Books with author Frederick McKissack

A natural-born athlete, Jomo Rogers has talent that is easy to spot on the football field, and local reporters are taking notice. But the buzz keeps focusing on his potential, on his promise. Jomo doesn’t want to be the “next big thing.” He wants to be the real deal . . . in as little time as possible. He adopts a new workout regimen, complete with more weights, longer runs—and steroids. A gritty, witty, and eloquent youngadult debut, Shooting Star takes on the sports headlines and brings to the page a young man whose drive is about to make his life spiral out of control.

Despite being a slave, Frederick Douglass (1818?–1895) learned to read and write. At age 21, he escaped from slavery and created a new life for himself as a free man. Intelligent and charismatic, Douglass became the leading voice against slavery in the 1800s. "There is no way a nation can call itself free and accept slavery," he said. The McKissacks’ lively, easy-to-read text highlights the importance of this internationally known author and orator.

George Washington Carver spent his life asking questions and looking for the answers. He gained a reputation as the farmers' best friend after teaching about crop rotation. He told farmers to grow peanuts and sweet potatoes to "rest" their soil between cotton crops. And what could they do with all those peanuts? Carver developed more than 300 peanut-based products—from milk to printers' ink—and more than 100 ways to use sweet potatoes. Young children love the story of this exceptional inventor.

"I always loved running," said Jesse Owens, who as a boy could outrun all his playmates. When he competed in the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, people used words like "express" and "comet" to describe him. Owens won an amazing four Olympic gold medals in track and field events—and demonstrated to the world that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's theory of racial inferiority was wrong. An athlete, humanitarian, speaker, and author, Owens dedicated his later years to helping the youth of America reach for greatness.

With skills like farming, carpentry, and sewing, Booker T. Washington believed that blacks could find acceptance in the racist white society of the late 1880s. His school became a leading educator of African Americans, and he became a powerful national figure, advising business owners and even presidents. Though many considered Washington the most important black leader of his time, some other black leaders criticized his accommodating "Uncle Tom" views. In simple language, the McKissacks clarify Booker T. Washington's philosophy, accomplishments, and place in history.