Doreen Rappaport – författare

This addition to the acclaimed Big Words biography series celebrates Barack Obama: a tireless organizer, a brilliant orator, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and the first Black president of the United States of America.Before he became the president, Barack Obama was a little boy called Barry. Amid a happy childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia, he also yearned for a better understanding of Black history and culture, and a better sense of his own identity as a Black American. Spurred by conversations around race, injustice, and inequality, he became a community organizer, practiced civil rights law, and was elected to the US Senate. "Yes we can!" became a rallying cry for his message of hope and change throughout the 2008 presidential election-which resulted in Barack Obama becoming the first Black president of the United States.This addition to the highly acclaimed Big Words series celebrates one of the most inspiring American leaders of our time. With evocative illustrations by award-winning artist Tonya Engel, Doreen Rappaport's richly detailed narrative employs rousing quotes from Obama himself and encourages young readers to investigate who they are and who they might one day become.Don't miss these other titles in the Big Words series!Ellen Takes Flight: The Life of Astronaut Ellen OchoaRuth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader GinsburgHelen's Big World: The Life of Helen KellerAbe's Honest Words: The Life of Abraham LincolnMartin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Celebrate the groundbreaking life of astronaut and Johnson Space Center director Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina in space, in this latest book in the award-winning Big Words biography series.Young Ellen loved to learn. Encouraged by her mother, she graduated at the top of her high school and college classes, and studied electrical engineering in graduate school. An accomplished engineer by age 30, with three patents to her name, she kept learning and trying new things. When NASA began accepting women and people of color to the astronaut program, Ellen found herself drawn to this exciting and demanding career. On her first mission, she was the only woman aboard the shuttle Discovery and the first Latina to reach outer space. After four space flights, she became the first Latina director of the Johnson Space Center and has received numerous distinctions and awards.This addition to the award-winning Big Words biography series celebrates a STEM pioneer known for her brilliance, persistence, and an intellectual curiosity as infinite as the stars. With dynamic illustrations by Oliver Dominguez, Doreen Rappaport's richly detailed narrative-punctuated with standout quotes from Ellen herself-will inspire a new generation to unravel the mysteries of the universe.

A powerful biography of the dedicated activist, multitalented musician, and influential civil rights leader Coretta Scott King, with illustrations by a Caldecott Honor winner. Young Coretta Scott was a gifted musician, mastering multiple instruments and breaking barriers to study music in college. Yet growing up in 1930s Alabama, she frequently felt the sting of racial injustice and even violence: when public school for Black children ended after sixth grade, when white neighbors burned down her father's house and lumber mill, and when Coretta was denied a student teaching job based on the color of her skin.She met a minister named Martin Luther King, Jr., and the two were drawn together by a shared commitment to serving others and fighting against inequality. Alongside her husband, Coretta became an influential voice in the Civil Rights Movement, holding Freedom Concerts to spread awareness and raise funds, and carrying on a message of peace and nonviolent protest after Martin's assassination. In this inspiring addition to the acclaimed Big Words series, award-winning author Doreen Rappaport masterfully blends narrative with Coretta's own words to share her remarkable story. With powerful illustrations by Caldecott Honoree Cozbi A. Cabrera, Coretta's Song is a superb portrait of a woman whose voice changed America, and the world, forever.Don't miss these other titles in the Big Words series!Beacon of Hope: The Life of Barack ObamaEllen Takes Flight: The Life of Astronaut Ellen OchoaRuth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader GinsburgMartin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Eleanor Roosevelt was raised in a privileged but stern Victorian household, with an affectionate but mostly absent father and a critical mother who made fun of her daughter's looks. Alone and lonely for much of her childhood, Eleanor found solace in books and in the life of her lively and independent mind. Her intellectual gifts and compassionate heart won her the admiration of many friends -- and the love of her future husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. While other young women of her class were spending time at dances and parties, Eleanor devoted her energies to teaching children in New York City's poorest neighborhoods. Later, she became the most socially and politically active -- and controversial -- First Lady America had ever seen. Ambassador, activist, and champion of civil rights, Eleanor Roosevelt changed the soul of America forever.In her eloquent prose, Doreen Rappaport captures the essence of Eleanor's character and the deep significance of her legacy. With beautiful paintings by Gary Kelley and selections from Eleanor's own writings, Eleanor's Big Words is an extraordinary tribute to an extraordinary American.