Showing titles in Biographical Fiction

A beautiful, empowering book about two sisters who work with their community to effect change, inspired by a true story from the childhood of the author's aunt, Kamala Harris, and mother, lawyer, and policy expert Maya Harris.

Inspired by the life and lyrics of David Bowie, author-illustrator Jami Gigot imagines the story of a lonely young boy enchanted by the music of the stars - yet no one else can hear the shimmy-shake rhythm that moves through his body. At first misunderstood and ignored, David ultimately finds the courage to be true to himself, sparking a dazzling revolution.

A 10-year-old girl discovers she has a learning disability. Walk with her as she begins to notice her peers can do things she can't. Will this new information send her spiraling? Cheer her on, as she reaches for her dreams no matter how far away they now seem. Diary of a Dyslexic Homeschooler promotes empathy through understanding and strives to remind all of us of the person behind the label.

Alicia Alonso was born to dance. Her first big role came when she was only 10 years old, and she knew right then that she was going to be a ballerina one day. Only a few years later, she moved from Cuba to the United States to fulfill her dreams. As she danced, however, Alicia began to have trouble seeing. She was quickly going blind. How could a ballerina dance on stage if she couldn't see where she was going? Alicia worried. But she wouldn't let it stop her.

In her debut book, Misty Copeland tells the story of a young girl - an every girl - whose confidence is fragile and who is questioning her own ability to reach the heights that Misty has reached. Misty encourages this young girl's faith in herself and shows her exactly how, through hard work and dedication, she, too, can become Firebird.

Stevie Tenderheart Billy Jack: The Great Escape is a fun ride through the mind of a nine-year-old as he makes his own rules. Based on a true story, Billy Jack hatches a plan to shift his stars.

This is a children’s short story of Katri, who is Guru Nanak Sahib. This is the birth and childhood story of great saint Guru Nanak.

Twelve-year-old Viviani Fedeler, proud resident of the New York Public Library, has her sights set on becoming a star reporter. She’s thrilled when Miss Hutch announces a story contest where the winner gets their essay printed in the New York Times! But then, Viviani gets her first-ever case of writer’s block. As she struggles to find inspiration, the library is hit with a strange mystery involving overdue books, secret messages, and perhaps a spy lurking among the shelves.... Will Viviani be able to crack the code and find the perfect story worthy of a byline?

Have you ever met a sock monster? A real sock monster? No? Neither have I, but this story is all about something that happened to me when I was nine. I hope that you enjoy listening to it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. My English teacher, Miss Wright, loved it when she read it and said that it confirmed everything that she had ever thought about me, even if she didn't actually say what it was that she had thought about me.

Wangari lives in a magical place in rural Kenya where the soil is rich for planting, the trees abundant, and the nearby pond full of mysterious creatures. She drinks from cool, clean streams and plays beneath her favorite fig tree under her mother's watchful gaze. Then Wangari grows up and goes away to school, and things start changing at home. Farmers chop down the trees.

In Madam C. J. Walker Builds a Business, Sarah Breedlove (a.k.a. Madam C. J. Walker) reinvents and rebrands herself as a forceful entrepreneur whose products still dominate the black hair-care industry today. Born on the same plantation where her parents were once enslaved, Sarah is the first child in her family born free. When Sarah is just a girl, she learns the value of hard work.

From the world of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls comes the historical fiction novel about the exciting life and adventures of Ada Lovelace. In Ada Lovelace Cracks the Code, Ada uses her incredible imagination to dream up technology that could have jump-started the digital age nearly 200 years ago. In fact, she writes what will become the world's first programming language.

Billy Budd in the Breadbox: The Story of Herman Melville and Eleanor is the story of a very inquisitive girl and her brilliant grandfather. Told in her voice, Eleanor discovers her grandfather's secret, while learning about his adventurous life.

When she grew up, she became Harriet Tubman, the courageous and heroic woman who helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad. But she was just a little girl for a while - and this is her story. Minty, short for Araminta, was a feisty and headstrong young slave whose rebellious spirit often got her into trouble. She told stories to her doll, released animals from traps, and above all, dreamed of running away. When her father began to teach her the skills necessary for escape, she listened carefully and learned....

When Zora Neale Hurston and her best friend, Carrie Brown, discover that the town mute can speak after all, they think they’ve uncovered a big secret. But Mr. Polk’s silence is just one piece of a larger puzzle that stretches back half a century to the tragic story of an enslaved girl named Lucia. As Zora’s curiosity leads a reluctant Carrie deeper into the mystery, the story unfolds through alternating narratives.

Two friends, Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, get together for tea and conversation. They recount their similar stories fighting to win rights for women and African-Americans.

This fictionalized first-person biography-in-verse of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra follows the early years of the child who grew up to pen Don Quixote, the first modern novel. The son of a gambling, vagabond barber-surgeon, Miguel looks to his own imagination for an escape from his family's troubles and finds comfort in his colorful daydreams. At a time when access to books was limited and imaginative books were considered evil, Miguel is inspired by storytellers and wandering actors who perform during festivals. He longs to tell stories of his own.

Lil' Boy is just an ordinary child growing up on his father's farm in a little place called Creek Town. But in the 1960s, even the most average black boy had something to worry about. All Lil' Boy wants is to wear his bright red hat, have some fun and adventure...and get out of doing his chores. Then, one day, everything changes. After he is attacked with rocks being thrown at him by several angry men driving their truck along the road, Lil' Boy makes a promise to himself: when he gets older, he will own that road, and no one will ever throw rocks at him again.

Lotta ha quattro anni (e qualcosa). Ha un fratello, Jonas, e una sorella, Mia-Maria. E due genitori molto pazienti. Poi ha Orso, il maiale di pezza da cui non si separa mai, e una vicina di casa gentilissima, la signora Berg. E non basta, perché la piccola Lotta ha anche un mucchio di idee balzane: un giorno, per esempio, sparisce e va a casa della vicina, perché ormai è grande abbastanza per vivere da sola e la sua mamma è troppo cattiva.

Little Ree trades in her city days for a country way of life when she moves with her family to her grandparents' ranch. She's excited to ride horses, swim in the pond, and help Grandma cook for everyone. But on her first day, she finds that living on a ranch can be tough. She has to get up at the crack of dawn, learn to herd cows, and make sure her horse, Pepper, doesn't eat everything in sight. And that's all before breakfast!