Flowers for SarajevoYoung Drasko is happy working with his father in the Sarajevo market. Then war encroaches. Drasko must run the family flower stand alone. Based on real events of the Bosnian War, award-winning songwriter and storyteller
John McCutcheon tells the uplifting story of the power of beauty in the face of violence and suffering.
14 Cows for AmericaThis New York Times best seller recounts the true story from Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah of a touching gift bestowed upon the United States by a tribe of Maasai Warriors in the wake of the September 11th attacks. With the stunning paintings by
Thomas Gonzalez, master storyteller
Carmen Agra Deedy hits all the right notes in this elegant story of generosity that crosses boundaries, nations, and cultures.
A Storm Called KatrinaA moving story of the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the people of New Orleans, as seen through the eyes of a ten-year-old boy.
Myron Uhlberg highlights resilience and hope throughout this sensitively portrayed fictional story based on the real events of Hurricane Katrina.
Colin Bootman’s illustrations enhance the warmth and strength of the young narrator’s family as they work through such a great tragedy.
Yours for Justice, Ida B. WellsIn 1863 the Emancipation Proclamation freed Ida B. Wells from the bond of slavery. Blessed with a strong will, an eager mind, and a deep belief in America’s promise of “freedom and justice for all,” young Ida held her family together, defied society’s conventions, and used her position as a journalist to speak against injustice.
Philip Dray tells the inspirational story of Ida B. Wells and her lifelong commitment to end injustice. Award-winning illustrator
Stephen Alcorn’s remarkable illustrations recreate the tensions that threatened to upend a nation while paying tribute to a courageous American hero.
Miguel's Brave KnightThis fictionalized first-person biography in verse of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra follows the early years of the child who, despite his difficult childhood, grows up to pen Don Quixote, the first modern novel. Miguel looks to his own imagination for an escape from his family’s troubles with debt and struggling to keep food on the table, while also experiencing homelessness, fleeing, plagues, and wars, and finds comfort in his colorful daydreams. At a time when access to books is limited and imaginative books are considered evil, Miguel is inspired by storytellers and wandering actors who perform during festivals. He longs to tell stories of his own. When Miguel is nineteen, four of his poems are published, launching the career of one of the greatest writers in the Spanish language.
The Yellow StarFor centuries, the Star of David was a symbol of Jewish pride. But during World War II, Nazis used the star to segregate and terrorize the Jewish people. Except in Denmark. When Nazi soldiers occupied his country, King Christian X of Denmark committed himself to keeping all Danes safe from harm. New York Times best-selling author and storyteller
Carmen Agra Deedy has poignantly recreated this legend, which is accompanied by Danish illustrator
Henri Sørensen’s arresting full-color portraits. The result is a powerful and dignified story of heroic justice, a story for all people and all times.
Fault Lines in the ConstitutionMany of the political issues we struggle with today have their roots in the US Constitution. Husband-and-wife team Cynthia and Sanford Levinson take readers back to the creation of this historic document and discuss how contemporary problems were first introduced—then they offer possible solutions. Each chapter in this timely and thoughtful exploration of the Constitution’s creation begins with a story—all but one of them true—that connects directly back to a section of the document that forms the basis of our society and government. From the award-winning team, Cynthia Levinson, children’s book author, and Sanford Levinson, constitutional law scholar, Fault Lines in the Constitution will encourage exploration and discussion from young and old readers alike.
We've Got a JobIn the 1963 Birmingham Children’s March, the fight for civil rights lay in the hands of children like Audrey Hendricks, Wash Booker, James Stewart, and Arnetta Streeter. The children succeeded—where adults had failed—in desegregating one of the most racially violent cities in America. By combining in-depth, one-on-one interviews and extensive research, author
Cynthia Levinson recreates the events of the Birmingham Children’s March from a new and very personal perspective.
Watch Out for Flying Kids! How Two Circuses, Two Countries, and Nine Kids Confront Conflict and Build Community Author Cynthia Levinson explores the world of social circus—a movement that brings kids from different worlds together to perform amazing acts on a professional level. Levinson follows the participants of two specific circuses that also work together periodically: Circus Harmony in St. Louis, whose participants are inner-city and suburban kids, and Circus Galilee in Israel, whose participants are Jews and Arabs. As the kids’ relationships evolve over time, the members learn how to overcome assumptions, animosity, and obstacles both physical and personal.With Levinson’s combination of in-depth one-on-one interviews and extensive research, this inspiring nonfiction book highlights stories of collaboration, compromise, and overcoming obstacles.
Eleanor's Story This dramatic autobiography of Eleanor Ramrath Garner’s youth, growing up as an American caught in World War II Berlin, is a story of trying to maintain stability, hope, and identity in a world of terror and contrasts. During the Great Depression, when she is nine, Eleanor’s family moves from her beloved America to Germany, where her father has been offered a good job. But war breaks out as her family is crossing the Atlantic, and they cannot return to the United States. Eleanor tries to maintain her American identity as she feels herself pulled into the turbulent life roiling around her. She fervently hopes for an Allied victory, yet for years she must try to survive the Allied bombs shattering her neighborhood. Her family faces separations, bombings, hunger, the final fierce battle for Berlin, the Russian invasion, and the terrors of Soviet occupancy. This compelling story puts a very human face on the horrors of war and helps us understand that each casualty of war is a person, not a number.
Watch Out for Flying Kids! How Two Circuses, Two Countries, and Nine Kids Confront Conflict and Build Community