Books for Kids - Biographies

Check out this list generated by our Youth Services Librarians for the Scotch Plains Public Library's annual summer reading challenge.


Updated May 4, 2023
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Marvelous Mabel : figure skating superstar
Hubbard, Crystal
Paper Book
Meet Mabel Fairbanks, the skating superstar who became the first Black athlete inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame. After watching ice skaters glide and spin at a rink in Central Park, Mabel Fairbanks was determined to learn to skate. But in the 1930s, many places didn...
Josephine and her dishwashing machine : Josephine Cochrane's bright invention makes a splash
Hannigan, Kate
Paper Book
Celebrate the inventor of the dishwasher in this inspiring STEM/STEAM picture book biography about Josephine Garis Cochrane, the brains behind one of the world's most-used kitchen appliances. Many Americans have a dishwasher in their kitchen. But who invented it? ...
Schomburg : the man who built a library
Weatherford, Carole Boston
Paper Book
In luminous paintings and arresting poems, two of children's literature's top African-American scholars track Arturo Schomburg's quest to correct history. Where is our historian to give us our side? Arturo asked. Amid the scholars, poets, authors, and artists...
Whoosh! : Lonnie Johnson's super-soaking stream of inventions
Barton, Chris
Paper Book
Celebrate Lonnie Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker, in this inspiring STEM picture book biography about the maker of one of the world's favorite toys. You know the Super Soaker. It's one of top twenty toys of all time. And it was invented entirely by accident. Trying to...
Itzhak : a boy who loved the violin
Newman, Tracy
Ebook
Author Tracy Newman and illustrator Abigail Halpin's picture-book biography of violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman will inspire young readers to follow the melody within themselves.   A Schneider Family Book Award Young Children Honor Book   Before becoming...
Dancing hands : how Teresa Carreno played the piano for President Lincoln
Engle, Margarita
Paper Book
Winner of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Award A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book In soaring words and stunning illustrations, Margarita Engle and Rafael López tell the story of Teresa Carreño, a child prodigy who played piano for Abraham Lincoln. ...
Joan Procter, dragon doctor : the woman who loved reptiles
Valdez, Patricia
Paper Book
Back in the days of long skirts and afternoon teas, young Joan Procter entertained the most unusual party guests- slithery and scaly ones, who turned over teacups and crawled past the crumpets.... While other girls played with dolls, Joan preferred the company of reptiles. She carried her...
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! ...
What Miss Mitchell saw
Barrett, Hayley
Paper Book
Every evening, from the time she was a child, Maria Mitchell stood on her rooftop with her telescope and swept the sky. And then one night she saw something unusual-a comet no one had ever seen before! Miss Mitchell's extraordinary discovery made her famous the world over and paved the way for her...
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...
Finding my dance
Thundercloud, Ria
Paper Book
In her debut picture book, professional Indigenous dancer Ria Thundercloud tells the true story of her path to dance and how it helped her take pride in her Native American heritage. At four years old, Ria Thundercloud was brought into the powwow circle, ready to dance in the...
Jump at the sun : the true life tale of unstoppable storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston
Williams, Alicia
Paper Book
From the Newbery Honor-winning author of Genesis Begins Again comes a shimmering picture book that shines the light on Zora Neale Hurston, the extraordinary writer and storycatcher extraordinaire who changed the face of American literature. Zora was a girl who hankered for...
Mae among the stars
Ahmed, Roda
Paper Book
A beautiful picture book for sharing and marking special occasions such as graduation, inspired by the life of the first African American woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison. An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A great classroom and bedtime read-aloud, Mae Among the Stars is the...

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