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At least as far back as the ancient myth of Icarus, humans longed to fly - but it wasn't until December 17, 1903, on the windy dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, that the dream finally came true. And it was all thanks to Orville and Wilbur Wright, two former bicycle mechanics who built their first toy plane - a rubber-band powered rotary - when they were just children.

On March 2, 1955, a slim, bespectacled teenager refused to give up her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in Mont-gomery, Alabama. Shouting "It's my constitutional right!" as police dragged her off to jail, Claudette Colvin decided she'd had enough of the Jim Crow segregation laws that had angered and puzzled her since she was a young child.

Based on a true story originally written by one of the survivors, Neta Lohnes Frazier's account of seven children traveling westward still has the power to astonish. In the 1840s, the Sager family set off on the Oregon Trail, a dangerous and adventure-filled journey. Tragedy struck when both the mother and father succumbed to fever, orphaning the youngsters - one just a newborn. The entire wagon train adopted them, until they arrived at the Whitman Mission in Oregon.

What do libraries, streetlights, and fire stations have in common? What about bifocal lenses and the odometer? Sayings like "haste makes waste?" Benjamin Franklin was a man of many talents: a scientist who experimented with electricity; a diplomat who served as envoy to France and negotiated peace with England; a mapmaker, printer, and writer famous for his Poor Richard's Almanack.

"First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen" - and first in the minds of schoolchildren, who learn about George Washington as soon as they begin studying American history. From Washington's Virginia childhood, through his days as a soldier and general, to his inauguration as the first President of the brand-new United States, and into retirement, this biography captures the full breadth and achievements of his life.

Young people will be absorbed in this story about a Genoese-born navigator who sailed to Newfoundland in command of a British ship in 1497. One year later, he sailed again in search of the Northwest Passage to Asia but failed to return. An engaging tale, this biography of Cabot's life is filled with interesting details and firsthand accounts of the isolation of life at sea.

Although less well known than his famous flight over the North Pole, Admiral Richard E. Byrd's adventures in Antarctica are just as remarkable. Wide-eyed youngsters will feel the excitement and danger as they learn about the isolated and tight little manned station where Byrd lived, separated from his crew; the temperatures that plunged to 60 degrees below zero; and Byrd's brush with death when a small stove he needed to keep warm - and stay alive - filled the air with carbon monoxide.

Tireless worker, skillful negotiator, bold spokesperson for the rights of all mankind: more than a century after her birth, Eleanor Roosevelt remains one of the most admired women the world has ever known. Her development from timid and uncertain young woman to confident, courageous adult capable of dealing with both personal tragedy and public notoriety makes an inspiring story - especially for female listeners.

From slave to freedom fighter: that was the long and hard journey taken by Frederick Douglass. Douglass was America's first great civil rights leader, and he threw off the physical, mental, and legal chains of slavery to become one of Americaï¿¿ï¿¿s greatest champions for human rights. It was said that his life was proof that once black people could read and write about their injustices, they would have the power to end slavery.

The Declaration of Independence marked the beginning of the end of England's control of its American colonies. As one of America's most revered statesman, Benjamin Franklin played a key role in the creation of the document. This fictional telling of Franklin's role gives readers insight into his thoughts and emotions during those dramatic times.

Marion Blumenthal Lazan's unforgettable memoir recalls the devastating years that shaped her childhood. Following Hitler's rise to power, the Blumenthal family - father, mother, Marion, and her brother, Albert - were trapped in Nazi Germany. They managed eventually to get to Holland, but soon thereafter it was occupied by the Nazis. For the next six and a half years the Blumenthals were forced to live in refugee, transit, and prison camps that included Westerbork in Holland and the notorious Bergen-Belsen in Germany.

Follow frontiersman and politician Davy Crockett as he embarks on his historic journey to San Antonio, Texas, to defend the Alamo - and ultimately sacrifice his life. Listeners stand side-by-side with Crockett and the other determined American fighters in their battle to win Texan independence from Mexico.

Jesse James left behind his legendary outlaw life to raise a family. But the lure of his bank-robbing past was too difficult for him to resist. Listeners will be entranced by America's favorite outlaw and the story of his own past catching up with him.

Readers will get to ride along on one of the most exciting and historic events in American history. Witness Revere's desperate and dangerous attempt to alert Revolutionary leaders John Hancock and Samuel Adams and the people of Massachusetts of the imminent arrival of British forces. Readers will enjoy the drama and action of this most memorable midnight ride!

From Washington's Virginia childhood, through his days as a soldier and general, to his inauguration as the first president of the brand-new United States, and into retirement, this biography captures the full breadth and achievements of his life. It covers both the personal and the private, reveals his views on everything from governmental power to the abolition of slavery, and separates fascinating truth from well-worn legend - including that infamous, but false, tale about chopping down the cherry tree.

David Kherdian re-creates his mother's voice in telling the true story of a childhood interrupted by one of the most devastating holocausts of our century....Vernon Dumehjian Kherdian was born into a loving and prosperous family. Then, in the year 1915, the Turkish government began the systematic destruction of its Armenian population.

Beyond his on-stage magic, Houdini also made his mark as an airplane pioneer, movie star, and debunker of frauds. His renown extended from his childhood home in Appleton, Wisconsin to Europe to Sydney, Australia. Children will thrill as they read about his seemingly superhuman successes - including when Houdini, hanging by his ankles and wrapped in a straightjacket, managed to free himself in less than three minutes.

Focusing particularly on George Washington's youth, Sterling North fully captures the spirit of the man as he examines his childhood in colonial Virginia, his early experiences as a member of the militia, and his many other adventures leading up to the Revolutionary War. The fully rounded person who emerges from this captivating portrait is uncomfortable with words, shy with women, totally at home in the outdoors, and deeply in love with the country he helped found.

Young readers will find themselves enthralled by this biography of one of America's most popular leaders, which explores J.F.K.'s privileged childhood and tight-knit family; wartime heroism; and political accomplishments, which began in Congress and eventually led him to the U.S. presidency - the youngest man ever elected to the Oval Office.

"Honest Abe", "The Great Emancipator", "The Martyr": Abraham Lincoln was perhaps America's greatest president. He is also deeply beloved by many, who are inspired by Lincoln's unwavering sense of justice and willingness to fight for his beliefs.

Young listeners will marvel at Lincoln's path to greatness, from his humble beginnings as a poor Illinois rail splitter up through his election as America's 16th president, and into the dark days of the Civil War - leading to his tragic assassination.