Aani and the Tree Huggers by Jeannine Atkins, illustrated by Pinto Venantius. Lee and Low. Aani and the women of her village in northern India try to save the trees of their beloved forest from being cut down by hugging them. An inspirational story with dazzling illustrations, that is based on an actual event!

Brave Irene by William Steig. Farrar. Plucky Irene Bobbin, the dressmaker’s daughter, sets out through a snowstorm to deliver the duchess’s ball gown. She displays courage and determination against the elements.

Casey Jones’s Fireman: The Story of Sim Webb by Nancy Famer, illustrated by James Bernardin. Penguin Putnam. Sim Webb, the African-American fireman on the legendary train, tells his version of the events leading up to the crash of the Cannonball Express in 1900.

Dot the Fire Dog by Lisa Desimini. Blue Sky/Scholastic. When the alarm sounds, all the firefighters (and Dot) stop what they are doing, jump into their fire truck and rush to put out the fire and rescue people—and their pets.

Eleanor by Barbara Cooney. Viking. This picture book biography tells the story of the early years of Eleanor Roosevelt. A combination of the Ugly Duckling and Cinderella, Eleanor emerges from her lonely childhood as a strong and compassionate woman. An inspiring true story of a former first lady.

Freedom River by Bryan Collier. Hyperion. The true story of ex-slave, John Parker, who having bought his own freedom, risks everything to help others escape from the chains of slavery. An exciting and inspirational story about a little-known American hero.

Gandhi by Demi. McElderry. An exquisitely illustrated picture book biography of India’s "Great Soul". The inspiring story of a small, shy boy who became the father of his country and the founder of one of the world’s most powerful ideas—passive resistance.

Henry David’s House by Henry David Thoreau, edited by Steven Schnur, illustrated by Peter Fiore. Charlesbridge. A grand introduction to this quiet, introspective American hero who celebrated nature and followed his conscience. With skillfully edited and selected passages from Thoreau’s own work.

I Am Rosa Parks, by Rosa Parks with Jim Haskins, illustrated by Will Clay. Dial. Rosa Parks tells why she decided not to give up her seat on the bus to a white man on that fateful day in 1955. The true story of one of our greatest heroines whose actions changed this country forever.

Johnny Appleseed by Reeve Lindbergh, illustrated by Kathy Jakobsen. Joy Street/Little, Brown. With its rhyming text and finely crafted illustrations, this story about the American folk hero who spread kindness as well as apple trees, is given new life.

Josephina Hates Her Name by Diana Engle. Morrow. Josephina hates her name—until Grandma tells her about Great-Aunt Josephina, a talented and courageous girl who collected names and butterflies and went off to explore the jungle.

Mandela by Floyd Cooper. Philomel. The extraordinary life and courage of this South African leader and world statesman is respectfully conveyed in words and pictures.

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier. Hyperion. Rappaport, Doreen. Magnificent illustrations and Dr. King’s own words celebrate the power and legacy of this extraordinary individual and champion of civil rights. A 2002 Caldecott Honor book.

Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Dial. The illustrations of Westchester's Jerry Pinkney complement this fictional account of the early life of Harriet Tubman.

New York’s Bravest by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. Knopf. The amazing bravery of Moses Humphreys, a real New York City firefighter of the 1840s, is the stuff of legends. An exciting and moving tribute to the bravery of all firefighters and A rip-roaring good yarn!

Noodle Man: The Pasta Superhero by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Stephen Castanza. Orchard. Using his noodle, Al Dente invents a pasta machine that makes giant noodles. This wacky hero winds up capturing a crook, putting out a fire and rescuing people with his oversized pasta.

Radio Rescue by Lynne Barasch. Farrar/Frances Foster Books. The true story of a 10-year old New York City boy in the 1920s, who learned Morse code, became a ham radio operator and helped save the lives of a family caught in a hurricane after he picked up their radio signal all the way from Florida.

Seven Brave Women by Betsy Hearne, illustrated by Bethanne Anderson. Greenwillow. There are many ways of being a hero as the young narrator points out in these seven stories of bravery of her female ancestors.

The Adventures of Sparrowboy by Brian Pinkney. Simon and Schuster. After a near-accident with a sparrow, Henry, a paperboy, turns into a superhero—rescuing a cat from a neighborhood bully. The comic book style fantasy presents an ideal of power-used-for-good that will satisfy a real child's desire for justice.

The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles, illustrated by George Ford. Scholastic. As the first black child to attend an all-white elementary school, six-year-old Ruby displayed incredible courage and dignity as she walked past angry crowds of jeering white adults to get to school. A true story about a real American child.

Smoke Jumpers One to Ten by Chris L. Demarest. McElderry. Follow the elite crew of firefighters as they parachute into a remote area to save the burning forest. With large, action-packed pictures.

The Samurai’s Daughter by Robert D. San Souci, illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson. Dial. Tokoyo’s father, a samurai nobleman, is wrongly exiled to a faraway island in the sea. Determined to remain with her beloved father, Tokoyo sets out on a dangerous journey to find him. Ghosts, robbers and sea monsters test her bravery and she draws from her physical strength as well as her inner courage.

Those Building Men by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Barry Moser. Blue Sky/Scholastic. Stunning illustrations show the sweat, determination and hard work it took to build the bridges, roads, railways and buildings in America. A tribute to the men who built this country.

Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354 by James Rumford. Houghton. As a boy in Morocco in the 1300s, Ibn Battuta dreamed of traveling to Mecca and then going on to see the world. His dreams came true and this book chronicles his adventures, including the people he met and the places he saw in the course of his 75,000 mile journey. Stunning illustrations make the book look like an illuminated map of his journey.

When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan, illustrated by Brian Selznick. Scholastic. A role model for Civil rights, Marian’s courage and determination overcame obstacles, while her magnificent voice captivated the country and the world.

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by David Diaz. Harcourt Brace. A triumphant story of how Rudolph overcame the odds of race, gender and illness to become the world's fastest woman.

Woody Guthrie: Poet of the People by Bonnie Christensen. Knopf. The rousing story of the legendary folk singer whose music captured the soul of America and whose songs continue to inspire and delight is told in this eloquent picture book biography.