Tag Archives: Biography

YA – Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok

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James, Oliver. with Henry, M. P. Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok. Union Square & Co., 2026. 9781454959403. 242p. $28.00. Grades 9-12

Oliver James slipped through every crack in the education system. Growing up in a rough neighborhood of Bethlehem, PA with a loving, but struggling single mother and a plethora of unidentified learning disabilities and neurodivergence, Oliver never learned to read. This memoir explains how his illiteracy shaped so much about his life until one day in his 30s he announced to his TikTok following: “What’s up? I can’t read.” From there, his popular fitness-themed account grows as it also tracks his learning journey. With each chapter, James shares a part of his life and a book that helped him understand himself better. He relates the story of how he ended up in jail for a year and connects his experience to the popular middle grade novel, Holes. After reading and recommending Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, he explains how his illiteracy made him selfish and overly-dependent on others in his personal relationships. James dreamed of becoming a motivational speaker, and this book fulfills that dream. It is packed with inspiration, and it is a fantastic introduction to his talents.

THOUGHTS: Everyone should read this book. James writes so passionately about how his world opened up when he began to learn to read; it is an inspiration to those who struggle with reading and a reminder to voracious readers not to take this valuable skill for granted. Excerpts from this book and clips from James’ social media accounts could be used to encourage striving readers to keep going, keep learning, and keep reading.

Biography
Memoir

Elem. – The High-Flying Deep-Diving Adventures of Kathy Sullivan Astronaut and Oceanographer

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Stanley, Diane. The High-Flying Deep-Diving Adventures of Kathy Sullivan Astronaut and Oceanographer. Illustrated by Jessie Hartland. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. 978-1-665-92640-9. $19.99. 34 p. Grades 1-3.

Kathy Sullivan was intrigued by maps and National Geographic magazines. She loved looking at all the different places in the magazines, but longed to see space and study the ocean. This picture book takes readers through some of the time spent Kathy spent with both NASA and NOAA (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration).

THOUGHTS: The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful, and I enjoyed reading it. This would be a great read for Women’s History Month and for those studying space!

Biography
Picture Book Biography

Elem. – Rock Star: How Ursula Marvin Mapped Moon Rocks and Meteorites

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Wallace, Sandra Neil. Rock Star: How Ursula Marvin Mapped Moon Rocks and Meteorites. Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. 978-1-5-344-9333-9. 39 p. $19.99. Grades 1-3.

With an Antarctic ridge, an asteroid, and a crater on the moon named after her, Ursual Marvin was the first geologist to study lunar rocks and meteorites. Born in Vermont in 1921, Ursula faced significant gender barriers in the field of science but became a groundbreaking geologist anyway. This woman’s biography describes pioneering research and expeditions to the South Pole. Extensive backmatter includes photos, excerpts from Ursula’s journals, Antarctica facts, a timeline, and list of sources that will support further study. Includes sweeping colorful illustrations of volcanoes, tents, snowmobiles, helicopters, and more.

THOUGHTS: Students will find this biography thrilling and educational. Carpenter’s illustrations contribute personal details to the exciting adventures by showing Ursula’s too-large snowboots and her snowmobile named Blue Ice. A great choice for schools celebrating Women’s History Month!

551 Geology, hydrology, meteorology

YA – Hick: The Trailblazing Journalist Who Captured Eleanor Roosevelt’s Heart

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Miller, Sarah. Hick: The Trailblazing Journalist Who Captured Eleanor Roosevelt’s Heart. Random House Studio, 2025. 978-0-593-64909-1. 384 p. $20.99. Grades 8-12.

Lorena “Hick” Hickock was a fascinating person in her own right, long before she became one of Eleanor Roosevelt’s most important relationships, as this biography illustrates. From her early years when she pulled herself out of multiple traumatic and toxic situations, to her formative time as a journalist breaking gender expectations, her story is compelling and inspirational. And then of course, her love story is absolutely enthralling. 

THOUGHTS: Accessibly written, and meticulously researched, this is nonfiction that is hard to put down. It won’t always be an easy sell to students looking for pleasure reading, but it should absolutely be on Reading Olympics lists, or offered as a summer reading option. It’s one of those books that once you’ve read it, you want to tell everyone about it. 

Biography
070.92 History and Biography of Journalism and Newspapers

Elem. – Messi’s Magic: How Lionel Messi Became the G.O.A.T

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Perry, Caroline L. Messi’s Magic: How Lionel Messi Became the G.O.A.T. Illustrated by Luciano Lozano. Scholastic Press, 2025. 978-1-546-14753-4. $18.99. Unpaged. Grades K-3.

Spotlighting Lionel “Leo” Messi’s early years, this picture book biography details the challenges Messi overcame as a young boy on his way to becoming the most decorated soccer player of all time. Born in Argentina in 1987, Messi – encouraged by his grandmother, Celia – began playing soccer at a young age. Although he was a fantastic soccer player, he faced many obstacles throughout his journey to stardom. These included the loss of his beloved grandmother, the discovery of a growth disorder for which his family could not afford treatment, and the loneliness and homesickness he experienced when he attended La Masia soccer academy. Despite everything, Messi continued to practice and push himself in order to become the sensation that he is today. A true inspiration and a wonderful role model, moving illustrations depict Messi in his signature stance, raising two fingers to the sky to dedicate his achievements to Grandma Celia. Back matter includes a timeline and additional facts and information about Messi’s achievements.

THOUGHTS: Young athletes will be enthralled by Messi’s story. While there are many biographies out there about Messi, this one is unique in that it focuses on his childhood and the obstacles he had to overcome to achieve glory. The subtle message of perseverance in the face of adversity is one that will resonate with all readers, young and old alike.

796.334 Soccer

YA – Lucas Wars: The True Story of George Lucas and the Creation of Star Wars

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Hopman, Laurant, and Renaud Roche. Lucas Wars: The True Story of George Lucas and the Creation of Star Wars. Translated by Jeremy Melloul. 23rd Street, 2025. 978-1-250-36740-2. 201 p. $29.99. Grades 8-12. 

In this graphic novel retelling of how George Lucas made Star Wars, readers are taken on the thrill ride that was the production journey of getting that film from Lucas’s head to the big screen. While now it seems obvious that the movie was destined to be a phenomenon, this book teaches us that at many points in its making, it was almost shelved forever. 

THOUGHTS: This book is a love letter to dreamers who don’t fit in. It’s a reminder that the people we now revere as geniuses were often once the same people who were told they would never amount to anything. And it will be a joy for Star Wars fans to see some of the backstory, in a highly readable graphic format. This will find so many enthusiastic readers, from current students to the members of your faculty who remember seeing Star Wars in the theater in 1977. 

Graphic Novel

Elem. – Birdlore: The Iridescent Life of Florence Merriam Bailey

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Keating, Jess. Birdlore: The Iridescent Life of Florence Merriam Bailey. Illustrated by Devon Holzwarth. Alfred A Knopf Books, 2025. 978-0-593-48858-4. $19.99. 34 p. Grades PK-3. 

Florence Merriam Bailey loved nature and birds from a very young age. She would go on nature walks to observe the birds in their natural habitat and take notes. But it bothered her that scientists were studying birds by making observations in a lab by examining their bodies, feathers, and eggs instead of observing the birds outdoors. When Florence learned of people killing birds in order to use them as accessories on their hats, she knew she had to do something. It was that experience that led Florence to begin to share more about birds with friends and ultimately led to her creating one of the very first Field Guides. 

THOUGHTS: I think that many students who are animal lovers will find this book interesting. It would be great for any students doing research on female scientists or change makers as Florence was able to make her mark in history. 

Biography
Picture Book Biography

Elem. – One Day in June: A Story Inspired by the Life and Activism of Marsha Johnson

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Tourmaline. One Day in June: A Story Inspired by the Life and Activism of Marsha Johnson. Illustrated by Charlot Kristensen.  G.P. Putnam, 2025. 978-0-593-52537-1. $18.99. unp. Grades 2-6. 

In a grandmother’s recount to her grandchild, transgender activist Marsha Johnson looms large, both in word and illustration. As the pair walk through New York City, the grandmother recalls the admirable qualities of her friend: her flair, her generosity, her empathy, her relentless activism, her concern for all people. Bright illustrations both in double-page spreads and separate vignette scenes depict the Queen of Christopher Street as she displays her exuberance for life and her commitment to uplifting trans people, particularly those of color, in brief text. The book’s paintings help to achieve the author’s goal of conveying the important impact Marsha Johnson had on the trans community and its allies with a light and joyful tone. Like a guardian angel overseeing the streets of New York, Marsha is drawn looking down on her adopted city and its inhabitants wishing them joy. Endnotes give a brief biography of the transgender icon.

THOUGHTS: The text of this biographical picture book extols the virtues of Marsha Johnson and focuses on her activism. The reader does not learn facts about her life or transition or death. Young readers will get a positive view of being transgender because the author presents her subject in that light; they may also become aware of the struggle for transgender people to be accepted. I realize this book may be a hard sell in some school districts. In my school, this is a book that will be embraced by students who are struggling with their sexual identity and those who already identify as transgender. Author Tourmaline is a transgender woman who is an artist and an activist. Her films and artwork have won awards and are featured in prominent museums. In 2021, she received a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Biography
Picture Book

Elem. – An Abundance of Light: A Story of Matisse in Morocco

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Stringer, Lauren. An Abundance of Light: A Story of Matisse in Morocco. Beach Lane Books, 2025. 978-1-534-49362-9. $19.99. Unpaged. Grades 3-6. 

To convey the mood, author and illustrator Lauren Stringer introduces this homage to Henri Matisse with black and white illustrations, showing his lack of inspiration. When Matisse encounters the captivating and colorful culture of Morocco, the double-spread wide drawings become vibrant and reflect Matisse’s experiences there. The well-known French painter has an epiphany about shadow and light: “Light and dark became colors bright and bold!” Flashbacks to his childhood provide biographical glimpses. Familiar contemporaries of Matisse are mentioned like Gertrude Stein and Albert Marquet, as well as Moroccan landmarks and figures who sat for his paintings. Stringer takes care to imitate Matisse’s style and noting the people he met and places he visited in Morocco. Even the endpages act as a sort of illustrated glossary with Moroccan words in Moroccan and English with definitions.  Show this book to the art teacher or students interested in drawing. They gain several  insights: an artistic concept of shadow and light; knowledge of a time in Matisse’s life; a view of a different culture. Though it may serve only a niche group, consider purchasing if you have a school community of different ethnicities or one where STEAM is an important part of the curriculum. End notes include a brief biography of Matisse and some paragraphs about his time in Tangier.

THOUGHTS: This picture book is beautifully illustrated and tells a lot about Matisse concisely. It can be used for an art or geography lesson. It may need to get shelf talked at other times, though, to bring it to young students’ attention.

Picture Book  
Biography

Elem. – Amazing Adventures (Series NF)

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Hall, Alex. Amazing Adventures. Bearport, 2025. 32 p. $23.07 ea. $92.28 set of 4. Grades 2-5. 

Pioneers at Sea. 979-8-892-32875-3.
Pioneers in the Sky. 979-8-892-32876-0.
Pioneers of Space. 979-8-892-32878-4.
Pioneers on Land. 979-8-892-32877-7.

Readers will have the opportunity to learn more about some of history’s pioneering explorers in the Amazing Adventures series. This series is part of Bearport’s Roar imprint, which is designed to engage struggling and reluctant readers in adventurous nonfiction texts. Each volume in the Amazing Adventures series focuses on a type of exploration–this reviewer had the opportunity to read Pioneers on Land and Pioneers of Space. Pioneers on Land introduces readers to trailblazing travelers and explorers through history. Each two page spread provides a brief biographical sketch of the explorer  accompanied by photos/illustrations. A sampling of land explorers profiled include Marco Polo, Sacagawea, Nelly Bly, and Roald Amundsen. Pioneers of Space similarly profiles trailblazers in space exploration, including Yuri Gagarin, Valentina Tereshkova, Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin. Backmatter in each volume features a glossary, index, and link to online resources. 

THOUGHTS: This engaging series would be a great choice for elementary biography fans. The set probably is best suited to recreational reading, rather than research projects due to the brief nature of the biographical profiles contained within the text. 

629 Transportation/Engineering
910 Exploration