Introduction

Carter G. Woodson Voki

"Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history" 
- Carter G. Woodson, Father of Black History

Excerpts from An Interview with Russel Freedman -A Family of Readers (Sutton & Parravano, 2010)

 

"When you are writing a biography, you're trying to understand your subject in the same way that you try to understand one of your friends..."

 

"A biography for young people calls for the demanding art of distillation, the art of storytelling, and your responsibility is to stick as closely as possible to the documented record."

 

"[I think we read biographies] because we're all trying to learn how to live our lives.  We want to see how other people have lived and how they have overcome tough problems."

 

"A biography for young readers, if it's successful, is a feat of imaginative storytelling that is informed by the historical record."

 

"A children's biography doesn't have to be comprehensive, and it doesn't have to be definitive.  It does have to be accurate to the extent that's possible.  And most of all, it has to be a piece of literature, a compelling read.  I want the reader to discover the joy of reading."



Biography Definition

"A biography shares the life of an authentic person from the past or present, celebrates his or her challenges and accomplishments, and inspires the reader with dedication and determination to lead one's own successful life....Biographies enable readers to experience real life by vicariously tapping the experiences of achievers while often providing a historical context for understanding such people's lives." - Marjorie Hancock,  A Celebration of Literature and Response (2008)

"The best biographies, those that have the most potential for demanding critical thinking, not only are written by someone else but also let children know what someone else thinks about the subject.  For many children, biographies may well be their first introduction to point of view."
 -Betty Cater, A Story, by Someone Else, More than a Hundred Pages (2010)

Background

From Asleep to Awake:  The Revival of Biographies



"An enormous number of biographies lack the elements of story and instead merely list an individual's accomplishments.  Such books offer no more information than would an encyclopedia, a source that may provide much-needed background, a quick spot for fact checking or a chronological overview of someone's life.  But no story." 

 -Better Carter,  A Story, by Someone Else, More than a Hundred Pages (2010)

Since biographies are thought to put people to sleep, their outside cover has to look something like this to get evoke any interest. 

Believe it or not, students are not the only ones neglecting this genre.  "One study published in 2000 of elementary education in more than twenty schools that teachers devoted just 3.6 minutes a day to nonfiction books (in schools located in poor neighborhoods, this declined to 1.9 minutes a day)." 

-Marc Aronson, Cinderella Without the Fairy Godmother (2010)

Thankfully, authors of today have taken this genre and transformed it!
Use this website to find a number of biographies that will NOT put you to sleep.

Authors to Know

 David Adler

"A Picture Book of..." Series
America's Champion Swimmer
B. Franklin, Printer
Lou Gehrig, The Luckiest Man

Candace Fleming 

Amelia Lost:the Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earheart

The Great and Only Barnum: the Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum

  The Lincolns: a scrapbook look at Abraham and Mary

Our Eleanor: a scrapbook look at Eleanor Roosevelt's remarkable life

Kathleen Krull 

The Boy Who Invented TV
Lincoln Tells a Joke
The Brothers Kennedy
The Road to Oz:  Twists, Turns, Bumps, and Triumphs in the Life of L. Frank Baum
Pocahontas:  Princess of the New World 

Dianne Stanley
Mozart: The Wonder Child
Saladin: Noble Prince of Islam
Charles Dickens: The Man Who Had Great Expectations 
Bard of Avon: The story of William Shakespeare 
Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England
The Last Princess: The Story of Ka’iulani of Hawai’i      

Russell Freedman

Lincoln: a Photobiography
 Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery
 The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane

Titles

Grades K - 2

Contemporary Titles:

Cline-Ransome, L., & Ransome, J. (2007). Young Pele: soccer's first star. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.

Readability:  Unknown Lexile

Audience Level:  Grades 1 - 3

Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud

Summary:  How did a poor boy named Edson - who kicked rocks down roads and dribbled balls made from rags - go on to become the greatest soccer player of all time? While other kids memorized letters, Edson memorized the scores of soccer matches. And when Edson finally played in a youth soccer tournament in the town of Bauru, Brazil, he focused on only one thing from the moment the whistle blew: the goal. (Amazon Book Review)

Curriculum Integration:

-  Pele's mother and grandmother are skeptical about how soccer can improve his life.  Have you ever had someone doubt your ability or purpose for doing something?  How did it make you feel?  (A)

-Pele was often distracted during school and got punished by his teacher because of it.  When do you get distracted at school?  What would help you to focus better during class? (A)

-Make a story map of Young Pele, focusing on elements such as introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. (E)

 

 

Hill, L. C., & Collier, B. (2010). Dave the potter: artist, poet, slave. New York: Little, Brown.

Readability:  AD1100L
Audience Level:  Grades 1-3
Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud
Summary:  Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter living in South Carolina in the 1800s. He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved onto his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave. In this inspiring and lyrical portrayal, National Book Award nominee Laban Carrick Hill's elegantly simple text and award-winning artist Bryan Collier's resplendent, earth-toned illustrations tell Dave's story, a story rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty.  (Amazon Book Review)
Curriculum Integration:
-  Dave saw clay differently than most people.  He valued it as something with a purpose.  What is something that is important to you that other people do not value?  (A)
-  How was Dave's life different from most slaves?  (E)
-  People remember Dave because of the pottery he left behind.  Who else is well known for things they left behind before they died?  (E)

Kerley, B., & Fotheringham, E. (2008). What to do about Alice?: how Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her father Teddy crazy!. New York: Scholastic Press.

Readability:  AD800L
Audience Level:  Grades 1 -3
Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud
Summary:  Theodore Roosevelt had a small problem. Her name was Alice. Alice Lee Roosevelt was hungry to go places, meet people, do things. Father called it running riot. Alice called it eating up the world. Whether she was entertaining important White House visitors with her pet snake or traveling the globe, Alice bucked convention and turned every new experience into an adventure! Brimming with affection and wit, this spirited biography gives readers a peek family life inside the White House. Prose and pictures spring, gambol, and two-step across the pages to celebrate a maverick American heroine.  (Amazon Book Description)
Curriculum Integration:
-  Make a list of 5 things you would like to do to "eat up the world" like Alice did.  (A)
-  Read the book Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans.  Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the main characters from each book.  (E)
-  Read a book about the White House today.  What adventures would you like to have within its walls?  (A)

 

Classic Titles:

 

 

Adler, D. A., & Widener, T. (2000). America's champion swimmer: Gertrude Ederle. San Diego: Harcourt.

Readability:  580L
Audience Level:  Grades 1 -3
Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud or Independent Read
Summary: Trudy Ederle loved to swim, and she was determined to be the best. At seventeen Trudy won three medals at the 1924 Olympics in Paris. But what she planned to do next had never been done by a woman: She would swim across the English Channel in fourteen hours and set a world record. (Amazon Book Description)
Curriculum Integration: 
-  Create a timeline of Getrude Ederle's accomplishments. (E)
-  Write a response piece regarding the newspaper which stated "women must admit they would remain the weaker sex".  (A)
-  Make a T-chart listing gender stereotypes for boys and girls. (A & E)

 

 

 

Martin, J. B., & Azarian, M. (1998). Snowflake Bentley. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

 

Readability:  AD830L

Audience Level:  Grades 1 - 3

Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud

Summary:  From the time he was a small boy, Wilson Bentley saw snowflakes as small miracles. And he determined that one day his camera would capture for others the wonder of the tiny crystal. Bentley's enthusiasm for photographing snowflakes was often misunderstood in his time, but his patience and determination revealed two important truths: no two snowflakes are alike; and each one is startlingly beautiful. His story is gracefully told and brought to life in lovely woodcuts, giving children insight into a soul who had not only a scientist's vision and perseverance but a clear passion for the wonders of nature. (Amazon Book Description)

Curriculum Integration:
-  What role does weather play on your life? (A)
-  Practice drawing a snow crystal using real snow as your model.  What problem did you have?  How do you think this made William feel?  (A)
-  William's parents sacrificed a lot in order to buy a camera for him.  Which other biographies discuss parents who helped thier child achieve their dream?  (E)

 

 

Pinkney, A. D., & Pinkney, B. (1998). Duke Ellington: the piano prince and his orchestra. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

Readability:  AD800L
Audience Level:  Grades 1 - 4
Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud
Summary:  Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, "King of the Keys," was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C. "He was a smooth-talkin', slick-steppin', piano-playin' kid," writes master wordsmith Andrea Pinkney in the rhythmic, fluid, swinging prose of this excellent biography for early readers. It was ragtime music that first "set Duke's fingers to wiggling." He got back to work and taught himself to "press on the pearlies." Soon 19-year-old Duke was playing compositions "smoother than a hairdo sleeked with pomade" at parties, pool halls, country clubs, and cabarets. Skipping from D.C. to 1920s Harlem, "the place where jazz music ruled," Duke and his small band called the Washingtonians began performing in New York City clubs, including the Cotton Club, where Duke Ellington and his Orchestra was officially born. By 1943, Duke Ellington--writer of more than 1000 compositions, including ballet and film scores, orchestral suites, musicals, and choral works--had made it all the way to Carnegie Hall.   (Amazon.com)
Curriculum Integration:
-  Using information from the text, write about how music can affect the way a person feels?  (E)
-  Listen to one of Duke Ellington's songs.  Paint a picture that evokes the the tone of the song.  (A)
-  Duke Ellington had a number of nicknames which described who he was as a person.  What are some of your nicknames and what do they tell about you?  (A)

 

Ryan, P. M., & Selznick, B. (2002). When Marian sang: the true recital of Marian Anderson : the voice of a century. New York: Scholastic Press.

Readability:  780L
Audience Level: Grades 1 - 3
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud
Summary:  Marian Anderson is best known for her historic concert at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939, which drew an integrated crowd of 75,000 people in pre-Civil Rights America. While this momentous event showcased the uniqueness of her voice, the strength of her character, & the struggles of the times in which she lived, it is only part of her story. Like the operatic arias Marian would come to sing, Ryan's text is as moving as a libretto, & Selznick's pictures as exquisitely detailed & elaborately designed as a stage set. What emerges most profoundly from their shared vision is a role model of courage. (Amazon Book Description)
Curriculum Integration:
-  Watch a Youtube video of Marian Anderson singing at the Lincoln Memorial.  Write down five words that came to mind while hearing her sing.  (A)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAONYTMf2pk
-  Create a Venn Diagram comparing the lives of Marian Anderson and Rosa Parks.  (E)
-  Why was allowing Marian to sing at the Lincoln Memorial such a big step for our country?  (E)

Grades 3 - 4

Contemporary Titles:

 

 



Brown, D. (2004). Odd boy out: young Albert Einstein. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co..

Readability:  Unknown Lexile
Audience Level:  Grades 3 - 5
Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud or Independent Read
Summary:  When he was born, Albert was a peculiar, fat baby with an unusually big and misshaped head. When he was older, he hit his sister, bothered his teachers, and didn’t have many friends. But in the midst of all of this, Albert was fascinated with solving puzzles and fixing scientific problems. The ideas Albert Einstein came up with during his childhood as an odd boy out were destined to change the way we know and understand the world around us.  (Amazon Book Description)
Curriculum Integration:
-  Prior to reading, have students create a KWL on Albert Einstein.  After reading, discuss how the students' prior knowledge matched up to Odd Boy Out.  (E)
-  Read a biography on Albert Einstein which covers his whole life.  Create a Venn diagram comparing the information in the two texts.  (E)
-What do you think was Einstein's greatest contribution to society?  Why?  (A)

 

Keating, F. A., & Wimmer, M. (2006). Theodore. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Readability:  720 L
Audience Level:  Grades 2 - 4
Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud or Independent Read
Summary:  His name was Theodore, but he is remembered as Teddy. As a young boy, he was a dreamer and a reader and had a curiosity about life he could never satisfy. As the youngest man to ever be president, he led a nation to greatness and he made every day count.
Frank Keating's telling of incidents in Roosevelt's rich and varied life reminds readers how one person can make a difference. Mike Wimmer's exuberant paintings make Roosevelt come to life a century after his presidency.  (Amazon Book Description)
Curriculum Integration:
-  Theodore Roosevelt was inspired by reading about people from history.  Who do you admire from history and why?  (A)
-  Theodore Roosevelt said, "I am happiest with books all around me."  When are you happiest? (A)
-  Theodore Roosevelt said, "It's always better to be an original than an imitation."  What did he mean by that.  Use examples from the story to support your answer.  (E)

Krull, K., & Couch, G. (2009). The boy who invented TV: the story of Philo Farnsworth. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Readability:  860L
Audience Level:  Grades 2 - 4
Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud
Summary:  Plowing a potato field in 1920, a 14-year-old farm boy from Idaho saw in the parallel rows of overturned earth a way to “make pictures fly through the air.” This boy was not a magician; he was a scientific genius and just eight years later he made his brainstorm in the potato field a reality by transmitting the world’s first television image. This fascinating picture-book biography of Philo Farnsworth covers his early interest in machines and electricity, leading up to how he put it all together in one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. The author’s afterword discusses the lawsuit Farnsworth waged and won against RCA when his high school science teacher testified that Philo’s invention of television was years before RCA’s.  (Amazon Book Description)
Curriculum Integration:
-  How can Philo Farnsworth's story teach someone about perseverance?  (E)
-  Make a timeline noting the important steps that lead up to Philo's television success.  (E)
-  Brainstorm a list of problems you currently have at school or home.  Which problems can be solved with a new invention?  Come up with a plan to create a new innovation.  (A)
 

Classic Titles:
 

 

Anderson, M. T., & Hawkes, K. (2001). Handel, who knew what he liked. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Readability:  550L
Audience Level:  Grades 3 - 5
Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud or Independent Read
Summary:  George Frideric Handel was not your everyday eighteenth-century composer. And in a manner befitting its subject, this witty, rigorously researched, and accessible biography captures Handel's essential spirit — from a child who smuggled a clavichord into the attic to make music against his father's orders to a young man who imported forty-five pounds of mountain snow to chill wine for a gala. Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner M. T. Anderson depicts not only Handel's triumphs but also his struggles, chronicling the illness, ill fortune, and despair that led to his greatest achievement, the Messiah. With impeccable detail and a wink at the reader, Kevin Hawkes illustrates this singular story of Handel and the music through which he lives on.  (Amazon Book Description)
Curriculum Integration:
-  Handel and his friend, Mattheson attempted to settle one of their disputes with a duel.  Make a list of better ways to solve a problem with a friend.  (A)
-  Which events led up to Handel wanting to give up on his career?  (E)
-  Create a dictionary of the musical terms from the story.  Illustrate and use each word correctly in a sentence.

 

Rappaport, D., & Collier, B. (2000). Freedom river. New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion  Books for Children.

Readability:  330L
Audience Level:  Grades 3 - 5
Suggested Delivery:  Group Read
Summary:  One thousand feet across the Ohio River lay Ripley, Ohio—and freedom. Before the Civil War, Kentucky was a slave state, while Ohio remained free. Time and time again, John Parker, an ex-slave who had bought his own freedom, led Kentucky slaves across a thin stretch of river to Ohio, and safety. These dangerous journeys demanded a tremendous amount of courage, planning, and faith. Freedom River is based on a true story of one man’s determination to help an African American family escape from slavery along the legendary Underground Railroad.  (Amazon Book Description)
Curriculum Integration:
-  Before reading, ask students to create a list of things that a river can provide.  After reading, ask the students what else they can add (freedom) to their list.  (E)
-  Draw a diagram with events from the story explaining its cyclical pattern .  (E)
-  Make a Wordle or Taxedo with words African Americans may have been feeling when they were attempting to escape to freedom.  (A)
 



Rappaport, D., & Collier, B. (2001). Martin's big words: the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

Readability:  AD410L
Audience Level:  Grades 2 - 4
Suggested Delivery:  Read Aloud
Summary:  This picture-book biography is an excellent and accessible introduction for young readers to learn about one of the world’s most influential leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Doreen Rappaport weaves the immortal words of Dr. King into a captivating narrative to tell the story of his life. With stunning art by acclaimed illustrator Bryan Collier, Martin’s Big Words is an unforgettable portrait of a man whose dream changed America—and the world—forever.  (Amazon Book Description)
Curriculum Integration:
-  Prior to reading the text, divide the class into two groups - either by gender, hair color, eye color, etc.  Provide one group with special priveledges throughout the day and deny the other group with basic rights.  Have both groups discuss how they feel about the way they were treated and why?  (A)
-  Martin Luther King Jr. had a number of words and phrases he lived by.  Have students create a poster collage of quotes they use to live by.  (A)
-  Martin's Big Words taught the reader about African Americans' need to "wait".  Make a list of things they had to wait for.  (E)

 

Rockwell, A. F., & Christie, R. G. (2000). Only passing through: the story of Sojourner Truth. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

 

Readability: AD790L
Audience Level: Grades 2 - 4
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud
Summary: Sojourner Truth traveled the country in the latter half of the 19th century, speaking out against slavery. She told of a slave girl who was sold three times by age 13, who was beaten for not understanding her master's orders, who watched her parents die of cold and hunger when they could no longer work for their keep. Sojourner's simple yet powerful words helped people to understand the hideous truth about slavery. The story she told was her own.  Only Passing Through is the inspiring story of how a woman, born a slave with no status or dignity, transformed herself into one of the most powerful voices of the abolitionist movement. Anne Rockwell combines her lifelong love of history with her well-known skill as a storyteller to create this simple, affecting portrait of an American icon.  (Amazon Book Description)
Curriculum Integration:-  Write a diary entry in Sojourner Truth's point of view.  Focus on her early years in slavery.  (A/E)
-  How did Sojourner Truth get her name? (E)
-  What does it mean to be courageous?  Give examples of ways that Sojourner Truth demonstrated courage from the biography. (A/E)