Welldon, Christine

In 1906 New Orleans, shoe shiner Sterling Crawford is the eleven-year-old son of a washer woman who aspires to be a great trumpeter like his hero, King Buddy Bolden. But Sterling faces a lot of obstacles, including desperate poverty, Jim Crow laws, and organized neighborhood criminals. Sterling's dreams won't be thwarted however, and as he plays for pennies in the park to help his mother out, he perseveres for a better life.

Recounts the experiences of three children--six-year-old Beth Cook traveling third class, eight-year-old Charlotte Murphy, second class, and eleven-year-old John Crosby, first class--all traveling on the doomed Titanic that sank on April 14th, 1912.

"[Introduces] sixteen changemakers--boys, girls, men, and women. All of them are part of Ashoka, an organization that offers networking, mentorship, and financial aid to social entrepreneurs of all ages around the world. Each member strives to make a difference in the world, from animal rights to environmentalism, preservation of Aboriginal culture to food conservation . . . [Describes] how they've made global changes, the challenges they faced, and how you can start your own initiative!"--Provided by publisher.