National Network for Equitable Library Service

Americans pride themselves in their knack for innovation, and nowhere has America's can-do attitude been more apparent than at the supermarket. Need a cheese that is virtually indestructible? Want to find a way to stretch a pound of hamburger into a hearty main course for a family of five? Hard pressed for time to throw together a home-cooked meal?

Acclaimed poet and award-winning children's author Jonah Winter-inspired by a political rally he attended during the historic 2008 presidential campaign-tells the moving story of Barack Obama. Beginning in Africa and Kansas, this enlightening biography describes Obama's life as an ongoing journey, from his birth in Hawaii to his election as president. Obama emerges as someone who, even from an early age, wondered where he belonged and who he might become.

I wanna rock and roll all night are the words that fans shout at KISS concerts. Self-proclaimed hottest band in the land, KISS rocks stadiums and albums. Their upbeat anthem Rock and Roll All Nite rocketed them to stardom. Fans can t get enough of their loud, showy, and flashy concerts. Read about the band members and how they formed KISS, the ups and downs of some of the members, how they became a marketing machine, and where they are today.

"When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. This ancient proverb of the Kikuyu people, a tribal group in Kenya, Africa, is as true today as when the words were first spoken, perhaps thousands of years ago. Its essence is simplicity--when the large fight, it is the small who suffer most. And when it comes to war, the smallest, the most vulnerable, are the children. When Elephants Fight presents the stories of five children--Annu, Jimmy, Nadja, Farooq and Toma--from five very different and distinct conflicts--Sri Lanka, Uganda, Sarajevo, Afghanistan and the Sudan.

When three heroic men traveled aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft bound for the moon, the entire world sat glued to their television sets in suspense. But few knew just how much it took to get that far. To put a man on the moon, thousands of people diligently worked behind the scenes. Countless preparations had to be made and no detail, however small, could be overlooked-the lives of the crewmen were at stake.

Did you know Toll House Cookies were created accidentally in an old Toll House in Massachusetts by a woman hurrying to make a tasty snack for her patrons? And did you know that Liquid Paper (or white-out) was invented because of one small typing mistake? Often overshadowed by famous male inventors, women have also made many significant contributions to science and industry. This audiobook profiles women like Stephanie Kwolek who created Kevlar body armor.

Would you believe it if I told you that every bird you see- even the smallest hummingbird'is a dinosaur' Well, that's what many scientists now believe! Follow along as scientists examine ancient fossils and pose new theories on how prehistoric dinosaurs evolved into today's modern birds.

There are tons of movies about aliens coming to Earth. Sometimes they come to be our friends, sometimes they come to destroy us-and sometimes they come to make circles in our cornfields. But what about reality? Do scientists actually believe there is intelligent life somewhere out in space? In fact, many scientists spend their days looking for signs of life throughout the galaxy. Others look for ways to make contact with aliens if they exist. And still others try to figure out how life beyond Earth would even be possible.

George Washington and King George III of Britain had a great deal in common-aside from sharing the same first name. Both loved to hunt and farm, both towered above most other men of their day, and both were dedicated husbands and fathers. Yet despite their similarities, they were destined to become bitter enemies. As the Revolutionary War erupted, people on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean formed very different opinions. To the patriotic American colonists, George Washington was a hero and King George a tyrant.

In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first American woman to obtain a medical degree. Following in her footsteps in the early 1980s, Brenda Berkman was the first woman to challenge New York City's ban on female firefighters. During the last few centuries, countless women have made amazing contributions to society. Women are now Nobel Peace Prize winners, world-class athletes, and talented inventors and adventurers. Some women, such as Shirley Muldowney'the first woman inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame- shattered perceptions about what women could accomplish.