From Powells.com
A selection of pivotal works by Indigenous authors.
Synopses & Reviews
As the first Americans, hundreds of indigenous bands and nations already lived in North America when European explorers first set out to conquer an inhabited land. This book captures the early history of these complex societies and their 500-year struggle to survive against all odds from war, displacement, broken treaties, and boarding schools. Not only a history of tribal nations, Native American History for Kids also includes profiles of famous Native Americans and their many contributions, from early leaders to superstar athlete Jim Thorpe, dancer Maria Tallchief, astronaut John Herrington, author Sherman Alexie, actor Wes Studi, and more.
Readers will also learn about Indian culture through hands-on activities, such as planting a Three Sisters garden (corn, squash, and beans), making beef jerky in a low-temperature oven, weaving a basket out of folded newspaper strips, deciphering a World War II Navajo Code Talker message, and playing Ball-and-Triangle, a game popular with Penobscot children. And before they are finished, readers will be inspired to know that the history of the Native American people is the history of all Americans.
Review
“An informative and hopeful overview of underrecognized scientists and explorers in a male-dominated field.” —Publishers Weekly
Review
“Valuable… an informative introductory overview of the many important contributions women have made to space exploration.” —Kirkus Reviews
Review
"An important addition to womens-history collections." —School Library Journal
Review
"[Gibson] incorporates thorough research and a strong feminist message into her accounts...This illuminating gathering of role models is also bolstered with sheaves of source notes and useful references to further resources." —Booklist
Review
"With a plethora of information, Women in Space will be an asset to any library and will be useful for those choosing to learn about unsung heroes by combining both biographical and historical information in one handy volume." —VOYA
Review
"Very highly recommended reading and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to both school and community library collections." —The Midwest Book Review
Review
"It will become an invaluable tool for those teaching or learning about Texas history.” —School Library Journal
Synopsis
A chronicle of American indigenous life, this guide captures the history of the complex societies that lived in North America when European explorers first appeared on the continent. Not only a history of tribal nations, this exploration also includes profiles of famous Native Americans and their many contributions--from early leaders to superstar athletes, dancers, astronauts, authors, and actors. Readers will learn about Indian culture through hands-on activities, such as planting a Three Sisters Garden, making beef jerky in a low-temperature oven, weaving a basket out of folded newspaper strips, deciphering a World War II Navajo Code Talker message, and playing Ball-and-Triangle. An important look at life before the settlers until present day, this resource shows that Native American history is the history of all Americans.
Synopsis
When Valentina Tereshkova blasted off aboard Vostok 6 on June 16, 1963, she became the first woman to rocket into space. It would be 19 years before another woman got a chance—cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya in 1982—followed by American astronaut Sally Ride a year later. By breaking the stratospheric ceiling, these women forged a path for many female astronauts, cosmonauts, and mission specialists to follow.
Women in Space profiles 23 pioneers, including Eileen Collins, the first woman to command the space shuttle; Peggy Whitson, who logged more than a year in orbit aboard the International Space Station; and Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space; as well as astronauts from Japan, Canada, Italy, South Korea, France, and more. Readers will also learn about the Mercury 13, American women selected by NASA in the late 1950s to train for spaceflight. Though they matched and sometimes surpassed their male counterparts in performance, they were ultimately denied the opportunity to head out to the launching pad. Their story, and the stories of the pilots, physicists, and doctors who followed them, demonstrate the vital role women have played in the quest for scientific understanding.
About the Author
Karen Bush Gibson is the author of Native American History for Kids, Women Aviators, Women in Space, and three dozen other books for young readers.