Synopsis: A paperback picture book based on the true story of Wangari Maathai, an environmental and political activist in Kenya and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Wangari was surrounded by trees. But years later when she returns home, she is shocked to see whole forests being cut down, and she knows that soon all the trees will be destroyed. So Wangari decides to do something--and starts by planting nine…

Synopsis: Martin Luther King, Jr. grew up in the South and learned about racism. He became a leader and taught the world about equality. Follow his story and learn why we still celebrate a man and his dream today.-p.4 of cover.

Synopsis: Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first African American child to integrate a New Orleans school with this paperback reissue! The year is 1960, and six-year-old Ruby Bridges and her family have recently moved from Mississippi to New Orleans in search of a better life. When a judge orders Ruby to attend first grade at William Frantz Elementary, an all-white school, Ruby must face angry mobs of parents who refuse to send their children to…

Synopsis: A brief introduction to the life of Harriet Tubman, who spent her childhood in slavery and later worked to help other slaves escape north to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

Synopsis: Susan B. Anthony may be an international icon but her campaign for women’s rights had personal roots. Working as a school teacher in New York, Anthony refused to settle for less pay than her male colleagues which ignited her lifelong devotion to women’s equality. Anthony toured the United States and Europe giving speeches and publishing articles as one of the most important advocates of women’s rights. Learn more about the woman behind the…

Synopsis: An elementary biography of one of the first leaders of the campaign for women's rights who helped organize the women's suffrage movement.

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: 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: Born into slavery in Maryland in 1818, Frederick Douglass was determined to gain freedom--and once he realized that knowledge was power, he secretly learned to read and write to give himself an advantage. After escaping to the North in 1838, as a free man he gave powerful speeches about his experience as a slave. He was so impressive that he became a friend of President Abraham Lincoln, as well as one of the most famous abolitionists of the…

Synopsis: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in 1869 in British-occupied India. Though he studied law in London and spent his early adulthood in South Africa, he remained devoted to his homeland and spent the later part of his life working to make India an independent nation. Calling for non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights around the world. Gandhi is recognized internationally as a…

Synopsis: Learn about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with this inspiring children's book, perfect for reading together as a family. From acclaimed artist Faith Ringgold, the Coretta Scott King and Caldecot Honor winning creator of Tar Beach.Faith Ringgold brings her own voice and artistic vision to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the history of the civil rights movement. Illustrated with the dramatic folk-modern paintings for which…

Synopsis: The remarkable true story of how former slave Isabella Baumfree transformed herself into the preacher and orator Sojourner Truth, an iconic figure of the abolitionist and women's rights movements.Written in the fiery and eloquent voice of Sojourner Truth herself, My Name Is Truth will captivate readers just as Sojourner's passionate words enthralled her listeners.The text by acclaimed author Ann Turner and the paintings from award-winning…

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…