NCW Libraries

"Brief and humorous biographies of fascinating people"--

"An exuberant introduction to a musician and creative genius." –Kirkus Reviews A beautifully-illustrated true story of rock and roll legend Les Paul: This is the story of how Les Paul created the world's first solid-body electric guitar, countless other inventions that changed modern music, and one truly epic career in rock and roll. How to make a microphone? A broomstick, a cinderblock, a telephone, a radio. How to make an electric guitar? A record...

"Jon Scieszka's Guys Read anthology series for tweens turns to nonfiction in its fifth volume, True Stories. The fifth installment in the Guys Read Library of Great Reading features ten stories that are 100% amazing, 100% adventurous, 100% unbelievable--and 100% true. A star-studded group of award-winning nonfiction authors and journalists provides something for every reader, all aligned with the Common Core State Standards. Compiled and edited by...

There is a lot of pressure in society for kids to succeed, but failing is a part of learning how to be a successful person. In his teaching career, the author saw the stress and anxiety his students suffered, whether it was over grades, fitting in, or simply getting things right the first time. This book is the second installment in the author's personal campaign to show kids it's okay to fall down or make a mistake, just so long as you try, try again!...

"In this full-color, nonfiction resource, profiles of twenty-five diverse individuals share how each person got interested in their field, how they studied or trained for it, how others typically study or train for it, and their experience in their career. Informative sidebars share spin-off jobs, fun facts, pro tips about how readers can try out the field, and spotlight features about children who are doing just that. The book includes a table of...

"A picture book look at many of the men and women who revolutionized life for African Americans throughout history"--

"This picture book biography of Chester Greenwood explores the invention of the earmuffs and the patenting process"--

"From the time he was a small boy, he collected plants, cared for them, and studied them. He even pained pictures of them! As an adult, he discovered hundreds of new uses for many plants (including over 300 ways to use peanuts). His love of plants helped him to grow into an artist, gardener, teacher, scientist, farmer, speaker...and a really famous inventor."--

"Enter a world of shrunken heads, mystic holy men, shriveled aliens, and bizarre relics in the delightfully odd tale of Robert Ripley. Born in California, Ripley began his career as a sports cartoonist. He went on to chronicle global records and oddities in his weekly column, Believe It Or Not! After publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst took an interest in the column, it became a syndicated global success. Ripley spent his life traveling to more...

"Meet the man behind the board games: Milton Bradley. Born in Maine in 1836, Milton Bradley moved with his family to the working-class city of Lowell, Massachusetts, at age 11. His early life consisted of several highs and lows, from graduating high school and attending Harvard to getting laid off and losing his first wife. These experiences gave Bradley the idea for his first board game: The Checkered Game of Life. He produced and sold Life across...