LAE 4424: Biographies/Autobiographies

Icons History Makers: Anne Frank

By Pamela McDowell

Icons History Makers: Anne Frank is a very well written book about the life of Anne Frank and her experiences of the Holocaust and World War II. For young readers of history this is an excellent book in that it includes very detailed pictures of geography of events, pictures of where she was hiding and the concentration camp her and her family were taken to, some quotes of hers, and the subjects and content she wrote about in her journal.

This book would definitely be appropriate for and should be included in a unit on World War II. It also meets many of the pillars of literacy, especially about incorporating social studies and reading together. Learning about Anne Frank would be highly encouraged by many due to the fact that Anne Frank was a child and it would be very eye-opening to many students to experience what she did as a child during the war. Some of the language within the book is a little more advanced but with teacher guidance, or a read-aloud, this would be a great book to include in any library.

This book also does a terrific job about incorporating technology with it as technology has become important in almost all aspects of our lives. The book includes links to a website that includes video/audio addons to make the book come more to life, activities, key words to study, quizzes, timeline of events, and slideshows of extra pictures to enhance learner interest.

I would rate this book as a 9/10 because of the interesting person of study and its use of technology to engage readers on a higher level of learning.

Thomas Jefferson

By Xina M. Uhl

Thomas Jefferson by Xina M. Uhl is a biography about the life of a very influential American figure: Thomas Jefferson. This book discusses major milestones in Thomas Jefferson’s life and also discusses his contributions to the United States of America.

This book would be great for a read aloud for upper elementary readers to introduce them to a very important figure in American history. In this way, reading is also being integrated with other content areas (social studies/history). Students could then do an independent read and look for the various text features throughout the book. These text features include vivid photographs, a glossary, a timeline, and many other features.

The language throughout the book is digestible though some words may be difficult for students. The glossary can help students decode words they may not have seen before. The photographs in the book also help students make connections between what they read and what they see. The images in the book are very realistic and vivid.

Overall, I would rate this book as an eight. This book is good as a way to introduce students to a historical figure, but students may not have significant interest in reading this book for leisure.

I Am Amelia Earhart

By Brad Meltzer

I Am Amelia Earhart by Brad Meltzer is a kid-friendly biography that follows Amelia Earhart from her childhood to her legendary career as a pilot. Amelia was the first woman to fly a plane across the Atlantic Ocean.

The language in this book is very digestible for young readers and allows them to learn about a historical figure in a fun and exciting way. This book focuses on Amelia’s heroic qualities in order to potentially inspire the children who read this book. Amelia never gave up and did what no other person had done before. Students may read this and feel as if they can change the world as well.

The illustrations in this book are very engaging and follow closely with the story. The illustrations make the story even more fun for students to read. This book would be great for completing a picture walk with students who may be unfamiliar with Amelia Earhart in order to introduce them to her historical legacy.

Overall, I would rate this book a ten. The book makes learning about a historical figure fun and engaging for students. They most likely will not even realize that they are learning history!

Who Is Stevie Wonder?

By Jim Gigliotti

Who Is Stevie Wonder? by Jim Gigliotti is a children's autobiography about the famous musician Stevie Wonder. The book tells the story of Stevie including his childhood, where he grew up, the struggles of being blind as a kid, and how he overcame those barriers and became an amazing musician.

This book is about 100 pages which is on the longer side for children. However, it is easy to read and follow along with due to the fact that it tells a story and is not an overload of information. The book focuses on Stevie as a kid as well which makes it relatable for children. Since it’s an autobiography in story form kids will be likely be more engaged and interested in the text.

There are illustrations on almost every page of the book which is also great for keeping children engaged and gives them an image to picture in their head as they are reading the book. Although the illustrations are in black and white they are detailed and symbolize Stevie’s life and the events that happened throughout his childhood up to him becoming famous.

Overall I rate this book a 10. It’s really interesting and a fun read for children! I also had two visually impaired students in my classroom last year who really liked music and I know they would enjoy this story a lot.

Lab Girl

by Hope Jahren

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren is a autobiography about Hope Jahren, an award winning scientist who has been pursuing independent research in paleobiology. This is a great memoir that is read like a novel. It is an entertaining, informative, and inspiring read that travels through the life of scientific discovery and personal passion.

This book is about 300 pages long which is very long for children. This book is easy to read for higher grades but there’s a wealth of information in this book that can be overwhelming. On the plus side, the book is read like a novel so it can be relatable for children, especially for the ones who love science.

There aren’t many illustrations which is a downside. This book would be a challenge to keep students engaged and interested in the book. The stories would be a challenge to follow, although it is possible. Overall, I rate this book a 5. Although it is interesting, the book should have more illustrations.

References

Gigliotti, J. (2016). Who is Stevie Wonder? Penguin Putnam.

Jahren, H. (2017). Lab girl. New York: Vintage Books.

McDowell, P. (2015). Icons history makers: Anne Frank. New York, NY: AV2 by Weigl.

Meltzer, B., & Eliopoulos, C. (2015). I am Amelia Earhart. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Uhl, X. M. (2017). Thomas Jefferson. Mankato, MN: The Child's World.