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
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."
