Social Activists

Daniel Radcliffe, Galileo Galilei, Nelson Mandela, Louis Armstrong, Grayson Perry, Louis Braille, Lionel Messi, King George VI, Jamie Oliver... all dared to be different. Prince charming, dragon slayer, mischievous prankster... More often than not, these are the role-models boys encounter in the...

For 200 years, British slave ships plied in the Middle Passage, taking African men, women, and children to their doom. Ending slavery in the British Empire seemed impossible, but once William Wilberforce resolved to represent the abolitionists in Parliament, he would fight to the bitter end....

In Writings to Young Women from Laura Ingalls Wilder: On Life As a Pioneer Woman, Laura tells her readers what it was like to be a pioneer in the early 1900s. Her stories and insights show us how difficult even the simplest chores or tasks were for the early pioneers, yet through it all she...

The New York Times bestselling true story of an all-American girl and a boy from Zimbabwe and the letter that changed both of their lives forever. It started as an assignment. Everyone in Caitlin's class wrote to an unknown student somewhere in a distant place. Martin was lucky to even receive a...

At age six the sharp bite of a whip taught Harriet Tubman what it meant to be a slave. The other slaves scoffed when Harriet resolved to escape north someday. Little did they know that this girl would one day lead hundreds of slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad....

Brought to you by Puffin. Nelson Mandela was: The first Black president A leader An inspiration Nelson Mandela was known for dedicating his life to fighting for equality in South Africa and overthrowing racial segregation. He grew up hearing the elders' stories of his ancestors' fighting in the...

Who wants to fall asleep to tales of dragons being slain, wars being fought, and princesses being rescued who, quite frankly, could have rescued themselves? Our boys need a new kind of hero. Rule-breakers and innovators who aren't afraid to think outside and be themselves, whatever people think...

From helping others in times of need, to keeping and maintaining friendships, to having a positive attitude, Laura's words of wisdom in Writings to Young Women from Laura Ingalls Wilder: On Wisdom and Virtues are applicable even in today's world. As she shares stories and experiences from her...

Once a kidnapped slave baby, George Washington Carver found freedom in learning everything he could about the world around him. Overcoming poverty and racism, George became a brilliant scientist and a gifted professor who dedicated his expertise to helping black farmers....

Exposed to the horrendous living conditions of women prisoners and their children, Elizabeth Fry pledged to improve the lives of society's most desperate people—something no one else dared to do....

Growing up disabled can be an isolating experience. As much as you might be surrounded by loving and well-meaning friends and family, chances are no one close to you is going through this alongside you . . . until now!

"Ibram X. Kendi narrates his well-researched biography of Malcolm X 100 years after Malcolm's birth. Kendi vividly shares Malcolm's family's difficulties..." — Kirkus National Book Award–winning and #1 New York Times–bestselling author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi brings an American icon to life in...

Escaping from slavery, Frederick Douglass became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in America, the greatest orator of his day, an influential newspaper publisher, writer, and statesman, and the most important African American of the nineteenth century....

"Karen Chilton conveys both powerful joy and profound grief in her narration of Willie Mae Brown's stories about growing up in Selma, Alabama, during the Civil Rights movement."- AudioFile The preface and afterword are read by the author. Combining family stories of the everyday and the...

Judy Heumann, one of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her story of fighting to belong. “If I didn’t fight, who would?” Judy Heumann was only 5 years old when she was first denied her right to attend school. Paralyzed from polio and raised by her...

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger comes a chapter book series, adapted for audio, about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Wilma Mankiller! The descendant of Cherokee ancestors who had been forced to walk...

She just wouldn't get up - and with that simple, courageous act Rosa Parks struck a blow against injustice....

The first memoir for young readers by sports legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. At one time, Lew Alcindor was just another kid from New York City with all the usual problems: He struggled with fitting in, with pleasing a strict father, and with overcoming shyness that made him feel socially awkward...

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger comes a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Kalpana Chawla! Born and raised in India, Kalpana Chawla was discouraged from pursuing a career in...

*Shortlisted for the Charles Tyrwhitt Children's Sports Book of the Year Award 2025* Travel to Greece and watch Cynisca, a Spartan princess, become the first ever woman to win at the ancient Olympic Games. Or touch the heavens with Junko Tabei as she carves her path through history and mountain...