5 Biographies for Elementary School Readers
These books are equal parts history & inspiration. Biographies are a great way to introduce new concepts and role models.
The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown by Mac Barnett. This 42-page biography tells the story of the legendary author of Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. It teachers us that authors are people too - they fall in love, go to the market and have animals at home.
Monument Maker: Daniel Chester French and the Lincoln Memorial by Linda Booth Sweeney. When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, fifteen-year-old Dan French had no way to know that one day his tribute to the great president would transform a plot of Washington, DC marshland into America’s gathering place. He did not even know that a sculptor was something to be. He only knew that he liked making things with his hands….
Some Writer!: The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet. Author Melissa Sweet mixes E.B. White’s personal letters, photos and family ephemera with her own artwork to tell the story of this American literary icon. Readers will be fascinated and inspired by the journalist, New Yorker contributor, and children’s book author who loved words his whole life.
Greta and the Giants by Zoë Tucker. This picture book retells the story of Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenager who has led a global movement to raise awareness about the world’s climate crisis.
Fred’s Big Feelings: The Life & Legacy of Mister Rogers by Laura Renauld. Fred grew up and created Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the television program that would go on to warm the hearts and homes of millions of Americans. But one day, the government threatened to cut funding for public television, including Fred’s show. So, Fred stepped off the set and into a hearing on Capitol Hill to make his feelings known.
A Girl Called Genghis Khan by Michelle Lord. This compelling, timely, and empowering picture book introduces children to Maria Toorpakai Wazir, a Pakistani girl who braved threats from the Taliban in order to play squash, the sport she loved.