BIOGRAPHY

As a young girl, Maria (Ma-RYE-ah) was interested in anything and everything, jotting notes and questions in her notebooks. Her father was an astronomer and mathematician, and they spent countless hours together on the roof with a telescope and other astronomer’s tools. Despite being told she couldn’t do things because she was a woman, she was the first person on Earth to see a comet which led her to become the first professional female astronomer in the USA, the first woman to work as a scientist for the U. S. government, and an impressive array of other “firsts.” She also became a strong advocate of learning opportunities for all. The illustrations are simple but expressive, and the discerning eye will even find humor in some of them.

Grades K-3. This book could be used to kick off a STEM event. There are many positive themes in this book. Her family was clearly her greatest support system. The value of having a growth mindset and a sense of wonder are emphasized. The book also points out ways that the intricate needlework Maria abhorred was an asset to her in unexpected ways. The end-notes offer more food for thought, and there is a list of resources that includes the Maria Mitchell Association website.

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As a young boy growing up in Germany in the late 1700s, Alexander had questions about anything and everything to do with animals, nature, and our entire world. He read books about Captain James Cook and knew he was destined to explore our world and investigate its mysteries. His keen observations allowed him to determine that animals, plants, and humans around the world are more connected than different. Endnotes explain that von Humboldt observed the effects of deforestation and other human impacts on the environment, and he is instrumental in our current understanding of ecology and plate tectonics. Additional endnotes on the text explain why people called the Americas “the New World” at the time von Humboldt was alive. There is a detailed explanation of the research behind the illustrations of indigenous people since we don’t have photos from the era during von Humboldt’s life.

Grades 1-4. This book would be a great accompaniment for topics ranging from plants to land and water forms to environmental issues to appreciation of cultures different from our own. The endnotes explain that he is credited with the belief that “race was not a biological category” and “all are alike designed for freedom.”The repetitive bits of text are enough to ground young readers without being “babyish” for older readers. This book would pair well with Zonia’s Rainforest due to its explanations of deforestation and indigenous people.

Alton Yates knew he wanted to join the Air Force since he was in junior high and a Black Air Force Captain visited his school. When Alton’s mother died and he needed to help take care of his family he enrolled and was sent to Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. He volunteered for the task of being the human equivalent of a crash dummy. His work led to safer travel in cars, planes, and rocket ships. After he was honorably discharged, he discovered that Jim Crow racism was still very real. He helped organize peaceful protests and was badly injured on Ax Handle Saturday. Powerful illustrations bring this impactful story to life. 

Grades 3-6. This book talks about civil rights but the approach feels fresh. In my opinion, the greatest strength of this book is the extensive quote from Alton Yates given in the author’s note. This man had his skull split open in a racist attack, but he gives the  most beautiful account of America. He says that when people read this book he hopes, “...they will come away with a greater sense of optimism about the future of our country….I just want people to see the goodness of America.” The illustrator’s note also talks about Alton’s ability to persist in spite of cruelty. This man (recently featured on ABC News) fully embodies the resilience found in many Black Americans, and this book is a great conversation starter about the racism that is still present today.

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Fatima Al-Fihri was born around 800 C.E. into a world where boys went to school but girls were taught at home. Fatima loved learning more than anything else. She nurtured her dream of building a school where all could learn from the time she was a young child fleeing her home country of Tunisia and settling as a refugee in Fez, Morocco, to the time that she received a large inheritance after the death of her father and husband. As a devout Muslim, she practiced Sadaqah jariyah, which is ongoing charity that continues even after your own life on Earth ends. She built the oldest educational institution in the world, al-Qarawiyyin, which is still a university today!

Grades 2-4. This book shows the history of the modern-day education system, including discriminatory practices that have been around for ages and the practices of offering scholarships, providing dormitory housing, and awarding degrees in specialized fields. The book also offers glimpses of Muslim traditions, such as fasting, Sadaqah jariyah, and learning the Qur’an. While we obviously don’t teach religion in school, this book is a lovely tribute to a Muslim woman and can be a vehicle to help our students understand some traditions of their Muslim peers and community members and, possibly more importantly,  act as a “mirror” for our Muslim students, who see themselves too infrequently in literature.

El Anatsui was born in the Gold Coast region of West Africa, and he was a teenager when his country gained independence and was renamed Ghana. An artist who enjoyed experimenting with many unusual and varied materials, he discovered that he could make art using discarded bottle tops. He believes that materials that people have discarded have a story to tell, and this book shows the reader how El Anatsui uses his bottle top art to imitate traditional kente cloths and to connect with the history of the transatlantic slave and alcohol trade. His story is fascinating and the illustrations are magnificent. The end matter includes photos of some of his work and art credits so you can look up the actual pieces illustrated in the book to view the original works.

Grades 4-6. I shared this with the Horn art teacher who pronounced his work “magical.” This book also gives information about the slave and alcohol trade between Britain, West Africa, and North America as well as a glimpse of British colonization. There is a suggested art activity using recycled materials in the back of the book.

Lotte Reiniger was born in Berlin at a time when movies were new to the world. She loved creating characters by making tiny snips in paper and eventually combined that skill with her love of Chinese puppets to make stop-motion animation films, a relatively new phenomenon. Her skills and creativity led her to a career in film-making, with some pretty funny challenges explained in the text. Her innovations and ideas led her to create the first animated feature film, The Adventures of Prince Achmed. The illustrations cleverly incorporate title screens for each section of the book (as in a silent movie) as well as strips of film with little nuggets of text or images in each frame. The author’s note at the end explains (among that the “Tale of the Three Brothers” in part 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a nod to Lotte.

Grades 4-6. This year’s 5th graders enjoyed a visiting artist who helped them create their own stop-motion animations so I believe it is of particular interest right now. The author’s note adds another layer by describing the hardships faced by Lotte and her husband during World War II. The text is rather long but it held the interest of the 5th grade class I read it with. 

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Growing up in Baltimore, Thurgood Marshall could see that things weren't fair. When Thurgood had to read the Constitution as punishment for a prank at school, his eyes were opened. His determination to make sure all Americans were treated equally led him to law school and then the NAACP, where he argued cases like Brown v. Board of Education in front of the Supreme Court. But to become a Justice on the highest court in the land, Thurgood had to make space for himself every step of the way. (From the publisher)

Civil rights, branches of government, judicial system, African American history; Inquire Ed Social Studies unit: Civic Engagement (1st grade)

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A biography of Nina Simone, an acclaimed singer whose music gave voice to the struggle for racial equality during the Civil Rights Movement. She raised her voice in powerful protest in the fight against racial inequality and discrimination. (From the publisher)

Music (wide range of musical styles from jazz to gospel to classical), civil rights, biography, theme, identity, African American history; Inquire Ed Social Studies unit: Equality and Justice (3rd grade), Equality and Justice (3rd grade)

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As a young Nahua girl in Mexico during the early 1900s, Luz learned how to grind corn in a metate, to twist yarn with her toes, and to weave on a loom. By the fire at night, she listened to stories of her community’s joys, suffering, and survival, and wove them into her heart. This biography tells the remarkable story of how model and teacher Luz Jiménez became “the soul of Mexico”—a living link between the indigenous Nahua and the rest of the world. (From the publisher)

Art, culture, language, Latinx/Indiginous peoples’ history, overcoming adversity; Inquire Ed Social Studies unit: Migration and Movement (3rd grade), Native America (5th)

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As an observant young child growing up in Lithuania, Ben Shahn yearns to draw everything he sees--and, after seeing his father banished by the Czar for demanding workers' rights, he develops a keen sense of justice, too. So when Ben and the rest of his family make their way to America, Ben brings with him both his sharp artistic eye and his desire to fight for what's right. As he grows, he speaks for justice through his art. A lyrically told, exquisitely illustrated biography of influential Jewish artist and activist Ben Shahn. (From the publisher)

art, biography, social justice, activism, immigration; Inquire Ed Social Studies unit: Migration and Movement

Through portraits of ten historical figures - from Menes, the first ruler to be called Pharaoh, to Queen Idia, a sixteenth-century power broker, visionary, and diplomat - African Icons takes readers on a journey across Africa to meet some of the great leaders and thinkers whose ideas built a continent and shaped our world. (From the publisher)

World history, impacts of ancient history on today’s world, an excellent resource for expanding Black history beyond America; Inquire Ed Social Studies unit: Ancient Egypt (6th grade)

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Mary Golda Ross designed classified projects for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation as the company's first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work. (From the publisher)

STEAM units, Native Americans, space, innovation & discovery; Inquire Ed Social Studies unit: Native America (5th grade)

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K-2 : Tells the life and history of George Washington Carver, from a baby born into slavery to a celebrated botanist, scientist, and inventor. (from the publisher)

K-2 : The only authorized picture book biography of Mister Rogers.
Another great book for teaching SEL, this book would be great for Morning Meetings. 

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3-4 : A picture book biography sharing the true story of the nation's oldest student, Mary Walker, who learned to read at the age of 116.
(from the publisher)

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3-4 : 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. (from the publisher) 

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