Hank Aaron: Brave in Every Way by Peter Golenbock, illustrated by Paul Lee (Gulliver Books, 2001)
African-American baseball great Hank Aaron followed his dream and in spite of the racial tensions in the 1960s and hate mail directed to him, he kept on and broke the home run record of Babe Ruth.
Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, Aaron is featured on their site.
Flight by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Mike Wimmer (Putnam Juvenile paperback, 1997)
This is one of my all-time favorite picture book biographies. It is the dramatic account of Lindbergh’s solitary flight across the Atlantic in 1927 with picture-perfect artwork.
Information about the flight, flight timeline, Spirit of St. Louis, photos, documents, articles, and biographies can be found at CharlesLindbergh.com.
The Adventurous Chef: Alexis Soyer by Ann Arnold (FSG, 2002)
French chef Soyer organized a soup kitchen during the Irish potato famine and worked with Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War.
To read more about Soyer, visit the Victorianweb.org site.
Freedom River by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier (Jump At the Sun, 2000)
This Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book recounts the story of ex-slave John P. Parker, and his efforts to assist others in gaining freedom through the Underground Railroad.
The Autobiography of John Parker, an Online Archival Collection at Duke University gives visitors information about Parker and links to Underground Railroad sites.
First in the Field: Baseball Hero Jackie Robinson by Derek Dingle (Hyperion, 1998) The first African-American Major League Baseball player of modern era is featured in this photobiography about his childhood and early adulthood.
Peruse Jackie Robinson’s Official Site to learn more about this incredible baseball player and man.
