Biographies are effective for disseminating information, making Common Core connections, and holding the attention of young readers–but only if the format is accessible, the perspective fresh, and the writing straightforward and engaging. A wide range of subjects is offered this season: history makers, celebrities, scientists, authors, inspiring women, and presidents, to name just a few. There are sets that contain weak writing and/or are hard to navigate, but there are several exceptional series that combine interesting topics with compelling narratives and features that will aid in student comprehension and report writing.

Preschool-Grade 4

ALLEN, Audrey. Jennifer Lawrence. ISBN 978-1-4339-8977-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-8980-3.

KENNON, Michou. Jordin Sparks. ISBN 978-1-4339-8981-0; ISBN 978-1-4339-8984-1.

MALLEY, Alex. Chris Hemsworth. ISBN 978-1-4339-8969-8; ISBN 978-1-4339-8972-8.

RUEDA, Marty. Emma Stone. ISBN 978-1-4339-8973-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-8976-6.

SALAZAR, Sam. One Direction. ISBN 978-1-4339-8985-8; ISBN 978-1-4339-8988-9.

SHEA, Abigail. Victoria Justice. ISBN 978-1-4339-8989-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-8992-6.

ea vol: 32p. (Rising Stars Series). chron. further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Gareth Stevens. 2013. lib. ed. $25.25; ebk. $25.25.

Gr 1-4–The books in this series present the lives of popular young celebrities in the fields of music and film. For each star, students learn of his or her work, awards, progression of career, and home life in a simple, straightforward manner. The surface-level information provided is easy to understand and is broken down into chapters. Each spread consists of a page with minimal text (around three sentences) and a full-page color photo. Although there is a glossary in the back of each book, vocabulary words are not differentiated in any way on the pages. The sparse text and large print would be beneficial to young or struggling readers, and the content will appeal to slightly older kids as well. Decent enough for well-used biography collections.

CAREW-MILLER, Anna. William Shakespeare: Great English Playwright & Poet. illus. by Alexander Mikhnushev. ISBN 978-1-4222-2859-3; ISBN 978-1-4222-8979-2.

COOK, Diane. Charles Darwin: British Naturalist. illus. by Vitali Konstantinov. ISBN 978-1-4222-2844-9; ISBN 978-1-4222-8964-8.

––––. Mohandas Gandhi: Spiritual Leader. illus. by Robert Ingpen. ISBN 978-1-4222-2852-4; ISBN 978-1-4222-8972-3.

RIDDLE, John. Marco Polo: 13th-Century Italian Trader. illus. by Robert Ingpen. ISBN 978-1-4222-2850-0; ISBN 978-1-4222-8970-9.

SULLIVAN, Anne Marie. Albert Einstein: Great Scientist. illus. by Giuliano Ferri. ISBN 978-1-4222-2840-1; ISBN 978-1-4222-8960-0.

––––. Mother Teresa: Religious Humanitarian. illus. by Robert Ingpen. ISBN 978-1-4222-2853-1; ISBN 978-1-4222-8973-0.

––––. Sir Isaac Newton: Famous English Scientist. illus. by Mauro Evangelista. ISBN 978-1-4222-2856-2; ISBN 978-1-4222-8976-1.

ea vol: 32p. (People of Importance Series). chron. Mason Crest. 02013. lib. ed. $19.95; ebk. $24.95.

Gr 3-6–Although information about people of importance is indeed provided, the books have insurmountable problems in terms of format and content. Throughout the series, the blocks of text are not easy to follow and the narrative, which is at times in first person and others third person, does not flow well and is often clunky. Potential religious bias is evident in Mother Teresa: “She also believed that all people, born and unborn, have a right to live and be cared for.” The uncaptioned illustrations are matched to the texts but can be distracting rather than complementary. No tables of content or indexes are provided in any of the books, pages are not numbered, and only Shakespeare has any kind of chronology.

COLICH, Abby. Grace Lin. ISBN 978-1-4765-3158-8; ISBN 978-1-4765-3445-9. LC 2013003118.

––––. Mo Willems. ISBN 978-1-4765-3157-1; ISBN 978-1-4765-3444-2. LC 2013003120.

HICKS, Kelli L. Dav Pilkey. ISBN 978-1-4765-0221-2; ISBN 978-1-4765-3436-7. LC 2013003117.

––––. Jeff Kinney. ISBN 978-1-4765-0222-9; ISBN 978-1-4765-3437-4. LC 2013003119.

KOLPIN, Molly. Barbara Park. ISBN 978-1-4765-0223-6; ISBN 978-1-4765-3438-1. LC 2013003116.

––––. Shel Silverstein. ISBN 978-1-4765-0224-3; ISBN 978-1-4765-3439-8. LC 2013003121.

ea vol: 24p. (First Facts: Your Favorite Authors Series). chron. further reading. glossary. illus. index. photos. reprods. websites. Capstone. 2013. lib. ed. $24.65; pap. $6.95.

Gr 2-5–This colorful, informative, and engaging series focuses on six beloved children’s authors. Each book echoes its subject’s best-known works, using the same font and color schemes as their bestsellers, so young readers can make an easy connection to what they are familiar with. After this clever hook, the content is strong and consistent, delving into the writers’ personal lives, childhoods, and how they came to be successful. Without being too dense or too sparse, the text has high readability, and the full-color photos are matched to aid in comprehension. Text boxes scattered throughout provide supplemental information without being distracting. Vocabulary is bolded and defined on the page, and there is a glossary in the back of each volume as well.

Grades 5 & Up

ALLEN, Kathy. Girls Race!: Amazing Tales of Women in Sports. ISBN 978-1-4765-0233-5. LC 2012051153.

SCHWARTZ, Heather E. Girls Rebel!: Amazing Tales of Women Who Broke the Mold. ISBN 978-1-4765-0232-8. LC 2013010927.

TOUGAS, Shelley. Girls Rock!: Amazing Tales of Women in Music. ISBN 978-1-4765-0234-2. LC 2012046448.

––––. Girls Rule!: Amazing Tales of Female Leaders. ISBN 978-1-4765-0235-9. LC 2013008191.

ea vol: 64p. (Savvy: Girls Rock! Series). chron. illus. further reading. index. photos. websites. Capstone. 2013. lib. ed. $33.99

Gr 4-8–These books are eye-catching, engaging, and chock-full of information. With snapshot profiles of numerous inspiring and accomplished women in the fields of sports, politics, music, etc., there’s a lot offered in terms of diversity of subjects. However, a lack of a table of contents plunges readers into a frenetic format: each section features a different woman, and there is no discernible order, though, the index helps a little with searching. Sporadically, a spread will focus on a subject (e.g., “Olympic Greats”) and only present a text box’s worth of information on individual women. The tone of the profiles themselves is also inconsistent. Some are delivered in third-person accounts, but others take a more gimmicky approach with Q & A-style interviews or first-person narratives. Not all of the profiles have time lines. The quick pace sacrifices content, but makes for interesting browsing. Numerous photographs of varying quality dominate the pages.

BANKSTON, John. Alexander the Great. ISBN 978-1-61228-431-6; ISBN 978-1-61228-493-4. LC 2013012553.

––––. Genghis Khan. ISBN 978-1-61228-432-3; ISBN 978-1-61228-494-1. LC 2013012554.

––––. Leif Erikson. ISBN 978-1-61228-430-9; ISBN 978-1-61228-492-7. LC 2013012556.

––––. Marco Polo. ISBN 978-1-61228-434-7; ISBN 978-1-61228-496-5. LC 2013012558.

DIPRIMIO, Pete. Nero. ISBN 978-1-61228-439-2; ISBN 978-1-61228-501-6. LC 2013012560.

O’NEAL, Claire. Archimedes. ISBN 978-1-61228-437-8; ISBN 978-1-61228-499-6. LC 2013012549.

ea vol: 48p. (Junior Biography from Ancient Civilizations Series). bibliog. chron. diag. further reading. glossary. index. map. notes. photos. reprods. websites. Mitchell Lane. 2013. lib. ed. $29.95; ebk. $29.95.

Gr 4-6–This series attempts to keep readers’ interest by making the narratives flow like stories, including imagined dialogue and descriptive passages. The problem with this sort of presentation is that it might be hard for students doing research to extract specific facts. Also, speculative statements such as, “He was probably more upset that people found out that he had her killed” in Nero create a sense of unreliability. That said, a lot of information is provided, and the texts are compelling introductions. Full-page text boxes supplement the main text along with captioned photos, reproductions, and maps. Though these volumes are not strong report resources, they are additional purchases for collections in which readers’ interest in ancient history is high.

BEDNAR, Chuck & H. X. Wrightswell . Born Biracial (1961-1979). vol:1. 100p. ISBN 978-1-62-541008-5; ISBN 978-1-62-541011-5; ISBN 978-1-62-541005-4.

––––. Finding His Calling (1979-2008). vol: 2. 128p. ISBN 978-1-62-541009-2; ISBN 978-1-62-541012-2; ISBN 978-1-62-541006-1.

––––. Being President (2008-2012). vol: 3. 190p. ISBN 978-1-62-541010-8; ISBN 978-1-62-541013-9; ISBN 978-1-62-541007-8.

ea vol: (The Story of Barack Series). bibliog. chron. glossary. index. notes. photos. reprods. websites. iX Educational eBook Publishing. 2013. lib. ed. $27.99; pap. $22.99; ebk. $7.99.

Gr 7 Up–These titles offer an in-depth look at the life and presidency of Barack Obama. However, the information is heavy on quotations at the expense of narrative flow, and there are often numerous quotation blocks per spread, which distract from the texts rather than add to them. Although the authors attempt to give context, prior knowledge is definitely helpful. Captioned color photos frequently take up half a page. With different authors, there is a distinct difference in writing quality among the volumes. In fact, the volume that covers the racial background of Obama’s parents and grandparents makes some uncomfortable presumptions about the reading audience, calling Africa “A Land Unlike Our Own.” The series provides a plethora of information, but in some problematic ways. The iPad edition will be released first, with the other editions to follow.

BJORKLUND, Ruth. Aung San Suu Kyi. 112p. ISBN 978-0-7614-4957-7; ISBN 978-1-60870-347-0. LC 2009030267.

DE CAPUA, Sarah. Sandra Day O’Connor. 96p. ISBN 978-0-7614-4961-4; ISBN 978-1-60870-716-4. LC 2011009225.

DELL, Pamela. Queen Noor. 128p. ISBN 978-0-7614-4958-4; ISBN 978-1-60870-348-7. LC 2010042006.

NADEN, Corinne J. Jeannette Rankin. 96p. ISBN 978-0-7614-4963-8; ISBN 978-1-60870-717-1. LC 2010047559.

RAATMA, Lucia. Barbara Jordan. 96p. ISBN 978-0-7614-4956-0; ISBN 978-1-60870-713-3. LC 2011003470.

SCHUPACK, Sara. Indira Gandhi. 96p. ISBN 978-0-7614-4955-3; ISBN 978-1-60870-712-6. LC 2011009224.

ea vol: (Leading Women Series). bibliog. chron. further reading. index. notes. photos. reprods. websites. Cavendish Square. 2013. lib. ed. $39.93; ebk. $39.93.

Gr 7 Up–This information-rich series profiles women of cultural importance in a clear and engaging manner. Shining a light on a diverse group of history makers who do not necessarily get a lot of mainstream attention, the books detail their subjects’ childhoods, education, accomplishments, honors, etc., while also giving historical context. The titles ultimately underscore the power that women can have in the world. The narratives, which are broken down into chapters and subheadings, flow well. Text boxes with pull quotations, sidebars, and captioned photos–some color, some black and white–supplement the books. While the text-dense series might not be ideal for reluctant readers, students who doing reports will benefit from having access to it.

CORBETT, Sue. Cornelia Funke. ISBN 978-1-60870-930-4; ISBN 978-1-60870-937-3. LC 2012007851.

––––. Gary Paulsen. ISBN 978-1-60870-934-2; ISBN 978-1-60870-941-0. LC 2012010420.

––––. Jeff Kinney. ISBN 978-1-60870-932-8; ISBN 978-1-60870-939-7. LC 2011034036.

––––. Jennifer L. Holm. ISBN 978-1-60870-931-1; ISBN 978-1-60870-938-0. LC 2011036031.

––––. Kate DiCamillo. ISBN 978-1-60870-933-5; ISBN 978-1-60870-940-3. LC 2011045434.

––––. Rick Riordan. ISBN 978-1-60870-935-9; ISBN 978-1-60870-942-7. LC 2012000516.

ea vol: 48p. (Spotlight on Children’s Authors Series). bibliog. chron. further reading. glossary. index. photos. reprods. websites. Cavendish Square. 2013. lib. ed. $29.93; ebk. $29.93.

Gr 4-6–Inspiring budding writers to follow their dreams, this series focuses on the lives of popular children’s authors while also giving readers a glimpse at the pitfalls and triumphs of the writing and publishing process. The narratives are smooth, though very text-heavy, and are injected with humor, interesting facts, and quotes from the authors. There are tips (e.g., Paulsen offers “Gary’s Tips on Surviving in the Woods”) as well as reading lists of the subjects’ favorite books. Text boxes, some full page, and captioned color images supplement the texts. “A note to report writers from Sue Corbett” at the end of each book explains the importance of citing sources and not passing off unoriginal work–a crucial point in the Internet age. Though the format leaves something to be desired, this set is an engaging, informative, and interesting resource.

DIEMER, Lauren with Megan Cuthbert. Abraham Lincoln. ISBN 978-1-62127-308-0; ISBN 978-1-62127-314-1; ISBN 978-1-48961-633-3. LC 2012041046.

––––. Benjamin Franklin. ISBN 978-1-62127-307-3; ISBN 978-1-62127-313-4; ISBN 978-1-48961-631-9. LC 2012041283.

––––. Henry Ford. ISBN 978-1-62127-306-6; ISBN 978-1-62127-312-7; ISBN 978-1-48961-630-2. LC 2012041284.

––––. Martin Luther King, Jr.. ISBN 978-1-62127-309-7; ISBN 978-1-62127-315-8; ISBN 978-1-48961-632-6. LC 2013000835.

––––. Albert Einstein. ISBN 978-1-62127-305-9; ISBN 978-1-62127-311-0; ISBN 978-1-48961-629-6. LC 2013000834.

––––. Neil Armstrong. ISBN 978-1-62127-304-2; ISBN 978-1-62127-310-3; ISBN 978-1-48961-628-9. LC 2013000833.

ea vol: 24p. (Icons: History Makers Series). chron. glossary. illus. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. Weigl. 2013. lib. ed. $27.13; pap. $12.95; ebk. $38.95.

Gr 3-6–In an accessible and interesting way, readers learn of the lives and successes of six pivotal men. Their influences, obstacles they overcame, paths to fame, and much more are covered. The format and the narratives both contribute to easy understanding. Supplemental text boxes are numerous, but not distracting, and captioned photos/illustrations complement the texts without overpowering them. Through the publisher’s website, readers can access video clips, quizzes, slideshows, etc. The “Write a Biography” section at the end of each volume should aide in school projects and encourage critical-thinking and research skills. A solid, useful series.

ETINGOFF, Kim. Women in Chemistry. ISBN 978-1-4222-2925-5; ISBN 978-1-4222-8894-8. LC 2013009817.

INDOVINO, Shaina. Women in Engineering. ISBN 978-1-4222-2926-2; ISBN 978-1-4222-8895-5. LC 2013009822.

––––. Women in Space. ISBN 978-1-4222-2931-6; ISBN 978-1-4222-8900-6. LC 2013009826.

––––. Women in the Environmental Sciences. ISBN 978-1-4222-2927-9; ISBN 978-1-4222-8896-2. LC 2013011150.

––––. Women Inventors. ISBN 978-1-4222-2932-3; ISBN 978-1-4222-8901-3. LC 2013011155.

ea vol: 64p. (Major Women in Science Series). further reading. glossary. illus. index. photos. reprods. websites. Mason Crest. 2013. lib. ed. $22.95; ebk. $28.95.

Gr 6 Up–A unique look at how women have influenced science, this series focuses on five different fields and the scientists (both current and throughout history) who’ve helped shape them. The books, broken down into clearly labeled chapters and subject headings, are text-heavy and dense with information, and the format is a bit off-putting. Large information boxes with white font on red backgrounds occasionally break up the texts, which are rather crowded on the pages. “Words to Know” (with the vocabulary words in red throughout the chapters) and “Find Out More” sections are at the end of each chapter. There is some weak writing in places (e.g. “More important, talk to a real scientist!”). Despite these shortcomings, these volumes, in which the final chapters focus on career opportunities for women in the sciences, will encourage girls to embrace STEM.

HIGGINS, Nadia. Bella Thorne: Shaking Up the Small Screen. ISBN 978-1-4677-1308-5; ISBN 978-1-4677-1549-2; ISBN 978-1-4677-1767-0.

––––. Carly Rae Jepsen: Call Her Amazing. ISBN 978-1-4677-1306-1; ISBN 978-1-4677-1547-8; ISBN 978-1-4677-1768-7.

SCHWARTZ, Heather E. Cody Simpson: Pop Star from Down Under. ISBN 978-1-4677-1305-4; ISBN 978-1-4677-1546-1; ISBN 978-1-4677-1769-4.

––––. The Wanted: British Boy Band Sensation. ISBN 978-1-4677-1307-8; ISBN 978-1-4677-1548-5; ISBN 978-1-4677-1771-7.

SHAFFER, Jody Jensen. Demi Lovato: Taking Another Chance. ISBN 978-1-4677-1310-8; ISBN 978-1-4677-1551-5; ISBN 978-1-4677-1770-0.

––––. Victoria Justice: Television’s It Girl. ISBN 978-1-4677-1309-2; ISBN 978-1-4677-1550-8; ISBN 978-1-4677-1772-4.

ea vol: 32p. (Pop Culture Bios: Superstars Series). further reading. index. notes. photos. websites. Lerner. 11-2013. lib. ed. $26.60; pap. $7.95; ebk. $19.95.

Gr 5-8–Along with high-appeal content, these celebrity biographies also offer high visual appeal with an engaging, colorful format and numerous photos. However, there is perhaps too much happening. Sidebars (which detail the stars’ favorite foods, movies, etc.) can distract from the texts, which are often choppy and too casual. Quotes from the actors/performers are scattered throughout, and full-color photos adorn almost every page (in addition to a final spread in each book devoted just to “pics”). The titles read more like teen magazines than biographies, but that might not be a problem if libraries have high demand for information about these particular stars.

KRUMENAUER, Heidi. Harry Styles of One Direction. ISBN 978-1-62469-008-2; ISBN 978-1-62469-019-8. LC 2013930986.

ORR, Tamra. Jennifer Lawrence. ISBN 978-1-62469-001-3; ISBN 978-1-62469-012-9. LC 2012955645.

ea vol: 48p. (A Beacon Biography Series). chron. discography. further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Purple Toad. 2013. lib. ed. $29.95; ebk. $29.95.

Gr 4-8–Biographical information is presented in a flowing narrative, broken up into five chapters that discuss the stars’ childhoods, schooling, career trajectories, major accomplishments, and futures. Captioned, full-color photos are provided, and although some are not the best quality, they will satisfy die-hard fans who enjoy visuals. The writing is clear enough, and there is a lot of information provided (supplemented by many quotes from the actors pulled from various sources). But unless your library has a high demand for these two specific celebrities, there are other books that can probably fill the gaps.

RUDOW, Barbara. Military. ISBN 978-1-61570-877-2; ISBN 978-1-61570-890-1.

RUDOW, Taylor. Sports. ISBN 978-1-61570-876-5; ISBN 978-1-61570-889-5.

RUE, Kirsten. Business. ISBN 978-1-61570-879-6; ISBN 978-1-61570-892-5.

––––. Entertainment. ISBN 978-1-61570-878-9; ISBN 978-1-61570-891-8.

ea vol: 40p. (Yes She Did! Series). photos. reprods. Scobre Educational. 2013. pap. $8.95; lib. ed. $27.93.

Gr 3-6–Each title first delivers a general introduction to its featured topic and briefly introduces individual women who have made achievements within that field. The result is a fast-paced, information-packed look at how certain women have become pioneers in traditionally male-dominated settings, inspiring girls to follow their dreams. Because so many people are introduced, their profiles are rather thinly sketched. There are many informative “Did You Know” text boxes and captioned color photographs, but indexes and glossaries are glaringly missing. There is a table of contents, but it does not list individual people, only general chapter headings, making it difficult to track the women presented. In short, this set provides a lot of information, but it’s difficult to sift through it. A good idea with a slightly weak execution.

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There should be something for everyone in the sets reviewed above, but there are, as always, more noteworthy series to keep an eye on. Two of the history-based series, Weigl’s “Icons: History Makers” and Mitchell Lane’s “Junior Biography from Ancient Civilizations,” profile important people in accessible ways–but it must be noted that neither set includes any women. Other series will help fill in the gaps. Cavendish Square’s “Leading Women” should be a contender for most collections, and Mason Crest’s “Major Women in Science” sheds light on a topic that is not usually covered in depth. Scobre’s “Yes She Did” and Capstone’s “Savvy: Girls Rock!” are slightly weaker, but would still be useful during Women’s History Month or for reluctant readers. In terms of pop-culture-oriented series, Gareth Stevens’s “Rising Stars” is good for younger music and movie fans, while Lerner’s “Pop Culture Bios: Superstars” will hold older students’ interest. Capstone’s “First Facts: Your Favorite Authors” is the more visually appealing of the two series focused on children’s writers. However, Cavendish Square’s “Spotlight on Children’s Authors” is a solid read for older kids who have an interest in the writing process. The series mentioned above all have nonfiction features that assist with student learning and help make Common Core connections.