Books in Sterling Biographies® series

In November 1805, after a perilous trek across North America, William Clark and Meriwether Lewis finally spotted the Pacific Ocean. It was a triumphant, hard-won victory following a year-and-a-half of braving the elements and risking death by starvation, wild animals, and hostile Native American tribes. Who were these explorers who accomplished what no other white men had? And who helped them in their incredible journey across an uncharted, sometimes hostile landscape? Kids will read wide-eyed as they follow Lewis and Clark from their frontier boyhoods to their groundbreaking achievement to the sometimes-tragic aftermath of their success.

Marian Anderson’s majestic voice mesmerized the nation—but her courage in confronting racism was equally inspirational. “When I sing,” she stated, “I want them to see my soul. And that is colorless.” Anderson became the first African-American to record spirituals for a major recording company; the first to perform as a soloist at the Philharmonic Society’s Academy of Music; and the first to appear on the stage of the exalted Metropolitan Opera House. In 1939, when she was banned from singing in Washington’s Constitution Hall, Marian made history by performing for a crowd of 75,000 at the Lincoln Memorial. Victoria Garrett Jones (Sterling Biographies: Eleanor Roosevelt: A Courageous Spirit) tells Anderson’s remarkable story, which travels from Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhood to the world’s finest concert stages.

To white authorities in the newly independent United States, Tecumseh seemed like a different type of chief: defiant and determined to protect Indian rights. Not even the power of the government awed this fearless Shawnee leader. Young readers will be fascinated by the life story of this great warrior and orator who tried to unite all the tribes in a single, powerful confederacy.

Although John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s presidency lasted less than three years before an assassin’s bullet killed him in Dallas, Texas, he had a lasting impact upon the world. Youthful, charming, and articulate, he—and his sophisticated wife Jackie—symbolized hope and optimism in a time of turmoil. Young readers will find themselves enthralled by this biography of one of America’s most popular leaders, which explores J.F.K.’s privileged childhood and tight-knit family; wartime heroism; and political accomplishments, which began in Congress and eventually led him to the U.S. presidency—the youngest man ever elected to the Oval Office.

“I wish it to be remembered that I was the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle.” Sitting Bull lived and died for his people, the Sioux of the Great Plains. Renowned author George Edward Stanley traces Sitting Bull's lifelong fight for justice and struggle to retain his tribe's ancestral lands, as well as the battle at Little Bighorn and the terrible massacre at Wounded Knee that occurred in the wake of his death.

Simply the best: those words perfectly describe the multitalented Native American athlete Jim Thorpe. Not only did he excel at baseball and football, but he also won gold medals in the pentathlon and the decathlon—the only person in Olympic history to do so. This fascinating biography discusses:Thorpe’s many family tragedies—including the childhood death of his twin brotherWhy he was temporarily stripped of his gold medals (which were restored posthumously)How he helped establish the sport of major league footballHis selection as Greatest Athlete of the 20th century in an Internet poll conducted by ABC’s Wide World of Sports Kids will enjoy meeting this amazing sports star whose Indian name aptly meant “Bright Path.”

From humble beginnings and a childhood marked by disease and poverty, Jesse Owens sprinted to Olympic gold. His success in the 1936 Berlin games was a victory for equality--and an affront to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s view of Aryan supremacy. The story of this exceptional athlete will fascinate kids.- Learn about his near-death experience at only 5 years old- Relive the perfect day when Jesse broke three world records—and equaled another- See how an act of kindness to an opponent cost him a race, but won fans’ hearts.- Follow his entire amazing Olympic triumph

Simply the best: those words perfectly describe the multitalented Native American athlete Jim Thorpe. Not only did he excel at baseball and football, but he also won gold medals in the pentathlon and the decathlon—the only person in Olympic history to do so. This fascinating biography discusses:Thorpe’s many family tragedies—including the childhood death of his twin brotherWhy he was temporarily stripped of his gold medals (which were restored posthumously)How he helped establish the sport of major league footballHis selection as Greatest Athlete of the 20th century in an Internet poll conducted by ABC’s Wide World of Sports Kids will enjoy meeting this amazing sports star whose Indian name aptly meant “Bright Path.”

Inspired by his nearly-deaf mother and a father who developed a “visible alphabet” of all the possible sounds a human being can make, Alexander Graham Bell spent the greater part of his life trying to improve the way people communicated with one another. It was this desire that led him to create his most famous invention, the telephone, and turned him into one of the most well-known names of all time. Young readers will find themselves fascinated by this in-depth look at Bell’s life and times; his journey from compassionate teacher to master inventor; his success—by just a day—in becoming the first to patent his new creation; and his other, less celebrated, but important achievements.

What do libraries, streetlights, and fire stations have in common? What about bifocal lenses and the odometer? Sayings like “haste makes waste?” Benjamin Franklin was a man of many talents: a scientist who experimented with electricity; a diplomat who served as envoy to France and negotiated peace with England; a mapmaker, printer, and writer famous for his Poor Richard’s Almanack. He signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and established America’s first hospital. The list of his accomplishments is astonishing and wide ranging. When he lived, his work touched the lives of every person in the new United States of America; some three hundred years later, he continues to fascinate, amaze, and inspire today’s young readers.

What is looked upon as an American dream for white people has long been an American nightmare for black people. Malcolm X—born Malcolm Little—experienced that nightmare firsthand even as a small boy, when white supremacists firebombed his family home. Such terrifying moments, along with years of daily racist insults and barriers, shaped Malcolm’s life, transforming him into one of the most articulate and rousing black nationalist leaders of all time. Beatrice Gormley, a prolific author of biographies for young people, captures Malcolm X’s growth: his youth as a petty criminal; jailhouse conversion to the Nation of Islam; marriage to Betty Shabazz, which yielded four children; break with Elijah Muhammad and embrace of traditional Islam; and assassination in Harlem’s Audubon Ballroom.

He floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee, darting and dancing his way to boxing’s heavyweight world championship. In the process, the fleet-footed and motormouthed fighter became King of the Ring and more: a cultural icon who dominated headlines, generated controversy, and enthralled even those audiences uninterested in the sport. Learn the fascinating facts about this dazzling champ: -How he began boxing at only age 12—and the trainer who first knew he was something special- His involvement in the controversial Nation of Islam- What happened when he refused to fight in the Vietnam War- Round-by-round coverage of his “Rumble in the Jungle” and “Thrilla in Manila” matchups with George Foreman and nemesis Joe Frazier- His present-day battle with Parkinson’s Syndrome