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Suggested Biographies for Kindergarten

 

Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Explore these fascinating stories about real people. Books are suggested for Kindergarten, but remember that each Reader is different, and might find something interesting at another level.

Aretha Franklin by Ma Isabel (María Isabel) Sánchez Vegara

Discover the life of Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul. The fourth of five children, Aretha was born in Tennessee and took the stage at an early age in her fathers church choir. She went on to become the bestselling rhythm and blues singer of all time, and the first woman to be installed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

Tells the story of puppeteer Tony Sarg, the man who first invented the helium balloons that have become the trademark of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Frankie liked to sing by John Seven

From his early days in Hoboken, New Jersey, to making it big in New York City, Sinatra was determined to follow his dream of being a singer and moving people with his voice. And now, one hundred years after his birth, his legacy lives on with this spirited and loving tribute. 

Also available in: e-book

In difficult times, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood provided a refuge for children and their families; a way to talk about issues and find hope for a brighter tomorrow.
 

Also available in: e-book

Explores the previously uncelebrated but pivotal contributions of NASA's African American women mathematicians to America's space program, describing how Jim Crow laws segregated them despite their groundbreaking successes.

If you were a boy named Henri Matisse who lived in a dreary town in northern France, what would your life be like? Would it be full of color and art? Full of lines and dancing figures?

As Kamala grew from a small girl in Oakland to a senator running for president, it was this long-fostered belief in freedom and justice for all people that shaped her into the inspiring figure she is today. From fighting for the use of a soccer field in middle school to fighting for the people of her home state in Congress, Senator Harris used her voice to speak up for what she believed in and for those who were otherwise unheard. 

A young boy named Neftalií wanted to be a writer. He began publishing poems at age sixteen as Pablo Neruda. His voice was heard across nations and oceans. From his poems grew flowers of hope and dreams of peace.

Also available in: video

When she came to New York, Pura Belpré carried the cuentos folklóricos of her Puerto Rican homeland. As a bilingual assistant at the New York Public Library, she turned her popular retellings into libros and spread story seeds across the land. Today, these seeds have grown into a lush landscape as generations of children and storytellers continue to share her tales and celebrate Pura's legacy.

Also available in: e-video

Bilingual text, accompanied by colorful photographs, explores the famous artist's life, and illuminates the laughter, love, and tragedy that influenced her work.