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  • Published: 13 October 2026
  • ISBN: 9780593541692
  • Imprint: Thesis
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 336
  • RRP: $45.00

The Small and the Mighty

Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, From the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement




An updated edition of the breakout bestseller that inspired a new generation of history lovers

In The Small and the Mighty, “America’s Government Teacher” Sharon McMahon brings her signature clarity, warmth, and humor to bear on a cast of twelve improbable champions who will challenge everything you thought you knew about who makes America great. You’ll meet a woman astride a white horse riding down Pennsylvania Avenue, a young boy detained at a Japanese incarceration camp, a formerly enslaved woman on a mission to reunite with her daughter, a poet on a train, and a teacher who learns to work with her enemies.

This paperback edition has been expanded by the author to include a bonus chapter and a detailed study guide. McMahon’s characters once again become familiar guides, lighting the path toward a more just, peaceful, and free world.

  • Published: 13 October 2026
  • ISBN: 9780593541692
  • Imprint: Thesis
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 336
  • RRP: $45.00

About the author

Sharon McMahon

Sharon McMahon is the author of the NYT bestselling The Small and The Mighty, and an award-winning educator, founder, and philanthropist best known as America’s Government Teacher on her Instagram account, Sharon Says So. She is the host of award-winning podcast Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, and the founder of the newsletter The Preamble. She has led her community in various philanthropic initiatives that have raised millions for disaster recovery, medical debt relief, international crises, classroom grants, and more. In all that she does, McMahon encourages with a message of hope: that we can create powerful change with our small, consistent actions.

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