Biography – Autobiography- Memoir

Soaring Earth

In this follow-up to her award-winning memoir Enchanted Air, Margarita Engle details her teenage years in Los Angeles against the turbulent backdrop of the Vietnam War. In vulnerable verse, she addresses the notions of peace, civil rights, freedom of expression, and environmental protection that are once again under threat. Despite these circumstances, young Margarita was able to find solace and empowerment through her education.

This book has been included in WOW’s Language and Learning: Children’s and Young Adult Fiction Booklist. For our current list, visit our Booklist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.

The True Tale of a Giantess: The Story of Anna Swan

In this thoroughly researched picture book biography, Anne Renaud uses playful and rhythmic language and first-person storytelling to perfectly capture the essence of this unique woman’s uplifting life. The detailed, folk art-inspired illustrations beautifully convey the story’s time and place and sensitively portray Anna’s growth. A great lead-in for classroom discussions about differences and inclusion, this book also offers an excellent character education lesson on perseverance. An author’s note with photographs and more information about Anna’s life make this a terrific choice for lessons on personal development or for social studies lessons on this period in history.

Imagine

When Juan Felipe Herrera was very young, he picked flowers, helped his mama feed the chickens, slept under the starry sky, and learned to say goodbye to his amiguitos each time his migrant family moved on. When he grew up, Juan Felipe Herrera became a poet. His breathtaking poem “Imagine” and Lauren Castillo’s evocative illustrations will speak to every reader and dreamer searching for this place in life.

Peace and Me

Peace and Me is an exploration of what peace means. This collection of inspirational ideas about peace is based on the lives of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates of the 20th and 21st centuries, among them Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa and Malala Yousafzai.

Papa Francisco: Creador de puentes

Pope Francis’s life and ground-breaking leadership are brought to life for young readers in this lyrical and inspirational picture book biography. Spanish language edition.

Carlos Santana: Sound of the Heart, Song of the World

Carlos Santana grew up surrounded by music. His father, a beloved mariachi performer, teaches his son how to play the violin when he is only six years old. But when Carlos discovers American blues, he is captivated by the raw honesty of the music. Unable to think of anything else, he loses all interest in the violin. When Carlos finally receives his first guitar, his whole life begins to change.

Herstory: 50 Women and Girls Who Shook Up the World

Move aside history–it’s time for herstory. Celebrate fifty inspiring and powerful women who changed the world and left their mark in this lavishly illustrated biography compilation that’s perfect for fans of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and She Persisted. Throughout history, girls have often been discussed in terms of what they couldn’t or shouldn’t do. Not anymore. It’s time for herstory–a celebration of not only what girls can do, but the remarkable things women have already accomplished, even when others tried to stop them. In this uplifting and inspiring book, follow the stories of fifty powerhouse women from around the world and across time who each managed to change the world as they knew it forever. Telling the stories of their childhood, the challenges they faced, and the impact of their achievements, each lavishly illustrated spread is a celebration of girl power in its many forms. From astronauts to activists, musicians to mathematicians, these women are sure to motivate young readers of all backgrounds to focus not on the can’ts and shouldn’ts, but on what they can do: anything!

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies

Newbery-Honor winning author Joyce Sidman explores the extraordinary life and scientific discoveries of Maria Merian, who discovered the truth about metamorphosis and documented the science behind the mystery in this visual biography that features many original paintings by Maria herself.

Robert F. Sibert Medal Winner

Dreamers

An illustrated picturebook autobiography in which award-winning author Yuyi Morales tells her own immigration story.

Featured in WOW Review Volume XI, Issue 4.

This book is part of the November 2018 My Take/Your Take‘s theme of Global Perspectives on the Refugee and Immigrant Experience.

This book is part of the May 2019 My Take/Your Take‘s theme of 2019 Pura Belpré award winners and honor books.

Dreamers is on WOW’s Refugee’s Experience in Literature Booklist under “Home as Two Places in the Heart.”

Learn how Dreamers was used as part of a Mobility in Journey text set in WOW Stories, Volume VIII, Issue 2.

Dreams was featured in WOW Currents Rompiendo nuestra burbuja: An International Perspective on Culturally Specific Literature from the United States.