Books published by publisher Patria Press, Inc

America’s World War I flying ace, winner of the Medal of Honor, and racecar driver Eddie Rickenbacker’s first attempt at flight was riding his bicycle off the roof while holding an umbrella. Young Eddie, whose parents were Swiss immigrants, grew up in the Midwest in the early 20th century, worked hard to help support his family, but found time to build a “pushmobile,” experience a thrilling ride in a “horseless carriage,” and come face-to-face with a moving train. Young readers will gasp as he rides a runaway mining cart that jumps the tracks and cheer at Eddie’s first auto racing victory. Included are fun facts about Eddie Rickenbacker's life and the America he grew up in.

Over two million Girl Scouts worldwide owe their membership to its founder, Juliette Low—a woman who, as a girl growing up in the post–Civil War South, refused to accept that girls couldn’t do everything boys could. Whether angrily defending her friend against taunts of schoolmates or rescuing a kitten from the highest branches of a tree, Low possessed the spirit and strength of character that would lead her in adulthood to act as a world-famous advocate for girls. Children will experience Low’s joy at the gift of her very own horse, feel her excitement at attending her first dance, and share her frustration with being thrust in to the role of a well-behaved 19th-century young lady who would rather have been riding, creating sculptures, or climbing.

These true-life tales of aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, based on the remembrances of her sister Pidge, will inspire and thrill young readers. Kids will cheer as Amelia rescues two neighbor boys from an angry dog and when she builds her own “rolly coaster” off the roof of her grandparents’ shed. Amelia’s fascination at seeing her first airplane, as well as her curiosity, courage, and determination to learn, will make this portrayal of an American heroine a favorite of both children and adults.

This biography details the childhood adventures of George Rogers Clark, the older brother of William Clark of the famous Lewis and Clark expedition. George was a courageous explorer and Revolutionary War hero whose bravery and leadership helped win the Battle of Vincennes, saving what would become Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin from British occupation. George’s boyhood curiosity and zest for exploration are described, including his adventures while camping, riding horses, and playing with his childhood friend Thomas Jefferson. Young explorers follow George into the woods, where he rescues a baby raccoon, outwits a hapless thief, saves a money bag, and hunts his first deer. Special features include a summary of Clark's adult accomplishments, fun facts detailing little-known tidbits of information about Clark, and a timeline.

The inspiring story of Frederick Douglass’s rise from slavery to prominence as an early abolitionist and civil rights champion is featured in this volume of the Young Patriots series. Focusing on Douglass’s early years, this profile details his difficult upbringing as a slave on a Maryland plantation, his early separation from his mother, and his move as an adolescent to the home of the Auld family in Baltimore. From a young age, Douglass knew that knowledge was a passport out of slavery, and this biography reveals his fierce dedication to education. Lively drawings illustrate the climate in which he grew up and the hurdles faced on the road to equality and freedom. Special features include a summary of Douglass’s adult accomplishments, including his position as advisor to President Lincoln; little-known facts about him; and a time line of his life.

“Haley” Jackson grew up in poverty on the levees of New Orleans, hunting alligators along the Mississippi River for food and gathering driftwood for fuel with her brother Peter. But every Sunday, when her father preached at the Baptist Church, young Mahalia sang proudly in the choir—the youngest member at age five! Lively illustrations and engaging text pull young readers into the world in which Mahalia Jackson grew up. Whether constructing her doll’s braid from blades of grass, stuffing a cornhusk mattress, or adjusting to life in her Aunt Duke’s home after her mother died, young Mahalia displayed the persistence and courage that foreshadowed the civil rights champion and world-famous gospel singer she would become. Working as a maid and a laundress, she always found the time for her passion—singing her special brand of music known as gospel in churches. She met the challenge of being black in what was largely a white entertainment world, overcoming poverty and prejudice and pioneering the way for all aspiring African Americans who succeeded her. Singing for royalty, presidents, and working closely with her friend Martin Luther King, Haley never forgot her early days on the levee and she found special joy encouraging young African Americans to follow their ambitions. This replaces 0689717865.

The life of John Hancock, contemporary of Samuel Adams and Paul Revere and first to sign the Declaration of Independence is featured in this volume of the Young Patriots series. Detailing Hancock's early years, this work focuses on his relationship with boyhood friend John Adams and his academic struggles with what he would later become most famous for—his writings. Hancock's famous achievements later in life are also chronicled, from attending the Boston Tea Party to becoming president of the Continental Congress. The entirety of his life is colorfully illustrated with renderings that convey the drama of the birth of the United States.

Originally published in 1951, this biography of the childhood years of America’s ninth president, William Henry Harrison, details the boyhood adventures and character of young Tippecanoe prior to his assumption of the highest office. The story opens with young Harrison’s rousing rescue of sister Sally from drowning when he was just seven, followed soon after by an account of Harrison’s quick thinking as he saved his uncle from bleeding to death following an accident. The famous battle at Tippecanoe is also reviewed, as are many more events and actions that young history buffs will enjoy.

Active and restless, “Bud” Riley, the boy who would grow to be one of the 19th century’s most popular and respected poets, had a hard time sitting still in school—unless he was drawing or writing the “poems he heard in his head.” Fine illustrations and text rich with history draw young readers into James Whitcomb Riley’s world on the edge of the Midwestern wilderness. Children fully experience Riley’s lively youth, from learning to swim (nearly drowning in the process) to acting as ringmaster in his own circus, complete with animal acts, music, and acrobats. Fun facts about James Whitcomb Riley provide children with a preview of the poet’s adult accomplishments and little-known facts about the man greatly admired by novelist Mark Twain and President Benjamin Harrison.

The world-famous novel of ancient times, Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ, was written by Lew Wallace, who grew up in the early 1800s roaming the fields and streams of Indiana. Young readers will meet the renowned author as a child whose daring exploits, coupled with a deep religious faith, foreshadowed the Civil War general, governor of the New Mexico Territory, United States ambassador, and author he would become. Children will delight in young Lew’s rescue of his brother from a runaway carriage, feel a kinship with the boy and his passion for art as he draws portraits of his schoolmates with his “magic pencil,” and share his fascination for the exotic places he reads about in the books he loves. Action-packed illustrations enhance a fascinating story that will draw kids into the life of the young country boy who grew up to write one of the best-loved Christian novels ever penned.