Debbie Levy is the author of children’s books of nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Her nonfiction books span the subject spectrum from sunken treasure to U.S. presidents to the Vietnam War to the Berlin Wall. Recent nonfiction titles include Richard Wright: A Biography, for Twenty-First Century Books (an imprint of Lerner Publications) and The Signing of the Magna Carta (Lerner). In addition to writing on historical topics and biographies, Debbie Levy has written about social issues, such as bigotry and civil liberties. Debbie Levy's middle grade novel, Underwater (Darby Creek Publishing) is about a boy named Gabe who, in his dreams and imagination, is going to grow up and be something great—the next Jacques Cousteau, the next Steven Spielberg, the next somebody. For now, though, he has enough trouble just figuring out how to be himself. Debbie Levy's first collection of funny poems—about bedtime—will be published by Sterling Publishing. Before she started writing books for children, Debbie Levy practiced law with the Washington, D.C. law firm, Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now called WilmerHale) and worked as a newspaper editor (with American Lawyer Media and Legal Times). She has a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia, as well as a law degree (J.D.) and master’s degree in world politics (M.A.) from the University of Michigan. In her free time, and even when she’s busy, Debbie Levy likes to kayak and fish on the beautiful Wye River in the Chesapeake Bay region. She and her family live in Maryland. Books for Children and Young Adults by Debbie Levy Kidding Around Washington, D.C., 1997, John Muir Publications/Avalon Travel Publishing (second edition April 2000). The Jungle Band and Other Poems (contributor: “Diving With Dolphins” and “Grandma’s Coming”), Waterford Institute, 1998. Civil Liberties, Lucent Books, 2000. Medical Ethics, Lucent Books, 2001. Bigotry, Lucent Books, 2002. Lyndon B. Johnson (Presidential Leaders series), Lerner Publications, 2003. The Vietnam War (Chronicle of America’s Wars series), Lerner Publications, 2004. Maryland (Seeds of a Nation series), KidHaven Press, 2004. Slaves on a Southern Plantation (Daily Life series), KidHaven Press, 2004. John Quincy Adams (Presidential Leaders series), Lerner Publications, 2005. James Monroe (Presidential Leaders series), Lerner Publications, 2005. Sunken Treasure (Wonders of the World series), KidHaven Press, 2005. The Berlin Wall (Building World Landmarks series), Blackbirch Press, 2005. The World Trade Center (Great Structures in History series), KidHaven Press, 2005. Rutherford B. Hayes (Presidential Leaders series), Lerner Publications, 2006. The Signing of the Magna Carta (Pivotal Moments in History series), Lerner Publications, 2007. Richard Wright (Literary Greats series), Lerner Publications, 2007. Underwater [novel], Darby Creek Publishing, 2007. Maybe I’ll Sleep in the Bathtub Tonight: Funny Bedtime Poems, Sterling Publishing, forthcoming. Darby Creek Publishing Ages 9 up ISBN 978-1-58196-053-2 A Junior Library Guild Selection Underwater In his dreams and imagination, Gabe Livingston is going to grow up and be something great—the next Jacques Cousteau, the next Steven Spielberg, the next somebody. For now, though, he has enough trouble just figuring out how to be himself. This computer-gaming, water-loving, movie-making boy is in a hurry to grow up, but has to navigate some pretty deep waters along the way. Sterling Publishing Maybe I’ll Sleep in the Bathtub Tonight: Funny Bedtime Poems These funny bedtime poems and pictures are for anyone who likes a good laugh before bed. They’re about dreams, drinks of water, lumpy pillows, scary things in the night, strange things in the night—and much more. A lulla-by book? Forget it. This book grabs you and says lulla-hi. Literary Greats series Twenty-First Century Books/Lerner Publishing Ages 10 up ISBN 978-0-8225-6793-6 Richard Wright: A Biography In 1940, Richard Wright wrote his first novel. He called it Native Son, and it showed white Americans just how vicious and traumatic racism in the United States was. It was a raw and difficult book, and it became a runaway bestseller across the country—the first book by an African American writer to achieve that status. Until his life was cut short at the age of 52, Wright fought racism through violent, challenging books that attracted more readers than any other black writer before him. Wonders of the World series KidHaven Press Ages 7-12 ISBN 0-7377-2646-6 Sunken Treasure Storms and other dangers have sent thousands of ships to watery graves at the bottom of the sea. The tragedies of these ships produce treasure years later, when scientists, archaeologists, and treasure hunters discover their lost cargos. Sunken Treasure takes the reader on the journey from disaster to discovery, and explores some of the oceans’ most exciting underwater treasures. Pivotal Moments in History series Twenty-First Century Books/Lerner Publishing Ages 12 up ISBN 978-0-8225-5917-7 Click cover to order. The Signing of the Magna Carta Magna Carta: The words are Latin for Great Charter. It was drawn up in 1215 between King John of England and a group of English barons and other noblemen who would have liked to see John thrown off his throne. Today, the Magna Carta is famous as a stepping stone to constitutional government, but it didn’t start out as anything quite so. . . democratic. With colorful characters such as King John, King Richard I (“Lion Heart”), Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Pope Innocent III, the story of the Magna Carta is entertaining as well as educational. Chronicle of America’s Wars series Lerner Publishing Ages 10 up ISBN 0-8225-0421-9 Click cover to buy. The Vietnam War Reciting the words of America’s Declaration of Independence, on September 2, 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence from France and set in motion more than three decades of war. After the French withdrew, five American presidents committed U.S. resources to Vietnam to prevent the spread of communism. Starting with military advisers in 1954, America’s involvement in the conflict escalated until more than two and a half million Americans had served by the war’s end in 1975. As more and more Americans were killed in a war that seemed unwinnable, the U.S. public became increasingly divided over the country’s involvement. The Vietnam War explores a terrible conflict that has taken on new relevance for young people today as they face America’s military role in Iraq and elsewhere in a volatile world. Daily Life series KidHaven Press Ages 8 up ISBN 0-7377-1827-7 Slaves on a Southern Plantation For more than 150 years, starting before 1700, people from Africa and their descendants were forced to work as slaves on large plantations in the American South. They worked long days for no pay and without a say in their own lives. They endured cruel punishments, poor food, shabby clothes, and ramshackle housing. Plantation slaves suffered many hardships—yet they fought not only to survive but also to preserve their humanity. Seeds of a Nation series KidHaven Press Ages 7 to 12 ISBN 0-7377-1447-6 Maryland Before Europeans set foot on the land that became Maryland, American Indians enjoyed the region’s rich natural resources. The calm waterways, mild weather, and abundant wildlife proved irresistible to English colonists. But the colonists who settled Maryland sought more than a pleasant landscape and ample food—they also sought to create a place where they could enjoy religious freedom. Read about Maryland’s early history, from the rise of the Algonquians to statehood. Building World Landmarks series Blackbirch Press Ages 9 up ISBN 1-4103-0137-0 The Berlin Wall In 1961, the German city of Berlin became ground zero in the struggle between the Communist and non-Communist worlds when Communist East Germany began building a wall to divide the city in half. The 100-mile Berlin Wall created an awful, if awesome, scar across the landscape of Germany's capital. The efforts of the East German authorities to plan and build this barrier were matched only by the continuing exertions of East German citizens to go over, under, and around it. The Berlin Wall recounts the drama of this East-West divide from its roots in World War II until its fall in November 1989. Great Structures in History series KidHaven Press Ages 8 up ISBN 0-7377-2071-9 The World Trade Center The World Trade Center was built to draw attention to New York City and to stand as a symbol of that city’s place in the global community. It became a symbol not only of New York, but also of American culture and prestige. Tragically, the World Trade Center's success as a symbol contributed to its downfall when terrorists targeted it for destruction on September 11, 2001. This is the story of the life and death of one of the most recognized structures in the world. John Muir Publications/ Avalon Travel Publishing For all ages ISBN 1-56261-588-2 Kidding Around Washington, D.C Whether you live in Washington, D.C., or are just visiting with your family, this activity book will help you get the most out of the city. In addition to featuring the parks, museums, monuments, and other sightseeing highlights, the book has games, puzzles, and illustrations to help kids really have fun in the nation’s capital. Overview series Lucent Books Ages 10 up ISBN 1-56006-500-1 Bigotry Sadly, bigotry is alive and well in America today. Using historical examples as well as events from today’s headlines, this book goes beneath the surface of racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, and other types of bigotry. For students and adults, Bigotry helps make sense of one of the most enduring, and harmful, features of human experience. Overview series Lucent Books Ages 10 up ISBN 1-56006-611-3 Civil Liberties Sweet land of liberty. . . . With liberty and justice for all. . . . Give me liberty, or give me death! The praises of liberty have been sung, sworn, and shouted throughout American history. But figuring out what loving liberty really means is quite another thing. From religious freedom to book banning to Internet pornography to political demonstrations—Civil Liberties clarifies and analyzes the many issues that arise out of the simple idea of freedom. Overview series Lucent Books Ages 10 up ISBN 1-56006-547-8 Medical Ethics Experimental treatments, genetic engineering, organ transplants, assisted suicide—all these issues create life-and-death dramas every day in hospitals and homes around the world. Doctors, nurses, patients, and families often disagree on what course of action to take in these situations—and there is often no answer that is clearly right or wrong. This book introduces students and adults to some of the knottiest, most emotional problems in medical care today. Presidential Leaders series Lerner Publishing Ages 8 up ISBN 0-8225-0825-7 John Quincy Adams On his 45th birthday, John Quincy Adams wrote in his diary: “two-thirds of a long life are past, and I have done nothing to distinguish it by usefulness to my country or to mankind.” In fact, he had already served in the Massachusetts legislature and the U.S. Senate, represented clients before the U.S. Supreme Court, and served as U.S. minister to three countries. Fluent in several languages, John Quincy Adams became one of America’s greatest diplomats and secretaries of state. In 1824 he was elected president of the United States, the first son of a U.S. president to win that office. After that, he became a U.S. congressman and a passionate spokesperson for the abolition of slavery. Still, the dour little man never seemed satisfied with his accomplishments—might his standards have been just a little too high? Presidential Leaders series Lerner Publishing Ages 8 up ISBN 0-8225-0097-3 Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson was a complicated man whose life was filled with both tremendous achievement and failure. His aggressive personality as a leader brought him his highest praise—and his harshest criticism—and resulted in his success as a state representative, senator, and president. Although most often remembered for his controversial role in the Vietnam War, it was his great contribution to the civil rights movement that remains his legacy. Presidential Leaders series Lerner Publishing Ages 8 up ISBN 0-8225-0824-9 James Monroe The fifth President of the United States, James Monroe is most well known for his actions during the War of 1812. As secretary of state, he worked against the British invasion of Washington D.C., leading troops and tracking the enemy’s movements. He also fought in the Revolutionary War and held a wide variety of political positions, including governor of Virginia, minister to Britain and France, congressman, secretary of state and secretary of war—all before being elected to the presidency. Presidential Leaders series Lerner Publishing 0-8225-1493-1 Rutherford B. Hayes He is well known for winning the presidential election of 1876, which was so close it had to be decided by a vote of Congress. He is infamous for ordering federal soldiers to leave the South in 1877, which effectively handed southern states over to white supremacists for nearly a century. And yet, what was most notable about Rutherford B. Hayes was his basic human decency. Hayes’ greatest achievement was not his presidency—but as a soldier, congressman, governor, community activist, and family man, he lived a life of experience, effort, morality, and love.