Library History

Jephthah and his daughter lived during the period of judges in Israel. The New Testament acknowledges him as a hero of faith. Nevertheless, his hasty and ill-considered speech resulted in a tragic loss for him and his daughter. Walking through this experience inspires us to reconsider and improve how we speak.

Winner of the Caldecott Medal, this stunning audiobook depicts Louis Bleriot's historic first cross-Channel flight.

In the summer of 1776, when Thomas Jefferson arrived in Philadelphia to sign the Declaration of Independence, declaring that “all men are created equal,” he wasn’t alone. With him was Robert Hemings, just one of the many Black people Jefferson enslaved. But who was Robert Hemings? Discover his story and the true history of those who really helped build America. Featuring riveting interviews with historians, including Margaret Kimberley, author of Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents, The Founders Unmasked is a quest for the whole truth, good and bad.

In the summer of 1910, a race began, a race to be the first man at the South Pole, in Antarctica. Robert Falcon Scott, an Englishman, left London in his ship, the Terra Nova, and began the long journey south. Five days later, another ship also began to travel south. And on this ship was Roald Amundsen's, a Norwegian. But Antarctica is the coldest place on earth, and it is a long, hard journey over the ice to the South Pole....

Congress is the lawmaking body of the federal government, but does anybody really know how it functions? This audiobook enables kids to understand the roles of the House of Representatives and the Senate and how they work together. The book traces Congress's storied past and present and is a perfect high/low book to interest students in American government.

Margaret Chase Smith liked to help people, and she knew she could do that as a member of Congress. She became the first woman to serve in both the House and the Senate, where she supported the space program and more opportunities for women. Her hard work and success helped pave the way for generations of women after her to run for office.

The only thing Charlotte loves as much as ballet is Christmas. So, when she gets the opportunity to play Marie in the New York City Ballet's The Nutcracker, she leaps at the chance. Dancing takes practice - hours of adjusting her arms and perfecting her jumps. With the help of her Trinidadian and Filipino families, encouragement from her sister, and a view of her mom and dad in the audience, Charlotte finds the strength to never give up.

The right to vote is essential to any democracy. People have fought and died for that right. This book discusses why it is important to vote and how the electoral process works, from the nomination of candidates to primary elections to national elections. It also explains how the electoral college chooses the president. Students will gain valuable insight into civics through this book.

Today, Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most famous artists of all time. During his lifetime, he sold just one painting. This misunderstood painter was passionate about his craft and created over 2,100 pieces of art in just over a decade before he passed away at the age of thirty-seven. Bold shades of blue and yellow, dramatically thick paint application, and heavy brush strokes define Vincent's pieces that are now adored by millions of people all over the world.

In 1937, the Depression is in full force, Joe Louis is the new heavyweight champion of the world, and Champion Always Luther arrives in Snow Hill, Alabama, changing Brother Sayre's life forever. Brother lives with his mother and sister in their well-run if run-down boardinghouse. Champion has been sent to live with his aunt, who works for Brother's family. With Champion, Brother learns all sorts of things―that he enjoys fishing, that he needs glasses, and that there are subtle and powerful rules of race and power that he's never noticed.

Growing up as a Black girl in the 1920s and 1930s, Dorothy Height was denied access to a local swimming pool as well as admission to Barnard College because of her race. But she persisted in pushing for change, and became a seminal figure in both the civil rights and women's rights movements. She went on to be awarded the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Jean, the bastard cousin of the future king of France, fought his way across the battlefields of 15th Century Europe. His was the world that burned Joan of Arc at the stake, where morals were forgotten and rape one of the spoils of victory. Handsome, fearless Jean le Bâtard held a lovely, scornful temptress in his heart and a bloody sword in his hand to wreak vengeance on the murderers of his father and the hated English conquerors.

In this chapter book biography by award-winning author Atia Abawi, listeners learn about the amazing life of Sally Ride - and how she persisted. As the first American woman in space, Sally Ride broke barriers and made her dreams come true. But she wanted to do even more! After leaving NASA, she created science and engineering programs that would help other girls and women make their dreams come true as well.

All across the world, among hundreds of cultures and across centuries, people have come together to give thanks. But Americans didn’t have an official Thanksgiving holiday until the 1800s. The holiday Americans know today exists because of a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale, a spirited letter-writing campaign, a sympathetic president, and a civil war.

Having lost her mother at a young age, Ella Fitzgerald struggled as a child, especially during the Great Depression. But after winning over the audience with her singing at an Amateur Night at the Apollo, Ella's career began, and she eventually went on to become a world-renowned singer known as the First Lady of Song.

Perfect for Teacher Appreciation Week and graduation, here is an inspirational, rhyming picture book ode to the extra-special teachers we remember all those years later. Children will love seeing themselves and their favorite teachers in scenes bursting with positivity, highlighting not just academics but sports, drama, art, music, and community. And teachers will appreciate seeing their honored profession depicted with love and gratitude.

Can science ultimately explain consciousness? This little book explores the subject from both a purely physicalist perspective and also from an Eastern philosophy angle.

Explore the heartfelt connection between Mr. Buffington and Mrs. W.A. Payton through this enchanting collection of postcards exchanged between 1946 and 1959. Nestled within the walls of Paine College, Mr. Buffington penned these messages as tokens of gratitude for Mrs. Payton's unwavering support of the Faith Cabin Library System. Now, meticulously transcribed by the author from the cherished originals, these postcards offer a window into a remarkable chapter of Black History, making this book an absolute must-listen.

Here can be no doubt that the Chinese exhibition at the Royal Academy in London is more than a merely artistic event. It represents a new stage in the burgeoning relationship between contemporary China and the West. The opening, originally scheduled for January, was brought forward to coincide with a State Visit to Britain by the Chinese president, Hu Jintao. The "Three Emperors" of the title were the second, third, and fourth rulers of the Qing Dynasty, and their period in power spanned nearly a century-and-a-half, from the mid-17th century until the end of the 18th.

Sonia Sotomayor is the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in the history of the United States, but her road there wasn't easy. She overcame many challenges along the way, including a diagnosis of diabetes at age seven. But she didn't let that stop her from achieving her dream and inspiring children all over the world to work hard and believe in themselves.