The Revolutionary War was over, but Washington's officers had not received their wages from the Continental Congress in years. Afraid they would never get their money, the officers planned to storm Congress and demand it right away. Luckily, George Washington found out about the plot just in time. He delivered a passionate speech to his men, but they were unaffected. It was only when he struggled to read aloud a letter from Congress and had to put on his glasses, that they realized how much he had sacrificed for their country along with them. The officers dropped their plan and pledged their loyalty to America and to Washington.

Selene Castrovilla's carefully researched yet playful prose and Jenn Harney's energetic, original illustrations bring George Washington's more human side to life in this humorous but important story about true American loyalty.

A great read for Presidents' Day!

Young fans of the smash Broadway hit Hamilton will enjoy this narrative nonfiction picture book story about the important friendship between George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette during the Revolutionary War.

Lafayette has come to America to offer his services to the patriotic cause. Inexperienced but dedicated, he is a much-needed ally and not only earns a military position with the Continental Army but also Washington's respect and admiration. This picture book presents the human side of history, revealing the bond between two famous Revolutionary figures. Both the author and illustrator worked with experts and primary sources to represent both patriots and the war accurately and fairly.

Savion Glover was born
with a beat.
A rhythm in his head.
A sound
in his soul.

This kinetic, lyrical biography, about a boy who loved to move his body and make music with his feet, begs to be read aloud. Savion studied drums at four and tap at seven, and by the time he was ten, he was dancing on Broadway. Savion Glover grew up to an exciting and innovative tap dancer and a Tony-award winning choreographer. A great book for kids who love to dance!

An Orbis Pictus Recommended Book
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
A Texas Topaz Nonfiction Gem

This is a story about tap dancing, a distinctly American art form that blended English-Scottish-Irish clog dancing with African tribal dancing. And it's about a boy, Savion Glover--who was born to feel the music--to dance and perform and invent. And to delight and awe audiences with the movements of his body.

Soul meets sole.
From that day on, Savion danced.
All the time. Not practicin'. Livin.
'Tippity, tippity, tappity, tappity, TROMP, TROMP, TROMP!

Follow Savion's journey as beats crescendos into a love of dancing as self-expression. This picture book biography creates music with words and story, and dance with color and composition. Child and parent can read the rhymes and onomatopoeia together while enjoying the bold artwork.

Savion Glover revitalized modern tap dancing with his jazz and hip-hop influenced free-form hard core style. From his appearances on Sesame Street and choreographing Happy Feet to his Tony award-winning musical Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk, Savion has inspired a new generation of tap dancers. Read more about his impact on music and dance in the afterword.

Feel the movement with bright, electric art from Laura Freeman, winner Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for Hidden Figures. Hear the music with Selene Castrovilla's bouncing, bold rhymes. This is Tap! brings Savion's exuberant story of creativity and passion to young readers.

An Orbis Pictus Recommended Book
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

The fort's commander, Benjamin Butler, retained them--and many more that followed--by calling them contraband of war. Butler depended on the contrabands to provide information about the Confederates. He found the perfect partner in George Scott, one of the contrabands, whose heroism saved the fort from enemy hands. And, it was the plight of the contrabands that convinced President Lincoln that slavery MUST be abolished and inspired him to write his Emancipation Proclamation, ending slavery in the rebellious states.

The year 1972 was one of major accomplishments in the civil rights movement. In January, Shirley Chisolm became an inspiration as the first African American to seek the presidential nomination of a major political party. In February, Wilt Chamberlain won the NBA title for the Los Angeles Lakers and was named the Most Valuable Player, securing his place as one of the most talented athletes in the history of sports. The National Black Political Convention was held in March with a crowd of ten thousand African Americans to discuss and advocate for Black communities that were in economic and social crisis across the country. And in November, Andrew Jackson Young Jr., of Georgia, and Barbara Jordan from Texas became the first African Americans in the twentieth century elected to Congress from the Deep South.

This detailed account explains why 1972 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1967 to 1978 were critical to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for even more progress in the coming decades. Discover how this specific time period brought about change and how it still affects us as a society today.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.

The year 1960 was a turning point in the civil rights movement as young Black men and women became peaceful warriors for change. In February, four Black college students, known as the Greensboro Four, were refused service at a lunch counter in North Carolina. Their sit-in inspired similar protests across the country, demonstrating the ideals of civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance. In November, as the year drew to a close, the nation's eyes were on Ruby Bridges, a Black first grader who bravely integrated the William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. Desegregation would create a crisis of law and order throughout the South as the decade continued.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1955 to 1965 are at the heart of the civil rights movement--from the Montgomery bus boycott to the Voting Rights Act. The contributions of key activists, including Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, Barbara Nash, and Malcolm X, are part of the narrative. Demonstrations of passive resistance and legal challenges were often met with bloodshed and violence against Black Americans fighting to end segregation and discrimination. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law ultimately produced legislation affirming that every American should have the same constitutional rights, regardless of color, race, or gender.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.

The year 1970 was one of hope in the civil rights movement in education, politics, and the arts. In January, Dr. Clifton Wharton, Jr., became the first African American president of Michigan State University. The first publication of Essence magazine launched in May, focusing on culture, beauty, fashion, and entertainment for Black women in America. In June, Kenneth Allen Gibson was elected as the first African American mayor of a major Northeast city -- Newark, New Jersey. And in August, Charles Edward Gordone became the first African American playwright to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play, No Place to Be Somebody, about a Black bartender trying to survive in New York City.

This detailed account explains why 1970 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1967 to 1978 were critical to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for even more progress in the coming decades. Discover how this specific time period brought about change and how it still affects us as a society today.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.

The year 1960 was a turning point in the civil rights movement as young Black men and women became peaceful warriors for change. In February, four Black college students, known as the Greensboro Four, were refused service at a lunch counter in North Carolina. Their sit-in inspired similar protests across the country, demonstrating the ideals of civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance. In November, as the year drew to a close, the nation's eyes were on Ruby Bridges, a Black first grader who bravely integrated the William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. Desegregation would create a crisis of law and order throughout the South as the decade continued.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1955 to 1965 are at the heart of the civil rights movement-from the Montgomery bus boycott to the Voting Rights Act. The contributions of key activists, including Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, Barbara Nash, and Malcolm X, are part of the narrative. Demonstrations of passive resistance and legal challenges were often met with bloodshed and violence against Black Americans fighting to end segregation and discrimination. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law ultimately produced legislation affirming that every American should have the same constitutional rights, regardless of color, race, or gender.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.

The civil rights movement was just taking shape in 1948, and President Harry Truman helped set its course. Truman's support for Black Americans made a bold statement and was something many leaders did not welcome. Despite the backlash it caused, Truman insisted it was the government's duty to protect America's Black citizens from the hate and discrimination they faced and ensure their freedoms. The Supreme Court would make a landmark decision against housing discrimination in the Shelley v. Kraemer case. A. Philip Randolph pushed Truman to sign an Executive Order to end military segregation. And Alice Coachman would make history to become the first Black woman to win a gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

This detailed account explains why 1948 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1939 to 1954 were foundational to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for the pivotal events of the late 1950s and 1960s.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.

The year 1954 was a turning point in the civil rights movement. The Supreme Court decision in the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case, a combination of lawsuits challenging school segregation in the United States, would finally put an end to separate but equal. This decision had a monumental ripple effect and positively influenced the African American community going forward. As many southern white people were furious about the Court's ruling to end segregation, reaction in the form of violence and legislation to stall school integration became the new battleground. And the formation of White Citizens' Councils across the South worked to keep Black Americans from gaining the equality they deserved.

This detailed account explains why 1954 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.

ABOUT THIS SERIES:

The years from 1939 to 1954 were foundational to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for the pivotal events of the late 1950s and 1960s.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.

The year 1954 was a turning point in the civil rights movement. The Supreme Court decision in the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case, a combination of lawsuits challenging school segregation in the United States, would finally put an end to separate but equal. This decision had a monumental ripple effect and positively influenced the African American community going forward. As many southern white people were furious about the Court's ruling to end segregation, reaction in the form of violence and legislation to stall school integration became the new battleground. And the formation of White Citizens' Councils across the South worked to keep Black Americans from gaining the equality they deserved.

This detailed account explains why 1954 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1939 to 1954 were foundational to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for the pivotal events of the late 1950s and 1960s.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.

The year 1951 would alter the way the Black community looked at segregated education. Local NAACP leaders and other activists spearheaded plans to end the rule of separate but equal and changed their strategy to integration. Barbara Johns would organize a student strike against the inadequate conditions of her Black high school. Justice for Black Americans would be the other critical issue addressed by the NAACP. On Christmas night, a shocking act of violence would be committed against Harry T. Moore, the executive director of the Florida NAACP, and his wife, Harriette, leaving the Black community devastated but also more determined to reach their dream of equality.

This detailed account explains why 1951 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1939 to 1954 were foundational to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for the pivotal events of the late 1950s and 1960s.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.

The year 1951 would alter the way the Black community looked at segregated education. Local NAACP leaders and other activists spearheaded plans to end the rule of separate but equal and changed their strategy to integration. Barbara Johns would organize a student strike against the inadequate conditions of her Black high school. Justice for Black Americans would be the other critical issue addressed by the NAACP. On Christmas night, a shocking act of violence would be committed against Harry T. Moore, the executive director of the Florida NAACP, and his wife, Harriette, leaving the Black community devastated but also more determined to reach their dream of equality.

This detailed account explains why 1951 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1939 to 1954 were foundational to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for the pivotal events of the late 1950s and 1960s.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place..

The civil rights movement was just taking shape in 1948, and President Harry Truman helped set its course. Truman's support for Black Americans made a bold statement and was something many leaders did not welcome. Despite the backlash it caused, Truman insisted it was the government's duty to protect America's Black citizens from the hate and discrimination they faced and ensure their freedoms. The Supreme Court would make a landmark decision against housing discrimination in the Shelley v. Kraemer case. A. Philip Randolph pushed Truman to sign an Executive Order to end military segregation. And Alice Coachman would make history to become the first Black woman to win a gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

This detailed account explains why 1948 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1939 to 1954 were foundational to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for the pivotal events of the late 1950s and 1960s.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.

The year 1970 was one of hope in the civil rights movement in education, politics, and the arts. In January, Dr. Clifton Wharton, Jr., became the first African American president of Michigan State University. The first publication of Essence magazine launched in May, focusing on culture, beauty, fashion, and entertainment for Black women in America. In June, Kenneth Allen Gibson was elected as the first African American mayor of a major Northeast city -- Newark, New Jersey. And in August, Charles Edward Gordone became the first African American playwright to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play, No Place to Be Somebody, about a Black bartender trying to survive in New York City.

This detailed account explains why 1970 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1967 to 1978 were critical to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for even more progress in the coming decades. Discover how this specific time period brought about change and how it still affects us as a society today.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.

Young fans of the Broadway smash Hamilton will enjoy this riveting nonfiction picture book that unfolds like a play, telling a story from American history.

Gravely injured and with little chance for more military honors, Major General Benedict Arnold seeks reward and recognition another way. He contacts Major John André, the new head of British intelligence and another man determined to prove himself. Arnold and André strike a deal and use Arnold's intelligence to take over West Point, the strategic American fort. The plan ultimately fails, leading to André's capture and death and Arnold's loss of reward and glory. Author Selene Castrovilla and illustrator John O'Brien brilliantly capture the tensions and high drama of these two revolutionary rogues by highlighting their similarities and differences and demonstrating how they brought about their own tragic ends. This title also includes an afterword, timelines of the lives of both men, an extensive bibliography, and a list of key places to visit.

The year 1972 was one of major accomplishments in the civil rights movement. In January, Shirley Chisolm became an inspiration as the first African American to seek the presidential nomination of a major political party. In February, Wilt Chamberlain won the NBA title for the Los Angeles Lakers and was named the Most Valuable Player, securing his place as one of the most talented athletes in the history of sports. The National Black Political Convention was held in March with a crowd of ten thousand African Americans to discuss and advocate for Black communities that were in economic and social crisis across the country. And in November, Andrew Jackson Young Jr., of Georgia, and Barbara Jordan from Texas became the first African Americans in the twentieth century elected to Congress from the Deep South.

This detailed account explains why 1972 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The years from 1967 to 1978 were critical to the civil rights movement. Resistance was often met with violence against Black Americans struggling to end discrimination and segregation. Yet the courage of those yearning for equal opportunities under the law continued to persevere and set the stage for even more progress in the coming decades. Discover how this specific time period brought about change and how it still affects us as a society today.

With stunning photographs throughout and rich back matter, each book focuses on a specific year and chronologically follows the detailed events that occurred and the changes that took place.