From the monthly archives:
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Harcourt, 2003)
A heartfelt account of Chavez’s childhood, his days as a field laborer and as the nonviolent organizer of the 1965 grape boycott.
America’s Library posts several great stories about Chavez for kids.
Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1995)
Van Gogh was the artist who cut off his ear and drank a lot of coffee, although the two were not related. Even though he was extraordinarily productive, he never saw acclaim in his lifetime.
Hop over to the WebMuseum, Paris to read about Van Gogh and see images of his work.
Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)
This collective biography devotes one paragraph to the tenth commander and chief. Interesting factoid: Tyler had more children than any other president.
Basic information about Tyler can be found on the Miller Center of Public Affairs University of Virginia site.
Kate Shelley: Bound for Legend by Robert D. San Souci (Dial, 1995)
A storm. A broken bridge. A train. Fifteen-year old Kate Shelley to the rescue. High drama in Iowa, July 6, 1881.
An anonymous report describing Kate Shelley’s heroic actions is posted on a DesMoines River site.
The Kate Shelley Railroad Museum run by the Boone County Historical Society is open June through September.
The Blues Singers: Ten Who Rocked the World by Julius Lester, illustrated by Lisa Cohen (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2001)
Surrounded by musical neighbors such as Smokey Robinson, Otis Williams and Dianna Ross, Aretha Franklin loved to sing, too. Can you spell R-e-s-p-e-c-t?
Read about Franklin at the Time 100 site.
