Books are a great way to bring history alive! Here are 50+ of the best children's historical picture book biographies and autobiographies/memoirs for kids.
Picture book biographies are accessible to so many readers, packed with interesting information, and often filled with colorful illustrations. Here are some of our favorite picture book biographies.
FROM THE PUBLISHER: Caroline Herschel (1750–1848) was not only one of the greatest astronomers who ever lived but also the first woman to be paid for her scientific work. Born the youngest daughter of a poor family in Hanover, Germany, she was scarred from smallpox, stunted from typhus and used by her parents as a scullery maid. But when her favorite brother, William, left for England, he took her with him. The siblings shared a passion for stars, and together they built the greatest telescope of their age, working tirelessly on star charts.
This comprehensive companion to the biography picture book Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree by William Miller offers 31 engaging, print-and-go reading activities. Designed to enhance your students' reading experience, these activities cater to diverse learning needs, save you time, and help students develop higher-level thinking skills. ⭐️ WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: ⭐️ ◾ Engaging & Fun: Keeps students captivated with a variety of activities. ◾ Saves Time: Ready-to-use, high-quality resources save you preparation time. ◾ Builds Skills: Promotes higher-level thinking and text evidence support. ◾ Encourages Expression: Helps students articulate their thoughts and perspectives effectively. Perfect for classrooms, homeschooling, or distance learning, this resource makes teaching reading concepts enjoyable and effective. Enrich your students' reading journey with Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree today! 📃 35 PAGES 📘 WHAT'S INCLUDED: ◾ Making Predictions: Before reading, students make predictions about the text. ◾ Story Elements: Students will fill in boxes with words and pictures to represent the story elements. ◾ Making Inferences: Students use clues and prior knowledge to make inferences while reading. ◾ Making Connections: Students will connect events in the story to their own experiences. ◾ Sketch a Scene From the Story: Students will draw a scene from the story and explain its importance to the plot. ◾ Setting Influences the Plot: Students answer questions to understand how the setting influences the mood, plot, and character development. ◾ Summary: Students complete the Somebody, Wanted, Because, But, So graphic organizer and write a summary of the story. ◾ Theme: Students determine the story's theme and provide text evidence to support their choice. ◾ Story Event Sort: Students describe and categorize a scene or event from the story, explaining its impact and how it made them feel. ◾ Character Traits #1: Students choose two important character traits for the main character and provide text evidence. ◾ Character Traits #2: Students choose two different (positive/negative) traits for the main character and provide text evidence. ◾ Character Inside & Out: Students describe what the character says, thinks, does, and feels using details from the story. ◾ Character Feelings: Students describe the character's feelings throughout the story and provide examples. ◾ Character Development: Students select traits to describe the character's development and support their choices with text evidence. ◾ Overcoming Obstacles: Students describe two challenges the character faced, their responses, and a resulting character trait. ◾ Character Change: Students explain how the character changed from the beginning to the end of the story and the events that caused this change. ◾ Character Acrostic Poem: Students write an acrostic poem to describe Zora Hurston's character. ◾ Character Influence: Students recognize and understand the influences of Zora's mother and father on her. ◾ Thinking About the Text: Students answer questions about the story and support their answers with text examples. ◾ Author's Message: Students describe four important events from Zora's childhood, put them in chronological order, and discuss the author's message. ◾ 3-2-1: Students list three things they learned about the character, two challenges faced, and one word to describe the character. ◾ Timeline of Zora Hurston's Life: Students fill in a timeline with events from Zora's life and illustrate each event. ◾ Dear Diary: Students imagine they are Zora Hurston and write a diary entry about her goals and dreams, accompanied by a detailed drawing. ◾ Book Review: Students rate the book by coloring stars, draw a new cover and their favorite character, and explain why others should or shouldn't read it. ◾ Biography Brochure: Students research Zora Hurston's life and create an informative brochure. ◾ Biography One-Pager: Students further research Zora Hurston's life and complete the biography handout. ◾ Vocabulary Word Search Puzzle: Students find hidden words in the puzzle (ANSWER KEY included). ◾ Investigating Images: Students respond to prompts to investigate a photograph. ◾ 3-Writing Prompts: Students respond to writing prompts with personal opinions, experiences, or text evidence to support their thoughts. 📥HOW TO DOWNLOAD: ◾ Click the download button. ◾ Navigate to "Your Account" > "Purchases". ◾ Locate your purchase and download the files. ◾ Check your email for download links. ◾ Contact us via Etsy messaging if you encounter any issues. This resource is for extension read-aloud activities only. The book is not included.
How have I not done this round-up yet?!? It's baffling that I've waited this long, particularly when you take into account the sheer overwhelming number of picture book bios of exceeding beauty and charm we've been privy to in 2019. Here then, are some of the titles that have caught my eye (so far) this year.
A while ago we checked out The Boy Who Loved Math from the library. It quickly became one of our favorite math picture books. I loved all the math incorporated into each picture. My son studied it over and over and read all the fine print in the back and said he wants one for his own. This led me on a search to find other great math picture book biographies.
Picture book biographies for kids about inventors, artists, writers, scientists, athletes, and more to introduce kids to people who did amazing things.
These picture books introduce kids to women who changed the world through their words, actions, talents, ideas, and resilience.
Even though the “E” on a picture book spine stands for “Everybody,” sometimes it’s mistaken for “Easy.” That’s unfortunate, because many picture books are complex and thought-provoking. In their 20…
FROM THE PUBLISHER: Charlotte, James, and baby John have promised to be on their very best behavior for when George Washington comes to have his portrait painted by their father, Gilbert Stuart. But, it seems like every time George Washington comes to visit, Charlotte has to write another apology letter, even when they try to follow George Washington’s Rules of Good Behavior.
Books are a great way to bring history alive! Here are 50+ of the best children's historical picture book biographies and autobiographies/memoirs for kids.
It's never too early to introduce kids to biographies. I love the increase of the number of biographical picture books in the last number of years. It's
Picture book biographies for kids about inventors, artists, writers, scientists, athletes, and more to introduce kids to people who did amazing things.
Unlock the power of the past with this comprehensive biography brochure! This high-quality resource is a fun way for your students to research famous people. This brochure is a reusable and editable template, and students can add pictures and text either on the computer or by hand. Your students wil...
It's never too early to introduce kids to biographies. I love the increase of the number of biographical picture books in the last number of years. It's
Books are a great way to bring history alive! Here are 50+ of the best children's historical picture book biographies and autobiographies/memoirs for kids.
A Mighty Girl's top picks of picture books about trailblazing girls and women throughout history.
Find engaging and interesting nonfiction books for 9-year-olds to read that they'll not only comprehend but love reading!
Here are 8 picture book biographies for your classroom (Common Core) and home with first-rate writing and outstanding illustrations to engage and inform elementary school readers.
FROM THE PUBLISHER: Sometimes in London it drizzles. Sometimes it mizzles. Other times it pelts and showers and spits. And Jonas Hanway hates getting wet. How can he go about his day as a proper London gentleman when his shoes are soggy, his coat is always collecting puddles, and his wig looks like a wet cat? Fed up with damp and dreary London, Jonas sails far away, to places where the sun always shines. But what he sees when he gets there is.... scandalous! Shocking! Sensational! Perhaps also...quite genius? Now all Jonas has to do is convince the rest of London that they need an umbrella, too.
A picture-book biography of violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman.\nThis picture-book biography of violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman will inspire young readers to follow the melody within themselves A 2021 Schneider Family Book Award Young Children Honor Book Before becoming one of the greatest violinists of all time, Itzhak Perlman was simply a boy who loved music. Raised by a poor immigrant family in a tiny Tel Aviv apartment, baby Itzhak was transformed by the sounds from his family's kitchen radio--graceful classical symphonies, lively klezmer tunes, and soulful cantorial chants. The rich melodies and vibrant rhythms spoke to him like magic, filling his mind with vivid rainbows of color. After begging his parents for an instrument, Itzhak threw his heart and soul into playing the violin. Despite enormous obstacles--including a near-fatal bout of polio that left him crippled for life--Itzhak persevered, honing his extraordinary gift. When he performed on the Ed Sullivan Show sat only 13, audiences around the world were mesmerized by the warmth, joy, and passion in every note. Gorgeously illustrated with extensive back matter, this picture-book biography recounts Itzhak's childhood journey--from a boy with a dream to an internationally acclaimed violin virtuoso.
The New York Times bestselling author of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, Joanna Ho, delivers a poignant picture book biography about the musician Yo-Yo Ma, immigration, and using music to build bridges. Winner of the Ezra Jack Keats Award Honor * Featured in Book Riot’s Must Read September 2021 List “By examining the life of Ma, whose story resonates with courage, persistence, and unity, Ho inspires readers to break barriers of their own. ” — Horn Book (starred review) “Everyone can benefit from Ho’s message of music bringing calm and peace to the world. ” — Booklist “Hopeful and lovely. ” —Kirkus “An ambitious portrait of a storied humanitarian with a clear message of advocacy. ” — Publishers Weekly Joanna Ho’s lyrical writing and Teresa Martinez’s vibrant art weave together to tell an inspiring story of Yo-Yo Ma, who challenges conventions, expectations, and beliefs in order to build bridges to unite communities, people, and cultures. A beautiful picture book biography to enjoy and share in the home and the classroom. Before Yo-Yo Ma became one of the most renowned and celebrated cellists, he wanted to play the double bass. But it was too big for his four-year-old hands. Over time, Ma honed his amazing talent, and his music became a reflection of his own life between borders, cultures, disciplines, and generations. Since then, he has recorded over a hundred albums, won nineteen Grammy Awards, performed for eight American presidents, and received the National Medal of the Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, just to name a few accomplishments. Staying true to himself, Yo-Yo Ma performed at the US-Mexico border at the Rio Grande on April 13, 2019, as part of his multi-continent “Bach Project” tour to prove a point—through music, we can build bridges rather than walls between different cultures. Title: Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma Author: Ho, Joanna Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Category: Children Nonfiction Subject: Biography & Autobiography Binding: Hardcover Reading Age: 4 - 8 years No. Of Pages: 40 pages Language: English ISBN-13: 978-0062994547 Amazon Price: £12.99
A modern series that teaches the principles and manners of the Islamic religion in English. The subjects in this series are varied to include The Holy Quran, Sunnah, the Islamic Creed, the biography of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and acts of worship. It features practical meanings of ethics and worship through activities, stories and pictures that clarify the meanings to make education fun and exciting! This series fulfills the needs of schools in Islamic communities situated in foreign countries. For example, the subjects of the first level in the book suits the age level it addresses regarding the content and demonstration method. It presents Surahs, Ayahs and Hadiths in Arabic. It also clarifies the pronunciation in English letters, demonstrative pictures and illustrative drawings. In addition, it features distinctive exercises that suit this age group. Each level includes a student’s book and exercises book. سلسلة حديثة لتعليم مبادئ الدين الاسلامي وآدابه باللغة الانجليزية تنوعت موضوعاتها لتشمل القرآن الكريم والسنة النبوية والعقيدة والسيرة والعبادات وتؤكد على المعنى التطبيقي العملي فيما يتعلق بالجانبين العبادي والاخلاقي من خلال أنشطة وحكايات ورسومات توضح المعنى وتجعل التعليم أكثر متعة وتشويقاً. هذه السلسلة تلبي حاجة مدارس الجاليات الاسلامية في البلاد الاجنبية, موضوعات المستوى الاول من الكتاب على سبيل المثال تناسب المرحلة العمرية التي يخاطبها من حيث المحتوى واسلوب العرض فقد قدم السور والايات القرآنية والاحاديث النبوية باللغة العربية ووضح اللفظ بالحروف الانجليزية والمعنى بالرسومات والصور التوضيحية إضافة للأنشطة المميزة التي تناسب المرحلة وهكذا. يحتوي كل مستوى على كتاب للطالب وكتاب التمارين المرافق.
Last year I reviewed the first four books in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series. Initially skeptical (could a picture book for a v...
FROM THE PUBLISHER: As a little girl, Teresa Carreño loved to let her hands dance across the beautiful keys of the piano. If she felt sad, music cheered her up, and when she was happy, the piano helped her share that joy. Soon she was writing her own songs and performing in grand cathedrals.
I'm always looking for cool/high interest bios for my class. Look what I got today! These books, written by Abby Colich and published by Capstone Press, would be great to introduce Text Features or to use as mentor All About Books. Here are some pages inside: (Sorry for sideways shot. I like the Fact Hound/secret code in each book. It's just Capstone's site that allows you to enter a code (WAY too long!) and see what pops up. Basically, author websites. I can see my kids dying to see what the code leads to!) Are you familiar with Grace Lin's books? I admit I'm a recent fan having only having read them in the last year. While I haven't read her Newbery book, I can tell you that her picture books and early readers are wonderful! Great Mentor Texts! Each time I read one, I feel that Grace has personally invited me in to take a peek into her childhood. My students give them two thumbs up, too! My two favorites are The Ugly Vegetables and Lissy's Friends which is a fun read aloud for the beginning of school with a friendship theme. Here are some pics of her books... my first Pic Monkey creation! Hey- you gotta start somewhere! Also offered in the series: Jeff Kinney, Dav Pilkey, Shel Silverstein and Barbara Park. (Did you know she recently passed away? Sniff, sniff. Sidenote: If you teach third-fifth grade, read Mick Harte Was Here. Not only is it my favorite Barbara Park book, it is one of my top five all-time books. Try to listen to the audiobook. AMAZING. A must for this age group.
Newish picture book biographies.
This luminous, defining picture book biography illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Christian Robinson, tells the remarkable and inspiring story of acclaimed singer Nina Simone and her bold, defiant, and exultant legacy. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in small town North Carolina, Nina Simone was a musical child. She sang before she talked and learned to play piano at a very young age. With the support of her family and community, she received music lessons that introduced her to classical composers like Bach who remained with her and influenced her music throughout her life. She loved the way his music began softly and then tumbled to thunder, like her mother's preaching, and in much the same way as her career. During her first performances under the name of Nina Simone her voice was rich and sweet but as the Civil Rights Movement gained steam, Nina's voice soon became a thunderous roar as she raised her voice in powerful protest in the fight against racial inequality and discrimination. 56 pages FULL-COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS 10.8 in H | 8.8 in W | 0.4 in T | 1.2 lb Wt
We can encourage a growth mindset in children and teens by reading growth mindset biographies like these excellent choices.
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“What it amounts to is… I never grew up.” Hello, there! Welcome to the second episode of SPOTLIGHT ON NCTE POETS! The videos in this new series that I’ve cooked up with…
Many kids need encouragement to read biographies but do it — it’s a valuable thing to do. Why? Because biographies show that ordinary people can...
Math is often seen as a subject removed from everyday feelings and experiences. These ten books reveal the people who loved math and made it an important part of their identities.
This year I wanted to increase the number of nonfiction books that I read. Along with The Nonfiction Detectives, I started the 2012 Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge. By doing the challenge, I ha…