Mahalia Jackson: The Voice of Gospel and Civil Rights
Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2003

As a child growing up in New Orleans, Mahalia Jackson was surrounded by music -- blues, jazz, and the hymns of her church. All of these influences became part of her unique style of gospel music. She sang gospel when people said it would not sell, and she made it popular. Jackson was also involved in the civil rights movement, hoping that her music would help to unite the races. And it did. "When she finished singing, there was no hatred," one observer noted. Her unique singing style won her fans throughout the world, and her music continues to lift the spirits of people and attract new listeners.

Selected for inclusion in the list of Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People for 2004.

George Washington Carver: Scientist and Inventor
Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2002

George Washington Carver spent his life asking questions and looking for the answers. As a teacher at the famed Tuskegee Institute, Carver gained a reputation as the farmers' best friend. He taught them about crop rotation: growing peanuts and planting sweet potatoes to "rest" their soil between cotton crops. And what could they do with all those peanuts? Carver developed more than three hundred peanut-based products -- from milk to printers' ink -- and more than one hundred ways to use sweet potatoes. Some of Carver's actual recipes are included in in the book along with stories and quotes that bring "The Peanut Man" to life.

Tom Hanks: Superstar
Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2001

Tom Hanks began his acting career performing on stage in Shakespearean plays. He then spent two seasons playing a man who spent much of his time dressed as a woman as the co-star of the television comedy, Bosom Buddies. In films, he has played the roles of a man who falls in love with a mermaid and a twelve-year-old boy trapped in a man's body. He has been a washed-up baseball player who becomes the manager of a women's baseball team and a lonely widower who finds romance at the top of the Empire State Building. He has traveled into space and leaped into a flaming volcano. Tom Hanks: Superstar tells the story of a little boy with an unsettled life who found an identity as a funny kid. Hanks did not dream of stardom, but his talent and energy propelled him upward. In real life, Hanks says, he is an ordinary guy. But on-screen, in films including Splash, Big, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Toy Story, and The Green Mile, Tom Hanks has proved that he is a risk-taker -- and a big winner.

Madeleine Albright: First Woman Secretary of State
Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2000

"Who would have thought that a girl who arrived from Czechoslovakia at age eleven could become secretary of state of the most powerful country in the world?" said Madeleine Albright in 1997. That year, Albright became the highest-ranking woman in government in the history of the United States. The book covers her life from a child in war-torn Europe, to a young immigrant intent on becoming a typical American teenager, to a mother with a passion for politics, to an outspoken, tell-it-like-it-is diplomat dedicated to human rights and democracy.

Tipper Gore: Activist, Author, Photographer
Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1999

As a congressional wife in the seventies, Tipper Gore helped to draw attention to issues like violence on television. In the eighties, her campaign for a music rating system led to consumer warning labels for popular music recordings. As second lady of the United States she used her energy and influence to bring attention to issues such as homelessness, children's health, education, and mental health, and she continues to work for improvements in those areas. She has also won distinction as an author and photographer.

Ron Howard: Child Star & Hollywood Director
Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1999

Ron Howard rose to fame as young Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show. Later, he drew even more fans in his role as Richie Cunningham on Happy Days. But even as a child, his dream was to one day become a film director. Ron Howard: Child Star & Hollywood Director is a behind the scenes look at Howard the child star, the private family man, and the well-loved movie director and producer. Howard has proven that a child star can grow up to become a happy and successful adult.

Selected for the 1999 Books for the Teen Age list by the New York Public Library.

Neil Armstrong: The First Man on the Moon
Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1997

"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." These famous words were spoken by Apollo II commander Neil Armstrong on July 20, 1969, as he became the first person to walk on the moon. On that day Armstrong experienced one of the great moments in human history and the high point in his long career as a pilot and NASA astronaut. Neil Armstrong: The First Man on the Moon explores the life and accomplishments of this inspiring, but very private, American hero.

Toni Morrison: Nobel Prize-Winning Author
Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1996

Reading and storytelling were an important part of Toni Morrison's childhood, but she did not begin writing until she was an adult. With the publication of her first novel, Morrison knew that writing was something she would never give up. "I wasn't able to stop," she said. As a working mother, Morrison learned to successfully juggle her writing career and other jobs with raising her two sons. The author of such notable works as Beloved, Song of Solomon, Sula, and Jazz, Morrison expresses the beauty of African-American history, cultural beliefs, and folklore in her writing.

Selected for Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies for 1997.

Amy Tan: Author of The Joy Luck Club
Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1996

When The Joy Luck Club hit The New York Times bestseller list, Amy Tan was thrust into the spotlight. Her novel about the lives and experiences of four Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-born daughters touched the hearts of readers around the world. Herself the daughter of Chinese immigrants, Tan denied her heritage as a child and was often uncomfortable with her parents' customs and traditions. As an adult, however, she grew to embrace her Chinese culture and used it extensively in her writing. From her childhood in northern California, through her early career as a business writer, to her continuing success as an author, Amy Tan has always been hard-working and creative. Her writing continues to touch the hearts of millions of readers throughout the world.

Selected for the 1997 Books for the Teen Age list by the New York Public Library.

Alice Walker: Author of The Color Purple
Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1995

In 1983, author Alice Walker became the first African-American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, for her novel The Color Purple. Walker's fame became even more widespread when her novel was made into a movie directed by Steven Spielberg.

Since her childhood in Georgia, Walker has always felt compelled to write what she feels needs to be said. Often, she writes about the oppression and triumphs of her characters, usually African-American women. Walker is an author and poet whose works continue to touch the hearts and consciences of millions.