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If you made a list of people who rocked the world, how many girls would be on it? Cleopatra was only 18 when named queen of the Egyptian empire, and Victoria was only 19 when crowned Queen of England. Phillis Wheatley is credited with starting the African-American literary tradition, and jazz singer Bessie Smith was only nine when she made her stage debut. This book covers the best-known heroines as well as some you may never have heard of, like Mary Anning, who discovered a dinosaur fossil in 1809 at the age of 11 and went on to become one of the first professional female scientists.

Do you have a favorite sports hero? If so, have you ever wondered about what kind of zany things things he or she likes to do when not competing? Have you ever wondered what the great athletes like to eat, or what they like to drink? For instance, it's a little-known fact that baseball great Babe Ruth relished the chance to wolf-down pickled eels and chocolate ice cream! Do you ever imagine what their childhoods were like? This fascinating book answers all these questions and many more you might never have even thought to ask!

What do King Tut, Galileo, Crazy Horse, Bruce Lee, Chico Mendes, Elvis Presley, Bill Gates, Tiger Woods, and the Dalai Lama all have in common? They each left their mark on the world in a big way-and all were boys or young men when they did! Did you know that King Tut was one of the youngest pharaohs ever to rule Ancient Egypt? If that sounds like a huge responsibility in itself, imagine that he was able to restore order, peace, and prosperity to the people after years of chaos! Have you ever heard about Chico Mendes?

Starting from scratch, simply by picking stocks and companies for investment, Warren Buffett amassed one of the epochal fortunes of the twentieth century--an astounding net worth of $10 billion, and counting. His awesome investment record has made him a cult figure popularly known for his seeming contradictions: a billionaire who has a modest lifestyle, a phenomenally successful investor who eschews the revolving-door trading of modern Wall Street, a brilliant dealmaker who cultivates a homespun aura.

Acclaimed poet and award-winning children's author Jonah Winter-inspired by a political rally he attended during the historic 2008 presidential campaign-tells the moving story of Barack Obama. Beginning in Africa and Kansas, this enlightening biography describes Obama's life as an ongoing journey, from his birth in Hawaii to his election as president. Obama emerges as someone who, even from an early age, wondered where he belonged and who he might become.

I wanna rock and roll all night are the words that fans shout at KISS concerts. Self-proclaimed hottest band in the land, KISS rocks stadiums and albums. Their upbeat anthem Rock and Roll All Nite rocketed them to stardom. Fans can t get enough of their loud, showy, and flashy concerts. Read about the band members and how they formed KISS, the ups and downs of some of the members, how they became a marketing machine, and where they are today.

George Washington and King George III of Britain had a great deal in common-aside from sharing the same first name. Both loved to hunt and farm, both towered above most other men of their day, and both were dedicated husbands and fathers. Yet despite their similarities, they were destined to become bitter enemies. As the Revolutionary War erupted, people on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean formed very different opinions. To the patriotic American colonists, George Washington was a hero and King George a tyrant.

Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki is the genius behind such animated classics as Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds. His bountiful imagination and compassion have earned him accolades the world over. Until the early 1990s, Miyazaki's work was largely unfamiliar to American audiences. But that would soon change, and now fans of all ages eagerly await new material from the master. Setting the bar high for quality animation, Miyazaki's films break all sorts of rules and push many of the boundaries common to Western animation.

In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first American woman to obtain a medical degree. Following in her footsteps in the early 1980s, Brenda Berkman was the first woman to challenge New York City's ban on female firefighters. During the last few centuries, countless women have made amazing contributions to society. Women are now Nobel Peace Prize winners, world-class athletes, and talented inventors and adventurers. Some women, such as Shirley Muldowney'the first woman inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame- shattered perceptions about what women could accomplish.

In 1831, Prudence Crandall opened a school for girls in Canterbury, Connecticut. When an African-American girl named Sarah Harris asked if she could attend, Prudence agreed. But Prudence wasn't prepared for how the town would react. Parents of Prudence's white students were outraged that a black girl would be allowed to sit beside their children. They threatened to withdraw their daughters from the school if Prudence did not expel Sarah Harris. So, with the support of prominent anti-slavery activists, Prudence turned her schoolhouse into a school for only African-American girls.