Showing titles in Biographical Fiction

When Zora Neale Hurston and her best friend, Carrie Brown, discover that the town mute can speak after all, they think they’ve uncovered a big secret. But Mr. Polk’s silence is just one piece of a larger puzzle that stretches back half a century to the tragic story of an enslaved girl named Lucia. As Zora’s curiosity leads a reluctant Carrie deeper into the mystery, the story unfolds through alternating narratives.

For Carrie and her best friend, Zora, Eatonville - America’s first incorporated Black township - has been an idyllic place to live out their childhoods. But when a lynch mob crosses the town’s border to pursue a fugitive and a grave robbery resuscitates the ugly sins of the past, the safe ground beneath them seems to shift.

Everyone makes mistakes, and brilliant scientist Harry Coover is no different. But Harry keeps making the same extra-sticky mistake, and he begins to wonder whether it's such a mistake after all....

With its wide sky and warm earth, Princess Gie Gie’s kingdom is a beautiful land. But clean drinking water is scarce in her small African village. And try as she might, Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer; she cannot make it run clearer. Every morning, she rises before the sun to make the long journey to the well. Instead of a crown, she wears a heavy pot on her head to collect the water.

Inspired by the life and lyrics of David Bowie, author-illustrator Jami Gigot imagines the story of a lonely young boy enchanted by the music of the stars - yet no one else can hear the shimmy-shake rhythm that moves through his body. At first misunderstood and ignored, David ultimately finds the courage to be true to himself, sparking a dazzling revolution.

In her debut book, Misty Copeland tells the story of a young girl - an every girl - whose confidence is fragile and who is questioning her own ability to reach the heights that Misty has reached. Misty encourages this young girl's faith in herself and shows her exactly how, through hard work and dedication, she, too, can become Firebird.

When she grew up, she became Harriet Tubman, the courageous and heroic woman who helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad. But she was just a little girl for a while - and this is her story. Minty, short for Araminta, was a feisty and headstrong young slave whose rebellious spirit often got her into trouble. She told stories to her doll, released animals from traps, and above all, dreamed of running away. When her father began to teach her the skills necessary for escape, she listened carefully and learned....

A beautiful, empowering book about two sisters who work with their community to effect change, inspired by a true story from the childhood of the author's aunt, Kamala Harris, and mother, lawyer, and policy expert Maya Harris.

Young Muhammad adores his home, and he loves waking up each day to the sound of birds singing. His father encourages him to keep singing through happy days as well as sad—just like the birds. And there are indeed sad days ahead when his family is forced to flee from Genghis Khan’s army, becoming refugees. As they travel, Muhammad takes many lessons from nature, and his positivity and spirit of largess lights the way.

A 10-year-old girl discovers she has a learning disability. Walk with her as she begins to notice her peers can do things she can't. Will this new information send her spiraling? Cheer her on, as she reaches for her dreams no matter how far away they now seem. Diary of a Dyslexic Homeschooler promotes empathy through understanding and strives to remind all of us of the person behind the label.

It's not easy growing up as an only child in the only funeral home in town, especially when your parents suck every dime out of every living and dead soul that comes through the door. Kids at school think I'm creepy, unclean—okay, that's kind of my fault, but hey, it was an accident. Lesson learned: never give a girl a tour of the crematory and prep-room when Mom and Dad are gone, no matter what she promises.

Young Chris is an astronaut. A very busy astronaut. Saving the planet from aliens is much more important than taking baths or going to bed. Because at bedtime the worst sort of alien appears - darkness. But when Chris watches the first moon landing, he discovers that there is a dark out in Space that is much darker than he's used to. It's the darkest dark ever, and he realizes that the unknown can be...exciting!

Ella Fitzgerald began her life as a singer on the stage of the Apollo Theater when she was just 17 years old. Her rich voice and vocal innovations brought her fame and a remarkable career than spanned half a century and won her generations of fans around the world. Acclaimed author Andrea Davis Pinkney has told Ella's inspiring story in the voice of Scat Cat Monroe, a feline fan whose imagined narrative sings with the infectious rhythms of scat.

The story of Miss Honey Bunny is inspired by the true-life adventures of a very real and beloved dog. She will steal your heart and leave your child wanting to hear or read more. Book One of this adventure series lets the listener get lost in the woods alongside Miss Honey Bunny. It follows her story of being found by a friendly stranger, then adopted to a new family with plenty of mischief along the way.

Mariel is a young girl who is struggling with her identity. As a Chinese-American being raised by her adoptive Latino family in Miami, she doesn't understand who she really is. All of the other kids make fun of her but Mariel feels connected to her Latino culture. After a trip to China, where she was born, Mariel learns about her Chinese heritage. Seeing the orphanage and all the children who are still up for adoption allow Mariel to be happy with her life. She is finally able to accept who she really is—a "Florida chica china by the way of Fujian!"

It’s a hot summer day and New York City is buzzing like a hive of eager honeybees. From Riis Beach to the Flower District, into the West Village and over to the Brooklyn Museum, folks young and old embrace the resolute and love-filled spirit of icon activist Marsha P. Johnson in all that they do.

A young man with musical talents named Johann wandered the streets of Germany hoping for a chance to join the orchestra. But without a decent suit of clothes, Johann had very little hope of being heard. Thanks to the kindness of two strangers, and two fish heads, Johann got his chance! Learn more about the story of famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

Grace Darling nearly drowned when she was eight years old, leaving her with a fear of boats and the sea. But it’s a fear she has to overcome as the daughter of a lighthouse keeper, living on the Longstone Rock with her parents, four brothers, three sisters and her beloved dog, Happy. Losses at sea bring shadows to an otherwise idyllic childhood, but everything Grace learns growing up on the coast is put to the test in 1838, when The Forfarshire is wrecked on the Harcar Rock, and she has to row out through the storm to the rescue.

What is a light beam? What are photon particles? What are all things made of? These are questions young Einstein asked himself; questions that would change our world forever. Travel along with young Einstein to learn about his discoveries, still in motion today!

Mary Roget, una famosa y bella actriz de teatro, desaparece misteriosamente. Tras cuatro días sin ninguna pista, el inspector Auguste Dupin decide pedir ayuda al joven Poe, por su sagaz perspicacia. Sin embargo, la mujer reaparece de pronto, sin aclarar qué le ha ocurrido. El caso se da por cerrado hasta que... vuelve a desaparecer. Por desgracia, esta vez la investigación les lleva a descubrir el cadáver de Mary Roget. Ahora se trata de resolver un caso de asesinato.