Books by Yona Zeldis McDonough
Who Was Louis Armstrong?
by Who HQ, Yona Zeldis McDonough
If not for a stint in reform school, young Louis Armstrong might never have become a musician. It was a teacher at the Colored Waifs Home who gave him a cornet, promoted him to band leader, and saw talent in the tough kid from the even tougher New Orleans neighborhood called Storyville. But it was Louis Armstrong's own passion and genius that pushed jazz into new and exciting realms with his amazing, improvisational trumpet playing. His seventy-year life spanned a critical time in American music as well as black history.
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Who Was John F. Kennedy?
by Who HQ, Yona Zeldis McDonough
The man who saved the lives of his PT-109 crewmen during WWII and became the 35th president fought-and won-his first battle at the age of two-and-a-half, when he was stricken with scarlet fever. Although his presidency was cut short, our nation's youngest elected leader left an indelible mark on the American consciousness and now is profiled in our Who Was...? series. Included are 100 black-and-white illustrations as well as a timeline that guides readers through this eventful period in history.
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Who Was Sojourner Truth?
by Who HQ, Yona Zeldis McDonough
Almost 100 years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, Sojourner Truth was mistreated by a streetcar conductor. She took him to court--and won! Before she was Sojourner Truth, she was known simply as Belle. Born a slave in New York sometime around 1797, she was later sold and separated from her family. Even after she escaped from slavery, she knew her work was not yet done. She changed her name and traveled, inspiring everyone she met and sharing her story until her death in 1883 at age eighty-six. In this easy-to-read biography, Yona Zeldis McDonough continues to share that remarkable story.
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Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
by Who HQ, Yona Zeldis McDonough
Born in Austria in 1756, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed his first piece of music, a minuet, when he was just five years old! Soon after, he was performing for kings and emperors. Although he died at the young age of thirty-five, Mozart left a legacy of more than 600 works. This fascinating biography charts the musician's extraordinary career and personal life while painting a vivid cultural history of eighteenth-century Europe. Black-and-white illustrations on every spread explore such topics as the history of opera and the evolution of musical instruments. There is also a timeline and a bibliography.
Illustrated by Carrie Robbins.
Cover illustration by Nancy Harrison.
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Who Was Harriet Tubman?
by Who HQ, Yona Zeldis McDonough
Born a slave in Maryland, Harriet Tubman knew first-hand what it meant to be someone's property; she was whipped by owners and almost killed by an overseer. It was from other field hands that she first heard about the Underground Railroad which she travelled by herself north to Philadelphia. Throughout her long life (she died at the age of ninety-two) and long after the Civil War brought an end to slavery, this amazing woman was proof of what just one person can do.
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Who Was Harriet Tubman?
by Who HQ, Yona Zeldis McDonough
Born a slave in Maryland, Harriet Tubman knew first-hand what it meant to be someone's property; she was whipped by owners and almost killed by an overseer. It was from other field hands that she first heard about the Underground Railroad which she travelled by herself north to Philadelphia. Throughout her long life (she died at the age of ninety-two) and long after the Civil War brought an end to slavery, this amazing woman was proof of what just one person can do.
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Who Was Rosa Parks?
by Who HQ, Yona Zeldis McDonough
In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. This seemingly small act triggered civil rights protests across America and earned Rosa Parks the title "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement." This biography has black-and-white illustrations throughout.
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What Was the Underground Railroad?
by Who HQ, Yona Zeldis McDonough
No one knows where the term Underground Railroad came from--there were no trains or tracks, only "conductors" who helped escaping slaves to freedom. Including real stories about "passengers" on the "Railroad," this book chronicles slaves' close calls with bounty hunters, exhausting struggles on the road, and what they sacrificed for freedom. With 80 black-and-white illustrations throughout and a sixteen-page black-and-white photo insert, the Underground Railroad comes alive!
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What Are the Ten Commandments? (What Was?)
by Who HQ, Yona Zeldis McDonough
Learn the story behind the ten laws that have been the guiding light of Judeo-Christian belief.
Not just about Moses, whose origin story leaves open questions, this book looks back at the time when the commandments were written, how the belief in one all-powerful God set the Israelites apart from other ancient peoples, and the roles the Ten Commandments have played in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It also looks at what each individual commandment means and how together they form the basis of leading a moral life as well as forming a just government.
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The Doll Shop Downstairs
Nine-year-old Anna and her sisters love to play with the dolls in their parents' doll repair shop. But when World War I begins, an embargo on German-made goods-including the parts Papa needs to repair the dolls-threatens to put the family's shop out of business. Fortunately, Anna has an idea that just might save the day. Inspired by the true story of Madame Alexander, this is a timeless tale of family and imagination.
This beautiful gift edition of The Doll Shop Downstairs, featuring an eye-catching foil embossed cover, will make a perfect holiday present for dreamers and doll lovers everywhere.
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The Cats in the Doll Shop
When Anna spots a cat in the yard behind her parents' doll shop, she is excited. Then she realizes the cat is about to have kittens--even better! And Anna has something else to look forward to: her cousin Tania is coming from Russia to stay with Anna's family. Anna already has two sisters, but she and Tania are the exact same age--eleven--and she imagines they will get along perfectly. But Tania doesn't respond to Anna's friendly overtures, and her sisters don't seem to like Tania at all. Luckily, Anna finds a creative way to use her love of dolls and cats to bring everyone together.
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Peaceful Protest: The Life of Nelson Mandela
Walk the long road to freedom with Nelson Mandela―one of the 20th century's shining beacons of peaceful protest.
Nelson Mandela is one of the most inspiring figures in modern history. For 27 years he was a "prisoner of conscience"―a civil rights leader unjustly imprisoned for his struggle against apartheid, South Africa's institutionalized racism. Mandela's nonviolent fight for equality for his people rallied the world to his cause, and proved that good will and a positive gathering of nations can indeed topple oppressive governments.
Featuring bold, vibrant art, no other picture book so thoroughly covers Nelson's entire life; from childhood, through his time in prison, to his later years. Mother and daughter Malcah Zeldis and Yona Zeldis McDonough have teamed up to create a moving tribute introducing Nelson Mandela's "long road to freedom" to a new generation―a hero who helped free an entire nation.
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Hammerin' Hank: The Life of Hank Greenberg
Meet one of America's earliest Jewish-American heroes.
The 1930s were a time when "outsiders" were not welcome in Major League Baseball. Henry Benjamin Greenberg began as one of those outsiders, but went on to become one of baseball's greatest right-handed batters.
Hammerin' Hank dominated baseball from 1933 to 1948 and was eventually inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. But Hank Greenberg was more than an amazing athlete. While Jews had been playing baseball since the 1800s, Hammerin' Hank was baseball's first Jewish superstar.
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The Life of Benjamin Franklin: An American Original
The biography of one of America's most important historical figures
Benjamin Franklin is known as a printer, writer, scientist, inventor, and patriot. Franklin helped write the Declaration of Independence, served as a general in the French-Indian War, and held many other luminary positions. In elegant prose and vibrant pictures, Yona Zeldis McDonough and her mother, renowned folk artist Malcah Zeldis, collaborate on the biography of one of America's founding fathers.
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The Doll with the Yellow Star
A tender story about the power of love in the face of loss
Nine-year-old Claudine doesn't want to leave her much-loved home in France to go live in America, not without her parents. But she knows about the shortages, about the yellow stars Jews must wear, and about Adolf Hitler. And she knows that there are some things she needs to do even when she doesn't want to. It's wartime, and there is much that is different now. There are more things that Claudine will lose to this terrible war. But not everything that is lost must be lost forever. Here is a moving story about lost and found lives, and the healing power of love.
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Coffee with Marilyn (Coffee with...Series)
Sex appeal: Monroe had it, all right. And sometimes that’s all people could see: The trouble is being a sex symbol means being a thing.” But she was, in reality, a complex, talented, and troubled woman. You can almost hear Marilyn’s soft, breathy voice rising from these pages as the screen goddess discusses her difficult childhood, feelings of worthlessness, opinions on men, relationships with her co-stars, decision to train with famed acting teacher Lee Strasberg, and turbulent personal life. Gloria Steinem provides her uniquely feminist and sympathetic perspective on Monroe’s persona.
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