Biography Picture Books

Ella Fitzgerad: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa, by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

This book was really cute.  The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous and a little more abstract than normal I think.  A variety of color was used throughout the illustrations which will keep students interested throughout the book.  One of the great qualities of the book was that it was more than just a list of facts about Fitzgerald, but was most definitely a story that children could be entertained by.  The author wrote about how Fitzgerald actually failed before she became successful.  A story like this one is sure to inspire students to continue trying even when the first few times aren't successful.  The book was told through the voice of a Scat Cat who also appears on every page.  There are also little "chapters" of the book referred to as tracks like on a record.  I thought these aspects might have had a little too much going on for the story in some regards.  With so much going on in the story, I think younger students may find it a little hard to follow.  Overall though, it's an entertaining, colorful book that tells a great story about an African-American female who overcame adversity to be very successful!

Abraham Lincoln, by Amy L. Cohn and Suzy Schmidt, pictures by David A. Johnson

While giving the facts, this book is also written to tell a story about the life of Abraham Lincoln.  The illustrations are nice, not too bright, but are great for the story.  Most of the facts in the book, I had heard before about Lincoln. One thing I did really love about the book was that it had direct quotes from Lincoln.  Almost every page contained one.  At first, I thought it was strange how much the author focused on Lincoln's tall stature, but on the last page, a picture of the Lincoln Memorial accompanies the words, "He looks like a giant, doesn't he? He was."  These few words say a lot about Lincoln's life and how he poured himself into efforts like uniting the country during the Civil War and fighting for the freedom of slaves.  This would be a great book to use for teaching Lincoln, presidents, or the Civil War!