A self-taught inventor never stops following the call to imagine, discover, create. From the time he is a small boy, Franz is curious about machines and how they work. He wants to try to build his own. Even though he’s needed to work on the family farm, and later marries and has a family of his own, Franz never gives up. He learns and tries and tests his ideas on his own. And though many don’t understand or appreciate it, when Franz completes his magnificent, elaborate World Machine, he finally finds an audience that recognizes his genius. For every child longing to create the most amazing thing, Franz is sure to inspire their vision.

A self-taught inventor never stops following the call to imagine, discover, create. From the time he is a small boy, Franz is curious about machines and how they work. He wants to try to build his own. Even though he’s needed to work on the family farm, and later marries and has a family of his own, Franz never gives up. He learns and tries and tests his ideas on his own. And though many don’t understand or appreciate it, when Franz completes his magnificent, elaborate World Machine, he finally finds an audience that recognizes his genius. For every child longing to create the most amazing thing, Franz is sure to inspire their vision.

An fresh look at the numbers one to ten, using familiar urban scenes captured by Zoran Milich’s expert camera lens.

In 1854, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Jennings, an African American schoolteacher, fought back when she was unjustly denied entry to a New York City streetcar, sparking the beginnings of the long struggle to gain equal rights on public transportation. One hundred years before Rosa Parks took her stand, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Jennings tried to board a streetcar in New York City on her way to church. Though there were plenty of empty seats, she was denied entry, assaulted, and threatened all because of her race--even though New York was a free state at that time. Lizzie decided to fight back. She told her story, took her case to court--where future president Chester Arthur represented her--and won! Her victory was the first recorded in the fight for equal rights on public transportation, and Lizzie's case set a precedent. Author Beth Anderson and acclaimed illustrator E. B. Lewis bring this inspiring, little-known story to life in this captivating book.

James "Smelly" Kelly used his super-senses and intelligence to make sure that the New York City subway in the 1930s ran safely throughout his lifetime and beyond. James Kelly smelled EVERYTHING: rats in the shed; circus elephants a mile away; tomorrow's rain. His sense of smell was EXTRAORDINARY. But what good was a powerful nose? How could his super-sniffer make him special? In the New York City subway, James found his calling--and earned the nickname "Smelly" Kelly. Armed with his super-sniffer and the tools he invented, he tracked down leaks from the dangerous to the disgusting, from the comical to the bizarre. Then, he sprang into action to prevent cave-ins and explosions in the tunnels beneath the city. Smelly Kelly not only hunted leaks but also saved lives--and he discovered the truly extraordinary power inside him. Beth Anderson's fast-paced text and Jenn Harney's comical illustrations bring to life this everyday superhero.

Here is the first-ever picture book about female Revolutionary War activist Prudence Wright, who rallied the first and only group of "minute women" to fight the British, changing history in the process. Prudence Wright had a spark of independence. Annoyed when the British king held back freedoms in colonial Massachusetts, feisty and fearless Prudence had enough. She said no! to British goods, determined to rely on her resourcefulness and ingenuity to get by. And when British troops continued to threaten the lives of her family and community, she assembled and led the "minute women" of Pepperell to break free of tradition. This untold story of a courageous and brave woman from the Revolutionary War continues to inspire today.

For kids starting to think about their place in the world, here’s a unique look at point of view. Being small — or big — is not always what we think it is! We all know which things are big, and which are small, right? But do we really? Or do things look different, depending on who’s doing the looking? For example, to a human, an orangutan is small like a child. But to a flea, it’s gigantic! Here’s a quirky and original introduction to the idea of perspective and the importance of recognizing that each of us has our own way of seeing things. Kids who feel too small — or too big — in the world will be happy to learn: Size is in the eye of the beholder!