Special Collections

Brick By Brick

by Charles R. Smith and Floyd Cooper

The compelling true story behind the building of the White House, a powerful part of history rarely taught. From Coretta Scott King Award winners Charles R. Smith Jr. and Floyd Cooper.

The home of the United States president was built by many hands, including those of slaves, who undertook this amazing achievement long before there were machines to do those same jobs.

Stirring and emotional, Floyd Cooper's stunning illustrations bring to life the faces of those who endured hard, brutal work when the profit of their labor was paid to the master, not the slave. The fact that many were able to purchase their freedom after earning money from learning a trade speaks to the strength of those individuals. They created this iconic emblem of America, brick by brick.

Includes an insightful author's note and a list of selected resources.

Date Added: 05/13/2019

Big Red Barn

by Margaret Wise Brown and Felicia Bond

By the big red barn In the great green field, There was a pink pig who was learning to squeal. There were horses and sheep and goats and geese -- and a jaunty old scarecrow leaning on his hoe. And they all lived together by the big red barn. "Brown's melodic text is beguiling, while its subject, the big red barn that houses a menagerie of animals and their offspring, will have instant appeal to young children.

Date Added: 03/13/2019

Benjamin Franklin

by Wil Mara

A brief biography on the life of Benjamin Franklin and his lasting influence on America and Philadelphia. Includes index and Words You Know section that highlights terms and concepts from the text and illustrates them with photographs. Photographs are directly related to the text to encourage independent reading. Grades K-4

Date Added: 03/13/2019

The Barefoot Book of Animal Tales

by Naomi Adler and Amanda Hall

Find out how a monkey gets the better of a crocodile, how an unassuming spider helps her community when all of the stronger animals fail, and how a rabbit is rewarded for making a special sacrifice. Each of the stories in this collection features different animals and each comes from a different culture. Funny, exciting and thought-provoking, Naomi Adler's retellings reflect her mastery of storytelling. Amanda Hall's beautiful and playful illustrations and borders capture the traditional motifs of each culture. The anthology combined with our new Animal Tales Audio Book CD makes a distinctive gift for animal lovers of any age.

Date Added: 05/15/2019

The American Flag

by Lisa M. Herrington

This series celebrates those symbols that have extra-special meaning for our nation. Whether it is a bird, a plane, or a building, these American symbols uniquely encapsulate the ideals held dear in the United States.

Key Features:

A Look Inside feature that includes:
- cutaway illustrations with callouts
- interactive maps with critical-thinking questions
- an in-depth explanation of what the words to The Pledge of Allegiance mean
Fun facts offering fun, sometimes little-known facts about the subject
A timeline that tracks the development of each American symbol
Glossary with pictures

Date Added: 03/14/2019