Nonfiction
The School’s On Fire!
A True Story of Bravery, Tragedy, and Determination
Chicago Review Press, 2019
Ages 10 and up
Notable Social Studies Book for Young People — Children’s Book Council
“This moving narrative of one of the most devastating school fires in U.S. history is recommended for middle school nonfiction collections.” – School Library Journal
“In engaging prose Jones relates the engrossing story of the fast-moving fire that trapped numerous students in overcrowded classrooms.” – Kirkus Review
“Recounted in a fast-paced, blow-by-blow, classroom by classroom narrative, the tragedy is made accessible by focusing on the survivors’ stories of courage, quick thinking, and luck.” – Midwest Book Review
The Biggest (and Best) Flag That Ever Flew
Illustrated by Charles Greer
Tidewater Publishers, 1988, 1993; Schiffer Books
Ages 5 to 9
“Before you see the Star-Spangled Banner in the Museum of American History, read this charming story about the ladies who made the flag, Mrs. Pickersgill and her daughter Caroline. Sparkling illustrations.”
– Travel for Kids
Captain John Smith’s Big and Beautiful Bay
Illustrated by Linda Shute
Schiffer Books, 2011
Ages 7 to 11
“In a tight, lucid narrative, Jones details Captain John Smith’s two-thousand-mile Jamestown-based exploration of the Chesapeake Bay during the summer of 1608. Derived largely from primary source material, the exciting account is illustrated with soft-hued drawings and sketches.”
– The Horn Book Guide to Children’s and Young Adult Books
For information on how teachers can use this book across the curriculum, click here.
The Mystery of Mary Surratt
The Plot to Kill President Lincoln
Tidewater Publishers, 2004; Schiffer Books
Ages 9 and up
“The Mystery of Mary Surratt is a straightforward treatment of a controversy in American history, concerning the role of Mary Surratt in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. … [It] is a head-on, no-nonsense, and engrossing look at an individual criminal justice case presented in plain terms for general readers of all ages.”
– The Midwest Book Review
For information on how teachers can use this book across the curriculum, click here.
Rare Kids: Living with Cavernous Angioma
Angioma Alliance, 2015
Ages 9 and up
“Many kids who live with cavernous angioma don’t know another child with the illness. Rare Kids: Living with Cavernous Angioma breaks through the isolation. In these pages, affected children and their siblings talk about their challenges and triumphs with honesty, insight, and courage.”
– Connie Lee, president, Angioma Alliance
To buy this book (and to support the Angioma Alliance), click here.
The President Has Been Shot!
True Stories of the Attacks on Ten U.S. Presidents
Dutton, 1996
Ages 10 and up
* Puffin paperback
* Troll and Scholastic book clubs
“This book about presidential assassinations and attempted assassinations shows what a good book can come from the deft arrangement of historical facts.”
– Philadelphia Inquirer.
For information on how teachers can use this book across the curriculum, click here.
For Educators
Living with HIV/AIDS: Students Tell Their Stories of Stigma, Courage, and Resilience. National School Boards Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006
The Next Chapter: A School Board Guide to Improving Literacy. National School Boards Association and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, 2006
Building and Sustaining After-School Programs. National School Boards Association and the Charles Stuart Mott Foundation, 2005