Library History

On December 7, 1941, Japanese war planes appeared out of nowhere to bomb the American base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. It was a highly secretive and devastating attack: Four battleships sunk, more than 2,000 servicemen died, and the United States was propelled into World War II. In a compelling, easy-to-digest narrative, children will learn all about a pivotal moment in American history.

Ernest Hemingway wasn't just a novelist. He was a hunter and a fisherman; he became an ambulance officer in Paris, France, during World War I; and he worked as a reporter during the civil war in Spain in the 1930s. All of these experiences had such an important impact on Ernest's life that he used them as inspiration for some of his most notable works of fiction, including The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, and For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Some scary stories are more than just tall tales. This spine-tingling collection of TRUE terrors and haunting legends is perfect for Halloween—and thrills and chills all year long. This book is not for the faint of heart…but for those brave enough, a bone-chilling, globe-trotting adventure...

Many of the political issues we struggle with today have their roots in the US Constitution. This book explores 21 of the fault lines that were created in 1787 and are still causing problems today.

Felipe Fernandez-Armesto is a world-renowned scholar, professor of history and geography at Queen Mary, University of London, and a member of the Faculty of Modern History of Oxford University. The Americas, part of the acclaimed Modern Library Chronicles series, offers an intriguing history of the world's western hemisphere.

This entertaining volume provides a concise history of one of the world's premiere cities. Acclaimed author A.N. Wilson starts at the beginning, when London was founded by the Romans, and continues to contemporary times, hitting all the historical highlights along the way. London is the perfect starter book for anyone wishing to understand this great city a little better, and even seasoned London fans will find new information here.

Dive into the history, geography, and culture of Texas in this installment of the 50 States series. From major cities to historic events, Where Is Texas? introduces you to the state in a whole new way, whether you’re proud to call it home or learning about a distant destination. Visit...

Her reign of 63 years and seven months is known as the Victorian Era, a period of industrial, cultural, scientific, and political change that was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire. But Victoria was raised under close supervision and near isolation until she became Queen of the United Kingdom at the young age of 18. She married her first cousin, Albert, and had nine children who married into families across Europe.

Clara Lemlich immigrated to New York to escape danger in Ukraine, where she was born. She started working in clothing factories on the Lower East Side, only to realize that workers were being treated unfairly. So she stood up for the rights of workers, especially girls and women - and she won, changing the way factory workers were treated in America forever!

There weren't many women who tried to become doctors when Virginia Apgar went to medical school - but she didn't let that stop her. After a professor discouraged from becoming a surgeon, she became an anesthesiologist instead and created the famous Apgar test to check the health of newborn babies. It's a test that's still used in hospitals across the world today!

Two tiger cub brothers are torn from the jungle and taken to Rome. The stronger cub is trained as a killer at the Coliseum. Emperor Caesar makes a gift of the smaller cub to his beautiful daughter, Aurelia. She adores her cub, Boots. Julius, a young animal keeper, teaches Aurelia how to earn Boots’s trust. Boots is pampered while his brother, known as Brute, lives in the cold and darkness, let out only to kill.

On a frosty morning sometime in the 14th century, in a village somewhere in England, a girl known only as Brat was sleeping in a dung heap. "You, girl. Are you alive or dead?" When she opened her eyes, she saw an important-looking woman with a sharp glance and a sharp nose and a wimple starched into sharp pleats. This woman was Jane the midwife, and she needed a helper....

Claude Monet is considered one of the most influential artists of all time. He is a founder of the French Impressionist art movement, and today his paintings sell for millions of dollars. While Monet was alive, however, his work was often criticized, and he struggled financially. This book unveils a true portrait of the artist!

Before the Civil War, there was a crack team of abolitionists who used quilts and signal lanterns to guide enslaved people to freedom. RIGHT? WRONG! The truth is, the Underground Railroad wasn't very organized, and most freedom seekers were on their own.

Dive into the history, culture, and heritage of the state of Massachusetts with Who HQ! Learn about everything from the minutemen to the invention of basketball in this illustrated book for young readers. From the creators of the #1 New York Times bestselling Who Was? series comes a new collection of books all about the fifty states! Are you aware that the first-ever telephone call was placed in Boston? Did you know Massachusetts is where the chocolate chip cookie was invented? Or that it is home to the oldest Major League Baseball stadium?

Dive into the history, culture, and heritage of the state of Indiana with Who HQ! Learn about everything from the Indy 500 to the Corn Belt in this illustrated book for young readers. From the creators of the #1 New York Times bestselling Who Was? series comes a new collection of books all about the fifty states! Are you familiar with the Hoosier State? Did you know it is home to a town called Santa Claus that receives thousands of letters every year? Or that six men from Indiana have been elected vice president?

Dive into the history, culture, and heritage of the state of Wisconsin with Who HQ! Learn about everything from the origin of the badger mascot to the Green Bay Packers in this illustrated book for young readers. From the creators of the #1 New York Times bestselling Who Was? series comes a new collection of books all about the fifty states! Are you aware that the first ice cream sundae was served in Wisconsin? Did you know that Barbie and Ken's fictional hometown is in this state? Or that the most complete wooly mammoth skeleton ever found was excavated there?

Dive into the history, culture, and heritage of the state of Colorado with Who HQ! Learn about everything from the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings to the Mile High City in this illustrated book for young readers. From the creators of the #1 New York Times bestselling Who Was? series comes a new collection of books all about the fifty states! Are you aware that the first lines of "America the Beautiful" were inspired by views of Colorado mountains? Did you know this state is home to the highest auto tunnel in the world?

Dive into the history, culture, and heritage of Puerto Rico with Who HQ! Learn about everything from Taíno history to El Yunque National Forest in this illustrated book for young readers. From the creators of the #1 New York Times bestselling Who Was? series comes a new collection of books all about the United States and territories! Are you aware that Puerto Rico is Spanish for rich port? Did you know it is home to unique animals like the coquí frog and the emerald hummingbird? Or that Mosquito Bay, off the island of Vieques, glows at night?

In this lyrical book, world-renowned poet, New York Times bestselling author, and Coretta Scott King Honor winner Nikki Giovanni and fine artist Erin Robinson craft an ode to the magic of a library as a place not only for knowledge but also for imagination, exploration, and escape.