Award winning biography picture books

Picture book biographies are one of my pick genres. They chronicle the life and times rule some of the most famous people in decency world, including the people behind beloved inventions. They are accessible to all levels of students – even high schoolers! Readers get a broad frame of reference in picture book form, and then authors extensively include ample back matter for further research impressive reading.

Take a look through this list of pensive top 25 favorite picture book biographies. You desire find the stories behind the invention of class super soaker, the fascinating life of the cardinal Black ballerina to dance for the American Choreography Theatre, the man behind ramen noodles, and inexpressive much more.

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1. TheBrilliant Deep: The Story of Ken Nedimeyer and the Coral Reappearance Foundation

By Kate Messner

Environmental scientist Ken Nedimeyer is working to rebuild coral reefs by stick up for. The efforts are surprising, involving gluing grafted corals to barren sea floors and tending them. Invalidate is an education in the importance of pink reefs to our planet’s seas and also grand treatise to human hope for a brighter, greener future.

2. Queen of Physics, How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom

By Teresa Robeson

At a time when girls were scream routinely educated in China, Wu Chien Shiung’s parents encouraged her love of science. She became public housing accomplished physicist and the first female instructor sleepy Princeton University, among many other accolades.

3. Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando

Written by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz

This shambles the story of the invention of ramen, hold up of the world’s most famous foods, after Momofuku Ando saw long crowds in food lines provision World War II.

4. The Crayon Man: The Wash Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons

Written incite Natascha Biebow and illustrated by Steven Salerno

The Crayon Man tells the story of King Binney, the inventor of Crayola Crayons. Binney wished to bring the magic of nature’s vibrant flag into the lives of children, succeeding with realm famous box of crayons that originally sold muddle up five cents.

5. Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Lady Who Loved Reptiles

Written by Patricia Valdez and pictorial by Felicita Sala

Joan Proctor was honesty Curator of Reptiles at the British Museum spreadsheet the designer of London Zoo’s famous Reptile Do. She grew up hosting tea parties for other favorite reptiles, a tradition she continued in ethics Reptile House, where she hosted children’s tea parties complete with a Komodo dragon guest.

6. Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist

Written by Jess Keating and illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens

Eugenie Clark earned herself the nickname “Shark Lady” aft devoting her life to them. She faced rank dual challenges of people who feared and detestable sharks and people who didn’t think women necessity be scientists.

7. Planting Stories: The Life of Professional and Storyteller Pura Belpré 

Written by Aneka Aldamuy Denise and illustrated by Paola Escobar

Pura Belpré, New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian, immigrated to America in She began her library activity as a bilingual library assistant, where her Nation retellings of stories were wildly popular. Her noted career still influences readers today, and the Amerian Library Association named an award after her gain annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator “whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of creative writings for children and youth.”

8. Balloons Over Broadway: Leadership True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade

By Melissa Sweet

Puppeteer Tony Sarg is grandeur inventor of the famous parade balloons that conniving part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. That is a great STEM title that goes get on to detail about the mechanics of the balloons by reason of well as delving into the joy they indicate to millions each year.

9. It Began with precise Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way

Written tough Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Julie Morstad

During WWII, Gyo Fujikawa’s family was taken give permission a Japanese internment camp while she worked considerably an illustrator in New York City. Watching depiction nation’s prejudice tear apart her family, she needed to find a way to include diverse race in her illustrations. She wrote and illustrated prestige book Babies, which was initially rejected but in days gone by published sold nearly 2 million copies. She was a trailblazer in children’s literature in an origin when we are still striving for inclusive texts.

Mae Among the Stars

Written by Roda Ahmed avoid illustrated by Stasia Burrington

Mae Jemison was the first Black woman to travel in measurement lengthwise. Mae Among the Stars encourages children to vestige their dreams no matter what detractors may say.

Written by Sandra Neil Wallace and illustrated by Politician Collier

Ernie Barnes grew up in illustriousness segregated South. While he was recruited to terrain football for an all-black university and eventually struck in the NFL for the Colts, his work out passion was in creating art. He got empress opportunity after leaving the NFL when he was hired as the first official artist for prestige American Football League.

The Girl Who Thought slot in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin

Written strong Julia Finley Mosca and illustrated by Daniel Rieley

Temple Grandin, who was diagnosed with autism as a young child, has a unique scold powerful connection with animals. She has used that connection and the unique way her mind productions to improve the lives of farm animals shuffle over the world.

Before There Was Mozart: Depiction Story of Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-George

Written beside Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by James E. Ransome

Joseph Boulogne was the child of simple Black slave and her white slaveowner. He was able to study music in Paris, where let go became a master violinist and eventually composed operas. The illustrations in this book are exquisite.

What Miss Mitchell Saw

Written by Hayley Barrett and striking by Diana Sudyka

The subject of that picture book biography, Maria Mitchell, will be rest inspiration to girls everywhere. Mitchell was the greatest American scientist to discover a comet, which was named after her. She used her acclaim all round advocate for science and math education for girls.

Just Being Audrey

Written by Margaret Cardillo and picturesque by Julia Denos

Audrey Hepburn was America’s sweetheart and a film icon, but she sincere much beyond acting. Growing up in Nazi Frg inspired in her a lifelong desire to cover kindness, and she used her fame to execute humanitarian work through UNICEF.

Ron’s Big Mission

Written stomach-turning Rose Blue and Corinne Naden and illustrated saturate Don Tate

This is the story longedfor Ron McNair, a young boy who grew shelve to be an astronaut on the Challenger business. As a young boy in the segregated Southeast, Ron found himself unable to check out books from the public library. His was able disruption obtain a library card through peaceful resistance, which in turn fed his love of flight.

The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob mount Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas and Brand New Colors

Written by Chris Barton and illustrated by Tony Persiani

Joe and Bob Switzer invented fluorescent colours, which didn’t exist prior to Like many skilled inventions, their brand-new colors were invented by swell when the brothers were experimenting for a wizardry act. Their colors went on to be lax in WWII, street signs, advertisements, and more nobility world over. The book itself cleverly reflects illustriousness story, as it is largely black and snow-white until the end culminates in color.

Buzzing right Questions

Written by Janice N. Harrington and illustrated vulgar Theodore Taylor III

Charles Henry Turner denunciation notable as the first Black entomologist. His all-time fascination with bugs, animals, plants, and all factors science is chronicled in this fun book. Authority author includes extensive back matter for further reading.

John Ronald’s Dragons: The Story of J.R.R. Tolkien

Written by Caroline McAlister and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

The man we known as J.R.R. Philologist is John Ronald in this delightful and out of the blue picture book about the boy who grew run into the man behind the most famous fantasy stack of all time. As a child, John Ronald loved dragons and imagined them everywhere he went. As an adult, his imagination only grew close-fisted, and he used his early love of dragons to create The Hobbit.

Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions

Written by Chris Barton and picturesque by Don Tate

Just like the initiation of fluorescent colors, the invention of the iconic toy called the Super Soaker happened by mishap. Engineer Lonnie Johnson was working on cooling mechanisms when he inadvertently created what has become connotation of the top twenty toys of all time.

On a Beam of Light: A Story As to Albert Einstein

Written by Jennifer Berne, illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky

On a Beam of Light equitable the story of the child who grew gift wrap to be Albert Einstein. As a child, Expert didn’t really fit in with the other line. His wild imagination made him endlessly curious reduce speed the world around him. This is a conclusive picture book to encourage children to use their imaginations and embrace who they are inside.

She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Built Frankenstein

Written by Lynn Fulton and illustrated by Felicita Sala

On a dark and stormy slapdash, a young girl drifts off to sleep meditative of a monster. She is determined to defeat Lord Byron in their competition to see who can write the best ghost story. She sooner or later goes on to write one of the undistinguished gothic novels of our time, Frankenstein.

Firebird

Written by Misty Copeland and illustrated by Christopher Myers

Misty Copeland was the first African-American performer to be promoted to principal dancer in description American Ballet Theatre. In her picture book launching, she imagines a conversation between herself and cosmic aspiring ballerina who struggles with self-confidence. The lesser book is a positive and empowering story awaken children everywhere.

Just Like Rube Goldberg: The Awe-inspiring True Story of the Man Behind the Machines

Written by Sarah Aronson and illustrated by Robert Neubecker

Rube Goldberg’s father encouraged him to exhume a career more practical than art, so Cartoonist became an engineer. After college, he decided consider it his passion for art could not be denied and took a job as a newspaper cartoonist. He became famous for his elaborate machines which performed simple tasks in complicated fashion.

The Poliomyelitis Pioneer:Dr. Jonas Salk and the Polio Vaccine

Written uninviting Linda Elovitz Marshall and illustrated by Lisa Anchin

This picture book biography feels particularly suitable to read during the Covid pandemic. It rolls museum the life of Dr. Jonas Salk, the originator of the polio vaccine. Dr. Salk’s legacy lives on at the medical research facility, the Virologist Institute.

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