Dear Reader:
The Childhood of Famous Americans series, sixty-five years old in 1997, chronicles the early years of famous American men and women in an accessible manner. Each book is faithful in spirit to the values and experiences that influenced the person's development. History is fleshed out with fictionalized details, and conversations have been added to make the stories come alive to today's reader, but every reasonable effort has been made to make the stories consistent with the events, ethics, and character of their subjects.
These books reaffirm the importance of our...

In this Childhood of Famous Americans series book, young readers can explore the world of Earhart, the first female pilot to fly nonstop across the United States. B&W illustrations.

One of the most popular series ever published for young Americans, these classics have been praised alike by parents, teachers, and librarians. With these lively, inspiring, fictionalized biographies -- easily read by children of eight and up -- today's youngster is swept right into history.

President George W. Bush once said, "I never dreamed about becoming president. When I was growing up, I wanted to be Willie Mays."
George W. was born in 1946 and attended Yale University. As a young man he trained as a fighter pilot in the Texas Air National Guard before beginning a career in business. He then turned to Texas politics and served as the state's governor from 1994 to 2000.
In 2001 George W. Bush won one of the closest and most disputed presidential elections in United States history. During his first term Bush launched a war against terrorism after the devastating...

In the mid-1800s, a turbulent time when women were often thought to be unworthy of higher education, Maria Mitchell rose above the prejudices of the day to become America's first professional woman astronomer. This exciting biography tells the story of Maria Mitchell's life, her amazing achievements, and her faith that saw God's handiwork in the heavens.

"Gormley successfully paints a picture of a world that failed to mold Mitchell to its standards, focusing on the telling details that bring the story to life. Inspiring and incisive." -- "Kirkus Reviews"

Diana Spencer grew up to be the princess of Wales. But when she was a little girl, she did not dream she would become a princess. When she was still quite young, her older sisters went off to boarding school and her parents decided to live apart. This was very difficult for sensitive Diana, and her self-esteem began to suffer. Things were not helped when she began feeling inferior to not only an accomplished older sister, but also her clever younger brother. Diana was a good athlete and was gifted at connecting with other people. Still, she struggled to find her place in the world. Diana...

Julius Caesar was born in Rome in the year 100 b.c. to a well-known family that supposedly traced its ancestry to the Greek goddess Venus. Although Caesar grew up to be one of the world's most famous military and political leaders, he was raised in the Subura, a lower-class neighborhood of Rome.

As a young man, Caesar was known for both his bravery in battle and his ability to speak at the Roman Forum. When Caesar left Rome to join the military service in Asia, he was awarded the corona civica -- an oak crown -- the highest honor given to a noncommander. At the Forum, Caesar's oratory...

Marie Curie was a world-renowned scientist who made many important discoveries, as well as a great teacher and a mother, but her accomplishments didn't come easily.

Born Maria Sklodovska in 1867, Marie grew up in Russia-occupied Poland where schools were not allowed to teach Polish history or language, and lab experiments were forbidden in science classes. When Marie was young, her mother and eldest sister both passed away. Marie was determined not to let hardships get in the way of her dreams. She went on to win two Nobel Prizes, one each in physics and chemistry, making her the first...