Search Results
Select any highlighted title for detailed information about that resource.
Social Studies
Social Studies > anthropology
    Bodies from the Ash:Life and Death in Ancient Pompeii
      With the help of detailed photographs, the author describes how historical fact is established by excavating and reconstructing the volcanic site of Pompeii.
      Author: Deem, James M. HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Breaking Ground, Breaking Silence
      In 1991, New York's long-ignored African Burial Ground was rediscovered. The description of what scientists found there and how they pieced together information about life serves as a backdrop for stories of life for African Americans in Colonial New York
      Author: Hansen, Joyce, & McGowan, Gary HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts
      "Drawing on extensive historical and anthropological research, personal accounts, and interviews of people who work in the funeral industry, Penny Colman examines... death and burial across cultures and societies" (dust jacket). Appendices include a chron
      Author: Colman, Penny HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Fortune's Bones
      A powerful poem, written in the form of a requiem, recovers the life and reconstructed history of a skeleton used by a Dr. Porter to teach anatomy in Waterbury, Connecticut. The format places author's notes across from sections of the poem told by differ
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    If America Were a Village
      Smith uses the a village of 100 people to represent the 306 millions living in the US today. Facts and illustrations create a snapshot of who we are and what we do. This book helps to define America's diversity by shrinking it to a village of 100 people
      Author: Smith, Davei J HSE Descriptors: math | social studies | language arts - writing

    Indian Winter, An
      In 1833, a German prince and his servant and a Swiss artist traveled up the Missouri River Valley recording their contacts with the Mandan Sioux in journals and sketches. Russell Freedman stimulates the reader's curiosity through well-researched text and
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Library Book, The
      Although the title is a clever pun, this book recounts the history of storing language from tablets to information systems, highlighting famous libraries in the process. Side bars include additional facts and many web sites are included in the resources.
      Author: Sawa, Maureen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Secrets of a Civil War Submarine
      The discovery in 1995 and the subsequent slow scientific recovery of the Civil War submarine USS Hurley from the Charleston harbor reads like a mystery story. Photographs, archival material, author's note, footnotes, bibliography, glossary, and suggested
      Author: Walker, Sally HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Written in Bones
      This thoroughly researched book explores human history through the study of bones. Maps, photographs, and archival materials illustrate the text. The text is complex and the print small.
      Author: Bahn, Paul HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

Social Studies > anthropology > cultures
    Adventures of Marco Polo, The
      The author recounts the 13th Century life and exploration of the famous Venetian, Marco Polo. The fascinating illustrations reflect the style of the time and place of each segment of the story. The author includes ample supplemental information on the a
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    African Princess
      Illustrated with paintings, photographs, and artifacts, six biographies tell us about royal African women from Ancient Eygpt to the present: Hatshepsut of Egypt; Njinga of Matamba; Taytu Tetal of Ethiopia; Amina of Zaria; Tata Ajache of Dahomey; and Eliz
      Author: Hansen, Joyce HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Ancient Cliff Dwellers of Mesa Verde, The
      The Anasazi, "the ancient ones" in Navajo, had a unique and well developed culture. Around 1300, they simply vanished. Today, their home (Mesa Verde) is a national park. This carefully researched text recreates the Anasazi's way of life and explores th
      Author: Arnold, Caroline HSE Descriptors: social studies

    And the Soldiers Sang
      A fictional story about the 1914 Christmas Truce of WW I when Allied and German soldiers came together in friendship on the battle field. Illustrated in graphic novel style haunting artwork, the writing cuts through the gloomy circumstances with examples
      Author: Lewis, J. Patrick HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Ashanti to Zulu
      Each letter of this alphabet book describes a different African culture. It is meant as a reference or resource book, but the fabulous illustrations create a lively African world.
      Author: Musgrove, Margaret

    Black Star, Bright Dawn
      Bright Dawn, a teenaged Eskimo girl, takes her father's place in the grueling Iditarod, the 1000-mile dogsled race through the cold wilds of Alaska. In the process, she learns about herself, her family, and her culture.
      Author: O'Dell, Scott

    Bog Bodies
      The discovery of the Lindow Man in a bog in England in 1984 provides the structure for the archeological and anthropological study of human remains found in bogs. The author includes a map, source notes, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index that are
      Author: Buell, Janet HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Bread, Bread, Bread
      The photos and very easy text show/tell of people eating bread all over the world.
      Author: Morris, Ann

    Breaking Ground, Breaking Silence
      In 1991, New York's long-ignored African Burial Ground was rediscovered. The description of what scientists found there and how they pieced together information about life serves as a backdrop for stories of life for African Americans in Colonial New York
      Author: Hansen, Joyce, & McGowan, Gary HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Buried in Ice
      The authors explore the mysterious fate of Sir John Franklin's failed expedition to find the Northwest Passage in 1845. Sections of fictionalized history alternate with present-day, first-person narrative of the scientific search for answers. A glossary
      Author: Beattie, Owen & Geiger, John HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess, Page
      Tobias, an 11-year-old boy, goes to serve as a page for a year in his uncle's castle in 13th Century England. Notes for the Reader contains additional historical information.
      Author: Platt, Richard HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - writing

    Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters
      This story describes the customs used in both the plantation house and the slave quarters during the Christmas season during slavery years. The amount of detail--even recipes and songs are included--is unusual, and yet the book flows well and makes compe
      Author: McKissack, Patricia & McKissack, Frederick HSE Descriptors: social studies

    City of Angels: In and Around Los Angeles
      20 places or events in Los Angeles are briefly described. Each is accompanied by cartoon-like illustrations. A chronology of interesting tidbits of LA history concludes the book.
      Author: Jaskol, Julie & Lewis, Brian HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Come Go With Me: Old-timer Stories from the Southern Mountains
      The author recorded these oral histories of "Southern Mountain" old folks over a twenty-five year period in order to preserve aspects of community that were disappearing.
      Author: Thomas, Ray Edwin (collected by)

    Dogsong
      14-year-old Russel, an Eskimo, feels assailed by the modernity of his life. With the help of a wise elder, Russel learns how (and why) to make a 1400-mile dog run across his country. (Newbery Honor Book)
      Author: Paulsen, Gary HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Great Race, The
      A grandmother helps her granddaughter arrange paper cutouts of the Chinese zodiac by telling her a story of how 12 animals race to reach the Jade City. The author includes an appendix with information about the Chinese zodiac.
      Author: Bouchard, David

    History of Counting, The
      This is an accessible and interesting historical look at how and why numbers came to be. The author includes a useful glossary and index. Reviewers considered this a reference book rather than a leisure reading book.
      Author: Schmandt-Besserat, Denise HSE Descriptors: math

    House of Wisdom, The
      A true story is retold. Ishaq, a young boy in 9th century Baghdad, witnesses the "House of Wisdom," a cross between a library and an academy where books are shared and scholars come to read and exchange ideas.
      Author: Heide, Florence Parry, and Gilliland, Judith Heide HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Houses and Homes
      A fascinating photographic collection of houses in different world cultures. The photos show how colorful diverse homes and people are. There is very little text, but the index at the end identifies the location of each home.
      Author: Morris, Ann

    I Have an Olive Tree
      Colorful, stylized illustrations depict a girl and her mother as they travel back to Greece to see the olive tree her granfather left her when he died, a gift that grows in value as the story progresses.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: social studies

    I Saw Your Face
      Sketches from Tom Feelings's sketch book are used to frame a simple yet powerful poem about the "face game" played by the author with his mother that celebrates African-American heritage.
      Author: Dawes, Kwame HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - writing

    Immigrant Kids
      In this unique book, noted nonfiction writer Russell Freedman offers a rare glimpse of what it meant to be a young newcomer to America in the early 1900s.
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    In Nueva York
      This collection of short, interlocking stories depicts life in one of New York City's Puerto Rican communities.
      Author: Mohr, Nicholasa HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Indian School
      Subtitled "Teaching the White Man's Way," this book chronicles efforts to "civilize" Native American children and youth in the late 19th and early 20th century. Archival photographs, an index, a reading list, a bibliography, and a list of web sites comple
      Author: Cooper, Michael L. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Indian Winter, An
      In 1833, a German prince and his servant and a Swiss artist traveled up the Missouri River Valley recording their contacts with the Mandan Sioux in journals and sketches. Russell Freedman stimulates the reader's curiosity through well-researched text and
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Jump at de Sun
      This interesting biography of the author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston emphasizes her unique celebration of black life and language at the turn of the century when such topics were unpopular. Her niece wrote the introduction.
      Author: Porter, A. P. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Kamishibai Man
      The award-winning author/illustrator introduces the reader to the street storytelling tradition of the "paper-theater man" from his Japanese childhood.
      Author: Say, Allen

    Library Book, The
      Although the title is a clever pun, this book recounts the history of storing language from tablets to information systems, highlighting famous libraries in the process. Side bars include additional facts and many web sites are included in the resources.
      Author: Sawa, Maureen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Mama Provi and the Pot of Rice
      Mama Provi lives on the first floor of an apartment building and her granddaughter, Lucy, lives on the eighth floor. When Mama Provi heads up with a pot of arroz con pollo to comfort Lucy (who has chicken pox), a simple pot of chicken and rice is transfo
      Author: Rosa-Casanova, Sylvia

    Metropolis
      This book provides a detailed look at 10 cities, from 11th century Jerusalem to 20th century New York City. Readers will learn about culture, architecture, and everyday life over the centuries as well as historical information about the cities themselves.
      Author: Lorenz, Albert HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Midnight Zoo, The
      When their Gypsy encampment is attacked by Germans during WWII, three Romanian children flee. In an abandoned town, they find a zoo where the animals tell their stories as everyone seeks to reclaim their lives and freedom.
      Author: Harnett, Sonya HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies | language arts - writing

    Mist over the Mountains
      Memorable photographs and well-written text depict the history and present life in the geographic area known as Appalachia. The author includes a section on Further Reading.
      Author: Bial, Raymond HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Mosque
      Once again David Macaulay describes and illustrates the construction of a traditional structure, this time a fictional mosque (but similar to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul). An introduction, a map, and a glossary aid the reader in following the text.
      Author: Macaulay, David HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Mud City
      Shauzia, with her dog, has fled Afghanistan and survives on the streets of Peshawar, Pakistan, and in a refugee camp. This is the second part of a trilogy.
      Author: Ellis, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Native Americans
      Rather than focus on individual tribes, the editors chose to organize the text and illustrations by cultural topics such as dress, transportation, rituals, and livelihood. Information boxes augment the brief text, giving the appearance of an intermediate
      Author: Thomas, David & Pendleton, Lorann (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa
      Shonto Begay's artwork has been celebrated throughout the southwestern U.S. for decades. Twenty of his paintings are the illustrations for this book. Each painting is accompanied by a poem.
      Author: Begay, Shonto

    O Jerusalem
      This book is a tribute to Jerusalem in honor of its 3000th year. Each poem is accompanied by a wonderful illustration and a paragraph of information about the history or traditions of Jerusalem.
      Author: Yolen, Jane

    On the Wings of Peace
      This is a collection of illustrations and various types of text, all provided by noted authors and illustrators, that focus on issues related to peace. Many cultures are represented among characters and in illustrations.
      Author: Hamanaka, Sheila (comp.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Out of the Dump: Writings and Photogrpahs by Children from Guatemala
      Approximately 1500 people, most children, live in a dump at the center of Guatemala City. In 1991 Nancy McGirr began a photography project with about 2 dozen children. She provided cameras; the children photographed their world. In 1993 Kris Franklin bega
      Author: Franklin, Kristine, & McGirr, Nancy (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Persepolis 2
      This graphic novel sequel to Persepolis, depicts the author's rebellious adolescence and early adulthood among dissident outsider friends in Vienna and her voluntary return to her family in fundamentalist Tehran. Readers should be cautioned about referen
      Author: Satrapi, Marjane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Persepolis I: The Story of a Childhood
      In this first of two volumes about the author's life, Satrapi tells of her childhood and coming of age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran/Iraq war.
      Author: Satrapi, Marjane HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - writing

    Right Here on This Spot
      Very easy text and beautiful illustrations chronicle changes in one farmer's field over the centuries.
      Author: Addy, Sharon Hart HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Rio Grande Stories
      In Albuquerque, 7th grade students decide to write a book on their diverse heritage to raise money for the school. As they research traditions and family stories, they learn unexpected things about themselves. Chapters alternate between stories about th
      Author: Meyer, Carolyn

    Roots and Blues
      Adoff uses a shaped speech style to create images of the birth of jazz and its rhythms of life in the South from ancestral drumbeats to sounds of everyday life and work.The unique poetry prances across the page making it as unique as the American form of
      Author: Adoff, Arnold HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Sacred River
      Beautiful illustrations and minimal text introduce the reader to the colorful riverfront scene in the Hindu pilgrimage center known as Benares or Varanasi, India.
      Author: Levin, Ted HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Salt: A Story of Friendship in Time of War
      Set in the Indiana Territory, this story of two friends - Anikwa, a Miami Indian and James, the son of a white trader become friends despite the conflict of their heritage. This book is uniquely crafted in two style of poetic verse. Salt plays a symbolic
      Author: Frost, Helen HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Selvakumar Knew Better
      Based on a true story, the book tells of a dog named Selvakumar who saved a South Indian boy from drowning during the tsunami of 2004.
      Author: Kroll, Virginia HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Silent Music
      A young boy in present-day Baghdad learns Arabic calligraphy to distract him from the bombing of his city. The gorgeous illustrations invite the reader to learn to write the Arabic words for "war" and "peace." An author's note gives the historical backg
      Author: Rumford, James HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Sioux, The
      This book is part of the "Lifeway Series," which also includes titles called The Cherokee, The Iroquois, and The Navajo. This title examines the origins, history, culture, beliefs, and language of the Native American tribe the S
      Author: Bial, Raymond HSE Descriptors: social studies

    So Far From the Sea
      A Japanese American visits Manazar, a Japanese relocation camp in World War II, to visit the grave of a grandfather.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Sold
      Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a village in Nepal. Her stepfather sells her into sexual slavery and her life of prostitution begins in a large city in India. The book is written in short paragraphs, sentences, and phrases
      Author: McCormick, Patricia HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Song of Be
      When Be was a child, she and her mother left their people--the Namibian Bushmen--to work on a white man's plantation. Spending time with her grandfather helps her forget how much she misses others. With Namibia on the verge of freedom, Be finds the cour
      Author: Beake, Lesley HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Song of Hiawatha, The
      Excerpts from the long poem have been selected to tell the story of Hiawatha. Detailed illustrations accompany each excerpt.
      Author: Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Stories I Ain't Told Nobody Yet
      A collection of 49 poems, these vignettes of Appalachian life are funny, sad, moving, and silly. Not all of them are of great quality; teachers may want to pick and choose among them. The poem (on pg. 50) on abuse is powerful and likely to provoke good
      Author: Carson, Jo HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Tai Chi Morning: Snapshots of China
      The travel journal and poems of the author and the travel sketches of the illustrator combine to depict China a decade ago.
      Author: Grimes, Nikki

    Talking With Adventurers
      Several National Geographic scientists/explorers are interviewed in a Q & A format. What makes the book such an interesting read is how they see themselves and their work. The book offers maps, fabulous photographs, and contact information for particip
      Author: Cummings, Pat and Linda, (compilers) HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Tea With Milk
      May (the author's mother) is learning American ways when her family moves back to Japan. When her parents hire a matchmaker to find her a husband, May moves to Osaka, begins a career, and finds her own happiness.
      Author: Say, Allen

    They Sought A New World
      Through Kurelek's art and Margaret Englehart's additional text, this book tells the story of European immigrants to North America. In addition to describing issues like finding work and shelter, aspects of culture -- religion, maintaining cultural tradit
      Author: Kurelek, William HSE Descriptors: social studies

    This Our Dark Country: The American Settlers of Liberia
      This is a history of Liberia which was established on the west coast of Africa in 1822 as a haven for free African Americans. Some U.S. history is also included as background context. End matter includes photos, maps, endnotes, bibliography, and index. Th
      Author: Reef, Catherine HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Tibet Through the Red Box
      The author-illustrator returns to his father's home as an adult to learn the contents of a mysterious red box that his father had brought back from Tibet years before. The past is revealed through a diary, memories, and extraordinary illustrations.
      Author: Sis, Peter

    To Every Thing There Is a Season
      The extraordinarily beautiful art from different cultural and historic periods illustrates a Bible passage from Ecclesiastes. An end section describes the historical/geographical information about the art work.
      Author: Dillon, Leo and Dianne HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Voices of the Heart
      The author-illustrator creates stunning collages of Chinese characters and the Western symbol for the heart. The text reflects on the wisdom expressed by the components of the ideogram.
      Author: Young, Ed HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    When I Was Young in the Mountains
      The narrator remembers various aspects and details of growing up in a mountain community.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Who Was First? Discovering the Americas
      This book is the story of the many groups of people who discovered America before Columbus. The book is thoroughly researched and documented showing the contributions of the many people who inhabited America well before Columbus. The book includes bibliog
      Author: Freedman, Russel HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Who Was First? Discovering the Americas
      This book is the story of the many groups of people who discovered America before Columbus. The book is thoroughly researched and documented showing the contributions of the many people who inhabited America well before Columbus. The book includes bibliog
      Author: Freedman, Russel HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > anthropology > cultures > cultural attitudes
    At Her Majesty's Request
      Queen Victoria oversees the education and upbringing of an African princess after she was rescued from execution by a ship captain who brought her to England.
      Author: Myers, Walter Den HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Baboon King, The
      Set in Africa, this powerful book explores the themes of the importance of community through the exile of Morengaru from his tribe and survival, not against but with nature, in his life with a group of baboons.
      Author: Quintana, Anton

    Breadwinner, The
      This coming-of-age story, told from the point of view of a young Afghan girl left to fend for her family in the times of repressive Taliban influence is both moving and suspenseful.
      Author: Ellis, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Breadwinner, The
      This coming-of-age story, told from the point of view of a young Afghan girl left to fend for her family in the times of repressive Taliban influence is both moving and suspenseful.
      Author: Ellis, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Coal Miner's Bride, A: The Diary of Anetka Kaminska
      In journal format, the life of a thirteen year old girl in 1896 comes to life. Anetra Kaminska is sold to an older widower of three children in a mining town, for the price of her and her brother's tickets from Poland to America. Her life is extremely ha
      Author: Bartoletti, Susan Campbell HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing | social studies

    Don Quixote and the Windmills
      This retelling of the famous Spanish novel by Cervantes recounts Don Quixote's first adventure as a knight. An Author's Note contributes historical information about Cervantes.
      Author: Kimmel, Eric HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Far Beyond the Garden Gate
      Don Brown has written another intriguing book about an extraordinary woman, one who perservered in her desire to explore Tibet never seen by a Western woman. An author's note, a bibliography, and a map extend the possibilities of this beautifully illustr
      Author: Brown, Don HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Girls
      The subtitle, A History of Growing Up Female in America, tells it all. The 10 chapters cover history from colonial America to the Millennium. A good index and Selections for Further Reading make this a good reference text. The author selects girls from
      Author: Colman, Penny HSE Descriptors: science

    How I Discovered Poetry
      Marilyn Nelson describes her childhood in America in the 1950s, as the daughter of an African American Army officer. The poems span from her fourth to fourteenth year and touch aspects of civil rights, "Red Scare," atom bomb and the stirrings of the femin
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies | language arts - writing

    I, Columbus: My Journal, 1492-3
      This handsome 57-page book, illustrated with watercolors, is taken directly from Columbus' diary. The book records his voyage and his adventures, and begins and ends with short accounts of historical information. It may not be appropriate for low level
      Author: Roop, Peter & Roop, Connie HSE Descriptors: social studies | math

    Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
      This coming-of-age novel is a Newbery Honor Book. It tells the story of people in Maine in the early 1900s, a friendship between a minister's son and an island girl, and the ways greed and prejudice change all their lives.
      Author: Schmidt, Gary

    October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard
      On the night of October 6, 1998, a gay twenty-one year old University of Wyoming student named Matthew Shepard, was beaten, tied to a fence and left to die. The book is a collection of 68 poems from various perspectives concerning this crime.
      Author: Newman, Leslea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Queen Victoria's Bathing Machine
      Queen Victoria wants to swim in the ocean but the British way of life is prim and proper and no one should ever see more than a lady's face and hands let alone the queen without all of her clothes. Prince Albert designs a machine that will allow the queen
      Author: Whelan, Gloria HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing | social studies

    Separate Is Never Equal
      A Spanish family's children are barred from attending the school of their choice in California. They fight the ruling in court and win the past practice of segregation based on ethnicity.
      Author: Tonatiuh, Duncan HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Snake Pits, Talking Cures, and Magic Bullets: A History of Mental Illness
      This is a roughly chronological history of thinking about and treatment for persons with mental illness. Boxed text throughout focuses on special issues. End material offers many opportunities for follow-up.
      Author: Kent, Deborah HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Step Toward Heaven, A
      When Young Ju emigrates with her immediate family to America from Korea, she misses her grandparents. As she grows older, she finds a refuge from her father's physical abuse in school achievement. The author mimics the style of narration with the age of
      Author: Na, An

    Twelfth Night
      This is a narrative retelling of Shakespeare's play. Many of the famous lines are embedded in the narrative.
      Author: Shakespeare, William (retold B. Coville) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

Social Studies > anthropology > cultures > cultural conflict
    American Plague, An
      Subtitled "The True and Terifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793," this account focuses on the 1793 outbreak in Philadelphia but also addresses the politics of medical research. It won several awards.
      Author: Murphy, Jim HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Code Talkers
      After attending a white boarding school where his Navajo language and culture were belittled and punished, Ned Begay served as a code talker with the US Marines during operations in the Pacific during World War II. The narrator tells his story to his gra
      Author: Bruchac, Joseph HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Facing the Lion
      Enhanced by a few, vivid color photos, this memoir recounts the Maasi childhood and first encounters with European and American culture of an American teacher who spends part of each year working in Kenya. An afterword brings the reader up to date with L
      Author: Lekuton, Joseph HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Gleam and Glow
      The story of a family who fled from the Bosnian-Serb forces to a refugee camp in 1990. When they returned to their home in 1995 they found everything destroyed except 2 pet fish.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Gleam and Glow
      The story of a family who fled from the Bosnian-Serb forces to a refugee camp in 1990. When they returned to their home in 1995 they found everything destroyed except 2 pet fish.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Indian School
      Subtitled "Teaching the White Man's Way," this book chronicles efforts to "civilize" Native American children and youth in the late 19th and early 20th century. Archival photographs, an index, a reading list, a bibliography, and a list of web sites comple
      Author: Cooper, Michael L. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    It Is a Good Day to Die
      A brief introduction explains why the account of Custer's battle at Little Bighorn is told through individual recollections long after the encounter. In addition to the personal accounts, the book includes a helpful chronology of events, short biographie
      Author: Viola, Herman HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Light in the Forest, The
      At 15, true son John Butler is returned to his biological white family by his Native American adoptive father. After he escapes with his friend and rescuer Halt Arrow, he is caught between two families and two cultures.
      Author: Richter, Conrad HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Light Shining through the Mist
      Lush color photographs and text tell the story of how Dian Fossey studied the gorillas in Africa and died trying to protect them and their habitat during a time of political unrest.
      Author: Matthews, Tom HSE Descriptors: science

    Long Walk to Water, A
      When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Salva becomes separated from his family and must walk with other Dinka tribe members through southern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in search of safe haven. Based on the life of Salva D
      Author: Park, Linda Sue HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Me, All Alone, at the End of the World
      A boy enjoys living quietly by himself at the End of the World until Constantine Shimmer arrives and begins to "improve" the area with an inn and amusement park, demanding that tourists come and have "fun without end.
      Author: Anderson, M.T. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Memories of Sun
      This is a collection of modern day short stories and poems about Africa. It has three divisions: 1) Africa 2) Americans in Africa 3) Africans in America. Although most of the 12 stories are engaging, teachers will want to read beforehand since some may
      Author: Kurtz, Jane (Ed.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Native Americans
      Rather than focus on individual tribes, the editors chose to organize the text and illustrations by cultural topics such as dress, transportation, rituals, and livelihood. Information boxes augment the brief text, giving the appearance of an intermediate
      Author: Thomas, David & Pendleton, Lorann (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Romeo and Juliet, (The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of)
      This lively, clear, prose retelling of Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet follows the original story very closely.
      Author: Shakespeare, William HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Salt: A Story of Friendship in Time of War
      Set in the Indiana Territory, this story of two friends - Anikwa, a Miami Indian and James, the son of a white trader become friends despite the conflict of their heritage. This book is uniquely crafted in two style of poetic verse. Salt plays a symbolic
      Author: Frost, Helen HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Shin-chi's Canoe
      Shin-chi's toy canoe, given to him by his father, sustains him during his first year at an Indian residential school. This story occurs when Native Americans were forced to attend Indian residential schools where they were made to learn the white man's w
      Author: Campbell, Nicola I. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Walking the Choctaw Road
      A collection of twelve stories from the Mississippi and Oklahoma branches of the Choctaw People, including traditional lore arising from beliefs and myths, historical tales pased down through generations, and personal stories of contemporary life.
      Author: Tingle, Tim HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

Social Studies > anthropology > cultures > cultural customs
    Androcles and the Lion
      This book retells the fable of Androcles, a runaway Roman slave, who befriends a wounded lion.
      Author: Nolan, Dennis HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds
      The author and the illustrator, both from Appalachia, lovingly remember the people, the customs, and the dogs.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Arrival, The
      An amazing and complex immigration story told in a wordless format. Once you start "reading", it's hard to stop - each picture draws you to the next.
      Author: Tan, Shaun HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Arrival, The
      An amazing and complex immigration story told in a wordless format. Once you start "reading", it's hard to stop - each picture draws you to the next.
      Author: Tan, Shaun HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Barrio
      Photographs present the life of Jose and his family who live in a barrio or Hispanic neighborhood in San Francisco. A glossary contains Spanish words used in the story. One reviewer felt that the glorification/simplification of the issues addressed may m
      Author: Ancona, George HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Bells of Christmas, The
      This long picture book may be read slowly, although it is not broken into chapters. It is a reminiscence of an African-American family's celebration of Christmas in the 1890s and is set in the farmlands of Ohio.
      Author: Hamilton, Virginia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Circle Unbroken
      A young girl learns the tradition of making sweet grass baskets.
      Author: Raven, Margot HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts
      "Drawing on extensive historical and anthropological research, personal accounts, and interviews of people who work in the funeral industry, Penny Colman examines... death and burial across cultures and societies" (dust jacket). Appendices include a chron
      Author: Colman, Penny HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Dragon New Year, The
      A beautifully illustrated, imaginative tale about why the Chinese celebrate New Year with firecrackers. A bereaved mother is helped by Buddah to thwart the New Year dragon. The author includes the background information for his created myth.
      Author: Bouchard, David

    Facing the Lion
      Enhanced by a few, vivid color photos, this memoir recounts the Maasi childhood and first encounters with European and American culture of an American teacher who spends part of each year working in Kenya. An afterword brings the reader up to date with L
      Author: Lekuton, Joseph HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Girls
      The subtitle, A History of Growing Up Female in America, tells it all. The 10 chapters cover history from colonial America to the Millennium. A good index and Selections for Further Reading make this a good reference text. The author selects girls from
      Author: Colman, Penny HSE Descriptors: science

    Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!
      This Newberry Award winner gives voice to residents of a medieval English village circa 1255. Poems in monologue form interspersed with explanatory passages bring the village to life. The book includes a map locating the characters in the village and an
      Author: Schlitz, Laura Amy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Home of the Brave
      An African refuge lives with his aunt and cousin in Minneapolis. He has problems adjusting and misses his mother (no one knows where she is). He finds comfort in an older lady and her cow whose name means family in his native language.
      Author: Applegate, Katherine HSE Descriptors: literature and arts | social studies

    In the Days of the Vaqueros
      Russell Freedman has created another interesting non-fiction book, this time on the vaqueros, who were the forerunners of cowboys. As usual, the author illustrates his essays with paintings, archival photographs and includes useful resources in a bibliog
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Irene Jennie and the Christmas Masquerade
      Irene Jennie is missing her parents as Christmas Day approaches in the slave quarters. The wild parade known as the Johnkankus diverts her loneliness and brings her a surprise.
      Author: Smalls, Irene HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Kente Colors
      A simple text and vibrant illustrations, which are organized by color, depict the customs of the Ashanti people in Central West Africa who wear Kente cloth for special occasions.
      Author: Chocolate, Debbi

    Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The
      This book is a wonderfully retold version of the classic story by Washington Irving. The illustrations contribute to the mysterious mood.
      Author: Irving, Washington HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Lights on the River
      A migrant girl keeps memories of her grandma close as she deals with hard times in the United States. Her voice is strong, and the illustrations are stunning.
      Author: Thomas, Jane Resh

    Mei Ling in China City
      Twelve year old Mei Ling Lee helps her parents during the Moon Festival celebration and raises money for Chinese women and children refugees in 1942. She also has a friend whose family was relocated to Manzanar War Relocation Center because she is Japanes
      Author: Smith, Icy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Mei Ling in China City
      Twelve year old Mei Ling Lee helps her parents during the Moon Festival celebration and raises money for Chinese women and children refugees in 1942. She also has a friend whose family was relocated to Manzanar War Relocation Center because she is Japanes
      Author: Smith, Icy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Native Americans
      Rather than focus on individual tribes, the editors chose to organize the text and illustrations by cultural topics such as dress, transportation, rituals, and livelihood. Information boxes augment the brief text, giving the appearance of an intermediate
      Author: Thomas, David & Pendleton, Lorann (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Nickommoh! A Thanksgiving Celebration
      The Native American harvest celebration, Nickommah, is described in simple text accompanied by interesting illustrations. Other information about Native American culture is also shared; a glossary of Native American terms concludes the book.
      Author: Koller, Jackie French HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Princess Ka'iulani: Hope of a Nation, Heart of a People
      This is a fascinating biography of Ka'iulani, Crown Princess of Hawaii. The history of Hawaii is also chronicled, as is a bit about life in the US and Europe in the late 19th century. Authentic photographs and political cartoons, a bibliography, and index
      Author: Linnea, Sharon HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Razia's Ray of Hope
      This is a fictional story about the a young girl in Afghanistan who wants to attend school and the building of the first school for girls in that country.Tolerance and determination are key themes.
      Author: Suneby, Elizabeth HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Ruby's Wish
      The author tells the story of her Chinese grandmother, Ruby, who yearned for learning and the opportunity to attend the university, which was against custom.
      Author: Bridges, Shirin Yim

    Sacred River
      Beautiful illustrations and minimal text introduce the reader to the colorful riverfront scene in the Hindu pilgrimage center known as Benares or Varanasi, India.
      Author: Levin, Ted HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Second Mrs. Gioconda
      In this fictionalized story of real people, Salai, servant of Leonardo da Vinci, tells how the painting of Mrs. Gioconda known as the Mona Lisa came to be painted.
      Author: Konigsburg, E. L. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Street Through Time, A
      From the Stone Age to the Modern Age, the same location is depicted on double-page layouts filled with cultural details and daily activities. Endmatter includes a time-traveling quiz and a glossary. The illustrations are visually very busy.
      Author: Millard, Anne HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Waiting for the Owl's Call
      This narrative is rich in beautiful language - similes, personifications that describes the daily lives of Afghanistani children who work at rug looms looms using ancient patterns handed down from their ancestors. The narrator mentally creates new patter
      Author: Whelan, Gloria HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Waiting for the Owl's Call
      This narrative is rich in beautiful language - similes, personifications that describes the daily lives of Afghanistani children who work at rug looms looms using ancient patterns handed down from their ancestors. The narrator mentally creates new patter
      Author: Whelan, Gloria HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Way to Start the Day, The
      This is a hard book to categorize. The simple text is written like blank verse. The content is basically true. The text focuses on how people around the world celebrate or acknowledge the sunrise.
      Author: Baylor, Bryd HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Wild Boy, The
      The author tells a very sympathetic account of the wild child of Aveyron, France, who was captured and studied in the early 1800's. Dr. Itard and his housekeeper become the family of this boy who never acquired all the traits of a "civilized" person.
      Author: Gerstein, Mordicai

    Written in Bones
      This thoroughly researched book explores human history through the study of bones. Maps, photographs, and archival materials illustrate the text. The text is complex and the print small.
      Author: Bahn, Paul HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

Social Studies > anthropology > customs
    Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds
      The author and the illustrator, both from Appalachia, lovingly remember the people, the customs, and the dogs.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Black Potatoes
      The causes and consequences of the Irish potato famine are examined, using individual portraits and anecdotes. Archival photographs, a map of the counties of Ireland, a bibliography, and a timeline complement the text.
      Author: Bartoletti, Susan HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Raising Yoder's Barn
      After a fire destroys Yoder's barn, the Amish community gathers to build a new one. The gorgeous illustrations extend the reader's view of Amish life. One reader found a "blackface" depiction of a boy, dirty from the ashes, negatively suggestive.
      Author: Yolen, Jane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Sioux, The
      This book is part of the "Lifeway Series," which also includes titles called The Cherokee, The Iroquois, and The Navajo. This title examines the origins, history, culture, beliefs, and language of the Native American tribe the S
      Author: Bial, Raymond HSE Descriptors: social studies

    They Sought A New World
      Through Kurelek's art and Margaret Englehart's additional text, this book tells the story of European immigrants to North America. In addition to describing issues like finding work and shelter, aspects of culture -- religion, maintaining cultural tradit
      Author: Kurelek, William HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Weddings
      The book explores weddings around the world through photographs and simple text. An index identifies the geographic location and the religious custom involved.
      Author: Morris, Ann

Social Studies > anthropology > daily life
    Arrival, The
      An amazing and complex immigration story told in a wordless format. Once you start "reading", it's hard to stop - each picture draws you to the next.
      Author: Tan, Shaun HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Arrival, The
      An amazing and complex immigration story told in a wordless format. Once you start "reading", it's hard to stop - each picture draws you to the next.
      Author: Tan, Shaun HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Auld Lang Syne
      Told from first person perspective, this life story of Robert Burns from childhood to adulthood highlights the poets efforts to keep alive Scottish songs and verses. Most familiar to many will be the song of the book's title.
      Author: Findon, Joanne HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Barrio
      Photographs present the life of Jose and his family who live in a barrio or Hispanic neighborhood in San Francisco. A glossary contains Spanish words used in the story. One reviewer felt that the glorification/simplification of the issues addressed may m
      Author: Ancona, George HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Bodies from the Ash:Life and Death in Ancient Pompeii
      With the help of detailed photographs, the author describes how historical fact is established by excavating and reconstructing the volcanic site of Pompeii.
      Author: Deem, James M. HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Breaking Ground, Breaking Silence
      In 1991, New York's long-ignored African Burial Ground was rediscovered. The description of what scientists found there and how they pieced together information about life serves as a backdrop for stories of life for African Americans in Colonial New York
      Author: Hansen, Joyce, & McGowan, Gary HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Calling the Doves
      The author joyously recounts the songs, the food, and the love of his parents of his boyhood in a migrant Mexican family in rhythmic, lyrical language with a bilingual format. The colorful illustrations recall both Diego Rivera and Marc Chagall in their
      Author: Herrera, Juan

    Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess, Page
      Tobias, an 11-year-old boy, goes to serve as a page for a year in his uncle's castle in 13th Century England. Notes for the Reader contains additional historical information.
      Author: Platt, Richard HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - writing

    Childtimes
      Three African American women, grandmother, mother, and daughter, reminisce about their childhoods.
      Author: Greenfield, Eloise & Little, Lessive Jones

    Dear Mr. Rosenwald
      This is a fictionalized story of one community's efforts to build a school based on the historical Rosenwald schools. These schools in the American South were financed by Julius Rosenwald of Sears Roebuck and required collaboration of black and white com
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Family Farm
      Two children learn that their family is in danger of losing its farm. They devise a plan for saving it.
      Author: Locker, Thomas

    Fannie in the Kitchen
      Accompanied by delightful Victorian-style illustrations, this biography of Fannie Farmer, the cookbook writer, is told in a storybook format with a recipe and cooking tips thrown in for good measure.
      Author: Hopkinson, Deborah

    God Went to Beauty School
      An unusually humorous and poignant collection of poems places God in everyday situations as suggested by the title. Some devout Christians may find this book offensive for the light-hearted portrayal of God; some non-Christians may find it annoying.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Going Back Home: An Artist Returns to the South
      This book is a partnership between African American artist, Michele Woods, who returned to the South and painted her family history, and author Toyomi Igus, who gave words to Woods's paintings.
      Author: Igus, Toyomi HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!
      This Newberry Award winner gives voice to residents of a medieval English village circa 1255. Poems in monologue form interspersed with explanatory passages bring the village to life. The book includes a map locating the characters in the village and an
      Author: Schlitz, Laura Amy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Heavenly Village, The
      This is subtitled "A Novel," but it's really more a loosely connected set of short stories, all of which take place in the "Heavenly Village," a place for those who have died but are not quite yet ready to leave earth behind. (Note: religious overtones, i
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    House, House
      In the late 1800's, the How brothers took photographs of houses in Hatfield, Massachusetts. Author Jane Yolen wrote text to accompany photographs of the same houses taken by her son in the 1990's. A bibliography extends the historical information.
      Author: Yolen, Jane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Houses and Homes
      A fascinating photographic collection of houses in different world cultures. The photos show how colorful diverse homes and people are. There is very little text, but the index at the end identifies the location of each home.
      Author: Morris, Ann

    If America Were a Village
      Smith uses the a village of 100 people to represent the 306 millions living in the US today. Facts and illustrations create a snapshot of who we are and what we do. This book helps to define America's diversity by shrinking it to a village of 100 people
      Author: Smith, Davei J HSE Descriptors: math | social studies | language arts - writing

    In Nueva York
      This collection of short, interlocking stories depicts life in one of New York City's Puerto Rican communities.
      Author: Mohr, Nicholasa HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    In the Days of the Vaqueros
      Russell Freedman has created another interesting non-fiction book, this time on the vaqueros, who were the forerunners of cowboys. As usual, the author illustrates his essays with paintings, archival photographs and includes useful resources in a bibliog
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Mama Provi and the Pot of Rice
      Mama Provi lives on the first floor of an apartment building and her granddaughter, Lucy, lives on the eighth floor. When Mama Provi heads up with a pot of arroz con pollo to comfort Lucy (who has chicken pox), a simple pot of chicken and rice is transfo
      Author: Rosa-Casanova, Sylvia

    Maritcha: A Nineteenth Century American GIrl
      Based on an unpublished memoir, this picture book tells the story of daily life for a middle-class African American girl in New York in the 19th century. Maps and photographs illustrate the story.
      Author: Bolden, Tonya HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Matilda Bone
      Sometime in medieval Europe, a sombre-minded priest leaves a 14-year-old orphaned girl to be a bonesetter's apprentice. She reads and writes Latin but knows very little about the world and the people in it.
      Author: Cushman, Karen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Momma, Where Are You From?
      When a young girl asks her mother where she comes from, she receives a loving description of her hard-working childhood in the segregated South told in rich, rhythmic language with lush illustrations.
      Author: Bradby, Marie HSE Descriptors: social studies

    On the Go
      A simple text and photographs from around the world tell how people move and carry things from place to place.
      Author: Morris, Ann

    Out of the Dump: Writings and Photogrpahs by Children from Guatemala
      Approximately 1500 people, most children, live in a dump at the center of Guatemala City. In 1991 Nancy McGirr began a photography project with about 2 dozen children. She provided cameras; the children photographed their world. In 1993 Kris Franklin bega
      Author: Franklin, Kristine, & McGirr, Nancy (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Persepolis I: The Story of a Childhood
      In this first of two volumes about the author's life, Satrapi tells of her childhood and coming of age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran/Iraq war.
      Author: Satrapi, Marjane HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - writing

    Raising Yoder's Barn
      After a fire destroys Yoder's barn, the Amish community gathers to build a new one. The gorgeous illustrations extend the reader's view of Amish life. One reader found a "blackface" depiction of a boy, dirty from the ashes, negatively suggestive.
      Author: Yolen, Jane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Shutting Out the Sky
      Subtitled "Life in the Tenements of New York, 1880-1924,," the chapters in this book offer information and perspectives on all aspects of immigration and life in NYC. Photographs and text document the experiences of five individuals from Belarus, Italy, L
      Author: Hopkinson, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Silent Music
      A young boy in present-day Baghdad learns Arabic calligraphy to distract him from the bombing of his city. The gorgeous illustrations invite the reader to learn to write the Arabic words for "war" and "peace." An author's note gives the historical backg
      Author: Rumford, James HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Song Shoots Out of My Mouth, The
      This is an exciting collection of vibrantly illustrated poetry about music--classical, jazz, gospel, blues, opera, marching band. Backnotes extend learning about music, artists, and key works.
      Author: Adoff, Jaime HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Stranded at Plimoth Plantation 1626
      This is the fictitious journal of a 13-year-old orphan stranded at Plimoth (sic) Plantation. Bowen constructed the 80-page journal from historical records and illustrated the words with marvelous woodcuts. The end pages too feature fascinating maps. Te
      Author: Bowen, Gary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Tai Chi Morning: Snapshots of China
      The travel journal and poems of the author and the travel sketches of the illustrator combine to depict China a decade ago.
      Author: Grimes, Nikki

    Talking with Tebe
      Editor Lyons collected these excerpts about Clementine Hunter, considered one of America's finest folk artists, from magazine and newspaper articles and tape-recorded interviews. The artist's work illustrates the book.
      Author: Lyons, Mary E. (Ed.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Teacup Full of Roses
      Three brothers live with their mother, disabled father and aging aunt in Washington, D.C. during the Vietnam war. Paul, the oldest and his mother's favorite, returns home from another drug rehabilitation program just as Joe, the middle very responsible s
      Author: Mathis, Sharon HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Toilets, Toasters, and Telephones
      Subtitled "the how and why of everyday objects," this book offers a history of everyday objects. Chapters focus on inventions for bathrooms, kitchens, cleaning, and communication. The final chapter introduces principles of industrial design.
      Author: Rubin, Susan Goldman HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Travels of Benjamin of Tudela, The
      In 1159, Benjamin Tudela, a Jew, left Tudela, Spain, set off to see Jerusalem and as many places mentioned in the Bible as possible. Fourteen years later he returned to tell of his travels. The author extensively researched the period to fill in details
      Author: Shulevitz, Uri HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Uptown
      Colorful collage and an easy-reading text belie a very sophisticated tour of Harlem including the Metro-North train, brownstones, shopping on 125th street, a barbershop, summer basketball, the Harlem Boys' Chois, and sunset over the Hudson River
      Author: Collier, Bryan

    Voices from the Fields
      Photographs, poems, and interviews capture glimpses of life for today's migrant children.
      Author: Atkin, S. Beth HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Waiting for the Owl's Call
      This narrative is rich in beautiful language - similes, personifications that describes the daily lives of Afghanistani children who work at rug looms looms using ancient patterns handed down from their ancestors. The narrator mentally creates new patter
      Author: Whelan, Gloria HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Waiting for the Owl's Call
      This narrative is rich in beautiful language - similes, personifications that describes the daily lives of Afghanistani children who work at rug looms looms using ancient patterns handed down from their ancestors. The narrator mentally creates new patter
      Author: Whelan, Gloria HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Walking the Log
      The author paints scenes and reminisces about her childhood in the turn of the century South. The books contains information about daily life, work (especially picking cotton), childhood games, family values, and the author's life long interest in art.
      Author: Nickens, Bessie

    Way Things Never Were, The
      The eight chapters of this interesting book, subtitled "The Truth About the 'Good Old Days,'" contrast life in the 50s and 60s with today. Topics addressed include communication, health, transportation, education, world events, etc. The print insets for p
      Author: Finkelstein, Norman HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Whale Port
      In this book about a fictitious combination of real places, the text and colored-pencil drawings present the chronological development of a New England whaling town and its related businesses. The use of cut away art provides a glimpse inside the building
      Author: Foster, Mark HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Words West: Voices of Young Pioneers
      Diary and journal excerpts and archival photographs enliven a well-written text about the Westward Movement as seen from the perspective of children. The book includes short biographies of the children who are quoted often as well as a chronology, furthe
      Author: Wadsworth, Ginger HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Year on Monhegan Island, A
      Photojournalist Julia Dean chronicles a year in the life of residents of Monhegan Island, a small island off the east coast of Maine. We learn about their culture, government, and economy, as well as a bit about part-time resident Jamie Wyeth.
      Author: Dean, Julia HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > anthropology > daily life > clothing
    Girls
      The subtitle, A History of Growing Up Female in America, tells it all. The 10 chapters cover history from colonial America to the Millennium. A good index and Selections for Further Reading make this a good reference text. The author selects girls from
      Author: Colman, Penny HSE Descriptors: science

    Hats, Hats, Hats
      Photographs of hats worn by people around the world--hats for work, play, comfort, and show. An index gives further information about the activity depicted and the geographic location.
      Author: Morris, Ann

    In the Days of the Vaqueros
      Russell Freedman has created another interesting non-fiction book, this time on the vaqueros, who were the forerunners of cowboys. As usual, the author illustrates his essays with paintings, archival photographs and includes useful resources in a bibliog
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Native Americans
      Rather than focus on individual tribes, the editors chose to organize the text and illustrations by cultural topics such as dress, transportation, rituals, and livelihood. Information boxes augment the brief text, giving the appearance of an intermediate
      Author: Thomas, David & Pendleton, Lorann (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Shoes, Shoes, Shoes
      The photographs and very simple text document the types and function of shoes throughout the world.
      Author: Morris, Ann

    We The People
      American history from Colonial times to the present is presented through 65 poems about individuals--some real and some imaginary. A timeline of historic events runs across the lower part of the page and a note about writing the book appears at the end.
      Author: Katz, Bobbi HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

Social Studies > anthropology > daily life > food
    Bread, Bread, Bread
      The photos and very easy text show/tell of people eating bread all over the world.
      Author: Morris, Ann

    Food
      The evolution of the acquisition, distribution, and consumption of food throughout history is described in interesting text and colorful, informative illustrations. The author includes a helpful glossary.
      Author: Ventura, Piero HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Harvest Year
      This book offers a month-by-month presentation of the regional harvesting of food in the U.S.A. with photographs, maps, and simple clear text.
      Author: Peterson, Cris

    Mama Provi and the Pot of Rice
      Mama Provi lives on the first floor of an apartment building and her granddaughter, Lucy, lives on the eighth floor. When Mama Provi heads up with a pot of arroz con pollo to comfort Lucy (who has chicken pox), a simple pot of chicken and rice is transfo
      Author: Rosa-Casanova, Sylvia

    Native Americans
      Rather than focus on individual tribes, the editors chose to organize the text and illustrations by cultural topics such as dress, transportation, rituals, and livelihood. Information boxes augment the brief text, giving the appearance of an intermediate
      Author: Thomas, David & Pendleton, Lorann (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Pearl Moscowitz's Last Stand
      Pearl M., a long-time resident of her city street, refuses to let the city chop down the last gingko tree on the block. The book depicts the different ethnic groups that have moved on the street, but shows a real community of people interacting and livin
      Author: Levine, Arthur A.

Social Studies > anthropology > daily life > houses
    Home Place
      While on a hike, a family discovers the site of a ruined house. They find a few abandoned objects and, through terse and poetic words, imagine the family who once lived there. Through superior illustrations Pinkney evokes a world that is part dream and
      Author: Dragonwagon, Cresent

    House, House
      In the late 1800's, the How brothers took photographs of houses in Hatfield, Massachusetts. Author Jane Yolen wrote text to accompany photographs of the same houses taken by her son in the 1990's. A bibliography extends the historical information.
      Author: Yolen, Jane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Houses
      An illustrated history of the construction of houses presents interesting information about the evolution of family dwellings.
      Author: Ventura, Piero

    Houses and Homes
      A fascinating photographic collection of houses in different world cultures. The photos show how colorful diverse homes and people are. There is very little text, but the index at the end identifies the location of each home.
      Author: Morris, Ann

    If America Were a Village
      Smith uses the a village of 100 people to represent the 306 millions living in the US today. Facts and illustrations create a snapshot of who we are and what we do. This book helps to define America's diversity by shrinking it to a village of 100 people
      Author: Smith, Davei J HSE Descriptors: math | social studies | language arts - writing

    Native Americans
      Rather than focus on individual tribes, the editors chose to organize the text and illustrations by cultural topics such as dress, transportation, rituals, and livelihood. Information boxes augment the brief text, giving the appearance of an intermediate
      Author: Thomas, David & Pendleton, Lorann (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Street Through Time, A
      From the Stone Age to the Modern Age, the same location is depicted on double-page layouts filled with cultural details and daily activities. Endmatter includes a time-traveling quiz and a glossary. The illustrations are visually very busy.
      Author: Millard, Anne HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Toilets, Toasters, and Telephones
      Subtitled "the how and why of everyday objects," this book offers a history of everyday objects. Chapters focus on inventions for bathrooms, kitchens, cleaning, and communication. The final chapter introduces principles of industrial design.
      Author: Rubin, Susan Goldman HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > anthropology > daily life > shoes
    Elijah of Buxton
      Eleven-year-old Elijah, the first to be born free in a Canadian settlement for runaway slaves at the end of the Underground Railroad, though considered "fra-gile" and talkative by adults, performs an heroic feat with his chucking stones.
      Author: Curtis, Christopher Paul

    January's Sparrow
      After a fellow slave is beaten to death, Sadie and her family flee the plantation for freedom through the Underground Railroad. As they make a new life in Michigan, they must remain alert for the slave catchers.
      Author: Polacco, Patricia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    January's Sparrow
      After a fellow slave is beaten to death, Sadie and her family flee the plantation for freedom through the Underground Railroad. As they make a new life in Michigan, they must remain alert for the slave catchers.
      Author: Polacco, Patricia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Shoes, Shoes, Shoes
      The photographs and very simple text document the types and function of shoes throughout the world.
      Author: Morris, Ann

Social Studies > anthropology > folklore
    Cupid and Psyche
      This is a retelling of the classic Greek myth.
      Author: Craft, M. Charlotte HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Ghost of the Southern Belle
      This is a ghost story set on the high seas. The young son of a ship's captain finds a way to end the curse of a ghost ship.
      Author: Bodkin, Odds

    Going Back Home: An Artist Returns to the South
      This book is a partnership between African American artist, Michele Woods, who returned to the South and painted her family history, and author Toyomi Igus, who gave words to Woods's paintings.
      Author: Igus, Toyomi HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Great Depression, The
      This reference book covers the period of the Great Depression told with highlighted examples of the many ways Americans kept a positive outlook as they faced an uncertain future.
      Author: Fremon, David K. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Night Rainbow, The
      Simple poetic verse describes the Aurora borealis or northern lights from the perspective of legends of several cultures.
      Author: Esbensen, Barbara Juster HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | science

    One City, Two Brothers
      Wonderfully illustrated retelling of the Jewish and Arabic folktale about the founding of Jerusalem. The tale is story of King Solomon and his attempt to mediate a dispute between two brothers squabbling over an inheritance. Simple, but powerful themes d
      Author: Smith, Chris HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Story of the Three Kingdoms, The
      This colorfully illustrated fable celebrates the gift of storytelling.
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean

Social Studies > anthropology > folklore > folk heroes
    Ain't Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry
      The author is a historian who became interested in John Henry, a supposedly mythical ex-slave who outraced the steam engine in digging a tunnel through the side of the Allegheny Mountains. This book chronicles the author's efforts to find the truth about
      Author: Nelson, Scott Reynolds HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Casey Jones's Fireman
      Sim Webb, Casey Jones's fireman, tells the story of the fateful crash of the Cannonball.
      Author: Farmer, Nancy HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Drylongso
      Drylongso, which takes place west of the Mississippi in 1975, is the story of a poor farming family's battle with a drought. Drylongso, "a youth imbued with simple human kindness . . . a folk hero" (author's notes) arrives, and with him comes ho
      Author: Hamilton, Viginia

    People Could Fly, The
      These collected folk tales that were told by slaves fall into four categories: animal stories, tall tales, the supernatural, and tales of freedom. The author includes an introduction and a bibliography.
      Author: Hamilton, Virginia HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

Social Studies > anthropology > folklore > folktales
    Casey at the Bat
      This is the famous baseball poem told in scrapbook form with illustrations and "news clippings".
      Author: Bing, Christopher HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Contest, The
      This adaptation of an Armenian folktale tells of two robbers who discover that they are engaged to the same young woman and decide to hold a contest with her as the prize. (Caldecott Honor Book)
      Author: Hogrogian, Nonny

    Dawn
      In this adaptation of a traditional tale, a wounded Canada goose takes on the shape of a woman. An island man, a sailmaker, loves her and she him. But when he demands that she help him make an intricate sail, she plucks out all her feathers and kills he
      Author: Bang, Molly

    Faithful Friend, The
      This is a retelling of the traditional tale from the French West Indies in which two friends, Clement and Hippolyte, encounter love, zombies, danger, and adventure on the island of Martinique.
      Author: San Souci, Robert HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Freedom's Fruit
      Mama Marina, a conjure woman in the Low Country of the Carolinas in the time of slavery, uses a magic spell to free her daughter and the man she loves. The book includes an Author's Note that compares the American folktale with the Greek myth of Persepho
      Author: Hooks, William

    Ghost Train
      Choon-yi is a painter. Her father leaves China for North America to find work. He asks her to join him, but when she arrives, she discovers that he has been killed on the job. As Choon-yi tries to paint the train, a ghostly presence beckons her.
      Author: Yee, Paul

    Golem
      Illustrated with beautiful cut-paper collages, the author/illustrator retells the legend of the Golem (a man created from clay), who saves the Jews of 16th Century Prague from persecution. A lengthy endnote recounts the history of the Golem and the perse
      Author: Wisniewski, David HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Her Stories
      The book focuses on stories of females-animal stories, supernatural tales, folktales, and oral histories. It includes an afterword by Virginia Hamilton and an excellent bibliography.
      Author: Hamilton, Virginia

    Musicians of the Sun
      This beautifully illustrated book of an Aztec myth of the beginning of the earth celebrates Native American folktales.
      Author: McDermott, Gerald HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    One City, Two Brothers
      Wonderfully illustrated retelling of the Jewish and Arabic folktale about the founding of Jerusalem. The tale is story of King Solomon and his attempt to mediate a dispute between two brothers squabbling over an inheritance. Simple, but powerful themes d
      Author: Smith, Chris HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    People Could Fly, The
      These collected folk tales that were told by slaves fall into four categories: animal stories, tall tales, the supernatural, and tales of freedom. The author includes an introduction and a bibliography.
      Author: Hamilton, Virginia HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Rich Man and the Parrot, The
      This Persian folktale by 13th century poet Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi tells how a merchant provides his talking parrot with everything the parrot could have but not the one thing that the parrot wanted--his freedom.
      Author: Nadimi, Suzan HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Secret Room, The
      A king is impressed with a man's wisdom and appoints him to the court, but his chief counselor becomes jealous.
      Author: Shulevitz, Uri

    Secret-Keeper, The
      This is a fairy tale about Kalli, the secret-keeper, who takes others' secrets on so that they can be released from them. All the bad secrets threaten to make her ill until the townspeople come to her rescue.
      Author: Coombs, Kate

    Song of the Chirimia
      This story includes both the English and the Spanish text on each page. It begins with a map and a note about the ancient Mayans. In this tale, the king wants to find the right husband for his daughter. The illustrations are colorful and folk baroque i
      Author: Volkmer, Jane Ann

    Sorrow's Kitchen: The Life and Folklore of ZN Hurston
      Part of the Great Achievers series, this book chronicles the life and writings of Zora Neale Hurston, the important African-American writer of the first-half of this century. The book is 121 pages and contains lots of photographs. The author has woven c
      Author: Lyons, Mary E. HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Stone-Cutter, The
      A man gets what he wishes for, but then oversteps his bounds because of his desire to show off his power. Illustrations are bold color collages.
      Author: McDermott, Gerald

    Talk, Talk
      This Ashanti legend tells of the day when all the animate objects--animals, yams, stones, and dogs--began to talk and frighten the villagers.
      Author: Chocolate, Deborah

    Toad is the Uncle of Heaven
      Illustrations draw on traditional Vietnamese figures. They may be foreign looking to Americans, but they are not childish.
      Author: Lee, Jeanne

    Unexplained
      The author explores several categories of unexplained phenomena from Stonehenge to Roswell, N. M. UFO sightings, suggesting origins of superstitions and possible explanations. Sidebar information, photographs, and paintings illustrate the text and back m
      Author: Allen, Judy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Walking the Choctaw Road
      A collection of twelve stories from the Mississippi and Oklahoma branches of the Choctaw People, including traditional lore arising from beliefs and myths, historical tales pased down through generations, and personal stories of contemporary life.
      Author: Tingle, Tim HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    White Wave
      Retold from ancient sources, this Chinese tale of a lonely peasant's discovery of a magic shell relates the changes in his life that follow. The delicate pencil drawings by Ed Young complement the text. The author includes a note on the evolution of the
      Author: Wolkstein, Diane HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Wolf of Gubbio, The
      A legend tells the story of a wolf who terriorizes a community until the boy who became St.Francis of Assisi, negotates an agreement.
      Author: Bedard, Michael

Social Studies > anthropology > folklore > magic
    Cupid and Psyche
      This is a retelling of the classic Greek myth.
      Author: Craft, M. Charlotte HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    December
      Simon and his mother celebrate Christmas in the cardboard house they built for themselves. They offer to share the little they have with an old woman. Later, Simon sees a miracle.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Faithful Friend, The
      This is a retelling of the traditional tale from the French West Indies in which two friends, Clement and Hippolyte, encounter love, zombies, danger, and adventure on the island of Martinique.
      Author: San Souci, Robert HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Ghost Train
      Choon-yi is a painter. Her father leaves China for North America to find work. He asks her to join him, but when she arrives, she discovers that he has been killed on the job. As Choon-yi tries to paint the train, a ghostly presence beckons her.
      Author: Yee, Paul

    My Ol' Man
      Patricia Polacco once again uses her rich family background to tell the story of her father, a traveling salesman, and the magic, hope, and dreams he inspired. (Photos of the author and her family adorn the inside covers.)
      Author: Polacco, Patricia

    Queen Victoria's Bathing Machine
      Queen Victoria wants to swim in the ocean but the British way of life is prim and proper and no one should ever see more than a lady's face and hands let alone the queen without all of her clothes. Prince Albert designs a machine that will allow the queen
      Author: Whelan, Gloria HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing | social studies

    Unexplained
      The author explores several categories of unexplained phenomena from Stonehenge to Roswell, N. M. UFO sightings, suggesting origins of superstitions and possible explanations. Sidebar information, photographs, and paintings illustrate the text and back m
      Author: Allen, Judy HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > anthropology > folklore > superstitions
    Anno's Medieval World
      In Anno's beautifully illustrated medieval world, superstitions rather than science explain natural phenomena, especially the shape and movement of the earth. Anno uses medieval styled illustrations to share these beliefs of the Middle Ages up to the Age
      Author: Anno, Mitsumasa HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts
      "Drawing on extensive historical and anthropological research, personal accounts, and interviews of people who work in the funeral industry, Penny Colman examines... death and burial across cultures and societies" (dust jacket). Appendices include a chron
      Author: Colman, Penny HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Cycle of the Werewolf
      Short mystery/horror story depicting the sequence of events as a werewolf terrorizes a small town in Maine over the course of a year. A ten year old parapalegic uncovers the mystery and slays the beast with the help of his fun loving uncle. Short chapte
      Author: King, Stephen HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Duck's Breath and Mouse Pie: A Collection of Animal Superstitions
      This is a collection of 17 superstitions about animals. Collage illustrations are interesting. Historical notes at the end of the book explain the origins of the superstitions.
      Author: Jenkins, Steve HSE Descriptors: science

    Freedom's Fruit
      Mama Marina, a conjure woman in the Low Country of the Carolinas in the time of slavery, uses a magic spell to free her daughter and the man she loves. The book includes an Author's Note that compares the American folktale with the Greek myth of Persepho
      Author: Hooks, William

    One Kingdom: Our Lives with Animals
      Subtitled "the human-animal bond in history, science, and story," this fascinating book focuses on animals, real and not real, throughout history, particularly as they have interacted with humans.
      Author: Noyes, Deborah HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Theodoric's Rainbow
      Although Theodoric of Freiberg lived, wrote, and experimented from 1250 AD to 1311 AD, the author has created a fictionalized personal life of this man who studied reflection and refraction of light in a period in which science was in conflict with religi
      Author: Kramer, Stephen HSE Descriptors: science

    Unexplained
      The author explores several categories of unexplained phenomena from Stonehenge to Roswell, N. M. UFO sightings, suggesting origins of superstitions and possible explanations. Sidebar information, photographs, and paintings illustrate the text and back m
      Author: Allen, Judy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    When Plague Strikes: The Black Death, Smallpox, AIDS
      This carefully written book contains three parts: a prologue, a five-chapter account of the Black Plague, a five-chapter account of the causes and effects of smallpox, a seven-chapter account of AIDS, and a fascinating conclusion on the failures of antibi
      Author: Giblin, James Cross HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

Social Studies > anthropology > folklore > witch
    Sanctuary, The
      Little Man, age 10, thinks that Tico and Aaron should let him join their gang. But first he must retrieve a piece of junk from the altar "sanctuary" that "crazy" Lucy Johnson built in her backyard. Little Man gets caught and comes to know and love the o
      Author: Eskridge, Ann HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Snake Pits, Talking Cures, and Magic Bullets: A History of Mental Illness
      This is a roughly chronological history of thinking about and treatment for persons with mental illness. Boxed text throughout focuses on special issues. End material offers many opportunities for follow-up.
      Author: Kent, Deborah HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Widow's Broom, The
      A widow helps a witch recover from a fall, and in gratitude the witch leaves behind her broom to help the woman do her work. Suspicious neighbors try to burn the broom, but in the end the broom settles in with the woman.
      Author: Van Allsburg, Chris

Social Studies > anthropology > forensic
    Fortune's Bones
      A powerful poem, written in the form of a requiem, recovers the life and reconstructed history of a skeleton used by a Dr. Porter to teach anatomy in Waterbury, Connecticut. The format places author's notes across from sections of the poem told by differ
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Secrets of a Civil War Submarine
      The discovery in 1995 and the subsequent slow scientific recovery of the Civil War submarine USS Hurley from the Charleston harbor reads like a mystery story. Photographs, archival material, author's note, footnotes, bibliography, glossary, and suggested
      Author: Walker, Sally HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

Social Studies > anthropology > island life
    Caribbean Dozen: Poems from Caribbean Poets, A
      This book includes many short poems, some childish and some more complex, written by contemporary Caribbean poets. It also includes fascinating biographies on each author.
      Author: Agard, John & Nichols, Grace HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Color of My Words, The
      This is an easy-reading novel, part poetry and part prose, about Ana Rosa, a young writer who is growing up poor in a seaside village in the Dominican Republic where she learns about family community, the merengue, and the power of words.
      Author: Joseph, Lynn HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Faithful Friend, The
      This is a retelling of the traditional tale from the French West Indies in which two friends, Clement and Hippolyte, encounter love, zombies, danger, and adventure on the island of Martinique.
      Author: San Souci, Robert HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Morning Girl
      In alternating chapters, Morning Girl (age 12) and her brother describe life on a Bahamian island in 1492. (Note: this book won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.)
      Author: Dorris, Michael HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Once On This Island
      Twelve-year-old Mary and her older brother and sister tend the family farm on Michigan's Mackinac Island while their father is away fighting the British in the War of 1812.
      Author: Whelan, Gloria HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Tempest, The
      This is a prose retelling of Shakespeare's play The Tempest, a story of an exiled Duke and his daughter during their stay on an enchanted island. The book ends with an author's note.
      Author: Shakespeare, William (retold by Coville, Brice) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

Social Studies > anthropology > multicultural
    Grandmothers
      In the introduction, the editor, after describing her own strong grandmother, says that grandmothers help us make the transition from childhood to adulthood and "civilize" us. The essays, poems and short stories that follow introduce us to a wide cultura
      Author: Giovanni, Nikki (Ed.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    In Nueva York
      This collection of short, interlocking stories depicts life in one of New York City's Puerto Rican communities.
      Author: Mohr, Nicholasa HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Keep on Singing
      The story of the life of the singer Marian Anderson is told in ballad form. The author's notes at the end of the book include additional biographical information.
      Author: Livingston, Myra Cohn HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Langston Hughes
      This well written and engaging biography is accompanied by many of Hughes's poems, some of his other writing, and intriguing illustrations. Especially interesting for Ohio readers is the focus on his life in Cleveland and the influence of Karamu House.
      Author: Meltzer, Milton HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Seedfolks
      Thirteen people of different ethnic backgrounds who are strangers to each other tell their stories of a vacant lot in Cleveland that becomes a neighborhood garden. The book jacket refers to the "harvest of hidden lives" and a "hymn to the power of plants
      Author: Fleischman, Paul

Social Studies > research
    If America Were a Village
      Smith uses the a village of 100 people to represent the 306 millions living in the US today. Facts and illustrations create a snapshot of who we are and what we do. This book helps to define America's diversity by shrinking it to a village of 100 people
      Author: Smith, Davei J HSE Descriptors: math | social studies | language arts - writing

    Music of Dolphins, The
      Mila, a feral child raised by dolphins after her parents' death, is rescued, studied and taught human behavior and language at a research center. Different type face and size convey Mila's language development.
      Author: Hesse, Karen

    Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science
      As the result of a bizarre mining accident in 1848 in which a metal rod ran through his brain, Phineas Gage provided scientists an opportunity to study the brain and the biological basis of behavior. Photographs, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index
      Author: Fleischman, John HSE Descriptors: science

    Right Here on This Spot
      Very easy text and beautiful illustrations chronicle changes in one farmer's field over the centuries.
      Author: Addy, Sharon Hart HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology
Social Studies > sociology > social issues
    Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World
      Minute biographies of 26 illustrious women with quotes from each. Discover woman who have changed people's lives and read about their childhood, hardships and successes to inspire girls and women of all ages.
      Author: Chin-Lee, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World
      Minute biographies of 26 illustrious women with quotes from each. Discover woman who have changed people's lives and read about their childhood, hardships and successes to inspire girls and women of all ages.
      Author: Chin-Lee, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine and the Lawless Years of Prohibition
      This book is an in-depth look at the people and motivations behind prohibition and the factors that lead to the repeal of the amendment. It is an example of well written nonfiction. Engaging text is supported by primary source photos and newspaper article
      Author: Blumenthal, Karen HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Chess Rumble
      Since his sister died, Marcus is in trouble all the time at school. Then he meets CM and learns to take control of his life through the game of chess. This book was inspired by inner-city chess enrichment programs.
      Author: Neri, G.

    Chess Rumble
      Since his sister died, Marcus is in trouble all the time at school. Then he meets CM and learns to take control of his life through the game of chess. This book was inspired by inner-city chess enrichment programs.
      Author: Neri, G.

    Fannie in the Kitchen
      Accompanied by delightful Victorian-style illustrations, this biography of Fannie Farmer, the cookbook writer, is told in a storybook format with a recipe and cooking tips thrown in for good measure.
      Author: Hopkinson, Deborah

    Riding the Tiger
      This is an allegory that features a bored, lonely 10-year-old's who is offered a ride by an exciting and somewhat scary tiger and discovers that it is easier to get on the tiger than to get off.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    War, The
      A young prince, who dislikes war, cleverly provides an alternative to fighting.
      Author: Vaugelade, Anais

    Why War Is Never A Good Idea
      This beautifully illustrated poetic essay uses images of water and earth to communicate the destructiveness of war. Dscribes war as a "something which has grown old, but not wise as it destroys beautiful things and nice people."
      Author: Walker, Alice HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > abortion
    Hip-Pocket Papa
      The story of an Australian male frog, the size of a thumbnail, who has special pouches to carry his tadpoles until they mature. This little papa is entrusted with the responsibility to nurture and care for his children as they grow from tadpoles to young
      Author: Markle, Sandra HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | science

    More Choices: Stories for Adult New Readers
      These three stories fit with George Ella Lyon's collection Choices, but were not included in the original collection because some readers found them too controversial. Our readers found them powerful and moving, addressing life situations that m
      Author: Lyon, George Ella

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > aging
    Angel for Solomon Singer, An
      In this urban story, a transplanted Hoosier lives a lonely life in New York City and looks for warmth and companionship.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Every Living Thing
      Each story in this collection features an animal, and in every case the existence of the animal helps to foster the feelings of love or compassion in the people. The stories touch upon topics such as alcoholism, aging, loneliness, and foster parenting.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Hired Hand, The
      When Old Sam hires a new hand to work at the sawmill, the hired hand teaches Sam's lazy son a lesson when the son tries to con an old man. Retold from an oral African American tale, the story is beautifully illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.
      Author: San Souci, R. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Kamishibai Man
      The award-winning author/illustrator introduces the reader to the street storytelling tradition of the "paper-theater man" from his Japanese childhood.
      Author: Say, Allen

    Mind's Eye
      This is a novel in play form. Courtney, 16 and paralyzed, learns about the power of the mind from an elderly blind woman and a game they play--taking an imaginary trip to Italy using a 1910 Baedeker's guidebook.
      Author: Fleischman, Paul HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Miss Rumphius
      The Lupine Lady, the great-aunt of the narrator, travels around the world but returns to Maine to plant lupines and make her world a better place.
      Author: Cooney, Barbara HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa
      Shonto Begay's artwork has been celebrated throughout the southwestern U.S. for decades. Twenty of his paintings are the illustrations for this book. Each painting is accompanied by a poem.
      Author: Begay, Shonto

    Stone Water
      Grant, a 15-year-old boy, grapples with his grandfather's request to remove him from life support systems. This is a realistic and emotionally riveting portrayal of issues surrounding death.
      Author: Gilbert, Barbara

    Sweet Music in Harlem
      Inspired by a real photograph of jazz musicians taken in 1958, the fictional story recounts young C. J.'s search through Harlem for his uncle's hat, a hat his uncle wants to wear in a photograph. Included is the historical photograph with the identities
      Author: Taylor, Debbie HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Very Best of Friends, The
      When a farmer dies, his wife deals with her grief by ignoring (hating) his favorite cat, until she finally realizes that they could find companionship with each other.
      Author: Wild, Margaret

    Wolf on the Fold
      Six linked storeis follow an Australian family from 1935 to 2002 as different generations cope with discord and violence. The use of flashbacks may cause some readers difficulty.
      Author: Clarke, Judith

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > aging > senior citizens
    Bucking the Sarge
      Teenage Luther, who is exploited by his slumlord mother, keeps his equilbrium through many humorous misadventures before finding his own way.
      Author: Curtis, Christopher Paul

    Hundred Penny Box, A
      A young boy loves his Great Aunt Dew, her stories, and her box of one hundred pennies, one for each of her birthdays. But Michael's mother is impatient with them both and wants to throw the box out.
      Author: Mathis, Sharon

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > assisted suicide
    Stone Water
      Grant, a 15-year-old boy, grapples with his grandfather's request to remove him from life support systems. This is a realistic and emotionally riveting portrayal of issues surrounding death.
      Author: Gilbert, Barbara

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > change
    America Street: A Multicultural Anthology of Stories
      This is a collection of 14 short stories about people with many different cultural heritages and ethnic backgrounds.
      Author: Mazer, Anne (ed.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Eleanor Roosevelt
      Freedman relates this biography of Eleanor Roosevelt with the interest of suspense fiction which is accompanied by extensive archival photographs. The book traces her evolution from a shy young girl from an unhappy home to America's most acclaimed First
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Flood
      As Sarajean and her family prepare for and deal with the devastating Midwest floods of 1993, they discover what is truly important during a time of trouble.
      Author: Calhoun, Mary

    Freedom's Children
      Thirty African Americans tell their youthful experiences in the civil rights movement. The book includes a chronology, a who's who, a list of acronyms, and a bibliography.
      Author: Levine, Ellen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Giver, The
      This Newbery Award-winning novel is set in a utopian community in which all conflict and social problems are unheard of. After a coming-of-age ceremony, Jonas begins to interact with The Giver and learns about the secrets that underlie his perfect world.
      Author: Lowry, Lois

    Gold Coin, The
      A thief follows an old woman and learns a lesson about giving.
      Author: Ada, Alma F.

    Maria De Sautuola: The Bulls in the Cave
      The scientific world did not accept until 1902 the discovery of prehistoric cave painting in Altamira, Spain, which was discovered by 9-year-old Maria De Sautuola in 1879.
      Author: Fradin, Dennis HSE Descriptors: social studies

    My Place
      This award-winning Australian picture book shows life in one specific spot in Australia, while moving backward in time (two pages for each depiction). It begins in 1988 with a child describing her community and her pet, and each subsequent set of pages m
      Author: Wheatley, Nadia & Rawlins, Donna HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Native Americans
      Rather than focus on individual tribes, the editors chose to organize the text and illustrations by cultural topics such as dress, transportation, rituals, and livelihood. Information boxes augment the brief text, giving the appearance of an intermediate
      Author: Thomas, David & Pendleton, Lorann (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Our House
      Based on her research and interviews, the author tells fictional stories of families in Levittown-one chapter for each decade since the 1940's when the community was developed. The stories are told from a child's point of view but involve the family unit
      Author: Conrad, Pam HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Pearl Moscowitz's Last Stand
      Pearl M., a long-time resident of her city street, refuses to let the city chop down the last gingko tree on the block. The book depicts the different ethnic groups that have moved on the street, but shows a real community of people interacting and livin
      Author: Levine, Arthur A.

    River Ran Wild, A
      This book recounts the history of the Nashua River in Massachusetts and New Hampshire life from idyllic Algonquin Indian times to industrial pollution to a restored river due to the efforts of Marion Stoddart who coordinated a citizen campaign. The text
      Author: Cherry, Lynn HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Seedfolks
      Thirteen people of different ethnic backgrounds who are strangers to each other tell their stories of a vacant lot in Cleveland that becomes a neighborhood garden. The book jacket refers to the "harvest of hidden lives" and a "hymn to the power of plants
      Author: Fleischman, Paul

    Theodoric's Rainbow
      Although Theodoric of Freiberg lived, wrote, and experimented from 1250 AD to 1311 AD, the author has created a fictionalized personal life of this man who studied reflection and refraction of light in a period in which science was in conflict with religi
      Author: Kramer, Stephen HSE Descriptors: science

    Veil of Snows, The
      In the absence of her husband who has not returned from battle, the queen prepares her city for assault. Aided by a small force of loyal soldiers and the Singer of Tales who narrates the story, the queen escapes the besieged city and heads for the safety
      Author: Helprin, Mark HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Wall, The: Growing up behind the iron curtain
      Author-illustrator Peter Sis documents his growing up in Czechoslovakia behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War, using extraordinary drawings in black, white, and red that precede two-page spreads of journal entries. Because the running text at the b
      Author: Sis, Peter HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading | language arts - writing

    What You Know First
      A young girl does not want to leave the family farm that is being sold. She resolves her feelings realistically. The woodcut illustrations that look like old color-tinted photographs add veracity to the text.
      Author: MacLachlan, Patricia

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > child labor
    Boy of the Deeps
      On his first day in the coal mines, a boy with his father survive an accident.
      Author: Wallace, Ian HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Cheap Raw Material: How Our Youngest Workers Are Exploited and Abused
      This book is a chronological nonfiction account of children as laborers. Child labor in the U.S. is the focus, but historical background (e.g., Rome, England) is also provided. This history is chronicled through quotations from primary sources, stories
      Author: Meltzer, Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Chimney Sweeps
      From the 12th century to today, here is a look at the folklore and history surrounding the chimney sweep.
      Author: Giblin, James Cross HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Growing Up in Coal Country
      Based on primary documents and oral histories, this book tells the stories of life in the coal mines in eastern Pennsylvania around the turn of the 20th century.
      Author: Bartoletti, Susan HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Immigrant Kids
      In this unique book, noted nonfiction writer Russell Freedman offers a rare glimpse of what it meant to be a young newcomer to America in the early 1900s.
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Kids At Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor
      This book tells the story of Lewis Hine, a teacher and photographer who became so concerned about children working in factories that he became an investigative reporter for the National Child Labor Committee in the early 20th century. The pictures he too
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Marven of the Great North Woods
      Marven's immigrant Russian Jewish family sends him alone by train and by ski to a logging camp in Minnesota to escape the diphtheria epidemic in the city of Duluth. He finds a niche for himself in very different cultural surroundings through the friendsh
      Author: Lasky, Kathryn

    Stolen Dreams
      This collection of photographic essays on child labor around the world explores the physical and political conditions, the economic and health effects, and what can be done to reduce it. The author/photographer includes a list of questions, a bibliograph
      Author: Parker, David HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America
      An historical look at the influence cotton has had on the economy and people of the United States. The author traces the cotton industry from colonial times through the Civil War and the Great Migration, from the Southern plantations to the mill towns lik
      Author: Hopkinson, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America
      An historical look at the influence cotton has had on the economy and people of the United States. The author traces the cotton industry from colonial times through the Civil War and the Great Migration, from the Southern plantations to the mill towns lik
      Author: Hopkinson, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Voices from the Fields
      Photographs, poems, and interviews capture glimpses of life for today's migrant children.
      Author: Atkin, S. Beth HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Waiting for the Owl's Call
      This narrative is rich in beautiful language - similes, personifications that describes the daily lives of Afghanistani children who work at rug looms looms using ancient patterns handed down from their ancestors. The narrator mentally creates new patter
      Author: Whelan, Gloria HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Waiting for the Owl's Call
      This narrative is rich in beautiful language - similes, personifications that describes the daily lives of Afghanistani children who work at rug looms looms using ancient patterns handed down from their ancestors. The narrator mentally creates new patter
      Author: Whelan, Gloria HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Working Children
      The author presents the history of child labor in America in four chapters, written with two easy-to-read paragraphs per page , and illustrated with archival black-and-white photogaphs. What distinguishes this book for use in a classroom is the back matt
      Author: Saller, Carol HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > civil disobedience
    Butterfly, The
      During the Nazi occupation of France, Monique discovers that her mother is a member of the Resistance, and that a secret trap door conceals a Jewish family in hiding. Monique and the secret "guest" become nighttime playmates until terror threatens.
      Author: Polacco, Patricia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Forbidden Schoolhouse
      With the help of her family and a few powerful friends, Prudence Crandall began a school for African-American girls in Canterbury, Connecticut, in 1833 despite boycotts, vandalism, and legal battles. An appendix provides historical research on the student
      Author: Jurmain, Suzanne HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom on the Menu
      The author portrays the 1960's Civil Rights sit-ins at the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina through the eyes of a young Southern black girls. Richly muted paintings illustrate the story.
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom Walkers
      This detailed account of the Montgomery bus boycott that began the Civil Rights Movement includes material on the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rev. Ralph Abernathy, but also focuses on other heroes like Rev. Robert Graetz, Joanne Robinson and
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Gandhi
      The remarkable life of Mahatma Gandhi is told through simple text and beautiful Moghul-inspired illustrations. An author's note includes additional information and maps locate the principle places involved in his life.
      Author: Demi HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Hoot
      This charming and funny young adult mystery by the well-known adult mystery writer, Carl Hiassen, involves corporate greed, suburban expansion, environmental protection, child abuse and neglect, bullying, and social protest.
      Author: Hiassen, Carl

    John Brown: One Man Against Slavery
      This book tells the story of John Brown, White abolitionist and dissident, from the point of view of his daughter Annie. The book brings historical ideas and moral conflicts alive in a personal and elaborate way. The book answers the question: Can one p
      Author: Everett, Gwen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Mandela
      This picture book biography tells Nelson Mandela's story, from his childhood to his imprisonment and ultimate freedom.
      Author: Cooper, Floyd HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Miss Crandall's School
      In innovative sonnet form, the authors tell the story of Prudence Crandall who ran a school for "young ladies and little misses of color" in Canterbury, Connecticut, in 1831 until boycotts, vandalism and persecution forced the school to close. An introdu
      Author: Alexander, Elizabeth & Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    My Dream of Martin Luther King
      The author tells the story of the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. as a dream with King as a young boy suffering the injustices of segregation. Her strong paintings, more somber than her usual colorful quilt-like illustrations, give a solidity to the drea
      Author: Ringgold, Faith HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, The
      This two-act play is about Thoreau's nonviolent acts of civil disobedience and about his waning friendship with Ralph Waldo Emerson.
      Author: Lawrence, Jerome & Lee, Robert E. HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place, The
      Margaret Rose Kane, 12 years old, escapes oppressive summer camp with the help of her great-uncles and then helps them rescue from urban renewal the sculptural "towers" that they have been creating for 45 years.
      Author: Konigsburg, E. L.

    Pearl Moscowitz's Last Stand
      Pearl M., a long-time resident of her city street, refuses to let the city chop down the last gingko tree on the block. The book depicts the different ethnic groups that have moved on the street, but shows a real community of people interacting and livin
      Author: Levine, Arthur A.

    Persepolis 2
      This graphic novel sequel to Persepolis, depicts the author's rebellious adolescence and early adulthood among dissident outsider friends in Vienna and her voluntary return to her family in fundamentalist Tehran. Readers should be cautioned about referen
      Author: Satrapi, Marjane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Picture Book of Sojourner Truth, A
      As with the other Adler biographies, most readers will find this book engaging and thought provoking. It tells the life story of Sojourner Truth, an African-American woman who lived through most of the 19th century. The book ends with author's notes and
      Author: Adler, David HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Rose Blanche
      A young girl shares her food with those behind barbed wire in Nazi Germany. The title was the name of the German resistance movement during Hitler's regime.
      Author: Innocenti, Roberto HSE Descriptors: social studies

    This Is the Dream
      Accessible poetry and vivid illustrations portray the dreams and accomplishments of the Civil Rights Movement. The illustrator uses interesting collages for some borders and the endpapers.
      Author: Shore, Diane & Alexander, Jessica HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Underground Railroad, The
      The photos and illustrations and text combine into a wonderful teaching tool on slavery. Several readers commented on how much new information they gleaned from this book of nonfiction. The book includes a timeline.
      Author: Bial, Raymond HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story From Africa
      The true story of how Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan educated in the USA, started a movement to replant trees in Kenya, one seedling at a time. Wangari won the Nobel Peace Prize for replenishing of the forests in her country.
      Author: Winter, Jeanette HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Wanted Dead or Alive: The True Story of Harriet Tubman
      This is a spellbinding yet simply written account of Harriet Tubman and how she led hundreds of slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad.
      Author: McGovern, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin
      Bayard Rustin's biography not only emphasizes his well-known role as advisor and organizer to leadership in the Civil Rights Movement but expands our view with his activities as speaker, singer, actor, artist, and non-violent activist. This biography pro
      Author: Brimner, Larry Dane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March
      Tells the story of the Birmingham Children's March through four participants. As the events unfold, the different perspectives and motivations of the participants shed light on the dynamics of the civil rights movement. In addition to the personal stori
      Author: Levinson, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > crime
    Farewell, John Barleycorn
      This book tells the story of what happened after Prohibition began (1/17/20). Authentic illustrations and photographs illustrate the volume.
      Author: Hintz, Martin HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Holes
      This story-within-a-story tells of Stanley Yelnats (and his distant relatives, one of whom "cursed" the family), mistakenly sent to a juvenile corrections camp in Texas. At the corrections camp, Stanley finds a real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of
      Author: Sachar, Louis

    Rite of Passage
      The book is set in Harlem in the late 1940s. Protagonist Johnny Gibbs, 15, is a model child and student until he learns that he is a foster child who must go to live with another family. Johnny feels betrayed and reacts by running away. What follows pu
      Author: Wright, Richard HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > crime > murder
    Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure
      Alice Ramsey and three other women face floods, mud, and travel without maps as they drive from New York to San Francisco--in 1909. The charming watercolors add realistic humor to the narrative.
      Author: Brown, Don HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Blanche on the Lam
      A spunky African-American woman, who works as a housekeeper for a wealthy southern family with many secrets, must solve a murder in order to clear herself. Blanche relies on her own intelligence and an "old girl" network of domestics. The language is oc
      Author: Neely, B. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case
      This somewhat repetitive account of the brutal death of Emmett Till, the Chicago 14-year-old boy visiting Mississippi, argues that the media coverage of the trial and the subsequent outrage of the public provided the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement
      Author: Crowe, Chris HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Good Brother, Bad Brother
      Subtitled "The Story of Edwin Booth and John Wilkes Booth," this long biography portrays their lives before and after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. This is a GED level book.
      Author: Giblin, James Cross HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Monster
      16-year-old Steve Harmon is on trial for murder. This riveting book tells his story in the form of his journals and a film script he is writing.
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean

    October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard
      On the night of October 6, 1998, a gay twenty-one year old University of Wyoming student named Matthew Shepard, was beaten, tied to a fence and left to die. The book is a collection of 68 poems from various perspectives concerning this crime.
      Author: Newman, Leslea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Perfect Shot, The
      Ostensibly a murder mystery, this book explores many issues--civil rights, prejudice, judicial system, stereotyping, meaningful teaching--while offering exciting descriptions of basketball. Brian must decide whether to speak out when his girlfriend, her
      Author: Alphin, Elaine Marie HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > crime > stealing
    Day's Work, A
      When a Mexican-American boy tries to help his Spanish-speaking grandfather find a day's work, he lies about what the man is qualified to do. After a full day, the lie is exposed, and the grandfather teaches the boy a lesson about honesty.
      Author: Bunting, Eve

    smoky night
      1
      Author: bunting, eve HSE Descriptors: literature and arts | literature and arts | literature and arts | literature and arts | literature and arts

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > drug addiction
    Teacup Full of Roses
      Three brothers live with their mother, disabled father and aging aunt in Washington, D.C. during the Vietnam war. Paul, the oldest and his mother's favorite, returns home from another drug rehabilitation program just as Joe, the middle very responsible s
      Author: Mathis, Sharon HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > drug addiction > alcoholism
    Because of Winn-Dixie
      10-year-old Opal and her preacher father move to a small Florida town. Opal finds a dog (Winn-Dixie), gradually eases her loneliness, and learns to accept some losses.
      Author: DiCamillo, Kate

    Dog Lost
      An eleven-year old boy and pit bull terrier become best of friends. In an angry rage, the father throws the dog out into the street and the dog is forced to survive. Eventually the boy and his dog are reunited but not before the dog becomes a local hero
      Author: Lee, Ingrid HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Every Living Thing
      Each story in this collection features an animal, and in every case the existence of the animal helps to foster the feelings of love or compassion in the people. The stories touch upon topics such as alcoholism, aging, loneliness, and foster parenting.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Finding Lincoln
      Louis needs to write an essay but in Alabama in 1951, he's not allowed in the "whites only" library. Lewis solves his dilemma with bravery and the help of a kind librarian. Historical notes are included at the end of the story.
      Author: Malaspina, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Finding Lincoln
      Louis needs to write an essay but in Alabama in 1951, he's not allowed in the "whites only" library. Lewis solves his dilemma with bravery and the help of a kind librarian. Historical notes are included at the end of the story.
      Author: Malaspina, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom Rides: Journey for Justice
      These are stories about the Freedom Riders during the early years of the Civil Rights movement. The detail and "human" perspective provided goes well beyond most written descriptions. This is an engaging account of the actions of incredibly brave heroes.
      Author: Haskins, James HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Glass Castle, The: A Memoir
      Jeannette Walls' memoir of her dysfunctional but vibrant family and the resilience and loyalty they exhibited.
      Author: Walls, Jeannette

    Glass Castle, The: A Memoir
      Jeannette Walls' memoir of her dysfunctional but vibrant family and the resilience and loyalty they exhibited.
      Author: Walls, Jeannette

    To Hell with Dying
      Because of the controversial subject matter and the language of the title, this book would have to be introduced carefully and treated sensitively. The author tells the story of growing up down the road from old alcoholic Mr. Sweet, who would fall on his
      Author: Walker, Alice

    Young Man and the Sea, The
      In an attempt to push his father out of the alcohol-fueled funk he's been in since his wife died, 12-year-old Skiff Beaman repairs the family fishing boat and meets a 900-lb. tuna 30 miles at sea.
      Author: Philbrick, Rodman

    Young Man and the Sea, The
      In an attempt to push his father out of the alcohol-fueled funk he's been in since his wife died, 12-year-old Skiff Beaman repairs the family fishing boat and meets a 900-lb. tuna 30 miles at sea.
      Author: Philbrick, Rodman

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > epidemics
    American Plague, An
      Subtitled "The True and Terifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793," this account focuses on the 1793 outbreak in Philadelphia but also addresses the politics of medical research. It won several awards.
      Author: Murphy, Jim HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Boy Who Saved Cleveland, The
      During a malarial epidemic in the late 18th century Cleveland, Ohio, ten-year-old Seth Doan surprises his family, his neighbors, and himself by having the strength to carry and grind enough corn to feed everyone.
      Author: Giblin, James Cross HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Fever 1793
      This is a very compelling fictionalization of life for one teenaged girl, her family, and her friends during the yellow fever outbreak in Philadelphia in 1793.
      Author: Anderson, Laurie Halse HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Invisible Enemies
      This well-written but long book describes seven deadly diseases--Small Pox, Leprosy, Plague, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Cholera, and AIDS--the epidemics they caused, and the treatments developed by courageous scientists. The author includes a glossary, a bib
      Author: Farrell, Jeanette HSE Descriptors: science

    Marven of the Great North Woods
      Marven's immigrant Russian Jewish family sends him alone by train and by ski to a logging camp in Minnesota to escape the diphtheria epidemic in the city of Duluth. He finds a niche for himself in very different cultural surroundings through the friendsh
      Author: Lasky, Kathryn

    Outbreak: Plagues That Changed History
      A look at the spread of six major diseases and how they changed history and culture. Included are bubonic plague, smallpox, yellow fever, cholera, tuberculosis, and influenza. A glossery of terms used is included.
      Author: Barnard, Bryn HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    When Plague Strikes: The Black Death, Smallpox, AIDS
      This carefully written book contains three parts: a prologue, a five-chapter account of the Black Plague, a five-chapter account of the causes and effects of smallpox, a seven-chapter account of AIDS, and a fascinating conclusion on the failures of antibi
      Author: Giblin, James Cross HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > epidemics > AIDS
    Chanda's Secrets
      Sixteen-year-old Chanda, who lives in a fictional sub-Saharan country that is feeling the impact of HIV/AIDS psychologically(fears, lies, and sundered relationships)and socially (ostracism of tainted people, necessity of hiding), takes a courageous stand
      Author: Stratton, Allan HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > exploitation
    Bucking the Sarge
      Teenage Luther, who is exploited by his slumlord mother, keeps his equilbrium through many humorous misadventures before finding his own way.
      Author: Curtis, Christopher Paul

    Full Steam Ahead: The Race to Build a Transcontinental Railroad
      The Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 granted a company in California the right to lay railroad tracks east and another to lay tracks west beginning at the Mississippi River. Payment for the work, in land and money, was based on the number of miles covered. T
      Author: Blumberg, Rhoda HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Me, All Alone, at the End of the World
      A boy enjoys living quietly by himself at the End of the World until Constantine Shimmer arrives and begins to "improve" the area with an inn and amusement park, demanding that tourists come and have "fun without end.
      Author: Anderson, M.T. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    My Heroes, My People
      Portraits of native American, Africans, and people of mixed race--both images and brief biographies--present a less well-known history of the American West. A Note on Sources and Further Reading and an index promote classroom use. The unusual illustratio
      Author: Monceaux, Morgan & Katcher, Ruth HSE Descriptors: social studies

    My Sister's Keeper
      Set in modern day Rhode Island, this novel tells the story of two sisters: Kate, the elder sister, has a rare form of leukemia and Anna, the younger sister, was conceived as a bone marrow donor for her sister. This book deals with medical and moral ethics
      Author: Picoult, Jodi

    Rabbits, The
      A myth/allegory about rabbits who take over a country and destroy the environment. The illustrations are simultaneously thought-provoking, beautiful, and ominous. The type face may confuse new readers although it is large and easy to read.
      Author: Marsden, John

    Sold
      Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a village in Nepal. Her stepfather sells her into sexual slavery and her life of prostitution begins in a large city in India. The book is written in short paragraphs, sentences, and phrases
      Author: McCormick, Patricia HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Swan Song
      The poet and artist collaborated to create poetic, humorous post-mortems for extinct creatures. A timeline crawls across the bottom margin and back matter provides more information about the creatures and their habitats.
      Author: Lewis, J. Patrick HSE Descriptors: science

    Tenement: Immigrant Life on the Lower East Side
      Lots of photographs and a fairly easy-to-read text tell the story of the tenements that were built to house immigrants during the turn of the century (19th - 20th). Further reading includes books for adults and children as well as related WWW sites.
      Author: Bial, Raymond HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America
      An historical look at the influence cotton has had on the economy and people of the United States. The author traces the cotton industry from colonial times through the Civil War and the Great Migration, from the Southern plantations to the mill towns lik
      Author: Hopkinson, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America
      An historical look at the influence cotton has had on the economy and people of the United States. The author traces the cotton industry from colonial times through the Civil War and the Great Migration, from the Southern plantations to the mill towns lik
      Author: Hopkinson, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Why War Is Never A Good Idea
      This beautifully illustrated poetic essay uses images of water and earth to communicate the destructiveness of war. Dscribes war as a "something which has grown old, but not wise as it destroys beautiful things and nice people."
      Author: Walker, Alice HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > gangs
    Monster
      16-year-old Steve Harmon is on trial for murder. This riveting book tells his story in the form of his journals and a film script he is writing.
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean

    Rite of Passage
      The book is set in Harlem in the late 1940s. Protagonist Johnny Gibbs, 15, is a model child and student until he learns that he is a foster child who must go to live with another family. Johnny feels betrayed and reacts by running away. What follows pu
      Author: Wright, Richard HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Voices from the Fields
      Photographs, poems, and interviews capture glimpses of life for today's migrant children.
      Author: Atkin, S. Beth HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Your Move
      When gang initiation threatens his younger brother, James summons the courage to make up his own mind.
      Author: Bunting, Eve

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > homelessness
    Bird House, The
      This is a modern-day fairy tale that features a homeless girl, an old woman, and birds with magical powers.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Black Cat
      A black cat explores an urban neighborhood. The stunning illustrations are a combination of painting and photography.
      Author: Myers, Christopher HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    December
      Simon and his mother celebrate Christmas in the cardboard house they built for themselves. They offer to share the little they have with an old woman. Later, Simon sees a miracle.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Fly Away Home
      A homeless boy and his dad live at the airport while the father tries to find an apartment and a job. They hide out from airport officials but receive support from another down-on-their-luck family.
      Author: Bunting, Eve

    Glass Castle, The: A Memoir
      Jeannette Walls' memoir of her dysfunctional but vibrant family and the resilience and loyalty they exhibited.
      Author: Walls, Jeannette

    Glass Castle, The: A Memoir
      Jeannette Walls' memoir of her dysfunctional but vibrant family and the resilience and loyalty they exhibited.
      Author: Walls, Jeannette

    Gowanus Dogs
      A homeless man meets some homeless dogs. The meeting changes everyone's life.
      Author: Frost, Jonathan

    Mud City
      Shauzia, with her dog, has fled Afghanistan and survives on the streets of Peshawar, Pakistan, and in a refugee camp. This is the second part of a trilogy.
      Author: Ellis, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > immigration
    Ajeemah and His Son
      This very powerful, short chapter book (83 pages) is set first in Africa, then on a slave ship, and then in Jamaica where Ajeemah and his son are taken. It tells the story of a father and son who are captured outside of their village and torn from their
      Author: Berry, James HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Amazing Potato, The
      A wonderful example of thematic writing, this book about the potato includes everything you want to know--and then some. The photographs, fact boxes, sketches, annotated bibliography, index, and interestingly written text produce a self-contained integra
      Author: Meltzer, Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    America Street: A Multicultural Anthology of Stories
      This is a collection of 14 short stories about people with many different cultural heritages and ethnic backgrounds.
      Author: Mazer, Anne (ed.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Angel Island
      An historical account of the discrimination against the Asian immigrants in the late 1800s-early 1900s. Angel Island, located near Alcatraz Island, was the Ellis Island of the west coast of the U.S. but was more of a prison than a welcoming center. Drawi
      Author: Russell Freedman HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Arrival, The
      An amazing and complex immigration story told in a wordless format. Once you start "reading", it's hard to stop - each picture draws you to the next.
      Author: Tan, Shaun HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Arrival, The
      An amazing and complex immigration story told in a wordless format. Once you start "reading", it's hard to stop - each picture draws you to the next.
      Author: Tan, Shaun HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Barrio
      Photographs present the life of Jose and his family who live in a barrio or Hispanic neighborhood in San Francisco. A glossary contains Spanish words used in the story. One reviewer felt that the glorification/simplification of the issues addressed may m
      Author: Ancona, George HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Black Potatoes
      The causes and consequences of the Irish potato famine are examined, using individual portraits and anecdotes. Archival photographs, a map of the counties of Ireland, a bibliography, and a timeline complement the text.
      Author: Bartoletti, Susan HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Block, The
      This collection of Langston Hughes poems is complemented by the illustrations of Romare Beardon. An introduction by Bill Cosby precedes the collection, and biographies of the poet and artist conclude it.
      Author: Hughes, Langston HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Butterfly Seeds, The
      When Jake sails with his family for America, his grandfather gives him a gift of special seeds that will evoke memories of his grandfather in his new home.
      Author: Watson, Mary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Full Steam Ahead: The Race to Build a Transcontinental Railroad
      The Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 granted a company in California the right to lay railroad tracks east and another to lay tracks west beginning at the Mississippi River. Payment for the work, in land and money, was based on the number of miles covered. T
      Author: Blumberg, Rhoda HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Ghost Train
      Choon-yi is a painter. Her father leaves China for North America to find work. He asks her to join him, but when she arrives, she discovers that he has been killed on the job. As Choon-yi tries to paint the train, a ghostly presence beckons her.
      Author: Yee, Paul

    Grab Hands and Run
      Based on a true story, this 165-page book tells of twelve-year-old Felipe, his sister, and his mother as they flee El Salvador when his father disappears. The family escapes, hides, and runs until, caught, they are finally placed in a new home in Canada.
      Author: Temple, Frances HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Grandfather's Journey
      This book shows through its photographic-like illustrations and through its minimal text the displacement people feel when they immigrate, the longing they have for the old country and old ways, and the confusion that new loyalties bring.
      Author: Say, Allen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Grandmother and the Runaway Shadow
      When she was a young girl, Grandmother immigrated to America from Russia accompanied by her shadow. Together, they made a new home.
      Author: Rosenberg, Liz HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Growing Up in Coal Country
      Based on primary documents and oral histories, this book tells the stories of life in the coal mines in eastern Pennsylvania around the turn of the 20th century.
      Author: Bartoletti, Susan HSE Descriptors: social studies

    How Many Days to America?
      The narrator, a child from an unnamed Caribbean island, escapes the soldiers and the island with his family and takes a dangerous boat trip back to the US. At the end they celebrate with a meal and give thanks.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Immigrant Kids
      In this unique book, noted nonfiction writer Russell Freedman offers a rare glimpse of what it meant to be a young newcomer to America in the early 1900s.
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    In Nueva York
      This collection of short, interlocking stories depicts life in one of New York City's Puerto Rican communities.
      Author: Mohr, Nicholasa HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    In the Promised Land
      From Asser Levy in 1654 to Steven Spielberg today, this book provides one-page illustrated biographies of thirteen famous Jews. In addition, the author includes other print and web resources.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Kids At Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor
      This book tells the story of Lewis Hine, a teacher and photographer who became so concerned about children working in factories that he became an investigative reporter for the National Child Labor Committee in the early 20th century. The pictures he too
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Lotus Seed, The
      A young girl tells her grandmother's story of carrying a lotus seed with her from Vietnam, losing it, and then regaining it. The author wants to share "how a family's heritage is passed from one generation to the next and how hope, like the lotus seed, ca
      Author: Garland, Sherry HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Matchbox Diary, The
      An Italian immigrant grandfather uses objects he's preserved in matchboxes to tell his granddaughter the story of his life. He created this unique diary because he could not read or write.
      Author: Fleischman, Paul HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Memory Coat, The
      In order to flee persecution as Jews in Russia, Rachel and her cousin Griska emigrate with their extended family to America where they encounter difficulty at Ellis Island. The author provides additional information on immigration from Russia in the endm
      Author: Woodruff, Elvira HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel
      When offered a choice between a ceramic clock and a shovel as a gift before leaving for America, Bridie chooses the latter and uses it throughout her resourceful life.
      Author: Connor, Leslie

    My Grandmother's Journey
      The narrator tells the story of the grandmother's life and of the many wars and troubles she experienced in Eastern Europe, until she came to the U.S.
      Author: Cech, John HSE Descriptors: social studies

    My Own True Name
      This partially bilingual collection of uniformly thoughtful and accessible poems includes many verse forms.
      Author: Mora, Pat

    N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims
      The author researched the first years of the Pilgrims at Plymouth to create a text to accompany murals painted by N.C. Wyeth. The text includes detailed descriptions, end papers from the Mayflower log, an author's note about his research, and a section a
      Author: San Souci, Robert HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Our Century--1920-1930
      This is a series of short articles about life, events, and people who made news in the decade of the 20s. (Teachers should note that no African-American history is reported.)
      Author: Hill, Prescott HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Peppe the Lamplighter
      A young Italian immigrant boy has to find a job lighting the lamps to help support his invalid father and many sisters. His proud father thinks it is inferior work until the night the boy refuses to light the lamps, and his little sister does not return
      Author: Bartone, Elisa HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Pick and Shovel Poet
      This moving biography recounts the life of Italian immigrant poet Pascal D'Angelo. The author includes some of D'Angelo's poems as well as archival photos of immigrant life, an extensive bibliography and an index.
      Author: Murphy, Jim HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Picnic in October, A
      At the insistence of the immigrant grandparents, a family celebrates coming to America and the October birthday of the Statue of Liberty.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Places in Time
      This story atlas describes on facing pages activities at a particular place and time in U.S. history, e.g. Fort Laramie during the westward expansion on the Oregon Trail in 1849. Included are community and building diagrams with numbered points of intere
      Author: Leacock, Elspeth & Buckley, Susan HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Shutting Out the Sky
      Subtitled "Life in the Tenements of New York, 1880-1924,," the chapters in this book offer information and perspectives on all aspects of immigration and life in NYC. Photographs and text document the experiences of five individuals from Belarus, Italy, L
      Author: Hopkinson, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Step Toward Heaven, A
      When Young Ju emigrates with her immediate family to America from Korea, she misses her grandparents. As she grows older, she finds a refuge from her father's physical abuse in school achievement. The author mimics the style of narration with the age of
      Author: Na, An

    Streets of Gold
      This story of a Russian family's life in Russia and then in the U.S. is based on an actual immigrant's journals.
      Author: Wells, Rosemary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Tea With Milk
      May (the author's mother) is learning American ways when her family moves back to Japan. When her parents hire a matchmaker to find her a husband, May moves to Osaka, begins a career, and finds her own happiness.
      Author: Say, Allen

    Tenement: Immigrant Life on the Lower East Side
      Lots of photographs and a fairly easy-to-read text tell the story of the tenements that were built to house immigrants during the turn of the century (19th - 20th). Further reading includes books for adults and children as well as related WWW sites.
      Author: Bial, Raymond HSE Descriptors: social studies

    They Sought A New World
      Through Kurelek's art and Margaret Englehart's additional text, this book tells the story of European immigrants to North America. In addition to describing issues like finding work and shelter, aspects of culture -- religion, maintaining cultural tradit
      Author: Kurelek, William HSE Descriptors: social studies

    This Our Dark Country: The American Settlers of Liberia
      This is a history of Liberia which was established on the west coast of Africa in 1822 as a haven for free African Americans. Some U.S. history is also included as background context. End matter includes photos, maps, endnotes, bibliography, and index. Th
      Author: Reef, Catherine HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Tonight, By Sea
      A Haitian girl, Paulie, joins with her village to secretly build and launch a boat and escape to Miami. The book is full of dialect and may be too difficult for some readers, but the subject matter and compelling story make it good reading.
      Author: Temple, Frances HSE Descriptors: social studies

    When Jessie Came Across the Sea
      Jesse leaves her village for America where she earns money to bring her grandmother to America in time for her wedding.
      Author: Hest, Amy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Working Children
      The author presents the history of child labor in America in four chapters, written with two easy-to-read paragraphs per page , and illustrated with archival black-and-white photogaphs. What distinguishes this book for use in a classroom is the back matt
      Author: Saller, Carol HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > mental illness
    Lincolns, The
      Using a scrapbook format with blocks of stories and archival photographs, the author provides a chatty, up-close biography of Abraham and Mary Lincoln. Since the book is in a scrapbook format, students can start reading anywhere in the book or read in the
      Author: Fleming, Candice HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Silent Boy, The
      Katy,the young and curious daughter of a small-town doctor living in 1908, learns about life, death, and social distinctions from her family and her friend, Jacob, who is "touched."
      Author: Lowry, Lois

    Snake Pits, Talking Cures, and Magic Bullets: A History of Mental Illness
      This is a roughly chronological history of thinking about and treatment for persons with mental illness. Boxed text throughout focuses on special issues. End material offers many opportunities for follow-up.
      Author: Kent, Deborah HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > migrant workers
    Calling the Doves
      The author joyously recounts the songs, the food, and the love of his parents of his boyhood in a migrant Mexican family in rhythmic, lyrical language with a bilingual format. The colorful illustrations recall both Diego Rivera and Marc Chagall in their
      Author: Herrera, Juan

    Children of the Dust Bowl
      The book recounts the migration of the "Okies" during the Great Depression to the camps in California. School Superintendent Leo Hart began the Weedpatch School where children of the migrants escaped the ostracism of the locals in a model learn-by-doing
      Author: Stanley, Jerry HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Christmas Gift, The
      This beautifully illustrated bilingual story tells of the Christmas of a migrant family in California, which first appeared as a chapter in The Circuit. His family has to move again a few days before Christmas in order to find work, and Panchito
      Author: Jimenez, Francisco HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Day's Work, A
      When a Mexican-American boy tries to help his Spanish-speaking grandfather find a day's work, he lies about what the man is qualified to do. After a full day, the lie is exposed, and the grandfather teaches the boy a lesson about honesty.
      Author: Bunting, Eve

    Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez
      This is a picture biography of Cesar Chavez. It focuses on his childhood and initial efforts at organizing farm workers in the mid-60s, creating The National Form Workers Association.
      Author: Krull, Kathleen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Lights on the River
      A migrant girl keeps memories of her grandma close as she deals with hard times in the United States. Her voice is strong, and the illustrations are stunning.
      Author: Thomas, Jane Resh

    Stolen Dreams
      This collection of photographic essays on child labor around the world explores the physical and political conditions, the economic and health effects, and what can be done to reduce it. The author/photographer includes a list of questions, a bibliograph
      Author: Parker, David HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Tomas and the Library Lady
      This is the true, if somewhat fictionalized, story of a librarian in Iowa who befriends Tomas, a migrant child from Texas. Tomas discovers the world of books and the librarian learns some Spanish phrases. The author includes a note at the end of the boo
      Author: Mora, Pat

    Voices from the Fields
      Photographs, poems, and interviews capture glimpses of life for today's migrant children.
      Author: Atkin, S. Beth HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > orphans
    Brothers In Hope
      The author, who worked with the International Rescue Committee, tells the story of the "lost boys" of Sudan, orphaned by war, who walked to refuge in Ethiopia, and later to Kenya. The first person narrative and vibrant illustrations add immediacy to the
      Author: Williams, Mary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Gifts from the Sea
      The lives of a lighthousekeeper and his daughter are changed by the discovery of a baby washed ashore after a shipwreck on the coast of Maine in the 1850's.
      Author: Kinsey-Warnock, Natalie

    Locomotion
      Lonnie, a.k.a. Locomotion, is encouraged by his teacher Ms. Marcus to write poetry. His poems, in many, many forms but all accessible, tell his story of losing parents in a fire, separation from his sister, group homes, and foster care.
      Author: Woodson, Jacqueline

    Orphan Train Rider: One Boy's True Story
      Between 1859 and 1929, more than 200,000 children were sent "west" on Orphan Trains. The chapters in this book alternate between telling the larger history of this event and telling the individual story of one Orphan Train Rider, Lee Nailling.
      Author: Warren, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Peace, Locomotion
      This book is a collection of the letters and poems Lonnie, hero of the book Locomotion, writes to his sister Lili, who lives with a different foster parent than Lonnie does. The book is remarkably upbeat while dealing with the family issues that Lonnie an
      Author: Woodson, Jacqueline HSE Descriptors: language arts - writing

    Peace, Locomotion
      This book is a collection of the letters and poems Lonnie, hero of the book Locomotion, writes to his sister Lili, who lives with a different foster parent than Lonnie does. The book is remarkably upbeat while dealing with the family issues that Lonnie an
      Author: Woodson, Jacqueline HSE Descriptors: language arts - writing

    Train to Somewhere
      Marianne heads west with 14 other children on an Orphan Train, certain that her mother will be waiting for her at one of the stops. No one shows interest in adopting Marianne until the train arrives at a place called Somewhere, where Marianne meets her n
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > poverty
    American Plague, An
      Subtitled "The True and Terifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793," this account focuses on the 1793 outbreak in Philadelphia but also addresses the politics of medical research. It won several awards.
      Author: Murphy, Jim HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Auld Lang Syne
      Told from first person perspective, this life story of Robert Burns from childhood to adulthood highlights the poets efforts to keep alive Scottish songs and verses. Most familiar to many will be the song of the book's title.
      Author: Findon, Joanne HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Big Annie of Calumet
      Big Annie is the story of Annie Clemenc who led the miners' strike of 1913 in Calumet, Michigan against the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company. The book contains many photographs of the strike and conditions in the mines and a brief overview of the Industri
      Author: Stanley, Jerry HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Charlie Chaplin
      This interesting biography of Charlie Chaplin discusses his life and work from his impoverished boyhood in London through his Hollywood film career to exile in Europe, ending with knighthood in England. The author expands the use of the book with a bibli
      Author: Turk, Ruth HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Cheap Raw Material: How Our Youngest Workers Are Exploited and Abused
      This book is a chronological nonfiction account of children as laborers. Child labor in the U.S. is the focus, but historical background (e.g., Rome, England) is also provided. This history is chronicled through quotations from primary sources, stories
      Author: Meltzer, Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Children of the Dust Bowl
      The book recounts the migration of the "Okies" during the Great Depression to the camps in California. School Superintendent Leo Hart began the Weedpatch School where children of the migrants escaped the ostracism of the locals in a model learn-by-doing
      Author: Stanley, Jerry HSE Descriptors: social studies

    FDR's Alphabet Soup
      The author documents FDR's New Deal agencies from 1932-1939 with lively text, extensive research, and marvelous archival materials and photographs that is extremely timely for the economic conditions of 2012. A postscript, glossary, notes, selected resou
      Author: Bolden, Tonya HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Home Lovely
      Janelle and Tiffany move to a trailer, where Tiffany is alone after school while Janelle works. Tiffany finds some plants, makes a garden, and becomes friends with the mailman. (NOTE: Teachers may want to be aware that the child, clearly elementary-scho
      Author: Perkins, Lynne Rae

    Josepha
      A boy narrates the story of his friend and protector, the immigrant young man Josepha, who had to leave school to work.
      Author: McGugan, Jim HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Make Lemonade
      When fourteen-year-old LaVaughn takes a job baby-sitting for seventeen-year-old Jolly's two children, neither girl realizes how much she'll learn from the other. Despite no job, a lousy apartment, and a bleak future, Jolly, with the help of LaVaughn and
      Author: Wolff, Virginia Euwer

    Molly Bannaky
      This is a biography of the grandmother of the famous mathematician, Banjamin Banneker, who came to America in 1683 as an indentured servant and married her freed slave. The author includes an historical note.
      Author: McGill, Alice HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Peppe the Lamplighter
      A young Italian immigrant boy has to find a job lighting the lamps to help support his invalid father and many sisters. His proud father thinks it is inferior work until the night the boy refuses to light the lamps, and his little sister does not return
      Author: Bartone, Elisa HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Silver Packages
      A man returns to his childhood home in Appalachia to thank the benefactor on the Christmas Train. The story originally appeared in Rylant's book Children of Christmas: Stories for the Season.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia

    Six Days in October
      This is a detailed summary if the events surrounding the Stock Market crash of 1929. Side bars explain some common financial/ investment concepts. Archival photographs, newspaper articles, and cartoons illustrate the material.
      Author: Blumenthal, Karen HSE Descriptors: social studies | math

    Something Permanent
      Walker Evans' photographs of southern United States during the Depression years are stark and haunting, and Cynthia Rylant's short poems describe their stories beautifully.
      Author: Rylant, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Tenement: Immigrant Life on the Lower East Side
      Lots of photographs and a fairly easy-to-read text tell the story of the tenements that were built to house immigrants during the turn of the century (19th - 20th). Further reading includes books for adults and children as well as related WWW sites.
      Author: Bial, Raymond HSE Descriptors: social studies

    True Believer
      This is not exactly a sequel to Make Lemonade, but the style is similar and many of the characters are the same-- LaVaughn, her mother, Jolly and her children [they have a minor role in this book]. LaVaughn is 15, lives in the inner city, and str
      Author: Wolff, Virginia Euwer

    Wolf on the Fold
      Six linked storeis follow an Australian family from 1935 to 2002 as different generations cope with discord and violence. The use of flashbacks may cause some readers difficulty.
      Author: Clarke, Judith

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > racism
    47
      In this part fictional slave narrative and part science fiction story, 47, a young slave without a name, learns from mysterious Tall John how to "neither a master nor a nigger be".
      Author: Mosley, Walter HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Amistad: A Long Road to Freedom
      When slaves on the ship Amistad rebelled and tried to return home to Africa, they were captured and embroiled in legal battles of slavery and abolition in the U.S. The book includes sections on Further Reading, Bibliography, Epilogue, and endpaper courtr
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Birmingham Sunday
      This powerfully told story of the horrific bombing of a church in Birmingham, ALABAMA which ended with the killing of three young girls and galvanized the civil rights movement across the country. The photographs and writing style of the author make for a
      Author: Brimner, Larry Dane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Birmingham, 1963
      A fictional narrator tells, in poetry, about the day she turned 10, which was also the day of the church bombing in Birmingham
      Author: Weatherford, Carole HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Black Hoops: The History of African Americans in Basketball
      This book provides a history of basketball and African Americans in basketball. To help readers understand these issues, the author provides historical backdrops that address racism, segregation, the struggle to desegregate sports, and the civil rights mo
      Author: McKissack, Frederick, Jr. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
      Andrea and Brian Pinkney bring their considerable talents to tell the story of the Montgomery bus boycott in wonderfully poetic language and blues rhythms. An Author's Note gives more historical information.
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
      Andrea and Brian Pinkney bring their considerable talents to tell the story of the Montgomery bus boycott in wonderfully poetic language and blues rhythms. An Author's Note gives more historical information.
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Brothers War, The: Civil War Voices in Verse
      Well-known poet J. Patrick Lewis includes archival photographs and factual information to expand the emotional of his poems that give voice to individuals who were caught up in the Civil War. The book also includes a map, a timeline, a bibliography, and
      Author: Lewis, J. Patrick HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea
      This well illustrated book of poetry uses the metaphor of nurturing tea for the extended family.
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Building a New Land
      Each of the short chapters in this well written picture book addresses the lives, rights, changing roles, and contributions of African Americans in a different area of Colonial America. The author includes a timeline and a bibliography.
      Author: Haskins, James & Benson, Kathleen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Champions on the Bench: The Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars
      In 1955, the Cannon St YMCA's Little League team (from SC) cannot play in the Little League World Series because all-white teams refuse to play them. The story told in this book is based on these real events.
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Champions on the Bench: The Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars
      In 1955, the Cannon St YMCA's Little League team (from SC) cannot play in the Little League World Series because all-white teams refuse to play them. The story told in this book is based on these real events.
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Children of Topaz, The
      The authors provide an introduction to the history of the Japanese internment camps in the United States during World War II as well as a Reference and Reading List. The book is a journal kept by a third-grade class taught by Anne Yamauchi in such a camp
      Author: Tunnell, Michael & Chilcoat, George HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Dear Willie Rudd
      Miss Elizabeth, thinking 50 years back, remembers Willie Rudd, the African American housekeeper who raised her, her mother, and her grandmother. She writes a letter to the long-dead Willie Rudd in which she explains the past and expresses her feelings.
      Author: Gray, Libba Moore

    Escape from Slavery: The Boyhood of Frederick Douglass in His Own Words
      This edited and illustrated book provides generous excerpts from Douglass's Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. No textbook description of slavery could have even a tiny portion of the power of this chilling account.
      Author: McCurdy, Michael (Ed.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom on the Menu
      The author portrays the 1960's Civil Rights sit-ins at the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina through the eyes of a young Southern black girls. Richly muted paintings illustrate the story.
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom Riders
      This book, illustrated with historical photographs, tells the story of two young men, one white and one black, whose common goal in life is to bring equality between the races. Their story is set during the historic freedom rides of the Civil Rights Move
      Author: Bausum, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case
      This somewhat repetitive account of the brutal death of Emmett Till, the Chicago 14-year-old boy visiting Mississippi, argues that the media coverage of the trial and the subsequent outrage of the public provided the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement
      Author: Crowe, Chris HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Harlem Hellfighters, The
      This book is mostly about the "Harlem Hellfighters," the 369th Infantry Regiment in WWI. This story is set in the larger context of the role of African American men in war prior to WWI.
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Harlem Stomp!
      Subtitled "A cultural history of the Harlem Renaissance," this book has 10 chapters that address how Harlem came to be a cultural "magnet" in the 1920s. The book interweaves history, poetry, and archival photos that brings the cultural history of Harlem t
      Author: Hill, Laban Carrick HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    How I Discovered Poetry
      Marilyn Nelson describes her childhood in America in the 1950s, as the daughter of an African American Army officer. The poems span from her fourth to fourteenth year and touch aspects of civil rights, "Red Scare," atom bomb and the stirrings of the femin
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies | language arts - writing

    I See the Rhythm
      The author and illustrator use different type faces, colors, a timeline, and paintings to involve the reader in the history, mood and movement of African American music. Types of music included are blues, ragtime, jazz, swing, bebop, cool jazz and gospel.
      Author: Igus, Toyomi HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Let Them Play
      This beautifully illustrated book tells the true story of the 1955 state champion little league team from South Carolina, who were all African-American and who encountered segregation problems as they continued to win.
      Author: Raven, Margot HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Letters from a Slave Girl
      Drawn from her 1861 autobiography, these fictionalized letters tell the story of Harriet Jacobs, a slave from North Carolina who went through great struggles to escape slavery. The book ends with two family trees, one a Black family and one White, a glos
      Author: Lyons, Mary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone
      Well-known children's author Joyce Carol Thomas has collected pieces by 12 writers to commemorate the Supreme Court ruling Brown vs. Board of Education. The reading level varies significantly from piece to piece.
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Mandela
      This picture book biography tells Nelson Mandela's story, from his childhood to his imprisonment and ultimate freedom.
      Author: Cooper, Floyd HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Many Thousand Gone: African Americans from Slavery to Freedom
      This is a beautifully illustrated collection of true stories about the struggle that African Americans faced in gaining their freedom. The book is divided into 3 parts: Slavery in America; Running-Aways; and Exodus to Freedom. An Afterword, bibliogra
      Author: Virginia Hamilton HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies | language arts - writing

    Marching for Freedom
      The compelling story of the events in Selma, Alabama that led to the voter rights march to Montgomery in 1965. Interviews with some of the marchers and black and white photographs highlight the struggles of African Americans to get the right to vote.
      Author: Partridge, Elizabeth HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Martin Luther King
      Folk art paintings accompany this biography of Dr. King. A timeline of important events in his life concludes the book.
      Author: Bray, Rosemary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Mei Ling in China City
      Twelve year old Mei Ling Lee helps her parents during the Moon Festival celebration and raises money for Chinese women and children refugees in 1942. She also has a friend whose family was relocated to Manzanar War Relocation Center because she is Japanes
      Author: Smith, Icy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Mei Ling in China City
      Twelve year old Mei Ling Lee helps her parents during the Moon Festival celebration and raises money for Chinese women and children refugees in 1942. She also has a friend whose family was relocated to Manzanar War Relocation Center because she is Japanes
      Author: Smith, Icy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Miss Crandall's School
      In innovative sonnet form, the authors tell the story of Prudence Crandall who ran a school for "young ladies and little misses of color" in Canterbury, Connecticut, in 1831 until boycotts, vandalism and persecution forced the school to close. An introdu
      Author: Alexander, Elizabeth & Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Nightjohn
      An escaped slave returns to the South to teach others how to read. This 92-page book is very bleak, and the violence is quite graphic.
      Author: Paulsen, Gary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    No Crystal Stair
      Nelson combines research with family stories to document the life of her great-uncle Lewis Michaux, an extraordinary literary pioneer of the Civil Rights era and his Harlem bookstore's role in the Civil Rights movement.
      Author: Nelson, Vauna, Micheaux HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Oh, Freedom!
      Most of the book is transcripts of interviews children conducted with people who were involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Several essays that provide a chronology of African-American life and a foreword by Rosa Parks complement the interviews.
      Author: King, Casey, & Osborne, Linda HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Othello, A Novel
      The author retells Shakespeare's play Othello as a novel, relocating the setting to late 15th century England and changing the racial identities of Iago and Emilia to African. Boldface type calls attention to passages from Shakespeare. Iago manipulates
      Author: Lester, Julius HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Other Side, The
      Spurred by a letter from her grandmother saying that "they're pulling Shorter down," the poet returns to the people and places of her childhood in Shorter, Alabama. The poems are accessible and concise but filled with powerful feeling. Photographs from
      Author: Johnson, Angela

    Pink and Say
      This long picture book tells the story of Pinkus Aylee, an African-American soldier in the Civil War, and of his mother, Moe Bay and of his friendship with a young White boy. A moving book that may be more appropriate for adults than for children, it cel
      Author: Polacco, Patricia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Princess of the Press
      This biography of Ida Wells- Barnett chronicles her remarkable career in civil rights as a journalist against lynching, publisher of African American newspapers, speaker and activist for women's right to vote, and founder of the National Association for t
      Author: Medearis, Angela HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Remembering Manzanar
      Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government ordered forced evacuation of Japanese Americans who lived in the western U.S. This is the story of one relocation camp, Manzanar. The text is supported with archival photographs, end notes, Int
      Author: Cooper, Michael L. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Richard Wright and the Library Card
      This is a 'slice of life' biography about the author Richard Wright set in his late adolescence/ young adulthood. Events deal with discrimination, Richard's discovery of literature, and how he decided to become an author.
      Author: Miller, William HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Secret Life of Bees, The
      Fourteen-year-old Lily and Rosaleen, the black servant who has look after her since her mother died 10 years earlier, run from Lily's abusive father and the brutality and racism of the police. Against the historical events of 1964 in South Carolina, they
      Author: Kidd, Sue Monk

    She Would Not Be Moved
      Kohl tells the historically correct version of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Rosa Park's role in it. This revised biography of Rosa Parks stresses her activist background and the violent environment of racism to counter the prevailing picture of her as a
      Author: Kohl, Herbert HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Sioux, The
      This book is part of the "Lifeway Series," which also includes titles called The Cherokee, The Iroquois, and The Navajo. This title examines the origins, history, culture, beliefs, and language of the Native American tribe the S
      Author: Bial, Raymond HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story
      Faced with discrimination for being Korean-American in the 1930s did not deter Sammy Lee from wanting to become an Olympic diver - a dream he realized with great determination.
      Author: Yoo, Paula HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story
      Faced with discrimination for being Korean-American in the 1930s did not deter Sammy Lee from wanting to become an Olympic diver - a dream he realized with great determination.
      Author: Yoo, Paula HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Story Painter: The Life of Jacob Lawrence
      This biography of the African American painter Jacob Lawrence, known for his series Migration and Toussaint L'Ouverture, is illustrated by the painter's works.
      Author: Duggleby, John HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Sweethearts of Rhythm: The story of the greatest all-girl swing band in the world
      The 16-member, all-woman, racially diverse swing band The International Sweethearts of Rhythm from the war years of the 1940's are brought to life by the idiomatic speech and rhythms of Nelson's poetry and by Pinkney's vibrant illlustrations. The individ
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    This Is the Dream
      Accessible poetry and vivid illustrations portray the dreams and accomplishments of the Civil Rights Movement. The illustrator uses interesting collages for some borders and the endpapers.
      Author: Shore, Diane & Alexander, Jessica HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Toussaint L'Ouverture
      The author wrote the biography of Haiti's hero, Toussaint L'Ouverture, who led the fight for liberation from France and Spain, to accompany Jacob Lawrence's paintings.
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Unbreakable Code, The
      A young Navajo boy, who must leave his Southwest home, draws courage from his grandfather's story about being a "Code Talker" during WWII.
      Author: Hunter, Sara HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Wake Up Our Souls
      Well-written biographies and stunning reproductions of the work of approximately 30 African American artists introduce us to painters, photographers, and mixed-media artists born between 1830 and the present. The design makes the book beautiful and the e
      Author: Bolden, Tonya HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    We Are the Ship: The Story of the Negro League Baseball
      This book is about the beginnings and history of Negro League Baseball. The accomplishments of many of the better players are described. Paintings of the players are included. There is a bibliography and filmography at the end of the book.
      Author: Nelson, Kadir HSE Descriptors: | social studies

    Well, The
      Set in Mississippi in the early 1900's, African American David Logan and his family share their well with blacks and whites in their community which leads to racial violence.
      Author: Taylor, Mildred

    Witness
      Structured as a play with characters, acts, and text, this story depicts a small Vermont town facing issues of racism and bigotry introduced by the Klu Klux Klan in the 1920's. The courage of two young girls and the adults who support them leads the way t
      Author: Hesse, Karen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Wreath for Emmett Till, A
      Told in a poetic form known as heroic crown sonnets, the thoughtfully illustrated poem causes the reader to experience the murder of 14 year old Emmett Till in Mississippi. The author provides an introduction to the poetic form, biographical information
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > racism > integration
    As Good as Anybody
      Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who had both experienced discrimination, joined forces in the Civil Rights Movement.
      Author: Michelson, Richard HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Black Hoops: The History of African Americans in Basketball
      This book provides a history of basketball and African Americans in basketball. To help readers understand these issues, the author provides historical backdrops that address racism, segregation, the struggle to desegregate sports, and the civil rights mo
      Author: McKissack, Frederick, Jr. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
      Andrea and Brian Pinkney bring their considerable talents to tell the story of the Montgomery bus boycott in wonderfully poetic language and blues rhythms. An Author's Note gives more historical information.
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
      Andrea and Brian Pinkney bring their considerable talents to tell the story of the Montgomery bus boycott in wonderfully poetic language and blues rhythms. An Author's Note gives more historical information.
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom on the Menu
      The author portrays the 1960's Civil Rights sit-ins at the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina through the eyes of a young Southern black girls. Richly muted paintings illustrate the story.
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom Walkers
      This detailed account of the Montgomery bus boycott that began the Civil Rights Movement includes material on the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rev. Ralph Abernathy, but also focuses on other heroes like Rev. Robert Graetz, Joanne Robinson and
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Hammerin' Hank Grenberg: Baseball Pioneer
      The story of Hank Greenberg, first Jewish ballplayer inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Sommer explores the world of baseball as it became more inclusive and gives details of how Greenberg was an exceptional player.
      Author: Sommer, Shelley HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    In Nueva York
      This collection of short, interlocking stories depicts life in one of New York City's Puerto Rican communities.
      Author: Mohr, Nicholasa HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone
      Well-known children's author Joyce Carol Thomas has collected pieces by 12 writers to commemorate the Supreme Court ruling Brown vs. Board of Education. The reading level varies significantly from piece to piece.
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Martin's Big Words
      Brief and easy-to-read biographical statements are accompanied by MLK's words and award-winning illustrations. An abbreviated Civil Rights chronology and bibliography conclude the book.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Miss Crandall's School
      In innovative sonnet form, the authors tell the story of Prudence Crandall who ran a school for "young ladies and little misses of color" in Canterbury, Connecticut, in 1831 until boycotts, vandalism and persecution forced the school to close. An introdu
      Author: Alexander, Elizabeth & Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Raisin in the Sun, A
      When an African-American family chooses to integrate an all-white neighborhood, all of their value systems and relationships come under pressure.
      Author: Hansberry, Lorraine HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Separate Is Never Equal
      A Spanish family's children are barred from attending the school of their choice in California. They fight the ruling in court and win the past practice of segregation based on ethnicity.
      Author: Tonatiuh, Duncan HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    She Would Not Be Moved
      Kohl tells the historically correct version of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Rosa Park's role in it. This revised biography of Rosa Parks stresses her activist background and the violent environment of racism to counter the prevailing picture of her as a
      Author: Kohl, Herbert HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > racism > prejudice
    Anne Frank: Beyond the Diary
      This nonfiction reference book is filled with photographs and details about Anne Frank, her family, and the world in which she lived.
      Author: Verhoeven, Rian & van der Rol, Ruud HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Baseball Saved Us
      A young boy in an internment camp finds baseball to be his saving grace, although his determination and spirit is what sees him through.
      Author: Mochizuki, Ken HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Bearing Witness
      This selection of powerful personal stories of the Holocaust in various literary and artistic forms gives testimony of the extraordinary bravery of ordinary people. A map of concentration camps, a bibliography, and brief introductory notes for each excer
      Author: Rochman, Hazel & McCampbell, Darlene (Eds.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Becoming Billie Holiday
      Weatherford uses the titles of Billie Holiday songs as titles for poems that tell the story of Billie's life and road to fame.
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Borning Room, The
      The narrator remembers growing up in southern Ohio in the 19th century, remembers farm life, celebrates her relatives with their varying ideas about slavery and religion, remembers her part in hiding slaves.
      Author: Fleischman, Paul HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The
      Bored and lonely after his family moves from Berlin to a place called "Out-with" (Auschwitz) in 1942, Bruno, the son of a Nazi officer, befriends a boy in striped pajamas who lives behind a wire fence. Bruno climbs into the camp to spend more time with hi
      Author: Boyne, John HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Champions on the Bench: The Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars
      In 1955, the Cannon St YMCA's Little League team (from SC) cannot play in the Little League World Series because all-white teams refuse to play them. The story told in this book is based on these real events.
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Champions on the Bench: The Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars
      In 1955, the Cannon St YMCA's Little League team (from SC) cannot play in the Little League World Series because all-white teams refuse to play them. The story told in this book is based on these real events.
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Chicken Sunday
      Two African-American boys and their white friend, a girl, try to earn enough money to buy Miss Eula Mae the Easter bonnet she's been longing for. The children befriend a Jewish shopkeeper who helps them succeed.
      Author: Polacco, Patricia

    Christmas Menorahs, The
      This picture book recreates the true story of how families and a community decided to stand together to combat bigotry and acts of hatred.
      Author: Cohn, Janice

    Code Talkers
      After attending a white boarding school where his Navajo language and culture were belittled and punished, Ned Begay served as a code talker with the US Marines during operations in the Pacific during World War II. The narrator tells his story to his gra
      Author: Bruchac, Joseph HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Do I Dare Disturb the Universe:
      Charlise Lyles grew up in Cleveland in the 1960s and 1970s. This memoir focuses on life in the projects, her family's struggle to survive, her mother's relentless work to provide opportunities for children. Mostly, though, it's about Charlise-- her though
      Author: Lyles, Charlise

    Freedom Rides: Journey for Justice
      These are stories about the Freedom Riders during the early years of the Civil Rights movement. The detail and "human" perspective provided goes well beyond most written descriptions. This is an engaging account of the actions of incredibly brave heroes.
      Author: Haskins, James HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Golem
      Illustrated with beautiful cut-paper collages, the author/illustrator retells the legend of the Golem (a man created from clay), who saves the Jews of 16th Century Prague from persecution. A lengthy endnote recounts the history of the Golem and the perse
      Author: Wisniewski, David HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
      Bessie was 103 and Sadie was 105 when they collaborated with Amy Hill Hearth to write this story of their lives and times. Additionally the Delany sisters offer their perspectives on society, living conditions, people, events, etc. from the past century.
      Author: Delany, Sarah & Delany, A. Elizabeth HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Heroes
      Donnie, a Japanese American boy, finally escapes the role of "bad guy" in war games with his peers with the help of his father and uncle.
      Author: Mochizuki, Ken

    I Am an American: A True Story of Japanese Internment
      Both the close, personal view and the broader societal view of the U.S. and especially Japanese Americans during WW II are portrayed here. The text is illustrated with photographs taken at the time. An index and a few maps are also included.
      Author: Stanley, Jerry HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Indian School
      Subtitled "Teaching the White Man's Way," this book chronicles efforts to "civilize" Native American children and youth in the late 19th and early 20th century. Archival photographs, an index, a reading list, a bibliography, and a list of web sites comple
      Author: Cooper, Michael L. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Jim the Boy
      In a coming-of-age story set in Appalachia, Jim grows up as a town boy with his mother and uncles but finally makes friends with a mountain boy and meets his mountain grandfather.
      Author: Early, Tony

    Journey, The
      The text tells the history of the Japanese in America. The photographs depict sections of an enormous mural which the author created to "open the past, hoping to chase away the demons of prejudice and injustice."
      Author: Hamanaka, Sheila HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Let Them Play
      This beautifully illustrated book tells the true story of the 1955 state champion little league team from South Carolina, who were all African-American and who encountered segregation problems as they continued to win.
      Author: Raven, Margot HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Perfect Shot, The
      Ostensibly a murder mystery, this book explores many issues--civil rights, prejudice, judicial system, stereotyping, meaningful teaching--while offering exciting descriptions of basketball. Brian must decide whether to speak out when his girlfriend, her
      Author: Alphin, Elaine Marie HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Picture Book of Jesse Owens, A
      This very readable biography tells the life story of Jesse Owens, the 1936 Olympic star, and the prejudice he combated throughout his life. The book ends with a page of notes and a page of dates.
      Author: Adler, David HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Princess of the Press
      This biography of Ida Wells- Barnett chronicles her remarkable career in civil rights as a journalist against lynching, publisher of African American newspapers, speaker and activist for women's right to vote, and founder of the National Association for t
      Author: Medearis, Angela HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Richard Wright and the Library Card
      This is a 'slice of life' biography about the author Richard Wright set in his late adolescence/ young adulthood. Events deal with discrimination, Richard's discovery of literature, and how he decided to become an author.
      Author: Miller, William HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Salt: A Story of Friendship in Time of War
      Set in the Indiana Territory, this story of two friends - Anikwa, a Miami Indian and James, the son of a white trader become friends despite the conflict of their heritage. This book is uniquely crafted in two style of poetic verse. Salt plays a symbolic
      Author: Frost, Helen HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    smoky night
      1
      Author: bunting, eve HSE Descriptors: literature and arts | literature and arts | literature and arts | literature and arts | literature and arts

    Star of Fear, Star of Hope
      As a young girl living in France during the Nazi occupation, Helen can't understand why her best friend Lydia must wear a yellow star. The friends part when Lydia leaves a birthday party to warn her family that the Nazis are rounding up Jews. The friend
      Author: Hoestlandt, Jo HSE Descriptors: social studies

    This Land is My Land
      By telling his own story in words and in art, Littlefield describes what it is to be Native-American in the United States. He pays tribute to his ancestors and to the Native-American culture and history.
      Author: Littlechild, George

    To Kill A Mockingbird
      In this classic American novel set in the 30s, Lee tells the story of two children growing up in the South with their lawyer father who represents an African-American man accused of raping a white woman. The novel is rich and complex in plot and theme.
      Author: Lee, Harper HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Walking the Choctaw Road
      A collection of twelve stories from the Mississippi and Oklahoma branches of the Choctaw People, including traditional lore arising from beliefs and myths, historical tales pased down through generations, and personal stories of contemporary life.
      Author: Tingle, Tim HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Widow's Broom, The
      A widow helps a witch recover from a fall, and in gratitude the witch leaves behind her broom to help the woman do her work. Suspicious neighbors try to burn the broom, but in the end the broom settles in with the woman.
      Author: Van Allsburg, Chris

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > racism > race relations
    Abraham's Battle
      An ex-slave named Abraham, a young Confederate soldier, and a girl from Gettysburg meet in the cataclysmic days of the Civil War battle. Abraham meets Lincoln after the President gives his famous address.
      Author: Banks, Sara Harrell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Amistad: A Long Road to Freedom
      When slaves on the ship Amistad rebelled and tried to return home to Africa, they were captured and embroiled in legal battles of slavery and abolition in the U.S. The book includes sections on Further Reading, Bibliography, Epilogue, and endpaper courtr
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean HSE Descriptors: social studies

    At Her Majesty's Request
      Queen Victoria oversees the education and upbringing of an African princess after she was rescued from execution by a ship captain who brought her to England.
      Author: Myers, Walter Den HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Barack Obama, Son of Promise, Child of Hope
      Framed by the story of an African American mother and her son, who keeps interjecting questions and comments, the narrative tells the story of Barack Obama around the theme of hope and the importance of education. Both the words of Nikki Grimes and the ar
      Author: Grimes, Nikki HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Birmingham, 1963
      A fictional narrator tells, in poetry, about the day she turned 10, which was also the day of the church bombing in Birmingham
      Author: Weatherford, Carole HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Black and White Airmen: Their True Story
      The history of airmen in WWII is told through the experiences of two men from Cincinnati, one African American and one Caucasian. Information about race relations at the time is woven throughout the narrative.
      Author: Fleischman, John HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Blanche on the Lam
      A spunky African-American woman, who works as a housekeeper for a wealthy southern family with many secrets, must solve a murder in order to clear herself. Blanche relies on her own intelligence and an "old girl" network of domestics. The language is oc
      Author: Neely, B. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Boy Named Reckoning, A: A: The True Story of Dr. Carlos Montezuma, Native American Hero
      The author has pieced together the writings of Dr. Carlos Montezuma to tell his life story in letter form. He was a Native American boy who was kidnapped, sold into slavery and eventually educated in Chicago. He devoted the rest of his life to lobbying fo
      Author: Capaldi, Gina HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
      Andrea and Brian Pinkney bring their considerable talents to tell the story of the Montgomery bus boycott in wonderfully poetic language and blues rhythms. An Author's Note gives more historical information.
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
      Andrea and Brian Pinkney bring their considerable talents to tell the story of the Montgomery bus boycott in wonderfully poetic language and blues rhythms. An Author's Note gives more historical information.
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Chicken Sunday
      Two African-American boys and their white friend, a girl, try to earn enough money to buy Miss Eula Mae the Easter bonnet she's been longing for. The children befriend a Jewish shopkeeper who helps them succeed.
      Author: Polacco, Patricia

    Do I Dare Disturb the Universe:
      Charlise Lyles grew up in Cleveland in the 1960s and 1970s. This memoir focuses on life in the projects, her family's struggle to survive, her mother's relentless work to provide opportunities for children. Mostly, though, it's about Charlise-- her though
      Author: Lyles, Charlise

    Fiery Vision: The Life and Death of John Brown
      Brown is one of the controversial figures in American history who continues today to evoke both anger and admiration. This gripping biography of John Brown, abolitionist and crusader for equality of races, describes the events of his life that led to Har
      Author: Cox, Clinton HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Fiery Vision: The Life and Death of John Brown
      Brown is one of the controversial figures in American history who continues today to evoke both anger and admiration. This gripping biography of John Brown, abolitionist and crusader for equality of races, describes the events of his life that led to Har
      Author: Cox, Clinton HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom School, Yes
      When their house is attacked because her mother volunteered to take in the young white woman who has come to teach black children at the Freedom School, Jolie is afraid, but she overcomes her fear after learning the value of education. Based on interviews
      Author: Littlesugar, Amy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom's Children
      Thirty African Americans tell their youthful experiences in the civil rights movement. The book includes a chronology, a who's who, a list of acronyms, and a bibliography.
      Author: Levine, Ellen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom's Fruit
      Mama Marina, a conjure woman in the Low Country of the Carolinas in the time of slavery, uses a magic spell to free her daughter and the man she loves. The book includes an Author's Note that compares the American folktale with the Greek myth of Persepho
      Author: Hooks, William

    Great Migration, The
      This book consists of reprints of a series of sixty paintings, by Jacob Lawrence, depicting the migration of African-Americans from the South to the North. In search of a better life, people moved by the thousands, from rural lifestyles to urban poverty.
      Author: Lawrence, Jacob HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Gwendolyn Brooks
      This biography describes the influences and hardships of the early years and the political activism of the later years of the African American poet Gwendolyn Brooks. The book includes a chronology, archival photos, an index, a list of published works and
      Author: Hill, Christine M. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies | language arts - writing

    Hammerin' Hank Grenberg: Baseball Pioneer
      The story of Hank Greenberg, first Jewish ballplayer inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Sommer explores the world of baseball as it became more inclusive and gives details of how Greenberg was an exceptional player.
      Author: Sommer, Shelley HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This
      A moving story of the friendship between two motherless 12-year-old girls--one black and one white--presents issues of racial prejudice, poverty, and child abuse.
      Author: Woodson, Jacqueline

    I Have a Dream
      The text of the "I Have a Dream" speech is accompanied by illustrations from noted Coretta Scott King Award and Honor Book artists. The Foreword by Mrs. King explains the project, and notes from each artist explain details of the illustrations.
      Author: King, Dr. Martin Luter, Jr. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    January's Sparrow
      After a fellow slave is beaten to death, Sadie and her family flee the plantation for freedom through the Underground Railroad. As they make a new life in Michigan, they must remain alert for the slave catchers.
      Author: Polacco, Patricia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    January's Sparrow
      After a fellow slave is beaten to death, Sadie and her family flee the plantation for freedom through the Underground Railroad. As they make a new life in Michigan, they must remain alert for the slave catchers.
      Author: Polacco, Patricia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Life Is So Good
      This is the autobiography of George Dawson, grandson of slaves, who began to learn to read at age 98. Like Having Our Say, this book offers an African American perspective to 100 years of history. Moreover, Dawson's character and philosophy for l
      Author: Dawson, George & Glaubman, Richard HSE Descriptors: language arts - writing | social studies

    Malcolm X
      In a clear, simple, and beautifully illustrated text, Walter Dean Myers emphasizes the life not death of Malcolm X as he grew to be a great leader for racial equality. Quotations and a timeline make the text especially useful in the classroom.
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Martin's Big Words
      Brief and easy-to-read biographical statements are accompanied by MLK's words and award-winning illustrations. An abbreviated Civil Rights chronology and bibliography conclude the book.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Princess of the Press
      This biography of Ida Wells- Barnett chronicles her remarkable career in civil rights as a journalist against lynching, publisher of African American newspapers, speaker and activist for women's right to vote, and founder of the National Association for t
      Author: Medearis, Angela HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Remember
      Spare text and very moving photographs recount times surrounding Brown vs. Board of Education school desegregation from the perspective of children.
      Author: Morrison, Toni HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Remember the Bridge
      Illustrated by prints and black-and-white photographs and bracketed by two "bridge" poems, the poetry relates the experience of African Americans from Africa to the Civil Rights Movement.
      Author: Weatherford, Carole HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Rosa
      Giovanni tells the story of Rosa Parks' infamous bus ride. In the telling, the author speaks to the strength of the African-American community in their struggle for equal rights. The author weaves other tales (Emmett Till) into the story to give the rea
      Author: Giovanni, Nikki HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Shake Rag
      As a boy, Elvis Presley discovers "good news" music at a traveling church that gives his guitar playing a distinctive sound when he records later in 1954.
      Author: Littlesugar, Amy

    This Vast Land
      A fictional account of a young man on the real Lewis and Clark Expedition emphasizes and personalizes the confrontation of races and the conflict between civilization and the wilderness. There are allusions to sex, though minimal.
      Author: Ambrose, Stephen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    To Be a Slave
      Reminiscences of slaves and ex-slaves report their experiences of being owned and sold as property in the United States during the 19th Century. Many accounts of brutality are unsettling. This is a reprint of a 1968 edition with new introductory materia
      Author: Lester, Julius HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Uncle Jed's Barbershop
      A woman tells the story of her Uncle Jed, an African-American barber who traveled a regular route, saving his money for his own shop. When she became sick, he gave up his money for her operation, and when the Depression came, he lost everything again. F
      Author: Mitchell, Margaree K. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Under the Sun
      After his father sends him and his mother to relatives outside Sarajevo to escape the perils of the war in the former Yugoslavia, 13-year-old Ehmet must find the way through land mines, burned villages, and hostile bands of armed men to his grandparents i
      Author: Dorros, Arthur HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > racism > segregation
    Abe's Honest Words
      As part of Rappaport's series of well researched biographies that includes excerpts from speeches this is equally engaging and well developed. The narrative that contextualizes the life and times of Abraham Lincoln is enhanced by quotes from Lincoln's wri
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Abe's Honest Words
      As part of Rappaport's series of well researched biographies that includes excerpts from speeches this is equally engaging and well developed. The narrative that contextualizes the life and times of Abraham Lincoln is enhanced by quotes from Lincoln's wri
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Black and White Airmen: Their True Story
      The history of airmen in WWII is told through the experiences of two men from Cincinnati, one African American and one Caucasian. Information about race relations at the time is woven throughout the narrative.
      Author: Fleischman, John HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Black Hoops: The History of African Americans in Basketball
      This book provides a history of basketball and African Americans in basketball. To help readers understand these issues, the author provides historical backdrops that address racism, segregation, the struggle to desegregate sports, and the civil rights mo
      Author: McKissack, Frederick, Jr. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson
      An interesting account of fightin' Black Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight of the world in 1910. The prejudicial issues of the era made this a monumental task. Bold words and bold color art combine to create a rhythmic text that captures the ener
      Author: Smith, Charles R., Jr. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Duke Ellington
      This is the story of one of the greatest musicians and composers of the 20th century, Duke Ellington. (Coretta Scott King Award Winner; Caldecott Honor Book)
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea Davis HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Finding Lincoln
      Louis needs to write an essay but in Alabama in 1951, he's not allowed in the "whites only" library. Lewis solves his dilemma with bravery and the help of a kind librarian. Historical notes are included at the end of the story.
      Author: Malaspina, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Finding Lincoln
      Louis needs to write an essay but in Alabama in 1951, he's not allowed in the "whites only" library. Lewis solves his dilemma with bravery and the help of a kind librarian. Historical notes are included at the end of the story.
      Author: Malaspina, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Forbidden Schoolhouse
      With the help of her family and a few powerful friends, Prudence Crandall began a school for African-American girls in Canterbury, Connecticut, in 1833 despite boycotts, vandalism, and legal battles. An appendix provides historical research on the student
      Author: Jurmain, Suzanne HSE Descriptors: social studies

    From Miss Ida's Porch
      People from the street gather on Miss Ida's porch to hear stories, especially stories about important Black musicians (Lena Horne, Duke Ellington, Marian Anderson) and their personal connections to them. These I-remember-when stories are both heartfelt a
      Author: Belton, Sandra HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Grandmama's Pride
      This is a most beautiful book focusing on the segregation practiced in the south during the 1950's leading to the civil rights laws passed in the 60's. The illustrations make the book come alive with details showing the inequalities practiced in every day
      Author: Birtha, Becky HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Grandmama's Pride
      This is a most beautiful book focusing on the segregation practiced in the south during the 1950's leading to the civil rights laws passed in the 60's. The illustrations make the book come alive with details showing the inequalities practiced in every day
      Author: Birtha, Becky HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Hell Fighters: African American Soldiers in World War I
      This book tells the story of the "Hell Fighters," a voluntary infantry that was one of the few African American regiments to see action during World War I.
      Author: Cooper, Michael L. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Home of the Brave
      In a dream-like story and illustrations, Allen Say captures the infamy, dislocation, and loss experienced by Japanese Americans in the internment camps during World War II.
      Author: Say, Allen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    I Am an American: A True Story of Japanese Internment
      Both the close, personal view and the broader societal view of the U.S. and especially Japanese Americans during WW II are portrayed here. The text is illustrated with photographs taken at the time. An index and a few maps are also included.
      Author: Stanley, Jerry HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Keep on Singing
      The story of the life of the singer Marian Anderson is told in ballad form. The author's notes at the end of the book include additional biographical information.
      Author: Livingston, Myra Cohn HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Momma, Where Are You From?
      When a young girl asks her mother where she comes from, she receives a loving description of her hard-working childhood in the segregated South told in rich, rhythmic language with lush illustrations.
      Author: Bradby, Marie HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Nazi Olympics, The
      Published by the U. S. National Holocaust Museum, this history documents the manipulation of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin by Hitler and the Nazi party and presents the controversy of whether to participate or not on the part of nations and individuals. Ar
      Author: Bachrach, Susan HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Ruth and the Green Book
      An easy narrative about travel in this country by car for African Americans in the 50s and 60s. Ruth's story is fiction, but the "The Negro Motorist Green Book" and its role in helping a generation of African American travelers avoid some of the indigniti
      Author: Ramsey, Calvin A. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow
      The story of Satchel Paige's baseball career told by a fictional baseball player who once batted against Paige. Biographical and historical information are included in a preface and appendix.
      Author: Sturm, James and Tommaso, Rich HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Shattered
      This collection contains twelve stories about the impact of war on children and teenagers, some fictional, some personal experiences. A trailer with historical background crawls across the bottom of the page. Biographies of the authors are included.
      Author: Armstrong, Jennifer (ed.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    So Far From the Sea
      A Japanese American visits Manazar, a Japanese relocation camp in World War II, to visit the grave of a grandfather.
      Author: Bunting, Eve HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Sweethearts of Rhythm: The story of the greatest all-girl swing band in the world
      The 16-member, all-woman, racially diverse swing band The International Sweethearts of Rhythm from the war years of the 1940's are brought to life by the idiomatic speech and rhythms of Nelson's poetry and by Pinkney's vibrant illlustrations. The individ
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Uncle Jed's Barbershop
      A woman tells the story of her Uncle Jed, an African-American barber who traveled a regular route, saving his money for his own shop. When she became sick, he gave up his money for her operation, and when the Depression came, he lost everything again. F
      Author: Mitchell, Margaree K. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Voice of Her Own, A
      This biography of Phillis Wheatley, a American Revolution era slave who became the first Black woman poet, includes excerpts of her poetry, an epilogue, and notes by the author and illustrator.
      Author: Lasky, Kathryn HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - writing

    We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March
      Tells the story of the Birmingham Children's March through four participants. As the events unfold, the different perspectives and motivations of the participants shed light on the dynamics of the civil rights movement. In addition to the personal stori
      Author: Levinson, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    When Marian Sang
      This book is an introduction to the life of Marian Anderson, depicting her music, her inspiration, and her struggles as a singer against segregation .
      Author: Ryan, Pam Munoz HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > riots
    Armageddon Summer
      Fourteen-year-old Marina and 16-year-old Jed accompany their parents' religious cult, the Believers, to the top of a mountain to await the end of the world. The book is narrated in three "voices"--Marina, Jed, and objective accounts such as the newspaper
      Author: Yolen, Jane & Coville, Bruce HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Birmingham Sunday
      This powerfully told story of the horrific bombing of a church in Birmingham, ALABAMA which ended with the killing of three young girls and galvanized the civil rights movement across the country. The photographs and writing style of the author make for a
      Author: Brimner, Larry Dane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Martin Luther King
      Folk art paintings accompany this biography of Dr. King. A timeline of important events in his life concludes the book.
      Author: Bray, Rosemary HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > social action
    Birmingham Sunday
      This powerfully told story of the horrific bombing of a church in Birmingham, ALABAMA which ended with the killing of three young girls and galvanized the civil rights movement across the country. The photographs and writing style of the author make for a
      Author: Brimner, Larry Dane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
      Andrea and Brian Pinkney bring their considerable talents to tell the story of the Montgomery bus boycott in wonderfully poetic language and blues rhythms. An Author's Note gives more historical information.
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
      Andrea and Brian Pinkney bring their considerable talents to tell the story of the Montgomery bus boycott in wonderfully poetic language and blues rhythms. An Author's Note gives more historical information.
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Diego Bigger Than Life
      These short poems tell about the life of the artist Diego Rivera, his various loves, his life as an artist, and his unusual and intense life. It ends with a one paragraph comment by his last wife, Frida Kahlo. Back matter includes a wealth of information
      Author: Bernier-Grand HSE Descriptors: social studies

    FDR's Alphabet Soup
      The author documents FDR's New Deal agencies from 1932-1939 with lively text, extensive research, and marvelous archival materials and photographs that is extremely timely for the economic conditions of 2012. A postscript, glossary, notes, selected resou
      Author: Bolden, Tonya HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case
      This somewhat repetitive account of the brutal death of Emmett Till, the Chicago 14-year-old boy visiting Mississippi, argues that the media coverage of the trial and the subsequent outrage of the public provided the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement
      Author: Crowe, Chris HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Giver, The
      This Newbery Award-winning novel is set in a utopian community in which all conflict and social problems are unheard of. After a coming-of-age ceremony, Jonas begins to interact with The Giver and learns about the secrets that underlie his perfect world.
      Author: Lowry, Lois

    Great Depression, The
      This reference book covers the period of the Great Depression told with highlighted examples of the many ways Americans kept a positive outlook as they faced an uncertain future.
      Author: Fremon, David K. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone
      Well-known children's author Joyce Carol Thomas has collected pieces by 12 writers to commemorate the Supreme Court ruling Brown vs. Board of Education. The reading level varies significantly from piece to piece.
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Malcolm X
      In a clear, simple, and beautifully illustrated text, Walter Dean Myers emphasizes the life not death of Malcolm X as he grew to be a great leader for racial equality. Quotations and a timeline make the text especially useful in the classroom.
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Mandela
      This picture book biography tells Nelson Mandela's story, from his childhood to his imprisonment and ultimate freedom.
      Author: Cooper, Floyd HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Marching for Freedom
      The compelling story of the events in Selma, Alabama that led to the voter rights march to Montgomery in 1965. Interviews with some of the marchers and black and white photographs highlight the struggles of African Americans to get the right to vote.
      Author: Partridge, Elizabeth HSE Descriptors: social studies

    On the Wings of Peace
      This is a collection of illustrations and various types of text, all provided by noted authors and illustrators, that focus on issues related to peace. Many cultures are represented among characters and in illustrations.
      Author: Hamanaka, Sheila (comp.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II
      One family in the USA begins an effort to help those in Europe suffering from the aftermath of WWII by sending shoes and other needed supplies.
      Author: Judge, Lita HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Only Passing Through
      Strong illustrations help tell this biography of Sojourner Truth. An Author's Note updates the relevance of Sojourner Truth and provides a helpful timeline.
      Author: Rockwell, Anne HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Orphan Train Rider: One Boy's True Story
      Between 1859 and 1929, more than 200,000 children were sent "west" on Orphan Trains. The chapters in this book alternate between telling the larger history of this event and telling the individual story of one Orphan Train Rider, Lee Nailling.
      Author: Warren, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Passage to Freedom
      Hiroki Sugihara tells the true story of how his father, who was Japanese consul to Lithuania during World War II, issued visas to Jews to escape the Nazis without the approval of his government. The afterword supplements the story with the consequences o
      Author: Mochizuki, Ken HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Perfect Shot, The
      Ostensibly a murder mystery, this book explores many issues--civil rights, prejudice, judicial system, stereotyping, meaningful teaching--while offering exciting descriptions of basketball. Brian must decide whether to speak out when his girlfriend, her
      Author: Alphin, Elaine Marie HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Shadow Children, The
      While visiting his grandfather in France, Etienne discovers a secret from the days of World War II and the Nazis.
      Author: Schnur, Steven HSE Descriptors: social studies

    She Would Not Be Moved
      Kohl tells the historically correct version of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Rosa Park's role in it. This revised biography of Rosa Parks stresses her activist background and the violent environment of racism to counter the prevailing picture of her as a
      Author: Kohl, Herbert HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Tin Forest, The
      An old man living in a wasteland of scrap metal dreams of a green forest full of birds and animals. This charming, beautifully illustrated modern legend extolls the benefits of dreaming and ideas in accomplishing change.
      Author: Ward, Helen

    Way Things Never Were, The
      The eight chapters of this interesting book, subtitled "The Truth About the 'Good Old Days,'" contrast life in the 50s and 60s with today. Topics addressed include communication, health, transportation, education, world events, etc. The print insets for p
      Author: Finkelstein, Norman HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Where the Wild Horses Roam
      Text and accompanying photographs portray the "ways" of the wild horses in the U.S. West. Issues related to the necessity of managing these animals, especially on public lands, are also addressed.
      Author: Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > social action > activism
    Amistad: A Long Road to Freedom
      When slaves on the ship Amistad rebelled and tried to return home to Africa, they were captured and embroiled in legal battles of slavery and abolition in the U.S. The book includes sections on Further Reading, Bibliography, Epilogue, and endpaper courtr
      Author: Myers, Walter Dean HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Big Annie of Calumet
      Big Annie is the story of Annie Clemenc who led the miners' strike of 1913 in Calumet, Michigan against the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company. The book contains many photographs of the strike and conditions in the mines and a brief overview of the Industri
      Author: Stanley, Jerry HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Cats in Krasinski Square, The
      With a simple text and marvelous watercolors, Hesse tells a true story of the bravery of the Jewish Resistance who helped the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. End matter provides more historical background.
      Author: Hesse, Karen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Cool Drink of Water, A
      Colorful photographs and simple text present people around the world obtaining water to drink. End matter includes a map, geographic locations of photos, and an essay on water conservation that teachers will find useful.
      Author: Kerley, Barbara HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Facing the Lion
      Enhanced by a few, vivid color photos, this memoir recounts the Maasi childhood and first encounters with European and American culture of an American teacher who spends part of each year working in Kenya. An afterword brings the reader up to date with L
      Author: Lekuton, Joseph HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom on the Menu
      The author portrays the 1960's Civil Rights sit-ins at the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina through the eyes of a young Southern black girls. Richly muted paintings illustrate the story.
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom River
      In this true story, John Parker, an ex-slave in Ripley, Ohio, helps a family on the Underground Railroad. Beautiful watercolor collages illustrate the story. Historical notes, additional books, suggested websites, and maps make this useful in the classr
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Freedom's Children
      Thirty African Americans tell their youthful experiences in the civil rights movement. The book includes a chronology, a who's who, a list of acronyms, and a bibliography.
      Author: Levine, Ellen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Gandhi
      The remarkable life of Mahatma Gandhi is told through simple text and beautiful Moghul-inspired illustrations. An author's note includes additional information and maps locate the principle places involved in his life.
      Author: Demi HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Girls
      The subtitle, A History of Growing Up Female in America, tells it all. The 10 chapters cover history from colonial America to the Millennium. A good index and Selections for Further Reading make this a good reference text. The author selects girls from
      Author: Colman, Penny HSE Descriptors: science

    Gwendolyn Brooks
      This biography describes the influences and hardships of the early years and the political activism of the later years of the African American poet Gwendolyn Brooks. The book includes a chronology, archival photos, an index, a list of published works and
      Author: Hill, Christine M. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies | language arts - writing

    Hoot
      This charming and funny young adult mystery by the well-known adult mystery writer, Carl Hiassen, involves corporate greed, suburban expansion, environmental protection, child abuse and neglect, bullying, and social protest.
      Author: Hiassen, Carl

    In the Promised Land
      From Asser Levy in 1654 to Steven Spielberg today, this book provides one-page illustrated biographies of thirteen famous Jews. In addition, the author includes other print and web resources.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Journey of the Red Wolf
      The author-photographer traces the red wolf from near extinction in 1971 to their current reintroduction into their native habitat. The book includes and Afterword, a list of Where to See Red Wolves, and an Index.
      Author: Smith, Roland HSE Descriptors: science

    Let It Shine
      These ten essays on African American women introduce well-know and some lesser known freedom fighters. The colorful illustrations, the informative text, and the chatty tone will attract readers. The author's introducation and suggestions for further read
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Letting Swift River Go
      This book tells the story of a community's act of selling up the houses and land to the government so that a water reservoir can be built. It is told from the view point of a woman who felt as though she lost her childhood because all her landmarks had
      Author: Yolen, Jane

    Martin Luther King
      Folk art paintings accompany this biography of Dr. King. A timeline of important events in his life concludes the book.
      Author: Bray, Rosemary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Martin's Big Words
      Brief and easy-to-read biographical statements are accompanied by MLK's words and award-winning illustrations. An abbreviated Civil Rights chronology and bibliography conclude the book.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers
      Grace, an 11 year-old girl writes a letter to Abraham Lincoln suggesting that he grow whiskers to help him win the election.
      Author: Winnick, Karen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Nobody Particular
      A graphic novel format depicts the activist Diane Wilson and her fight against water pollution along the Gulf Coast of Texas. The illustrations contain diagrams to explain problems of pollution.
      Author: Bang, Molly HSE Descriptors: science

    One and Only Ivan, The
      When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall,he decides that he must find them a better life. Although a work of fiction, this story comes from a true story
      Author: Applegate, Katherine HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | science

    Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place, The
      Margaret Rose Kane, 12 years old, escapes oppressive summer camp with the help of her great-uncles and then helps them rescue from urban renewal the sculptural "towers" that they have been creating for 45 years.
      Author: Konigsburg, E. L.

    Pearl Moscowitz's Last Stand
      Pearl M., a long-time resident of her city street, refuses to let the city chop down the last gingko tree on the block. The book depicts the different ethnic groups that have moved on the street, but shows a real community of people interacting and livin
      Author: Levine, Arthur A.

    Persepolis I: The Story of a Childhood
      In this first of two volumes about the author's life, Satrapi tells of her childhood and coming of age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran/Iraq war.
      Author: Satrapi, Marjane HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - writing

    Princess of the Press
      This biography of Ida Wells- Barnett chronicles her remarkable career in civil rights as a journalist against lynching, publisher of African American newspapers, speaker and activist for women's right to vote, and founder of the National Association for t
      Author: Medearis, Angela HSE Descriptors: social studies

    River Ran Wild, A
      This book recounts the history of the Nashua River in Massachusetts and New Hampshire life from idyllic Algonquin Indian times to industrial pollution to a restored river due to the efforts of Marion Stoddart who coordinated a citizen campaign. The text
      Author: Cherry, Lynn HSE Descriptors: social studies | science

    Seek
      For a senior class autobiography assignment, Robbie creates "a sound portrait" in a radio script format, which includes his extended family and his search for his long-absent father. One reviewer thought that the text is too disjointed and confusing for
      Author: Fleischman, Paul

    Si, Se Puede (Yes, We Can!)
      Text in both English and Spanish on each page tells the story of a mother who becomes active in union organization. This story is based on the 2000 janitors' strike in Los Angeles. An essay by Luis J. Rodriguez describes a real-life activist whose goals a
      Author: Cohn, Diana HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Stand for Children
      Marian Wright Edelman delivered this speech at the Stand for Children demonstration in 1996 in Washington, D.C. Pictures of photo-transfer quilts with multicultural themes illustrate the book. An Author's Note gives background on the demonstration.
      Author: Edelman, Marian Wright

    Stolen Dreams
      This collection of photographic essays on child labor around the world explores the physical and political conditions, the economic and health effects, and what can be done to reduce it. The author/photographer includes a list of questions, a bibliograph
      Author: Parker, David HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Sweet Smell of Roses, A
      The book jacket says it all: "There's a sweet, sweet smell in the air as two young girls sneak out of their house, down the street, and across town to where men and women are gathered, ready to march for freedom and justice?--with Martin Luther King, Jr.
      Author: Johnson, Angela HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
      After years of lobbying, Sarah Hale, an editor and writer, won the battle to have Thanksgiving declared a national holiday. Back matter includes historical and biographical information. Adults may find the tone of voice and some illustrations childish a
      Author: Anderson, Laurie Halse HSE Descriptors: social studies

    We Shall Not Be Moved
      This is the story of the shirtwaist industry in New York (early 1900s) and the young women who formed a union, managed a months-long strike, and brought the nation's attention to their low pay and cruel working conditions.
      Author: Dash, Joan HSE Descriptors: social studies

    When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders
      This book features 17 figures who fought against injustice and oppression all over the world. Against overwhelming odds and heartbreaking loss, they stood, they hoped, they spoke! These well and lesser known leaders are portrayed in poetry as heroes who h
      Author: Lewis, J. Patrick HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies | language arts - writing

    With Courage and Cloth
      This story of women's suffrage in the U.S. concentrates on the early 20th century, although previous activities serve as a context. Illustrated with archival photos from the time,the book includes a chronology, bibliography, profiles, and other sources.
      Author: Bausum, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology >social issues> social action > activism > Chavez, Cesar
    Barrio
      Photographs present the life of Jose and his family who live in a barrio or Hispanic neighborhood in San Francisco. A glossary contains Spanish words used in the story. One reviewer felt that the glorification/simplification of the issues addressed may m
      Author: Ancona, George HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Dear Mr. Rosenwald
      This is a fictionalized story of one community's efforts to build a school based on the historical Rosenwald schools. These schools in the American South were financed by Julius Rosenwald of Sears Roebuck and required collaboration of black and white com
      Author: Weatherford, Carole Boston HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez
      This is a picture biography of Cesar Chavez. It focuses on his childhood and initial efforts at organizing farm workers in the mid-60s, creating The National Form Workers Association.
      Author: Krull, Kathleen HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > social action > advocacy
    A. D., New Orleans After the Deluge
      This graphic novel originates in the personal involvement of the writer/artist in Hurricane Katrina, contributing seven vivid, authentic voices to enrich our understanding of this national disaster. Juxtaposed alongside the images we saw on television as
      Author: Neufeld, Josh HSE Descriptors: social studies

    A. D., New Orleans After the Deluge
      This graphic novel originates in the personal involvement of the writer/artist in Hurricane Katrina, contributing seven vivid, authentic voices to enrich our understanding of this national disaster. Juxtaposed alongside the images we saw on television as
      Author: Neufeld, Josh HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Cheap Raw Material: How Our Youngest Workers Are Exploited and Abused
      This book is a chronological nonfiction account of children as laborers. Child labor in the U.S. is the focus, but historical background (e.g., Rome, England) is also provided. This history is chronicled through quotations from primary sources, stories
      Author: Meltzer, Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Eleanor, Quiet No More
      The author tells the story of Eleanor Roosevelt's life simply, each phase emphasizing a quote of hers. In addition to lovely, soft illustrations, the author includes a timeline, selected bibliograph, and web sites.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Eleanor, Quiet No More
      The author tells the story of Eleanor Roosevelt's life simply, each phase emphasizing a quote of hers. In addition to lovely, soft illustrations, the author includes a timeline, selected bibliograph, and web sites.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Light Shining through the Mist
      Lush color photographs and text tell the story of how Dian Fossey studied the gorillas in Africa and died trying to protect them and their habitat during a time of political unrest.
      Author: Matthews, Tom HSE Descriptors: science

    Snake Pits, Talking Cures, and Magic Bullets: A History of Mental Illness
      This is a roughly chronological history of thinking about and treatment for persons with mental illness. Boxed text throughout focuses on special issues. End material offers many opportunities for follow-up.
      Author: Kent, Deborah HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Stolen Dreams
      This collection of photographic essays on child labor around the world explores the physical and political conditions, the economic and health effects, and what can be done to reduce it. The author/photographer includes a list of questions, a bibliograph
      Author: Parker, David HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom
      This is an enlightening text illustrating the importance of the bicycle as a way to change the world by cultivating independence. The photographs, newspaper articles, advertisements, etc., beautifully depict the history, ending with a timeline comparing w
      Author: Macy, Sue HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > teenage mothers
    Like Sisters on the Homefront
      When 14-year-old Gayle gets into "trouble," she and her baby Jose leave New York City to live with family in rural Georgia. At first bored with and distressed about her situation, Gayle eventually makes friends with her cousin Cookie. Through "tellings" b
      Author: Williams-Garcia, Rita HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > violence
    Armageddon Summer
      Fourteen-year-old Marina and 16-year-old Jed accompany their parents' religious cult, the Believers, to the top of a mountain to await the end of the world. The book is narrated in three "voices"--Marina, Jed, and objective accounts such as the newspaper
      Author: Yolen, Jane & Coville, Bruce HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Big Mouth and Ugly Girl
      In this engrossing 266-page book, Matt, age 17, is falsely accused of trying to blow up his high school. His friends desert him, but a girl who calls herself "Ugly Girl" befriends him, and together they weather public opinion, the police, parents, teache
      Author: Oates, Joyce Carol

    Just One Flick of the Finger
      Young Jack brings his father's gun to school hoping to scare a bully, but events take an unexpected and violent turn.
      Author: Lorbiecki, Marybeth

    More Choices: Stories for Adult New Readers
      These three stories fit with George Ella Lyon's collection Choices, but were not included in the original collection because some readers found them too controversial. Our readers found them powerful and moving, addressing life situations that m
      Author: Lyon, George Ella

    Night the Bells Rang, The
      This short novel (76 pages), told from the point of view of a farm boy, tells the story of Mason's struggles with a bully, and of his growing up. Although the book has the feel of a reminiscence, the emotions are complex and the characters ring true.
      Author: Kinsey-Warnock, Natalie

    Nightjohn
      An escaped slave returns to the South to teach others how to read. This 92-page book is very bleak, and the violence is quite graphic.
      Author: Paulsen, Gary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard
      On the night of October 6, 1998, a gay twenty-one year old University of Wyoming student named Matthew Shepard, was beaten, tied to a fence and left to die. The book is a collection of 68 poems from various perspectives concerning this crime.
      Author: Newman, Leslea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    On the Wings of Peace
      This is a collection of illustrations and various types of text, all provided by noted authors and illustrators, that focus on issues related to peace. Many cultures are represented among characters and in illustrations.
      Author: Hamanaka, Sheila (comp.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Real Time
      A gripping story told in real time (hence the title)from the viewpoints of several characters involved in the bombing of an Israeli bus.
      Author: Kass, Pnina Moed HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Rite of Passage
      The book is set in Harlem in the late 1940s. Protagonist Johnny Gibbs, 15, is a model child and student until he learns that he is a foster child who must go to live with another family. Johnny feels betrayed and reacts by running away. What follows pu
      Author: Wright, Richard HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Shattered
      This collection contains twelve stories about the impact of war on children and teenagers, some fictional, some personal experiences. A trailer with historical background crawls across the bottom of the page. Biographies of the authors are included.
      Author: Armstrong, Jennifer (ed.) HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Soldier's Heart
      15-year-old Charley Goddard lies about his age to enlist in the Civil War. This book chronicles his war experiences (some very graphic) with the First Minnesota Volunteers. At the end of the book we learn a bit about how the War affected Charley's mind a
      Author: Paulsen, Gary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Speak
      This compelling story recounts Melinda's freshman year in high school. She is an outcast because she called the police to an end-of-the-summer party. Her reasons for doing this and her gradual emotional acceptance and psychological healing are the focus o
      Author: Anderson, Laurie

    Tree Girl
      Based on true experiences that were shared with the author, Gabriela, a Guatemalan girl who loves to climb trees, escapes a massacre, eventually reaching a refugee camp where she is reunited with her little sister, both of whom must overcome the trauma an
      Author: Mikaelsen, Ben

    Under the Sun
      After his father sends him and his mother to relatives outside Sarajevo to escape the perils of the war in the former Yugoslavia, 13-year-old Ehmet must find the way through land mines, burned villages, and hostile bands of armed men to his grandparents i
      Author: Dorros, Arthur HSE Descriptors: social studies

    War and the Pity of War
      This large collection of powerful poems and very moving illustrations on war ranges over time and place and level of difficulty. The editor includes an index of writers, and index of poems, and an introduction thate gives his reasons for selecting partic
      Author: Philip, Neil HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Well, The
      Set in Mississippi in the early 1900's, African American David Logan and his family share their well with blacks and whites in their community which leads to racial violence.
      Author: Taylor, Mildred

    Why War Is Never A Good Idea
      This beautifully illustrated poetic essay uses images of water and earth to communicate the destructiveness of war. Dscribes war as a "something which has grown old, but not wise as it destroys beautiful things and nice people."
      Author: Walker, Alice HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Widow's Broom, The
      A widow helps a witch recover from a fall, and in gratitude the witch leaves behind her broom to help the woman do her work. Suspicious neighbors try to burn the broom, but in the end the broom settles in with the woman.
      Author: Van Allsburg, Chris

    Wreath for Emmett Till, A
      Told in a poetic form known as heroic crown sonnets, the thoughtfully illustrated poem causes the reader to experience the murder of 14 year old Emmett Till in Mississippi. The author provides an introduction to the poetic form, biographical information
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > violence > child abuse
    Dog Lost
      An eleven-year old boy and pit bull terrier become best of friends. In an angry rage, the father throws the dog out into the street and the dog is forced to survive. Eventually the boy and his dog are reunited but not before the dog becomes a local hero
      Author: Lee, Ingrid HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Finding Fish
      This is the autobiography of Antwone Fisher (basis for a movie made by Denzel Washington). Antwone's childhood was filled with emotional and physical abuse. He found a way to overcome this difficult beginning.
      Author: Fisher, Antwone

    I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This
      A moving story of the friendship between two motherless 12-year-old girls--one black and one white--presents issues of racial prejudice, poverty, and child abuse.
      Author: Woodson, Jacqueline

    Midwife's Apprentice, The
      This award-winning novel, set in 14th century England, tells the story of Brat/Beetle/Alyce, a "homeless waif who became the midwife's apprentice-a person with a name and a place in the world" (book jacket).
      Author: Cushman, Karen HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    Sold
      Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a village in Nepal. Her stepfather sells her into sexual slavery and her life of prostitution begins in a large city in India. The book is written in short paragraphs, sentences, and phrases
      Author: McCormick, Patricia HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Stitches: A Memoir
      An autobiographical graphic novel that profoundly describes the author's disturbing and often horrific childhood. This is a riveting and groundbreaking work by children's book illustrator David Small.
      Author: Small, David HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing

    What Jamie Saw
      The power and lyricism of this remarkable book is evident in the opening sentence. "When Jamie saw him throw the baby, saw Van throw the little baby, saw Van throw his little sister Nin, when Jamie saw Van throw his baby sister Nin, then they moved." Jam
      Author: Coman, Carolyn

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > violence > domestic abuse
    Stories I Ain't Told Nobody Yet
      A collection of 49 poems, these vignettes of Appalachian life are funny, sad, moving, and silly. Not all of them are of great quality; teachers may want to pick and choose among them. The poem (on pg. 50) on abuse is powerful and likely to provoke good
      Author: Carson, Jo HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > social issues > violence > riots
    smoky night
      1
      Author: bunting, eve HSE Descriptors: literature and arts | literature and arts | literature and arts | literature and arts | literature and arts

Social Studies > sociology > women
    And Not Afraid To Dare
      This is a collection of short (15-20 page) biographies of 10 African American women: Ellen Craft, Charlotte Forten Grimke, Mary Fields, Ida B. Wells, Mary McLeod Bethune, Clara Hale, Leontyne Price, Toni Morrison, Mae C. Jemison, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
      Author: Bolden, Tonya HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    At Her Majesty's Request
      Queen Victoria oversees the education and upbringing of an African princess after she was rescued from execution by a ship captain who brought her to England.
      Author: Myers, Walter Den HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Atalanta's Race, A Greek Myth
      This retelling of an ancient Greek myth describes Atalanta, abandoned by her royal father who wanted a son. Atalanta is raised by a woodsman and becomes a great hunter and athlete; the latter is tested in a race when the gods intervene.
      Author: Climo, Shirley HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Buffalo Gals: Women of the Old West
      Primary documents (e.g., journal entries, letters, song lyrics) are woven into a description of the women on the old west and their lives.
      Author: Miller, Brandon Marie HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Choices
      George Ella Lyon, an accomplished writer of children's books, wrote this collection of stories (and its accompanying text, More Choices) specifically for adult new readers; in fact, she conferred with ABE students from Kentucky while creating the
      Author: Lyon, George Ella

    Coast to Coast with Alice
      A fictionalized account of the real 1909 journey of four women who crossed the country in a Maxwell car becoming the first women to do so. Written as a journal by Minna Jahns, the 15-year-old friend of Alice Ramsey, the narrative includes the physical dif
      Author: Hyatt, Patricia Rusch HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Dakota Dugout
      The book tells the story of a woman pioneer, the hardships, struggles, and pleasures of her life with her husband in a sod house on the prairie.
      Author: Turner, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Diego Bigger Than Life
      These short poems tell about the life of the artist Diego Rivera, his various loves, his life as an artist, and his unusual and intense life. It ends with a one paragraph comment by his last wife, Frida Kahlo. Back matter includes a wealth of information
      Author: Bernier-Grand HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Fanny's Dream
      A retelling of the Cinderella story, the book depicts the choices of Fanny Agnes, providing a humorous portrait of a strong woman.
      Author: Buehner, Caralyn

    Grandmothers
      In the introduction, the editor, after describing her own strong grandmother, says that grandmothers help us make the transition from childhood to adulthood and "civilize" us. The essays, poems and short stories that follow introduce us to a wide cultura
      Author: Giovanni, Nikki (Ed.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
      Bessie was 103 and Sadie was 105 when they collaborated with Amy Hill Hearth to write this story of their lives and times. Additionally the Delany sisters offer their perspectives on society, living conditions, people, events, etc. from the past century.
      Author: Delany, Sarah & Delany, A. Elizabeth HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Her Stories
      The book focuses on stories of females-animal stories, supernatural tales, folktales, and oral histories. It includes an afterword by Virginia Hamilton and an excellent bibliography.
      Author: Hamilton, Virginia

    Hoop Queens
      This is a collection of 12 poems about stars of the WNBA. An afterword explains how the poet found a focus for each poem by considering the woman's play.
      Author: Smith Jr., Charles R.

    I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly
      Patsy, a 12-year-old slave girl, keeps a diary during 1865, describing the changes in the plantation that come with the Emancipation Proclamation. The author appends historical notes, archival photographs, the wording of Constitutional Amendments 13,14,
      Author: Hansen, Joyce HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Kate Shelley: Bound for Legend
      This is the story of a 15-year-old girl who helped prevent a train disaster in 1881.
      Author: San Souci, Robert D. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Letters from a Slave Girl
      Drawn from her 1861 autobiography, these fictionalized letters tell the story of Harriet Jacobs, a slave from North Carolina who went through great struggles to escape slavery. The book ends with two family trees, one a Black family and one White, a glos
      Author: Lyons, Mary HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Lyddie
      Lyddie tells the story of a 19th century farm girl who, because of financial worries, moves to Massachusetts to work in a garment factory. She endures various hardships but does not lose her spunk or integrity.
      Author: Paterson, Katherine HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Midwife's Apprentice, The
      This award-winning novel, set in 14th century England, tells the story of Brat/Beetle/Alyce, a "homeless waif who became the midwife's apprentice-a person with a name and a place in the world" (book jacket).
      Author: Cushman, Karen HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    My Great Aunt Arizona
      Based on the author's great aunt, Arizona was born in a log cabin. All her life she dreamed of visiting far-away places. She became a teacher and never left the area, but taught several generations of children to share her dreams.
      Author: Houston, Gloria HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Parvana's Journey
      Disguised as a boy, Parvana rescues a baby and joins with a young boy as she travels through war-torn Afghanistan searching for her family. The telling of the story through the child's perspective allows the reader to approach a sensitive current event an
      Author: Ellis, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Seven Brave Women
      A young girl recounts her family history passed down to her through stories and family artifacts of remarkable, ordinary women. Each of the seven women who lived at the time of a war "made history by not fighting in wars."
      Author: Hearne, Betsy

    She's Been Working on the Railroad
      Women began working on the railroads in the mid-1800s and still do so today. This is their story. The text is illustrated with photographs, and a variety of textual aids (e.g., glossary, index) are also included.
      Author: Levinson, Nancy Smiler HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Sorrow's Kitchen: The Life and Folklore of ZN Hurston
      Part of the Great Achievers series, this book chronicles the life and writings of Zora Neale Hurston, the important African-American writer of the first-half of this century. The book is 121 pages and contains lots of photographs. The author has woven c
      Author: Lyons, Mary E. HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Spirit Walker
      This stunningly illustrated book of poetry celebrates a physical relationship with the earth and the philosophies, vision, and perspectives of Native Americans, especially the women.
      Author: Wood, Nancy HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Sweethearts of Rhythm: The story of the greatest all-girl swing band in the world
      The 16-member, all-woman, racially diverse swing band The International Sweethearts of Rhythm from the war years of the 1940's are brought to life by the idiomatic speech and rhythms of Nelson's poetry and by Pinkney's vibrant illlustrations. The individ
      Author: Nelson, Marilyn HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Wanted Dead or Alive: The True Story of Harriet Tubman
      This is a spellbinding yet simply written account of Harriet Tubman and how she led hundreds of slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad.
      Author: McGovern, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Wright Sister, The,
      Often portrayed through letters, this biography, of Katherine Wright, the sister of Orville and Wilbur Wright, is told against the historical background of the restrictions on women.
      Author: Maurer, Richard HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > artists
    Berenice Abbott, Photographer
      The biography's subtitle "An Independent Vision" suggests the creativity, innovation, perservance that Berenice Abbot exhibited as she pursued the newly emerging field of photography and associated with the leading photographers of the 1920's and 1930's.
      Author: Sullivan, George HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Clara Schumann
      This biography chronicles the life of Clara Schumann, child prodigy and wife of composer Robert Schumann and mother of eight children. The book is illustrated with portraits and diary excerpts. A preface, an epilogue, a timeline, and an index make the b
      Author: Reich, Susan HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Martha Graham: A Dancer's Life
      This well-researched and tastefully honest biography recounts the long, productive life of Martha Graham--dancer, teacher, and choreographer. The author includes notes, acknowledgements, picture credits, a selected bibliography, and an index.
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    My Name is Georgia
      This simple biography of Georgia O'Keefe describes how she was true to her life-long goal of being an artist and how she gained inspiration for her paintings from the natural world around her.
      Author: Winter, Jeanette HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Restless Spirit: The Life and Work of Dorothea Lange
      This biography of photographer Dorthea Lange contains many of her photographs. Lange photographed and helped raise awareness of the poor conditions of the migrant workers during the Depression.
      Author: Partridge, Ellizabeth HSE Descriptors: literature and arts | social studies

    Runaway Girl: The Artist Louise Bourgeois
      This biography of Louise Bourgeois traces the influences of her childhood in France and her independent development as a woman artist later in the U.S. The book includes beautiful reproductions of her work and numerous back pages for further exploration.
      Author: Greenberg & Jordan, Sandra HSE Descriptors: language arts - writing | social studies

    Wideness and Wonder: The Life and Art of Georgia O'Keeffe
      Factual, informative account of Georgia O'Keeffe's interesting journey from farm girl to artist and her stubborn dedication to making art her own way. Illustrated with her works and Alfred Stieglitz's photographs of her. Excellent reference for artists.
      Author: Rubin, Susan Goldman HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing | social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > authors
    Edna St. Vincent Millay
      This beautifully illustrated collection of poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay includes an introductory biography and an index of the poems.
      Author: Schoonmaker, Frances (ed.) HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Emily
      This book tells the story of a young girl's encounter with the reclusive poet Emily Dickinson and of her friendship with the author. Although the picture book is a fictional account, Cooney's oil paintings and the afterword with biographical information
      Author: Bedard, Michael HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
      After years of lobbying, Sarah Hale, an editor and writer, won the battle to have Thanksgiving declared a national holiday. Back matter includes historical and biographical information. Adults may find the tone of voice and some illustrations childish a
      Author: Anderson, Laurie Halse HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > feminism
    Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
      Informative account of Amelia Earhart's life and death, separating fact from fiction. A leader in women's rights, Amelia was an independent woman who proved women could fly! But, could she have done it without male support? Bibliography and source notes
      Author: Fleming,Candace HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba, The
      This powerful book shares the plight of women and slavery in Cuba, a beautiful, lush island with many ugly truths. The early feminist, Fredrika Bremer, travels from Denmark to record life in this society and finds a great deal of prejudice and wrongs. Dur
      Author: Engle, Margarita HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Our Eleanor
      Organized like a scrapbook with themed chronological divisions that contain short texts, this very personable and balanced biography of Eleanor Roosevelt emphasizes her complexity and self-growth and her evolution as a political activist. The author incl
      Author: Fleming, Candace HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Poem of Her Own, A
      A chronological collection of poems written by 25 American women poets from 1678 to the present. Brief biographies of each poet are included. An excellent essay by the editor describes the barriers and difficulties overcome by American women poets.
      Author: Clinton, Catherine, ed. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Runaway Girl: The Artist Louise Bourgeois
      This biography of Louise Bourgeois traces the influences of her childhood in France and her independent development as a woman artist later in the U.S. The book includes beautiful reproductions of her work and numerous back pages for further exploration.
      Author: Greenberg & Jordan, Sandra HSE Descriptors: language arts - writing | social studies

    Ruth Law Thrills a Nation
      The author recounts in easy text and wondrful watercolor illustrations the 1919 flight of Ruth Law from Chicago to New York.
      Author: Don Brown HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - writing

    Spirit Walker
      This stunningly illustrated book of poetry celebrates a physical relationship with the earth and the philosophies, vision, and perspectives of Native Americans, especially the women.
      Author: Wood, Nancy HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom
      This is an enlightening text illustrating the importance of the bicycle as a way to change the world by cultivating independence. The photographs, newspaper articles, advertisements, etc., beautifully depict the history, ending with a timeline comparing w
      Author: Macy, Sue HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Wideness and Wonder: The Life and Art of Georgia O'Keeffe
      Factual, informative account of Georgia O'Keeffe's interesting journey from farm girl to artist and her stubborn dedication to making art her own way. Illustrated with her works and Alfred Stieglitz's photographs of her. Excellent reference for artists.
      Author: Rubin, Susan Goldman HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | language arts - writing | social studies

    Woman for President, A: The Story of Victoria Woodhull
      Victoria Woodhull, a little-know women's rights activist, overcame many obstacles to become a financial adviser, a newspaper publisher, and an Equal Rights Party candidate for President--in 1872. Check out the end papers and the web site for the Woodhull
      Author: Krull, Kathleen HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > heroines
    Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
      Informative account of Amelia Earhart's life and death, separating fact from fiction. A leader in women's rights, Amelia was an independent woman who proved women could fly! But, could she have done it without male support? Bibliography and source notes
      Author: Fleming,Candace HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Angels of Mercy
      This book is about the army nurses of WW II. Chapters about WW II in general, about nurses in Europe, and about nurses in the Pacific are loosely connected. Some text recounts important events of the war; other portions tell more personal recollections. I
      Author: Kuhn, Betsy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Fly High!
      This is an illustrated biography of Bessie Coleman, whose interest in aviation and desire "to be somebody" led her to become the first African American woman to earn a pilot's license.
      Author: Borden, Louise & Kroeger, Mary Kay HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Harriet and the Promised Land
      The text, consisting of a single rhyming poem, is an accompaniment to Lawrence's contemporary and vivid paintings. The poem tells the story of Harriet Tubman, a slave who led other slaves to freedom.
      Author: Lawrence, Jacob HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Heroes and She-roes
      Twenty-one poems celebrate and chronicle the actions of real-life persons (and one dog) who have performed heroic acts in service to others.
      Author: Lewis, J. Patrick

    Heroes and She-roes
      Twenty-one poems celebrate and chronicle the actions of real-life persons (and one dog) who have performed heroic acts in service to others.
      Author: Lewis, J. Patrick

    Little Ships, The
      The book tells the story of an English girl and her father who participate in the real armada of fishing boats that evacuated allied soldiers from Dunkirk in World War II. A Foreword and an Author's Note provide supplementary historical information.
      Author: Borden, Louise HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Molly Bannaky
      This is a biography of the grandmother of the famous mathematician, Banjamin Banneker, who came to America in 1683 as an indentured servant and married her freed slave. The author includes an historical note.
      Author: McGill, Alice HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Pearl Moscowitz's Last Stand
      Pearl M., a long-time resident of her city street, refuses to let the city chop down the last gingko tree on the block. The book depicts the different ethnic groups that have moved on the street, but shows a real community of people interacting and livin
      Author: Levine, Arthur A.

    Picture Book of Sojourner Truth, A
      As with the other Adler biographies, most readers will find this book engaging and thought provoking. It tells the life story of Sojourner Truth, an African-American woman who lived through most of the 19th century. The book ends with author's notes and
      Author: Adler, David HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Seven Brave Women
      A young girl recounts her family history passed down to her through stories and family artifacts of remarkable, ordinary women. Each of the seven women who lived at the time of a war "made history by not fighting in wars."
      Author: Hearne, Betsy

    Streams to the River, River to the Sea
      This is a fictional recounting of Sacagawea's association with Lewis and Clark. Although some Reading Group members were concerned about the accuracy of the portrayal, in the introduction, the author cites several references used in crafting the story.
      Author: O'Dell, Scott HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
      Based on a true incident, this story tells of a young slave girl's brainstorm of sewing a map of the Underground Railroad onto a quilt so that others could find their way to freedom.
      Author: Hopkinson, Deborah HSE Descriptors: social studies

    They Called Her Molly Pitcher
      This is an historical/legendary account of Molly "Pitcher" Hays McCauly, who followed her husband to fight in the Revolutionary War and was made a sergeant by General Washington for her courage and bravery. A biography and timeline accompany the colorful
      Author: Rockwell, Anne HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Vherses: A Celebration of Outstanding Women
      Beautiful woodcuts and brief biographical paragraphs accompany poems about Rachel Carson, Emily Dickinson, Gertrude Ederle, Ella Fitzgerald, Anne Frank, Jane Goodall, Martha Graham, Fannie Lou Hamer, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Georgia O'Keefe, Eleanor Rooseve
      Author: Lewis, J. Patrick HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Wanted Dead or Alive: The True Story of Harriet Tubman
      This is a spellbinding yet simply written account of Harriet Tubman and how she led hundreds of slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad.
      Author: McGovern, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Weave of Words, A
      A young king uses his literacy and weaving skills to send a message to the queen who frees him from his captors. The copyright page contains information on the origins of this Armenian tale.
      Author: San Souci, Robert

    With Courage and Cloth
      This story of women's suffrage in the U.S. concentrates on the early 20th century, although previous activities serve as a context. Illustrated with archival photos from the time,the book includes a chronology, bibliography, profiles, and other sources.
      Author: Bausum, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Women of Hope
      The author wrote essays on thirteen African American women to accompany photographs of the Bread and Roses Cultural Project. The essays feature inspiring women who exhibited courage in overcoming barriers of race and gender in fighting for rights we all
      Author: Hansen, Joyce HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history
    African Princess
      Illustrated with paintings, photographs, and artifacts, six biographies tell us about royal African women from Ancient Eygpt to the present: Hatshepsut of Egypt; Njinga of Matamba; Taytu Tetal of Ethiopia; Amina of Zaria; Tata Ajache of Dahomey; and Eliz
      Author: Hansen, Joyce HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure
      Alice Ramsey and three other women face floods, mud, and travel without maps as they drive from New York to San Francisco--in 1909. The charming watercolors add realistic humor to the narrative.
      Author: Brown, Don HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride
      Story of an evening when two famous and courageous women take to the air, and the highway. Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt have a mini adventure after dinner at the White House.
      Author: Ryan, Pan Munoz HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
      Informative account of Amelia Earhart's life and death, separating fact from fiction. A leader in women's rights, Amelia was an independent woman who proved women could fly! But, could she have done it without male support? Bibliography and source notes
      Author: Fleming,Candace HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World
      Minute biographies of 26 illustrious women with quotes from each. Discover woman who have changed people's lives and read about their childhood, hardships and successes to inspire girls and women of all ages.
      Author: Chin-Lee, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World
      Minute biographies of 26 illustrious women with quotes from each. Discover woman who have changed people's lives and read about their childhood, hardships and successes to inspire girls and women of all ages.
      Author: Chin-Lee, Cynthia HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Angels of Mercy
      This book is about the army nurses of WW II. Chapters about WW II in general, about nurses in Europe, and about nurses in the Pacific are loosely connected. Some text recounts important events of the war; other portions tell more personal recollections. I
      Author: Kuhn, Betsy HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Anne Frank
      If you wonder why read another book on Anne Frank, look at this beautifully and realistically illustrated story that simply relates the political situation and gives the characters more three-dimensional personalities. A chronology in the end papers adds
      Author: Poole, Josephine HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Anne Frank
      If you wonder why read another book on Anne Frank, look at this beautifully and realistically illustrated story that simply relates the political situation and gives the characters more three-dimensional personalities. A chronology in the end papers adds
      Author: Poole, Josephine HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Berenice Abbott, Photographer
      The biography's subtitle "An Independent Vision" suggests the creativity, innovation, perservance that Berenice Abbot exhibited as she pursued the newly emerging field of photography and associated with the leading photographers of the 1920's and 1930's.
      Author: Sullivan, George HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Big Annie of Calumet
      Big Annie is the story of Annie Clemenc who led the miners' strike of 1913 in Calumet, Michigan against the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company. The book contains many photographs of the strike and conditions in the mines and a brief overview of the Industri
      Author: Stanley, Jerry HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Brave Harriet
      The story of Harriet Quimby, the first woman to earn a pilot's license and the first woman to fly across the English Channel, is told in the first person. An author's note adds historical facts.
      Author: Moss, Marissa HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Cleopatra
      This lively nonfiction account tells the history and story of the powerful Cleopatra and her companion Mark Antony. The book includes maps and a pronunciation guide and detailed illustrations.
      Author: Stanley, Diane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Dolley Madison Saves George Washington
      An easy-reading biography of Dolley Madison that focuses on her adult years, particularly as Jefferson's hostess in the White House and First Lady. Dolley Madison saved a large portrait of George Washington before the Brittish burned the White House.
      Author: Brown, Don HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Eleanor, Quiet No More
      The author tells the story of Eleanor Roosevelt's life simply, each phase emphasizing a quote of hers. In addition to lovely, soft illustrations, the author includes a timeline, selected bibliograph, and web sites.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Eleanor, Quiet No More
      The author tells the story of Eleanor Roosevelt's life simply, each phase emphasizing a quote of hers. In addition to lovely, soft illustrations, the author includes a timeline, selected bibliograph, and web sites.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Far Beyond the Garden Gate
      Don Brown has written another intriguing book about an extraordinary woman, one who perservered in her desire to explore Tibet never seen by a Western woman. An author's note, a bibliography, and a map extend the possibilities of this beautifully illustr
      Author: Brown, Don HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba, The
      This powerful book shares the plight of women and slavery in Cuba, a beautiful, lush island with many ugly truths. The early feminist, Fredrika Bremer, travels from Denmark to record life in this society and finds a great deal of prejudice and wrongs. Dur
      Author: Engle, Margarita HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Fly High!
      This is an illustrated biography of Bessie Coleman, whose interest in aviation and desire "to be somebody" led her to become the first African American woman to earn a pilot's license.
      Author: Borden, Louise & Kroeger, Mary Kay HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Girl Wonder
      This is a very simple retelling of part of Alta Weiss's childhood. Alta pitched for the Vermillion (OH) Independents, a semi-pro baseball team, in 1907.
      Author: Hopkinson, Deborah

    Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England
      This is a biography of Elizabeth I of England, a queen whose strong will, shrewd diplomacy, tolerance, and concern for her subjects make her one of the best known British monarchs.
      Author: Stanley, Diane & Vennema, Peter HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Good Women of a Well-Blessed Land
      This is a topical history of women in early America (1600s to beginning of American Revolution). Primary source material is used to the extent possible. Lives of White, Black and Native American women are featured. An index, bibliography, and a website b
      Author: Miller, Brandon Marie HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Harriet and the Promised Land
      The text, consisting of a single rhyming poem, is an accompaniment to Lawrence's contemporary and vivid paintings. The poem tells the story of Harriet Tubman, a slave who led other slaves to freedom.
      Author: Lawrence, Jacob HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Heroines
      Organized chronologically from early Greece through the 20th Century, the book describes the feats of 12 women from around the world. The stylized illustrations and the colorful, thought-provoking maps provides historical background. A Further Reading s
      Author: Hazell, Rebecca HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    I Have Heard of a Land
      A hardworking African American woman stakes a homestead claim in the Oklahoma Territory in the period after the Civil War. Told in rich, lyrical language, the beautifully illustrated story reminds us that African Americans were a part of the settlement o
      Author: Thomas, Joyce Carol HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Independent Dames: What You Never Knew about the Women and Girls of the American Revolution
      Brief biographies of women who played key roles in the Revolutionary War. Makes the facts of Early American history come alive with lives of women who don't usually get mentioned in history books. Below each illustration is a time line of events.
      Author: Anderson, Laurie Halse HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Independent Dames: What You Never Knew about the Women and Girls of the American Revolution
      Brief biographies of women who played key roles in the Revolutionary War. Makes the facts of Early American history come alive with lives of women who don't usually get mentioned in history books. Below each illustration is a time line of events.
      Author: Anderson, Laurie Halse HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Joan of Arc
      This beautifully illustrated and researched biography of the French peasant girl who became known as Joan of Arc describes how she led the French against the English in the 100 Year's War. The book includes an historical background of the 100 Year's War,
      Author: Stanley, Diane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Jump at de Sun
      This interesting biography of the author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston emphasizes her unique celebration of black life and language at the turn of the century when such topics were unpopular. Her niece wrote the introduction.
      Author: Porter, A. P. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Last Princess, The
      This biography recounts the history of Hawaii at the end of the 19th century and the life of the last Hawaiian heir, Princess Ka'iulani, who was denied the throne when the monarchy was abolished.
      Author: Stanley, Fay HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Let It Shine
      These ten essays on African American women introduce well-know and some lesser known freedom fighters. The colorful illustrations, the informative text, and the chatty tone will attract readers. The author's introducation and suggestions for further read
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Librarian of Basra, The
      A true story of the librarian of Basra, Iraq, who saved the books in the town library during the current war. In an end note, the author brings the reader up-to-date on the librarian.
      Author: Winter, Jeanette

    Light Shining through the Mist
      Lush color photographs and text tell the story of how Dian Fossey studied the gorillas in Africa and died trying to protect them and their habitat during a time of political unrest.
      Author: Matthews, Tom HSE Descriptors: science

    Lincolns, The
      Using a scrapbook format with blocks of stories and archival photographs, the author provides a chatty, up-close biography of Abraham and Mary Lincoln. Since the book is in a scrapbook format, students can start reading anywhere in the book or read in the
      Author: Fleming, Candice HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Madam President
      Short biographies of some of the powerful and influential women who have been involved in politics. The biographies are woven into a simple story about a girl who wants to be president when she "grows up" despite the people around her who try to tell her
      Author: Thimmesh, Catherine HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Marvelous Mattie
      Based on the life of Margaret E. Knight, the book portrays an imaginative girl who overcomes the barriers of poverty and sexism to become an inventor of over 90 inventions with 22 patents. The author's note gives more biographical information while paten
      Author: McCully, Emily HSE Descriptors: science

    Miss Spitfire
      Using real letters and records, the author vividly imagines the early days of the relationship between Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan from the teacher's perspective.
      Author: Miller, Sarah

    Miss Spitfire
      Using real letters and records, the author vividly imagines the early days of the relationship between Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan from the teacher's perspective.
      Author: Miller, Sarah

    Mother Teresa
      This is a beautifully illustrated biography of the woman who became Mother Teresa.
      Author: Demi HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Nothing But Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson
      Althea Gibson was perpetual motion and perpetual trouble until mentors helped her channel her energy into tennis where she became a champion, and the first African American to win the Wimbledon. The colorful illustrations capture her boundless energy.
      Author: Stauffacher, Sue HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Nothing But Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson
      Althea Gibson was perpetual motion and perpetual trouble until mentors helped her channel her energy into tennis where she became a champion, and the first African American to win the Wimbledon. The colorful illustrations capture her boundless energy.
      Author: Stauffacher, Sue HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Picture Book of Sojourner Truth, A
      As with the other Adler biographies, most readers will find this book engaging and thought provoking. It tells the life story of Sojourner Truth, an African-American woman who lived through most of the 19th century. The book ends with author's notes and
      Author: Adler, David HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Pirate Queen, The
      This story, based on historical fact and colorful legend, chronicles the life of Grania O'Malley, an Irish woman who became a sea captain and pirate during the reign of Elizabeth I.
      Author: McCully, Emily A. HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Princess Ka'iulani: Hope of a Nation, Heart of a People
      This is a fascinating biography of Ka'iulani, Crown Princess of Hawaii. The history of Hawaii is also chronicled, as is a bit about life in the US and Europe in the late 19th century. Authentic photographs and political cartoons, a bibliography, and index
      Author: Linnea, Sharon HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Princess of the Press
      This biography of Ida Wells- Barnett chronicles her remarkable career in civil rights as a journalist against lynching, publisher of African American newspapers, speaker and activist for women's right to vote, and founder of the National Association for t
      Author: Medearis, Angela HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Queen of the Falls
      An engaging story about the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel - a 63 year old school teacher. Van Allsburg combines sepia toned illustrations with a smooth and flowing text while using tension to hold the reader's interest.
      Author: Van Allsburg, Chris HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading | social studies

    Ruth Law Thrills a Nation
      The author recounts in easy text and wondrful watercolor illustrations the 1919 flight of Ruth Law from Chicago to New York.
      Author: Don Brown HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - writing

    Sky Pioneer
      This biography of American aviatrix Amelia Earhart traces her interest in aviation from childhood to her disappearance on a round-the-world flight in 1937. Photographs, journal entries, maps, a chronology, an afterword, a bibliography, and an index sugge
      Author: Szabo, Corinne HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Steamboat! The Story of Captain Blanche Leathers
      The story of Blanche Leathers, the country's first female steamboat captain, sailing on the Mississippi River.
      Author: Gilliland, Judith Heide HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Uncommon Traveler
      Mary Kingsley, who grew up in Victorian England, isolated, without formal education but with her Father's library, made trips to explore West Africa, where she accomplished many firsts and survived many adventures. The beautiful watercolor illustrations,
      Author: Brown, Don HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Vherses: A Celebration of Outstanding Women
      Beautiful woodcuts and brief biographical paragraphs accompany poems about Rachel Carson, Emily Dickinson, Gertrude Ederle, Ella Fitzgerald, Anne Frank, Jane Goodall, Martha Graham, Fannie Lou Hamer, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Georgia O'Keefe, Eleanor Rooseve
      Author: Lewis, J. Patrick HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys
      This is a recounting of a true family story about Virgie, who wants to go to school with her big brothers, despite her young age, the fact that girls were thought not to need an education, and the distance she must travel (7 miles).
      Author: Howard, Elizabeth

    Voice from the Wilderness, A
      Four-year-old Anna Howard Shaw arrived in the U.S in 1851, lived as a pioneer in Michigan, became a teacher, a minister, a doctor, and worked for women's right to vote before her death in 1919.
      Author: Brown, Don HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Voice of Her Own, A
      This biography of Phillis Wheatley, a American Revolution era slave who became the first Black woman poet, includes excerpts of her poetry, an epilogue, and notes by the author and illustrator.
      Author: Lasky, Kathryn HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - writing

    Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story From Africa
      The true story of how Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan educated in the USA, started a movement to replant trees in Kenya, one seedling at a time. Wangari won the Nobel Peace Prize for replenishing of the forests in her country.
      Author: Winter, Jeanette HSE Descriptors: science | social studies

    We Shall Not Be Moved
      This is the story of the shirtwaist industry in New York (early 1900s) and the young women who formed a union, managed a months-long strike, and brought the nation's attention to their low pay and cruel working conditions.
      Author: Dash, Joan HSE Descriptors: social studies

    What to Do about Alice?
      This fun to read story of Alice Roosevelt provides a great introduction to childhood life in the White House.
      Author: Kerley, Barbara HSE Descriptors: social studies

    What to Do about Alice?
      This fun to read story of Alice Roosevelt provides a great introduction to childhood life in the White House.
      Author: Kerley, Barbara HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom
      This is an enlightening text illustrating the importance of the bicycle as a way to change the world by cultivating independence. The photographs, newspaper articles, advertisements, etc., beautifully depict the history, ending with a timeline comparing w
      Author: Macy, Sue HSE Descriptors: social studies | language arts - reading

    Where the Action Was
      These somewhat uneven memoirs chronicle the experiences of women journalists and photographers during WW II.
      Author: Colman, Penny HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Women of the Bible
      Each of these seventeen stories of courageous women from both the Old and New Testaments is accompanied by a famous painting. The author includes a pictorial index of each entire painting and its museum location.
      Author: Armstrong, Carole HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Boudicca
    Ten Queens
      Biographies of ten powerful queens from the 5th Century B.C. to 18th Century Russia are accompanied by beautiful illustrations, historical maps, and excerpts from historical documents. The essays are supplemented with a preface, a bibliography, an index,
      Author: Meltzer,Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Catherine the Great
    Nellie Bly
      This biography recounts the life of the woman who opened up the field of journalism to women through her undercover investigative reporting during the turn of the century through WW I.
      Author: Fredeen, Charles HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Ten Queens
      Biographies of ten powerful queens from the 5th Century B.C. to 18th Century Russia are accompanied by beautiful illustrations, historical maps, and excerpts from historical documents. The essays are supplemented with a preface, a bibliography, an index,
      Author: Meltzer,Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Christina of Sweden
    Ten Queens
      Biographies of ten powerful queens from the 5th Century B.C. to 18th Century Russia are accompanied by beautiful illustrations, historical maps, and excerpts from historical documents. The essays are supplemented with a preface, a bibliography, an index,
      Author: Meltzer,Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Curie, Marie
Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Esther
    Ten Queens
      Biographies of ten powerful queens from the 5th Century B.C. to 18th Century Russia are accompanied by beautiful illustrations, historical maps, and excerpts from historical documents. The essays are supplemented with a preface, a bibliography, an index,
      Author: Meltzer,Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Isabel of Spain
    Ten Queens
      Biographies of ten powerful queens from the 5th Century B.C. to 18th Century Russia are accompanied by beautiful illustrations, historical maps, and excerpts from historical documents. The essays are supplemented with a preface, a bibliography, an index,
      Author: Meltzer,Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Joan of Arc
    Joan of Arc
      The author weaves together historical fact and fiction in the story of a modern French girl who idolizes Joan of Arc. An historical map and beautiful illustrations enhance the stories.
      Author: Morpurgo, Michael HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Maria Theresa
    Ten Queens
      Biographies of ten powerful queens from the 5th Century B.C. to 18th Century Russia are accompanied by beautiful illustrations, historical maps, and excerpts from historical documents. The essays are supplemented with a preface, a bibliography, an index,
      Author: Meltzer,Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Roosevelt, Eleanor
    Eleanor Roosevelt
      Freedman relates this biography of Eleanor Roosevelt with the interest of suspense fiction which is accompanied by extensive archival photographs. The book traces her evolution from a shy young girl from an unhappy home to America's most acclaimed First
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Eleanor, Quiet No More
      The author tells the story of Eleanor Roosevelt's life simply, each phase emphasizing a quote of hers. In addition to lovely, soft illustrations, the author includes a timeline, selected bibliograph, and web sites.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Eleanor, Quiet No More
      The author tells the story of Eleanor Roosevelt's life simply, each phase emphasizing a quote of hers. In addition to lovely, soft illustrations, the author includes a timeline, selected bibliograph, and web sites.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Madam President
      Short biographies of some of the powerful and influential women who have been involved in politics. The biographies are woven into a simple story about a girl who wants to be president when she "grows up" despite the people around her who try to tell her
      Author: Thimmesh, Catherine HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Our Eleanor
      Organized like a scrapbook with themed chronological divisions that contain short texts, this very personable and balanced biography of Eleanor Roosevelt emphasizes her complexity and self-growth and her evolution as a political activist. The author incl
      Author: Fleming, Candace HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Sacagawea
    Heroines
      Organized chronologically from early Greece through the 20th Century, the book describes the feats of 12 women from around the world. The stylized illustrations and the colorful, thought-provoking maps provides historical background. A Further Reading s
      Author: Hazell, Rebecca HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    My Name Is York
      York, a slave of Captain Clark, accompanies his master on the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. An afterword gives additional biographical information and the end papers contain maps. The illustrations and language are especially evocative.
      Author: Van Steenwyk, Elizabeth HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Streams to the River, River to the Sea
      This is a fictional recounting of Sacagawea's association with Lewis and Clark. Although some Reading Group members were concerned about the accuracy of the portrayal, in the introduction, the author cites several references used in crafting the story.
      Author: O'Dell, Scott HSE Descriptors: social studies

    This Vast Land
      A fictional account of a young man on the real Lewis and Clark Expedition emphasizes and personalizes the confrontation of races and the conflict between civilization and the wilderness. There are allusions to sex, though minimal.
      Author: Ambrose, Stephen HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Tubman, Harriet
    Heroines
      Organized chronologically from early Greece through the 20th Century, the book describes the feats of 12 women from around the world. The stylized illustrations and the colorful, thought-provoking maps provides historical background. A Further Reading s
      Author: Hazell, Rebecca HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Minty
      Long before her years as leader in the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman, nicknamed Minty, was a strong-willed child who dreamed of running away while suffering the brutalities of slavery. Old Ben taught her survival skills that she would need later.
      Author: Schroeder, Alan HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history > Zenobia
    African Princess
      Illustrated with paintings, photographs, and artifacts, six biographies tell us about royal African women from Ancient Eygpt to the present: Hatshepsut of Egypt; Njinga of Matamba; Taytu Tetal of Ethiopia; Amina of Zaria; Tata Ajache of Dahomey; and Eliz
      Author: Hansen, Joyce HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Let It Shine
      These ten essays on African American women introduce well-know and some lesser known freedom fighters. The colorful illustrations, the informative text, and the chatty tone will attract readers. The author's introducation and suggestions for further read
      Author: Pinkney, Andrea HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Ten Queens
      Biographies of ten powerful queens from the 5th Century B.C. to 18th Century Russia are accompanied by beautiful illustrations, historical maps, and excerpts from historical documents. The essays are supplemented with a preface, a bibliography, an index,
      Author: Meltzer,Milton HSE Descriptors: social studies

Social Studies > sociology > women > women's issues
    Charlotte
      When 10-year-old Charlotte's father forbids her to associate with her cousins because her uncle was a royalist in the American Revolution, she disobeys with lifelong consequences. The book includes an Afterword about Charlotte's later life.
      Author: Lunn, Janet HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Eleanor Roosevelt
      Freedman relates this biography of Eleanor Roosevelt with the interest of suspense fiction which is accompanied by extensive archival photographs. The book traces her evolution from a shy young girl from an unhappy home to America's most acclaimed First
      Author: Freedman, Russell HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Eleanor, Quiet No More
      The author tells the story of Eleanor Roosevelt's life simply, each phase emphasizing a quote of hers. In addition to lovely, soft illustrations, the author includes a timeline, selected bibliograph, and web sites.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Eleanor, Quiet No More
      The author tells the story of Eleanor Roosevelt's life simply, each phase emphasizing a quote of hers. In addition to lovely, soft illustrations, the author includes a timeline, selected bibliograph, and web sites.
      Author: Rappaport, Doreen HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Girls
      The subtitle, A History of Growing Up Female in America, tells it all. The 10 chapters cover history from colonial America to the Millennium. A good index and Selections for Further Reading make this a good reference text. The author selects girls from
      Author: Colman, Penny HSE Descriptors: science

    Joan of Arc
      This beautifully illustrated and researched biography of the French peasant girl who became known as Joan of Arc describes how she led the French against the English in the 100 Year's War. The book includes an historical background of the 100 Year's War,
      Author: Stanley, Diane HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Little Ships, The
      The book tells the story of an English girl and her father who participate in the real armada of fishing boats that evacuated allied soldiers from Dunkirk in World War II. A Foreword and an Author's Note provide supplementary historical information.
      Author: Borden, Louise HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Madam President
      Short biographies of some of the powerful and influential women who have been involved in politics. The biographies are woven into a simple story about a girl who wants to be president when she "grows up" despite the people around her who try to tell her
      Author: Thimmesh, Catherine HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Nellie Bly
      This biography recounts the life of the woman who opened up the field of journalism to women through her undercover investigative reporting during the turn of the century through WW I.
      Author: Fredeen, Charles HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Now Sheba Sings the Song
      This book consists of one long poem and dozens of sketches of African-American women. It is a sensuous book that celebrates the sexuality, the history, and the strength of Black women.
      Author: Angelou, Maya

    Poem of Her Own, A
      A chronological collection of poems written by 25 American women poets from 1678 to the present. Brief biographies of each poet are included. An excellent essay by the editor describes the barriers and difficulties overcome by American women poets.
      Author: Clinton, Catherine, ed. HSE Descriptors: language arts - reading

    Rosie the Riveter
      This carefully researched book tells the story of the millions of women who worked in factories during WW II, how they got there, and how they were persuaded to return home after the war was over. The volume is illustrated with archival photographs and c
      Author: Colman, Penny HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Ruby's Wish
      The author tells the story of her Chinese grandmother, Ruby, who yearned for learning and the opportunity to attend the university, which was against custom.
      Author: Bridges, Shirin Yim

    Secret Life of Bees, The
      Fourteen-year-old Lily and Rosaleen, the black servant who has look after her since her mother died 10 years earlier, run from Lily's abusive father and the brutality and racism of the police. Against the historical events of 1964 in South Carolina, they
      Author: Kidd, Sue Monk

    Separate Battle, A: Women and the Civil War
      This must-have addition to a Civil War collection weaves together stories of slave women, abolitionists, women's rights leaders, and famous and not-so-famous women to offer a look at women's experiences during the Civil War. Diaries and letters are frequ
      Author: Chang, Ina HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Shooting for the Moon
      This beautifully illustrated biography of Annie Mozee, known to the world as the sharpshooter, Annie Oakley, describes her impoverished childhood as well as her career as a performer.
      Author: Krensky, Stephen

    Speak
      This compelling story recounts Melinda's freshman year in high school. She is an outcast because she called the police to an end-of-the-summer party. Her reasons for doing this and her gradual emotional acceptance and psychological healing are the focus o
      Author: Anderson, Laurie

    Step Toward Heaven, A
      When Young Ju emigrates with her immediate family to America from Korea, she misses her grandparents. As she grows older, she finds a refuge from her father's physical abuse in school achievement. The author mimics the style of narration with the age of
      Author: Na, An

    Tea With Milk
      May (the author's mother) is learning American ways when her family moves back to Japan. When her parents hire a matchmaker to find her a husband, May moves to Osaka, begins a career, and finds her own happiness.
      Author: Say, Allen

    Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
      After years of lobbying, Sarah Hale, an editor and writer, won the battle to have Thanksgiving declared a national holiday. Back matter includes historical and biographical information. Adults may find the tone of voice and some illustrations childish a
      Author: Anderson, Laurie Halse HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Voice from the Wilderness, A
      Four-year-old Anna Howard Shaw arrived in the U.S in 1851, lived as a pioneer in Michigan, became a teacher, a minister, a doctor, and worked for women's right to vote before her death in 1919.
      Author: Brown, Don HSE Descriptors: social studies

    With Courage and Cloth
      This story of women's suffrage in the U.S. concentrates on the early 20th century, although previous activities serve as a context. Illustrated with archival photos from the time,the book includes a chronology, bibliography, profiles, and other sources.
      Author: Bausum, Ann HSE Descriptors: social studies

    Woman for President, A: The Story of Victoria Woodhull
      Victoria Woodhull, a little-know women's rights activist, overcame many obstacles to become a financial adviser, a newspaper publisher, and an Equal Rights Party candidate for President--in 1872. Check out the end papers and the web site for the Woodhull
      Author: Krull, Kathleen HSE Descriptors: social studies


Ohio Aspire

Contact us

Ohio Aspire
p: 800.765.2897 option 2
p: 330.672.2007 option 2
f: 330.672.4841
ohiopdn@literacy.kent.edu

Explore more resources at:

Ohio Aspire
PDN Library