Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Chris Raschka (Scholastic, 1992)
The words feel like they’re bouncing off the pages of this lively picture book biography of the master of be bop. A read-aloud must.
Visit the Official Site of Charlie “Yardbird” Parker.
Lives of Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)
Although the Vietnam War dominated the 36th president’s two terms of office, Johnson’s legacy also includes important Civil Rights legislation.
Fantastic resources about LBJ and his presidency are available at the LBJ Library and Museum Kids Homepage
Duke’s Olympic Feet by Ellie Crowe (Island Heritage, 2002)
Duke Kahanamoku is known by many names: The Ambassador of Aloha, father of surfing, and Olympic swimmer. In this gloriously illustrated picture book biography, Kahanamoku’s challenges as an untrained swimmer who not only participated in the 1912 Olympics, but won a Gold Medal are recorded. Additionally, how Kahanamoku introduced surfing to Australia is chronicled.
Visit the Surfing Museum bio link for more information about Kahanamoku.
Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)
“Human Iceberg” Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd U.S. president and grandson of a president is highlighted in one paragraph in this collective biography.
See a snapshot biography of Benjamin Harrison at the White House Kids site.
Into the Air: The Story of the Wright Brothers’ First Flight by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Bill Wylie (Silver Whistle/Harcourt, 2002)
Trial and error. And lots of perseverance and smarts. That’s what it took to get the first successful flying machine off the ground. Comic-book style art brings the Wright’s triumph to life.
Find an online biography of Wright at NASA as well as information at the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
