The current focus on promoting nonfiction reading at all ages has brought to attention the value of narrative nonfiction in the form of new picture book biographies. But which of the thousands of these types of titles will have maximum teaching impact and be interesting to students? This book identifies the "best of the best" in new picture book biographies that are rich in language and illustrations and best support national content standards in science, social studies, and the arts.
Written by authors with a combined experience of more than 50 years in teaching as well as extensive knowledge of children's literature and the review of such books, the book provides—in a single resource—the best in recently published picture book biographies that rely on primary and secondary sources, the best in storytelling styles, and the most engaging illustrations. The ready-to-use units and lessons within can be used as is or modified as needed. The selected biographies enable connections between the stories of individuals' lives in history and required areas of study.
The current focus on promoting nonfiction reading at all ages has brought to attention the value of narrative nonfiction in the form of new picture book biographies. But which of the thousands of these types of titles will have maximum teaching impact and be interesting to students? This book identifies the "best of the best" in new picture book biographies that are rich in language and illustrations and best support national content standards in science, social studies, and the arts.
Written by authors with a combined experience of more than 50 years in teaching as well as extensive knowledge of children's literature and the review of such books, the book provides—in a single resource—the best in recently published picture book biographies that rely on primary and secondary sources, the best in storytelling styles, and the most engaging illustrations. The ready-to-use units and lessons within can be used as is or modified as needed. The selected biographies enable connections between the stories of individuals' lives in history and required areas of study.
• Provides more than 100 picture book biographies (primarily from 2010 to the present) that offer the newest in engaging literature
• Supplies lessons and units of instruction—including technology and web tools—that can be used to teach collaboratively with content area teachers
• Links directly to national content area standards to ensure rigorous teaching
• Provides clear evidence of the value of using higher-level picture books with middle grade students
• Lends the unique perspective of authors who hold graduate degrees in children's literature, have been book reviewers for many years, have presented at state and national conferences on children's literature, and possess extensive experience with review committees of children's resources at the state and national levels to the subject of determining the quality of books for children