Historical and Modern Biographies

Lots of kids LOVE reading real stories from history, and all about the lives of heroes. Introduce them to scientists, founding fathers, athletes, and everyday folks who did amazing things, with these biographies for a range of ages. 

All of these titles are either brand-new or coming very soon. They should be available at your favorite online retailer -- we urge you to support your local independent bookstore if you are able to do so! Many bookstores are still shipping direct from their websites, or you can order from Bookshop.Org. Click the book jackets for more info or to find a copy of your own. 

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ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP by Annette Bay Pimentel & Nabi Ali - Sourcebooks - 3/10/20

This is the story of a little girl whose fight for Americans with Disabilities changed everything.
Jennifer Keelan was determined to make a change--even if she was just a kid. She never thought her wheelchair could slow her down, but the way the world around her was built made it hard to do even simple things. Like going to school, or eating lunch in the cafeteria. She convinced DC lawmakers to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act by climbing the steps of the Capitol building without her wheelchair!

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A SPORTING CHANCE by Lori Alexander & Allan Drummond - HMH - April 7, 2020

Telling the inspiring human story behind the creation of the Paralympics, this young readers biography artfully combines archival photos, full-color illustrations, and a riveting narrative to honor the life of Ludwig Guttmann, whose work profoundly changed so many lives. 

Dedicating his life to helping patients labeled “incurables,” Ludwig Guttmann fought for the rights of paraplegics to live a full life. The young doctor believed—and eventually proved—that physical movement is key to healing, a discovery that led him to create the first Paralympic Games. 

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JANE GOODALL: A CHAMPION OF CHIMPANZEES by Sarah Albee & Gustavo Mazali - HC - 3/17/20

Jane Goodall was the first person to study wild chimpanzees up close in a rain forest. She befriended the chimps and discovered amazing facts about their behaviors. What she learned forever changed how people look at these animals.
Jane Goodall: A Champion of Chimpanzees is a Level Two I Can Read, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help.

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BOX by Carole Boston Weatherford & Michele Wood, Candlewick - 4/14/20

This moving, lyrical tale about the cost and fragility of freedom follows the life of a man who courageously shipped himself out of slavery.

Henry Brown wrote that long before he came to be known as Box, he “entered the world a slave.” He was put to work as a child and passed down from one generation to the next — as property. When he was an adult, his wife and children were sold away from him out of spite. Henry Brown watched as his family left bound in chains, headed to the deeper South. What more could be taken from him? But then hope — and help — came in the form of the Underground Railroad. Escape!

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MOST WANTED by Sarah Jane Marsh & Edwin Fotheringham, LB - March 24, 2020

John Hancock and Samuel Adams were an unlikely pair of troublemakers. Hancock was young and dashing. Adams was old and stodgy. But working together, they rallied the people of Boston against the unfair policies of Great Britain and inspired American resistance. And to King George, they became a royal pain. When the British army began marching, sending Hancock and Adams fleeing into the woods, the two couldn't help but worry--this time, had they gone too far?

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G.O.A.T. - Serena Williams by Tami Charles - Sterling - Summer 2020

G.O.A.T. is an acronym that stands for Greatest Of All Time--and it takes lifelong dedication, nonstop hard work, and undeniable, unbelievable talent even to be considered for that honor. Serena Williams is the most decorated female tennis player of all time. Find out all about this powerhouse player and her dozens of amazing victories in this entertaining book that's packed with stats, sidebars, and details about the athlete's journey. Sports-crazed kids will love it.

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