This Coretta Scott King Honor Book about the Negro National Baseball League in the 1940s is now available in paperback. Reginald loves to play his violin, but his father needs him to be the bat boy for his baseball team, the Dukes. Who would think that Reginald's music is just the inspiration needed to lead the Dukes to victory? Full color.

When Benjamin Franklin decides to quit, it's up to the Blast to the Past friends to find him and get history back on track in this sixth book in the Blast to the Past series. Abigail and her friends can't believe it--Babs Magee has finally convinced someone to quit, and that someone is Benjamin Franklin! Not only is he an important Founding Father, he invented the lightning rod, bifocals, and more ...

In 1858 Texas, people are violently divided over a law that makes it a crime to help runaway slaves. When an escaped slave saves Caleb's life, he must decide if he can break the law and risk his life to repay the debt.

A moving story with the father's struggles mirrored in Jackie Robinson's experiences on the baseball field. Powerful!

A moving story with the father's struggles mirrored in Jackie Robinson's experiences on the baseball field. Powerful!

At fourteen Langston is uprooted from his home in rural Alabama to post-war inner-city Chicago. He is utterly lost with no friends or family for comfort and only his overworked father to help him through the difficulties of city living. But one day running from ever-present bullies, he accidentally finds his first oasis, a public library, where he begins to find himself.

While recounting the details of this historical movement, the author leaves readers with a deep respect for the courage shown by the people involved. An engrossing and inspiring read! A note from the author regarding terminology in the book: "Many words have been used to describe people of color. I use 'black' and 'African American' interchangeably and with equal respect in the pages that follow. ...

Joe and John Henry do everything together, from shooting marbles to shelling butterbeans. But when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is passed and the town pool is opened to blacks and whites alike, the two boys discover that the workers have filled in the pool with tar. This picture book is based on the author's own childhood growing up in rural Alabama and Mississippi. Full color.

Louis relies upon his father's words of wisdom when a runaway slave and her two children come looking for safe passage. In this newest title in the Tales of Young Americans series, Whelan beautifully creates a suspenseful coming-of-age story while illuminating a difficult time in America's past. Illustrations.

A beautiful message conveyed here: true freedom allows for the right to be a servant to others.

He plays in the quietest spot on the baseball field. He bats last. Can Mo really help his team? A story of triumph that will have young readers cheering for a lovable character.

While this is meant to honor the role of the black soldier during World War I, the irony in some of the text's prose and the saturated dark illustrations bring it just short of a celebration. Jim Reese, the charismatic leader of the band of musical players, eventually-turned Harlem Hellfighters - the 369th Infantry Regiment, embodied the soulful passion, talent, bravery, courage, and plight of thi ...

When normal-sized Hewitt is born into the Anderson family--a family of giants--the Andersons' lives are turned upside-down. It's up to Hewitt to show all the generations of the Andersons the power of being small. Full color.

Eight-year-old J.D. turns a tragic home haircut into a thriving barber business in this hilarious new illustrated chapter book series J.D. has a big problem--it's the night before the start of third grade and his mom has just given him his first and worst home haircut. When the steady stream of insults from the entire student body of Douglass Elementary becomes too much for J.D., he takes matters ...

"This simple and sincere tale of working up courage to face fears makes quite a splash." -- Kirkus Reviews Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He's finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he's a great jumper, so he's not scared at all. "Looks easy," says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes ba ...

When his best friend, Gloria, receives a new bicycle, seven-year-old Julian spends the summer avoiding her because of his fear of bikes.

The Blast to the Past gang gets the chance to impact civil rights when they meet Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and give him their vote of confidence in this fourth book in the Blast to the Past series. It's another exciting Monday for Abigail, Zack, Jacob, and Bo--they are going to jump back to the past to meet Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.! The kids need to convince Dr. King not to get discouraged a ...

Raven and Ellison tell the true story of an all-black Little League team formed in 1955 in segregated Charleston, South Carolina, that was not allowed to participate in the Little League World Series.

During a heavy rainstorm in 1930s rural Mississippi, a ten-year-old white boy sees a bus driver order all the black passengers off a crowded bus to make room for late-arriving white passengers. Then, in the driving rain, disaster strikes and Jeremy witnesses a shocking end to the day's drama.

First grader Harry and Mr. George Baker, an African-American jazz drummer, share a special bond revealed through Harry's descriptive, first-person observations. The biggest connection the two share is that they're both learning to read. Full color.