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 20th 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.
