Books published by publisher Beautiful Fee Books

Recommended by: The American Library Association The Child Study Association National Council for the Social Studies Details the life of this famous American from his boyhood as one of the youngest of seventeen children, to his teen years as an apprentice in his brother's print shop and his later years as an inventor, statesman, diplomat, and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Children and adults alike will enjoy learning about the fascinating life Franklin led from the lively text and beautiful illustrations of this d'Aulaire classic. Folk art style illustrations are enhanced with pert aphorisms from Poor Richard's Almanac on each page. Sayings include Franklin s originals like, Don t throw stones at your neighbors if your own windows are glass and Better slip with foot than by tongue and Well done is better than well said. Readers will learn that Benjamin's father wanted him to be a candlemaker and that "it was a piece of luck that his kite experiment had not killed him." They will also come to know the inventor whose thirst for knowledge led him to constantly seek to improve the lives of his fellow men. Follow his life as a leader in the American Revolution and ambassador to both Britain and France and learn why the French hailed him as the man who "tore the lightning from the sky and the scepter from the tyrants."

This is the story of a wonderful, changing, reawakening world of the Renaissance and Reformation. Measured by the lifetime of Columbus and his sons, this book spans the years from 1451-1539. With Columbus as the central figure of this narrative, readers will also learn the fascinating stories of Prince Henry the Navigator, Ivan III of Russia, Gutenberg, Queen Isabella, Leonardo da Vinci, Mohammed II, the African ruler Nomi Mansa, Martin Luther, Erasmus, Albrecht Dürer, Copernicus, Michaelangelo and many others. Told in Foster's engaging and winsome style enhanced by her helpful chronologies and timelines, readers will learn of the religious, cultural and scientific changes that ushered in a new age of exploration and discovery.

When Joseph Djugashvili was born the son of a poor shoemaker, few suspected he would rise to become one of the twentieth century's most ruthless and powerful dictators. Enamored as a young man with the revolutionary politics of Lenin, he joined the underground Marxist Party and began his pursuit of power by leading strikes and demonstrations. Six times he was exiled to Siberia for his illicit activities, escaping many times despite below freezing temperatures and on one occasion an attack by a pack of wolves. His instinctive ability to command authority and divide the opposition through lies and deceit set him on a path he would follow to become Russia's most absolute dictator. He was never reticent to shed innocent blood in the pursuit of his own ends, and he carefully orchestrated demonstrations that brought about massacres that he then used to his own revolutionary ends. His vision was far reaching, and while his initial purpose was to establish a Soviet socialist state his larger goal was world domination. Ultimately responsible for the deaths of over 30 million people, 13 million alone in the Ukrainian famine he caused, Stalin's life is a sober and heartbreaking account of the reign of terror suffered by countless millions at the hands of one man. Illustrated with photographs.

Recommended by: The American Library Association The National Council of Teachers of English Association for Childhood Education International In a lively and entertaining text and extraordinary lithographs the authors bring to life the fascinating story of Pocahontas, the Native American princess who played such a crucial role in the early days of the Jamestown settlement. Here she is depicted as a prankish girl, a courageous and generous young woman who is willing to risk her father s wrath for helping the starving English settlers, a dignified and cool-headed captive during her betrayal and kidnapping, and a noble and beautiful woman as she is presented to the King and Queen of England. This delightful book offers an authentic yet very human portrayal of one of America s first and best-loved heroines. My 11yo son, who says he hates history, begged to read more of Pocahontas after reading maybe 10 minutes of it in the doctor's waiting room. He retained more from this book than from the history book we read previously, due in large part to the engaging writing style and wonderful illustrations. - Cherí

Leif Erickson came from a long line of Viking seafarers-men who for hundreds of years had sailed the Atlantic, North Sea, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and everything in between. Whether sailing for trade, plunder, or in search of new lands to settle, the mysteries of seafaring were second nature to the Vikings. Their knowledge of the stars, and their sleek and seaworthy vessels took them swiftly and safely where they wanted to go. So it was not surprising that when just a young man, Leif determined to sail unaided from Greenland to Norway to meet the famous king Olaf Tryggvesson. And later when he learned there were lands to the west of Greenland, he didn't hesitate to voyage there to explore this unknown land. It was the saga of Leif's discovery and settlement attempts in North America that later convinced Columbus that the Atlantic Ocean could be crossed and that lands lay in the direction of the setting sun. Part of the original Landmark series of books for young people, The Vikings tells the remarkable story of the intrepid Leif Erickson and his important and exciting adventures as a seafaring Viking.

The d'Aulaires have captured the allure of one of America's frontier icons in the drama of their lush lithographs and in a text that brings to life the story of the fearless and wild Buffalo Bill. William F. Cody was born in the middle of the nineteenth century on the plains of Kansas Territory where his family had settled to trade with the friendly Kickapoo Tribe. The Kickapoo children were Bill's childhood playmates and at a tender age he traded his brand-new buckskin suit for a little wild pony that he learned to ride like the wind. By the time he was twelve, he was doing the work of a grown man as a cattle driver, camping under the stars each night. When he was caught in a buffalo stampede his horsemanship saved his life. Travel along with Bill and his adventures that included meeting wilderness scout Kit Carson, signing up to carry mail on the new Pony Express, fighting in the Civil War, and performing in his Wild West Show which took him around the country for forty years.

Recommended by: The American Library Association Child Study Association National Council of Teachers of Social Studies "He was born in a little red brick house that his father had built on the oyster-shell hill. By that time so much land had been cleared that the wilderness was far in the distance." So begins the simple and inauspicious life of George Washington, a backwoods Virginia boy destined to become the Father of His Country. Meticulously researched, the d'Aulaires hiked and camped all over Virginia as they imbibed the spirit of this great man. The story follows his growth from young boy to surveyor, to soldier in the French and Indian War where he became a war hero. Then George courted Martha Custis and after their marriage they built a plantation at Mount Vernon. Then we see Washington lead his troops through the dark and hungry days of the Revolution. By exhibiting courage and integrity he inspired the same in his men. Beautiful stone lithograph illustrations bring the story to life for readers young and old.

This lively text exemplifies both the man and the artist. Benjamin Franklin lived in turbulent times and met those times head-on with passion and gusto. James Daugherty, ever the patriot himself, has captured that essential nature of Franklin in his energetic and dramatic three-color lithographs that reveal the neophyte as he faces the fresh soil of a young nation filled with optimism and promise. From his Quaker childhood to his early days as printer's apprentice to runaway, to stranger in the City of Brotherly Love, to the "Water American" in London, Ben's youth was filled with adventures and challenges that taught him invaluable lessons about human nature. These lessons would serve him well as he grew to be a leader of the young colonies as they faced the tyranny of Britain. As a leader in the American Revolution he was indispensable as an ambassador to England and later France where he won the hearts of the nation by his simple Quaker wisdom and geniality. All these things were accomplished while he pursued his interests as scientist, inventor, and prolific author. In everything he did, Franklin was always compelled by how he might best serve his fellow man.

Bradford Smith's engaging and informative writing style draws readers into the life story of one of American history's most dynamic characters. Young and old alike will enjoy this thoroughly researched and personable biography of the first Governor of Plymouth Plantation. Read about William Bradford's difficult childhood in England and see how he was being prepared by hardship and loss to face the challenges of his adult life. Bravely standing up to the corrupt authorities of his day, William Bradford chose to follow his conscience even when faced with losing everything dear to him. Bradford Smith has written one of the best children's biographies available on this remarkable man. Pen and ink sketches by Robert Doremus enrich the text and will appeal to all.

<i.Victory in the Pacific covers events from the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor through the battles of Midway, Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, Savo Island, the Doolittle raid on Tokyo, Corregidor Island, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima , and Okinawa. In each case, readers see the battles through the eyes of the men who were there, landing on the beaches, running raids in PT boats, dodging kamikaze bombers, and flying missions over Japan. In an easily accessible style, Marrin relates not only the important details of these conquests but also explains the military strategies of both the Allied forces and the Japanese. Readers get an overarching view of the war that helps to bring understanding especially as American forces drew increasingly closer to Japan and the Japanese grew ever more determined to fight to the bitter end. Marrin helps readers to understand the Japanese mindset that made surrender impossible and ultimately led to the decision to drop the atomic bomb in the interests of saving millions of lives. For the young adult reader, or even an adult unfamiliar with this period of WWII history, this book provides a sobering but inspiring look and the men and women , the nations and ideologies, that battled over half a century ago in the Pacific theater. Illustrated with diagrams, maps and photographs.

Portraying the sterling character of this admired hero, Marrin paints a complete picture of this complex man. Divided between his dislike of slavery and his loyalty to his beloved Virginia, Lee rose from an impoverished and tragic childhood to become one of the greatest military minds America has ever known even while being lauded for his kind, generous leadership. Marrin writes of Lee while including the stories of the ordinary soldiers, the Johnny Rebs and Billy Yanks. The victories, defeats, successes and failures of each side are portrayed in vivid and personal detail. Used in the Literature Approach to U.S. and World History, from the Civil War to Vietnam study guide, but also makes a great read on its own!