First Names (Abrams)

Meet the woman who made coding cool-and possible!   Before she was a famous mathematician and the first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace (1815–1852) was the daughter of well-known poet Lord Byron. Byron died when Ada was very young, and Ada's mother encouraged her interest in mathematics in an attempt to prevent Ada from turning into a melancholy poet like her father. Ada grew up and married a count, and as a countess, she was given access to some of England's greatest scientists and authors, including Charles Babbage, who was working to develop an analytical engine. Seeing the potential in computers, Ada partnered with Charles and used her mathematical skills to create an algorithm that could make such a machine possible. Fascinating and lively, Ada Lovelace tells the story of the woman who helped pioneer computing! It includes a timeline, bibliography, glossary, and index.

Before he led the first expedition to circumnavigate the Earth, Ferdinand Magellan (1480—1521) was a Portuguese noble who loved the sea. A skilled sailor, he led a number of voyages and is known for his incredible navigation skills. Over the course of his sailing career, he faced terrible storms and mutinies but always managed to get his crew home safely. He set off with his crew to circle the globe-a trip that no other ship had ever completed. Though Magellan died in combat in the Philippines before he could complete the voyage, his ship went on to complete the first circumnavigation of the world, and he is still known as one of the greatest explorers. However, as historians today note, many of the places that Magellan "discovered" already had people living there, and his fame is one rooted in colonialism. Ferdinand Magellan tackles the legacy-both good and bad-of this famous explorer. First Names is a highly illustrated nonfiction series that puts young readers on a first-name basis with some of the most incredible people in history and of today!

See how Amelia Earhart went from a little Kansas tomboy to a high-flying feminist icon Before Amelia Earhart (1897–1939) became a world-famous pilot, she was a little tomboy from Kansas with a taste for adventure. When she visited an airfield and took a short plane ride, she knew she had to be a pilot. She signed up for flying lessons and cropped her hair short so that the other pilots would take her seriously. She became the first woman to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. With each flight she took and each record she broke, Amelia became more and more of a celebrity. Her final flight was intended to be a trip around the whole world, but her plane disappeared after takeoff-and her disappearance is still a mystery today. Inspirational, highly illustrated, and full of adventure, Amelia Earhart tells the story of the feminist icon who changed the world of aviation. It includes a timeline, glossary, and index.

Meet the woman who changed music forever and showed that girls can run the world! Before she was an international superstar and feminist icon, Beyoncé was a girl from Texas who loved to sing and dance. As a member of Destiny's Child, she climbed the charts and became a member of one of the most famous girl groups in history. This launched Beyoncé into her solo career, and since then, she's become an unstoppable force in music and pop culture. Beyond music, she is a successful businesswoman and activist who helps bring issues of race and gender into the global conversation. Empowering and inspirational, Beyoncé tells the story of the woman who showed that girls can run the world. It includes a timeline, glossary, and index. First Names is a highly illustrated nonfiction series that puts readers on a first-name basis with some of the most incredible people in history and of today! Nansubuga Isdahl was born to Ugandan parents in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After receiving a master's degree in diplomacy, she began working in international development in East and Southern Africa. She currently works as a technical writer and editor for international organizations as well as a children's book author. She lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, with her husband and daughter. Tammy Taylor is an illustrator who enjoys drawing children's books and manga-style comics. When she isn't drawing, she teaches others about comics and makes games. She lives and works in London.