Five Faves: Picture Book Biographies of 2023

Biographies have always been one of my favorite genres of book. I love learning about people's stories and how they saw the world. I especially love picture book biographies, because you can get a snapshot of someone's life in a particularly digestible format that doesn't take you hours to read. So without further ado, here are some of my favorite picture book biographies from this year.

Good Books for Bad Children: The Genius of Ursula Nordstrom

Written by Beth Kephart

Illustrated by Chloe Bristol

New York: Anne Schwartz Books, 2023. Informational.

This book tells the story of Ursula Nordstrom, a legendary children's editor at Harper. Nordstrom's childhood was solitary, she spent much of it in boarding school after her parents divorce. She worked on textbooks before rising up the ranks to become to eventually run the Children's Department. She discovered and assisted many notable children's book authors of the 20th Century, including E. B. White, Margaret Wise Brown, and Maurice Sendak. When asked about her success in the children's publishing field, she noted: "I am a former child, and I haven't forgotten a thing."

On the Tip of a Wave: How Ai Weiwei's Art Is Changing the Tide

Written by Joanna Ho

Illustrated by Cátia Chien

New York: Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2023. Informational.

This biography brings to life the story of Ai Weiwei, a Chinese artist and social activist. Told in prose, it describes his childhood, when his family was forced to live in a Chinese labor camp and Ai Weiwei got through the days by drawing on the walls of the hole that his family lived in. He was eventually able to live in the U.S. to study and noticed the differences between his home country and the United States. As an adult he was held captive, forced into house arrest, and eventually displaced, leading him to create art instillations about refugees. The gorgeous illustrations in this book are made up of only three colors: white, blue, and pops of orange.  

How Do You Spell Unfair: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee

Written by Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrated by Frank Morrison

Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2023. Informational.

MacNolia Cox was the first African-American top five finalist at the National Spelling Bee. Cox grew up in Akron, Ohio and as an eighth-grader, became the first African-American to win Akron's city-wide spelling bee. Winning the bee meant that she was eligible to travel to the National Spelling Bee. But traveling was not without its issues. Cox and her mother were forced to move to a segregated car once their train made it to Maryland and couldn't stay at the same hotel as the rest of the finalists since the hotel was "whites only." Even during the bee, she and the other Black finalist were segregated from the rest of the contestants. The final word that she misspelled was not on the official list and was purposely chosen to trick her, but despite not finishing in first place, she was welcomed home with a parade. This book is a great insight into the history of the time period while also telling the story of a resilient girl who faced difficulty with grace.

The Indestructible Tom Crean: Heroic Explorer of the Antarctic

By Jennifer Thermes

New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2023. Informational.

If you've ever thought that a trip to the Antarctic sounded like a good time, this is the book for you. Tom Crean grew up in Ireland and learned to sail with the British Royal Navy. Between 1901 and 1907 he went on three separate voyages to the Antarctic, all of which nearly ended in disaster for him. Among these voyages was that of the Endurance with Captain Ernest Shakleton. This book will give you a greater appreciation for those who put their lives on the line to explore this new terrain.

The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of

Written by Kirsten W. Larson

Illustrated by Katherine Roy

San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2023. Informational.

This biography, using parallels between her life and the birth and life of stars, tells the story of English astronomer Cecilia Payne. As a young child, Payne enjoyed learning about the science of nature. As she grew she spent long hours alone in her school's dusty, unused lab. After graduating from Cambridge with a degree in Astrophysics, Payne was unable to secure a job because of her gender. Undeterred, she traveled to America and took a job at Harvard where she eventually discovered what elements stars are made of.