Biographies

There are so many good picture book biographies these days. Here are three stand alone picture books along with a raft of pocket picture book biographies just out in English.

So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk toward Freedom by Gary Schmidt, Illustrated by Daniel Minter. 

There are rare times when the words and pictures in a picture book combine to make a true work of art. This book is an exemplar of this happening. Schmidt writes with both strength and poetry to tell the story of Sojourner Truth as she endured separation from family as a slave and then finally stood up for herself and her children, using the laws of New York State before slavery had ended and then the laws of the nation once slavery was abolished. Minter uses a limited color palette to illustrate this book with both stark, realistic paintings and dreamy, impressionistic art to convey the horrors and joys of Sojourner Truth’s life. The book ends with a short biography as well as notes from both the author and illustrator. This will be a welcome addition to my library.

Howard and the Mummy: Howard Carter and the Search for King Tut’s Tomb by Tracey Fern, Pictures by Boris Kulikov

Do you know a child who is fascinated with mummies? Here’s a book for you to share. Howard Carter found mummies fascinating from a young age and was able to start searching for mummies when he was only 17! From there, he was hooked and spent his life mostly in Egypt pursuing archeology. Here he is depicted as a slightly eccentric man with a passion. A great book to share with girls and boys who are just beginning to know the world and develop passions of their own.

Carlos Santana: Sound of the Heart, Song of the World by Gary Golio, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez

Carlos Santana, born in 1947, was a musician who combined the traditional music of Mexico with the blues of an electric guitar. Trained as a musician by his father, Carlos lived his life for music. The illustrations by Gutierrez are both realistic and magical, using colors and icons found in Mexican paintings from the early 20^th century, drawing the reader in to Carlos’ life. The text is less magical and often seems dry, especially compared to the subject matter and the illustrations. The end notes include a selected discography, which would be a great way to share this book with children. 

     

Pocket Bios:

Small hardcover books, 5” by 8”  with  a short biography of a famous man or woman. Each pocket biography includes a brief introduction, short vignettes about important events in the life of the person being portrayed, a timeline, and a map with a key and important people from the story. These were originally published in France by Quelle Histoire (quellehistoire.com) and are now published in English by Roaring Brook Press, a subsidiary of MacMillan. Each book has a unique author and translator, but lists several illustrators. These illustrators, who overlap throughout the books,  are: Bruno Wennagel, Nuno Alves Rodriques, Mathieu Ferret, Claire Martin, Paul Cotoni, Aurélie Verdon, Guillaume Biasse, Iris Mangin, Clara Morineau, Iris Mangin,  Aurélien Fernandez,

Muhammad Ali by Claire L’Hoër, Translated by Catherine Nolan

Blackbeard by Clémentine V. Baron, Translated by Catherine Nolan

Coco Chanel by Patricia Crété, Translated by Catherine Nolan

Charlie Chaplin by Patricia Crété, Translated by Catherine Nolan

Cleopatra by Patricia Crété, Translated by Catherine Nolan

Albert Einstein by Patricia Crété, Translated by Catherine Nolan

Abraham Lincoln by Albin Quéru and Romain Jubert, Translated by Catherine Nolan

Nelson Mandela by Albin Quéru and Romain Jubert, Translated by Catherine Nolan

Isaac Newton by Patricia Crété, Translated by Catherine Nolan

Rosa Parks by Clémentine V. Baron, Translated by Catherine Nolan

    

Many of the people portrayed in these biographies led exciting lives. The language used to tell the story of these lives is somewhat lifeless, with mostly short declarative sentences, many of which start with either a person’s name or he or she, making it less than interesting for children to read. Whether these short sentences are in place because of the translation of the work from the original French or because the authors and editors believe it will make these books easier to read is unknown. I would recommend them as supplementary sources for children doing reports. They are filled with facts and as stated above have extra material at the end of each book. But, they are not books that will encourage children to read more books.

Note: While Abraham’s birth mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, is not named  but his stepmother, Sarah Johnston Lincoln, is. Both of these women are important influences in his life and both deserve to be mentioned.

   

Some things I learned in these books:

·      Nelson Mandela earned a law degree while in prison in South Africa, having been arrested for opposing the government.

·      Rosa Parks finished her high school education after she married. Throughout her school years, she only attended all-black schools.

·      Cleopatra could speak more than five languages.

·      Albert Einstein was a vocal proponent of Civil Rights in the US after World War II.

·      Isaac Newton wrote more about the Bible than he did about science.

·      Marie Curie earned degrees in both math and physics and was named Maria, not Marie.

·      Neil Armstrong got his pilot’s license before he got his driver’s license.

·      Coco Chanel’s first fashion design was a riding habit for women that was included pants instead of a skirt.

·      Charlie Chaplin and his fourth wife, Oona O’Neill, had eight children.

·      Abraham Lincoln was a Congressman before becoming President.

·      Muhammad Ali traveled to Egypt shortly after having changed his name from Cassius Clay.

·      Blackbeard was a privateer before he became a pirate. A privateer was much like a pirate, but privateers were allowed to attack and steal from enemy ships during a war.