wrote, and lived the wilderness, including taking President Theodore Roosevelt on an overnight trip to the Yosemite Valley. This trip led to Roosevelts signing into law a bill that placed Yosemite under federal control as a national park. Because of this and his founding of the Sierra Club, John Muir is credited as one of the key shapers of the modern environmental movement.
In 1974, an inventor named Victor Wouk became a man who could be described as ahead of his time. He had developed a prototype for the hybrid, a car that would become the most credible and commercially successful alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles.
Calvin Klein, a boy from the Bronx, took his first clothing line of three dresses and six coats to an appointment at Bonwit Teller, New York's department store for the wealthy. Before long, he had designed a line of jeans that sold 200,000 in a week, and he was called the "King of Clothes" by People magazine. Along the way, he became known throughout the world for the beauty of his elegantly uncluttered clothing. In partnership with childhood friend Bernie Schwartz, he built an empire around his ideas that came to include fragrances, cosmetics, underwear, and home decor. Today his clothes are recognized as classics, and his style represents the best in American design.
When Hollywood stars get married, they call on Vera Wang to dress them for their big day, because Vera makes the most beautiful wedding gowns in the world! Jennifer Lopez, Kate Hudson, Mariah Carey, and Jessica Simpson are among the thousands of brides this American designer has dressed. Born and raised in New York City, where her parents fled from the Chinese Revolution, Vera has been in the fashion industry her whole adult life. After working for Vogue magazine as a fashion editor, she opened her own store, where she sold the wedding dresses that have made her famous. Today her brand name is on perfumes, home goods, jewelry, shoes, and eyeglasses, and her delightful style is available to everyone through her lower-price line, called Simply Vera.
Wayne Gretzky, known to millions of hockey fans as "The Great One," wasn't the biggest, fastest, or strongest hockey player ever, but he was without a doubt the best so far. When he retired from play in 1999, the National Hockey League retired his jersey number as well and inducted him into the NHL Hall of Fame immediately, without the customary waiting period. Wayne's great talent was his ability to read the game and consistently make the right moves, earning him records for scoring year after year. The Great One started playing hockey on an ice rink in his backyard as a little boy in Canada, practicing before and after school and even after eating dinner with his skates on! His life tells the story of how far hard work and smart thinking can take a kid from Brantford, Ontario.
Trader Marco Polo was one of the first Europeans to travel to China, staying away from his homeland in Italy for 24 years before returning. After he came back to Italy, Marco wrote of his travels and adventures in East Asia in his book Il Milione, sharing his tales with other Europeans. Polo changed the way Europeans saw the world by opening their eyes to the wonderful culture and people of China. Learn the story of one of the worlds most famous explorers and traders in Marco Polo: 13th-Century Italian Trader.
