Katherine Johnson
One Step Further
A powerful, non-didactic biography that shows how mathematical precision and quiet determination can literally change the trajectory of human history.
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Little Blacknose: The Story of a Pioneer
by Hildegarde Swift
Picture book · ages 5–8 · 550L · 1929
A gentle pioneer tale from 1929 told through a deer's eyes; charming period piece, but the emotional distance and dated prose keep it from the top tier.
Daniel Boone
by James Daugherty
Picture book · ages 6–10 · 620L · 1971
A vivid, award-winning portrait of Boone's restlessness and skill — Daugherty's illustrations dominate and carry kids through sentences they might otherwise skip.
Hey, Al
by Richard Egielski
Picture book · ages 4–8 · 560L · 1992
Egielski's acid-colored illustrations steal the show, but the story's emotional core—that home and friendship matter more than paradise—actually lands for kids without preaching.