Biographical K-5

Biography

 

                      

                     

A biography book is classified as a non-fiction book because it is written about the true events about a person or persons' lives.  These may include autobiographies, official authorized biographies, or unauthorized biographies.  Some are written in a story format that often draws students into the reading more than just a book filled with facts about a person's life. 

Drawing from Memory

Drawing from Memory

By: Allan Say

 


 

 Reviewer: Christopher Schiemann

 Grade Level: 5-8

 Reading Level: 5.1

Allan Say's autobiography, Drawing from Memory, details his struggles to become in artist in Japan.  He is the child of divorced parents, which is already a stigma culturally in Japan.  In addition, his desire to become an artist is strongly discouraged by his father and grandmother.  His father actually told him, "I expect you to be a respectable citizen, not an artist, and that means you'll have to earn a living!  Arists are lazy and scruffy people--they are not respectable."  Instead, his grandmother and parents help get him into a well-known private school so he can focus on his studies.  However, Say decided to seek out his favorite artist, Noro Shinpei, who then took him under his wing to assist with honing his skills.  I think one of the funniest parts of the book is when the young Say's Sensei tells him that he must work on his skills drawing people by drawing nude models, leaving Say's face flushed.

 

 

Michelle Obama: an American story

 

Michelle Obama: an American story

By: David Colbert

 


 

Grade Level: 3-6

Reading Level: 3.6

From the Publisher: Michelle Obama grew up on Chicago's South Side, and while the world outside her door was chaotic and ever-changing, her family provided a stable environment in which she could grow and flourish. This look at Michelle Obama's life and the turning points that shaped her shows how a girl from a working class background could rise to become one of the most influential women of her day. But this is more than a straight chronological retelling. This book looks at Michelle Obama's life story within the context of the larger movements in African American history: slavery, freedom, the Reconstruction era, the Civil Rights movement, and finally, her own era. History is what has shaped Michelle and challenged her. And ultimately, not only has she overcome any obstacles put before her, she has carved out her own place in history as well. Includes 16 pages of color photos.

The Teen Who Invited Television: Philo T. Farnsworth and his awesome invention

 

 

The Teen Who Invented Television: Phil T. Farnsworth and his awesome invention

By: Edwin Brit Wyckoff

 


 

Grade Level: 3-6

Reading Level: 4.5

 

From the Publisher: Edwin Brit Wyckoff shows how Farnsworth, a fifteen-year-old farmer's son, dreamed of using electrons carried by radio waves to create the first electronic television and went on to develop over 100 other patents.

Tyra Banks: from supermodel to role model

 

Tyra Banks: from supermodel to role model

By: Anne E. Hills

 


 

Grade Level: 3-6

Reading Level: 6.3

From the Publisher: Supermodel, author, businesswoman, and talk show host... what's next? Tyra Banks started knocking down barriers early in her career. She was the first black model to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and the first woman ever to appear on the cover of GQ. As a model, Tyra challenged weight discrimination by marketing her curves instead of hiding them. She works hard to promote positive self-images for young women of all races and body types, all while running her own successful corporation. Book jacket.