Young Readers (9 - 13)

The inspiring story of the Black explorer who made the first successful expedition to the North Pole. Matthew Henson was not meant to lead an ordinary life-his dreams had sails. Those dreams took him from the port of Baltimore and onto the sea, seeking...

With an extraordinary gift for suspense, McKissack brings us ten original, spine-tingling tales inspired by African American history and the mystery of that eerie half hour before nightfall--the dark-thirty.

Middle-schooler Marika is caught between two worlds. She and her friend Beth are passionate about women's rights, and they plan to join a national rally to support the cause. But it's 1970, and the equal rights movement has a lot of resistance--including...

When Zorah's teacher asks the class what they want to be when they grow up, Zorah realizes that she doesn't have a clue. In fact, Zorah thinks the more important question is, what CAN she be? Follow Zorah on her journey to discover all the things she can...

As a child he dreamt of changing South Africa; as a man he changed the world. Nelson Mandela spent his life battling apartheid and championing a peaceful revolution. He spent twenty-seven years in prison and emerged as the inspiring leader of the new...

Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. won the world heavyweight championship at the age of 22, the same year he joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He would go on to become the first and only three-time (in succession) World...

How did a working-class young man from Washington, DC, turn the music world on its head and become the Master Of Jazz? Find out in this addition to the Who HQ library! A pivotal fixture of the Harlem Renaissance, Duke Ellington was the bandleader of the...

The story of how a young Southern girl who was raised on a pig farm became one of the most influential and inspiring people in the world. We all know Oprah Winfrey as a talk-show host, actress, producer, media mogul, and philanthropist, but the Queen of...

Discover how Neil deGrasse Tyson became one of the world's most successful and well-known scientists in this new addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series. When he was nine years old, Neil deGrasse Tyson went on a trip that would change his...

As the world now knows, Barack Obama has made history as our first African-American president. With black-and-white illustrations throughout, this biography is perfect for primary graders looking for a longer, fuller life story than is found in the...

A John Steptoe New Talent Award Winner Before there was hip hop, there was DJ Kool Herc. On a hot day at the end of summer in 1973 Cindy Campbell threw a back-to-school party at a park in the South Bronx. Her brother, Clive Campbell, spun the records. He...

A National Book Award Finalist, this remarkable graphic novel is about growing up in a refugee camp, as told by a former Somali refugee to the Newbery Honor-winning creator of Roller Girl. Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their...