 Our
Abe Lincoln
by Jim Aylesworth
Ages 4–8
The simple text of this biography
is adapted by a popular song during Lincoln’s presidential
campaigns, and can be sung to the tune of “The
Old Grey Mare.” The charming and detailed illustrations
will enchant children as they sing along. |
|
 The
Day-Glo Brothers
by Chris Barton, Tony Persiani
Ages 4–8
Brothers Joe and Bob Switzer
were very different. Bob was serious and wanted to
be a doctor. Joe was an amateur magician and wanted
to make a name for himself in show business. When Bob
had a serious accident and was confined to a dark basement
for recovery, the two brothers began experimenting
with ultraviolet light and fluorescent paints, and
invented a new kind of intense color they called Day-Glo.
Joe used the Day-Glo paint in his magic act, and later
Day-Glo paint was used to guide planes to safe landings
on aircraft carriers during WWII. The illustrations
for this accessible biography are created with three
Day-Glo colors: Saturn Yellow, Fire Orange, and Signal
Green. |
|
 Keep
Your Eye on the Kid:
The
Early Years of Buster Keaton
by Catherine Brighton
Ages 5–8
This picture biography follows Buster
Keaton from his birth to vaudeville parents to his early 30s. |
|
 Ashley
Bryan: Words to My Life’s Song
by Ashley Bryan
All Ages
This powerful autobiography
tells a story of a creative life. Illustrations and
memories show a boy finding art materials during the
Depression, storing art supplies in his gas mask during
WWII, losing an art scholarship because of his race,
and an award-winning art career. A book for parents
and children to enjoy together, this book will inspire
artists of all ages. |
|
 Sir
Charlie: Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World
by Sid Fleischman
Ages 9–12
Photographs and newspaper clippings
enliven this sympathetic biography of the great silent
film star whose career ended with the introduction
of sound to movies. Chaplin was one of Fleischman’s
idols, and his admiration for Chaplin’s humor will
motivate young readers to seek out some of the silent
film gems listed in the filmography. |
|
 Lincoln:
A Photobiography
by Russell Freedman
Newbery Medal 1988
Ages 8–12
This comprehensive and accessible biography
of Abraham Lincoln is enhanced by period photographs and drawings. |
|
 The
Storyteller’s Candle/La velita de los cuentos
by Lucia González, Lulu Delacre
Ages 4–9
This bilingual book set in 1929
tells the story of Pura Belpré, the first Puerto
Rican librarian hired by the New York Public Library,
through the eyes of two children who are inspired by
her to enter the Library for the first time. |
|
 Bring
Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie
by Robbin Gourley
Ages 4–8
This book follows Edna Lewis
during her childhood in a Virginia farming community.
From early spring until first snow, Edna appreciates
each crop as it ripens and is ready to be incorporated
into a delicious dish. Folk rhymes and sayings are
sprinkled throughout the text. A short biography of
this famous African-American chef and five kid-friendly
recipes are included. |
|
 Charles
and Emma:
The
Darwins’ Leap of Faith
by Deborah Heiligman
Ages 12–up
This biography focuses on the marriage
of Charles Darwin to his cousin Emma Wedgwood. Supported
by historical context and quotations from their own personal
writings as well, we meet a man who believes in reason
and a woman who believes in God. This sympathetic account
helps readers to understand Darwin’s views and the influence
of Emma’s beliefs. |
|
 John
Brown: His Fight for Freedom
by John Hendrix
Ages 8–12
In the late 1850s, John Brown,
the infamous white abolitionist, backed his beliefs with
action. This unflinching biography presents Brown’s transformation
from a supporter of the underground railroad into an
activist prepared to use violence to support his beliefs.
The violent raid in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, that led
to Brown’s arrest and execution provides an exciting
climax to this compelling biography. |
|
 Claudette
Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
by Phillip Hoose
Ages 10–up
In March 1955, nine months
before Rosa Parks refused to surrender her seat to
a white passenger, 15-year old Claudette Colvin was
dragged from a bus and arrested for the same reason.
This book introduces readers to the courageous teenager
who was overshadowed by Rosa Parks as the center of
the bus boycott. Young readers are encouraged to empathize
with young Claudette, at first dismissed as too “emotional” to
withstand public scrutiny, but later a key witness
in the federal lawsuit that would end discrimination
on public transportation. (2010 Newbery Honor Book) |
|
 Home
on the Range:
John
A. Lomax and His Cowboy Songs
by Deborah Hopkinson, S.D. Schindler
Ages 6–8
This colorful biography tells about
the early life of John Avery Lomax, an early folk musicologist
who got his start collecting the cowboy songs he had loved
as a child on his Ediphone recording device. The realistic
illustrations bring the old west to life. |
|
 The
Extraordinary Mark Twain
by Barbara Kerley, Edwin Fotheringham
Ages 7–11
Thirteen-year-old Susy is determined
to set the record straight about her famous father,
and spends a year writing her own observations. This
accessible biography, which includes clever illustrations
as well as excerpts from Susy’s actual diary, presents
an intimate portrait of the real man behind the famous
one. Author notes include a timeline of Twain’s life
as well as tips for writing an extraordinary biography
of your own. |
|
 What
To Do About Alice?
How
Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove
Her Father Teddy Crazy!
by Barbara Kerley
Ages 4–8
This high energy picture book
celebrates a young spirited American heroine who livened
up the White House. |
|
 Lincoln
Tells a Joke
How
Laughter Saved the President (and the Country)
by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer,
Stacy Innerst
Ages 5–8
This accessible biography begins
by describing all the reasons Lincoln had to be depressed,
including his harsh childhood and homely appearance. Then
Lincoln’s story is told in chronological order while highlighting
his use of humor to deal with disappointment, grief, worry,
and pain. The humorous illustrations add to the upbeat
portrait of a man who coped with life by staying positive
and looking for the lighter side throughout serious events. |
| |
|
 One
Beetle Too Many:
The
Extraordinary Adventures of Charles Darwin
by Kathryn Lasky, Matthew Trueman
Ages 7–12
This friendly biography introduces
middle-graders to Charles Darwin. We see young Charles and
his brother exploding things in their home-made lab, his
failures in school, his consuming curiosity, and finally
the voyage aboard the Beagle. Readers are invited
to follow the reasoning and questioning that let to Darwin’s
theory of evolution. Matthew Trueman’s incredible mixed-media
illustrations help the reader feel Darwin’s fascination with
the natural world. |
|
 Snow
Falling in Spring: Coming of Age
in China During the Cultural Revolution
by Moying Li
Ages 12–up
In this memoir, Moying, a 12-year old
student in Beijing, finds her house ransacked and her father
taken to a labor camp. With faith in knowledge and education,
Moying survives the climate of fear that accompanies the rise
of the Red Guard. |
|
 Snowflake
Bentley
text by Jacqueline Briggs Martin,
illustrations by Mary Azarian
Caldecott Medal
1999
Ages 4–8
This biography of Wilson A. Bentley tells
the story of a rural Vermont farmboy in the mid-19th century
who became fascinated by snowflakes. Bentley developed a system
of microphotography that allowed him to capture images of snowflakes
and prove that no two snowflakes are identical. Azarian’s woodcuts
are perfect. |
|
 Under
a Red Sky
Memoir
of a Childhood in Communist Romania
by Haya Leah Molnar
Ages 12–up
Eva Zimmerman grew up as an adored
only child in an apartment shared by her parents, grandparents,
and aunts and uncles in Bucharest, Romania. Sheltered by
her protective family from the harsh realities of scarce
food and housing under communist rule with the secret police
watching every move, religion and politics were never discussed
at home. In 1958, Eva is shocked to discover that she is
Jewish, and that her whole family has applied to emigrate
to Israel. Black and white family photographs illustrate
this poignant memoir of a girl struggling to understand
her own identity. |
|
 Mama
Miti
by Donna Jo Napoli, Kadir Nelson
Ages 4–8
This story of Wangari Maathai’s
mission to plant trees in Kenya is told more as a folk
tale than a biography. Wangari Wangari becomes known
as Mama Miti (Mother of Trees) because she knows her
trees, and recommends the perfect one to plant to meet
the needs of those she meets. Some trees produce edible
berries, some make good firewood, some have roots that
purify the water. Beautiful and colorful illustrations
bring Mama Miti and her community to life. |
|
 Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable
Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal
by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, R.
Gregory Christie
Ages 8–12
This spirited biography tells
the story of Bass Reeves, the dynamic African-American
lawman of the Old West. A former slave who escaped
to freedom in the Indian Territories, Reeves was
cunning and fearless. By the end of his career, Reeves
brought more than 3,000 criminals to justice and
killed only 14. The folksy text and arresting illustrations
bring this respected lawman to vivid life. |
 Planting
the Trees of Kenya
by Claire A. Nivola
Ages 5–9
This biography of Wangari Maathai,
winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, encourages the belief
that anyone can change the course of history. |
|
 Boys
of Steel: The Creators of Superman
by Marc Tyler Nobleman, Ross Macdonald
Ages 10–up
This colorful picture book biography
introduces the youthful creators of Superman: writer
Jerry Siegel and illustrator Joe Shuster, two mild-mannered
misfit teens in depression-era Cleveland who escaped
into fantasy worlds of science fiction and adventure.
In 1934, at age 20, they created Superman, who was everything
they were not. Four years later they convinced a publisher
to take a chance on their character in a brand new format—the
comic book. |
|
 Sojourner
Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride
by Andrea Davis Pinkney, Brian Pinkney
Ages 5–9
Belle was born into slavery, and
when her master fails to honor his promise to free her,
Belle runs away. But she knows that she will never be truly
free when others live in slavery, so Belle changes her
name to Sojourner and begins to travel across the country,
demanding equal rights for black people and for women.
Pinkney’s glowing illustrations capture the charisma and
courage of this larger-than-life heroine. |
|
 The
Glorious Flight:
Across
the Channel with Louis Blériot
by Alice & Martin Provensen
Caldecott Medal 1984
Ages 4–8
This book shows the persistence of Louis
Blériot, a Frenchman, who was determined to to build a
flying machine to cross the English Channel. His glorious flight
occurred on July 25, 1909. |
|
 Eleanor,
Quiet No More
by Doreen Rappaport, Gary Kelley
Ages 6–10
Written in short, accessible
paragraphs, this biography honestly presents Eleanor’s
unhappy childhood. Each page spread includes a quote
from Eleanor that expresses her growing sense of confidence
and moral conviction. The beautiful paintings capture
Eleanor’s intelligence and compassionate heart. |
|
 Wanda
Gág: The Girl Who Lived to Draw
by Deborah Kogan Ray
Ages 6–9
Best known for her classic picture
book Millions
of Cats, Wanda Gág loved to draw. This well-researched
biography incorporates entries from Wanda’s childhood
diaries into a compelling picture book format. |
|
 Coretta
Scott
by Ntozake Shange, Kadir Nelson
Ages 4–9
This picture biography shows
important events in Coretta’s life from her childhood
through her marriage to Martin Luther King. The rhythmic
text and powerful illustrations captures the intensity
of the Civil Rights Movement. |
|
 Black
Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson
by Charles R. Smith Jr., Shane
W. Evans
Ages 5–8
Jack Johnson was the first
black fighter to win a heavyweight championship. The
reigning champion, Jim Jeffries, retired in order to
avoid being beaten by Black Jack. When Jack won against
Jeffries’s successor, Jeffries was goaded into returning
to the ring for a match against Black Jack, who defeated
him. Told in verse, Jack is presented first as simply
a shy and fearful young man inspired by books to fight
back and make a name for himself. This accessible biography
celebrates Jack’s dignity, determination, and pride,
as well as his success as a boxer. |
|
 Lincoln
and His Boys
by Rosemary Wells, P.J. Lynch
Ages 8–12
This accessible biography presents
Lincoln from the perspective of his two youngest sons,
Willie and Tad. Willie goes with his father to Chicago
where it is decided that Lincoln will run for president,
the two boys tear through Cabinet Meetings, and Tad
goes with his father to Richmond at the end of the
war. A playful and loving father, Lincoln comes to
life in this book which was inspired by a fragment
written by one of his sons. |
|
 Wangari's
Trees of Peace:
A
True Story from Africa
by Jeanette Winter
Ages 4–8
When Wangari Maathai was a child,
Kenya was full of trees. When she returns after six years
of study in the United States, Wangari is horrified to find
whole forests have been cut down. Beginning with nine seedlings
in her backyard, Wangari inspires the Green Belt Movement,
which has planted 30 million trees in Kenya. This simple
biography of the 2004 Nobel Prize winner is a wonderful example
of how one person can bring about change. |
|
 Gertrude
is Gertrude is Gertrude is Gertrude
by Jonah Winter, Calef Brown
Ages 4–8
The non-linear and repetitive
prose in this book pays homage to Gertrude Stein’s
own work. The whimsical illustrations of Stein and
Alice B. Toklas are a perfect match for the text. |
|
 You
Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!
by Jonah Winter, Andre Carrilho
Ages 4–9
In this striking picture book,
an anonymous former teammate tells what made Sandy
Koufax, the 1960s pitcher for the Dodgers, so amazing.
We learn about his shyness, his physical limitations,
and the anti-Semitism he faced. But in the end it’s
Sandy Koufax in action, boldly portrayed by Andre Carrilho,
that captures the mysterious power of the great pitcher. |
|
 All
Star! Honus Wagner and the Most Famous Baseball Card Ever
by Jane Yolen, Jim Burke
Ages 6–8
Honus Wagner (1874-1955) was
a shortstop for more than 20 seasons, mainly with the
Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2007, his baseball card sold
for $3 million. This well-written biography, illustrated
with paintings that echo period photographs, presents
the story of an outstanding athlete who was also an
outstanding person: talented, hard-working, and a decent
human being. |
|
 My
Uncle Emily
by Jane Yolen, Nancy Carpenter
Ages 6–8
Thomas Gilbert (Gib) feels
he needs to defend his aunt Emily’s honor when his
classmates mock her reclusive nature. Uncle Emily (their
private nickname for her) gives Gib a poem to help
him understand how to tell his family the truth about
the fight while preserving his integrity. This book
uses real-life encounters between aunt and nephew to
explore the role of poetry in human life. |
| |
|
