Thousands of years ago, that the world they lived on was all there was. But driven by curiosity and equipped with new technology, astronomers discovered the solar system we live in and how it is composed of not only planets, asteroids, and comets, but also powerful forces and vast fields of energy. This is our solar system’s big backyard where scientists have found answers to age-old questions and encountered new mysteries. And there is still much to learn!

In today’s world, there are many ways in which people can create a family. Going beyond the basics of sexual reproduction, explore and examine the diversity of medical and societal methods people use, including in-vitro fertilization, surrogacy, adoption, and more. Backed by scientific research and interviews with families, author Rachel Ginocchio provides a thoughtful and thorough examination of the possibilities available and how blood doesn’t define family.

Immigration and the history of America are inextricably linked, from the colonization of the United States to government policies to the building of a wall along the US-Mexico border. Author Lars Ortiz covers how immigration has positivity influenced society, the backlash against immigration that so many immigrants have faced, and the optimism that leads people to seek a better future in a new land.

The 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Borinqueneers, is the only Puerto Rican unit in the United States Army. Since the regiment’s creation in 1899, the men of the 65th have proudly served the US through multiple wars, even earning esteemed accolades, despite facing racial discrimination. But the honor of the men of the 65th came into question in 1952, amid the Korean War, when ninety-one Borinqueneers were arrested and tried for desertion and disobeying orders. How could this happen in one of the most distinguished and decorated units of the Army?

Millions of Africans were enslaved during the transatlantic slave trade, but few recorded their personal experiences. Olaudah Equiano was one of the few who did, writing The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano where he detailed his life in Africa as a child, his enslavement at a young age, his travels across the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, his liberation, and his life as a free man. Using this autobiography as a primary source text, authors Monica Edinger and Lesley Younge share Equiano’s life story in “found verse,” supplemented with annotations to give readers historical context.