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//The American Scene: Lives//. Danbury: Grolier Educational, 2001. This 12 volume set includes more than 1,200 men and women who have played key roles in the events of their time. They include people we admire and respect and people we don’t admire. Each page focuses on one person and includes a fact box on why that person is famous (or infamous). There is an illustration, and the text describes their life or event briefly. This resource is for upper elementary and secondary students. - Michelle

//The Lincoln Library of Sports Champions//, 7th Edition. Cleveland: Lincoln Library, 2004. This is a 14 volume set geared for upper elementary and secondary students. 312 athletes are included, representing 47 sports. The sports are both team sports and individual sports and include extreme sports. Athletes from around the world are included from 1880 to the present. There are many points of access in this resource – index by athlete, place of birth, women, era and, of course, by sport. - Michelle

//America////’s President: Portraits of the Presidents, Vol 2//. World Book, 2009. Volume 1 is entitled //The President’s World// and goes into great detail about just that, the world of the President. Volume 2 includes biographies on all the presidents, including Barrack Obama. But, there is so much more. There is a section called “Treasured Words from the Presidents.” There is a table that easily shows when the presidents served, who their vice-president was, who the runner up was, and what the president’s occupation or profession was. There are also appendixes which include how a president is selected, and the Presidential Oath of Office. Color photos are included. This is a resource for upper elementary and secondary. - Michelle

// **We Rode the Orphan Trains,** // **by Andrea Warren, Sandpiper/Houghton Mifflin, 2004** This book introduces the “orphan train” phenomenon of the mid-19th to early-20th centuries through the stories of nine children who were “orphan train” riders. This collective biography could be a good way to introduce students to child-welfare issues in the U.S. in an age before most modern social services were established. Contains a bibliography as well as a list of recommended reading. -KW

// **10 Kings & Queens Who Changed the World** // **, by Clive Gifford, illustrated by David Cousens, Kingfisher, 2009** I chose this book because the format intrigued me. It is heavily illustrated in the style of a graphic novel. As the title indicates, only 10 leaders are depicted, but the biographical profiles are interesting and attention-grabbing, and I think they would appeal to some reluctant readers at the upper elementary/middle school grades (even though the style doesn’t much appeal to me personally). The book also includes a short glossary of terms. -KW

// **Anne Frank: Beyond the Diary: A Photographic Remembrance,** // **by Ruud van der Rol and Rian Verhoeven for the Anne Frank House, Viking/Penguin, 1993** I think this would be a nice complement to school collections that include The Diary of Anne Frank. Published under the auspices of the Anne Frank House, the book contains many not-previously-published photographs from their collection and of the Frank family in the years before they were forced into hiding. The photographs, and quotes from the diary, are woven into the biographical narrative. I think students who’ve read the diary or excerpts from it may connect with it in a new way through this book. An introduction is written by Anna Quindlen. -KW

1. __**Silent Dancing: A partial remembrance of a Puerto Rican childhood**__. Judith Ortiz Cofer. Houston, TX: Arte Publico Press, 1990. An auto-biography told through short essays, observations, and poems. The focus of the book is on the author’s Puerto Rican/American childhood. I loved this because it was so different from any other biography I have read. Instead of reading straight through text, it is broken up by thoughts, poesms, and rememberances by the author, and the subject, of the book. It was beautifully written and shows an alternative way to write a biography.(Lynn)

2. __**Roald Dahl: an unauthorized biography**__. Haydn Middleton. Des Plaines, IL: Heinemann, 1999. A biography of Roald Dahl that is broken into chapter-like, chronological events. Many do not get Roald Dahl's sense of humor and I recently had someone tell me that they actually hated his work. I have to admit, as a child, some of his pieces were slightly disturbing, but as an adult, and with a better understanding of the author's background, Roald Dahl is one of my favorite authors.(Lynn)

3. __**Edgar Allan Poe**__. Suzanne LaVert. New York: Chelsea House, 1992. A story-like biography of Edgar Allan Poe. The focus is on his personality that shows through various writings, professional and private. It chronicles his life, childhood through adulthood and highlights his wit and quirks. I really liked what the author did here. She really was able to create a character out of historical information that was so interesting. The book was a page turner, and I enjoyed the fact that she highlighted Poe's unique personality, not just doting on the darker aspects of him and his work.(Lynn)

1. **Musicians and Composers of the 20th Century**; Editor: Alfred W. Cramer; Publisher: Salem Press Pasadena, California; Year: 2009 Form: Biographical Dictionary ( 5 Volumes)

2. **Explorers and Exploration**; Editor: Thomas McCarthy; Publisher: Marshall Cavendish; Year: 2005

3. **Great American Writers** – Twentieth Century; Editor: R. Baird Shuman; Publisher: Marshall Cavendish New York Year: 2002; Form: Biographical Dictionary (13 Volumes)

I listed my three choices together because, although they all contain terrific information and insight into their subjects, but they also provide enough ancillary information through graphics, timelines and wonderful indexes to expand a students research beyond the name of their subject. In fact they don't even need to have a name to research - they can have an idea e.g., I want to research Rhythm and Blues, Hawaii, the Guy who wrote The Golden Compass - anything that gets them beyond "do you have a book on..." The sets are set up creatively and lend themselves to simply perusing - I really like these sets.

__Explorers From Ancient Time to the Space Age__, published by Macmillan Library Reference USA in 1999, written by John L. Allen, E. Julius Desch, and Barry Gough was one of my favorite biographies. I liked this book because it had color illustrations and maps. It also was an easy read which is important when dealing with students.

__Biographical Encyclopedia of 20th Century World Leaders__, published by Marshall Cavendish in 2000 and edited by John Powell is another one of my favorites this week. I liked this one because not only did it provide information about the person, but it also explained the different types of government and then listed the leaders by the type of government they participated in.

__The Who’s Who of Nobel Prize Winners 1901 – 2000__, published by ORYX Press in 2002, written by Louise S. Sherby was the third one that I chose. I liked this one because along with the winners, it also told how winners are chosen and gave a brief history of the award.

One of the books in the series titled, My Favorite Writer. Each book in the series features an introduction to a famous writer and a flowchart of the publishing process, making them valuable additions to a school library. The book has clear illustrations and easy to read text, making it a good choice for elementary.
 * __Roald Dahl: My Favorite Writer__ by Rennay Craats, Weigl, 2002**

Some of the series, such as Roald Dahl, may also be a good choice for middle schoolers who read at a lower level. Recommend the whole series for purchase. --Pat


 * __Ted Williams__ by Shaun McCormack, Rosen Central, 2004**

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This book begins with Williams’ early life and involvement with sports, including photographs (black and white) of him and his family. It follows typical chronological fashion, and is full of information. Although reading level is for upper elementary, the text size is large and may be for elementary readers who want to learn about baseball. I especially liked the part that mentions how Williams does not get along well with members of the press, and their antagonistic headlines may have driven him to excel. This book is one of a series of Hall of Famers that I found to be excellent reading for elementary and early middle school, and I heartily recommend. Also check out the Football Hall of Famers series by Rosen Central. --Pat=====


 * __Yo-Yo Ma__ by Mary Olmstead, Raintree, 2006**

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This book contains the usual chronology of the young musician's life, and goes on to include his recent achievements. It also has table of contents and index for student research. The layout, presentation and black-and-white photos make this book look somewhat unappealing. At first I was excited to add a biography of a living musician to the collection, and an Asian-American as well, but I am a bit disappointed in this book. Although the series of Asian-American biographies is an important addition to our school library, this particular title is better suited to middle schoolers, who are more likely to know classical musical figures and will handle the reading level of the text better. --Pat=====

Makers of science. Allaby, Michael and Derek Gjertsen. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. Beautifully organized and illustrated. Very comprehensive and clearly written. Five volumes arranged chronologically from the 4th century onward, with up to sixteen pages devoted to a given scientist. Chapters include biographical sketches of other important figures from each period. A “Key Dates” table and a timeline frame each chapter. Color and black and white illustrations include paintings and drawings from the time, maps, and photographs of inventions now kept in museums.

Explorers and discoverers: from Alexander the Great to Sally Ride. Saari, Peggy and Daniel B. Baker. New York: UXL (and imprint of Gale Research), 1995. This resource caught my eye because of an annual 5th grade project on explorers that is never properly covered by our collection. Originally 4 volumes, with a 5th and 6th volumes published later, arranged alphabetically. Several pages of narrative describe each subject. Each volume includes 15 pages of maps, an index, a list of explorers by place of birth, and a chronology of exploration arranged by geographical area.

Meet the authors and illustrators: 60 creators of favorite children’s books talk about their work. Kovacs, Deborah and James Preller. New York: Scholastic, 1991. This is a great little source because of its chatty tone, including plenty of interview comments by the subjects, and the activities suggestions. Each entry includes a list of titles by the subject, a box inviting readers to “Do it yourself,” with a suggestion for an activity, a portrait of the author/artist, and reproductions of one or two of their book-covers. A page of extension activities, a table of the subjects’ birthdays, and a bibliography and resource list are included. --Rachel A.

Carlson Publishing, Brooklyn, NY, 1993
 * //Black Women in America: An Historicial Encyclopedia//** by Darlene Clark Hine

This was an amazing book to go skim through and one I'd want to spend more time with. It includes numerous biographies of American Black Women who were/are amazing!

I learned about two incredible women that I have never heard of (how sad!), Mary McLeod Bethune, who was the only member of FDR's Black Cabinent (which I never knew about) and was an amazing international figure too.

I also learned about Eunice Hunton Carter who was the first black woman district attorney in New York City in 1939! Amazing and inspiring and I would think high schoolers and middle schoolers would find this pretty cool too, especially in schools with a high black student popluation. Students very rarely, if ever, get assigned a paper to research an unknown person in history.

Vincent Wilson Jr. American History Research Associates, Brookville, MD 1992
 * //The Book of Distinguished American Women//**

This is a brief overview of 50 American Women which includes a one page narrative about their lives and a one page photograph or sketch. Of the 50 women, included, I knew only 25 of them which made me realize that we do not include enough about women in our history books and classes!

Jessie Carney Smith, Editor Gale, Detroit, 1999
 * //Notable Black American Men//**

This too was a great resource in that it covered a wide range of black men and included a brief biography and a section on further readings. I particularly liked the indexes which had three categories: occupation, geographic and subject.


 * ~Joanne T.**

__African American Biographies: Profiles of 558 Current Men and Women__ Walter L. Hawkins McFarland, Jefferson NC, 1992 Profiles of 558 of the nation’s most notable black Americans, living and deceased are included in this book. Those included were born or had spent their childhoods in the United States, and they served as role models to African American children. Anyone who died in 1968 or earlier is not included. The standards used to measure accomplishments include membership in professional and community organizations; notable athletic achievements; career successes; national, state, city or community leadership; being the first African American in a profession, field or position; or receiving a major honor. -Deb Morley

__People who make a difference__ Brent Ashabranner ; photographs by Paul Conklin Cobblehill Books/Dutton, New York, 1989 Describes the life and work of several men and women of various ages, circumstances, and occupations who give of themselves to help others. The individuals selected for this biography make a difference to the environment and to those in need through their own caring. -Deb Morley

__Prominent women of the 20th century__ Edited by Peggy Saari U.X.L., New York, 1995 This biography is a four-volume that is targeted at middle-school students. It presents 200 biographies of women who have made significant achievements in the twentieth century. Individuals selected include women who have struggled against bias or personal circumstances to achieve their goals. -Deb Morley

__Biography Today, General Series __ Cherie D. Abbey, Editor EBSCO Publishing, 2008 This series features profiles of current individuals of interest to young readers. It includes authors, actors, musical performers as well as business, political and science leaders. Issues are published three times a year. Each issue has approximately 10 chapters each describing an individual, or group. Each chapter also includes a listing of additional readings and online articles for students to do further research. I like this series because the inclusion of contemporary profiles may engage reluctant learners.

__Meet the Authors and Illustrators __ Debra Kovacs and James Preller Scholastic, 1999 There are many editions in this series. The one I chose included picture books and intermediate readers and is appropriate for K-6 reading levels. Each chapter of this biography collection highlights a particular author or illustrator and includes such information as: where they get their ideas from, what their childhood was like and what made them decide to become an author. There is also factual information such as book titles, dates of publishing as well as black and white illustration of book covers. The end of each chapter includes ideas for creative activities related to the author/illustrator and their work. A great material for author studies and also to inspire students to become creative writers and write stories of their own. I chose this selection as it can be useful not only to students studying authors but also to teachers for lesson planning. __1000 Years of Famous People __ Miranda Smith, editor Kingfisher Publishers 2002 This is a great big colorful book, similar in format to the Book of World Records. An interesting approach is that in includes “the good chapters by subject such as World Leaders, Explorers, Sports, Music. Within each chapter profiles are listed chronologically starting with before 1000 up to present day. This work does not contain detailed information on each figure but would be a good starting point to select a biography subject.

“Facts about the Presidents: From George Washington to George W. Bush 7th Edition,” by Joseph N. Kane, Janet Podell, and Steven Anzovin. (H.W. Wilson: 2001).

The focus of this book is on the presidents of the United States, from George Washington to George W. Bush. “Facts about Presidents” is a compilation that presents, in one volume, data concerning the President’s lives, backgrounds, and terms in office. Part one of the book is devoted to each President in chronological order in which he took office. The data in these chapters are arranged uniformly. A family history is provided, followed by data on elections, congressional sessions, cabinet and Supreme Court appointments, and the Vice President. In part two, comparative data is presented, with statistics and collective data on the Presidents. An alphabetical index is also included. -Tessa

“Women Rulers Throughout the Ages: An Illustrated Guide,” by Guida M. Jackson. (ABC-CLIO Inc: 1999).

This biographical compilation includes a royal compilation of queens, empresses, prime ministers, presidents, regents, constitutional monarchs, and other women rulers of the world’s empires, nations, and tribes. Their biography covers their victories and defeats, foibles and triumphs, and overall life history. A table of contents is provided, which is set up similar to an index. A geographical chronology of entries is also provided, which included the country, century, and sometimes empire of the subject. An example of a women ruler is Chinese empress Wu Hu, who not only killed thousands of her own rivals, but also murdered her own newborn. -Tessa

“Women in History A Biographical Encyclopedia Volumes 1-17,” edited by Anne Commire. (The Gale Group: 1999).

The purpose of this series is to shed light on significant women in history, some famous, and some who may have been forgotten. Within the volumes, the stories of approximately 10,000 historical women are uncovered, with a focus on international women. There is a helpful user’s guide provided that shows how to decode each entry. The entries include an entry heading, an identifier or brief summary of the person, a personal profile (pronunciations, date and place of birth, date, place, and manner of death, parent’s names and occupations, spouse’s name and dates of marriage, children’s names and birthdates, etc.), a timeline, vitae, the core biography, a quotation that exemplifies the subject, asterisks, cross references, and sidebars. Each topic is explained in depth. There is also a section with genealogical charts, which are grouped alphabetically by country, and heading for each country are located at the top of the chart. In the last volume, there is an alphabetical index. Some of the names included are Maya Angelou and Jane Austen. -Tessa

//Who's Who of Pulitzer Prize Winners// by Elizabeth A. Brennan and Elizabeth C. Clarage, foreword by Seymour Topping Oryx Press, Phoenix, Ariz., 1999 The book, meant to provide a history of the prize and its winners, is a compilation of brief profiles of Pulitzer Prize winners, arranged by prize category (beat reporting, commentary, drama, history, music, etc.). Each profile includes names, birth date, education, religion, spouse, career and more. The reference is equipped with a preface on how to use the book, as well as a bibliographical reference and indexes of winners, newspapers and organization winners, education institutions, and a chronology of prizes awarded. I really like the book because it is a quick and easy-to-digest history of the prize.

//Peacemakers: Winners of the Nobel Peace Prize// by Ann T. Keene Oxford University Press, New York, 1998 This book is a reference biography of winners of the Nobel Peace Prize up to 1998. The book provides readers with a historical reference of this important prize and the prize winners. Winners are included in chronological order. The reference includes an introduction to the Nobel Peace Prize, a peace glossary, a peace time line, list of organizations working for peace, bibliography of further reading and an appendix of winners with birth date and country. The book is very easy to use for students of all ages and information literacy levels.

//Nobel Prize Women in Science: Their Lives, Struggles, and Momentous Discoveries// by Sharon Bertsch McGrayne Carol Publishing Group, Secucus, N.J., 1993 “This book examines the lives and achievements of fifteen women scientists who either won a Nobel prize or played a crucial role in a Nobel Prize-wining project.” The book's objective is to answer the question, “Why so few women?” Entries are arranged into three categories noting when the woman lived: (1) First Generation Pioneers, (2) Second Generation and (3) The new generation. Each entry includes birth date, death date, career title, and a lengthy 20 plus page summary of the woman's achievements in science. The reference also includes acknowledgments, note from author to reader, introduction and a full index. I like that the book includes extensive summaries of many fantastic women in one place. Unlike other books on notable women, this book clearly defines why the women are included in the reference without room for debate. It allows female students to see that there are intelligent women making strides in science.

//1000 Years of Famous People.// Kingfisher, c2002 This vast collection of biographies of the world’s, and history’s, most famous characters is very entertaining. The included biographies are very brief, providing just the highlights of each subject’s life. Hundreds of colorful illustrations and photographs accompany the text, adding to its appeal. The biographies are arranged by category (world leaders, explorers, musicians, sports stars, etc.) and then chronologically within category. A useful index is included. Students love to browse this volume and often find ideas for biography projects within. AS

//Extraordinary Patriots of the United States of America: Colonial Times to Pre-Civil War.// Nancy Robinson Masters Children’s Press, 2005. Part of the Extraordinary People series, this volume describes the lives of 55 patriots from Colonial and Revolutionary America through the 1850s. The entries are interesting and thorough and include black and white illustrations that enhance the text. I especially like the table of contents of this book, which is arranged chronologically by subjects’ birthdate and which includes an image of each subject, their dates of birth and death and a descriptive title for each individual. Another great feature of this book is its extensive list of books and especially websites for further information. Overall I think this is a great resource for upper elementary and middle school students. AS

//Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels (and What the Neighbors Thought).// Kathleen Krull. Harcourt, Inc., 2000. Part of the thoroughly enjoyable Lives of…. series, this work features biographies of 20 powerful and interesting woman from all over the world. Each 2 – 3 page biography is enhanced by an amusing full-page caricature of the subject. The writing style is casual and entertaining and includes many humorous details that hold the readers attention. The book includes a Table of Contents, arranged chronologically as well as an introduction and suggestions for further reading, many of which are outdated. Overall, though, this, along with other titles in the series (Lives of the Writers, Lives of the Musicians, Lives of the Presidents) are outstanding and appealing biographical resources for the elementary set. AS

1) Pear, Nancy, and Daniel B. Baker. Explorers and Discoverers: From Alexander the Great to Sally Ride. New York: UXL, 1997. This five- volume reference resource set contains a description of the lives and times of more than 260 men and women explorers, from ancient Greek scholars and travelers to 20th century oceanographers and astronauts. In volume five, there are 30 biographies of 22 men and 7 women, 2 machines and 1 institution that have expanded the horizons of the world and universe. Who these individuals were, when, and how, they lived and traveled, why their journeys were significant and what the consequences of their discoveries were are all answered within these biographies. The biographies are listed alphabetically; and this volume includes illustrations, maps, a cumulative index and charts depicting explorers by place of birth and a chronology of exploration. I really like this resource because of the way it is organized. I also like the charts and maps depicting the explorer's travels because it is good for visual learners.

2) Calarco, Tom. People of the Underground Railroad: A Biographical Dictionary. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 2008. This resource offers a representative geographic sample of 100 key people involved in the Underground Railroad. Most entries are of major figures, but there are a few minor characters that played an important role and have been ignored by history textbooks. Each article ends with suggested readings. There is a fair representation of race and gender among those profiled; 61 white, and 39 black individuals. (In 1860 there were about 70 times as many whites as there were free blacks in the U.S.) The volume has a text book-like appearance, with occasional sidebars and a black-and-white photograph every few pages. Helpful cross-references demonstrate the connections among individuals involved with the Underground Railroad. Useful back matter includes entry lists arranged alphabetically, geographically, and by the role the individual played in the movement, and state and general indexes. This reference source has been really helpful to me with the students studying the Undergound Railroad. I have had teachers assign students research on characters I had never heard of before, and oddly, I have been able to find information on thse minor characters in this book. This book is clear, and written at the level any high school student could understand.

3) Reference Library of American Women. Ed. Jennifer Mossman. MI: Gale, 1999. This is a four-volume reference set culls biographies from Gale’s extensive biographical database. These entries include both historic figures as well as contemporary figures covering a wide range of occupations and endeavors. The entries are arranged alphabetically, each authoritative article begins with a brief descriptive paragraph that provides a capsule identification and statement of woman’s significance. If you read this and decide to read further, there is a lengthier article (about 800 words in length). Following the essay is a “Further Reading” section, and when applicable, a list of additional sources providing more recent biographical works. Bibliographic citations are included, and include websites, periodicals and books. This reference is designed with the high school student in mind. The brief "blurb" before the lengthier article immediately gives enough information for the student to either be interested, or not. The end resorces are designed to address the requirements of many of the teachers; those who would like the students to use articles, websites, and books. The further reading lists all of these resources if they are available on a particlular individual.

An excellent combination of biographical reference, primary sources, and bibliography, **Slaves Who Dared: The Stories of Ten African-American Heroes** presents the lives of some famous abolitionists like Frederick Douglass alongside those who may be less familiar to students, like Harriet Ann Jacobs and Henry Bibb. The biographies come to life with the use of primary sources, including photographs, paintings, and documents. This would be best for the upper elementary or middle school levels.
 * Slaves Who Dared: The Stories of Ten African-American Heroes by Mary Garrison. Pennsylvania: White Mane Books, 2002.**

This is a very useful biographical reference book which profiles over 250 prominent American women. It is very well organized by time periods spanning from 1500 to the 1990s. The table of contents also gives each time period a theme (//The First American Women, Growth and Conflict, The Rights of Women, Hard Times, Tough Choices, The American Dream//, and //Woman Power!//) which makes it more accessible for students. It is indexed alphabetically and topically. This book is part of a series of reference books by Scholastic which also includes a biographical reference book on the presidents. I would recommend this book as an excellent resource for elementary and middle school libraries.
 * Scholastic Encyclopedia of Women in the United States** **by Sheila Keenan. New York: Scholastic, 1996.**

This biographical picture book about the last princess of Hawai’i tells the story of her life and efforts to maintain Hawai’i’s independence. This book is interesting as a biography and also useful for American history as it tells the story of Hawai’i’s annexation by colonial forces and eventual statehood. **The Last Princess** could be used for biographical research or as a read aloud book at the upper elementary levels.
 * The Last Princess: The Story of Princess Ka'iulani of Hawai'i by Fay Stanley. Illustrated by Diane Stanley. New York: HarperCollins, 2001**.