Anne Bustard
Children's Author
Picture Book Biographies Picture book biographies are terrific reads. They are by nature, brief glimpses of a life, and therefore fantastic springboards for additional reading and research. Please visit my blog, Anneographies, where I write about favorites, organized by the subjects' birthday. Below are a few biographies I love along with links to related Web sites so you can discover more. Many of the books are about musicians, a particular interest of mine. In some instances, the book is a fictionalized account of a person’s life. If so, I’ve noted this in my remarks. I chose to include these books because they are based on fact and because I believe they too, illuminate. If there is a * next to the title, that means it’s one of my Top Picks. The subject arranges the featured books in alphabetical order. *When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan illustrated by Brian Selznick Scholastic Press Overcoming numerous obstacles, opera singer Marian Anderson gave a historic concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Bravo! See:Marian Anderson: Penn Library Exhibit. Sebastian: A Book about Bach by Jeanette Winter Browndeer Press/ Johann Sebastian Bach survived the sorrows of childhood to create magnificent music. See:Johann Sebastain Bach: A detailed informative biography. Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman by Nikki Grimes illustrated by E. B. Lewis Orchard Books Compelling recollections in free verse of barnstormer Bessie Coleman written by the author from the perspective of those who knew her well: family, friends, reporters and a fan. A Coretta Scott King Award winner. See:Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman (1893-1926) Pioneer. Emily by Michael Bedard illustrated by Barbara Cooney Doubleday This tender account of a young girl and her mother’s visit to their reclusive neighbor, poet Emily Dickinson will make you want to find a book of her poems and spend the rest of the day reading. While this is a fictionalized account, it is based on much research. I’m convinced it happened just this way. See:Dickinson Electronic Archives. *Duke Ellington by Andrea Davis Pinkney illustrated by Brian Pinkney Hyperion This biography of legendary jazz musician Duke Ellington hits just the right notes. A Caldecott Honor book. See:Duke Ellington: The Official Web Site. Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei by Peter Sis Farrar Straus Giroux Galileo Galilei, scientist, mathematician, astronomer, philosopher and physicist changed the way people saw themselves and their place in the universe. A Caldecott Honor book. See:The Galileo Project. *Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man by David A. Adler illustrated by Terry Widener Gulliver Books/ New York Yankee baseball great, Lou Gehrig, diagnosed at age thirty-six with a rare and deadly disease, lived his life with grace and courage. This book shows us how he did it. See:Lou Gehrig: The Official Web Site. Woody Guthrie: Poet of the People by Bonnie Christensen Knopf This celebration of folk singer Guthrie’s life—through the good times and the bad, tells of the power of music. Amazing woodblock illustrations. See:Official Woody Guthrie Website. *What Charlie Heard by Mordicai Gerstein Farrar Straus Giroux Composer of innovative music, Charles Ives, realized his dream at 77 years of age! Five-star inspiring. Incredible illustrations. See:The Charles Ives Society Official Site. *Flight: The Journey of Charles Lindbergh by Robert Burleigh illustrated by Mike Wimmer Pilomel A thrilling account of Lindbergh’s nonstop solo flight from New York to Paris in 1927. High drama. Spectacular illustrations. See:The Charles A. and Anne Lindbergh Foundation. Maria’s Comet by Deborah Hopkinson illustrated by Deborah Lanino Atheneum Maria Mitchell, America’s first woman astronomer, inspired this work of fiction. Hopkinson tells the story of a girl who dreams of discovering a comet. See:Maria Mitchell: Historical Eclipse Chaser. *My Name is Georgia by Jeanette Winter Silver Whistle/ Interspersing quotes by Georgia O’Keeffe throughout the text, this imagined first person portrait of the artist who captured the spirit of nature on canvas, paints a vibrant picture of her life. See:The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. *Rocks in His Head by Carol Otis Hurst illustrated by James Stevenson Greenwillow The author’s father, a man who followed his heart and his passion—rock collecting—eventually became the director of the Springfield Science Museum. A powerful story. Satchel Paige by Lesa Cline-Ransome illustrated by James Ransome Simon & Schuster The first African American to pitch in the major leagues, Satchel Paige had one of the longest and brightest careers in baseball history. See:Satchel Paige: The Official Web Site. Bill Pickett: Rodeo-Ridin’ Cowboy by Andrea D. Pinkney illustrated by Brian Pinkney Gulliver Books/ When he was no more than ten years old, Bill Pickett invented bulldogging (steer wrestling). His cowboying ways didn’t stop there. Bill Pickett grew up to be the most famous African American rodeo performer who ever lived. See:The Handbook of Texas Online: Bill Pickett. *Cowboy Charlie by Jeanette Winter Harcourt Brace As a young boy, Charles Russell dreamed of being a cowboy. After realizing his dream, Russell became a full-time artist, rendering scenes from his life on the range. See:C. M. Russell Museum. Home Run by Robert Burleigh illustrated by Mike Wimmer Silver Whistle/ This slice-of-life poetic account of a Babe Ruth home run coupled with vintage-style baseball cards that detail his career highlights is a smashing hit. See:The Official Babe Ruth Web Site: Biography. All by Herself by Ann Whitford Paul illustrated by Michael Steirnagle Browndeer Press/ Fourteen poems celebrate famous and unknown women who did brave things. Wanda Gag. Wilma Rudolph. Pocahontas. And more. See:Minnesota Author Biographies Project: Wanda Gag. See:ESPN.com Rudolph ran and the world went wild. See:America's Library.gov Pocahantas. |
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