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The story of a trailblazing scientist whose discoveries about clouds and how they work changed everything we know about weather today. When Joanne Simpson (1923–2010) was a girl, she sailed her boat beneath the puffy white clouds of Cape Cod. As a pilot, she flew her plane so high, its wings almost touched them. And when World War II began and Joanne moved to the University of Chicago, a professor asked her to teach Air Force officers about those very clouds and the weather-changing winds. As soon as the war ended, Joanne decided to seriously study the clouds she had grown to love so much. Her professors laughed. They told her to go home. They told her she was no longer needed. They told her, “No woman ever got a doctorate in meteorology. And no woman ever will.” But Joanne was stubborn. She sold her boat. She flew her last flight. She saved her money so that she could study clouds. She worked so hard and discovered so much that—despite what the professors said—she received a doctorate in meteorology. She was the first woman in the world to do so.

A picture book biography of one of the most iconic storytellers of all time, Hans Christian Andersen, illustrated by papercut artist Calvin Nicholls.

He brought to life stories and characters that millions have loved: A one-legged tin soldier who yearned for love. A poor little match girl. A mermaid who gave up her voice for a prince. But who was Hans Christian Andersen? He was a “strange child.” An ugly duckling. Even his mother said so. He didn’t seem to think like, or look like, anyone around him. But while his tender heart was bruised by ridicule, it responded by driving an unstoppable urge to create, to entertain. If he couldn’t act he would dance, if he couldn’t dance he would sing, and if he couldn’t sing … well, maybe he had stories to tell. With each rejection and defeat, Hans would soothe himself by making art with scissors and whatever was handy. A bit of cloth, a piece of paper. Until one day… Structured like a fairy tale, this is the story of how Hans Christian Andersen took all the parts of his life—whether painful or transcendent—and used them to create books that have touched children the world over.

“All men are born free and equal.” Everybody knows about the Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independence in 1776. But the founders weren’t the only ones who believed that everyone had a right to freedom. Mumbet, a Massachusetts enslaved person, believed it too. She longed to be free, but how? Would anyone help her in her fight for freedom? Could she win against the richest man in town? Mumbet was determined to try. This picture book biography tells her story for the first time, illustrating how her brave actions set a milestone on the road toward ending slavery in the United States.

Who was Mary Katharine Goddard? Born in 1738, she was homeschooled by her mother in reading and math. She took over her brother’s printing shop a few years later and became an expert in printing newspapers, essays, and posters. When the American Revolution started, she published important news that helped the fight against the British — even if it meant that if she was caught, she’d be punished for treason. In 1776, Mary was asked to print the Declaration of Independence — she is the only woman whose name is on the Declaration.

In the shadows of the American Revolution, a quiet signal could be the difference between victory and defeat. Anna Smith Strong (1740–1812) risked everything to help George Washington ― not with muskets, but with spycraft. Recruited by Washington’s spymaster Major Benjamin Tallmadge, Anna became part of the Culper Ring, an intelligence network operating under constant danger. From her home in Setauket, Long Island, she helped move vital information through enemy-occupied territory―where discovery could mean prison or execution. Her most ingenious tool looked perfectly ordinary: laundry on a clothesline. By arranging a black petticoat and carefully placed handkerchiefs, Anna could signal when a message was ready and guide fellow spies to the correct pickup point―turning “everyday life” into a coded lifeline for the Patriot cause. The book also includes an author’s note, bibliography, index, and a spy code so kids can jump into the world of secret messages themselves.

Prudence Wright had a spark of independence. Annoyed when the British king held back freedoms in colonial Massachusetts, feisty and fearless Prudence had enough. She said no! to British goods, determined to rely on her resourcefulness and ingenuity to get by. And when British troops continued to threaten the lives of her family and community, she assembled and led the “minute women” of Pepperell to break free of tradition. Wright rallied the first and only group of “minute women” to fight the British, changing history in the process.This untold story of a courageous and brave woman from the Revolutionary War continues to inspire today.

Spring 1975: 14 climbers from the Ladies Climbing Club in Japan begin their climb up Mount Everest. Junko Tabei, a mountain climbing pioneer — the woman who formed the group — faces many hardships as she leads them: frigid temperatures, gusting winds, an avalanche, injuries, altitude sickness, and a death-defying ice ridge crossing. Yet she perseveres, and when she reaches the summit of Mount Everest, she becomes the first woman to do it! While Junko made history with her trailblazing climb, her path was far from easy. She was small in stature, and often sick as a child. Most climbing clubs of her time were only for men who put up countless obstacles to keep Junko from climbing. But she didn’t let her gender, size, or traditional societal norms stop her. Junko trained hard, formed her own climbing club for women, and became passionate about preserving mountains and wild spaces.

A powerful picture book about the real-life experience of a Japanese American boy incarcerated with his family during World War II. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, strength comes in the form of the small, smooth stone Min’s father gives him before being led away by FBI agents. In his absence, Min and his family do their best to keep their produce business afloat and earn enough support to get Min’s father released. But the FBI won’t release his father, and soon, Min and his family are forced into an incarceration camp in Colorado. Imprisoned on the dusty plains and facing both the pain of displacement and the injustice of being incarcerated by his own country, Min must learn to adapt and to find beauty―and strength―where most wouldn’t. Cowritten by Minoru (Min) Tonai, an advocate for Japanese American rights, Unbreakable is based on Tonai’s harrowing real-life experiences and has been welcomed with five starred reviews. In the extensive back matter readers will find information on the American incarceration camps and the campaign to release Tonai’s father, a timeline, a bibliography, author and illustrator notes, and questions for further discussion perfect for caregivers and educators to further engage young readers.

Based on the author’s own family history, this is a story about family and belonging, the child of a Jewish mother and a South Asian father hears stories about her family history. Sometimes she doesn’t feel Jewish enough or South Asian enough, but comes to realize you can feel — and be — many things at once. The girl’s mother tells her stories about her mother, a Jewish seamstress in Brooklyn, New York. She lived in a tiny two-bedroom apartment and sewed wedding dresses shimmering in satin and lace. Her father tells stories of his mother, the girl’s other grandmother, who liked to cook bubbling dal on a coal stove in Pakistan. They tell stories about how both sides came to America, and how, eventually, her parents met on a warm summer evening in Poughkeepsie. The girl sometimes feels as if she’s the “only one like me.” One day, when she spots a butterfly in her yard, she realizes it’s okay to be different — no two butterflies are alike, after all. 

When Helen was nineteen months old, an illness left her unable to see or speak. She struggled to make herself understood, and often lashed out when she couldn’t. With the help of a teacher named Annie Sullivan, she learned to spell words with her fingers, opening her world immeasurably. She soon learned to write and to read Braille, and even to read lips by touch; with Annie by her side, she went to college, and wrote an autobiography that shared her story with the world. She was lauded as a genius and became an advocate for people with disabilities, workers’ rights, women’s rights, and racial justice.

Most of us have heard of Helen Keller, but few have heard of Laura Bridgman. Left blind and deaf in her childhood in the 1830’s, Bridgman attended school and taught Helen’s teacher, Annie Sullivan, to fingerspell. When she was just two years old, Laura Bridgman lost her sight, her hearing, and most of her senses of smell and taste. At the time, no one believed a child with such severe disabilities could be taught to communicate, much less lead a full and productive life. But then a progressive doctor, who had just opened the country’s first school for the blind in Boston, took her in. Laura learned to communicate, read, and write — and eventually even to teach. By the age of 12, she was world famous. Audiences flocked to see her, and she was loved and admired by children everywhere. This fascinating and moving biography shows how Laura Bridgman paved the way for future generations of children with disabilities, making possible important advances in the way they would be educated. 

Born enslaved in Maryland, Harriet Tubman became a force of nature with her determination and tenacity. Collage illustrations in a naïve style combine with poems chronologically organized by year to present a unique portrait of an icon of Black history. Resources are appended.

Growing up in the segregated South had a lasting impact on young Marian. Her words punctuate high points in her life and activism, and ultimately her impactful work with the Children’s Defense Fund. Resources and additional material are included in this warmly illustrated biography.

Potatoes have the power to feed the world according to Peruvian agronomist Alberto Salas.  Portrayed as a chubby cheeked, balding man in warm-toned illustrations, Alberto Salas travels the Andes to play paka paka (hide and seek) with wild potatoes, working with indigenous people, and trying to get ahead of climate change. Informal text is often humorous but always informative. Also available in Spanish: Alberto Salas juega a la paka paka con la papa.

The Florida Everglades are made up of nine different ecosystems supporting an astonishing variety of wildlife ― panthers, manatees, snails, frogs, and a rainbow of bird species. But for years, the Everglades were threatened. They needed a voice to speak up for them. Marjory Stoneman Douglas became that voice. Her book “A River of Grass” helped the world see the irreplaceable beauty and value of the Everglades. Marjory’s activism led to the creation of a national park and dedicated conservation efforts, and throughout her long life she inspired countless people to use their voices to make a difference.

The author recalls 7th grade and the difficulty he had because of his size in this believable, ultimately empowering graphic memoir.

Abby is trapped at home with her four  younger siblings as they all suffer from the chickenpox. Based on the author’s experience, she shares the experience that she endured with her siblings with verve and humor. 

Losing her sight while in college in her Puerto Rican home did not stop Wanda’s passion for the stars nor for learning. In accessible narrative and lush illustration, Wanda’s life and work come into focus. Also available in Spanish: Wanda oye las estrellas.

A fascinating look at the early life of Japanese-American artist, Ruth Asawa, suggests the importance of lines and balance in her experiences in her life and in her art.

Before he was a household name, Cassius Clay was a kid with struggles like any other. Kwame Alexander and James Patterson join forces to vividly depict his life up to age seventeen in both prose and verse, including his childhood friends, struggles in school, the racism he faced, and his discovery of boxing. Readers will learn about Cassius’ family and neighbors in Louisville, Kentucky, and how, after a thief stole his bike, Cassius began training as an amateur boxer at age twelve. Before long, he won his first Golden Gloves bout and began his transformation into the unrivaled Muhammad Ali.

This introspective graphic memoir explores bicultural identity and the path toward self-acceptance. With a Thai mother and an American father, Kathy lives in two different worlds. She spends most of the year in Bangkok, where she’s secretly counting the days till summer vacation. That’s when her family travels for 24 hours straight to finally arrive in a tiny seaside town in Maine. Kathy loves Maine’s idyllic beauty and all the exotic delicacies she can’t get back home, like clam chowder and blueberry pie. But no matter how hard she tries, she struggles to fit in. She doesn’t look like the other kids in this rural New England town. Kathy just wants to find a place where she truly belongs, but she’s not sure if it’s in America, Thailand … or anywhere.

Maria Tallchief loved to dance, but was told that she might need to change her Osage name to one that sounded more Russian to make it as a professional ballerina. She refused, and worked hard at dancing her best, becoming America’s first prima ballerina.

As a child of two military parents, Deb Haaland moved around a lot when she was young before finally settling in Albuquerque to be near family. But she persisted, studying hard and eventually earning a law degree. An enrolled member of the Pueblo Laguna nation, Deb was one of the first two Native American women to be elected to Congress, where she represented New Mexico’s 1st District. In 2021, when the Senate confirmed her as President Biden’s secretary of the interior, she became the first Native American in history to become a cabinet secretary. She continues to break barriers and inspire future generations to dream of greater opportunities.

As seventh grader Tony was bullied, but eventually finds comfort and strength in art, anime, and friendship with other nerdy Black kids. This graphic memoir is honest in its portrayal of tough middle school relationships but is accessible and hopeful.