Books for Readers 8-12

Now in paperback!

Substitute teacher Victor Kennedy begins a middle-school American history class by writing one word on the chalkboard: Tuskegee. Over the next several days, the elderly veteran teaches students about the Tuskegee Airmen, brave men who fought racism and prejudice to fly more than 1,500 missions during World War II. The students learn about segregation and how the victories of the Tuskegee Airmen helped move the United States on a path toward racial equality. In Tuskegee Airmen: American Heroes, exciting battles against evil abroad and at home come alive for a new generation.

Ghost stories from America’s “Heart of Dixie” have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

Welcome to the spooky state of Alabama!

 

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. 

Did you know that every February, a sunken ship rises again on the Tombigbee River? Or that the man peeking out of the Pickens County Courthouse window was wrongfully imprisoned there…150 years ago? Can you believe the sounds of a Civil War horse still echo on the porch of an old house in Suggsville?  

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Alabama and have you sleeping with the light on! 

Home to thousands of US sailors, the USS Alabama fought bravely in World War II, but after she finished her service, the battleship was set to be scrapped. The people of Alabama decided they had to save the ship named for their proud state. No one was more determined than Alabama’s schoolchildren.

Author Karyn Tunks traces the story of the children’s efforts in this informative and entertaining account. Tunks reveals a wealth of detail about life at sea before the ship was decommissioned and the many challenges Alabamians faced in securing the ship’s permanent home.

Artist Julie Dupré Buckner captures the feeling of the era in her detailed, vivid illustrations of the ship, those who called her home, and those who saved her for future generations. Complete with a glossary, illustrated ship’s diagram, and timeline, USS Alabama: Hooray for the Mighty A! offers beginning readers a glimpse of the fascinating history of the battleship and how even the smallest of actions can produce incredible results.

Follow Folly as he celebrates Mardi Gras in Alabama! Hang on tight; he wants to see every parade in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Folly has a front-row seat as he rides with kings and queens and tags along with Joe Cain. From catching throws with the crowd to joining in with the marching bands, Folly is a part of all the festivities. With bouncing rhyme and lively illustrations, author Karyn Tunks and illustrator Alexis Braud capture the unique flavor of Carnival season along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Highlighting the best of the local revelry, Folly brings young readers along as he explores favorite Mobile-area traditions. A glossary of people, places, and things completes the introduction to the most colorful season of the year. So come along and join the fun as we celebrate Mardi Gras in Alabama in this informative picture book for locals—and those who wish they were!

Join Joshua and his grandpa for a heartwarming history of the brave African American Tuskegee Airmen of World War II.

Young readers can sit with Joshua and his friends as his grandfather tells him the story of his service in World War II as a Tuskegee Airman. Topics like war, racism, and segregation may be unfamiliar to young readers, but this story explains complicated topics in ways that any child can understand. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military pilots, and some of the bravest among all of the armed forces, but pilots weren’t the only important faction— both men and women worked as mechanics, instructors, nurses, cooks, and many more invaluable jobs. As Joshua’s grandpa says, “Everybody who helped America to win the war was a hero. Some people fought America’s enemies in battles overseas. Others fought for freedom at home.”

Learn about the service and sacrifice made by Joshua’s grandpa, grandma, and countless others who made the Tuskegee Airmen legacy last for generations.

Ghost stories from the American South have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of cities across the southeast come to life—even when the main players are dead. Have you heard about the ghosts at the Mayberry Inn in Hot Springs, Arkansas? Their connection to the Inn is so strong—and grisly—they may never check out! Did you know the Springer Opera House in Columbus, Georgia, is haunted by the brother of one of the most infamous men in American history? Do you know the history of the majestic—and haunted—tombs of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans, Louisiana?  Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

The story of Joan of Arc is detailed here in rhyme for young adults. From humble beginnings in Domrémy to her end at the pyre, her tale is told in its entirety.

Earl B. Peterson is angry after the Ku Klux Klan bombs his house, killing his mother. When his plummeting grades put him in danger of losing his college scholarship, a teacher asks ace student Shirley Dupree to tutor him in algebra. But there is constant tension between the classmates, as she is active in the nonviolence movement and he’s only interested in revenge. In this novel for young people set against the backdrop of the Birmingham Children’s March in the 1960s, the characters help where adults had failed in transforming public opinion and energizing the civil-rights movement.