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Books Set in the Mid-Atlantic Region
Many Guild members live in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Not surprisingly, the history, people, and details of these places--and the surrounding mid-Atlantic region--have provided rich inspiration for our fiction and nonfiction. We are delighted to share this list with teachers, librarians, media specialists, parents, grandparents--in short, all those bringing together young people and books. We hope you find it helpful.
Frequently asked questions
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Children (Ages 2 to 7)
Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad by Pamela Duncan Edwards, illus. by Henry Cole. Picture book fiction, 5-8. Animals witness a pair of bare feet of a runaway slave running through the woods. Unwittingly, the animals help with the escape. Set on Eastern Shore of Maryland. (Starred Review, School Library Journal) [HarperCollins 1997; ISBN 006027137 $14.95]
Beddy Bye in the Bay by Priscilla Cummings, illus. by Marcy Dunn Ramsey. Fiction, 6 and under. How the animals of the Chesapake Bay go to sleep, each in its own special way. [Schiffer Publishing 2010, ISBN 978-7643-3450-4 $14.99]
Chesapeake ABC by Priscilla Cummings, illus. by David Aiken. Fiction, 2 to 7. A is for an anchor,/B for boat and Bay./Come and learn the alphabet./Have fun--the Chesapeake Way! [Tidewater 2000; ISBN hdbk. 0-87033-525-1 $11.95]
Chesapeake Rainbow by Priscilla Cummings, illus. by David Aiken. Picture book. A companion book to Chesapeake ABC and Chesapeake 1-2-3. Chesapeake Rainbow helps young readers learn their colors the Chesapeake way. [Tidewater 2004; ISBN hdbk. 0-87033-556-1 $11.95.]
On the Way to the Beach written and illustrated by Henry Cole. Fiction, 2 to 7. A visit to a beach on the Eastern Shore brings encounters with various creatures of nature. Flaps fold out to reveal the plants and animals of each two-page spread. (2004 Outstanding Science Trade Books) [Greenwillow 2003; hdbk ISBN 0-688-17515-5 $15.99]
Older Readers (Ages 8 and up)
Alicia Afterimage by Lulu Delacre. Memoir, age 13 and up. Alicia is a junior in high school, The Driver, a senior. On their way home from the movies, he loses control of the car and crashes. She dies instantly. He survives. Alicia's friends struggle to cope. A story of loss and recovery set in Montgomery County. (Honor Book, Society of School Librarians International) [Lee & Low Books 2008; hdbk ISBN 9781600602429 $19.95]
Alice Series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Fiction, 9-14. We watch an appealing teenage girl mature in realistic situations with family and friends in a projected series of 28 books. Set in Silver Spring. Titles include Agony of Alice (1985; ALA Notable), Alice the Brave (1995), and Alice Alone (2001). [Atheneum; ISBN's hdbk., respectively, 0-689-31143-5, 0-689-80095-9, 0-689-82634-6, each $16. ISBN's pbk., respectively, for first two titles, 0-689-81672-3, 0-689-80598-5, each $3.99]
Anna All Year Round by Mary Downing Hahn. Historic fiction, 9-12. The stories, everyday experiences, and emotional development of 8-year-old Anna, based on childhood memories of the author's mother growing up in Baltimore, circa 1915. [Houghton Mifflin 1999; ISBN hdbk. 0395869757 $15, pbk. 038073317X $4.95]
Anna on the Farm by Mary Downing Hahn. Historic fiction, 9-12. A sequel to Anna All Year Round set just before WWI, Anna spends a week on her uncle's farm until Theodore calls her a "city slicker" and challenges her to prove herself. [Clarion 2001; ISBN hdbk. 0-618-03605-9 $15]
As Ever, Gordy by Mary Downing Hahn. Historic fiction, 10-13. A sequel to Stepping on the Cracks (1991) and Following my own Footsteps (1996), eighth grader Gordy must move back to the Maryland town he hates and step away from his past behavior. [Houghton Mifflin 1998; ISBN hdbk. 0-395-83627-1 $15]
Autumn Journey by Priscilla Cummings. Fiction, 9 and up. A coming-of-age story about 11-year-old Will Newcomb who shoots a Canada goose on his first hunting trip, then nurses the injured bird back to health. Specific settings: Baltimore, Eastern Shore. (ABA Pick of the List) [Dutton 1997; ISBN hdbk. 0-525-65238-8 $14.99]
The Biggest (and Best) Flag That Ever Flew by Rebecca Jones, illus. by Charles Geer. Nonfiction, 5-10. Caroline Pickersgill (of Baltimore's Flag House) helps her mother make the flag that flew over Fort McHenry and inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner." [Tidewater 1988; ISBN hdbk. 0-87033-440-9 $8.95]
Blindsided by Priscilla Cummings. Fiction, 10 and up. After years of failing eyesight, fourteen-year-old Natalie, who lives on a goat farm in Western Maryland, reluctantly enters a school for the blind in Baltimore. There, in spite of her reluctance, she learns the skills that will help her survive in the sighted world. [Dutton 2010; ISBN 978-0-525-42161-0, $16.99]
The Boy Who Saved the Town by Brenda Seabrooke, illus. by Howard Burns. Historic fiction, 4-10. In the War of 1812 a boy helps save the town of St. Michaels from an attack by a British ship. [Tidewater 1990; ISBN hdbk. 0-87033-405-0 $9.95]
Brothers at War by Margaret Blair. Fiction, ages 8 and up. Two teenage boys, the Henry Brothers, reenacting the Civil War time travel through the medium of old-time photography back to Maryland's Battle of Antietam, where they fight on opposite sides; their friend Sarah Singleton joins up with Nurse Clara Burton. [White Mane 1997; ISBN pbk. 1-57249-049-7 $7.95]
Captain John Smith's Big and Beautiful Bay by Rebecca C. Jones, illus. by Linda Shute. Nonfiction, ages 7 to 11. True story of Captain John Smith's amazing adventures in exploring the Chesapeake Bay. [Schiffer 2011; ISBN hbk:978-0-7643-3869-4 $14.99]
Captain Kate by Carolyn Reeder. Historical fiction, 8 and up. Kate and Seth, 12-year-old stepsibs and rivals, must learn to work together while they contend with Confederate raiders and the rigors of their journey down the C&O Canal from Cumberland to Georgetown. [Children's Literature reprint 2002; ISBN pbk. 1-890920-14-2 $6.50]
Chadwick the Crab Series by Priscilla Cummings, illus. by A.R. Cohen. Fiction, 4-11. Chadwick the Crab and his Chesapeake Bay buddies find fame, fight pollution, and help their endangered friends in this five-book series, which includes Chadwick the Crab (1986), Chadwick and the Garplegrungen (1987), and Chadwick Forever (1993). [Tidewater; ISBN's hdbk., respectively, 0-87033-347-X; 0-87033-377-1; 0-87033-450-6, each $8.95]
The Chester Town Tea Party by Brenda Seabrooke, illus. by Nancy Coates Smith. Historic fiction, 4-10. When Amanda follows her brother on May 23, 1774, she becomes a surprised secret participant in the tea party staged by Chester Town in sympathy for the city of Boston being punished by the British for its tea party. [Tidewater 1991; ISBN pbk. 0-87033-422-0 $8.95]
Corey's Story: Her Family's Secret by Elisa Carbone, illus. by Sally J.K. Davies. Twelve-year-old Corey copes with her father's alcoholism until she and her mother find a way to help that they never would have dreamed of. Set in Montgomery County and Washington, DC. (Benjamin Franklin Award Finalist) [Waterfront 1997; ISBN pbk. 0-914525-30-1 $8.95]
Countdown: 1962, Book One of the Sixties Trilogy by Deborah Wiles. Fiction, ages 10 and up. It's 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. All 11-year-old Franny wants is some peace. She lives in Camp Springs, Maryland, next door to Andrews Air Force Base, where her father is chief of safety for the 89th MAW. Her teacher has been ignoring her. Her crush may be crushing on someone else. Her best friend is ditching her. Her big sister is keeping secrets. And one last thing: The world may be coming to an end! [Scholastic Press 2010, ISBN-10: 05456052 $17.99]
Counties of Northern Maryland, The,by Patricia D'Amario and Elaine Bunting. Nonfiction, 8 and up. Resource book devoted to the region's geography, environment, growth and development, history, and fascinating "folks." Features Frederick, Carroll, Baltimore, and Harford counties. [Tidewater 2001; ISBN 0-87033-520-0 $19.95]
Cassie Was Here, by Caroline Hickey. Fiction, 9-12. Eleven-year-old Bree is desperately lonely after moving to Baltimore, MD one summer, and to relieve her boredom she revives her old imaginary friend, Joey. Then she meets Cassie, a cool and pretty older neighbor and she thinks she's found the perfect new friend. But Cassie's behavior, friendly one minute, chilly the next, is confusing. Is Cassie the user she appears to be? Will Bree ever find a real friend as loyal and trustworthy as Joey? [Roaring Brook 2007; ISBN 1-596-43205-5 $16.95]
A Face First,by Priscilla Cummings. Fiction, 10 and up. Seriously burned in an automobile accident, 12-year-old Kelley Brennan must learn to accept that she will never look the same. Set in Baltimore and Stevensville on Kent Island. (School Library Journal starred review) [Dutton 2001; ISBN hdbk. 0-525-46522-7 $16.99]
The Grand Plan to Fix Everything, by Uma Krishnaswami, illustrated by Abigail Halpin. Fiction, 8-12. Dini moves to India and leaves her best friend Maddie behind in Takoma Park, MD. The pair manage to scheme, plan, dream big dreams, and stay connected across the miles. Featuring Bollywood dancing, postal mishaps, monkeys, and chocolate. [Atheneum, 2011; ISBN 978-1-4169-9589-0 $16.99]
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson. Fiction, 10 and up. An angry foster child learns to care for an unusual family. Also contains details of Virginia. (National Book Award) [Crowell/HarperCollins 1978; ISBN hdbk. 0-690-03837-2 $15.95, pbk. 0-06-440201-0 $5.95]
Isabelle's Boyfriend, by Caroline Hickey. Fiction, ages 11-14. High school is hard enough without wondering how to steal your classmate's boyfriend. A student at an all girls school in Baltimore, MD, fifteen-year-old Taryn tries her best to make it happen. But a series of events, mishaps and surprise double-dates keeps putting her target farther from her reach. Will Taryn be able to land her dream guy? Or will she end up friends with his girlfriend instead? [Roaring Brook, 2008, ISBN 1-596-43413-9]
Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson. Historic fiction, 12 and up. Set on an island in the Chesapeake Bay, this tells of a jealous twin who must find both herself and an understanding of her sister. Also contains details of Virginia. (Newbery Medal) [Crowell/HarperCollins 1980; ISBN hdbk. 0-690-04078-4 $15.95, pbk. 0-06-440368-8 $5.95]
John Smith Escapes Again! written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer. Non-fiction/Biography/Historical/Picture Book, 7-14. John Smith, the man rescued by Pocahontas, was also America’s first superstar! An explorer, adventurer, writer, and fighter, his amazing life included a whole series of impossibly daring escapes from slavery, attacks by ruthless sea pirates, ambush by Indians, and more. [National Geographic Society 2006; 64 Pages; ISBN hdbk. 0-7922-5930-0, $16.95; ISBN LB 0-7922-5931-9]
Joseph Schwartz's Story by Carolyn Reeder. Historical fiction, 10 and up. Set in Baltimore at the time of the Pratt Street riot. As the Civil War begins, fourteen-year-old Joseph, a scholarship student, tries to hide his support for the Union from his rich classmates who hope Maryland will secede. [Children's Literature reprint, 2003; ISBN pbk. 798-1-890920-16-6 $6.95]
Journey Back, The by Priscilla Cummings. Fiction, ages 10 and up. Fourteen-year-old Digger makes a bold escape from the juvenile detention center in western Maryland where he is serving ten months and hides out along the C&O Canal path. But what is he really running from? And how will he come to terms with his troubled past? Companion book to Red Kayak. [Dutton Children's Books 2012; ISBN: 978-0-525-42362-1, $16.99. Also available as an ebook.]
Maryland (Seeds of a Nation Series) by Debbie Levy. Illustrated nonfiction, 8 and up. Read about Maryland’s early history, from the rise of the Algonquians, through European exploration and settlement, to statehood. [KidHaven Press/Thomson Gale 2004; ISBN 0-7377-1447-6 $20.96]
Molly Bannaky by Alice McGill, illus. by Chris Soentpiet. Biography, 7 and up. After serving seven years as an indentured servant, a young Englishwoman buys a slave, marries him, and becomes the grandmother of Benjamin Banneker. Set in Oella/Ellicott City. (ALA Notable) [Houghton Mifflin 1999; ISBN hdbk. 0-395-7228X $16]
Oyster Moon by Margaret Meacham, illus. by Marcy Dunn Ramsey. Historic fiction, 8-12. This exciting blend of mystery and history is set on the Eastern Shore in the late 1800s during the tumultuous oyster wars. [Tidewater 1996; ISBN pbk. 0-87033-459-X $9.95]
Pack, The,by Elisa Carbone. Contemporary YA fiction, ages 12 and up. A group of friends, an act of school violence in the making . . . how far will it all go? Set in and around the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. (A Junior Library Guild selection). [Viking 2003; 0670036196 hbk $15.99]
Park's Quest by Katherine Paterson. Fiction, 10 and up. In seeking to know his father who was killed in Vietnam, a boy's fantasy life is played out in reality. Also contains details of Washington, D.C., and Virginia. (IRA-CBC Children's Choice) [Lodestar/Econo-Clad 1989; ISBN hdbk. 0-525-67258-3 $11.10, pbk. 0-14-034262-1 $4.99]
Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings. Contemporary young adult fiction, 10 and up. Brady Parks, the 13-year-old son of a Chesapeake Bay waterman, struggles to do the right thing when he discovers two of his friends have sabotaged a kayak with tragic results. [Dutton Chidren's Books 2004; ISBN hdbk 0-525-47317-3 $15.99]
Sarah and the Naked Truth by Elisa Carbone. Fiction, 8 and up. Sarah wonders about the secret her new friend Olivia is hiding, and when she discovers Olivia has an artificial leg, Sarah learns something about the courage to be one's self, about disability, and about friendship. Set in Montgomery County. (ABA Kids Pick of the List) [Knopf 2000; ISBN hdbk. 0-375-80264-9, $15.95]
Secret of Heron Creek by Margaret Meacham, illus. by Lynne Lockhart. Fiction, 8-12. William befriends Chessie the Chesapeake Bay Sea Monster and attempts to save her when she is kidnapped by the evil Mr. Harrigan. [Tidewater 1991; ISBN pbk. 0-87033-414-X $7.95]
Starting School With an Enemy by Elisa Carbone. Fiction, 8 and up. Spunky Sarah deals with a school bully and learns that sometimes it takes more courage not to fight than to fight. Set in Montgomery County. (Children's Literature Choice List) [Knopf 1998; ISBN hdbk. 0-679-88639-7 $16, pbk. 0-679-88640-0 $4.99]
Stealing Freedom by Elisa Carbone. Historic fiction, 8 and up. Based on the true story of Ann Maria Weems and her courageous escape from slavery in Rockville to weeks of hiding in Washington, DC, and finally on to freedom in Canada. (ALA Best Book for Young Adults) [Knopf 1998; ISBN hdbk. 0-679-89307-5 $17, pbk. 0-440-41707-4 $5.50]
Stepping on the Cracks by Mary Downing Hahn. Historic fiction, 9-12. Set during World War II, this tells the story of two girls dealing with the war, the town bully Gordy Smith, and his brother Stu, a deserter that Gordy is hiding in the woods. The sequel, As Ever, Gordy, was published in 1998. Specific setting: Prince Georges County, College Park. (Scott O'Dell Award) [Clarion 1991; ISBN hdbk. 0-395-58507-4 $16, pbk. 0380719002 $4.95]
Tiny Infinities by J.H. Diehl. Fiction. Ages 10 & up. A middle school coming-of-age story about a determined member of a summer swim team, set in the MD suburbs, with a S.T.E.M. focus on math and the science of fireflies, and themes of mental health, family, friendship, and love. [Chronicle Books 2018; ISBN 978-1-4521-6335-2 $16.99]
Toulouse: The Story of a Canada Goose by Priscilla Cummings, illus. by A.R. Cohen. Fiction, 4-11. Toulouse the Canada Goose is separated from his family on his first fall migration from Quebec to Maryland and finds his way with a lost snow goose. Set in Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore. [Tidewater 1995; ISBN hdbk. 0-87033-460-3 $9.95]
SEE ALSO: The Mystery of Mary Surratt, by Rebecca Jones: also in WASHINGTON, DC.
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Children (Ages 2 to 7)
Jo MacDonald Nature series by Mary Quattlebaum, illus. by Laura J. Bryant. Playful science, ages 1-7. Children learn about the wild animals and plants of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states in three eco-friendly books--Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond, Jo MacDonald Had a Garden, and Jo MacDonald Walked the Woods (forthcoming). Connects with core standards on preschool/elementary science; includes educational back matter for parents and teachers. (National Parenting Publications Gold Award, SIBA Picture Book Award) [Dawn 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively; ISBN pbk. 978-1-58469-151-8 and 978-1-58469-165-5, each $8.95]
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Children (Ages 2 to 7)
New York, New York, The Big Apple from A to Z, by Laura Krauss Melmed, illus. by Frané Lessac. Non-fiction, 4-9. Lively, informative verse and fascinating details about the many neighborhoods and historic places of New York are accompanied by Lessac's vibrant folk-art paintings. [HarperCollins 2005; ISBN 0-06-054874-6 $16.99]
Older Readers (Ages 8 and up)
Jerry on the Line, by Brenda Seabrooke, Fiction, ages 6-9. A latchkey kid, Jerry loves playing soccer with his friends on a vacant lot in New York City until his game is complicated by a little girl who is afraid of bears. Shortlisted for Sequoia, Maryland and West Virginia Awards (An Authors Guild Backinprint.com Edition, iUniverse)
Night Tourist, The by Katherine Marsh. Fiction, ages 10 and up. Jack finds a secret entrance beneath Grand Central Terminal to the Greek mythological underworld, where he befriends a girl with a complicated past. (Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery.) [Hyperion Books for Children 2007; ISBN pbk. 978-142310690-6 $6.99]
Prisoner for Liberty by Marty Rhodes Figley, illus. by Craig Orback. Historical Fiction, grades 2-4. Celebrates the bravery of Pennsylvanian James Forten, an African-American teen who survives incarceration on the Infamous prison-ship Jersey, docked in Brooklyn Harbor, during the Revolutionary War. [Millbrook Press, 2008; ISBN pbk. 0-8225-9022-0 $6.95]
Prison-Ship Adventures of James Forten, Revolutionary War Captive, The, by Marty Rhodes Figley, illus. by Ted Hammond, Richard Pimentel Carbajal. Graphic Novel, grades 3-5. Celebrates the bravery of Pennsylvanian James Forten, an African-American teen who survives incarceration on the Infamous prison-ship Jersey, docked in Brooklyn Harbor, during the Revolutionary War. [Graphic Universe 2011; ISBN pbk. 0-7613-7075-7 $9.95]
Starting Home: The Story of Horace Pippin, by Mary E. Lyons, ages 11-14. Biography. Illustrated with Pippin's paintings, this biography relates his childhood in Goshen, New York, and traces his life through autobiographical works he created while living in West Chester, Pennsylvania, after he was wounded in World War I. (National Council for the Social Studies Carter G. Woodson Elementary Award) [Scribner, 1993; ISBN 0-684-19534-8]Twilight Prisoner, The, by Katherine Marsh. Fiction, ages 10 and up. More adventures with Jack and his friends in the mythological underworld beneath Manhattan. A sequel to The Night Tourist. [Hyperion Books for Children 2009; ISBN 978-142310694-4 $7.20]
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Older Readers (Ages 8 and up)
Ghosts of Laurelford, The, by Margaret Meacham. YA. This historical mystery is set in the Laurel Mountains in Pennsylvania in 1919, and is the story of sixteen-year-old suffragette Lacey Gillespie. When Lacey accompanies her grandfather, a retired detective, to the Laurelford Mansion, she meets a young Mademoiselle Matilde, a young medium, and is drawn into a decades-old mystery that surrounds the mansion and threatens to resurface. Sunbury Press, 2012
Not Exactly Nashville by Betsy Kuhn. Fiction, Grades 2-6. Ellen and Valery spend summer in small-town Pennsylvania plotting their fledgling country music careers. [Delacorte Press, 1998, ISBN: 0385325894]
Poison Place, The by Mary E. Lyons. 11-14. Fiction. Set in Philadelphia in what is now Independence Hall, this historical novel is based on the life of Moses Williams, the first African-American professional artist in the United States. (New York Public Library, Best Books for the Teen Age) [Aladdin pbk, 1999. ISBN: 0-689-82678-8]
Saving the Liberty Bell by Marty Rhodes Figley, illus. by Kevin Lepp. Historical Fiction, grades 2-4. Dramatic narrative tells how 11-year-old Johnny Mickley and his father save the Liberty Bell from destruction by the British during the Revolutionary War. [Carolrhoda, 2005; ISBN pbk. 1-57505-696-8 $6.99]
Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation by Jacqueline Jules. Unite or Die traces the challenges, conflicts, and compromises during the Constitutional Convention at Independence Hall in Philadelphia that shaped the living document we call the United States Constitution. (Library of Virginia Cardozo Award) [Charlesbridge 2009; ISBN pbk. 978-1-58089-190-5 $7.95]
Who Was William Penn?: And Other Questions About the Founding of Pennsylvania by Marty Rhodes Figley. Nonfiction, grades 4-6. Discover the facts about the beginnings of Pennsylvania and learn about its importance to what later became the U.S. government. [Lerner 2012, ISBN pbk. 0-7613-5328-3 $9.95]
SEE ALSO: The Prison-Ship Adventures of James Forten, Revolutionary War Captive, by Marty Rhodes Figley, illus. by Ted Hammond and Richard Pimentel Carbajal; Prisoner for Liberty, by Marty Rhodes Figley, illus. by Craig Orback; and Starting Home: The Story of Horace Pippin, by Mary E. Lyons (also in NEW YORK).
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Children (Ages 2 to 7)
I Took a Walk written and illustrated by Henry Cole, Fiction, 2-7. This story was inspired by the author's childhood in Loudoun County. A visit to woods, pasture, creek, and pond brings encounters with various birds, insects, and other creatures of nataure. Flaps fold out to reveal the animals on each two-page spread. (Bank Street Best Books) [Greenwillow, 1998; ISBN 0-688-15115-9 $16.99 hdbk]
Sparks Fly High: The Legend of Dancing Point by Mary Quattlebaum, illus. by Leonid Gore. Picture book folktale, 4-8. This lively Colonial American folktale re-tells the story of the legendary dance contest between Colonel Lightfoot and the devil for a spit of land called Dancing Point along the James River, close to Colonial Williamsburg. [Farrar Straus Giroux 2006; ISBN 0-374-34452-3 $16]
Older Readers (Ages 8 and up)
Across the Lines by Carolyn Reeder. Historical fiction, 8-12. Edward, the 12-year-old son of a plantation family, spends the last year of the Civil War with relatives in the besieged city of Petersburg while Simon, his companion and servant, has attached himself to the Union Army outside the city. Specific settings: Petersburg and City Point. [Atheneum 1997; ISBN pbk. 0-380-73073-1 $5.99]
A. Linwood Holton, Jr., by Moira Rose Donohue. Nonfiction, ages 8-10. A leveled text biography for fourth graders with photographs, glossary and thought-provoking questions about the governor of Virginia from 1970 to 1974 and president of the Center for Innovative Technology. [State Standards Publishing, 2012; ISBN hrdcvr. 978-1-935884-61-3 $30.60/$22.95 schools, pbk. 978-1-935884-67-5 $14.60/10.95 schools]
Annie, Between the States by L. M. Elliott. Historic fiction, 12 and up. Based on the lives of real-life Virginia civilians and the Confederate and Union leaders fighting in the region, Annie, Between the States presents a teenaged girl's struggle to survive and understand the upheaval and moral dilemmas of the Civil War. Virginia Readers' Choice, high school master list, 2006-2007. [HarperCollins 2004; ISBN hdbk. 0060012110 $15.99, pbk. 0060012137 $6.99]
Arthur R. Ashe, Jr. by Moira Rose Donohue. Nonfiction, ages 8-10. A leveled text biography for fourth graders with photographs, glossary and thought-provoking questions about the first African American tennis player to win grand slam tennis tournaments around the world. [State Standards Publishing, 2012; ISBN hrdcvr. 978-1-935884-62-0 $30.60/$22.95 schools; ISBN pbk. 978-1-935884-68-2 $14.60/$10.95 schools]
Baron Von Steuben by Bruce Adelson. Biography, 10 and up. Biography of the Prussian general who trained the American army at Valley Forge in 1778 and commanded it in Virginia in the late 1770s, and to whom British General Cornwallis first surrendered at the Battle of Yorktown in Virginia at the end of the Revolutionary War. [Chelsea 2001; ISBN pbk. 0791063925 $9.95]
Blood on the River: James Town 1607, by Elisa Carbone. Historical fiction, 9 and up. Be prepared to be taken back to the year 1607 when 104 settlers landed in the New World. [Viking 2006; ISBN 0-670-06060-7]
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Fiction, 10 and up. A boy and girl build a magic kingdom and a friendship, which tragedy disrupts. Also includes details of Washington, D.C. (Newbery Medal) [Crowell/HarperCollins 1977; ISBN hdbk. 0-690-01359-0 $15.95, pbk. 0-06-440184-7, $5.95]
Care and Feeding of Dragons, The by Brenda Seabrooke. Fiction, 7-10. When school starts, Alastair McKnight's pet baby dragon Spike has abandonment symptoms, which Alastair must cure while coping with his dragon of a teacher. [Dutton 1998; ISBN hdbk. 0-525-65252-3 $15.99]
Come Sing, Jimmy Jo by Katherine Paterson. Fiction, 10 and up. A shy boy becomes part of a country music act and learns the truth about his family. (ALA Notable) [Lodestar/Dutton 1985; ISBN hdbk. 0-525-67167-6 $15.99, pbk. 0-14-037397-7 $5.99]
Dark Passage: The Virginia Blue Ridge Tunnel, by Mary E. Lyons, ages 12+. Nonfiction. This Multi-Touch book for the iPad relates how a French engineer, Irish miners, and African Americans built the longest railroad tunnel in the world between 1850 and 1860. (Jerome Handler, Senior Scholar, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities: "A fascinating chapter in the story of the Irish Diaspora") [2012; ISBN: 9-780-61562-1-180]
David Farragut: Union Admiral by Bruce Adelson. Biography, 10 and up. Biography of the most decorated admiral in American history whose statue is at Farragut Square in Washington, DC and who lived in Virginia but sided with the Union during the Civil War. [Chelsea 2001; ISBN hdbk. 0791064166 $20.85]
Dear Ellen Bee: A Civil War Scrapbook of Two Union Spies by Mary Lyons and Muriel Branch. Historic fiction, 10 and up. This scrapbook novel includes reproductions of Civil War-period memorabilia and is based on the lives of Elizabeth Van Lew, a former slaveholder, and Mary Elizabeth Bowser, Van Lew's freed slave, who worked together as spies to help win the Civil War. (NY Public Library: One Hundred Books for Reading and Sharing) [Atheneum 2001; ISBN hdbk. 0-689-82379-7 $17]
Dream Boy by Madelyn Rosenberg and Mary Crockett. Fantasy, ages 12 and up. Annabelle Manning spends her nights with a blue-eyed boy who consumes her dreams - then vanishes each morning as she wakes. He's everything she's ever wanted, but even she never expected to find him in her chemistry class the next day. But if dreams can come true, than so can nightmares. Set in Southwest Virginia, where Madelyn and Mary both grew up. [Sourcebooks 2014; ISBN-13: 978-1402295836 $9.99]
Flip-Flop Girl by Katherine Paterson. Fiction, 9-12. After Vinnie's father dies and her little brother becomes mute, her grief leads her into betraying a friendship that will ultimately heal her. (ALA Notable) [Lodestar/Econo-Clad 1994; ISBN hdbk. 0-525-67480-2 $11.10, pbk. 0-1-037679-8 $4.99]
George Meade: Union General by Bruce Adelson. Biography, 10 and up. Biography of the hero of Gettysburg, who commanded the Army of the Potomac in its campaigns in Virginia from 1863 until the end of the Civil War. [Chelsea 2001; ISBN hdbk. 0791064107 $20.85]
George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer. Nonfiction/Biography/History/Picture Book, 7-Adult. "… This carefully researched reminder that the Revolution was an 'us vs. us' conflict, not an 'us vs. them' conflict should be required reading for all young students of American history." Kirkus Reviews. Best Book of the Year - School Library Journal. [National Geographic Society 2004; 64 Pages; ISBN hdbk. 0-7922-7349-4, $16.95; ISBN LB 0-7922-6999-3, $25.90; ISBN pbk 978-1-4263-0042-4]
Give Me Liberty, by L.M. Elliott. Historic fiction, 9 and up. Indentured servant Nathaniel Dunn finds the courage to fight for liberty when revolution explodes in Williamsburg, and to face off with his oldest friend, a run-away slave fighting for the British Royal Ethiopian, at the Battle of Great Bridge, December 1775, just outside Norfolk. [HarperCollins 2006; ISBN hdbk.0060744219, $16.99]
Grandpa's Mountain by Carolyn Reeder. Historical fiction, 8-12. When 11-year-old Carrie arrives for her annual visit with her grandparents, she finds that her favorite place in the world is threatened because the government wants Grandpa's land for the new Shenandoah National Park. Set in Blue Ridge Mountains. [Simon & Schuster 1991; ISBN pbk. 0-689-84867-6 $4.99]
Gregory Howard's Story by Carolyn Reeder. Historical fiction, 10 and up. Thirteen-year-old Gregory finds himself living in an occupied city—as well as in a family with divided loyalties—when undisciplined Union troops march into Alexandria at the start of the Civil War. [Children's Literature reprint 2008; ISBN pbk. 978-1-890920-17-3 $6.95]
Grover G. Graham and Me by Mary Quattlebaum. Fiction, 8-12. In this humorous and poignant novel, an 11-year-old boy cares for the toddler in his eighth foster home--and begins to feel his first sense of belonging. Set in rural Virginia. [Random House 2001; hdbk. ISBN 0-385-3227-1 $14.95, pbk. ISBN 0-440-41918-2 $4.99].
Harry F. Byrd, Sr. by Moira Rose Donohue. Nonfiction, ages 8-10. A leveled text biography for fourth graders with photographs, glossary and thought-provoking questions about the long-term Virginia Senator responsible for the massive resistance movement to school desegregation. [State Standards Publishing, 2012; ISBN hrdcvr. 978-1-935884-59-0 $30.60/$22.95 schools; ISBN pbk. 978-1-935884-65-1 $14.60/$10.95 schools].
Hear the Wind Blow by Mary Downing Hahn. Historic fiction, 11-14. At the closing months of the Civil War, Haswell Magruder shelters a wounded Confederate soldier on his family's Shenandoah Valley farm, and this generous act sets off a horrendous chain of events for him. Set near Winchester. [Clarion 2003; ISBN hdbk 0618181903 $15.00]
Haunting of Holroyd Hill, The by Brenda Seabrooke. Fiction, 10-13. Melinda and Kevin discover their new house is haunted by the ghost of a Civil War soldier whose problem they have to solve in a hurry. Set in Fairfax County. (Shortlisted for Mark Twain Award) [Puffin 1997; ISBN pbk. 0-14-038540-1 $3.99]
How We Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer. Non-fiction picture book, 6-12. Through quotes from the travelers' own journals and plenty of colorful, thoroughly researched artwork, you'll relive hair-raising adventures and narrow escapes as Virginia-born Lewis and Clark make the famous Voyage of Discovery that opened the West. (National Council of Social Studies/Children's Book Council Joint Committee Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies) [National Geographic Society 1997; ISBN hdbk. 0-7922-3738-2; ISBN pbk 0-7922-6726-5]
John Smith Escapes Again! written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer. Non-fiction/Biography/Historical/Picture Book, 7-14. John Smith, the man rescued by Pocahontas, was also America’s first superstar! An explorer, adventurer, writer, and fighter, his amazing life included a whole series of impossibly daring escapes from slavery, attacks by ruthless sea pirates, ambush by Indians, and more. [National Geographic Society 2006; 64 Pages; ISBN hdbk. 0-7922-5930-0, $16.95; ISBN LB 0-7922-5931-9]
L. Douglas Wilder by Moira Rose Donohue. Nonfiction, ages 8-10. A leveled text biography for fourth graders with photographs, glossary and thought-provoking questions about the first elected African American governor in the United States. [State Standards Publishing, 2012; ISBN hrdcvr. 978-1-935884-63-7 $30.60/$22.95 schools; ISBN pbk. 978-1-935884-69-9 $14.60/$10.95 schools].
Lucy’s (Completely Cool and Totally True) E-Journal by Jane Harrington. Fiction, ages 7+. An active and fun-loving ten-year-old girl keeps a journal to help her adjust to the changes that come when her disabled grandmother moves in. Set in Alexandria, VA. (Top-five national bestseller, Scholastic Book Fairs, 2002) [Scholastic 2001; ISBN 0-439-32373-8 $4.50]
Maggie L. Walker by Moira Rose Donohue. Nonfiction, ages 8-10. A leveled text biography for fourth graders with photographs, glossary and thought-provoking questions about the first African American woman to charter a bank. [State Standards Publishing, 2012; ISBN hrdcvr. 978-1-935884-62-0 $30.60/$22.95 schools; ISBN pbk. 978-1-935884-68-2 $14.60/$10.95 schools].
Master George's People: George Washington, His Slaves, and His Revolutionary Transformation. By Marfé Ferguson Delano, photographs by Lori Epstein. Nonfiction, ages 10 and up. Illustrated with reenactment photography shot on location at Mount Vernon, this book explores the lives of the enslaved people at Washington's Virginia plantation and their master's changing attitude toward slavery. [National Geographic Children's Books, January 2013; ISBN 978-1426307591, $18.95]
Moonshiner's Son by Carolyn Reeder. Historical fiction, 8-12. In a clash of cultures, 12-year-old Tom and his pa find their traditional Appalachian values at odds with those of the mission preacher and his daughter as well as with the law of the land during the prohibition years. Set in Blue Ridge Mountains. (Sugarman Award) [Simon & Schuster 1993; ISBN pbk. 0-689-85550-8 $4.99]
My Name is Hamburger by Jacqueline Jules. Trudie Hamburger is the only Jewish kid living in the small fictional town of Colburn, Virginia, in 1962. Nobody else at her school has a father who speaks with a German accent or a last name that means chopped meat. Trudie doesn't want to be the girl who cries when Daniel Reynolds teases her. Or the girl who hides in the library to avoid singing Christian songs in music class. She doesn't want to be different. But over the course of a few pivotal months, as Trudie confronts her fears and embraces what she loves―including things that make her different from her classmates―she finally finds a way to say her name with pride. [Kar-Ben Publishing 2022. ISBN-10: 1728429498, ISBN-13: 978-1728429496]
Nanny X by Madelyn Rosenberg. Fiction, ages 8 and up. Ali and Jake don’t want or need a Nanny, but they start to change their mind when the older woman their mother hires turns out to be a special agent. Set in the fictional town of Lovett, Va., right outside of Washington, D.C., and modeled on places in Arlington and McLean, Va. [Holiday House 2014. ISBN-13: 978-0823431663 $16.95]
Nanny X Returns by Madelyn Rosenberg, Fiction, ages 8 and up. Ali and Jake are back, this time to fight a villain who is threatening the president, unless a certain piece of lawn art is installed on the White House Lawn. Most of this book takes place in and around the museums on the D.C. mall. [Holiday House 2015 ISBN-13: 978-0823435333 $16.95]
Oliver W. Hill by Moira Rose Donohue. Nonfiction, ages 8-10. A leveled text biography for fourth graders with photographs, glossary and thought-provoking questions about a Virginia lawyer who participated in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation lawsuit. [State Standards Publishing, 2012; ISBN hrdcvr. 978-1-935884-60-6 $30.60/$22.95 schools; ISBN pbk. 978-1-935884-66-8 $14.60/$10.95 schools].
O is for Old Dominion: A Virginia Alphabet by Pamela Duncan Edwards, illus. by Troy Howell. Picture book nonfiction, all ages. From Arlington National Cemetery to magnificent Monticello, Virginia has always had a place in American history. This book offers readers of all ages a guided A-Z tour through this fascinating state. Beginning readers will enjoy the simple rhymes, while older children will visit Jamestown, Williamsburg, and even the Pentagon. [Sleeping Bear Press 2005; ISBN 1-58536-161-5]
Shades of Gray by Carolyn Reeder. Historical fiction, 8-12. Orphaned by the Civil War, Will Page must make a new life for himself with relatives in the war-torn Virginia Piedmont--including an uncle Will considers a traitor or coward because he refused to fight for the Confederacy. Specific setting: Culpeper County. (Scott O'Dell Award) [Simon & Schuster 1989; ISBN hdbk. 0-02-775810-9 $16, pbk. 0-689-82696-6 $4.99]
This is just a Test by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang. Historical fiction. Ages 8 and up. David Da-Wei Horowitz is trying to find balance – between his warring Jewish and Chinese grandmothers and warring friends, all while studying for his bar mitzvah and a county trivia contest and worrying that a nuclear war is going to blow up his world. The book, a Junior Library Guild and PJ Library selection, is set in Northern Virginia, where Madelyn and Wendy both live. [Scholastic 2017 ISBN-13: 978-1338037722 $17.99]
Twin in the Tavern, The by Barbara Brooks Wallace. Historic fiction, 8-12. This Dickensian tale is filled with imposters, scoundrels, and danger as a young orphaned boy tries to find his twin and learn the secret of his true identity. Specific setting: Alexandria. (Edgar Award) [Atheneum 1993; ISBN hdbk. 0-689-31846-4, $14.95, pbk. 0-689-80167-X $3.95]
SEE ALSO: Captain John Smith's Big and Beautiful Bay by Rebecca C. Jones, illus. by Linda Shute. ALSO IN MARYLAND.
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Children (Ages 2 to 7)
CAPITAL! Washington D.C. from A to Z, by Laura Krauss Melmed, illus. by Franè Lessac. Nonfiction, 5-9. An alphabetical tour of Washington, DC in lively, informative verse, with fascinating facts about the historic people and places of our nation's capital and spirited, folk-style illustrations that capture the unique brilliance of the city. [HarperCollins 2003; ISBN 0-688-17561-9; $15.99]
Doodle Washington D.C., by Laura Krauss Melmed, illus. by Violet Lemay. Non-fiction. Ages 5-9. Kids who live in, plan to visit, or just want to have fun with hands-on learning about Washington can imagine and create their way through this amazing city with more than 100 drawing opportunities. [Duo Press 2013; ISBN 978-1-938093-06-7 $12.95]
The Passover Guest, by Susan Kusel (illustrated by Sean Rubin). Ages 4-8. It's the Spring of 1933 in Washington D.C., and the Great Depression is hitting young Muriel's family hard. Her father has lost his job and her family barely has enough food most days-- let alone for a Passover Seder. They don't even have any wine to leave out for the prophet Elijah's ceremonial cup. With no feast to rush home to, Muriel wanders by the Lincoln Memorial, where she encounters a mysterious magician in whose hands juggled eggs become lit candles. After she makes a kind gesture, he encourages her to run home for her Seder, and when she does, she encounters a holiday miracle: a bountiful feast of brisket, soup, and matzah, enough for their whole community to share. But who was this mysterious benefactor? When Muriel sees Elijah's cup is empty, she has a good idea.[Holiday House (Neal Porter Books) 2021; ISBN 9780823445622]
Underground Train by Mary Quattlebaum, illus. by Cat Bowman Smith. Fiction, 2-8. This poem-picture book features a ride on the Metro and the sights and sounds of our nation's capital. (Maryland Black-eyed Susan Masterlist) [Random House 1997; ISBN pbk. 0-440-41325-7 $5.99]
Older Readers (Ages 8 and up)
Auks, Rocks and the Odd Dinosaur by Peggy Thomson. Nonfiction, 7-13. Each chapter focuses on one item at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum, telling how it was found or fixed or the history to be read from it--from a bone, a stone, or the tooth of a house mouse--and the book closes with a night-time treasure tour by guard dog Max. (Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, l986). [HarperCollins,1985; ISBN 0690044917/ 0690044925(lib.bdg); OP]
Broken Drum by Edith Morris Hemingway and Jacqueline Cosgrove Shields. Historical fiction, 9-13. Based on an actual person, Broken Drum is the story of Charley King, a twelve-year-old drummer boy caught up in the excitement and patriotism of the early Civil War. Mustered into the Pennsylvania Volunteers, his journey begins with the defense of Washington as part of the Army of the Potomac. Charley is involved in the transport of that huge army down the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk and then, by land, the grueling progression of the Peninsula Campaign and its disappointing retreat, eventually arriving at the battle of Antietam. [White Mane Kids, 1996; 2nd editon 2010; ISBN 978-1-57249-027-7; also available through Scholastic Book Fairs and Clubs as Drums of War, ISBN 0-439-91441-8]
Congressman's Daughter, The by Patricia Maloney Markun. Fiction, 8-12. Molly finds life on Capitol Hill and in her Quaker private school very different from the small Texas town where her father was elected to Congress. [Willowisp 1994; ISBN pbk. 0-87-406-674-3, $2.99]
Duke Ellington: Giant of Jazz by Wendie Old. Biography, 10 and up. A biography of the Jazz composer and band leader who grew up in the nation's capital. [Enslow 1996; ISBN hdbk. 0-89490-691-7 $20.95]
Detour Ahead, by Pamela Ehrenberg and Tracy López. Fiction. Ages 9-12. In alternating chapters of prose and verse, this dual-POV contemporary middle-grade novel depicts the friendship between Gilah, a neurodiverse Jewish girl preparing for her bat mitzvah, and Guillermo, a Salvadoran-American boy who is new to Washington, D.C. Riding the bus together every day, Gilah and Guillermo learn to navigate life's detours.[PJ Publishing 2022; ISBN 9781736557358]
Ethan, Suspended by Pamela Ehrenberg. Fiction, 11-14. Eighth-grader Ethan Oppenheim moves to DC to live with his grandparents and becomes the only white student in school; the book also features Ethan's research on the 1968 riots. (Voya Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School). [Eerdmans Books for Young Readers; ISBN pbk 080285317X $8.50]
George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer. Nonfiction, 8 to adult. There are two sides to every story and this contrasts contemporary attitudes and feelings about both King George and George Washington. [National Geographic, 2004, hdbk ISBN 0-7922-7349-4, $16.95 Library hdbk ISBN 0-7922-6999-3 $25.90]
George Washington by Wendie Old. Biography, 10 and up. A biography of the first president of the United States. [Enslow 1997; ISBN hdbk. 0-89490-832-4 $20.95]
Great American Memorials Series by Brent Ashabranner, photographs by Jennifer Ashabranner. Nonfiction, 10 and up. This five-book series on memorials, all set in our nation's capital, includes Their Names to Live: What the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Means to America (1998), A Date with Destiny: The Women in Military Service For America Memorial (2000), The Washington Monument, and Remembering Korea: The Korean War Veterans Memorial (2001). [Twenty-first Century; ISBN hdbks. 0-7613-3235-9, 0-7613-1472-5, 0-7613-2156-X, respectively, each $24.90]
Here We Go Round by Alice McGill, In the summer of 1946, seven-year-old Roberta is sent from Washington, D.C. to stay with her grandparents in rural North Carolina until after the birth of her new baby brother or sister. [Ages 7 to 10; 2002, Houghton Mifflin; $15.00. ISBN 0618160647]
House of Spies by Margaret Blair. Fiction, 8 and up. This time the Henry brothers and their friend Sarah time travel back to Washington, D.C. in the summer of 1861, where they become involved with the Civil War espionage, through meeting high-society Confederate spy Rose Greenhow and Union Army balloonist Thaddeus Lowe. [White Mane 1999; ISBN pbk. 1-57249-161-2 $8.95]
It Happened in the White House: Extraordinary Tales from America's Most Famous Home by Kathleen Karr, illus. by Paul Meisel. Nonfiction, 8 and up. Ghosts, dinosaur bones, and more: get the lowdown on what was truly going on in the President's House during its 200-year history! [Hyperion 2000; ISBN hdbk. 078680369-X $16.99, pbk. 0-7868-1560-4 $5.99]
Jackson Jones and Mission Greentop by Mary Quattlebaum. Fiction, 8-12. Jackson and his friends battle developers for their city community garden, learn about historic gardens at Georgetown's Tudor Place, and take on the neighborhood bully. (Notable Social Studies Trade Book) [Random House 2004; ISBN 0-385-73114-0 $15.95]
James Monroe by Wendie Old. Biography, 10 and up. A biography of the fifth president of the United States. [Enslow 1998; ISBN hdbk. 0-89490941-X $20.95]
Jay Grows an Alien by Caroline Levine. Science fiction, ages 8 and up. When Jay, who has Asperger's Syndrome, grows a cyborg from a toy capsule, their friendship helps him come to terms with his condition, even appreciating its positive aspects. [The Autism Asperger Publishing Co. 2007; ISBN 13:978-1-931282-29-1]
Jayla Jumps In, by Joy Jones. Fiction. Ages 9-12. When eleven-year-old Jayla finds out that her mother used to be a Double Dutch champion, she’s stunned. Her mom, who’s on doctor’s orders to lower her blood pressure, could move like that?!? Jayla decides to follow in her mom’s footsteps, thinking that maybe double Dutch can make her stand out in her big, quirky family. As she puts together a team at school and prepares to compete, Jayla finds that Double Dutch is about a lot more than jumping rope—and it just might change her life in ways she never imagined. Full of hilarious family dynamics and plenty of jump rope action, Jayla Jumps In follows one girl’s quest to get her mom healthy and find her place in her community. [Albert Whitman 2021 (paperback); ISBN 9780807560792 ]
Keepers and Creatures at the National Zoo by Peggy Thomson, photos by Paul Conklin. Nonfiction, 7-13. Here chapters focus on bathing elephants, on training sea lions (to challenge them and keep them safe too), on teaching sign language to a fragile orangutan--all done by keepers who are keen observers and loving caregivers and know how to cope with complex emotions and with mess. (1988 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children). [HarperCollins, 1988; ISBN 069004710X/ ISBN 0-690-04712-6 (lib.bdg); OP]
Keeping Secrets: The Girlhood Diaries of Seven Women Writers, by Mary E. Lyons, ages 12-16. Collective biography. One chapter relates the life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson, wife of poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. A poet, short story writer, and newspaper columnist, she lived in Washington, D. C., and Wilmington, Delaware. (Bank Street College Children's Books of the Year) [Henry Holt & Co., 1995; ISBN: 0-8050-3065-4]
My Best Friend, the Atlantic Ocean and Other Great Bodies Standing Between Me and My Life With Giulio, by Jane Harrington. Fiction, ages 11 and up. Totally fun chick-lit for tweens and teens, centering around high school life in the Nation’s Capital. (Junior Library Guild selection) [Lerner/Darby Creek Publishing 2008; ISBN 978-1-58196-070-9 $16.95]
President Lincoln, Willie Kettles, and the Telegraph Machine by Marty Rhodes Figley, illus. by David Riley. Historical Fiction with Reader’s Theatre included, Grades 2-4. Tells the little known story of President Lincoln and the his relationship with the telegraphers in the War Department and how 15-year-old Willie Kettles takes one of the most important telegraph messages during the Civil War—Richmond has fallen! [LernerClassroom, 2010, ISBN pbk. 0-7613-6131-6]
Kidding Around Washington, D.C. (2nd ed.) by Debbie Levy. Picture and activity book, 8 and up. Young people have a travel book of their own in this guide for getting the most out of the city, packed with information and stories about Washington’s best museums, parks, and other fun places, as well as dozens of games, puzzles, and illustrations. [John Muir Publications/Avalon Travel Publishing 2000; ISBN 1-56261-588-2 $8.95]
Mama Went to Jail for the Vote, by Kathleen Karr, illus. by Malene Laugesen. Fictionalized true story, 5-9. The suffragists' struggle for the vote in World War I Washington is told from the tongue-in-cheek point of view of young Susan Elizabeth, whose mama is at the forefront of the battle. (ALA Amelia Bloomer Project List 2006) [Hyperion 2005; ISBN 078680593-5; $15.99]
Marian Wright Edelman: Fighting for Children's Rights by Wendie Old. Biography, 10 and up. A biography of the advocate for children's rights who lives and works in the nation's capital. (CBC/NCSS Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Sciences) [Enslow 1995; ISBN hdbk. 0-89490-623- $20.95]
Mystery of Mary Surratt, The by Rebecca C. Jones. Nonfiction, 9 and up. A true mystery about the Maryland woman who was hanged for her part in the plot to kill Abraham Lincoln. [Tidewater. ISBN pbk. 0-87033-560-X $9.95]
Nine-Ton Cat, The by Peggy Thomson, with Barbara Moore. Nonfiction, 9 and up. A conversational tone and fascinating facts bring alive this walk through the workrooms of the National Gallery of Art where lighters, conservators, carpenters, guards, curators, and engineers embark on the work of their day. (Horn Book starred review) [Houghton Mifflin 1997; ISBN hdbk. 0-395-82655-1 $21.95, pbk. 0-395-82683-7 $14.95]
President Has Been Shot, The by Rebecca Jones. Nonfiction, 8 and up. True stories of assassinations and attempts on the lives of U.S. Presidents. [Dutton 1996; ISBN hdbk. 0-525-45333-4 $14.99, pbk. 0-14-038505-3 $7.99]
Saving Grace by Priscilla Cummings. Historical fiction, 8-12. When Grace's family is evicted from their Washington D.C. apartment just before Christmas 1932, and she and her younger brothers are sent to a mission, Grace wonders what will become of her sick older brother, her pregnant mother and her out-of-work father. (A Junior Library Guild Selection).[Dutton 2003; ISBN 0525471235; hbk $16.99]
Spy in the Sky by Kathleen Karr. Historic fiction, 7-10. Orphan Ridley Jones becomes assistant to the famous balloonist Thaddeus Lowe in this Civil War adventure about how they convince Abraham Lincoln to start a Balloon Corps. (Virginia State Reading Association's Young Reader's Program) [Hyperion 1997; ISBN hdbk. 0-7868-2239-2 $13.89, pbk. 0-7868-1165-X $3.95]
Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, A by Michelle Y. Green. Biography, 10-14. Mamie is the first woman to pitch professional baseball in a men's league. One of only three women to play in the Negro Leagues, Mamie overcame the obstacles of gender and race to pitch three winning seasons with the Indianapolis Clowns. Historical photos of Washington, D.C. Settings include D.C. and Maryland. (Junior Library Guild selection, Kirkus Review) [Dial Books for Young Readers. 2002; ISBN hdbk. 0-8037-2661-9 $15.99]
Thomas Jefferson by Wendie Old. Biography, 10 and up. Biography of the third president of the United States. [Enslow 1997; ISBN hdbk. 0-89490-837-5 $20.95]
Washington is Burning by Marty Rhodes Figley, illus. by Craig Orback. Easy-read historical fiction, grades 2-4. The burning of Washington during the War of 1812 is told from the viewpoint of Paul Jennings, James Madison’s fifteen-year-old African American slave and personal valet, who later wrote the first White House memoir. [Millbrook Press 2006; ISBN hdbk. 1575058758 $23.93]