Biography by Genre

There are a lot more genres of biographies than we have listed here, but they aren't included because we simply don't have titles to put in them. Again, these categories are in place to help you narrow the focus of your search, and to find the book you need with as little frustration as possible.

Autobiographies & Memoirs are books written by the person about whom they're about. Autobiographies are explicitly biographical, written in order to impart information about the author's life and context; memoirs, on the other hand, are often more creative, and are usually about something bigger than the details of the subject's life.

While we don't encourage getting all your history from fiction (or even most of it), a good Biographical Novel will combine the best elements of fiction and biography into a personal portrait that imparts both the essence of the subject's life, and the cultural context in which he or she lived. Plus, they're just more fun to read.

You won't find any of these for people who lived more than a couple hundred years ago, but Photobiographies can be especially useful for helping readers understand the person and era they're learning about. Often times these don't have as much outright information as a more traditional biography, but enough quality photographs are a good compensation.

For younger kids (though there are some great ones for older readers, too), Picture Book Biographies help us visualize who it is we're reading about....or simply keep us interested. The best ones do both, and the very best ones do both while still highlighting the artist's vision and interpretation of people and events.

Different genres will fill different needs; if you're working on a big project or unit study, it's a good idea to select titles from all of them. The goal of listing them here is to help narrow your search; as our collection expands, we'll likely be adding genres to the list, and shaping your search results in increasingly precise and illuminating ways.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

 

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65 Items found Print
Active Filters: Preschool (Ages 4-5)
Alvin Ailey
by Andrea Davis Pinkney; illustrated by Brian Pinkney
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Alvin Ailey
by Andrea Davis Pinkney; illustrated by Brian Pinkney
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$3.60 (1 in stock)
Amy Carmichael: Can brown eyes be made blue?
Little Lights #01
by Catherine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-1st grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Because Barbara
by Sarah Mackenzie, illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen
from Waxwing Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.14
Benjamin Franklin
by Edgar & Ingri d'Aulaire
from Doubleday & Company
Picture Book Biography for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$5.60 (1 in stock)
Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci
by Romola Anderson, R. C. Anderson
1st edition from Henry Holt and Company
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Boy Who Loved Bugs
by Molly Sanchez, illustrated by Larissa Sharina
from The Good and the Beautiful
for Preschool-2nd grade
in GATB Science & Health (Location: CUR-GABSc)
Boy Who Loved Math
by Deborah Heiligman, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
from Roaring Brook Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.80 (1 in stock)
Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider
by Barbara Herkert, illustrated by Lauren Castillo
from Henry Holt and Company
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.14
Brave Girl
by Michelle Markel, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Bright Path
by Don Brown
from Roaring Brook Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Camille Pissarro
by Alix Wood
from Windmill Books
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Charles Darwin's Around-the-World Adventure
by Jennifer Thermes
from Abrams Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.40 (1 in stock)
Christopher Columbus
by Elaine Murray Stone
500 Anv from Tyndale House
Biography for Preschool-3rd Grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$5.20 (1 in stock)
Corrie ten Boom: Are all of the watches safe?
Little Lights #03
by Catherine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-1st grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Country Artist
by David R. Collins
from First Avenue Editions
Biography for Preschool-3rd Grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Finding Narnia
by Caroline McAlister, Illustrated by Jessica Lanan
from Roaring Brook Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.69
George Washington Carver
by Carol Greene
from Children's Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
George Washington: America's Patriot
Heroes of History for Young Readers
by Renee Meloche
from Emerald Books
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Heroes for Young Readers (Location: BIO-HERO)
Go Forth and Tell
by Breanna J. McDaniel; illustrated by April Harrison
from Penguin Random House
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.14
Granny Smith Was Not an Apple
by Sarah Glenn Fortson, illustrated by Kris Aro McLeod
from Peter Pauper Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.44
Helen Roseveare: What's in the parcel?
Little Lights #05
by Catherine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-1st grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
Hudson Taylor: Could somebody pass the salt?
Little Lights #02
by Catherine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-1st grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$3.20 (2 in stock)
In the Belly of an Ox
by Rebecca Bond
from HMH Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Joe Louis
by David A. Adler, illustrated by Terry Widener
from Gulliver Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.80 (1 in stock)
John Knox: Who Will Save You?
Little Lights #14
by Catherine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-1st grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
John Ronald’s Dragons
by Caroline McAlister, Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler
from Roaring Brook Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$19.54
John, Paul, George & Ben
by Lane Smith
1st edition from Hyperion/Madison Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$7.20 (1 in stock)
Johnny Appleseed
by Eva Moore
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$2.80 (1 in stock)
Joni Eareckson Tada
by Kristyn Getty; illustrated by Hsulynn Pang
from Good Book Company
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$12.74
Little Naturalists: John James Audobon Painted Birds
by Kate Coombs
from Gibbs M. Smith
for Nursery-1st grade
in Board Books (Location: PIC-BOARD)
$8.49
Little Naturalists: The Adventures of John Muir
by Kate Coombs
from Gibbs M. Smith
for Nursery-1st grade
in Board Books (Location: PIC-BOARD)
Make Way
by Angela Burke Kunkel, illustrated by Claire Keane
from Random House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Man Who Walked Between The Towers
by Mordicai Gerstein
from Roaring Brook Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.20 (1 in stock)
Marjory Saves the Everglades
by Sandra Neil Wallace; illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon
from Beach Lane Books
for Preschool-4th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Martin Luther
by Paul L. Maier
1st edition from Concordia Publishing House
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.14
Martin Luther: What Should I Do?
Little Lights #08
by Catherine Mackenzie
from Christian Focus Publications
for Nursery-1st grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Mona Lisa: The Secret of the Smile
by Letizia Galli, translated by Nicholas B.A. Nicholson
from Doubleday Book For Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Moses
by Carole Boston Weatherford
1st edition from Hyperion/Madison Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
2007 Caldecott Honor Book
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.14
Mr. Emerson's Cook
by Judy Schachner
from Purple House Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$12.74
My Name is Georgia
from Harcourt, Brace & Company
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
One-Minute Stories of Great Americans
by Shari Lewis, illustrated by Robert Barrett
from Doubleday Childrens
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland
by Tomie dePaola
from Holiday House
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$7.64
Peter the Great
by Diane Stanley
from William Morrow & Company
Biography for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.60 (1 in stock)
Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln
by David A. Adler
from Holiday House
Picture Book Biography for Preschool-1st grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Picture Book of Dwight David Eisenhower
by David A. Adler
1st edition from Holiday House
Picture Book Biography for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.80 (1 in stock)
Picture Book of George Washington
by David A. Adler
1st edition from Holiday House
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Picture Book of Paul Revere
by Alexandra Wallner, David A. Adler, John Wallner
1st edition from Holiday House
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
Picture Book of Rosa Parks
by David A. Adler
1st edition from Scholastic Inc.
Picture Book Biography for Preschool-3rd grade
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
Picture Book of Rosa Parks
by David A. Adler; illustrated by Robert Casilla
1st edition from Holiday House
Picture Book Biography for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Pilot and the Little Prince
by Peter Sís
from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$21.24
Rare Treasure
by Don Brown
from Houghton Mifflin
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$12.80 (1 in stock)
Sacajawea: Wilderness Guide
by Kate Jassem
from Troll Publishing
Biography for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Sacajawea: Wilderness Guide
by Kate Jassem
from Troll Publishing
Biography for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing
by James Rumford, translated into Cherokee by Anna Sixkiller Huckaby
from Houghton Mifflin
for Preschool-2nd grade
2005 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.40 (1 in stock)
Skyrockets for the President
by Florence Laughlin, illustrated by George Roth
Stated First Printing from Rand McNally
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
$20.00 (1 in stock)
So Tall Within
by Gary D. Schmidt, Illustrated by Daniel Minter
from Roaring Brook Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.14
Sparky & Spike
by Barbara Lowell, illustrated by Dan Andreasen
from Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
Picture Biography for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.41 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Take the Lead, George Washington
by Judith St. George, illustrated by Daniel Powers
from Philomel Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.40 (1 in stock)
Thomas Jefferson
by James Cross Giblin
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Tom Edison Finds Out
by Sadybeth and Anson Lowitz
from Grosset & Dunlap
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
Tomfoolery
by Michelle Markel; illustrated by Barbara McClintock
from Chronicle Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.99
Two Very Little Sisters
by Carol Carrick, illustrated by Erika Weihs
from Clarion Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Wangari's Trees of Peace
by Jeanette Winter
1st edition from HMH Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-1st grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Wangari's Trees of Peace
by Jeanette Winter
1st edition from HMH Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-1st grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)