Biography & Memoir Audiobooks

The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure

From a real-life derring-do woman, exhilarating stories, activities, and tips to inspire girls to pursue a life of adventure and excitement. Why should girls miss out on the joy of adventure? They can jump off rocks, swing on ropes, and climb trees just as well as boys can. But girls often allow fear to stand in their way. In The Gutsy Girl, author Caroline Paul emboldens girls to seek out a life of exhilaration. Once a young scaredy-cat herself, Caroline decided that fear got in the way of the life she wanted--of excitement, confidence, self-reliance, friendship, and fun. She has since flown planes, rafted big rivers, climbed tall mountains, and fought fires as one of the first female firefighters in San Francisco. In The Gutsy Girl, she shares her greatest escapades as well as those of other girls and women from throughout history, and offers engaging activities such as confidence-building stances, creating a compass, positive self-talk, and using crickets to estimate outside temperatures. Each section includes a place for girls to "journal" their adventures, thus encouraging a new generation to develop a zest for challenges and a healthy relationship to risk. The Gutsy Girl is Lean In for young girls, a book about the glorious things that happen when you unshackle from fear and open up to exhilaration. Fully illustrated and enlivened throughout by bestselling illustrator Wendy MacNaughton's whimsical pen-and-ink drawings. **Please Contact Customer Service for Additional Documents**

Caroline Paul (Author), Tara Sands (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Greatest: Muhammad Ali

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. This was one of the most famous catch-phrases of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. Rising from poverty-stricken Louisville in the 1950s he became one of the world's greatest athletes. Beginning life as Cassius Clay, Ali would struggle against opponents both in and out of the ring. Segregation and racism stood as obstacles in his path, but as he climbed the boxing ranks, his social conscience grew. He refused to be pigeonholed as a stereotypical black athlete in the 1960s and changed his name to Muhammad Ali after converting to Islam. Fighting for social justice even as his brutal profession took its toll on his body and mind, his spirit was never defeated. Best-selling author of the Coretta Scott King Honor book Monster (RB# 96335), Walter Dean Myers pens this inspirational biography of a true champion. Acclaimed narrator JD Jackson adds the perfect voice to this triumphant true story. "... the kind of universal story that needs a writer as talented as Myers to retell it for every generation."-Booklist

Walter Dean Myers (Author), J.D. Jackson (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Golden Thread: A Song for Pete Seeger

With dazzling, lyrical verse in the folk revival style and stunning cut-paper illustrations, Colin Meloy and Nikki McClure pay tribute to Pete Seeger, a visionary who changed the world with song. Pete Seeger once sang that if he had a golden thread, he would use it to weave people from all over the world to one another. That golden thread, for Pete, was music. Born into a family of traveling musicians, Pete picked up his first instrument at age seven. From then on, music was his life, whether he was playing banjo for soldiers during World War II, rallying civil rights activists and war protesters with songs such as "We Shall Overcome," "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?," and "If I Had a Hammer," or leading environmental efforts to clean up the Hudson River. For decades, Pete Seeger's messages of universal understanding and social and environmental justice inspired generations-and have left a lasting legacy.

Colin Meloy (Author), Colin Meloy (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot July 25, 1909

Alice Provensen, Martin Provensen (Author), Stuart Blinder (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science

Before Carl Linnaeus began classifying organisms, before John James Audubon drew birds from the wild, before Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution, there lived a thirteen-year-old girl named Maria Merian who loved to draw bugs. With a keen eye and deft hand, she rendered soft green caterpillars, papery-winged moths, and the dazzling, intricate beauty of the butterflies. But drawing these fascinating creatures wasn't enough for Maria; she wanted to understand their small, mysterious lives. Where did they come from? What did they eat? And perhaps most miraculously of all, was there a connection between creeping caterpillars and beautiful butterflies? With no formal training or university education, Maria Merian took on the role of artist, adventurer, and scientist in seventeenth-century Europe-a time when women were rarely allowed responsibilities outside the home, and unusual interests led to accusations of witchcraft. Her intrepid fieldwork and careful observation helped uncover the truth about metamorphosis and changed the course of science forever. The Newbery Honor-winning author and poet Joyce Sidman masterfully paints a riveting portrait of Maria Merian-the girl who drew butterflies, the woman who has been called the world's first ecologist.

Joyce Sidman (Author), Catherine Ho (Narrator)

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The Founders Unmasked

'Its power to spark important conversations should not be underestimated.' -Booklist 'A powerful series that fills in the cracks and illuminates the shadows of the past.' -Sherri L. Smith, award-winning author of Flygirl '[Jennifer Sabin] does a concise, coherent job of breaking down complicated material … an important title for students and an immensely useful resource for educators.' -School Library Connection 'With material presented chronologically and in straightforward language (with text-embedded glossaries), brief profiles of key players, numerous quotes and sidebars, and fresh details that help readers grasp nuances and understand consequences...the conversation tone is inviting and...encourages thoughtful reflection.' -Booklist Introducing a new nonfiction series for the next generation of activists, uncovering the hidden history of The United States through an anti-racist lens. The true story of the men-and women-surrounding the founding of America. In the summer of 1776, when Thomas Jefferson arrived in Philadelphia to sign the Declaration of Independence, declaring that "all men are created equal," he wasn't alone. With him was Robert Hemings, just one of the many Black people Jefferson enslaved. But who was Robert Hemings? Discover his story and the true history of those who really helped build America. Featuring riveting interviews with historians, including Margaret Kimberley, author of Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents, The Founders Unmasked is a quest for the whole truth: the good and the bad.

Jennifer Sabin (Author), Jennifer Sabin, Julienne Irons (Narrator)

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The Fossil Hunter: How Mary Anning Changed the Science of Prehistoric Life

“This in-depth biography of Mary Anning sings with the passion and perseverance of the woman herself, who from girlhood on scoured the shifting cliffs of her native Dorset to dig out prehistoric mysteries and make sense of them—altering forever our view of the past.” —Joyce Sidman, Newbery Honor winner and Sibert Medal winner A fascinating biography of Mary Anning, the Victorian fossil hunter who changed scientific thinking about prehistoric life and would become one of the most celebrated paleontologists of all time. Perfect for children learning about woman scientists like Ada Lovelace, Jane Goodall, and Katherine Johnson. Mary Anning grew up on the south coast of England in a region rich in fossils. As teenagers, she and her brother Joseph discovered England’s first complete ichthyosaur. Poor and uneducated, Anning would become one of the most celebrated paleontologists ever, though in her time she supported herself selling by fossils and received little formal recognition. Her findings helped shape scientific thinking about extinction and prehistoric life long before Darwin published his famous work on evolution. Fossil Hunter introduces this self-taught scientist, now recognized as one of the greatest fossilists the world has ever known.

Cheryl Blackford (Author), Moira Quirk (Narrator)

Audiobook

The First Conspiracy (Young Reader's Edition): The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington

'[Narrator Scott Brick]...makes the pages come alive. He varies his volume during dramatic moments, at times almost whispering. He also varies his tone, enhancing the drama but never overpowering it...This work is an excellent example of the perfect melding of text and narrator.' - AudioFile Magazine on The First Conspiracy, Earphones Award Winner #1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer unravels the truth behind the secret assassination attempt on George Washington and how the plot helped create the CIA and the FBI in this young listener's adaptation for younger audiences. 1776. The early days of the Revolutionary War. It supposedly began with Thomas Hickey, a private in the Continental Army, and New York governor William Tryon. In an astonishing power grab, they plotted to kill Hickey's boss: a man by the name of George Washington. In the end, Hickey was caught, brought to trial, and found guilty. It would seem he became the first person in the new nation to be executed for treason. But to this day, nobody knows for sure if this story is true. In The First Conspiracy, Brad Meltzer sheds light on the close-kept secrets and compelling details surrounding this story and exposes the history of how the assassination plot catalyzed the creation of the CIA and FBI. This fascinating investigation offers young listeners an in-depth look at the facts and remaining questions that surround this contested historical event.

Brad Meltzer, Josh Mensch (Author), Scott Brick (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Fierce 44: Black Americans Who Shook Up the World

Meet forty-four of America's most impressive heroes in this collective biography of African American figures authored by the team at ESPN's TheUndefeated.com. From visionaries to entrepreneurs, athletes to activists, the Fierce 44 are beacons of brilliance, perseverance, and excellence. Bringing household names like Serena Williams and Harriet Tubman together with lesser-known but highly deserving figures such as Robert Abbott and Dr. Charles Drew, this collection is a celebration of all that African Americans have achieved, despite everything they have had to overcome.

The Staff Of The Undefeated (Author), J. D. Jackson (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Extraordinary Life of Serena Williams

Brought to you by Puffin. The story of a game-changing tennis champion. Serena Williams began playing tennis when she was just a child, and is now an Olympic champion who's won more Grand Slam singles titles than anyone else. Throughout her life she's battled many things, from life-threatening illnesses and sports injuries, to sexism and racism in the tennis world. Now she's an icon in sport, fashion and activism, an inspiration to every young person who has dared to dream big. Extraordinary Lives is a bold, inclusive biography series shining a light on modern and historical figures. Entertaining, accessible and educational, they are the perfect introductions to these amazing people and their achievements. © Shelina Janmohamed 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Shelina Janmohamed (Author), Weruche Opia (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Extraordinary Life of Rosa Parks

Brought to you by Puffin. Rosa Parks, the woman known for refusing to give up her seat on the bus, triggered a great shift in the fight for civil rights. Raised in Alabama, Rosa Parks knew all about the racism of her society from an early age. Discover how she became the brilliant activist we know today, in this book with real-life stories, timelines and facts to bring her extraordinary story to life. Extraordinary Lives is a bold, inclusive biography series shining a light on modern and historical figures. Entertaining, accessible and educational, they are the perfect introductions to these amazing people and their achievements. © Dr Sheila Kanani 2019 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Dr Sheila Kanani (Author), Weruche Opia (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Extraordinary Life of Nelson Mandela

Brought to you by Puffin. The story of the first black president of South Africa. NELSON MANDELA is known for dedicating his life to fighting for equality in South Africa and overthrowing racial segregation. He grew up hearing the elders' stories of his ancestors' fighting in the wars of resistance, and he dreamed of fighting for the freedom of his people. His childhood wish was granted when he became the first black president of South Africa, and an icon for hope, change and equality. Extraordinary Lives is a bold, inclusive biography series shining a light on modern and historical figures. Entertaining, accessible and educational, they are the perfect introductions to these amazing people and their achievements. © E. L. Norry 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

E. L. Norry (Author), Theo Solomon (Narrator)

Audiobook