- Jul 11
How Harriet Tubman Rescued Her Brothers
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Abrams Books for Young Readers
(pub. 1.13.2026)
40 pages
Ages 4 - 8
Author: Glennette Tilley Turner
Illustrator: Laura Freeman
Character: Harriet Tubman
Overview:
"Harriet Tubman was always a keen observer. She learned to use the North Star for a compass, to tell time by the stars, and to find her way by natural signs as well as any hunter could.
She could navigate dense forests, locate waterways in the area, and identify the white Quakers and Black mariners who were willing to help enslaved people escape.
When Tubman first fled north, she knew she might never have another chance to run away. Yet after she arrived safely in the free city of Philadelphia, she risked her own freedom again and again to help other Freedom Seekers―and those she’d had to leave behind.
She never forgot her family in Maryland, and on Christmas Day in 1854, Tubman returned again, hoping to give three of her brothers the best possible gift―the gift of freedom!"
Tantalizing taste:
" But Harriet did not set out blindly. Always a keen observer, she had learned to use the North Star for a compass, to tell time by the stars, and to find her way by natural signs as well as any hunter could. She could navigate dense forests, locate waterways in the area, and identify the white Quakers and black mariners willing to help enslaved people escape."
And something more: The author, Glennette Tilley Turner, shares in the Author's Note: "Although best known for her Underground Railroad work, Harriet Tubman's remarkable accomplishments did not end there. During the Civil War, she served as a nurse, a spy, and a recruiter of soldiers. One night, she planned and led a raid that freed seven hundred enslaved African Americans from plantations on the Combahee river in South Carolina - thus becoming the first woman in American history to lead an armed military operation
- Jul 11
The B. B. King Story
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Greenwillow Books
(HarperCollins)
(pub. 1.27.2026)
40 pages
Ages 4 - 8
Author: Alice Faye Duncan
Illustrator: Carl Joe Williams
Character: B.B. King
Overview:
"At twelve years old, Riley B. King borrowed fifteen dollars from his boss to buy a used guitar. Before long, he was playing his music for jubilant crowds all over the world. Blues Boy chronicles B. B. King’s inspiring journey from his childhood in the Jim Crow South to global stardom. It is a compelling biography about the widely known and celebrated American music figure as well as a beautifully illustrated picture book with themes of family, community, history, kindness, empathy, and justice."
Tantalizing taste:
"When Riley found a spot to play his blues guitar, life in Indianola turned golden as tupelo honey. Every Saturday night beneath a lamppost on the corner of Church and Second Street, he sang blues serenades, soft, slow, and soulful...
After busking on the corner and collecting loads of coins, Riley would look at the moon and remember his mother's words: When you do good and treat folks right, good things will come to you."
And something more: The ABOUT B. B. King section explains: "More than the glitz of fine suits, diamonds, and the spotlight, B. B. King was a humanitarian... B. B. King was an American music icon who served humanity with love, kindness, and joy. As a tower of dignity and strength, he lived in this way to honor himself, his Mississippi roots, and the memory of his mother, Nora Ella King."
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Beach Lane Books
(Simon & Schuster)
(pub. 2.24.2026)
48 pages
Ages 4 - 8
Author: Jane Kurtz
Illustrator: Giselle Potter
Character: Mary Morland
Overview:
"While other little girls were sipping tea perched on their chairs, Mary Morland was given the freedom to spend her time outside exploring. After her mother died, her father sent her to live with a professor who taught Mary how to examine plants, animals, rocks, and fossils. She soaked up all the knowledge she could and captured her discoveries in her journals. Mary continued studying and drawing fossils into adulthood, becoming a prominent fossil hunter whose finds impressed leading scientists of the day.
Eventually, Mary bonded with William Buckland, England’s best fossilist, over their love of paleontology, and the two got married. Together, they introduced the world to Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur that lived on land. At the time, William received credit for their accomplishments while Mary worked from the shadows."
Tantalizing taste:
" In those days, women couldn't vote, couldn't own property, couldn't go to college. Mary did important work for science, but she worked in the shadows.
What did Mary think of that?
She did not write down her reaction.
Neither did anybody else.
But she kept learning and passing her enthusiasms on."
And something more: The author, Jane Kurtz, shares in the Author's Note: "For the most part, this period of putting together dinosaur clues belonged to men. Women weren't allowed to be Fellows in the Geological Society of London. They had to experience the life of science by educating themselves and with the help of male friends and husbands... [Mary's] son became a scientist who wrote with lively humor about all kinds of animals around the world. Frank and his sister Elizabeth are the main reasons we know details of their mother's life and work. Women didn't get to have the spotlight in those days."
