Books in Time for Kids: Biographies series

Each day was an adventure for President Theodore Roosevelt. When he was a kid, he kept turtles in the bathtub and frogs under his cap. As an adult, he was a cowboy, a river explorer, and a big game hunter. Sometimes he would go on marches through deep puddles and icy rivers -- just for fun! TIME For Kids® Biographies help make a connection between the lives of past heroes and the events of today. When Teddy became president, Americans were looking ahead with excitement to the twentieth century. Teddy's spirit and dreams helped make the United States one of the greatest countries in the world.

As a young boy, Henry Ford was fascinated by technology and how objects worked. His childhood interests led him to leave the Ford family farm in Michigan in search of a career with machinery, and the rest is automotive and economic history.TIME For Kids® Biographies help make a connection between the lives of past heroes and the events of today. Henry Ford made cars affordable, turning them into the primary means of travel for Americans. His innovations, including the assembly line, are still benefiting us today.

Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, the nation's second president. Abigail had strong opinions about war, politics, and the rights of women—and she wasn't shy about expressing them. Few women in her time were as outspoken. Abigail Adams helped mold John Adams's ideas—and so too our history.TIME For Kids® Biographies help make a connection between the lives of past heroes and the events of today. In Abigail's times, women were second-class citizens who were given little education and had few rights. Abigail wanted men and women to have equal rights. Her words have inspired women for centuries, and today many of Abigail's ideas have finally taken hold.

Take a close-up look at Benjamin Franklin, a jack-of-all-trades who served his country well. Interviews with experts and lively writing deliver the accurate reporting you expect from TIME For Kids®. Historical reproductions and contemporary photographs capture the life of this ingenious man and show how he made life better and safer for Americans today.Read about more remarkable Americans:

Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play baseball in the modern major leagues. That may not seem like a big deal today -- but in 1947 it was a very big deal. Until Jackie stepped up to the plate, African Americans couldn't play on most professional sports teams.TIME For Kids® Biographies help make a connection between the lives of past heroes and the events of today. Because of Jackie's courage and perseverance, people of all colors now participate in America's favorite pastime. Jackie worked hard and proved to the world that it's your character and talent -- not the color of your skin -- that really matters.

As a teenage slave, Harriet Tubman stood up to an overseer who was trying to harm another slave. From that time forward, Tubman (above left) fought against unfairness and for what she believed was right. She helped hundreds of African Americans escape on the Underground Railroad.TIME For Kids® Biographies help make a connection between the lives of past heroes and the events of today. Harriet Tubman's courage and ideals have inspired generations of Americans to fight for equal rights and to stand up for their convictions.

Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Leader in Troubled Times Through his fireside chats, Franklin D. Roosevelt changed the way the President interacted with his fellow Americans. He also led our country out of the Great Depression and through World War II, despite his physical disabilities. Readers will be amazed by his courage and his insight in developing Social Security and other innovative programs that still exist today.

Young John F. Kennedywas a mischief maker, but he also had a serious side. He cared about people's problems and, with his words, could easily persuade others to go along with his ideas. As he grew up, Kennedy's family decided that he was meant for great things -- the presidency of the United States.TIME For Kids® Biographies help make a connection between the lives of past heroes and the events of today. Kennedy's desire to help Americans -- and others around the world -- is as important now as it was forty years ago.