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.
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.
All of his life, Dwyane Wade has been meeting challenges. His parents separated when he was an infant. When he was six, he had to leave his mother's home because of her drug abuse. While living with his father, Dwyane learned basketball but not academics. Because of Dwyane's low test scores, only three colleges recruited him. But after starring for two seasons at Marquette University, Dwyane left college early to enter the NBA draft in 2003. Although Dwyane was overshadowed in the draft by superstars LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, the young star has put together an exceptional NBA career. He led Miami to an NBA championship in 2006, won a scoring title in 2009, and was a key player when the Heat won a second championship in 2012. But Dwyane also remembers his roots, giving back to the community through his charitable Wade's World Foundation.
This is a collection of biographies of Maria Mitchell, Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Bethenia Owens-Adair, Linda Richards, Marian Anderson, Margaret Bourke-White, and Jackie Cochran.
This book presents the diary of Gertrud Schakat Tammen who grew up in Germany during World War II. This portion of her diary relates her experiences as World War II began.
Throughout his life, basketball superstar Earvin “Magic” Johnson has met both challenges and opportunities with perseverance and leadership. Dubbed "Magic," Johnson blazed a spectacular career in basketball. His play with the Los Angeles Lakers as point guard alongside center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, as well as his epic rivalry with the Boston Celtics’ forward Larry Bird, marked a legendary era in the NBA. In 1991, Magic announced he had tested positive for HIV, a virus that can lead to the life-threatening disease AIDS, and was retiring from basketball. Little was known then about HIV/AIDS and its prevention. His declaration shocked the public but succeeded in putting a familiar and much-admired face on a disease that was shrouded in fear and prejudice. Magic Johnson's legacy includes his inspirational work as an advocate for the prevention of HIV and the still-incurable disease AIDS through his own foundation, which provides programs for HIV/AIDS education and prevention, including testing and safe sex practices.
Perhaps no two people in history exemplify the spirit of invention better than brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright. Born in the Midwest in the late 1800s, Orville was exceptionally good at creating mechanical devices, and Wilbur had a genius for ideas. The turn of the 20th century came during an age of invention and technological development. Inspired by a fierce worldwide competition to be the first to invent a machine that could fly and be controlled by a pilot, the Wright brothers tested and refined several prototypes. At last, on December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, they achieved their pioneering flight. The brothers went on to develop machines and controls that made possible powered, fixed-wing flights and laid the foundation for pilot-controlled aviation as we know it today. They also founded the Wright Company, which built airplanes for the rising new industry of commercial aviation. Had Wilbur not died at the early age of 45, who knows what else the innovative pair might have accomplished.
A samurai fights for honor and survival in a real-life Game of Thrones. Stirring narrative nonfiction recounts the rise of Minamoto Yoshitsune from seemingly doomed infant to immortal warrior-hero (and one of the most famous samurai in Japanese history). Acclaimed author Pamela S. Turner delivers all the drama, romance, and tragedy of the original story--with delightfully dry wit and a healthy dose of modern perspective. Gorgeous ink paintings by celebrated graphic-novelist Gareth Hinds complete this irresistible package.
Julius Caesar was a major figure in the ancient Roman Empire. He was a talented leader and had a very successful military career. Caesar upset many people by making himself a dictator. The members of the Senate decided he was too powerful and decided to kill him. Not long after his death, the republic ended and Rome became an empire.
This title examines the remarkable life of Barack Obama. Readers will learn about his childhood, education, community organizer work, and law career. Obama's entry into politics is discussed in detail, including his rise from state senator to the first African-American president of the United States. Obama's family life and societal contributions are also covered. Color photos and informative sidebars accompany easy-to-read, compelling text. Features include a timeline, facts, additional resources, web sites, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. Essential Lives is a series in Essential Library, an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company. Grades 6-9.
José Bautista solo ha pertenecido a las Ligas Mayores por unos cuantos años, pero ya ha tenido una carrera sorprendente en el béisbol. Ha sido parte del Juego de las Estrellas, ha ganado varios premios, y ha ganado millones de dólares. ¡Bautista ha logrado más de 50 home runs en una temporada! A sus seguidores les encanta ver como saca la pelota fuera del campo. Conozca como Bautista pasó años en las Ligas Menores antes de lograr llegar a las Mayores y su ascenso hasta llegar a ser uno de los más grandes bateadores del deporte de la pelota caliente. ¡Entérese de lo que se requiere para ser una superestrella del béisbol!
This title examines the remarkable lives of Chris DeWolfe and Tom Anderson, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jack Dorsey and their work building the groundbreaking social networking companies MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. Readers will learn about Page and Brin's backgrounds and education, as well as their early careers. Also covered is a look at how these social networking companies operate and issues they face, such as responding to negative feedback, facing competition, and developing new tools and applications for users. Color photos, detailed maps, and informative sidebars accompany easy-to-read, compelling text. Features include a timeline, facts, additional resources, web sites, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. Technology Pioneers is a series in Essential Library, an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company.
A biography of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, examining his design influence and development of the Prairie School style, as well as some of his most famous structures.
A biography of Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo, examining his masterful commissions and papal relationships, as well as some of his most enduring works.
A biography of Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, examining his contributions to the Post-Impressionist style and his early death, as well as many of his greatest paintings.
A biography of German-born composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, examining his European travels and interest in opera, as well as some of his greatest compositions.
Combining biographical profiles with poetry selections, this revised and updated selection of Voices in Poetry highlights the extraordinary lives and talent of some of the world’s most influential poets. From Shakespeare’s classic love sonnets to Hughes’s songs of the African American experience, this series introduces readers to six unique poetic voices from multiple perspectives by featuring full-length poems or excerpts from larger works and examinations of the author’s style and thematic material. This title provides an exploration of the life and work of 20th-century American writer E. E. Cummings, whose poetry is known for its combination of innovative, artistic style and traditional rhyme and meter.
Combining biographical profiles with poetry selections, this revised and updated selection of Voices in Poetry highlights the extraordinary lives and talent of some of the world’s most influential poets. From Shakespeare’s classic love sonnets to Hughes’s songs of the African American experience, this series introduces readers to six unique poetic voices from multiple perspectives by featuring full-length poems or excerpts from larger works and examinations of the author’s style and thematic material. This title provides an exploration of the life and work of 19th-century American writer Edgar Allan Poe, whose poetry is known for its lonely and macabre themes, songlike rhythms, and sense of longing.
Combining biographical profiles with poetry selections, this revised and updated selection of Voices in Poetry highlights the extraordinary lives and talent of some of the world’s most influential poets. From Shakespeare’s classic love sonnets to Hughes’s songs of the African American experience, this series introduces readers to six unique poetic voices from multiple perspectives by featuring full-length poems or excerpts from larger works and examinations of the author’s style and thematic material. This title provides an exploration of the life and work of 20th-century American writer Langston Hughes, whose poetry is known for its accounts of the African American experience and its call to racial equality.
Combining biographical profiles with poetry selections, this revised and updated selection of Voices in Poetry highlights the extraordinary lives and talent of some of the world’s most influential poets. From Shakespeare’s classic love sonnets to Hughes’s songs of the African American experience, this series introduces readers to six unique poetic voices from multiple perspectives by featuring full-length poems or excerpts from larger works and examinations of the author’s style and thematic material. This title provides an exploration of the life and work of 16th-century English writer William Shakespeare, whose poetry is known best for its sonnet form as well as its transcendent descriptions of love.
Combining biographical profiles with poetry selections, this revised and updated selection of Voices in Poetry highlights the extraordinary lives and talent of some of the world’s most influential poets. From Shakespeare’s classic love sonnets to Hughes’s songs of the African American experience, this series introduces readers to six unique poetic voices from multiple perspectives by featuring full-length poems or excerpts from larger works and examinations of the author’s style and thematic material. This title provides an exploration of the life and work of 19th-century American writer Walt Whitman, whose poetry is known for both its passionate celebration of American life and its direct, speechlike style.
