Showing results by author "Who HQ" in All Categories

When Kong-sang was a young boy in Hong Kong, he enjoyed practicing martial arts with his dad but hated going to school. He was eventually enrolled in the China Drama Academy, where he improved his martial arts skills and became a stuntman. That training led to a successful career as an actor. Kong-sang, now known as Jackie Chan, never gave up on his passion for screwball physical comedy.

At 2:20 a.m. on April 15, 1912, the Royal Mail Steamer Titanic, the largest passenger steamship of this time, met its catastrophic end after crashing into an iceberg. Of the 2,240 passengers and crew onboard, only 705 survived. More than 100 years later, today's listeners will be intrigued by the mystery that surrounds this ship that was originally labeled "unsinkable".

Meet the man who changed the game forever. Michael Jordan has always been competitive - even as a young boy, he fought for attention. His need to be the best made him a star player on his college basketball team and helped him become an NBA legend, both for his skills and his endorsements. His Nike contract for Air Jordan basketball shoes set an unmatched precedent for professional athletes. Author Kirsten Anderson takes listeners through each exciting moment, detailing the iconic reverse lay-ups and jump shots of Michael Jordan's storied career.

Learn about how beloved designer Vera Wang first got her start in the world of fashion! Explore her amazing career creating beautiful wedding gowns and dressing Hollywood stars for the red carpet in this book for young listeners.

Before she was Rita Moreno, Rosita Dolores Alverío emigrated to New York City from Puerto Rico with her mother when she was five years old. With a talent for dancing and performing, she started her career on the stage at age nine. By the time she was thirteen, Rita made her Broadway debut! Best known for her role in West Side Story, Rita became the first Puerto Rican woman to win an Academy Award and eventually the first Latina woman in history to win an EGOT, all four of the major entertainment awards.

American Sign Language (ASL) has played a crucial role in history of the United States, from education and politics to arts and sports. Not simply a transcription of spoken English, ASL is its own language with unique grammar and structure. In this fact-filled history of American Sign Language, listeners will learn about the important figures in the development of ASL, the Deaf community and their fight not only for the right to an education but the right to use ASL at all, and the use of ASL across our country today.

This engaging audiobook chronicles the beginning of the modern age of astronomy, then follows later discoveries, including NASA's current missions in space.

This fascinating addition to the best-selling Who Was...? series does not settle questions of theology. Instead, it presents young listeners with a biography that covers what is known historically about Jesus and places in his life in the context of his world when Jerusalem was part of the Roman Empire.

He was only 42 years old when he was sworn in as President of the United States in 1901, making TR the youngest president ever. But did you know that he was also the first sitting president to win the Nobel Peace Prize? The first to ride in a car? The first to fly in an airplane? Theodore Roosevelt’s achievements as a naturalist, hunter, explorer, author, and soldier are as much a part of his fame as any office he held as a politician.

As the world now knows, Barack Obama has made history as our first African-American president. This biography is perfect for primary graders looking for a longer, fuller life story than is found in the author's bestselling Barack Obama: United States President.

Discover how a young boy born in Portugal with a passion for soccer worked hard to become one of the most famous athletes of all time in this exciting addition to the Who HQ Now series that features newsmakers and trending topics.

Outspoken, energetic, and fun, Sonia Sotomayor has managed to turn every struggle in life into a triumph. Born in the Bronx to immigrant parents from Puerto Rico, Sonia found out at age nine that she had diabetes, a serious illness now but an even more dangerous one fifty years ago. How did young Sonia handle the devastating news? She learned to give herself her daily insulin shots and became determined to make the most out of her life.

Kobe Bryant was just an eighteen-year-old high-school basketball player when he decided to enter the National Basketball Association's draft. Though he was the thirteenth overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets, he would never play a single game for them. Instead, Kobe was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he would spend his entire twenty-season career, winning five championships and numerous awards.

Babe Ruth came from a poor Baltimore family and, as a kid, he was a handful. It was at a reform school that Babe discovered his talent for baseball, and by the age of nineteen, he was on his way to becoming a sports legend. Babe was often out of shape and even more often out on the town, but he had a big heart and an even bigger swing! Kids will learn all about the Home Run King in this rags-to-riches sports biography.

A shy twenty-year-old girl stepped out of a horse-drawn coach and into the world spotlight, capturing the imagination of millions as a real life fairytale princess. Although the storybook marriage didn't have a happy ending, Diana learned to use her fame as a way to champion charitable causes near to her heart. She became the People's Princess by humanizing the image of the royal family and showing care and concern for all people, including the homeless, the sick, and others in need.

Lionel Messi loved soccer from an early age, often playing with his family members with encouragement from his grandmother. Now, he is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time! He is also one of the most decorated footballers in the world—having won 44 collective trophies, including seven Ballon d'Or awards, 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year, 2019 and 2022 Best FIFA Men's Player, and more. From making his first team debut at just sixteen years old in 2003 to breaking numerous longstanding records in 2012, to helping Argentina win the 2022 World Cup, Messi continues to wow fans.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, aka Pope Francis, from Argentina, was the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, and the first from the Southern Hemisphere. During his time as pope, he used a humbler, less formal approach to his office than his predecessors: a warm style that was referred to as "no frills." His common touch and accessibility, as well as his insistence that the church be more open and welcoming, quickly endeared him not only to Roman Catholics but to millions of others around the world.

The Rocky Mountains are split into four groups: the Canadian and Northern Rockies, the Middle Rockies, the Southern Rockies, and the Colorado Plateau. Seven different national parks across the United States and Canada have parts of the Rocky Mountains within their borders, including Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Thanks to the vast distance the mountains cover, the land is home to a wide range of wildlife including grizzly bears, mountain goats, great gray owls, snakes, lizards, and prairie dogs.

Are dragons winged, fire-breathing beasts or water gods who promise good luck? Across the globe, legends of dragons have varied greatly. Stories and images of dragons can be traced back to the ancient worlds of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In many East and Southeast Asian cultures, dragons were considered friendly, serpent-like creatures, but in Western cultures, they were ferocious, feared, and monstrous. Were dragons slayed by knights in medieval Europe? Or did they bring promises of plentiful rain in Japanese folklore? Both! These are just two examples of historic dragon lore.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, conocido como el papa Francisco, nació en Argentina y fue el primer papa jesuita, el primero procedente de América y el primero del hemisferio sur. Durante su pontificado, adoptó un estilo más sencillo y menos formal que el de sus predecesores: una forma cercana de ejercer su cargo que fue descrita como “sin adornos”. Su trato directo y accesible, así como su insistencia en que la Iglesia fuera más abierta y acogedora, pronto le ganaron el afecto no solo de los católicos, sino también de millones de personas en todo el mundo.