The incredible true story of Dr. Ellen Ochoa, American space pioneer and former director of the Johnson Space Center. The daughter of immigrants, Ellen always wanted to become a professional flutist while growing up. However, those dreams changed when she got to college and discovered engineering. While she was told that engineering was not a field of study for women, she did not let that deter her from her new dreams, which ultimately led to her becoming a NASA astronaut, and the first Hispanic woman to reach outer space.
Primary (ages 6-9)
Material appropriate for primary age groups
El Español Es La Lengua De Mi Familia (Spanish Edition)
To prepare for his school’s Spanish spelling bee, a young boy asks his grandmother for help. There are words he still does not know how to spell. With this simple request, a door is opened for him to learn more about his grandmother’s story as she reveals how she was only allowed to speak English at school when she was a young girl. This story inspires him to study hard for the spelling bee so he can make his family proud. Inspired by the author’s memories of his grandmother’s stories told to him when he was a boy.
Ellen Takes Flight: The Life of Astronaut Ellen Ochoa
A biography celebrating the life of astronaut, and former director of the Johnson Space Center, Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina in Space. Graduating at the top of her high school and college classes, thanks to encouragement from her mother, Ellen went on to study electrical engineering in graduate school. By age 30 she was an accomplished engineer and when NASA started to accept women and people of color into the astronaut program, Ellen soon embarked on a new career. Her first mission was on board the Discovery, the only woman aboard the space shuttle, making Ellen the first Latina to reach outer space.
Stars Of The Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport
A moving and sensitively told true story of the 669 children who were rescued in Czechoslovakia from Nazi persecution right before the outbreak of World War II. Told from the collective perspective of the children, the story follows them as they journey from foster families during the war in England, to Prague where they have no success with finding their parents, then eventually to their connection with a British former stockbroker, Nicholas Winton, who played a vital part with bringing them to safety.
Days Of The Dead
Describes the origin and meaning of the Mexican festival of the Days of the Dead, and shows how it is observed by one peasant family.
Hidden Hope: How A Toy And A Hero Saved Lives During The Holocaust
During World War II, families all across Europe huddled together in basements, attics, and closets as Nazi soldiers rounded up anyone Jewish. The Star of David, a symbol of faith and pride, became a tool of hate when the Nazis forced Jewish people to carry papers stamped with that star, so that it was clear who to capture. But many brave souls dared to help them. Jewish teenager Jacqueline Gauthier, a member of the French Resistance who had to conceal her identity, was one who risked her life in secret workshops, forging papers with new names and without stars in order to help others escape. But how to get these life saving papers to families in hiding? An ordinary wooden toy duck held the answer, a hidden compartment: hope in a hollow.
Queen Of Leaves: The Story Of Botanist Ynes Mexia
The true story of Ynes Mexia, a Mexican-American botanist whose passion for plants led her on great expeditions, despite being in her early 50s, to gather flowers and plant samples for museums and universities around the world. Ynes went on to collect more than 100,000 specimens, including the elusive wax palm tree, which forever changed the world of botany, thus solidifying her place as the Queen of Leaves.
The Girl Who Heard the Music: How One Pianist and 85,000 Bottles of Cans Brought New Hope to an Island
The amazing true story of Mahani Teave, an award-winning pianist and environmental activist. After becoming an internationally acclaimed concert pianist, with tours around the world, Mahani never forgot the tiny island where she grew up, Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, and one of the most remote. Aware of the islands environmental struggles and sustainability issues with pollution from tourism, Mahani was inspired to help save its environment and culture by creating a music school. The school was built using thousands of bottles, cans and tires in its walls, incorporating rain barrels, solar panels, and a food garden. Not only does Mahani help build a sustainable future for Rapa Nui, she also ensures the music will play on.
The Girl Who Heard the Music is the WOW Recommends book for October 2023.
This book is part of the Worlds of Words Global Reading List for 2023/24.
Lunar New Year (Celebrations & Festivals)
Lunar New Year celebrates the biggest Chinese festival of the year through the eyes of Ling and her family in this authentic narrative non-fiction story. Follow along with Ling, her sister Mei, and granny Po Po as they clean the house, pick fresh flowers and visit friends and family carrying red lanterns through their neighborhood. Readers will learn all about the magic of the Lunar New Year by exploring the preparations leading up to the festival, the Reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s day fireworks, Dragon dancing and the New Year Monster, the lantern festival, and much more! Part of the Celebrations & Festivals series, where readers are invited into a family’s celebration to explore the magic and excitement of religious and cultural festivals from around the world.
The Moon Is A Ball: Stories Of Panda & Squirrel
Join best friends, Panda and Squirrel, in nine stories about the importance and meaning of friendship. Whether they are lying on rocks to look up at the moon, taking walks or playing games, Panda and Squirrel do everything together. On some days they argue, but they always make up. With full-color illustrations by world-leading illustrator for children and Hans Christian Andersen nominee, Tjong-Khing, and written by one of Belgium’s most important and innovative children’s authors, Ed Franck, The Moon is a Ball is sure to delight young readers again and again. Perfect for emerging readers and reading aloud.