Parent Guide to Book Genres: Biography, Autobiography, & Memoir
Learning about the lives of others helps celebrate where we came from … and inspires us to determine where we’re going next.
Whether your child aspires to be an astronaut or a teacher, a firefighter or a ballerina, you can encourage her interest by providing books about others' lives. Biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs celebrate history while also enabling children to see the world from a fresh perspective. Give your budding Beethoven or curious Curie a book, step back, and watch inspiration take hold.
Why They're Worthwhile
Talking the Talk
Beyond the Books
Top Titles to Try
Why They're Worthwhile
Biographies help kids to understand history through the lens of one person's experience. Books like Eleanor by Barbara Cooney (about the childhood of Eleanor Roosevelt), Abraham Lincoln by Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire, or the series In Their Own Words make history come alive by introducing your child to famous people from all walks of life.
Exposing your child to a variety of biographies has academic advantages as well. Topics you can explore together include science, art, math, space, medicine, drama, and sports, to name a few.
Talking the Talk
Taking note of the biographies your child selects can help you encourage her interests. A good starting point is the A Very Young... series by Jill Krementz, which uses photos and interviews to provide a glimpse into the lives of kids who are dancers, gymnasts, horseback riders, and more. Titles such as Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World by Cynthia Chin-Lee or the Great Black Heroes series also provide some stellar role models.
When your child chooses a book about a favorite artist, author, or athlete, talk to him about his choice. Ask questions: What do you like about that person? What was that person like as a kid? What made her famous? Does she like some of the things that you do?
Beyond the Books
Biographies don't have to be just about books. Try a few of the ideas below when you're ready to extend the fun.
- Explain to your child that there are different points of view to every life story. For example, the biography The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles and the autobiography Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges both describe the same events and experiences, but from varying angles. Talk about how you might remember a recent event differently than your child and encourage her to think of some examples.
- Research your family history. Search the passenger records on the Ellis Island Foundation Web site or look at old photographs, family trees, and home videos. Have your child interview aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents to create your family's own oral history.
- Series like Dear America, My Name Is America, and The Royal Diaries use fictional characters to describe moments in history. What would your child want his own autobiography to say? Make a scrapbook together, using photos, magazine cut-outs, quotes, and more to capture your child's interests and feelings.
For younger readers (ages 7 to 10):
The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
See life on the prairie through the eyes of a young girl with this classic series. Learn more.
Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say
Caldecott Medal winner Say explores his Japanese heritage in this personal history. Learn more.
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Follow one man's path from Vermont farm boy to world-class snowflake scientist. Learn more.
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Chris Raschka
Exuberant text and lively illustrations introduce the legendary saxophonist and his style of jazz. Learn more.
For older readers (age 10 and up):
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
This journal, written by a Jewish teenager, powerfully captures the daily challenges of living in hiding during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. Learn more.
A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver by E.L. Konigsburg
In this mesmerizing piece of historical fiction, Eleanor of Aquitaine reflects on her life as a queen during the Middle Ages. Learn more.
Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl
The author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and other children's literature classics provides an entertaining account of his boyhood days in England. Learn more.
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
Born in Hiroshima, Sadako is 12 when she is hospitalized with leukemia. Discover why her story of resilience and hope has inspired children all over the world.
When You're Ready for More
For younger readers (ages 7 to 10):
Starry Messenger by Peter Sis
Simple text and elegant illustrations convey the life story of Galileo Galilei.
Salt in His Shoes by Deloris Jordan and Roslyn M. Jordan
The mother and sister of Michael Jordan tell an uplifting tale of the basketball superstar's youth.
Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie by Peter and Connie Roop
How does a lighthouse keeper's daughter cope when a storm keeps her father away for four weeks? Find out in this gripping true story. Learn more.
For older readers (age 10 and up):
Story Painter: The Life of Jacob Lawrence by John Duggleby
This compelling book chronicles the personal history and artistic influences of one of the foremost painters of the Harlem Renaissance.
The Journey That Saved Curious George by Louise Borden
Where would children's literature be without everyone's favorite monkey? Find out how Margret and H.A. Rey escaped wartime Paris with a bicycle and their now-legendary manuscript.
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
This charming autobiography recounts the British author's experiences growing up on the Greek island of Corfu.
