Children’s Biographies have interesting Character
January 7, 2011
Erika Kosin

Children’s biographies are usually seen as a source of facts and dates on historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln for reports or informational tidbits on popular musicians and sports heroes that children are interested in. What sometimes gets overlooked are the biographies that tell interesting stories about people’s lives that took place throughout history. Many of these interesting stories about people can not only be found with biographies, but also with the picture books, especially if the story is simply told with many illustrations. Some of these books may not be about someone famous, but rather about a person who knew someone famous or just had an interesting life. While basic or in-depth, these stories may peak a child’s interest causing them to research a topic previously unknown to them. Some of the interesting stories about real people that can be found at the Rowan Public Library include:
Mary Smith by A. U’Ren – Ever wonder what people did before alarm clocks? How did they get to work or school on time? This story about Mary Smith tells of how the townspeople in one England village made sure they got up on time using a pea shooter.

The Magical Garden of Claude Monet, Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail, and Camille and the Sunflowers: A Story about Vincent Van Gogh by Laurence Anholt – This series of three books contain stories about young people and their encounters with famous artists. All inspired by real people, these are a great story books for a child’s first look at some famous artists.
The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton – Have you ever seen a traffic cone with that bright orange color? This fun biography tells the story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s who invented fluorescent colors and how these colors changed the way we live today.

Stone Girl, Bone Girl: The Story of Mary Anning by Laurence Anholt – Ever find a fossil hidden in the earth? Mary Anning discovered one of the most important fossils, the great ichthyosaur, when she was twelve years old in Lyme Regis in Dorset, England. Learn about her path to discovery starting with her surviving a lightning strike at fifteen months old.