Library History

National Book Award finalist Elizabeth Partridge reveals the life and work of Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of Central Park, the United States Capitol building's landscape, and more. Nobody could get Frederick Law Olmsted to sit still. He was filled with energy, adventure, and dreams of...

In 1985, four American musicians—members of a New England-based klezmer band that focused on Yiddish music—landed in Moscow. With little training in espionage, they risked their freedom and their lives to smuggle information to and from the West under the watchful eye of the KGB and to help...

The groundbreaking and widely praised novel about a school shooting, from the acclaimed author of Monster. Multiple narratives, a personal journal, and newspaper and police reports add perspective and pull readers into the story. ""Questions of guilt and innocence drive the plot and stay with...

From New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson comes an eerily timely historical fiction middle grade adventure about a girl struggling to survive amid a smallpox epidemic, the public’s fear of inoculation, and the seething Revolutionary War. In the spring of 1776...

From the multi-award-winning author of Code Talker comes a Native American perspective on the Civil War. Louis Nolette, a fifteen-year-old Abenaki Indian from Canada, is recruited to fight in the northern Irish Brigade in the Civil War. Though he is too young, and neither American nor Irish...

The Library of Congress is the research arm of Congress, home of the US Copyright Office, and a public forum for artistic and literary culture. It is generally considered the national library of the United States, and it has influenced cultural affairs worldwide in myriad ways since its founding more than two centuries ago. In The Library of Congress, Jane Aikin draws on a wealth of primary and secondary sources to weave a narrative of the individuals, events, and controversies that have shaped the history of this venerable institution.

From Steve Sheinkin, the award-winning author of The Port Chicago 50 and Bomb comes a tense, exciting exploration of what the Times deemed "the greatest story of the century": how Daniel Ellsberg transformed from obscure government analyst into "the most dangerous man in America," and risked...

Myths! Lies! Secret mummy curses? Grab your head lamp, the award-winning History Smashers are headed to Ancient Egypt to dig up the truth about this incredible early civilization—and the many myths that will be buried once and for all. In 1922, explorers opened King Tut's tomb and a nasty hex...

“There’s a fine line between gossip and history, when one is talking about kings.” Sophie Fitzosborne lives in a crumbling castle in the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray with her eccentric and impoverished royal family. When she receives a journal for her sixteenth birthday, Sophie decides...

A poignant, deeply funny coming-of-age story about first love, first loss, and the power of history to give life meaning. * "[An] impressive debut...John Green fans will gobble this one up." -- Kirkus, starred review History buff Ray knows everything about the peculiar legends and lore of his...

Jacqueline Woodson’s evocative story about the power of sharing memories. The earth changes, Sarah’s grandpa always said as they worked together in his garden. Like us, some part of it never dies. Everything and everyone goes on and on. Now that Grandpa’s gone, though, it’s hard for...

A CORETTA SCOTT KING HONOR BOOK AND THE WINNER OF THE BOSTON GLOBE HORN BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION! "Extraordinary friendships . . . extraordinary storytelling." --Rita Williams-Garcia, Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award-Winning author of One Crazy Summer Meet Caleb and Bobby Gene, two...

A new work of historical fiction about Sequoyah and the creation of the Cherokee alphabet, from the acclaimed author of Code Talker Thirteen-year-old Uwohali has not seen his father, Sequoyah, for many years. So when Sequoyah returns to the village, Uwohali is eager to reconnect. But...

When Ruben and Jeddy find a dead body in an evening suit washed up on the shore, they are certain it has to do with smuggling liquor. It is spring 1929, Prohibition is in full swing, and many in their community are involved. Soon the boys, along with Jeddy’s strong-willed sister, Marina, are...

"We can all be heroes" is the message of this biography series from #1 New York Times Bestselling author Brad Meltzer. “Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography—for his own...

#1 New York Times bestseller “Barry will teach you almost everything you need to know about one of the deadliest outbreaks in human history.”—Bill Gates "Monumental... an authoritative and disturbing morality tale."—Chicago Tribune The strongest weapon against pandemic is the truth. Read...

Named Temujin at birth by his nomadic family in early Mongolia, the great Genghis Khan used his skill and cunning to create the Mongol Empire and conquer almost the entire continent of Asia. As ruler of the largest empire in human history, he was as respected as he was feared. Learn more about...

Get your tissues ready for this unrequited love story that’s equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking and will appeal to fans of Jennifer Niven, John Green, and Jesse Andrews. Seriously, how can you see a person nearly every day of your life and never think a thing of it, then all of a...

Echo London never wanted to be the curator of the People’s Library, a digital collection of human consciousness. But when she’s assigned as its head librarian, Echo is entrusted with humanity’s greatest minds and historical figures, all of whom have been recreated through controversial consciousness-capturing technology that lets visitors interact with the dead. But an anti-tech rebellion is stirring. When a rebel attack results in tragedy, a mysterious woman wearing an ancient death mask leaves behind cryptic final words for Echo: It all begins with nothing.

Fame meets Rent in this powerful YA debut about a boy who must reconcile with his identity and insecurity as he steps into the spotlight, from Broadway star Andrew Keenan-Bolger. The only thing standing between Danny and his dreams is…everything. For fifteen years, Danny Victorio has kept his...