Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies

Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies
by Cokie Roberts, illustrated by Diane Goode
HarperCollins, 2014. 37 pages. Nonfiction

Cokie Roberts, perhaps best known as a political commentator for ABC News and for NPR, has combined with children's illustrator Diane Goode to adapt her bestselling adult nonfiction work, Founding Mothers, for a younger audience. In this volume, Roberts tells the stories of famous female Revolutionary figures, such as Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, and Dolley Madison, but also of less well known women of that time such as Eliza Pinckney who at age sixteen took over the management of three plantations, established indigo as the premier cash crop of South Carolina, and then gave her sons to fight for the new republic. Deborah Read Franklin, Benjamin's wife, was every ounce the patriot he was, and though he was named postmaster general of the United States, she was the one who saw that the mail got through. Many other stars of our early history fill these pages. Roberts' engaging prose and Goode's quill and sepia ink illustrations are just the thing to bring a neglected part of the beginnings of the Republic to life.

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Painting for Peace in Ferguson

Painting for Peace in Ferguson By Carol Swartout Klein Treehouse Publishing Group, 2015. Nonfiction. When the city of Ferguson was overrun with so much hate and despair that homes and businesses had to be boarded up to protect property, citizens of the community decided to bring a message of hope by painting the boarded windows. Klein’s rhyming text supports the photographs of the hundreds of artists and volunteers and their artwork as they bring the messages of peace, hope, love, and that by being united they can make a difference. A great book to show children how a community rallied to make a positive change and that even a small gesture can make a huge difference. A great discussion opener on how we should treat each other.

Dragon Run

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Books to Read... Inspired by Our Summer Reading Theme

I am very excited about the summer reading theme here at the library: Color Our World. From the first moment I heard what the theme was going to be, it has been on my mind, and I noticed I was seeing bright and vibrant colors in so many picture books. Here are a few colorful books that inspired me! I hope you enjoy reading all summer long. How Do You Eat Color? Written by Mabi David Illustrated by Yas Doctor Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025. Picture Book. If you want a book full of vibrant colors, this one will definitely meet your expectations. Bold and eye-catching, the illustrations are a reminder that color is all around us, including in delicious foods that we eat. Even the endpapers are a deep and stunning shade that made me think of summer! I appreciated the tips the author included for why eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is important for all of us. Inventions to Count On Written by Dana Marie Miroballi Illustrated by Sawyer Cloud New Y...

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