Showing titles in Biographies

Steven Spielberg has changed the cinematic world with his hugely popular films. Testing out new technology, telling dramatic stories, and collaborating with successful directors, actors, and producers built Spielberg's reputation as a director and producer.

Mary Anning grew up on the south coast of England in a region rich in fossils. As teenagers, she and her brother Joseph discovered England’s first complete ichthyosaur. Poor and uneducated, Anning would become one of the most celebrated paleontologists ever, though in her time she supported herself selling by fossils and received little formal recognition. Her findings helped shape scientific thinking about extinction and prehistoric life long before Darwin published his famous work on evolution.

A special audio edition for children age 11 and above. "We are all given second chances every day of our lives, but we don't usually take them. Then I met Bob." James Bowen was a homeless musician, busking on the streets of London to survive. But the moment he met an injured stray cat with ginger fur and big green eyes, his life began to change. Together James and Bob the cat faced the world - and won. A purrfectly true "tail" of love and friendship to make you smile!

Named Temujin at birth by his nomadic family in early Mongolia, the great Genghis Khan used his skill and cunning to create the Mongol Empire and conquer almost the entire continent of Asia. As ruler of the largest empire in human history, he was as respected as he was feared. Learn more about the man and the legend in Who Was Genghis Khan?

Lang Lang started learning to play the piano when he was three years old in Shenyang, China. Today he is one of the world's most outstanding pianists. In this engrossing life story, adapted by Michael French, Lang Lang not only recounts the difficult, often thrilling, events of his early days, but also shares his perspective on his rapidly changing homeland.

As an energetic six-year-old, Beth Mead was taken to a weekly local football session by her mum. Finding a passion for the game, Beth often found herself as the only girl on the team. Despite being laughed at for this, she let her natural talent do the talking. At 16, Mead was signed to Sunderland where she made a name for herself as a top goalscorer. Putting off offers from Arsenal until she completed her university degree, Mead continued juggling work, study and football until she graduated. She then signed to Arsenal and earned a place as a Lioness, representing the England national team.

Born into a footballing family, Leah Williamson followed in the footsteps of her mother who cut her hair short so she could play with the boys. Williamson began playing at Scot Youth, a boys' team in Bletchley, quickly becoming their star striker. Williamson went on to join Rushden & Diamonds Centre of Excellence, before joining Arsenal at the age of nine, where she has remained, making her senior team debut in 2014 at the age of 17. Representing England since 2010, Williamson has played at an international level since the age of 13, and was made permanent captain of the Lionesses in 2022.

In Bill Belichick: The Inspiring Life and Leadership Lessons of One of Football's Greatest Coaches, you will learn the story of how Bill Belichick became the legend he is today. At the time of this writing, Belichick has won six Super Bowl championships, the most of any professional coach in history. There are a number of key leadership lessons that can be learned from Bill Belichick, such as coaching everyone on your team, building a fluid team, and maximizing the potential of each individual player.

Three Summers is the story of five young cousins who grow closer than sisters as ethnic tensions escalate over three summers in 1980s Bosnia. They navigate the joys and pitfalls of adolescence on their family’s little island in the middle of the Una River. When finally confronted with the harsh truths of the adult world around them, their bond gives them the resilience to discover and hold fast to their true selves.

Nikola Tesla was a scientist and inventor in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Among his many inventions and experiments, he helped create the modern electricity system. Learn more about Tesla's life as a famous inventor!

This audiobook is packed with 30 thrilling soccer stories perfect for young listeners. It introduces them to some of the world’s most famous soccer stars and shows what makes these athletes special on and off the field. Through these stories, kids will learn how these players became legends, overcame challenges, and made a difference in the world.

George Washington Carver was determined to help the people he loved. Born enslaved in Missouri, he left home in search of an education, eventually earning his master’s degree. When Booker T. Washington invited Carver to start the agricultural department at the all-Black-staffed Tuskegee Institute, Carver found his calling. He spent the rest of his life seeking solutions to poverty among landless Black farmers by developing new uses for soil-replenishing crops such as peanuts, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes.

Of the millions of men, women, and children transported from Africa to America to be enslaved, eighty-six-year-old Cudjo Lewis was then the only person alive to tell the story of his capture and bondage—fifty years after the Atlantic human trade was outlawed in the United States. Cudjo shared his firsthand account with legendary folklorist, anthropologist, and writer Zora Neale Hurston.

Plastic bags are cheap and easy to use. But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed? In Njau, Gambia, people simply dropped the bags and went on their way. One plastic bag became two. Then 10. Then a hundred. The bags accumulated in ugly heaps alongside roads. Water pooled in them, bringing mosquitoes and disease. Some bags were burned, leaving behind a terrible smell. Some were buried, but they strangled gardens. They killed livestock that tried to eat them. Something had to change.

Available for the first time as an audiobook from the best-selling My Story series, The Hunger is the exciting tale of a girl swept up in the fight for a free and fair Ireland, set at the time of the Potato Famine. It's 1845, and blight has destroyed the precious potato crop leaving Ireland starving. Phyllis works hard to support her struggling family, but when her mother's health deteriorates she sets off in search of her rebel brother and is soon swept up in Ireland's fight for freedom....

Introducing the ultimate children’s biography of the soccer legend, Cristiano Ronaldo! Every child with a passion for soccer dreams of that perfect kick, that defining moment on the field. But do they know the story of one of the greatest players the world has ever seen? Dive into a tale that goes beyond the sport–it’s about aspiration, dedication, and the journey to greatness.

From his early days living in small-town poverty, young Dutch Reagan's thoughts were always on the future. Whether helping his family through financial hard times or doggedly pursuing opportunities reserved for the few, Dutch knew that all the knowledge that he had absorbed over the years was waiting inside of him for a chance to come out. Achieving success as an athlete, sports announcer, and actor, Ronald Reagan discovered his greatest role late in life, as the fortieth president of the United States and The Great Communicator.

Whether masterminding battle strategies or guiding the peace process among war-torn nations, 5-Star general MacArthur faced challenges with unwavering courage & resolve. The general began his honored army career by leading his fellow cadets at West Point and ultimately commanded all U. S. forces in Asia. Remembered especially for directing the fight against Japanese expansion during WWII and later governing the defeated Japanese people with grace and wisdom, General MacArthur won the respect of millions, both allies and enemies.

From his earliest childhood, C.S. Lewis loved to hear and tell stories. Persuaded that stories could reveal the truth about the real world in a unique way, the literature professor would write more than thirty books, including science fiction, theology, literary criticism, and fantasy. (1898 -1963) In an era marked by two world wars, Lewis attacked tough questions about life and faith headfirst.

Claude Monet is considered one of the most influential artists of all time. He is a founder of the French Impressionist art movement, and today his paintings sell for millions of dollars. While Monet was alive, however, his work was often criticized, and he struggled financially. This book unveils a true portrait of the artist!