Picture Book Biographies

This week's READ-4-LUCK pick is I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote by Linda Arms White. Pictures by Nancy Carpenter.

A woman's "can-do" attitude propels her through life until she is instrumental in making Wyoming the first state to allow women to vote, then becomes the first woman to hold public office in the United States.

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Year: 2005
Word Count: 1461
Book Level: 4.5

RATINGS
CHILDREN:  The illustrations are full of extra storytelling! I've read it several times and I notice something new each time. My children love to crack up at the naked "babies" taking a bath. Lots of fun to help engage them while listening. Especially helpful for a book that well over 1,000 words!

PARENTS:  You know, sometimes it is hard to distinguish the parent in me from the teacher in me from the writer in me. Parent says if bedtime isn't running too late, "Sure! I love this book!" But if it's late, "Not that book! It's too long for tonight." I do love discovering new illustrations. This book encourages discussions about families and family members and even death.

TEACHERS:  This book is a biography. Perfect for teaching "heroes" in 3rd grade, or "history of women and/or voting" in 5th grade. It can be used on many different levels for multiple lesson plans, if you're creative.

WRITERS:  I'm pleased to say that I was able to meet Linda Arms White! She said most of her books are  long and most of them have adult characters, but yet she still broke into print. Very inspiring. And Esther Morris is inspiring too. I like using this book as a springboard model for biographies and historical fiction. I'm working on an historical fiction right now, based loosely on the biography of a certain man from long ago.



If you wrote a book about a real person, who might you choose and why?
Keep on keepin' on... P.S. Happy 15th Anniversary to me!