Crystal Hubbard – författare

Today, LeBron James is an international superstar who has won four NBA Championships, earned two Olympic gold medals, written books, and starred in blockbuster movies. He has played for the Los Angeles Lakers, the Miami Heat, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and has gained fans across the country as he led each of those three teams to victory. Many basketball lovers consider LeBron James to be one of the greatest players of all time. But how did LeBron come to be 'King James?' Find out all about LeBron's childhood, how he started playing basketball at the age of nine and went on to rule the court in this new book for young readers!

Starting in the 1960s, John Lewis began his activism alongside civil rights legend and good friend Martin Luther King Jr. He participated in many now-historic events, including the 1963 March of Washington, the Freedom Rides, and the Selma to Montgomery marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. John continued his impactful career when he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1986. He went on to serve seventeen terms until his death in 2020. A recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, John Lewis is considered an American hero and an icon of the civil rights movement. Learn about his life of 'good trouble' in this book for young readers.

Read all about about the first Black woman to be elected to Congress in this empowering addition to the Who Was? series.Shirley Chisholm showed interest in politics early on, majoring in sociology at Brooklyn College in New York City. During this time she was awarded for her debate skills, became a champion for inclusion in the Harriet Tubman society, and graduated cum laude. She dedicated much of her career to fighting for the rights of Black people and women, eventually becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress in 1968. Remarkably, Shirley represented New York's 12th district, including the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, from 1969 to 1983. She fought for the rights of the people, becoming a founding member for the National Women’s Political Caucus and advocating for the Equal Rights Amendment. Learn all about Shirley’s life, from her early activism to her presidential candidacy and her lasting political legacy, in this illustrated biography.

Cynthia Erivo fell in love with performing when she was only five years old and sang 'Silent Night' as a solo in a school Christmas play. When she grew up, she trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before beginning her career as a professional actress and singer. Cynthia made her Broadway debut in 2015 as Celie Harris in The Colour Purple. This performance earned her the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. In 2017, she won her first Grammy Award for the cast album of The Colour Purple. Cynthia went on to play Harriet Tubman in the blockbuster film Harriet in 2019. This movie earned Cynthia her first Academy Award nomination as a lead actress. In 2024, Cythia will star as Elphaba in the blockbuster movie muscial Wicked.

How did a six-year-old Black girl become the courageous face of the 1960 civil rights movement? Learn all about the inspiring true story of the civil rights activist Ruby Bridges.Even though the US Supreme Court ruled segregated schools illegal in 1954, it wasn’t until 1960 that school integration began in Louisiana. Many racist communities—especially in the Southern part of the country—held fast to their dream of remaining segregated in all facets of society. Six-year-old Ruby Bridges was about to become one of the first Black children to attend an all-white elementary school following the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. Her white peers boycotted school, and people protested outside the William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana, yelling at Ruby as she walked into school. But Ruby wasn’t afraid. She courageously held her head high, ready to open doors not only for herself, but for Black students across the country.By the time Ruby Bridges graduated high school, all public schools in the US were integrated. Thanks to Ruby’s bravery, education in the United States was forever changed for the better. Today, Ruby is a civil rights activist who inspires children to become the change they want to see in the world.

How did a six-year-old Black girl become the courageous face of the 1960 civil rights movement? Learn all about the inspiring true story of the civil rights activist Ruby Bridges.Even though the US Supreme Court ruled segregated schools illegal in 1954, it wasn’t until 1960 that school integration began in Louisiana. Many racist communities—especially in the Southern part of the country—held fast to their dream of remaining segregated in all facets of society. Six-year-old Ruby Bridges was about to become one of the first Black children to attend an all-white elementary school following the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. Her white peers boycotted school, and people protested outside the William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana, yelling at Ruby as she walked into school. But Ruby wasn’t afraid. She courageously held her head high, ready to open doors not only for herself, but for Black students across the country.By the time Ruby Bridges graduated high school, all public schools in the US were integrated. Thanks to Ruby’s bravery, education in the United States was forever changed for the better. Today, Ruby is a civil rights activist who inspires children to become the change they want to see in the world.

How did a young dancer from California become one of the most famous ballerinas in history? Learn all about Misty Copeland's remarkable journey from choreographing dance routines for her favorite pop songs to dancing as the Firebird.When Misty Copeland began dancing ballet at the age of thirteen, she was told that she was too old. Most kids who wanted to be serious ballerinas had begun at age four or five. She was also told she didn't have the right body for the sport: She was too athletic, not long and lean enough. And, as a biracial child, she was often the only Black person in the studio. Luckily for the world of ballet, Misty wasn't easy to discourage.Soon, she landed the part of Clara in a production of one of the most famous ballets in the world, The Nutcracker. Within a few years, she was being invited to summer programs with the most elite ballet institutions in the country. She had her sights set on her dream: the American Ballet Theatre.Since her first performance, Misty Copeland has portrayed some of the best-known characters in ballet, from Juliet in Romeo and Juliet to Odette in Swan Lake. She has danced iconic performances that brought new fans to her art, like she did as the Firebird. She has trailblazed, becoming the first Black woman to be a principal dancer at ABT. She's even done things no one expected, like appearing in Prince's music videos! By the time she retired from performing in 2025, Misty had become a mother, an advocate for dancers of all body types, and a ballerina like no other.

How did a young dancer from California become one of the most famous ballerinas in history? Learn all about Misty Copeland's remarkable journey from choreographing dance routines for her favorite pop songs to dancing as the Firebird.When Misty Copeland began dancing ballet at the age of thirteen, she was told that she was too old. Most kids who wanted to be serious ballerinas had begun at age four or five. She was also told she didn't have the right body for the sport: She was too athletic, not long and lean enough. And, as a biracial child, she was often the only Black person in the studio. Luckily for the world of ballet, Misty wasn't easy to discourage.Soon, she landed the part of Clara in a production of one of the most famous ballets in the world, The Nutcracker. Within a few years, she was being invited to summer programs with the most elite ballet institutions in the country. She had her sights set on her dream: the American Ballet Theatre.Since her first performance, Misty Copeland has portrayed some of the best-known characters in ballet, from Juliet in Romeo and Juliet to Odette in Swan Lake. She has danced iconic performances that brought new fans to her art, like she did as the Firebird. She has trailblazed, becoming the first Black woman to be a principal dancer at ABT. She's even done things no one expected, like appearing in Prince's music videos! By the time she retired from performing in 2025, Misty had become a mother, an advocate for dancers of all body types, and a ballerina like no other.

Learn all about Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time!Follow Simone Biles's journey from her start as an energetic kid in Texas to her career in multiple Olympics and her groundbreaking mental health advocacy. This book is highly illustrated and full of all the iconic nonfiction details the Who HQ series is known for.