Books by Ruby Shamir
What's the Big Deal About First Ladies
by Ruby Shamir
First Ladies are more than just wives of U.S. presidents! This fun, kid-friendly book of trivia and history shows that First Ladies help influence America in ways both large and small.
Did you know that Mary Todd Lincoln hated slavery and helped to end it in America? Or that Edith Wilson helped decode secret messages during World War I? How about that Sarah Polk didn’t let anyone dance in the White House while she was first lady?
It’s true! In addition to being hostesses, advocates, ambassadors, activists, patriots, and role-models, each first lady put her own stamp on the White House—and on our country. In this fun-filled, fact-filled book, you can find out just what made each first lady unique and why they were so important. As it turns out, first ladies are a pretty big deal after all!
This book is perfect for fans of So You Want to be President? and Rad American Women from A-Z:Rebels, Trailbalzers, and Visionaries who Shaped Our History...And Our Future, and is a great entry point to discussing elections, inaugurations, and all aspects of the White House with children.
Praise for What's the Big Deal About First Ladies:
★ "A breezy way to, as Abigail Adams urged, 'remember the ladies.'" --Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"This title does an excellent job of highlighting the important roles that these women played throughout history....A delightful introduction to America’s first ladies for elementary U.S. history collections." --School Library Journal
"Packed with interesting facts and illustrated with style, this upbeat overview of America’s First Ladies will entertain kids intrigued by history." --Booklist
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What's the Big Deal About First Ladies
by Ruby Shamir
In this chapter book filled with fun facts and historical trivia about first ladies, civic-minded young readers learn just how important it is to "Remember the ladies!" and all they have done for America. A perfect way to start a conversation about the White House and the people who live there with young readers.
Did you know that Mary Todd Lincoln hated slavery and helped to end it in America? Or that Edith Wilson helped decode secret messages during World War I? How about that Sarah Polk didn't let anyone dance in the White House while she was first lady?
It's true! In addition to being hostesses, advocates, ambassadors, activists, patriots, and role models, each first lady put her own stamp on the White House--and on our country. In this fun-filled, fact-filled book, you can find out just what made each first lady unique and why they were so important. As it turns out, first ladies are a pretty big deal after all!
This entertaining, fact-filled book, perfect for fans of the Who Was series and Rad American Women from A-Z, is a great entry point to discussing all aspects of the White House with children.
With full-color illustrations throughout and a timeline of first ladies and additional reading resources at the end, this book is a perfect introduction to the amazing first ladies throughout American history.
Copies
No copies available.
She Persisted: Margaret Chase Smith
by Chelsea Clinton, Ruby Shamir
Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Margaret Chase Smith!
In this chapter book biography by award-winning author Ruby Shamir, readers learn about the amazing life of Margaret Chase Smith--and how she persisted.
Margaret Chase Smith liked to help people, and she knew she could do that as a member of Congress. She became the first woman to serve in both the House and the Senate, where she supported the space program and more opportunities for women. Her hard work and success helped pave the way for generations of women after her to run for office!
Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton and a list of ways that readers can follow in Margaret Chase Smith's footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum.
And don’t miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Sonia Sotomayor, Sally Ride, and more!
Praise for She Persisted: Margaret Chase Smith:
"Gives readers excellent reasons to remember this pioneering woman politician." --Kirkus Reviews
"An important addition to the biography section of any library." --School Library Journal
Copies
No copies available.
What's the Big Deal About Freedom
by Ruby Shamir
From the Constitution to abolition, from voting to civil rights, this chapter book for civic-minded young readers filled with fun facts and historical trivia shows how America got the nickname "land of the free." A perfect way to start a conversation about American freedoms with young readers.
It's a "free country"! Why? Because in America we're free to speak our minds, choose our leaders, and set the rules. Since way back when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, Americans have stood up for freedom again and again--but it wasn't always easy!
Did you know that Henry "Box" Brown escaped slavery by shipping himself north in a box? Or that Susan B. Anthony was arrested when she tried to vote? Did you know that even young kids protested for the right to go to school?
This entertaining, fact-filled book, perfect for fans of the Who Was series, is a great way to talk about America, its values, and the rights we all enjoy. It celebrates how, with every generation, more and more Americans won the right to be free. Find out how they did it and why standing up for the "land of the free" is such a big deal!
With full-color illustrations throughout and a timeline of American history and additional reading resources at the end, this book is a perfect introduction to the meaning of freedom in America.
Copies
No copies available.
What's the Big Deal About Freedom
by Ruby Shamir
From the Constitution to civil rights, from women's rights to the four freedoms, this kid-friendly picture book filled with fun facts and historical trivia shows how America got the nickname "land of the free."
It’s a “free country”! Why? Because in America we're free speak our minds, choose our leaders and set the rules. Since way back when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, Americans have stood up for freedom again and again – but it wasn’t always easy!
Did you know that Henry “Box” Brown escaped slavery by shipping himself north in a box? Or that Susan B. Anthony was arrested when she tried to vote? Did you know that even young kids protested for the right to go to school?
This entertaining, fact-filled book celebrates how, with every generation, more and more Americans won the right to be free. Find out how they did it and why standing up for the “land of the free” is such a big deal!
Perfect for fans of The One and Only Declaration of Independence, John, Paul, George & Ben, and Shh! We're Writing the Constitution – and a great way to talk about America, its values, and the rights we all enjoy.
Praise for What's the Big Deal About Freedom:
"Bolstering the upbeat tone of the writing while emphasizing the racial and religious diversity of Americans, the lively watercolor-and-pencil illustrations are consistently engaging and occasionally endearing. A hopeful, idealistic portrayal of freedom in America." --Booklist
"An effective place for children to begin learning about the concept of freedom." --School Library Journal
Copies
No copies available.
What's the Big Deal About Elections
by Ruby Shamir
From campaigns to voting booths, from local elections to national races, this fun and fact-filled book--now in chapter book format!--celebrates the fundamental American idea that "we the people" get to decide who runs the show. A perfect way to start a conversation about American elections with young readers.
Did you know that we have more than ninety thousand state and local governments in the US? Or that Election Day celebrations two hundred years ago featured marching bands and bonfires? How about that George Washington was our only president who ran unopposed?
Elections allow adult citizens the chance to choose how our cities, states, and country are run. Even kids who can't vote yet can make their voices heard by helping the candidates they like get votes! Our elections can seem complicated, but at their core they're all about having a say in our own lives and future. In this fun and fact-filled chapter book, readers learn just how important being an active participant in our democracy can be through one simple message: Elections matter, and we can all play our part.
This entertaining, fact-filled book, perfect for fans of the Who Was series, is a great way to talk about American elections and the fact that we all have a voice and a role to play.
With full-color illustrations throughout and a timeline of American voting rights expansions and additional reading resources at the end, this book is a perfect introduction to the story of elections in America.
Copies
No copies available.
What's the Big Deal About Elections
by Ruby Shamir
From ballots to bonfires, from suffrage to stumping, this kid-friendly picture book filled with fun facts and historical trivia shows why voting is so important and why America gets to call its government a body of, by, and for the people.
Did you know that Election Day is on Tuesday because that was the best day for farmers to vote? Or that George Washington was our only elected president who ran unopposed? Or that Native Americans were only given the right to vote in 1924? It's all true!
We hear a lot about political campaigns on the news, but there's tons to know about elections beyond the politics of each race. Who gets to vote? Who gets to run? What do elected officials do once they're in office--and what do candidates do if they lose? Why do people fight so hard for the right to vote? In this kid-friendly, fact-filled book, young readers will find out how Americans choose their leaders, local and federal, and why elections should matter to them, even if they can't vote (yet)!
Praise for What's the Big Deal About Elections:
"An informative introduction to the importance of voting, and a great choice for group reading choice before election season." --School Library Journal
"An empowering choice." --Kirkus Reviews
"This latest entry into the What's the Big Deal about . . . series is an upbeat discussion starter." --Booklist
Copies
No copies available.
What's the Big Deal About Americans
by Ruby Shamir
From Native American traditions to immigrant inventions, from diversity to democracy, from ice cream cones to apple pie, this picture book is filled with fun facts and historical trivia, celebrating the melting pot and mosaic that is America.
Did you know that the inventor of American cheese actually came from Canada? Or that founding father Benjamin Franklin was inspired to create a democratic society by a confederacy of Native American tribes who came together to stop their constant warring? How about that both "God Bless America" and "White Christmas" were written by Irving Berlin, a Russian Jew who fled to the U.S. because of persecution back home?
People have come to America from many different countries, in many different ways, for many different reasons. Americans have many different beliefs, different languages, and different traditions. But even with all of these differences, America comes together with the understanding that our country and government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people." And there's nothing more American than that.
Copies
No copies available.
What's the Big Deal About Americans
by Ruby Shamir
From Native American traditions to immigrant inventions, from diversity to democracy, from ice cream cones to apple pie, this fun and fact-filled book--now in chapter book format!--celebrates the melting pot and mosaic that is America. A perfect way to start a conversation about America with young readers.
Did you know that the inventor of American cheese actually came from Canada? Or that founding father Benjamin Franklin was inspired to create a democratic society by a confederacy of Native American tribes who came together to stop their constant warring? How about that both "God Bless America" and "White Christmas" were written by Irving Berlin, a Russian Jew who fled to the U.S. because of persecution back home?
This entertaining, fact-filled book, perfect for fans of the Who Was series, is a great way to talk about the idea that people have come to America from many countries, in many ways, for many reasons. Americans have many different beliefs, different languages, and different traditions. But even with all of these differences, America comes together with the understanding that our country and government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people." And there's nothing more American than that.
With full-color illustrations throughout and a timeline of American history and additional reading resources at the end, this book is a perfect introduction to the story of America.
Copies
No copies available.
To the Moon! The True Story of the American Heroes on the Apollo 8 Spaceship
by Jeffrey Kluger, Ruby Shamir
The exciting and inspiring true story of Apollo 8, the first crewed spaceship to break free of the Earth's orbit and reach the moon, by the best-selling author of Apollo 13.
What's more exciting than spaceships and astronauts? How about a spaceship carrying the first astronauts ever to see the moon firsthand--on Christmas!
The year was 1968, and the American people were still reeling from the spacecraft fire that killed the Apollo 1 crew a year earlier. On top of that, there were rumors that the Russian cosmonauts were getting ready to fly around the moon. NASA realized that they needed to take a bold step--and that they needed to take it now. They wanted to win the space race against Russia and hold true to President Kennedy's promise to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. So in a risky move, a few days before Christmas of that year, they sent Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders to the moon!
This book about the exciting and inspiring true story of Apollo 8, the first crewed spaceship to break free of Earth's orbit and reach the moon, tells the story of these three brave men, the frantic rush to get their rocket ready, and the journey that gave the American people--and the world--a new look at the planet we live on and the corner of space we inhabit.
Filled with the science and training required to put a person into space, and every detail of what it's like to live in a spaceship for days on end (including what happens when astronauts need to use the bathroom), this book is sure to leave kids clamoring for a spot on the next mission to outer space.
Copies
No copies available.