Catherine Reef

"Noah Webster may be best remembered the enormous and ambitious task of writing his famous dictionary, but for him, this accomplishment was a means to an end. His true goal was to streamline the language spoken in our newly formed country so that it could be used as a force to bring people together and be a source of national pride. Though people laughed at his ideas, Webster never doubted himself. In the end, his so-called foolish notions achieved...

A biography for young adult readers on Florence Nightingale, the pioneering nurse best known for her work during the Crimean War, where she rectified horrifying conditions and made nightly rounds to check on patients, saving hundreds of lives and sparking worldwide healthcare reform.

Explores the turbulent lives of the three literary siblings and the oppressive times in which they lived, and offers insight into their classic nineteenth-century novels.

A tantalizing biography for teens on Sarah Bernhardt, the first international celebrity and one of the greatest actors of all time, who lived a highly unconventional, utterly fascinating life. Illustrated with more than sixty-five photos of Bernhardt on stage, in film, and in real life.
Sarah Bernhardt was a French stage actor who became a global superstar in the late nineteenth century—the Lady Gaga of her day—and...

Recounts the deeds of the 9th and 10th Cavalry, comprised of African American soldiers who kept peace between Indians and settlers on the western frontier, fought in the Spanish-American War, and pursued the outlaw Pancho Villa through Mexico.

Traces the life and career of the Army general who was appointed National Security Advisor by Ronald Reagan and became the country's first black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989.

Victoria woke one morning at the age of eighteen to discover that her uncle had died and that she was now queen. She went on to rule for sixty-three years, with an influence so far-reaching that the decades of her reign now bear her name-the Victorian period. Victoria is filled with the exciting comings and goings of royal life: intrigue and innuendo, scheming advisors, and assassination attempts-not to mention plenty of passion and discord.

Describes the life of the author who came to value the natural world and whose writings have influenced and inspired others concerning nature.

Traces the life of the American Jewish composer who created a new kind of music that has lasted beyond the fashion of his time.