Emily Arnold McCully

This illuminating biography reveals how the daughter of Lord Byron, Britain's most infamous Romantic poet, became the world's first computer programmer. Even by 1800s standards, Ada Byron Lovelace had an unusual upbringing. Her strict mother worked hard at cultivating her own role as the long-suffering ex-wife of bad-boy poet Lord Byron while raising Ada in isolation. Tutored by the brightest minds, Ada developed a hunger for mental puzzles, mathematical conundrums, and scientific discovery that kept pace with the breathtaking advances of the industrial and social revolutions taking place in Europe. At seventeen, Ada met eccentric inventor Charles Babbage, a kindred spirit. Their ensuing collaborations resulted in ideas and concepts that presaged computer programming by almost two hundred years, and Ada Lovelace is now recognized as a pioneer and prophet of the information age. Award-winning author Emily Arnold McCully opens the window on a peculiar and singular intellect, shaped -- and hampered -- by history, social norms, and family dysfunction. The result is a portrait that is at once remarkable and fascinating, tragic and triumphant.

Dreaming in Code: Ada Byron Lovelace, Computer Pioneer

With courage and confidence, Caroline Herschel (1750-1848) becomes the first woman professional scientist and one of the greatest astronomers who ever lived. Born the youngest daughter of a poor family in Hanover, Germany, Caroline was scarred from smallpox, stunted from typhus, and used by her parents as a scullery maid. But when her favorite brother, William, left for England, he took her with him. The siblings shared a passion for stars, and together they built the greatest telescope of their age, working tirelessly on star charts. Using their telescope, Caroline discovered fourteen nebulae and two galaxies, was the first woman to discover a comet, and became the first woman officially employed as a scientist--by no less than the King of England. The information from the Herschels' star catalogs is still used by space agencies today. The book includes excerpts from Caroline Herschel's autobiography. A 2018 NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12.

A True Story

Caroline's Comets

Beatrice Gormley

Nine-year-old Andrea orders wings—guaranteed to fly!—through an ad in her comic book. Incredibly, they work. This is the beginning of her exciting and disturbing adventures with the wings, culminating in a long flight and a difficult decision. “A fast-paced story with a spirited heroine and enough buoyancy to keep anyone who fancies flight.” —Booklist

Mail-Order Wings

Jane O'Connor

Lulu Witch begins to change her mind about her pesky baby sister when she thinks that one of her magic spells has made the baby disappear.

Lulu and the Witch Baby

The Secret Cave

Follows the life of Ida Tarbell, the nineteenth-century author/journalist whose articles on the corrupt practices of John D. Rockeller and Standard Oil Company resulted in legislation against trusts.

The Woman Who Challenged Big Business - and Won!

Ida M. Tarbell

Young Oney Judge risks everything to escape a life of slavery in the household of George and Martha Washington and to make her own way as a free black woman.

Martha Washington's Slave Finds Freedom

The Escape of Oney Judge

This fascinating, informative, and touching picture book by a Caldecott Medalist is based on the true story of an eighteenth-century rhino who toured Europe and started a sensation! Clara is a book sure to fascinate young animal lovers, history buffs in the making, and kids interested in geography, as they follow a rhinoceros on her journey across Europe. In detailed illustrations, McCully shows Clara being introduced to Louis XV of France, Frederick the Great of Germany, and others willing to pay for a chance to stroke her soft lip. Her owner, a Dutch sea captain, keeps Clara fed (she eats 100 pounds of hay and 30 loaves of bread a day!) and watered (she drinks 14 buckets of water and beer) and takes loving care of her until her death 17 years later. Winner of the National Parenting Product Award

The (Mostly) True Story of the Rhinoceros who Dazzled Kings, Inspired Artists, and Won the Hearts of Everyone...While She Ate Her Way Up and Down a Continent

Clara

Prepare to discover new heroes among these twenty-one women who challenged the status quo, championed others, and made their voices heard. From Jane Addams to Alice Waters, from groundbreaking artists and social justice advocates to scientific pioneers and business innovators, a strong thread of trailblazing women runs through American history. Written in compelling, accessible prose and vividly illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Emily Arnold McCully, this collection of inspiring and expertly researched profiles charts the bold paths these women forged in the twentieth century. The subjects profiled include: Jane AddamsEthel Percy AndrusElla BakerGertrude BergRachel CarsonShirley ChisholmJoan CooneyIsadora DuncanBarbara GittingsTemple GrandinGrace HopperDolores HuertaBillie Jean KingDorothea LangePatsy MinkVera RubinMargaret SangerGladys TantaquidgeonIda M. TarbellMadame C. J. WalkerAlice WatersSecond Wave Feminism

21 Women Who Changed the Way We Think

She Did It!

Clara Maher and her mother are traveling across the country by train. When a snowstorm buries the tracks, a fellow passenger invites Clara and Mama to a special Thanksgiving feast. But Clara has a sneaking suspicion that the fun-loving "old cowhands" hosting the delicious banquet are really Butch Cassidy and his gang!

An Outlaw Thanksgiving

Caldecott Medal winner Emily Arnold McCully delivers a charming picture book following the life of prolific composer and musician Franz Schubert through the eyes of the friends who helped him find success. Franz Schubert was only eleven when he auditioned for the Emperor’s Choir School in Vienna, a place where everyone loved music. Franz barely spoke a word, but he sang like an angel, and his friends took to calling him “Little Mushroom” because he was small. As Franz continued to study and practice his music, his friends were amazed by his talent. The last thing Franz’s father wanted was for his son to be a musician—surely he would starve!—but Franz’s friends refused to let him quit. They vowed to help Franz devote himself to his music, and to make sure the world heard their talented friend. Franz Schubert would go on to write a thousand pieces of music. Discover the true story of a prolific composer and musician in this beautiful tale about the strength of friendship and the rewards of hard work in finding success.

A Story of Franz Schubert and His Friends

Our Little Mushroom

"A rhinoceros tours Europe in the mid-18th century and becomes a sensation--based on a true story"--

The (mostly) True Story of the Rhinoceros who Dazzled Kings, Inspired Artists, and Won the Hearts of Everyone ... While She Ate Her Way Up and Down a Continent!

A little mouse gets lost on the way to a family picnic.

Picnic

Budding engineer Min uses her skills to save the day in this Level E easy reader, perfect for Kindergarten students to read on their own! Min wants to play, but Ann and Bess say it's too hot to do anything. Min waves a fan, but it doesn't help at all. What's a girl to do? There's a pool, but it's empty—but clever Min finds a nearby well with some water in it. A tube, a hose, some glue, and a good idea later, Min builds a machine to draw water out of the well and into the pool. Splash! Thanks to Min, all the girls can play in the pool! Caldecott Medalist Emily Arnold McCully has created a fun tale about creative problem-solving, with simple text for emerging readers and bright illustrations depicting Min's creation of an Archimedes screw to add extra detail. For more of Min's adventures, check out 3, 2, 1, Go! in which Min builds a catapult. A Junior Library Guild selection! The award-winning I Like to Read® series focuses on guided reading levels A through G, based upon Fountas and Pinnell standards. Acclaimed author-illustrators--including winners of Caldecott, Theodor Seuss Geisel, and Coretta Scott King honors—create original, high quality illustrations that support comprehension of simple text and are fun for kids to read with parents, teachers, or on their own! Level E stories feature a distinct beginning, middle, and end, with kid-friendly illustrations offering clues for more challenging sentences. Varied punctuation and simple contractions may be included. Level E books are suitable for early first graders. When Level E is mastered, follow up with Level F.

Min Makes a Machine

Pip and her friends are excited to go trick-or-treating, but her grandmas could spoil Halloween! Grandma Sal loves to dress up and insists on playing tricks. Grandma Nan, on the other hand, refuses to wear a costume and insists on good manners. While the grandmas argue, Pip and her friends decide to play their own trick -- and run straight into some scary surprises that make this a Halloween they will never forget. First introduced in The Grandma Mix-Up, Pip and her grandmas return for a fourth book to add suspense and excitement to one of beginning readers' favorite holidays -- Halloween.

Grandmas Trick-or-Treat

An outstanding book for young naturalists Floy Hutchings, also known as Squirrel, is the daughter of the man who opened the first hotel in the Yosemite Valley in the 1860s. She has to fend for herself much of the time and is considered wild by her family and her father's guests. When the future naturalist John Muir is hired as a carpenter, Floy becomes his inquisitive shadow as he builds himself a cabin over a stream, talks to flowers, and listens to snow. Floy, determined never to grow up because she'd have to be a lady, and Muir, searching nature for a way to live free of society's expectations, are primed to find common ground. In this story set against a backdrop of watercolor paintings that vividly capture the beauty of Yosemite, Floy learns to see the world through John Muir's eyes.

Squirrel and John Muir

Illustrated in full color. Just in time for the presidential election comes Caldecott medalist Emily Arnold McCully's stirring tale of a young girl's act of bravery inspired by the great Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It is the fall of 1880, and Cordelia is more interested in horse riding than in hearing her neighbor, Mrs. Stanton talk about her fight for women's suffrage. But on Election Day, Mrs. Stanton tells the heart-wrenching story of her childhood. Charged with the story's message, Cordelia determines to go with Mrs. Stanton to the polls in an attempt to vote--above the jeers and taunts of the male crowd. With faces, landscapes, and action scenes brought to life by McCully's virtuosic illustrations, Cordelia's turning-point experience is sure to inspire today's young girls (and boys) everywhere.

The Ballot Box Battle

From the Caldecott Medal-winning author/illustrator of "Mirette on the Highwire" comes this dramatic, multi-layered story of two legendary women warriors, Wu Mei, the "beautiful warrior", and her most famous pupil, Mingyi. Full color.

The Legend of the Nun's Kung Fu

Beautiful Warrior

Witness the true story of how Mary Wilkins Ellis’ childhood passion for flying led to an exciting career in the air, written and illustrated by a Caldecott Medalist. As a child, Mary Wilkins Ellis longed to fly, but she had to wait until she was 16 before she could have her first lesson. She soon became the youngest licensed pilot in her English county, but then all civilian flight was banned when Germany launched its attacks on Britain in 1940. Mary was grounded. One day she chanced to hear a radio appeal for Britons with pilot’s licenses—even women—to join the Air Transport Auxiliary and ferry brand new fighter planes to Royal Air Force bases. Mary immediately applied, and spent the rest of the war delivering hundreds of different kinds of aircraft—most of which she’d never flown before—forming lifelong bonds with her colleagues, surviving many a close call, and helping to save her country from destruction. After the war she became a flight instructor, ran an air taxi service, then managed an airfield, the only woman in Europe to do so. In her spare time, she won rallies in her racing car. Mary’s childhood dream became a thrilling lifetime aloft, lasting until she died at 101. With watercolor and ink illustrations which perfectly capture the exhilaration of flying, Taking Off brings this little-known figure and her can-do spirit to life. Extensive material in the back of the book includes additional information about Mary Wilkins Ellis and the Airport Transport Auxiliary, as well as sources.

Airborne with Mary Wilkins Ellis

Taking Off

All the best holiday traditions are here in this wordless picture book by Caldecott-winning illustrator and writer, Emily Arnold McCully. The decorated tree, singing carols with papa, and all the many mouse children’s going up to bed, dreaming about the presents they will find on Christmas morning. Everyone finds something marvelous under the tree, especially the remote control airplane that really flies. It’s the best present EVER, until the special surprise that comes when the family visits Grandma and Grandpa.

Emily Arnold McCully

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