As a young boy living in the Appalachian Mountains, Ray Hicks loved his grandfather's stories because he told them "the mountain way." After his grandfather's death, Ray continued to tell these stories to anyone who would listen. Years later, his storytelling became so famous he was known as the "Voice of Appalachia."

This lyrical picture book biography of songwriter and activist Jean Ritchie-Singer traces her life from the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky to New York City and beyond as her protest songs inspired a nation. The author and illustrator previously teamed up for the stunning biography Saving Granddaddy's Stories: Ray Hicks, the Voice of Appalachia.

Renowned storyteller Ray Hicks was a certified national treasure. He received many prestigious honors in his lifetime, including the National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Best known for his traditional storytelling and also for saving the original Beech Mountain Jack tales brought to the Appalachian Mountains by his ancestors as early as 1776, Hicks was conscious of the role he played in the preservation of oral storytelling. Many of those stories are included in The Life and Times of Ray Hicks. Born in 1922, Ray lived his whole life in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. (Although it finally got a refrigerator and electric lights, Ray's place never did get a telephone, indoor plumbing, or a radio or television.) It seems he knew everything there was to know about living off the land and about his family's history. A lot of what he knew is in this new book. Hicks made his public storytelling debut in 1951, when a local schoolteacher invited him to her class. In 1973, Ray performed at the very first International Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. He appeared at every one until he became too weak to attend. He died on Easter Sunday in 2003. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews and visits, painstakingly pieced together by Lynn Salsi, The Life and Times of Ray Hicks comes as close as possible to capturing the way Ray talked. Part memoir and part biography, The Life and Times of Ray Hicks presents, sometimes in Ray Hicks's own words, the most important part of his long, colorful life-a life scarcely less interesting than the Jack Tales he told so well. Lynn Salsi is the author of several books, including The Jack Tales and Young Ray Hicks Learns the Jack Tales. She has received the American Library Association's Notable Book Award, six Willie Parker Peace History Book Awards, and was named the North Carolina Historian of the Year in 2001.

What is free speech and why is it so special? Your Voice is Your Superpower tells you why your voice matters and how you can use it and also why we must protect everyone’s right to free speech. Everyone loves superheroes. Who doesn't? They're super! Some of them can fly. Some are strong. Some can become invisible. And some wear capes. But the thing that really makes them super is that they help people and change the world. And guess what? You have a superpower inside you. Your VOICE is your superpower. And because of a thing called freedom of speech, with that voice, you can express yourself, you can help people, and you can change the world. Now, more than ever, teaching children the value of free speech is essential to raising smart, engaged citizens. Knowing the value of free speech allows children to courageously share what they think and believe, whether it’s with their family, friends, or their elected officials. Learning about the value of free speech also teaches children the importance of being good listeners, even if it means listening to points of view that differ from their own. In Your Voice is Your Superpower, father-daughter duo Jessica and Sandy Bohrer team up to teach children the importance of free speech and why it is essential for maintaining a functioning democracy. Your Voice is Your Superpower provides the perfect stepping-stone for parents looking to teach their children more about their First Amendment rights in an easy, appealing way. This fun, colorful book proves that the first step to raising engaged, courageous children–and in turn, raising a new generation of superheroes–starts at home. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the Committee to Protect Journalists. "The First Amendment gives us superpowers! What a terrific way to help kids understand why they are free to say and write what they think. This engaging story is perfect for young readers and maybe a few parents, too." --Kathleen Carroll, Chair of the Board of the Committee to Protect Journalists

It's 1922, and Jessie has big plans for her future, but that's before tuberculosis strikes. Jessie puts her dreams on hold to help her family. She falls in love for the first time ever, and suddenly what she wants is not so simple anymore.

"A collection of fact-filled profiles, poetry, and illustrations of women pirates who made their mark on the high seas. Each profile includes an original poem presented against a backdrop of full-color art by illustrator Sara Woolley Gomez. The profile is followed by information about the real life and times of these daring women"--

N.H. Senzai and Shannon Hitchcock expertly craft the intersection of the lives of two girls-one, a Muslim fleeing civil war, the other, an American from the South-as they are forced to examine their beliefs and the true meaning of friendship in the midst of the president's Muslim ban. Twelve-year-old Noura Alwan's family is granted asylum in the United States, after spending two years in a Turkish refugee camp, having fled war-torn Aleppo. They land in Tampa, Florida, on January 30, 2017, just days after the president restricted entry into the US from nations with a Muslim majority population.Twelve-year-old Jordyn Johnson is a record-breaking swimmer, but hasn't swum well since her mom had a miscarriage during one of her meets. Her family has volunteered to help the Alwan family through their church. She knows very few people of Arab descent or who practice Islam.The girls' lives intersect at Bayshore Middle School where Jordyn serves as the Alwan children's school ambassador. Noura knows that her family is safe from the civil unrest in her home country, but is not prepared for the adversity she now faces on American soil. Jordyn is sympathetic to Noura's situation, but there are other members of their Florida community who see the refugees' presence to be a threat to their way of life.While the president's Muslim ban tests the resolve and faith of many, it is friendship that stands strong against fear and hatred.Award winners N.H. Senzai and Shannon Hitchcock have combined their talents to craft a heartrending Own Voices story told in dual perspectives.