Sacagawea, the Shoshoni woman who helped guide Lewis and Clark on their famed expedition, tells her life storyWhen Sacagawea's son asks her about her life, she isn't sure where to begin. Does she start with her birth as a Shoshoni? Her kidnapping by an enemy tribe at age eleven? Or her role as the famous guide for the Lewis and Clark expedition? She's seen and experienced more in her young life than most people ever will.Told from Sacagawea's point of view, ...

Can the advice of an eleven-year-old girl help get Abraham Lincoln elected president?As the election of 1860 nears, eleven-year-old Grace and her family are working hard to help Abraham Lincoln win. After seeing his image on a poster, Grace decides to write to him and suggest that growing a beard might win him more votes. Much to her surprise, Lincoln answers her letter, and she becomes a neighborhood celebrity.When the president-elect's victory train passe...

A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People and recipient of the Florida Sunshine Award: In this absorbing chapter book, Ahyoka helps her father, Sequoyah, unlock the mystery of "talking leaves" to create the Cherokee alphabetAhyoka is the daughter of Sequoyah, a silversmith who has given up most of his trade to focus on his true passion. He longs for the day when the Cherokee people can communicate to one another from afar and document the history of their...

The big purchase that led to fundamental questions about what America would becomeIn 1803 President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from the French for $15 million, extending the United States beyond the Mississippi River for the first time.Now the United States had big questions to answer: How would Louisiana be governed? How would it be divided? Would it be comprised of free states or slave states? What would happen to the Native Americans?...

A young reader's history of the famous document that set America on the course to freedomMany kids have heard of the Declaration of Independence, but few know the story behind the people and events that helped forge it. They may know about Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, but do they know the roles that Patrick Henry and Thomas Gage played in setting fire to a revolution? This is the story of how the men and women of thirteen British colonies came to declare ...

A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People: A firsthand account of Christopher Columbus's famous voyage to the East, taken directly from his journal entriesChristopher Columbus had a dream—to reach the fabled lands of the East, rich with spices, jewels, silver, and especially gold. Having studied the travels of other explorers, Columbus was convinced he could reach his destination by traveling west across the seas. After convincing Queen Isabella and King ...

A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People and a C. S. Lewis Noteworthy book: A rich history of the pilgrim experience, as recorded in real diariesNearly four hundred years after the pilgrims left England in search of a better life, their stories still resonate with Americans today. In this account, the pilgrims' own writings of their adventures and hardships are brought to life for young readers.This touching account shows the pilgrims' voyage on ...

A teenage girl questions her principles after her brother is captured during the Revolutionary WarFourteen-year-old Samantha Byrd is an excellent shot—she's even better than her brother at providing food for her family. Although the winds of war are blowing in Virginia, she knows that she could only ever use her skill for hunting—not for hurting another person.When the Revolutionary War finally begins, her brother is captured, and Samantha sets off to rescue...

A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People: The tale of the famous expedition of Lewis and Clark, condensed from their own eight-volume journals for young historiansLewis and Clark's famous 1804 expedition was told with great detail by the explorers themselves in an eight-volume account. Now young historians have the opportunity to learn the thrills, challenges, and adventures in a version accessible for them. Two years' worth of entries are condensed into...

American history comes alive for young readers in this collection of richly detailed narratives ranging from Christopher Columbus to Abraham Lincoln.These "direct and surprisingly accessible" histories, often told in the actual words of key figures from the American past, are a brilliant blend of fact and imagination ( Publishers Weekly) .I, Columbus: A firsthand account of Christopher Columbus's famous voyage to the East, taken d...

The story of the ten-year-old boy who becomes captain of a shipAfter his mother's death, young David Glasgow Farragut is forced to leave home to live with Captain Porter and his wife. During the War of 1812, Captain Porter is posted to the Essex, and he chooses to bring David with him to fight the British Navy. At ten years old, David is the youngest midshipman ever assigned to a warship in the US Navy. On board, Farragut must not only learn about life at s...

Inspired by a true story from Maya Angelou’s childhood, this expertly researched and luminously illustrated picture book explores how a beloved mentor helped young Maya rediscover the poetry of self-expression and the power of her voice.Maya Angelou loves words. She whispers, “caterpillar green,” just to paint the color in her mind. Her tongue played with “pandemonium” to enjoy its rhythm. She sings the Negro national anthem and recites the poetry of Paul Laurence ...