Books in Sterling Biographies® series

Making legends and leaving people awestruck: that’s what Babe Ruth was all about. More than 70 years after he swung his bat for the final time, “the Sultan of Swat” remains baseball’s greatest player. Find out about:- His troubled childhood—including a period in reform school- How he got his legendary nickname- How he always tried to be an inspiration to children- His record-breaking plays- The curse of the Babe that haunted the Boston Red Sox for so many years This biography really hits one home!

While traveling with the Corps of Discovery across America's then-uncharted West, Sacagawea-with a baby strapped to her back-endured unimaginable dangers. We know little about her thoughts and feelings, since she left no records of her own, but without her, Lewis and Clark certainly could never have succeeded. Emma Carlson Berne separates truth from legend, and offers some ideas on what eventually happened to this strong and fascinating woman.

From slave to freedom fighter: that was the long and hard journey taken by Frederick Douglass. Douglass was America’s first great civil rights leader, and he threw off the physical, mental, and legal chains of slavery to become one of America’s greatest champions for human rights. It was said that his life was proof that once black people could read and write about their injustices, they would have the power to end slavery. Frances E. Ruffin explores this inspiring figure in all his complexity, and captures the hardships, prejudice, and violence Douglass endured as he fought for justice. Numerous fascinating illustrations, photos, and engravings show Douglass’s family, abolition meetings, Civil War battles, freed blacks getting their first vote, and more.

With his seemingly impossible escapes and incredible feats of illusion, Harry Houdini lived a life so fantastic that it seems almost too amazing even for fiction. Beyond his on-stage magic, Houdini also made his mark as an airplane pioneer, movie star, and debunker of frauds. His renown extended from his childhood home in Appleton, Wisconsin to Europe to Sydney, Australia. Children will thrill as they read about his seemingly superhuman successes—including when Houdini, hanging by his ankles and wrapped in a straightjacket, managed to free himself in less than three minutes. The biography also delves into Houdini’s impoverished childhood, his close relationship with his family, his start in show business—and how he managed some of his famous tricks.

Tireless worker, skillful negotiator, bold spokesperson for the rights of all mankind: more than a century after her birth, Eleanor Roosevelt remains one of the most admired women the world has ever known. Her development from timid and uncertain young woman to confident, courageous adult capable of dealing with both personal tragedy and public notoriety makes an inspiring story—especially for female readers. Stepping in to keep her husband’s political career alive while he battled the after effects of polio, she ultimately transformed the role of First Lady from figurehead to activist, and set a new standard by which all her successors have been judged.

While traveling with the Corps of Discovery across America's then-uncharted West, Sacagawea-with a baby strapped to her back-endured unimaginable dangers. We know little about her thoughts and feelings, since she left no records of her own, but without her, Lewis and Clark certainly could never have succeeded. Emma Carlson Berne separates truth from legend, and offers some ideas on what eventually happened to this strong and fascinating woman.

At least as far back as the ancient myth of Icarus, humans longed to fly—but it wasn’t until December 17, 1903, on the windy dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, that the dream finally came true. And it was all thanks to Orville and Wilbur Wright, two former bicycle mechanics who built their first toy plane—a rubber-band powered rotary—when they were just children. Find out how the two brothers, working quietly and persistently, ultimately solved the “flying problem” that had grounded so many others; what setbacks they experienced as they developed and improved their machine (including a tragic crash); and what additional “firsts” followed after they triumphantly took to the skies..

A streak of 2,130 consecutive games played. Several World Series wins—including a four-game sweep. An American League single-season batting record that still stands. And that’s only a few of Lou Gehrig’s many achievements. Though illness sapped his strength, it never killed his spirit. Written by one of America’s leading sportswriters, this biography of baseball’s “Iron Horse” will inspire and touch kids as it reveals:- Gehrig’s childhood gymnastic workouts at a special German gym called a turnverein- How his incredible batting ability turned his high school team into a sensation- His lifelong struggle with shyness- The “Great Home Run Derby” with Babe Ruth—perhaps baseball’s most astonishing competition ever- The tragic ailment that ended his career--and life

The tale of the Powhatan princess from the Virginia woodlands is one of the best known and most loved in American history. While myth and legend have clouded some of the details, time has not diminished her bravery, selflessness, and commitment to peace. Nearly four centuries after her death, Pocahontas remains an inspiration, and her story will captivate every young reader.

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.