Fantastic New Children's Biographies

Posted by Tirzah D. and Cassandra M.

The Youth Library has a wonderful collection of biographies. These five biographies were recently added to the collection and caught our eye because of the interesting narrative and fantastic illustrations. All of these are sure to delight both children and adults. Clicking on the book titles will take you to our catalog where the book can easily be requested.   

Pocket Full of Colors: The magical world of Mary Blair, Disney artist extraordinaire by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville, illustrated by Brigette Barrager

Wow, this book is vibrant! If your heart happens to skip a beat at bold and beautiful colors, you may definitely want to take a peek at this neat children’s biography. Pocket Full of Colors is the story of Mary Blair, an illustrator known for her imaginative and enthusiastic use of color. Mary worked in several settings throughout her career but is most well-known for the work she intermittently completed for Walt Disney Studios during the 1940s through 1960s. I really enjoyed reading this book! It was interesting, educational, fun, and simply something different. Not only did the author use more “color” words than I’ve ever read in my life (I didn’t know ultramarine was a color!) but the illustrator used the power of pigment in a way that would surely make Mary Blair proud. What a fun read! - Cassandra M.

Big Machines: The Story of Virginia Lee Burton by Sherri Duskey Rinker

Virginia Lee Burton is a popular children’s author/illustrator and has written classics, including Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Katy and the Big Snow and The Little House. This biography is geared towards a younger audience and in a fun, simple way it shows children how Virginia Lee Burton came up with ideas for her stories and her beloved characters. This is a must-read for anyone who is a fan of her books. - Tirzah D.

 

 

 

 

Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of a Little Horse Who Became a Hero by Patricia McCormick

I never heard of Reckless before I discovered this book, but I knew I had to find out more about her! With lovely illustrations, this is the true story of a brave horse and how she served in the U.S. Marines. There is a historical note and photographs at the end. Highly recommend to young horse lovers and history buffs. - Tirzah D.

 

 

Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee! by Andrea J. Loney

This is a great biography that teaches hard work and dedication. James VanDerZee shows these qualities as young readers see how he became a well-beloved photographer, known for capturing the daily life of New York and legendary figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Readers will also enjoy an afterword that shows some of VanDerZee’s fine photographs.- Tirzah D.

 

 

 

 

 

Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters by Michael Mahin, illustrated by Evan Turk

It just makes sense that a book about a man like Muddy Waters – a “follow your dreams, don’t let the naysayers get you down” kind of person – would require a certain level of unconventionality from the author and illustrator to honor the way Muddy lived his life. With busy, jagged illustrations (bright colors smashing against one other on every page) and rich, heart-striking language (full of metaphor and meaning) I think it’s safe to say that the creators of this children’s biography definitely delivered.

This book takes us from a baby being born in segregated, socioeconomically depressed Mississippi to a man known around the world for his emotionally vibrant blues music. Muddy’s story is hopeful and happy with its fair share of loss and difficulty along the way and I think that kids and adults alike could gain something from hearing it. - Cassandra M.