Amazing and Inspiring Biographies for Kids

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  L. Frank Baum was a jack-of-all-trades, writer and expert storyteller before writing The Wizard of Oz. The Road to Oz by Kathleen Krull shares Baum's story of moving from job to job, his family life and how he wrote the famed story that will live on forever. How he came up with "Oz" is also revealed. Baum relished in making up tall tales and stories for his sons and friends. He had a vivid imagination and used that to his advantage in his writing. Baum's life story is unique and an excellent companion to his beloved novel, and classic family movie which was created years after his death.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  Margaret Hamilton was an inquisitive child who self-learned computer software coding. Margaret and the Moon, by Dean Robbins, shares Margaret's story of working for NASA and creating coding to assist flights to the Moon. She helped each Apollo flight on its journey, and kept Apollo 11 from a task overload to land safely on the Moon. The story of Margaret Hamilton is a part of history with the USA's Moon landing.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  The Slinky was invented by accident. The Marvelous Thing That Came From A Spring by Gilbert Ford tells the story of husband and wife Richard and Betty James, and how their son discovered a spring could "walk down the stairs." It shares Richard and Betty's perseverance to manufacture and sell it until it became widely popular and remains so today.

This book will be enjoyed because most kids either own a Slinky or have played with the toy. It is interesting to learn how it came to be and demonstrates that something magical can be created from a simple piece of material.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  Night Flight by Robert Burleigh tells the epic story of Amelia Earhart and her first solo transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to Ireland. The rich illustrations and text will make you believe you are in that plane with her, experiencing the difficulties and challenges. Earhart's inspiring life helped many girls and women seek out adventure and careers.

This book helps children realize that some risks come with complications but with devotion and practice, obstacles can be overcome. Earhart spent her life doing what she loved and that in itself is motivating to listen to your heart.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  A must read for all Winnie-the-Pooh fans, this true story will delight children as Winnie was a real-life bear, a war mascot and well-loved by a little boy named Christopher Robin. Enjoy the captivating photo album at the end, too.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  An autobiography of Alan Rabinowitz, A Boy And A Jaguar will touch your heart with its story of a young boy who stutters and the only time he can find his voice is talking to his stuffed animals. When he grows up, he becomes an advocate to save jaguars and other wildlife, and to speak for those animals who don't have a voice.

This book will help children discover the differences in people and become more accepting of others through empathy and kindness. Rabinowitz is a spokesperson for the Stuttering Foundation of America.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  Judy Sierra gives a glimpse into the year-long process it took to write The Cat in the Hat. Seuss designed the book for early readers, stuck to an approved word list and created rhymes while wearing silly hats which helped him generate the ideas for this most celebrated book. Kids will appreciate Dr. Seuss books so much more after knowing the work that went into them.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  In a day and age when adults thought children should be quiet and not touch books, Ann Carroll Moore felt the opposite. In Miss Moore Thought Otherwise, by Jan Pinborough, we learn how Miss Moore became a librarian and spearheaded efforts in the New York Public Library system to create children's departments. She also created the first Children's Room in the New York Public Library with author visits, events, storytimes and more.

Through this story, any child who enjoys a trip to the library will develop a deeper appreciation for being able to play, talk and read at the library.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  Any fans of water squirt toys? Whoosh! by Chris Barton shares the story of Lonnie Johnson and his love of design and building things including robots and rockets. He went on to work for NASA and then took a leap of faith and became a full-time inventor. After struggles and rejections, he finally launched the Super Soaker which was a huge hit with a huge whoosh. Kids will take home the message to work through challenges, solve problems and have faith in yourself.

Tim Ponisciak said:  This book is beautifully illustrated and it is very inspirational as it tells the true story of Katherine Olivia Sessions. Sessions' quest to populate the barren city of San Diego with trees is pretty remarkable and your kids are sure to love the drawings!

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  Kathryn Gibbs Davis tells the story of how George Ferris created an attraction for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair that was grander than the Eiffel Tower. With extraordinary precision, hard work, dedication and his own money, George created a ride that has been popular and well-loved since its debut. Ferris' strength of character, commitment and perseverance gave the world something new and exciting and his legacy will live on forever.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  Bob and Joe Switzer invented shockingly florescent colors called "Day Glo" which were used in World War II, airports, consumer products, advertisements and more. Author Chris Barton shares the story about how these important colors came to life. Families will love this science-themed book because a pair of brothers worked together, by trial and error and through good times and bad, to invent something that changed the United States for the better.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  Abraham Dee Bartlett had a love of animals, as shown in the book, Fur, Fins and Feathers, by Cassandre Maxwell. Papa Bartlett was a pioneer in animal care as well as giving animals space to play in a lifelike habitat. He taught visitors and employees of The London Zoo to appreciate and respect the animals and helped pave the way for zoos today. Bartlett carried his love of animals through his life and helped countless animals live happy lives while educating people about them. Most children love the zoo and this book will teach them how the modern zoo began with the passion of one man.

Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  Seeds of Change, by Jen Cullerton Johnson, is the inspiring true story of Wangari Maathai. Born in Kenya, Wangari persevered through school studying science in the U.S. She fought for equal rights for the women of Kenya and to protect nature, planting millions of trees through The Green Belt Movement to help people and animals prosper. She became the first African woman to win the coveted Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. This book will inspire children to work hard in school, dream big and know they can succeed in life.

Tim Ponisciak said:  This series of biographies for kids by Brad Meltzer tells the stories of influential individuals through beautiful illustrations, and also by showing the featured individual as a child, which helps kids relate a little bit more and see how one day, they could change the world too! Kids learn about the lives of US Presidents, inspiring and diverse heroes, artists and entertainers.