First published 2026
Sharon McMahon presents twelve Americans whose individual actions altered the nation's trajectory. The collection opens with María de López navigating wartime dangers as an ambulance driver while championing women's voting rights. Two young men, Norman and Alan, forge a friendship at summer camp that eventually helps them guide the country together. Teachers step beyond their classrooms to spark change. Children discover their voices can move mountains. Quiet individuals in small towns create waves that reach far beyond their communities. Each story reveals how single moments of courage or kindness can reshape history. McMahon shows that ordinary people possess extraordinary power to influence their times. The book demonstrates that fame and recognition matter less than the willingness to act when action is needed. These twelve portraits celebrate the idea that small steps create consequences we cannot predict or measure.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 21st-century, activism, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, ordinary-people
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century
32 pages · Hardcover · Knopf Books for Young Readers