December: Biographies

At fourteen years old, Dwayne Johnson began training for the day when he would become the first third-generation wrestler in the World Wrestling Federation. But the wrestling ring wasn't enough for him. In this revealing biography, readers learn how Johnson used his strong work ethic to go beyond wrestling and find great success in Hollywood. Accompanied by full-color photographs and fun facts, the engaging text follows Johnson's life and achievements from the gym to the red carpet. Direct quotations from the Rock himself inspire readers to discover and follow their own dreams.

Born in Ghana, Kofi Kingston's success as a professional wrestler wasn't guaranteed. But after joining the WWE in 2006, he has won multiple titles and has become the first African-born world champion. He's also a member of the well-known tag team The New Day. Persistence and hard work have paid off for Kofi as readers find out with this behind-the-scenes look at his career, from training to title matches. Including amazing photographs of Kofi's high-flying moves, this accessible volume highlights a truly unique wrestler, loved by fans everywhere.

After decades as a senator and eight years as a vice president, Joseph Biden gained a lot of experience in politics! In this title for young readers, high quality images and special features supplement the main text to provide information about Joseph Biden's life and journey to become the 46th president of the United States.

Barack Obama is known by many as the first Black president of the United States. But readers might not know that President Obama likes to collect comic books and play basketball! In this title, young readers are introduced to Barack Obama's life and presidency through leveled text and high-quality images. Special features include a map, a timeline, and a thought-provoking question.

Meet Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers series combines a delightful mix of full-color historical reproductions, photos, and hilarious cartoon-style illustrations that bring to life the works of renowned composers, combining poignant anecdotes with important factual information for readers (Ages 8-9).

Writers can make a huge impact on the world, and Lin-Manuel Miranda's life and work is a perfect example of how a writer can make the world a better place with their words. As readers learn Lin-Manuel Miranda's story, they'll discover that there's power in the written word and in creating a space for everyone to feel welcome and empowered through works of art. Colorful photographs of one of the most famous faces in entertainment today accompany the detailed narrative, helpful timeline, and inspiring quotes from Miranda himself.

As a young boy in medieval Italy, Leonardo Fibonacci thought about numbers day and night. He was such a daydreamer that people called him a blockhead. When Leonardo grew up and traveled the world, he was inspired by the numbers used in different countries. Then he realized that many things in nature, from the number of petals on a flower to the spiral of a nautilus shell, seem to follow a certain pattern. The boy who was once teased for being a blockhead had discovered what came to be known as the Fibonacci Sequence! Blockhead is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

The true story of eighteenth-century mathematician Sophie Germain, who solved the unsolvable to achieve her dream. When her parents took away her candles to keep their young daughter from studying math...nothing stopped Sophie. When a professor discovered that the homework sent to him under a male pen name came from a woman...nothing stopped Sophie. And when she tackled a math problem that male scholars said would be impossible to solve...still, nothing stopped Sophie. For six years Sophie Germain used her love of math and her undeniable determination to test equations that would predict patterns of vibrations. She eventually became the first woman to win a grand prize from France's prestigious Academy of Sciences for her formula, which laid the groundwork for much of modern architecture (and can be seen in the book's illustrations). Award-winning author Cheryl Bardoe's inspiring and poetic text is brought to life by acclaimed artist Barbara McClintock's intricate pen-and-ink, watercolor, and collage illustrations in this true story about a woman who let nothing stop her.

"A photo-illustrated biography for early readers on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Describes his childhood, his college years playing football, and how he got to be one of the best NFL players. Includes a fact sheet with highlighted accomplishments, glossary, books, and websites"--

Crazy Horse is one of the most iconic and well-known Native Americans. This book explores his life story. Readers follow his birth in the Lakota Oglala tribe to his resistance against the American government and ultimately his death at Fort Robinson in Nebraska. Sidebars detail the socioeconomic structures of his tribe and community and his significance today. Readers will understand his legacy and view his lasting image in the Crazy Horse Memorial. Historical events are presented from the perspective of the American government, the settlers he encountered, and the Lakota he fought to protect. Through easy-to-understand language and vivid photographs, young readers will discover the man behind the legend.

This biography highlights the life and accomplishments of Kamala Harris. Readers learn about Harris's early life, her education through law school, and her career trajectory from deputy district attorney, district attorney, US Senator, to her election as the first African American and first female vice president of the United States. Features include a timeline, glossary, fun facts, online resources, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Who is Donald Trump? From his beginnings as a businessman to his term as president, this beginning biography title explores the story of the 45th president. Leveled text pairs with special features such as a timeline, question, and profile to give readers a better understanding of the Donald Trump presidency and how it changed the world.

Meet Artist Leonardo da Vinci!Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series combines a delightful mix of full-color historical reproductions, photos, and hilarious cartoon-style illustrations that bring to life the works of renowned artists, combining poignant anecdotes with important factual information for readers (Ages 8-9).Clever illustrations and story lines, together with full-color reproductions of actual paintings, give children a light yet realistic overview of Leonardo DaVinci's life and style.

Few author-illustrators share Mo Willems' keen insight into the minds of young children. Dubbed the "master of the doodle," Willems inspires his readers to laugh and think, and perhaps most importantly, to express themselves creatively. Chronicling Willems' life and development as an illustrator and storyteller, this lively volume provides insight into his whimsical sensibility and demonstrates that hard work can be fun if you love what you do. In line with Common Core Standards, text features, including quick fact and vocabulary boxes, help readers quickly locate important information and allow them to approach Willems' works with new understanding and appreciation.

Harriet Tubman's heroic and pivotal role in the fight against slavery is the subject of the fourteenth picture book in this New York Times bestselling biography series This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great--the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero's childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. This volume focuses on Harriet Tubman's brave heroism as part of the movement to abolish slavery. As one of the key players in the Underground Railroad, she helped enslaved African Americans escape and find freedom.

"If you've got a good idea, and you know it's going to work, go ahead and do it." The inspiring story of Grace Hopper--the boundary-breaking woman who revolutionized computer science--is told told in an engaging picture book biography.   Who was Grace Hopper? A software tester, workplace jester, cherished mentor, ace inventor, avid reader, naval leader--AND rule breaker, chance taker, and troublemaker. Acclaimed picture book author Laurie Wallmark (Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine) once again tells the riveting story of a trailblazing woman. Grace Hopper coined the term "computer bug" and taught computers to "speak English." Throughout her life, Hopper succeeded in doing what no one had ever done before. Delighting in difficult ideas and in defying expectations, the insatiably curious Hopper truly was "Amazing Grace" . . . and a role model for science- and math-minded girls and boys. With a wealth of witty quotes, and richly detailed illustrations, this book brings Hopper's incredible accomplishments to life.

Michael Phelps had already competed in four Olympic Games and won more Olympic medals than any other athlete, but in 2016 he decided to compete one last time. At the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, superstar swimmer Phelps won six more medals, bringing him to a total of twenty-eight Olympic medals in his career. After years of training, Phelps says he's finally ready to retire and spend more time with his family. Learn all about Phelps's incredible career, how he trained to become the greatest Olympian of all time, and what he'll do now that he's not spending so much time in the pool.

The My Itty-Bitty Bio series are biographies for the earliest readers. This book examines the life of J.J. Watt in a simple, age-appropriate way that will help children develop word recognition and reading skills. Includes a table of contents, author biography, timeline, glossary, index, and other informative backmatter.