Picture Book Biographies

Picture book biographies introduce children to people who did amazing things. These narrative nonfiction books are told like a story and have beautiful illustrations. These books will appeal to children as well as adults.

Updated July 24, 2023
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Above the rim : how Elgin Baylor changed basketball
Bryant, Jen
Ebook
Winner of the 2021 Orbis Pictus Award, Above the Rim:How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball is a picture book biography of the basketball legend from award-winning creators Jen Bryant and Frank Morrison.   "A new generation of fans will be...
A river of words : the story of William Carlos Williams
Bryant, Jennifer.
Ebook
2009 Caldecott Honor Book An ALA Notable Book A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book A Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book NCTE Notable Children's Book When he wrote poems, he felt as free as the Passaic River as it...
The boy who loved math : the improbably life of Paul Erdos
Heiligman, Deborah.
Paper Book
Most people think of mathematicians as solitary, working away in isolation. And, it's true, many of them do. But Paul Erdos never followed the usual path. At the age of four, he could ask you when you were born and then calculate the number of seconds you had been alive in his head. But he didn't...
A boy, a mouse, and a spider : the story of E.B. White
Herkert, Barbara
Paper Book
A lyrical biography of E. B. White, beloved author of Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, written by Barbara Herkert and illustrated by Caldecott honoree Lauren Castillo. When young Elwyn White lay in bed as a sickly child, a bold house mouse befriended him. When...
The oldest student : how Mary Walker learned to read
Hubbard, Rita L.
Paper Book
Imagine learning to read at the age of 116! Discover the true story of Mary Walker, the nation's oldest student who did just that, in this picture book from a Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator and a rising star author. In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she...
Shark lady : the true story of how Eugenie Clark became the ocean's most fearless scientist
Keating, Jess.
Paper Book
One of New York Times' Twelve Books for Feminist Boys and Girls! This is the story of a woman who dared to dive, defy, discover, and inspire. This is the story of Shark Lady. One of the best science picture books for children, Shark Lady is a must for both teachers and parents alike! ...
My daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
King, Martin Luther, III.
Paper Book
What was it like growing up as a son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This picture book memoir provides insight into one of history's most fascinating families and into a special bond between father and son. At home, Dr. King was just Dad to Marty--they'd play catch and shoot hoops...
The boy on Fairfield Street : how Ted Geisel grew up to become Dr. Seuss
Krull, Kathleen.
Paper Book
Award-winning author Kathleen Krull zeros in on the formative first 22 years of the life of Ted Geisel. This is the first picture book biography of Dr. Seuss, written especially for his young fans who want to know what made him tick. The animals in the zoo that his father ran and his fondness for...
Planting stories : the life of librarian and storyteller Pura Belpre
Denise, Anika
Paper Book
RECIPIENT OF THE PURA BELPRÉ HONOR  * A Today Show's Best Kids' Books of 2019 * Indie Next List Pick * Junior Library Guild Selection *  "An appealing tribute and successful remedy to the lack of titles about the groundbreaking librarian...a must...
Through the wardrobe : how C.S. Lewis created Narnia
Maslo, Lina
Ebook
Just like Beverly
Conrad, Vicki
Paper Book
As a young girl, Beverly Cleary struggled to learn to read and found most children's books dull and uninteresting. She often wondered if there were any books about kids just like her. With hard work, and the encouragement of her parents and a special teacher, she learned to read and at a young age...
A poem for Peter : the story of Ezra Jack Keats and the creation of The snowy day
Pinkney, Andrea Davis
Paper Book
A celebration of the extraordinary life of Ezra Jack Keats, creator ofThe Snowy Day. The story of The Snowy Day begins more than one hundred years ago, when Ezra Jack Keats was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. The family were struggling Polish immigrants, and despite Keats's...
Duke Ellington the piano prince and his orchestra
Pinkney, Andrea Davis.
Paper Book
The award-winning author/illustrator team of Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney--creators of the popular picture book Alvin Ailey--present a swinging, vibrant picture title about the jazz composer Edward Kennedy Ellington, better known as Duke. Full color.
Big machines : the story of Virginia Lee Burton
Rinker, Sherri Duskey
Paper Book
In this loving tribute to Virginia Lee Burton, the New York Times best-selling creators Sherri Duskey Rinker and John Rocco pay homage to the storied life of one of the most beloved creators in children's literature.  Everyone in Folly Cove knows Virginia Lee as "Jinnee." With her magical wands...
Balloons over Broadway : the true story of the puppeteer of Macy's Parade
Sweet, Melissa
Paper Book
From Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet comes the perfect Thanksgiving Day picture book. Let's have a parade! Meet the master puppeteer who invented the first balloons for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Melissa Sweet brings to life the inspirational story of the puppeteer who...
Emmanuel's dream : the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
Thompson, Laurie Ann.
Paper Book
Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah's inspiring true story--which was turned into a film, Emmanuel's Gift, narrated by Oprah Winfrey--is nothing short of remarkable. Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people--but not by his mother, who taught him to...
The watcher : Jane Goodall's life with the chimps
Winter, Jeanette.
Paper Book
Acclaimed picture book biographer Jeanette Winter has found her perfect subject: Jane Goodall, the great observer of chimpanzees. Follow Jane from her childhood in London watching a robin on her windowsill, to her years in the African forests of Gombe, Tanzania, invited by brilliant scientist Louis...

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