Display: Doreen Rappaport

Doreen Rappaport was born in New York City in a home filled with music. Her mother was a singer and her father was a musical arranger. With this musical background, Doreen studied the piano and became a junior high music teacher after graduating from Brandeis University. In 1965 she began teaching in McComb, Mississippi and realized that there was a large part of American history which she had never really understood. Doreen began to write books about people's struggles against oppression to bring light to less well known parts of history. She is now the award-winning author of over 60 children's books which celebrate the lives of those who have overcome hard things to make an impact on the world.

Walt's imagination: the life of Walt Disney
Written by Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by John Pomeroy
From his childhood in rural Missouri to his legendary stature as a film and television icon, Walt governed his life with imagination, ingenuity, and scrupulous attention to detail. Faced with both public failures and massive success, he revolutionized the art form of animation, always seeking innovative solutions, cutting edge technology, and new ways of storytelling. A picture-book biography that introduces the life and career of Walt Disney.

Frederick's journey: the life of Frederick Douglass
Written by Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by London Ladd
Sketches Frederick Douglass's journey from slavery to international renown as writer and lecturer.

Wilma's way home: the life of Wilma Mankiller
Written by Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by Linda Kukuk
A picturebook biography of Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation.

Elizabeth started all the trouble
Written by Doreen Rapppaport
Illustrated by Matt Faulkner
The story of women across the nation who stood together and demanded equal rights, including the right to vote, brought to life by Matt Falkner's vibrant illustrations.

Martin's Big words: the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Written by Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by Bryan Collier
This picture book biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Brings his life and the profound nature of his message to young children through his own words. Martin Luther King, Jr. , Was one of the most influential and gifted speakers of all time. Doreen Rappaport uses quotes from some of his most beloved speeches to tell the story of his life and his work in a simple, direct way. Bryan Collier's stunning collage art combines remarkable watercolor paintings with vibrant patterns and textures.

Helen's big world: the life of Helen Keller
Written by Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by Matt Tavares
An introduction to the life and legacy of Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan.

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Review: Faker

Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...

Review: The Bletchley Riddle

The Bletchley Riddle By Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2024. Fiction. 392 pages. It's spring of 1940, Hitler has swept through most of Europe, and people believe England will be next. Half Polish-Jewish, half American Jakob has been recruited from Cambridge to Bletchley Park where they are working on deciphering the enigma machine. Jakob's sister Lizzie, meanwhile, is being forced to move from London to Cleveland to live with her grandmother after her mother disappeared in a 1939 attack in Poland. Lizzie manages to escape the keeper her grandmother sent for her to bring her to America and makes her way to Bletchley, where she's eventually given the task of delivering messages between departments. When secret messages begin appearing with Lizzie's belongings, she must decipher them to find the truth about her mother's past and location, while keeping the secrets away from the MI5 agent that seems a little t...

Dragon Run

Dragon Run by Patrick Matthews Scholastic, 2013. 336 pgs. Fantasy Al Pilgrommor is excited for Testing Day, when he will receive his rank, a tattooed number on the back of his neck, and a path forward to his future occupation and life. He feels confident because his parents were fours on a scale of seven, but he is worried for his friend Wisp who doesn't have much of a chance of scoring above a two at best. But when Al is scored a zero, he not only has no prospects, he may lose his life as the dreaded Cullers are unleashed to kill him and his family to purify the land's bloodlines. Al's world is ruled by dragons--the lords and supposed creators of humankind--so he thinks that even if he survives, he will have to make his living as a beggar or thief. But when Al sticks up for his Earther friend in front of Magister Ludi, he is drawn into the struggle of a secret organization hoping to destroy the Cullers, and perhaps the dragons them...

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