Showing titles in Historical

Dorothy Lucas yearned to discover all that she was capable of. After the devastating news of Pearl Harbor, her brothers joined the World War II war effort, but Dorothy wanted to do her part, too. So, she enlisted to serve as a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP). After hours of flight school and roaring engines, Dorothy and her fellow WASPs risked their lives towing targets in the air for the male fighter pilots in training. Through many mechanical scares and smoke-filled cockpits, Dorothy remained brave and committed to her job - defying gravity and defying the odds.

Leonardo was a creative genius who wanted to understand how things worked. This audiobook traces his life, from his birth in a hilltop village near Florence, Italy, through to his work as a painter, sculptor and engineer. Leonardo made hundreds of drawings and paintings, including the Mona Lisa - probably the most famous painting in the world. Learn how Leonardo made detailed sketches of the human body and designs of parachutes, helicopters and armoured tanks - many years before the technology existed to build them.

In this kids' biography, discover the amazing life story of Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father of the United States whose strong personality and work as an American statesman made him an icon of history and popular culture. Alexander Hamilton is known not only for his political brilliance, but also for his strong principles and astonishing achievements. From humble beginnings as an orphan, Hamilton defied all the odds and made a lasting name for himself in many arenas, including politics, finance and the military.

In this kids' biography, follow the remarkable life story of Albert Einstein, whose legendary genius and creative imagination made him one of the world's most famous thinkers.

Mohandas Gandhi was born at a time when his home country was choked under the oppression of British rule. Although many thought that violence was the only way to fight this injustice, Gandhi successfully used his teachings of non-violence and civil disobedience to win his country's freedom - and create a philosophy of peace and equality. Called Mahatma, or 'great soul', by his many followers, Gandhi's inspiring words and deeds still resonate worldwide today.

Mahalia Jackson was known as the queen of gospel music. A close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s, she was also a civil rights activist who sang at the March on Washington. And she traveled the world, too! Experience all the inspiring moments in Mahalia's big life in this thrilling biography, packed with fun facts, like who invented rock and roll! Short and engaging chapters are interspersed with special lists and other information made to order to engage kids, whether they're already biography fans or "have to" write a report for school.

Get ready to bow down - if you don't want to lose your head! Some of history's most ruthless leaders are headed your way. Some of these rulers schemed their way to the top. Others just conquered everything around them. Are you fearless enough to keep listening?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most influential leaders in the Civil Rights Movement. Influenced by Gandhi, Thoreau, and Jesus, he used nonviolent resistance to become a social activist. Martin led civil rights marches and gave powerful and influential speeches, like his "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington. Martin hoped that all people would come together for freedom and equality. Martin's work towards equality would eventually become law, such as the legal end of racial segregation. Martin Luther King Jr. changed the lives of all Americans.

Amelia Earhart gained world fame as one of the most skilled pilots of her time. As a daring and courageous aviator, she was the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Although flight would always be closest to Amelia's heart, she had other interests, too. She was a social worker, an author, a clothing designer, and an educator. Most importantly, in all of her pursuits, Amelia worked hard to promote the rights and equality of women. Amelia proved that female pilots were just as capable and courageous as male pilots.

America meant "freedom" to the immigrants of the early 1900s - but a freedom very different from what they expected. Cities were crowded and jobs were scare. Children had to work selling newspapers, delivering goods, and laboring sweatshops. In this touching book, Newberry Medalist Russell Freedman offers a rare glimpse of what it meant to be a young newcomer to America.

In This Strange Wilderness, award-winning author Nancy Plain brings attention to the amazing story of American icon John James Audubon's career. This Strange Wilderness details his art and writing, transporting the listener back to the frontiers of early 19th-century America.

You may only be one person, but you have the power to change the world. Before they were activists, they were just like you and me. From Frederick Douglass to Malala Yousafzai, Joan of Arc to John Lewis, Susan B. Anthony to Janet Mock - these remarkable figures show us what it means to take a stand and say no to injustice, even when it would be far easier to stay quiet. Resist profiles men and women who resisted tyranny, fought the odds, and stood up to bullies who threatened to harm their communities.

Born the eighth of 17 children in Philadelphia, Betsy Ross lived in a time when the American colonies were yearning for independence from British rule. Ross worked as a seamstress and was eager to contribute to the cause, making tents and repairing uniforms when the colonies declared war. By 1779 she was filling cartridges for the Continental Army. Did she sew the first flag? That's up for debate, but Who Was Betsy Ross? tells the story of a fierce patriot who certainly helped create the flag of a new nation.

Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was an Italian explorer, navigator, and colonizer. Born in the Republic of Genoa under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Those voyages and his efforts to establish settlements on the island of Hispaniola initiated the permanent European colonization of the New World. At a time when European kingdoms were beginning to establish new trade routes and colonies, motivated by imperialism and economic competition, Columbus proposed to reach the East Indies (South and Southeast Asia) by sailing westward.

In 1897, I am born in the home of my grandfather. It is the custom in my family for the first newborn baby girl to be named after both grandmothers. My name is Amelia Mary Earhart. My nickname is Meeley. I am adventurous and curious about things. I can do anything that a boy can do.

In many ways, the narrative of the Wild West has endured more as legend than reality, and a perfect example of that can be found in the legend of James Butler Hickok (1837-1876), forever known as "Wild Bill". Indeed, separating fact from fiction when it comes to the life of Wild Bill is nearly impossible, something due in great measure to the fact that the man himself exaggerated his own adventures or fabricated stories altogether.

The importance of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (or as he was known from birth, Gaius Octavius “Octavian” Thurinus) to the course of Western history is hard to overstate. His life, his rise to power, his political, social, and military achievements, all laid the foundations for the creation of an empire which would endure for almost five centuries, and whose traditions, laws, architecture, and art continue to influence much of Europe and the world today.

Anxious to be given a name as strong and brave as that of his father, a proud Lakota Sioux grows into manhood, acting with careful deliberation, determination, and bravery, which eventually earned him his proud new name: Sitting Bull.

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) was one of the most famous Romans in his day, and posterity has been even kinder to him. Cicero was a legend in his own time for his oratory abilities, but he was also one of Rome’s most prodigious writers and political philosophers. History for Kids: An Illustrated Biography of Cicero for Children chronicles the life, work, and legacy of the famous Roman politician and philosopher.

Marco Polo (1254-1324) is an instantly recognizable name, and he is known for his travels, but it's safe to say that his influence and importance has been greatly overlooked in the nearly 700 years since he died. Born in Venice, Marco Polo was in a fortuitous position to participate in the Mediterranean trade, but he was still a young man when he went on the journey that would make him famous and greatly inspire the Age of Exploration.