James Buckley

Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. won the world heavyweight championship at the age of 22, the same year he joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He would go on to become the first and only three-time (in succession) World Heavyweight Champion. Nicknamed “The Greatest,” Ali was as well known for his unique boxing style, consisting of the Ali Shuffle and the rope-a-dope, as he was for the catchphrase “float like...

Though much of his early life remains a mystery, Blackbeard most likely began his life as Edward Teach in the sailing port of Bristol, England. He began his career as a hired British sailor during Queen Anne’s War. He eventually settled in the Bahamas under Captain Benjamin Hornigold who taught the young sailor to go "a-pirating." Soon enough, Blackbeard was commanding his own fleet and stealing ships around the Caribbean and up and down...

In the middle of the worst depression in U.S. history, one young racehorse lifted a nation's spirits. Seabiscuit was born in 1933 on a farm in Kentucky. Though bred for racing, he was weak and undersized. He slept too long and ate too much. Against the odds, he began to win local races. He was given a new coach who trained him to race in larger circuits. Soon enough, this scrappy horse began beating the best racehorses in the country. He became a...

At the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics, track and field star Jesse Owens ran himself straight into international glory by winning four gold medals. But the life of Jesse Owens is much more than a sports story. Born in rural Alabama under the oppressive Jim Crow laws, Owens's family suffered many hardships. As a boy he worked several jobs like delivering groceries and working in a shoe repair shop to make ends meet. But Owens defied the odds to become...

"When Hurricane Katrina raced toward the Gulf of Mexico, the animals at the Oceanarium in Gulfport, Mississippi stood in the path of one of nature's most vicious storms. Soon, the aquarium's beloved dolphins were swept away in the hurricane. How could the aquarium trainers possibly rescue these animals that had been washed out to sea? Learn about how they found all eight dolphins in this graphic adventure of animal escapes. Then, learn about more...

Provides information on people who have risked their lives to save people, discovered life saving medicine, and explored new places.

Jesse Owens is one of the most famous athletes of all time, but he experienced discrimination throughout his athletic career, such as having to stay at a different hotel to his teammates, because of the color of his skin. However, he went on to win an incredible four gold medals at the Berlin 1936 Olympic Games. This biography, ideal for kids aged 8-11, charts the major events of Jesse's life; from his childhood growing up on a farm in Alabama before...

"Alexander Hamilton is known not only for his political brilliance, but also for his strong principles and astonishing achievements. In this biography for kids 8-12, read about how, from humble beginnings as an orphan, Hamilton defied all the odds and made a lasting name for himself in many arenas, including politics, finance, and the military."--

"Discover the stories of explorers-- the most ancient to the modern day-- from the deepest depths of the ocean to the highest mountains in the world. In this book you'll find true stories about Marco Polo's Silk Road, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's conquest of Everest, and Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong's trip to the moon, and much more. Learn all about the explorers who discovered the unknown and made the world the place we know today"--Provided...

"Benedict Arnold fought for the colonies during the American Revolution and was even considered a patriotic war hero after being wounded in battle. But in 1780, he made a decision that no one could anticipate. He betrayed his fellow Americans and joined the British army"--