Picture Book Biographies
A picture book biography of John Newbery, one of the forerunners in publishing books for children to read as entertainment.
Target Readers:
- Picture Book Bio Fans/Kid Lit Fans/Those Who Know the Name But Not the Man: I've known John Newbery's name for a long time thanks to the book award bearing it, but I've really never heard his story before. Since a whole bunch of other readers are in the same boat, I'm glad this book has come along. Now we can better appreciate Newbery's contribution to the book world.
Big Machines: the Story of Virginia Lee Burton by Sherri Duskey Rinker, ill. by John Rocco
A picture book biography of author/illustrator Virginia Lee Burton that primarily focuses on her inspiration for her books, her sons.
Target Readers:
- Virginia Lee Burton Book Fans: I knew absolutely nothing about Virginia Lee Burton but I have enjoyed her books, especially Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and The Little House. It was enlightening to find out that she had two little boys obsessed with machines and they inspired her to make books about snow plows, trains, and steam shovels. Make sure you read the author's note in the back of the book to learn a little more about Burton.
- Illustration Fans: John Rocco’s illustrations are AMAZING. He imitates Burton's illustration style so very well to show her illustrating, and then he uses his own life-like style for illustrating Burton and her sons to make them stand out.
The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, ill. by R. Gregory Christie
A picture book biography of Lewis Michaux and history of his National Memorial African Bookstore told from the perspective of Lewis' son.
Target Readers:
- Book Lovers/Proponents of the Power of Reading: Lewis Michaux firmly believed that books and the truths within them were a pathway to freedom for people who would only crack the covers. That's what this book focuses on.
A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider: the Story of E.B. White by Barbara Herkert, ill. by Lauren Castillo
A picture book biography of beloved children's author E.B. White.
Target Readers:
- E.B. White Fans/Author Bio Fans/Picture Book Bio Fans: This is definitely aimed at a lower grade level audience than Melissa Sweet's Some Writer! and is nowhere near as detailed. But this one is poetic and spins a heartfelt and lyrical telling of E.B. White's life for the youngest elementary kids to appreciate before they maybe even meet Stuart or Charlotte. Reading this is like lifting curtains on the past and peering through sepia gauze to see the author as a child, then man, then inspired author. There's a few pages of more details on White in the back.
- Illustration Fans: Castillo's illustrations are downright stunning and add to that lyrical feel.
John Ronald’s Dragons: the Story of J.R.R. Tolkien by Caroline McAlister, ill. by Eliza Wheeler
A picture book biography of J.R.R. Tolkien that focuses on his creative inspirations and passions.
Target Readers:
- Tolkien Fans/Dragon Fans/Fantasy Fans/Any Age Reader: This is lyrical and a great ode to the beloved author while also relating main points of his life. Somehow the author and illustrator were able to summarize Tolkien's life and capture his whimsy at the same time. The author's note is also good for further info, and so is the information on all of Tolkien's dragon creations in the back. And don’t think that just because it is a picture book it’s only for little kids, teen and adult Tolkien fans should pick this up too.
- Illustration Fans/Symbolism Fans: I loved all the symbolism and allusions to Tolkien's works that the illustrator wove into this. (Definitely read her note in the back of the book on that.)
Miguel’s Brave Knight: Young Cervantes and His Dream of Don Quixote by Margarita Engle, ill. by Raúl Colón
A picture book biography of Miguel Cervantes, telling about his childhood to publication through free verse poems.
Target Readers:
- Don Quixote Curious/Literature Lovers & Teachers/Free Verse Fans/Overcomer Story Fans: In Engle's telling of Cervantes' life, the focus is on how the author likely used stories to remain hopeful during times of great trouble. His dad gambled away the family's money repeatedly and Engle has Cervantes imagining a knight that would right the world's wrongs. It does a good job of conveying the gist of Don Quixote for kids while also relating some of the main points of Cervantes childhood. The language is advanced enough high school teachers introducing Cervantes' work could use this as an intro to the man and his most famous piece. There are further notes on Cervantes in the back that provide a more detailed survey of his life (which sounds more eventful than a Robert Louis Stevenson adventure).
Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen by Deborah Hopkinson, ill. by Qin Leng
A picture book biography of Jane Austen.
Target Readers:
- Austen Fans Who Want to Introduce Young Readers to the Author and Her Works/Picture Book Bio Fans/Spunky Heroine Fans/Illustration Fans: This is a fantastic intro to Jane Austen the person, her life, and her works for kids. Leng's illustration style fits perfectly too. One of my favorite picture book bios of this year so far.
The Pilot and the Little Prince: the Life of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry by Peter Sís
A picture book biography of French aviator and author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Target Readers:
- Curious Readers/Aviation Fans/de Saint-Exupéry Fans/Fans of Books to Soak In: I really didn't know much about de Saint-Exupéry except that he wrote The Little Prince. I was surprised to find out how much aviation was a part of his life, how aviation grew as he grew, and that he won so many other awards for other writings. This book was jam-packed with information, but could be read quickly with the basics of the main text. Sís puts many of the extra facts in the illustrations, making this a rather challenging read-aloud if you want to read everything, but a fact packed book for a student to peruse themselves.
- Illustration Fans: The illustrations were utterly unique. Sís uses a combination of pointillism, water colors and inks to create a very captivating piece of art on top of valuable history/biography.
A Poem for Peter by Andrea Davis Pinkney, ill. by Steve Johnson & Lou Francher
A poetic picture book biography of Ezra Jack Keats (born Jacob Ezra Katz) and how he came to write and illustrate the Caldecott winning picture book Snowy Day.
Target Readers:
- Fans of Multicultural Reads/Fans of Social Movers and Shakers/Poetry Fans/Snowy Day Fans: A lyrical ode to a man who brought diversity to children's lit. I knew nothing about Ezra Jack Keats before so this was fascinating. I had no idea how groundbreaking Snowy Day was. A fascinating and powerful read that is illustrated in a style honoring the picture books of Keats.
The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant, ill. by Melissa Sweet
A picture book biography of Peter Mark Roget. The book starts with Roget's childhood and follows him through to successful publication of his thesaurus in adult life.
Target Readers:
- Vocabulary Fans/Writing Teachers/Picture Book Biography Fans: I had no idea Roget had so many other accomplishments other than creating the thesaurus. He was also a successful doctor and recognized in other science fields for work too. This was a fascinating read. There’s a very nice timeline with further details of Roget's life is provided in the back of the book along with informative notes from the author and illustrator.
- Illustration Fans: Sweet was awarded a Caldecott Honor for her amazingly detailed illustrations in this book.
Middle Grade Biographies/Autobiographies
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
In free verse poetry, Jacqueline Woodson relates stories from her childhood in Columbus, Ohio, then Greenville, South Carolina, and eventually New York City.
Target Readers:
- Civil Rights Bio Fans/Heartfelt Bio Fans: Woodson was born in 1963, so her story includes many of the challenges and changes that people of African heritage went through at that time. While there are many such stories, few highlight the differences between life in the North and South like hers does. Parts of her story are sad, moving away from her father, losing other relatives, struggling with reading/writing, being looked at differently because of her Grandmother's Jehovah's Witness beliefs, and just facing changes as a child. Of course, there are joys and triumphs, from the little pleasures found on a farm to good friends and fun with siblings.
- Free Verse Fans/Quick Read Fans/Great Writing Fans: Towards the end of the book, Woodson starts to share how she fell in love with storytelling and writing. Woodson demonstrates that skill in writing throughout this book. Being able to share personal stories takes guts. Being able to share them in poetic ways that transport readers back in time with sights and smells and feels, that takes skill and talent. And those looking for a quick read will like how quickly the pages fly by when you’re reading free verse poetry.
- Award Winner Readers: Those of you who like to read books that have garnered shiny stickers should love this one. They ran out of room on the cover for all the awards!
Drawing from Memory by Allen Say
Allen Say illustrates an autobiography describing his childhood in Japan and path to becoming an artist.
Note: Click on title to see content notes.
Target Readers:
- Wannabe Authors & Illustrators/Asian History Buffs/Graphic Novel Fans/Inspirational Autobiographies: A very interesting look at what life was like for Say as a child. From living on his own since age 13 to the way he was tutored by a popular Japanese cartoonist. The mixture of real photographs in with his illustrations was a great way to make the people and times come alive. The book looks like a picture book, but the layout is often more graphic novel-like and it is definitely aimed at more the middle grade/young adult crowd. Definitely check out the sequel to this The Inker's Shadow about Say's immigration to the US and how he got himself through highschool with the help of some strangers. Say's story is inspirational in that he overcame a LOT to get to where he is today.
Rascal by Sterling North
The author shares about a year from his childhood when he had a pet raccoon named Rascal.
Target Readers:
- Animal Story Fans/Nostalgic Autobiography Fans/Award Readers: This is a fun read for animal lovers and those who like pleasant memories of childhood. It also won a Newbery Honor for those who like to read award winners.
Real Friends by Shannon Hale, ill. by LeUyen Pham
Shannon Hale relates her elementary years, her ups and downs in finding, keeping, and recognizing good friends. She also shares about dealing with emotional bullies at school, anxiety, and an older sister who took out some of her own frustrations on Shannon.
Target Readers:
- Those Who Struggle to Fit In/Introverts/School Story Fans: For kids currently in elementary (or middle school), they should find in Shannon a very relatable character. Someone who understands their heartaches and triumphs, and who can offer them a bit of hope that even if school is hard at times, it is survivable. And let’s face it, many of the kids who struggle the most with navigating relationships are introverts who might not share with any adult about the heartaches they are daily facing. Though the setting is a few decades ago, the basics of her story still resonate powerfully through any age. So Shannon may be the voice of wisdom and hope to these introverts’ unspoken needs. As an adult, I appreciated her message about boundaries in friendship, information about anxiety, and that she eventually realized what was behind her sister’s issues and they became friends.
- Graphic Novel Fans/Reluctant Readers: Graphic novel fans and fans of LeUyen Pham’s illustration style can’t get enough of this book. And even the most reluctant of readers will hunt it down.
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Raina Telgemeier relates her middle school and high school years through the ongoing saga of her teeth. Originally scheduled to have braces to realign her overbite, Raina's dental issues get significantly more challenging when she falls and knocks out her two front teeth. In between the ongoing struggle to get her smile back to normal, Raina shares stories from middle school and high school, focusing on how her perception of her outward self warped her view of her inner self and how she eventually grew to overcome that.
Target Readers:
- Any Tween or Teen Navigating Life and Friendships/Graphic Novel Fans/Autobiography Fans/Orthodontics Patients: I loved how she showed through the years that the choice of friends can have a huge impact on your self-perception and the limits you place on yourself. I especially liked how she shows that those can be overcome. Middle and high school students, especially those with orthodontic adventures of their own, will solidly identify with Raina's misadventures and hopefully will be equipped with some tools to help them overcome their own personal challenges.
- Reluctant Readers: I find this and it's sequel Sisters to be a great recommendation for even the most reluctant of readers.
Some Writer!: the Story of E.B. White by Melissa Sweet
Melissa Sweet introduces readers to the author of Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web through her own text and illustrations describing his life from childhood through college at Cornell on to his rambling years, work at The New Yorker and eventually his retreat to Maine and a quieter writing life until his death. Included are numerous photographs of White and his family, primary sources (such as manuscripts and childhood notes) and quotes from both White and other famous writers who knew him.
Target Readers:
- Writing Students and Teachers/Stuart & Charlotte Fans/Curious Readers/Great Bio Fans: This is one of my favorite biographies for middle grades. Sweet not only crafted a highly readable and well-researched text, but she illustrated all 160 pages too to make a feast for the mind and the eyes. And readers not only get to learn about a cherished author and the background of his stories, but may pick up some valuable writing advice too. Sweet found some exceptional quotes about writing that came straight from E.B. White's pen. Highly recommended as a bio to devour and emulate.
YA & Adult Biographies/Autobiographies
84, Charing Cross Road and The Duchess of Bloomsbury by Helene Hanff
The first half of this book is the original 84, Charing Cross Road which consists of correspondence between Helene Hanff, a TV script writer in New York City and a used book store in London. Over many years of ordering books from this company, she strikes up relationships with many of the staff members and their families through correspondence back and forth. Eventually, she turns the letters into a book which funds the trip to London they've all wanted her to take for ages. And her diaries of this trip to London make up the second half of the book, originally published as The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street.
Note: Click on title for content notes.
Target Readers:
- Quick Read Fans/Epistolary & Diary Fans/Dry Humor Fans/Post-WWII London History Buffs/Travel Story Fans/Light-hearted Bio Fans: This is a quick read thanks to the epistolary and diary formats. It took me a little while to catch on to Helene's dry wit in her letters, but once I did I found them very entertaining. It also seemed amazing how many friends she made in this bookstore just through her letters about ordering books and through her Christmas and Easter gifts she sent them and vice versa. The letters start in the late 1940s, soon after WWII so the Londoners were still under rations and she quickly won their hearts with gifts of meat and eggs. Her adventures once she got to London and her experience of going from a solitary writer to celebrated writer are most entertaining. I found her taste in books quite extraordinary. I mean, as a librarian I do get to meet all kinds of readers, but I've never run into someone quite like her. As a classic book lover, though, her tours of London are largely guided by history and literature so it is like a classic book lover's tour of London which was delightful. A very fun and lighthearted memoir about friendships built up over books.
Agatha: the Real Life of Agatha Christie by Anne Martinetti & Guillaume Lebeau, ill. by Alexandre Franc, translated by Edward Gauvin
A graphic novel biography of the famous mystery writer, Agatha Christie. The book covers her life from childhood to death, focusing on her writing life.
Target Readers:
- Agatha Christie Fans/Graphic Novel Fans/Quick Read Fans: I liked that they included a detailed timeline of her life in the back of the book, and another list of all her publications and their original release dates. Due to the nature of this biography, some things, like her time as an apothecary assistant really only get hinted at, but you can get a better feel by looking at the timeline. The book focuses a lot on her travels, her marriages, and her literary achievements. I liked that Poirot, Miss Marple, and Tommy & Tuppence show up as characters that Agatha talks to. It was a clever way to portray internal thoughts and get across her personal feelings about certain characters. A great intro to Agatha. The art style seems to fit her time period of writing well, and this is much more approachable than her autobiography (which is a whopping 500+ pages of small, compact font long!).
Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: a Memoir by Margarita Engle
In free verse poems, Margarita Engle tells of her childhood from her parents falling in love, her birth and on through age fourteen. The book covers 1947-1965, and since Margarita's mother was Cuban and father American, she had a unique perspective of the Cold War events that happened during her childhood. She tells of the family's yearly visits to family in Cuba until the civil war and politics prevent those. Margarita shares her love for the life in Cuba, how the part of her that loved plants and animals felt most at home there, and how confused she felt by the events that prevented her from visiting an island she loved. There's an afterward giving an overview of Cold War events and what happened in Margarita's life since age 14.
Target Readers:
- Free Verse Fans/Nature Lovers/Quick Read Fans: Free verse biographies are spare on words (which make the quick reads), but that didn't prevent Engle from fully communicating her highs and lows of childhood and the things she fell in love with that led to future jobs. (She was the first woman agronomy professor at a California polytechnic university before turning to writing! But it makes sense after you read this. Her love of nature flows through every poem.)
- TCKs: Third and fourth culture kids will readily identify with how Engle tried to figure out where she was most at home.
- Cold War History Buffs: The Cuban Missile Crisis and other Cold War events were fascinating to see through the eyes of a child who loved both Cuba and America.
Fierce Convictions: the Extraordinary Life of Hannah More – Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist by Karen Swallow Prior
In her time, Hannah More was considered a premier British writer and moral leader. But thanks to some rather unfair bad press in the years after her death (most likely a knee-jerk reaction to the overly saintly biography one man wrote of her) and the change of literary styles, she fell into relative obscurity. Prior has done extensive research to find out who the true Hannah More was, the person somewhere between the faultless saint and the shrewish prude. The Hannah More Prior uncovers is a remarkable woman the world really should remember. She was a woman able to mix with both the poor and the upper crust, atheists and bishops, young and old at a time when such was uncommon. After discovering a religion of the heart (what we'd call today a personal relationship with Christ), she came to be part of the Clapham Sect with William Wilberforce and others, and was instrumental in helping abolish slavery, fighting for educational reform, combatting illiteracy by establishing schools for the poor, and encouraging higher morals in tactful and popular writings. In an age when women rarely had a voice, Hannah More stood out for being a woman many held in high esteem for her mind, influence, accomplishments, and relationship with God.
Target Readers:
- Scholarly Bio Fans: Don't go in expecting a story-type of biography. This reads a bit more scholarly than that and is arranged topically rather than chronologically, which is understandable since this is based on the author's dissertation. Thanks to that, though, it is obviously extensively researched. And you get a very fair picture of More, balancing both her faults and her shining accomplishments.
- Inspirational Bio Fans: Hannah More was a fascinating woman and did many admirable things, like working to eradicate illiteracy among the poor of England and wittily tackle moral and human rights issues in writings.
A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me about Love, Friendship, and Things That Mattered by William Deresiewicz
The author of this was a masters student who thought he knew it all and dreaded the assigned reading of Austen's Emma because it was too fluffy and boring. But then he found himself seeing masterly genius of writing in Emma and even worse, he found Austen helping him realize he was a jerk full of snarky comments no one really liked! As Austen set him on his road away from jerkdom and toward a better life, he decided to see what her other novels had to offer. In short, as he read and re-read Austen's work Mr. Deresiewicz learned much about growing up, being more concerned about others, the nature of true love, and friendship.
Note: Click on the title to see content notes.
Target Readers:
- Austen Fans/Literature Students and Teachers/Fans of Surprising Autobiographies: You probably have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than randomly meeting a guy who adores Austen's work so this was a surprising read. It was a highly readable autobiography/Austen biography/literary criticism, and it was such an interesting perspective I managed to tear through the 60 page chapters like they were only 15 pages. I found the tidbits about Austen's life and the literary criticism very interesting, and the lessons that the author learned from Austen are inspirational and important.
MI5 and Me: a Coronet among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham
Charlotte Bingham was called into her father's office at 18 and told she needed to do something with her life. Oh, and her father works for MI5 and he's getting her a job as a secretary there. After recovering from that bombshell Charlotte was sure life as an MI5 secretary would be miserable and boring. Only time would tell if she was right or not.
Note: Click on title to see content notes.
Target Readers:
- Safe Spy Story Fans/Humorous Autobiography Fans/Engaging Reading Fans/Cozy Read Fans: This was one of my favorite reads this past summer. It’s a fascinating and very entertaining memoir about what real life was like in the 1950s as a secretary at MI5. Bingham relates her experiences with touches of humor that make this highly readable. I devoured it all in one sitting. It isn't all cloaks and dagger types of spy stories, in fact there isn't so much as a fingernail broken in this. So don't expect death-defying jobs or high stakes operations. Her stories often sound like tales from a very normal typing office. But there are moments of everyday humor even in seeming monotony, and then little bits of craziness here and there (often stemming more from her father being a spy and the types of people he brought into their house). Bingham is quite humble and doesn't make herself out to be a stifled espionage genius or anything. She wasn't trained in multiple languages from the age of two or even given a martial arts lesson. She is frequently innocent about many things until her co-worker Arabella (who is a hoot, and a delightful part of the book) or her father clue her into what is really going on. She comes across very average and relatable, like someone you could actually know. This just covers a year or two of her life, so don't expect a full life story (as I understand it, she's written other memoirs that can fill in after the time period in this book). In all, this is a cozy, lighthearted memoir of a young woman who crossed paths with spies and actors on a regular basis and didn't seem to let it go to her head. (Bingham went on to become an author of several books, which is why I'm including this book here.)
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