About: WHEELS OF CHANGE, MG Historical Novel by Darlene Beck Jacobson

Racial intolerance, social change, sweeping progress. It is a turbulent time growing up in 1908. For twelve year old EMILY SOPER, life in Papa’s carriage barn is magic. Emily is more at home hearing the symphony of the blacksmith’s hammer, than trying to conform to the proper expectations of females. Many prominent people own Papa’s carriages. He even receives an order to make one for President Theodore Roosevelt. Papa’s livelihood becomes threatened by racist neighbors, and horsepower of a different sort.  Emily is determined to save Papa’s business even if she has to go all the way to the President.

WHEELS OF CHANGE is being published by CRESTON BOOKS on September 22, 2014.

“Sparkling writing, meticulous research, and a brave, bright girl who learns which changes in her world truly matter”

  -Joanne Rocklin – Author of ONE DAY AND ONE AMAZING MORNING ON ORANGE STREET

 “A moving and quietly beautiful story whose simple surface hides deep lessons.”

–  Kermit Roosevelt – Great-great grandson of TR and Author of IN THE SHADOW OF THE LAW

 “The superbly researched WOC is an engaging peek at a pivotal transition from carriage to car. Young readers will delight in the character of Emily Soper, a plucky girl facing change with an iron will.”

–  Janet Fox – Author of FORGIVEN, SIRENS

 “Courage in the face of life-altering changes, both large and small, is at the heart of this captivating novel. Brimming with life-like characters and vivid historical details, readers will cheer for gutsy twelve year old Emily as she goes from one adventure to the next, finding her place in an ever changing world.”

–          Gabrielle Casieri – Lawrenceville Intermediate School Media Specialist, Lawrenceville, NJ

 “WOC is a wonderful, heart-warming story that captures a pivotal time in history. Using her own family’s story, Darlene Beck Jacobson shows how people struggle with, and overcome, change.”

–          Bronwen Sanders – Curator of the Mifflinburg Buggy Museum, Mifflinburg, PA

 “Emily is a brave girl with big dreams for the future in a time when girls’ futures were limited.”

–          Kendall Lockhart – 4^th Grade student

 Wheels of Change has been chosen as a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2015 by the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC).     It was also chosen as one of this years 2014 Mighty Girl Books. Here is the link to view all: http://www.amightygirl.com/mighty-girl-picks/2014-mighty-girl-books 

 WHEELS OF CHANGE was awarded Honorable Mention from the Grateful American Book Prize for 2015 for an outstanding work of Historical Fiction for children.

See the book trailer: