As soon as I read Melissa Quimby’s post on December 19th, I knew how I would organize my 10 for 10 Nonfiction Picture Book Collection. Each Monday in Melissa’s class, she reads a picture book biography aloud for #MeetSomeoneNewMonday. Here are ten picture books of inspirational people I want students to meet:
Hector: A Boy, A Protestor, and the Photograph that Changed Apartheid, by Adrienne Wright
I love how Jonah Winter organized the text to imitate a lawyer’s work. In different parts of the book, he shares a fact and then, on the next page, elaborates to explain the event to readers.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin, Julia Finley Mosca, and David Rieley
The rhyming structure in this text is engaging without taking away from the deeper meaning. Through this text, students learn a bit more about autism and celebrate the brilliance inside every person.
Thurgood, by Jonah Winter and Bryan Collier
I love how Jonah Winter organized the text to imitate a lawyer’s work. In different parts of the book, he shares a fact and then, on the next page, elaborates to explain the event to readers. This is a text structure middle-grade students may want to explore as writers.
The Crayon Man: The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons, Natascha Biebow. and Steven Salerno
I love how this book helps students understand that behind every item in their lives, there is an inventor. This is a book to add to your text set about perseverance and collaboration.
Soldiers for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War, Duncan Tonatiuh
I am a big Duncan Tonatiuh fan, and when I saw this new book, I had to order it right away. In this text, readers meet José de la Luz Sáenz – a teacher, a soldier, and a person who stood up for the rights of Mexican Americans. He is a founder of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).
A Life Made by Hand: The Story of Ruth Asawa, Andrea D’Aquino
I didn’t know about Ruth Asawa’s art until I read this book. Ruth Awasa was a Japanese American who made art out of the materials all around her. Now her wire sculptures are world-renowned.
Robert Bateman: The Boy Who Painted Nature, Margriet Ruurs
I love this layout of this book – This picture book integrates photographs of the artist, his sketches, and his paintings on each two-page spread.
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré, Anika Aldamuy Denise and Paola Escobar
As soon as I read Maureen Markelz’s post on this blog, I knew I had to share this book with readers. Pura Belpré is the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City and she becomes famous for her storytelling and puppetry of Puerto Rican folktales.
Our House in on Fire: Greta Thunberg’s Call to Save the Planet, Jeanette Winter
I’ve used this book alongside Greta’s video to launch opinion writing, and students loved it. Her story and her activism resonate with readers and empowers them to think of ways they can change the world. Thanks, Heather Mackay, for introducing this book to me!
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read, Rita Lorraine Hubbard and Oge Mora
All you have to know is that Mary Walker learned to read at age 116, and you can understand the power of this book. As Mary states in the book, “You’re never too old to learn.” A book for readers of all ages. Thanks, Melissa Quimby, for introducing this book to me!
Thanks, Mandy Robek, Julie Balen, and Cathy Mere for hosting this event once again. I look forward to filling my library hold list with lots of nonfiction texts and learning new ways to organize books to excite and inspire readers.
Happy Reading Everyone!
