Bio/autobiographies Analysis

Bio/autobiographies (Historical figure in the United States)

1. I am George Washington

By: Brad Meltzer

I am George Washington was written by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. This book is an biography on the life of our first president of the United States. The subject's life offers meaning to children reading it because it discussed the beginning of our country. The historical meaning behind it is relevant to children now. The text and illustrations only depict the good in George Washington's life. This hides the fact of the war and how devastating the war was on people's lives. The author does provide evidence with historical accuracy because a timeline is provided at the end for readers to view. At the end of the book provides a direct quote from George Washington to bring him to life. The author focuses more on eulogizing over debunking because the subject is portrayed only in a positive light. The author's approach is not a fair balanced approach. The author tries to portray this president as only a hero of America. This book is still good to use in the classroom to teach about the triumphs of George Washington.

Meltzer, B., & Eliopoulos, C. (2016). I am George Washington. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

2. Who Was Elvis Presley? (Musician)

By: Geoff Edgers

Who Was Elvis Presley? was written by Geoff Edgers. The author writes about Elvis Presley to offer interest and meaning to the lives of children today. Edgers discusses Elvis' successes and achieves to appeal to readers. Knowing the contemporary figure will help children understand the past of the music industry. Knowing more about Elvis can possible help widen children's perspectives on their own lives if they compare themselves to him. The text and illustrations reflect the life of Elvis in a positive light. The narrator's point of view adds to the story to make it like a fiction novel to appeal to readers. The author's style is clear and readable for its audience so the back-ground material is naturally included. The author avoid both eulogizing and debunking because he presents the whole life of Elvis in a nature that is appropriate for children. The author's interpretation is a fair and balanced approach. I would recommend this book to any teacher who is teaching about Elvis.

Edgers, G., & OBrien, J. (2007). Who was Elvis Presley? New York: Grosset & Dunlap.

3. I Am Jane Goodall (Female scientist)

By: Brad Meltzer

I am Jane Goodall was written by Brad Meltzer. This children's biography is about the chimpanzee female scientist who used her love of the environment and nature into a career to open a door for future female scientists just like her. This book goes in depth to describe Jane Goodall's first hand research in Africa about chimpanzees. Jane Goodall's life offers interest to young readers that aspire to achieve great things. The text and illustrations reflect the careful research put into discovering Goodall's life. There are no major omission in the book that result in a distortion of Goodall's life. The author's style is clear and readable so readers can easily read and get hooked while the back-ground material is included naturally. The author does a perfect job avoiding eulogizing and debunking because he just shows the facts in her life. Jane Goodall's life is described and also shown in a timeline at the end of the novel. The wonderful balance of information is shown to spark interest in young readers and to send a positive message to readers about how determination goes a long way. I would recommend this novel to any teacher in younger grades.

Meltzer, B., & Eliopoulos, C. (2017). I am Jane Goodall. New York, NY: Scholastic.

4. The Life of Selena - La Vida de Selena (A person from a different culture)

By: Patty Rodriguez

The Life of Selena - La Vida de Selena was written by . This children's biography is all about Selena the musician. The book is written in both English and Spanish to represent Selena's culture and to appeal to English language learners. Selena's life offers meaning for children who are adapting to the English culture and are coming from a Spanish culture. Knowing this historical figure will help students understand the past in the music industry. The text and illustrations reflect a few omissions that result in a distorted picture of Selena. Her life is simplified in the novel with few words and more pictures to appeal to younger audiences. It is not depicted in the novel how she was murdered. The novel uses the quote "To this day, Selena continues to bloom like a flower" (Rodriguez, 2018). to allude to the fact that she is no longer with us, yet she still inspires many people. The author's style is clear and readable for its intended audience so that the back-ground material is naturally included. The author avoids eulogizing and debunking because he just states facts about Selena's likes, dislikes, and her achievements in her career. The author's interpretation of the subject is fair and balanced because he only states facts about her life and her past. I would recommend this novel to anyone in kindergarten to second grade to attract their reading levels.

Rodríguez, P., Stein, A., & Reyes, C. (2018). The life of Selena = La vida de Selena. Los Angeles, CA: Lil Libros.

5. Who was Alexander Hamilton? (One of my choice)

By: Pam Pollack

Who was Alexander Hamilton? was written by Pam Pollack. This biography is a children's book that describes the life of Alexander Hamilton and his part in the American Revolution. This novel is perfect for younger ages to educate them about American history and about one of the founding fathers of our nation. Alexander Hamilton's life inspires all to always try your best even when the odds are against you. This provides meaning for readers even at their age. Knowing this historical context about Alexander Hamilton will help students understand the past about our nation. The text and illustrations reflect the careful research put into Hamilton's life to depict him correctly. A few omissions are present to keep the book appropriate for the age group. The book discusses his death, but it does not discuss his adultery scandal that occurred in his lifetime. No direct quotes are used to bring the character to life, but the narrator's point of view is used to add to the story and make it more appealing to readers. The author avoids using eulogizing and debunking because she only sticks to the facts about Hamilton's life and his career. The author's interpretation of Hamilton is fair and balanced because it discusses his highs in the war, and his lows that led to his death. I would recommend this book to any young reader that is curious about American history.

Who Was Alexander Hamilton? (2017). Turtleback Books.