Entering Grade Four
click on book covers to link directly to Amazon
click on book covers to link directly to Amazon
HISTORY & HISTORICAL FICTION
Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith
Profiles three people who broke barriers and used their talents to work with their communities in the territories of the western United States. "Stagecoach Mary," born into slavery, was a cigar-chomping coach driver who never missed a delivery. Bass Reeves, the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshall west of the Mississippi, brought thousand of criminals to justice. Bob Lemmons, who lived to be 99, worked taming the horses that were so vital to the west. (nonfiction graphic novel) |
Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer by Traci Sorell
Mary Golda Ross designed classified airplanes and spacecraft as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation's first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work. (nonfiction) |
Fighting for Justice series
Biddy Mason Speaks Up by Arisa White The true story of Bridget "Biddy" Mason, an enslaved African American woman who was moved to California, a "free" state. When the Smith family planned to transport her back to a slave state, her African American community mobilized to allow her to stay in California as a free woman. Here she became a prominent land-owner and citizen. (nonfiction) |
Forgotten Founders: Black Patriots, Women Soldiers, and Other Thinkers and Heroes Who Shaped Early America by Mifflin Lowe
Features brave men and women who were vital contributors to the founding of the United States, but are often not mentioned in accounts of the "Founding Fathers." In addition to the profiles, there are sidebars with fun facts and "think deeper" questions that encourage readers to do deep dives into the historical questions that arise from the text. (nonfiction) |
History Smashers series by Kate Messner
The Mayflower Think you know the story of the Mayflower? Think again! Through illustrations, graphic panels, photographs, sidebars, and more, acclaimed author Kate Messner smashes history by exploring the little-known details behind the legends of the Mayflower and the first Thanksgiving. (nonfiction) |
Indian No More by Charlene Willing Mcmanis and Traci Sorell
In 1957, Regina's world is shaken when the Federal Government passes a law that says Regina's tribe, the Umpqua, no longer exists, Regina becomes "Indian no more" overnight--even though her ancestors were Indian for countless generations. When her family relocates from the reservation to Los Angeles, Regina has to learn where she does fit in. |
Timelines of Everything by DK Smithsonian publishers
Experience 13 billion years of history on planet Earth, from the Big Bang to the present in more than 130 different timelines, illustrated with colorful drawings and photographs. Covering the rise and fall of empires, major scientific breakthroughs, groundbreaking inventions, and monumental moments in art, this is the go-to guide for just about everything that has ever happened. (nonfiction) |
The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA by Brenda Woods
Tells the story of a unique friendship between a young white boy and a black WWII veteran. Mr. Meriwether Hunter returns to Jim Crow South in 1946. When he saves little Gabriel’s life during a bike accident, Gabriel’s father offers Meriwether a job as a mechanic at their family garage. Gabriel and Meriwether form a friendship that endures in spite of the extreme prejudices in the world around them. A beautiful read. |
Why Longfellow Lied: The Truth About Paul Revere's Midnight Ride by Jeff Lantos
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, one of the most popular American poets of the 1800's wrote a poem about Paul Revere and his ride. What was true and what was exaggerated? Who was left out of the story? This book takes a deep dive to show a different view of the history behind the ride, illustrated with maps and pictures. (nonfiction) |