llustrated Biographies Draw in Young Readers
Before Daniel Reardon became the co-CEO and trustee of Otto Bremer Trust, he studied at the University of Minnesota and acquired a bachelor’s degree in economics. Away from work, Daniel Reardon reads biographies. For adults trying to share their love of biographies with young readers, there are a number of age-appropriate biographical children’s books that also feature illustrations to help draw young minds into the story. Here are three examples: Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words Yousafzai’s story is one of the most iconic ones found in this generation. An advocate for education, she was targeted by the Taliban for her outspoken support of females attending school. She went on to become the world’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate. Written and illustrated by Karen Leggett Abouraya and L.C. Wheatley, respectively, Warrior with Words won the California Reading Association's 2015 EUREKA! Honor Award. It is written for 4 to 7 year olds. Henry’s Freedom Box Written by Ellen Levine and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, the biography of Henry Brown tells the story of a boy who was born and raised in slavery. Rather than submit to the life he was born into, Brown literally gets into a crate and mails himself to the North, where freedom was much more achievable than in the American South. Henry’s Freedom Box is appropriate for 4 to 8 year olds. Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Editor Chris Van Wyk and illustrator Paddy Bouma give life to the biography of one of the most famous activists of our generation. The book draws on text from Mandela’s 1994 autobiography to engage young readers in the facts of the leader’s life. Child-friendly details include a large map, a visual timeline, and a glossary. The book is intended for 7 to 11 year olds.
