Picture Book Biography Archives

November 22, 2021November 21, 2021

#Nonfiction Monday Who Is A Scientist by Laura Gehl

Want to encourage young readers to consider careers in STEM? Check this picture book collection of 14 mini-biographies, Who Is a Scientist? by Laura Gehl.

The layout of the book was a lovely surprise. On the first page is a photograph of a woman in a bright red skirt doing what looks like a flamenco dance in the middle of a field. No lab coats in sight! Readers soon learn that the featured woman is Isha M. Renta López, a meteorologist who also loves to dance and play volleyball. The next page shows her with a weather balloon and explains a bit about her job using short sentences and vocabulary appropriate for ages 4-9. Throughout the rest of the book, we find similar spreads with candid photographs of the featured person doing their hobby on the left and a professional one of them doing their job on the right.

The book features a diverse group of people, so young readers learn scientists can be any race or gender. Although they all call themselves “scientists”, a full range of STEM is represented, including a mathematician, engineers, and those in the computer technology field.

It also shows scientists have fun hobbies. The book helps youngsters relate to people in STEM fields and encourages them to give STEM a try.

As the last page says,

Who is a scientist?
One day…maybe you!

In the back is a QR code that links to a video of the scientists introducing themselves (see video below).

Who Is a Scientist? is perfect for children interested in learning more about STEM and scientists. Investigate a copy today!

Want to Learn More?

Visit Laura Gehl’s website to download a teaching guide.

Learn about the scientists featured in the book by watching this video:

For more children’s books about female scientists, check our growing list at Science Books for Kids.

Older children (middle grade) might enjoy books from the Scientists in the Field Series.

Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 – 9 years
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Millbrook Press ™ (October 5, 2021)
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1728441080
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1728441085

Disclosure: The book was supplied for review purposes by Blue Slip Media. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.

October 18, 2021October 15, 2021

#Nonfiction Monday Secrets of the Sea

I love finding nonfiction picture book biographies about people I’ve never heard of before and Secrets of the Sea: The Story of Jeanne Power, Revolutionary Marine Scientist by Evan Griffith and illustrated by Joanie Stone is a perfect example.

The story reveals the life of a remarkable woman.

Jeanne Power was born in France, but moved to Sicily with her husband in 1818 when she was 23. Formerly a busy seamstress, she was likely not used to staying at home. To pass the time, she began to study the animals and plants of her new surroundings. The ocean intrigued her the most, but how could she observe what was going on in the water? Build one of the first glass-sided aquariums of course!

During her studies, Jeanne Power concentrated on the paper nautilus, which is a type of octopus. At the time, no one was sure whether the nautilus borrowed the delicate shells they carried from other creatures or whether they grew them. Jeanne Power figured out the answer. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but she was able to publish her findings.

Matching the compelling story, Joanie Stone’s beautiful digital illustrations, from the bubbling water of the end papers to last pages of the text, reflect the vibrant blue palette of the ocean Jeanne Power loved so much. Gorgeous!

The back matter is extensive, including notes about “Jeanne’s Life and Legacy,” “The Paper Nautilus,” information about “Marine Biology and Conservation,” a “Note on Historical Research,” and a “Bibliography.”

Secrets of the Sea would be a great choice for a science unit on oceans or for Women’s History Month. Explore a copy today!

Related Activity Suggestions

See more information about the paper nautilus in this video (preview for appropriateness before showing to children).

For budding marine scientists, Monterey Bay Aquarium has a wide selection of lessons for learning at home.

For more children’s books about female scientists, check our growing list at Science Books for Kids.

Reading age ‏ : ‎ 6 – 9 years
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Clarion Books (March 9, 2021)
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0358244323
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0358244325

Disclosure: The book was provided by our local library. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.

October 5, 2020October 5, 2020

#Nonfiction Monday Saving the Countryside: The Story of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit

Let’s take a look at a picture book biography, Saving the Countryside: The Story of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit* by Linda Elovitz Marshall and illustrated by Ilaria Urbinati.

Beatrix Potter is a beloved children’s book author and illustrator, best known for her book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit*, but she did much more. In addition to writing and illustrating 23 books, she also studied fungi, designed tea sets and toys, became an astute business woman, and later in life took up farming.

Linda Marshall’s biography covers highlights of Potter’s entire life in chronological order, but emphasizes the later years when Beatrix turned her efforts to preserving open land in England’s Lake District. All in all, Beatrix Potter donated over four thousand acres to the National Trust so that they could be preserved for future generations. That’s an amazing accomplishment.

The illustrations do a good job of paying tribute to Beatrix Potter’s artistic side without copying her style. They are at turns playful and serious, setting just the right tone.

At her website and in her “Author’s Note” in the back matter, Linda Marshall reveals she was stirred to write about Beatrix Potter after visiting the Lake District during a children’s author tour of England. Now Marshall’s rousing biography is likely to inspire and encourage her readers, as well.

Saving the Countryside is a wonderful choice for women’s history month, for budding artists and writers, and for those interested in conservation issues. Read a copy today and see how it stirs you.

Related activities:

1. Read The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter and some of her other books.

2. Make a blackberry and apple upside down cake and read a review with an extensive look at the interior of the book at Jama’s Alphabet Soup blog

3. Learn more about Beatrix Potter’s years studying fungi (with activity) at Growing With Science blog

Grade Level : Preschool – 3
Publisher : little bee books; Illustrated Edition (January 28, 2020)
ISBN-10 : 1499809603
ISBN-13 : 978-1499809602

Disclosure: The book was provided electronically for review purposes.

*I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.

June 5, 2020June 5, 2020

STEM Friday #Kidlit Numbers in Motion

Today’s picture book biography puts the M in STEM: Numbers in Motion: Sophie Kowalevski, Queen of Mathematics by Laurie Wallmark and illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg.

Laurie Wallmark specializes in biographies of women in STEM and for this book she has chosen a lesser-known subject for much-deserved recognition.

Sophie Kowalevski grew up observing the pages of calculus problems her father had used to paper her bedroom walls. The desire to understand the intriguing symbols propelled her to study advanced math. Later she became a prominent mathematician — the first to earn a doctorate at an European university — and professor in a time when women weren’t even allowed to enter many college campuses. Sophie broke down barriers for women who came after her.

Public domain image from Wikipedia.

Why Sophie?

In a recent interview, author Laurie Wallmark mentioned that she looks for two criteria when considering a subject for a picture book biography. First, she looks at how much material is available for research. In this case Laurie found a rich source of information because Sophie Kowalevski wrote extensively, including about her own life in her own words. Laurie found so many facts that there are four full pages of back matter, which spills over into the end papers.

Next Laurie looks for hooks that will make the subject’s life interesting to young readers. She realized that Sophie’s work using mathematics to describe the motion of spinning tops would be fun and understandable to non-mathematicians. She was right!

Illustrations

Sophie grew up in Russia. Yevgenia Nayberg was a perfect choice to illustrate her life because she studied art in Russia. She uses a light touch with Sophie’s life, then makes Sophie’s math vibrant. In one scene the tops look like they are going to spin right out of the book. Her approach makes sense because those were the things Sophie cared the most about.

Numbers in Motion will inspire budding mathematicians and historians alike. Readers will likely end up wanting to learn more about this remarkable woman. Investigate a copy today.

For a STEM activity to accompany the book, make or find tops and play with them.

This video shows how to make a simple top with a CD and a marker. Hacks: try to find markers with a rounded tip and the better you balance it, the better it will spin. If your marker is narrow, fill the gap by rolling tape around it as evenly as possible. No clay? Hot melt glue will also work to hold the marker in place, although it is a more permanent solution.