Synopsis: The story of Ashley Martin, a cancer patient, written by her classmates after her death at the age of ten.

Synopsis: The dramatic and unforgettable story of a girl and a family caught up in the turbulent days of the Depression from Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott Kind Award-winner Christopher Paul Curtis. "We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful." This is the motto of Deza Malone's family, but the road is getting rocky.     Deza is the smartest girl in her class, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But the Great Depression hit…

Synopsis: Coretta Scott King Honor winner Brenda Woods introduces introverted, daydream-prone Zoe, who’s afraid her real life will never be as exciting as her imaginary one.   Zoe Reindeer considers herself “just Zoe”—never measuring up to her too-perfect older sister or her smarty-pants little brother. Truthfully, though, she’d rather just blend in with the plants at the family business, Doc Reindeer’s Exotic Plant Wonderland. She does have one friend, Q…

Synopsis: "Bound to be a series that will appeal to fans of fast-paced mysteries."--SLJ Not many sixth-graders work undercover for the NYPD, but Edmund Xavier Lonnrot, code name Eddie Red, is not just any sixth-grader. A "near-death ice cream experience" lands him as a material witness in the police station with his dad, where the NYPD first discovers Eddie's photographic memory and uncanny sketch-artist abilities. Things get dangerous when Eddie is…

Synopsis: Full color by Eleanor Mill. In this now classic story about a black family, shy Mary Jo shares her father at Show and Tell.

Synopsis: Born into slavery, young Harriet Tubman knew only hard work and hunger. Escape seemed impossible - certainly dangerous. Yet Harriet did escape North, by the secret route called the Underground Railroad. Harriet didn't forget her people. Again and again she risked her life to lead them on the same secret, dangerous journey.

Synopsis: Describes the early life and career of Harriet Tubman, whose childhood name was Minty, and who's dreams of escaping slavery on the Brodas plantation in the late 1820s came true.

Synopsis: At the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics, track and field star Jesse Owens ran himself straight into international glory by winning four gold medals. But the life of Jesse Owens is much more than a sports story. Born in rural Alabama under the oppressive Jim Crow laws, Owens's family suffered many hardships. As a boy he worked several jobs like delivering groceries and working in a shoe repair shop to make ends meet. But Owens defied the odds to …

Synopsis: The story of eleven-year-old Cammy, who must come to grips with the sudden death of her cousin and rival, Patty Ann. "Another wise, beautifully written book from this well-established master."--Kirkus Being cousins doesn't mean you'll be friends.... Cammy loves her family -- except for her cousin Patty Ann. Though she knows she shouldn't feel this way, she can't help it. Patty Ann is too perfect to like, too perfect to be a friend. Then one day…

Synopsis: In this essential autobiographical account by one of the Civil Rights Movement’s most powerful figures, Melba Pattillo Beals of the Little Rock Nine explores not only the oppressive force of racism, but the ability of young people to change ideas of race and identity. In 1957, well before Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Melba Pattillo Beals and eight other teenagers became iconic symbols for the Civil Rights Movement and the…

Synopsis: Digby is getting old. She can't run and play much anymore. But Digby is still a very good dog. She is good at waiting, watching and understanding. Best of all, Digby is a faithful friend -- and she will never be too old for them!A little boy wants to play with his dog, Digby. His sister says Digby is too old to play catch. But if Digby can’t run and jump, there are other things she can do now. In a spare, simple text, Barbara Shook Hazen…

Synopsis: Born a slave in Maryland, Harriet Tubman knew first-hand what it meant to be someone's property; she was whipped by owners and almost killed by an overseer. It was from other field hands that she first heard about the Underground Railroad which she travelled by herself north to Philadelphia. Throughout her long life (she died at the age of ninety-two) and long after the Civil War brought an end to slavery, this amazing woman was proof of what…

Synopsis: When the second graders are assigned a riddle to solve, Maria pairs up with the new student, Pete, and together they discover the answer to the riddle and become friends.

Synopsis: Award-winning poet, author, playwright, historian, songwriter, singer, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, and civil rights activist: Dr. Maya Angelou needs no introduction. She is a true American icon—and now she is the first living poet included in Sterling’s celebrated Poetry for Young People series. Twenty-five of her finest poems capture a range of emotions and experiences, from the playful “Harlem Hopscotch” to the prideful “Me…

Synopsis: Find out about the life of Rosa Parks and how her actions in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955 helped end racial segregation in America.  This book follows the same standards as other National Geographic Readers with the same careful text, brilliant photographs, and fun approach that kids love. The life story of Rosa Parks has enduring lessons to teach us and this biography should appeal to kids, parents, and teachers.

Synopsis: Now in paperback - an important moment in history is presented in a cumulative format, accessible to the youngest readers. In 1955, a young woman named Rosa Parks took a big step for civil rights when she refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white passenger. The bus driver told her to move. Jim Crow laws told her to move. But Rosa Parks stayed where she was, and a chain of events was set into motion that would eventually change the course…

Synopsis: Bob Marley's songs are known the world over for their powerful message of love, peace, and harmony. Now a whole new generation can discover one of his most joyous songs in this reassuring picture book adaptation written by his daughter Cedella and exuberantly illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton. This upbeat story reminds children that the sun will always come out after the rain and mistakes are easily forgiven with a hug. Every family will…

Synopsis: Around the time of WWI, large numbers of African Americans began leaving their homes in the rural South in search of employment in the industrial cities of the North. In 1940, Lawrence chronicled their journey of hope in a flowing narrative sequence of paintings."This stirring picture book brings together the sixty panels of Lawrence's epic narrative Migration series, which he created in 1940-1941. They tell of the journey of African-Americans…

Synopsis: Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick presents a gripping yet poignant novel about a 12-year-old boy and his dog who become trapped in New Orleans during the horrors of Hurricane Katrina.Zane Dupree is a charismatic 12-year-old boy of mixed race visiting a relative in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits. Unexpectedly separated from all family, Zane and his dog experience the terror of Katrina's wind, rain, and horrific flooding. Facing death…

Synopsis: A best-selling author and illustrator pay tribute to the power of language and intergenerational bonds.George Baker and Harry don’t seem the likeliest of friends. Yet, sitting side by side on George’s porch, waiting for the school bus to come, the two have plenty in common, this hundred-year-old musician with the crookedy fingers going tappidy on his knees and the young schoolboy whose shoelaces always need tying. They’re both learning to read,…