The Mad Hatter Little Free Library -Tulsa, OK

05/05/2026

05/05/2026

05/05/2026

Christopher Havens entered prison with no background in higher mathematics, but he discovered a deep fascination with numbers while serving his sentence. With limited resources, he taught himself algebra, calculus, and eventually number theory by requesting textbooks, working through problems for hours each day, and writing letters to mathematicians on the outside.

One of those letters reached a researcher in Italy, who recognized Havens’ raw talent and began exchanging problems and solutions with him. That correspondence became Havens’ lifeline to the academic world, giving him access to guidance and feedback he couldn’t get inside the prison system.

Over time, Havens focused on a niche area of number theory involving continued fractions, a field dating back to Euclid but still full of unsolved questions. Working alone in his cell, he developed a new approach to a specific problem that had stumped researchers, and his solution was strong enough to be accepted for publication in a peer‑reviewed mathematics journal.

The achievement didn’t just showcase his talent; it highlighted how intellectual potential can emerge in the most unlikely places when someone is given even a small chance to learn.

05/05/2026

05/05/2026

Shirley Temple Black -- the most famous child movie star in history -- was born on this day in 1928. Shirley Temple starred in dozens of movies starting with her first film at the age of three in 1932. As a multi-talented singer and dancer with a famously sunny disposition, Black quickly became the most popular movie star of the Depression years. Black often spoke of the importance of this unique period in history to her success, stating: “People in the Depression wanted something to cheer them up, and they fell in love with a dog, Rin Tin Tin, and a little girl."

Years after she left show business, Black started raising funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; a disease that afflicted her brother. By the early 1960s, she was president of the Multiple Sclerosis Society and co-founder of the International Federation of Multiple Sclerosis Societies. In the years that followed, she became increasingly engaged in politics and served as the U.S. Ambassador to two countries: Ghana from 1974 to 1976 and Czechoslovakia in 1989.

Black also became one of the first prominent women to speak publicly about her fight against breast cancer. After she had a mastectomy in 1972, she held a press conference in her hospital room and urged women discovering breast lumps to seek medical attention and not to "sit home and be afraid." Due to her openness around her experience, the New York Times stated that "she is widely credited with helping to make it acceptable to talk about breast cancer."

For two excellent books for adult readers about Shirley Temple's life and influence, we recommend "The Little Girl Who Fought the Great Depression: Shirley Temple and 1930s America" (https://www.amightygirl.com/little-girl-great-depression) and "Shirley Temple: American Princess" (https://bookshop.org/a/8011/9781493026913)

For books for children and teens about girls and women in the creative arts, visit our "Creative Arts" section at https://www.amightygirl.com/books/general-interest/creative-arts

For hundreds of true stories for children and teens about female trailblazers in fields ranging from the sciences to the arts, visit A Mighty Girl’s "Role Models" biography section at https://www.amightygirl.com/books/history-biography/biography

For books to inspire kids to make a difference in the world -- both locally and globally -- check out our blog post “Making an Impact: 40 Mighty Girl Books About Charity and Community Service” at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=10983

05/05/2026

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04/22/2026

I finally got to see the “Looking for Alice” ox statue at Westgate! It’s so colorful and whimsical!

04/16/2026

✨🌷 In celebration of its 75th anniversary, Disney’s animated film Alice in Wonderland has undergone a new 4K restoration and will be available on digital and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on May 5 🎬