Biographies

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...

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...

The poignant story of Blind Willie Johnson--the legendary Texas musician whose song "Dark Was the Night" was included on the Voyager I space probe's Golden Record Willie Johnson was born in 1897, and from the beginning he loved to sing--and play his...

"Nelson plaits her narrative with Western lingo and homespun similes. . . . James' painterly oils swirl with energy, visible daubs creating the dusty, monumental landscape and equally monumental horses and humans. . . . A champion indeed." --Kirkus...

After years of harsh monsoon seasons, a forest on the river island of Majuli is in danger of being slowly washed away. Jadav, a boy living on the island, is determined to save the forest he loves.This is the true story of how one young boy dedicated his...

Celebrate the life of Lena Horne, the pioneering African American actress and civil rights activist, with this inspiring and powerful picture book from ALSC Children's Literature Legacy Award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford. You have to be...

This lyrical, loving picture book from popular singer-songwriter Laura Veirs and debut illustrator Tatyana Fazlalizadeh tells the story of the determined, gifted, daring Elizabeth Cotten--one of the most celebrated American folk musicians of all time...

"Spare, poetic words sit as lightly as snowflakes."--Wall Street Journal"An enchanting glimpse of a dancer whose name has come to be synonymous with her most famous role."--School Library Journal, starred review One night, young Anna's mother takes her...

En esta biografía impactante y vibrante, el galardonado creador Duncan Tonatiuh echa luz sobre el legado de un legendario capoeirista, Mestre Bimba, quien se resistió a la opresión racial a través del arte y convirtió una práctica marginada en un...

Bestselling author-illustrator Marissa Moss tells the gripping story of Lise Meitner, the physicist who discovered nuclear fissionAs a female Jewish physicist in Berlin during the early 20th century, Lise Meitner had to fight for an education, a job, and...

Discover the man behind the magic and see how Houdini pulled off his most daring escapes Before Harry Houdini (1874-1926) became the greatest magician in the world, he was just little Ehrich Weisz, a Hungarian-born immigrant who moved to America with...

Sharlee Glenn's picture book Library on Wheels tells the true story of America's first bookmobile. If you can't bring the man to the books, bring the books to the man. Mary Lemist Titcomb (1852-1932) was always looking for ways to improve her library...

Maryann Macdonald's picture book biography Rosa's Animals: The Story of Rosa Bonheur and Her Painting Menagerie is "an elegant, insightful portrait of an artist worth knowing" (Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review). Painter and sculptor Rosa Bonheur...

This biography for young readers explores the life of the controversial seventh U.S. president, as well as his successes, failures, and legacy.Born in the Carolina backwoods, Andrew Jackson joined the American Revolutionary War at the age of thirteen...

The incredible and little-known story of Sarah Rector, once the wealthiest Black girl in America, from Coretta Scott King Honor Award winner Tonya Bolden The inspiration for the movie Sarah's Oil, set to release in December 2025 from Amazon MGM Studios...

What can a potato do? To Peruvian scientist Alberto Salas, they have the power to change the world. Go on the hunt with Alberto for for wild potatoes before they go extinct in this playful picture book biography, gorgeously illustrated by...

Read about "La Reina de la Salsa" in Hispanic Star: Celia Cruz, and learn the most groundbreaking, iconic Hispanic and Latinx heroes that have shaped our culture and the world in this gripping biography series for young readers, perfect for fans of the...

Read about "La Reina de la Salsa" in Hispanic Star: Celia Cruz, and learn the most groundbreaking, iconic Hispanic and Latinx heroes that have shaped our culture and the world in this gripping biography series for young readers, perfect for fans of the...

Read about Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente in Hispanic Star: Roberto Clemente, and learn the most groundbreaking, iconic Hispanic and Latinx heroes that have shaped our culture and the world in this gripping biography series for...

Read about Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente in Hispanic Star: Roberto Clemente, and learn the most groundbreaking, iconic Hispanic and Latinx heroes that have shaped our culture and the world in this gripping biography series for...

A memoir-driven realistic graphic novel about Tyler, a child who is diagnosed with ADHD and has to discover for himself how to best manage it. Tyler's brain is different. Unlike his friends, he has a hard time paying attention in class. He acts out in...

A memoir-driven realistic graphic novel about Tyler, a child who is diagnosed with ADHD and has to discover for himself how to best manage it. Tyler's brain is different. Unlike his friends, he has a hard time paying attention in class. He acts out in...

The New York Times-bestselling incredible true story of Michael Bornstein--who at age 4 was one of the youngest children to be liberated from the Auschwitz concentration camp--and of his family "Both moving and memorable, combining the emotional resolve...

Richard Turere's own story: Richard grew up in Kenya as a Maasai boy, herding his family's cattle, which represented their wealth and livelihood. Richard's challenge was to protect their cattle from the lions who prowled the night just outside the...

Rafael Guastavino Sr. was 39 when he left a successful career as an architect in Barcelona. American cities--densely packed and built largely of wood--were experiencing horrific fires, and Guastavino had the solution: The soaring interior spaces created...

Sixteen scientists. Protecting our planet. Making science more equitable. An Orbis Pictus Recommended BookA Green Earth Book Award HonorA Blueberry Award Honor Scientists who collect microbes from surfers' skin, who use radar sensors to gather data miles...

A new and updated edition of the picture book about the woman called "The Jackie Robinson of tennis." Although stars like Serena Williams cite Althea Gibson as an inspiration, Gibson's story is not well-known to many young people today. Growing up tough...

Musician, botanist, baseball player, pilot--the Latinos featured in Bravo!, by author Margarita Engle and illustrator Rafael López, come from many different countries and from many different backgrounds. Celebrate their accomplishments and their...

An inspiring tribute to Hispanic Americans who have made a positive impact on the world This visually stunning book showcases twenty Hispanic and Latino American men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the arts, politics, science,...

The love between brothers is key to Matt Tavares's tale of Dominican pitcher Pedro Martínez, from his days of throwing rocks at mangoes to his years as a major-league star. Before Pedro Martínez pitched the Red Sox to a World Series championship, before...

An exuberant picture book applauds the man behind the 1869 National Peace Jubilee, the largest and loudest concert the world had ever seen -- or heard. As a young boy growing up in Ireland, Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore loved music -- the louder, the better!...

Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka shares his love of jazz great Sun Ra, just in time to mark the centennial of the musician's birth. Jazz musician Sun Ra (1914-1993) always said that he came from Saturn. Being from another planet, he was naturally...

Billie Jean King is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Read about this amazing woman athlete in the seventeenth picture book in the New York Times bestselling series of biographies about heroes. This friendly, fun biography series focuses...

Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court Justice, is the subject of the sixteenth picture book in the New York Times bestselling series of biographies about heroes. This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes...

Harriet Tubman's heroic and pivotal role in the fight against slavery is the subject of the fourteenth picture book in this New York Times bestselling biography series. This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes...

Advocate for peace and nonviolent revolutionary Gandhi is the 12th hero in the New York Times bestselling picture book biography series for ages 5 to 8. As a young man in India, Gandhi saw firsthand how people were treated unfairly. Refusing to accept...

Learn about Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani and what makes him one of the greatest players of all time! Shohei Ohtani, also known as "Shotime," is widely known for his skills in both pitching and hitting. At the 2016 Japan Series, Ohtani led his...

Learn about Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani and what makes him one of the greatest players of all time! Shohei Ohtani, also known as "Shotime," is widely known for his skills in both pitching and hitting. At the 2016 Japan Series, Ohtani led his...

Find out how a young boy from the Midwest became one of the most important writers and activists of the Harlem Renaissance in this addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series! Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, and was raised by his...

Learn about the incredible legacy of civil rights legend and Georgia congressman John Lewis in this inspiring addition to the #1 New York Times Best-Selling series. Starting in the 1960s, John Lewis began his activism alongside civil rights legend and...