Biography – Autobiography- Memoir

Gandhi, Great Soul

A biography of Mahatma Gandhi, whose mission in life was to help the 350 million people of India free themselves from British rule. “This well-written biography is notable for both its textual and pictorial content. . . . Little else is available for young people regarding this important leader that combines this book’s depth of scholarship, clarity, and the human element.” — School Library Journal, starred review

The Young Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Anderson was born in the slums of Odense, Denmark. His parents were hardworking, and Hans received little formal education, but his childhood was his opening to the world of folklore and fairy tales. Much of his work depicts characters who gain happiness in life after suffering and conflicts and many of his childhood experiences inspired his most famous tales, such as The Ugly Duckling and The Little Mermaid. In this intimate and gripping biography of one of the world’s greatest storytellers, Karen Hesse and acclaimed artist Erik Blegvad connect Hans’s own experiences

Witnesses To War

For millions of children, living in Europe during World War II was a terrifying experience. Here, eight of those children share their true stories — of living in the Warsaw Ghetto, of being sent to concentration camps, of being selected for “Germanization”. Each story is different, but each represents the stories of millions of innocent victims of the Holocaust. B&W photos.

Leaving China

James McMullan was born in Tsingtao, North China, in 1934, the grandson of missionaries who settled there. As a little boy, Jim took for granted a privileged life of household servants, rickshaw rides, and picnics on the shore—until World War II erupted and life changed drastically. Jim’s father, a British citizen fluent in several Chinese dialects, joined the Allied forces. For the next several years, Jim and his mother moved from one place to another—Shanghai, San Francisco, Vancouver, Darjeeling—first escaping Japanese occupation then trying to find security, with no clear destination except the unpredictable end of the war. For Jim, those ever-changing years took on the quality of a dream, sometimes a nightmare, a feeling that persists in the stunning full-page, full-color paintings that along with their accompanying text tell the story of Leaving China.

Stand Up, Mr Dickens

Portrays the life of the famed English novelist and describes how he entertained audiences by reading his stories aloud. Includes excerpts from “The Pickwick Papers,” “Oliver Twist,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Dombey and Son,” “David Copperfield,” and “Great Expectations.”

Gifts From The Enemy

Gifts from the Enemy is the powerful and moving story based on From a Name to a Number: A Holocaust Survivor’s Autobiography by Alter Wiener, in which Alter recalls his loss of family at the hands of the Nazis and his internment in five prison camps during World War II. This picture book tells one moving episode during Alter’s imprisonment, when an unexpected person demonstrates moral courage in repeated acts of kindness to young Alter during his imprisonment.

I Am George Washington

George Washington was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known. He was never afraid to be the first to try something, from exploring the woods around his childhood home to founding a brand new nation, the United States of America. With his faith in the American people and tremendous bravery, he helped win the Revolutionary War and became the country’s first president. Each picture book in this series is a biography of a significant historical figure, told in a simple, conversational, vivacious way, and always focusing on a character trait that makes the person a role model for kids. The heroes are depicted as children throughout, telling their life stories in first-person present tense, which keeps the books playful and accessible to young children. And each book ends with a line of encouragement, a direct quote, photos, a timeline, and a source list.