Books About Interesting People

Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America - Tonya Bolden
Recounts the story of the 1914 disappearance of eleven-year-old Sarah Rector, an African American who was part of the Creek Indian people and whose land had made her wealthy, and what it reveals about race, money, and American society.

Florence Nightingale - Demi
"Florence Nightingale revolutionized the world of medicine by emphasizing cleanliness, food that was hot and nutritious, and organization in hospitals. What began as an attempt to make army hospitals safer and more effective became a lifelong mission, and remains relevant today. This new picture book biography of Florence Nightingale, from celebrated author and artist Demi, beautifully portrays the story of Florence's life and explores the long-lasting effects of her career."-- Provided by publisher

Dare the Wind - Tracey Fern
Ellen Prentiss's papa said she was born with saltwater in her veins, so he gave her sailing lessons and taught her how to navigate. As soon as she met a man who loved sailing like she did, she married him. When her husband was given command of a clipper ship custom-made to travel quickly, she knew that they would need every bit of its speed for their maiden voyage: out of New York City, down around the tip of Cape Horn, and into San Francisco, where the Gold Rush was well under way. In a time when few women even accompanied their husbands onboard, Ellen Prentiss navigated their ship to set the world record for speed along that route.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind - William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
"When 14-year-old William Kamkwamba's Malawi village was hit by a drought in 2001, everyone's crops began to fail. His family didn't have enough money for food, let alone school, so William spent his days in the library. He came across a book on windmills and figured out how to build a windmill that could bring electricity to his village. Everyone thought he was crazy but William persevered and managed to create a functioning windmill out of junkyard scraps. Several years later he figured out how to use the windmill for irrigation purposes."-- Provided by publisher

Mister and Lady Day: Billie Holiday and the Dog Who Loved Her - Amy Novesky
Discusses American Jazz singer Billie Holiday and her dogs, especially her pet boxer, Mister.

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise - Jan Pinborough
Examines the story of how librarian Ann Carroll Moore created the first children's room at the New York Public Library.


Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family's Fight for Desegregation - Duncan Tonatiuh
"Years before the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling Brown v. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez, an eight-year-old girl of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage, played an instrumental role in Mendez v. Westminster, the landmark desegregation case of 1946 in California."-- Provided by publisher