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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Papa is a poet : a story about Robert Frost
Bober, Natalie S.
Paper Book
Papa Is a Poet: is a picture book about the famous American poet Robert Frost, imagined through the eyes of his daughter Lesley. When Robert Frost was a child, his family thought he would grow up to be a baseball player. Instead, he became a poet. His life on a farm in...
Above the rim : how Elgin Baylor changed basketball
Bryant, Jen
Paper Book
Halloffamer Elgin Baylor was one of basketball's alltimegreatest players--an innovative athlete, team player, and quiet force for change. One of the first professional AfricanAmerican players, he inspired others on and off the court. But when traveling for away games, many hotels and restaurants...
A river of words : the story of William Carlos Williams
Bryant, Jennifer.
Paper Book
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...
Talkin' about Bessie : the story of aviator Elizabeth Coleman
Grimes, Nikki.
Paper Book
Soar along with Bessie Coleman in this inspirational tale of a woman whose determination reached new heights.Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was always being told what she could & couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let...
Bon appetit! : the delicious life of Julia Child
Hartland, Jessie.
Paper Book
Follow Julia Child-chef, author, and television personality-from her childhood in Pasadena, California, to her life as a spy in WWII, to the cooking classes she took in Paris, to the publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, to the funny moments of being a chef on TV. This is a...
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...
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! ...
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...
John Ronald's dragons : the story of J.R.R. Tolkien
McAlister, Caroline
Paper Book
A captivating picture book biography of a boy who imagined a world full of dragons and grew up to be beloved author J. R. R. Tolkien. John Ronald loved dragons. He liked to imagine dragons when he was alone, and with his friends, and especially when life got hard or sad. After...
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.
Fight of the century : Alice Paul battles Woodrow Wilson for the vote
Rosenstock, Barb
Paper Book
The fight for women's suffrage between women's rights leader Alice Paul and President Woodrow Wilson is creatively presented as a four-round boxing match in this energetic nonfiction picture book. When Woodrow Wilson was elected President, he didn't know that he would be...
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 reach...
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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