Biographies for kids

Artists + Musicians to Learn About

20. When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson by Pam Munoz Ryan

21. Mr Cornell’s Dream Boxes by Jeanette Winter

22. Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuoso by Andrea Pinkney

23. The Iridescence of Birds: Henri Matisse by Patricia MacLaughlan

24. A Splash of Red: the Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant

25. Duke Ellington: the Piano Prince and his Orchestra by Andrea Davis Pinkney

26. Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell

27. Henri’s Scissors by Jeanette Winter

28. Becoming Bach by Tom Leonard

29. Viva Frieda by Yuyi Morales

30. Prairie Boy: Frank Lloyd Wright Turns the Heartland into a Home by Barb Rosenstock

31. Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle

Biographies for Kids: Heroes from History

29. Thomas Jefferson: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Everything by Maira Kalman

30. To Dare Mighty Things: The Life of Theodore Roosevelt by Doreen Rappaport

31. The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candice Fleming

32. Amelia lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candice Fleming

33. The Lincoln’s: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary by Candace Fleming

34. Rosa by Nikki Giovanni

35. What to do about Alice? by Barbara Kerley

36. Elizabeth Leads the Way by Tanya Lee Stone

37. Joan of Arc by Diane Stanley

38. Leif the Lucky by Ingri Daulaire

39. Columbus by Ingri Daulaire

40. Pocahontas by Ingri Daulaire

41. George Washington by Ingri Daulaire

42. Benjamin Franklin by Ingri Daulaire

43. Buffalo Bill by Ingri Daulaire

44. Abraham Lincoln by Ingri Daulaire

45. Bard of Avon:William Shakespeare by Diane Stanley

46. Leonardo Davinci by Diane Stanley

47. Good Queen Bess by Dianne Stanley

48. Peter the Great by Dianne Stanley

49. Cleopatra by Diane Stanley

50. Along Came Galileo by Jeanne Bendick

51. Joan of Arc: Warrior Saint by Jay Williams

52. Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library by Barb Rosenstock

53. Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Barretta

54. Eleanor by Barbara Cooney

55. A Boy Named FDR by Kathleen Krull

56. Alexander the Great by John Gunther

57. George Washington’s World by Genevieve Foster

58. The World of Captain John Smith by Genevieve Foster

59. The World of Christopher Columbus and Sons by Genevieve Foster

60. Augustus Caesar’s World by Genevieve Foster

61. Abraham Lincoln’s World by Genevieve Foster

62. Louis and Clark: Explorer’s of the American West by Steven Kroll

63. Encounter by Jane Yolen

64. Picture Book of Daniel Boone by David Adler

65. The Secret Subway by Shana Corey

66. Abraham by Frank Keating

67. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford

68. Brave Clara Barton by Frank Murphy

69. Teedie: The Story of Young Teddy Roosevelt by Don Brown

70. The Poppy Lady: Moina Belle Michael and Her Tribute to Veterans by Barbara E. Walsh

71. First Mothers by Beverly Gherman

72. Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford

73. Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss

74. Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson

Biographies about Writers

79. The Boy on Fairfield street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Suess by Kathleen Krull

80. Louisa: the Life of Louisa May Alcott by Yona Zeldis McDonough

82. Noah Webster and his Words by Jeri Chase Ferris

81. Going Solo by Roald Dahl

83. The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant

84. Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise

85. The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne by Lesa Cline-Ransome

86. Balderdash!: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children’s Books by Michelle Markel

Biographies for Kids About Amazing Athletes

88. Ali an American Champion by Barry Denenburg

89. Brothers at Bat by Audrey Vernick

91. The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game by Nancy Churnin

92. Charlie Takes His Shot: How Charlie Sifford Broke the Color Barrier in Golf  by Nancy Churnin

Too Cool for Categories: Everyday Folks Who Made a Extraordinary Impact

94. Mr. Ferris and his Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis

95. Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty

96. The Story of Johnny Appleseed by Aliki

97. The Fairy Ring: Or Elsie and Frances Fool the World by Mary Losure

98. The Great and Only Barnum by Candice Fleming

99. Bon appétit! The Delicious Life of Julia Childs by Jessie Hartland

100. Daredevil: the Daring Life of Betty Skelton by Meghan Macarthy

101. Grandfather Gandhi by Arun Gandhi

102. Here come the Girl Scouts by Shana Correy

103. The Man who Walked Between the Towers by Mordecai Gernstein

104. Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet

105. Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire by Amy Guglielmo

106. Manjhi Moves a Mountain

107. Alice Waters and the Trip to Delicious by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

108. Courageous World Changers: 50 True Stories of Daring Women of God 

from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito

110. The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard

My hope is that, as a result of this big ol’ list, you and your children will discover amazing people whose stories should be continued to be shared. Most of all, I want my kids to know that reading and continuing to read will keep expanding their world!

YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE: