1. Nate
Trish

2. Word Bank
 Realism  Real
 Vulnerabilities  Narrates
 Autobiography  Weaknesses  Learn
 Political  Multi-cultural  Historical
 Explorers  Truth  Heroes
 Artists  Time period  Idealized
 Persevere  Common
 Newberry
 Authors  Partial
 Caldecott
 Complete
 Collective  Represent

3. What is a biography?
Narrates the life of a
real individual who has
made an impact on the
world.
By reading this genre of
book, children learn
that they, too, can make
a difference in the
world!

4. Importance
 Children can learn from the lives of
others
 Promotes social-emotional development
by realizing that choices people make
early in their lives can lead to greatness
 Connections can be made about people’s
lives and the historical time in which they
lived

5. History of
Biography

6. Early Biographies
 Oldest books for
children
 Only exposed children
to the lives of national
and cultural heroes
 Subjects were idealized
and larger than life
 Not altogether
believable

7. Unsavory Realities
Children should not
be exposed to:
 Discrimination
 Violence
 Abuse
Biographies were
bland and
unrealistic

8. Fictionalized Characters
 Narrated by a mouse  Narrated by a parrot

9. Early Recognition
 1934
 First Newberry Medal
 Invincible Louisa by
Cornelia Meigs

10. 1940
Daniel Boone by James
Daugherty
 Contemporary readers
may be appalled by the
portrayal of Native
Americans

11. 1st Caldecott
 1940
 Abraham Lincoln
by Ingri and Edgar
Parin D’Aulaire
 Established the
picture-book
biography for
younger children

12. 1970’s were a turning point…
 1973 a new standard was set…
 And Then What Happened,
Paul Revere? By Jean Fritz
 Authentic biography without
invented dialogue
 Used conversation and
humor
 Concentrated on 1-2 events
 Also included “Notes from
the Author” for additional
facts

13. Biographies give
children a wider
representation of
people !
 Men, women, and
children of many
ethnic and racial
backgrounds
 Varying occupations
and contributions to A biography of the Cherokee
society Indian who created a
method for his people to
write and read their own
language.

14. Contemporary
Authors
handle their
subjects with:
 New realism
 Present them as
human beings with
vulnerabilities and
 In their review, Publ Weekly said Stanley and Vennema
weaknesses "make a seemingly effortless leap into ancient times,
masterfully relating Cleopatra's life story through
words and pictures...This peerless author/artist team
makes the captivating, ultimately tragic Cleopatra
seem astoundingly real."

15. TRUTH!  1970’s gave birth to the modern
biographies
 Many cultures outside of one’s
own are recognized
 Authors delve beneath the
surface to give a truer account of
the time and people
 Common person and time period
is explored as opposed to only
great people and events

16. Well Known People
+ portrayed in the context of their time
+ concerns of the day
+ choices available to the subject
+ social movements of the day
= a truer account of the
person and/or the event

17. Women’s Suffrage
 Lizzie begins her
life as a girl who
believes that
women “didn’t
count for much”.
Then she grows
up and dedicates
her life to
women’s suffrage.

18. Categories
of
Biographies

19. Partial - about a short span of a
persons life
 Samuel Adams walked the  This biography concentrates on
streets of pre-Revolutionary Langston Hughes’ childhood.
Boston promoting
independence from England!

20. Complete - birth to death

21. Collective -
about several
people that have
something in
common

22. Autobiography/
Memoir - written
by the author
about themselves
- usually written
to inspire or

23. Explorers of Earth
and Space - risk
taking and
discovering the
unknown

24. Social and
Political
Activists -
including the
traditional
president
biographies

25. Artist and
Authors -
people who
have made
contributions to
the world

26. People who have
Persevered -
provide inspiration
and valuable
lessons about the
realities of the
world

27. How Biographies Work
 Must be about real  The author uses a
people. filter to tell the story.
 The author must
 Advanced readers
create the personality should be aware of
and events of a this filter and in
person's life. order to evaluate the
truth of the
biography.

28. Major Writers
 David Adler
 Russell Freedman
 Jean Fritz
 Diane Stanley

29. Criteria for Selection
 Can be about heroes, villains, and regular people.
Remember the needs of your patrons
 How is the characterization handled? Are there
stereotypes?
 Check to make sure that the information is
accurate and that careful research has been made
by the author.
 Most importantly is the book engaging for the
readers, and is the tone appropriate for your
patrons?

30. Awards
There are no Biography awards, they compete for non-fiction awards
as well as awards that can be given to any genre.
Awards are often indicate with a seal on the cover.

31. Question
How would you
characterize your personal
hero if you were to write a
children’s biography of
that person?

32. Categories of Biographies
Partial Political
Complete Explorers
Collective Artists
Autobiography Persevere