March 31 Birthday: Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez, civil rights activist
Mar. 31, 1927-Apr. 23, 1993

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Harcourt, 2003)

A heartfelt account of Chavez’s childhood, his days as a field laborer and as the nonviolent organizer of the 1965 grape boycott.

America’s Library posts several great stories about Chavez for kids.

March 30 Birthday: Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh, artist
Mar. 30, 1853-July 29, 1890

Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1995)

Van Gogh was the artist who cut off his ear and drank a lot of coffee, although the two were not related. Even though he was extraordinarily productive, he never saw acclaim in his lifetime.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers timelines, essays and images of Van Gogh's life and work.

March 29 Birthday: John Tyler, Jr.

John Tyler, Jr., U.S. President
Mar. 29, 1790-Jan. 18, 1862

Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)

This collective biography devotes one paragraph to the tenth commander and chief. Interesting factoid: Tyler had more children than any other president.

Basic information about Tyler can be found on the Miller Center of Public Affairs University of Virginia site.

March 27 Birthday: Effa Manley

Effa Manley, sports executive

March 27, 1897-April 16, 1981

She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Don Tate, Collins, 2011.

When Effa Manley questioned the status quo, people told her, "That's just the way things are." But that did not set well with Manley and she became a life-long advocate for positive change in her role as a citizen, a woman and the owner of a baseball team.

Visit the Baseball Hall of Fame to read more about its first and only woman inductee, Effa Manley.

March 26 Birthday: Paul Erdos

Paul Erdős, mathematician
March 26, 1913-September 20, 1996

The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdős by Deborah Heiligman Illustrated by LeUyen Pham (Roaring Brook, 2013)

On shelves June 25th!

March 25 Birthday: Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin, musician

Mar. 25, 1942-

The Blues Singers: Ten Who Rocked the World by Julius Lester, illustrated by Lisa Cohen (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2001)

Surrounded by musical neighbors such as Smokey Robinson, Otis Williams and Dianna Ross, Aretha Franklin loved to sing, too. Can you spell R-e-s-p-e-c-t?

Read about Franklin on the Biography.com website.

March 24 Birthday: Harry Houdini

Harry Houdini, magician
Mar. 24, 1874-Oct. 31, 1926

Houdini: World’s Greatest Mystery Man and Escape King by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Eric Velasquez (Walker Books for Young Readers, 2005)

Houdini sawed people in half and wrapped himself in chains—all in the name of magic. This biography offers a look inside his life, his challenges and his performances.

Visit the PBS American Experience site about Houdini, The Man Behind the Myth for a timeline, gallery, teacher’s guide and special features.

March 24 Birthday: John Harrison

John Harrison, inventor
Mar. 24, 1693-Mar. 24, 1776

The Man Who Made Time Travel by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003)

Harrison succeeded in figuring out how to track longitude for ships at sea...after five tries and over thirty-five years. Thank you for your perseverance, Mr Harrison!

The National Maritime Museum dedicates a page to Harrison and the Longitude problem.

March 22 Birthday: Marcel Marceau

Marcel Marceau, actor
March 22, 1923-September 22, 2007


Monsieur Marceau: Actor Without Words by Leda Schubert, illustrated by Gerard DuBois  (Roaring Brook, 2012)

This is the story of the amazing French mime, who acted without words. As a child, he loved the antics of Charlie Chaplin, the silent film star. During WWII he resisted the Nazis, and led children to safety. Then, he created the character of Bip and became the most famous mime in the world. The 2013 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Winner for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children!

Watch Marcel Marceau onstage in this YouTube video.

March 21 Birthday: Ruth Law

Ruth Law, aviator

Mar. 21, 1887-Dec. 1, 1970

Ruth Law Thrills a Nation by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin, 1995)

In 1916, Law flew nonstop from Chicago to New York and set the American record. This is the story of her great achievement.

See a photo of Law and read a short history of her aviation life. Other links are also featured.

March 21 Birthday: Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach, musician
Mar. 21, 1685-July 28, 1750

Sebastian: A Book about Bach by Jeanette Winter (Silver Whistle, 1999)

Bach survived the sorrows of childhood and created magnificent music. And aren't we glad he did!

The J.S. Bach Home Page celebrates the life and work of Bach.

March 19 Birthday: Charles M. Russell

Charles M. Russell
Mar. 19, 1864-1926

Cowboy Charlie: The Story of Charles M. Russell by Jeanette Winter (Harcourt Children’s, 1995)

When he grew up, Russell wanted to be a cowboy. He did that and more. After years on the frontier, he exchanged that life for one of an artist and brilliantly painted and sculpted the Old West.

According to their web site, the C.M. Russell Museum has the “most complete collection of Russell works and personal objects in the world.” Mosey on over soon.

March 18 Birthday: Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland, U.S. President
Mar. 18, 1837-June 24, 1908

Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)

In one paragraph, the legacy of the 22nd president is summed up. Cleveland was the only president to marry in the White House.

Cleveland
facts are available on the IPL (Internet Public Library) site.

March 17 Birthday: St. Patrick

St. Patrick
AD 373-493

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola (Holiday House, 1992)

Born in Britain, Patrick was kidnapped as a boy and spent time in Ireland as a slave. Follow the story of his life and sainthood as well as five legends about him in this book.

The University of College Cork is an online resource for Irish history, literature and politics.

March 16 Birthday: James Madison

James Madison, U.S. President
Mar. 16, 1751-June 28, 1836

Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)

The "Father of the Constitution" and smallest of our presidents, Madison was number 4.

Learn more about Madison at The White House.gov.

March 15 Birthday: Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson, U.S. President
Mar. 15, 1767-June 8, 1845

Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)

Jackson, the 7th president, added running water to the White House. He was known as the "people's president."

The White House posts a bio of Jackson and the highlights of his term.

March 14 Birthday: Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein, scientist
Mar. 14, 1879-Apr. 18, 1955

Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin, 2004)

Einstein was not the best student and yet...he grew up to win the Nobel Prize.

Some quotations, a poster of Albert Einstein and more can be found at the St. Andrews site.

March 11 Birthday: Wanda Gag

Wanda Gag, illustrator and author
March 11, 1893-June 27, 1946

Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Lived to Draw by Deborah Kogan Ray (Viking, 2008)

Captivated by drawing from the time she could hold a pencil, Gag honed her skills and although family tragedies waylaid her dreams for a time, eventually she went to art school and became the creator of one of the most beloved children’s books, Millions of Cats.

The Minnesota Historical Society offers biographical notes and additional resources on Gag on its site.

March 7 Birthday: Maud Lewis

Maud Lewis, artist
Mar. 7, 1903-July 30, 1970


Capturing Joy: The Story of Maud Lewis by Jo Ellen Bogart, illustrated by Mark Lang (Tundra Books, 2002)

Lewis, a Canadian artist who had physical disabilities, painted amazing images in a primitive folk art style. Five-star inspirational.

To learn more about this gifted artist, visit the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

March 6 Birthday: Michelangelo

Michelangelo, artist
Mar. 6, 1475-Feb. 18, 1564

Michelangelo by Diane Stanley (HarperTrophy reprint, 2003)

Michelangelo’s life and art, including the Pieta and the Sistine Chapel are at the forefront of this detailed picture book biography about him.

Click over to the WebMuseum, Paris for more info on Michelangelo.

March 4 Birthday: Antonio Vivaldi

Antonio Vivaldi, musician
Mar. 4, 1678-July 28, 1741

I, Vivaldi by Janice and Tom Shefelman (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2008)

This picture book transports readers to Vivaldi's Venice, where he lived and found success as a violinist and composer.

An informative bio and photo of Vivaldi is available at the Baroque Music site.

March 3 Birthday: Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell, inventor
Mar. 3, 1847-Aug 2, 1922

Alexander Graham Bell by Leonard Everett Fisher (Atheneum, 1999)

Hello? The inventor of the telephone and other inventions is featured in this bio about his childhood and beyond.

The Franklin Institute Resources of Science Learning offers a short article about Bell’s Telephone and the history of telephones.

March 2 Birthday: Sam Houston

Sam Houston, politician

March 2, 1793-July 26, 1863

Picture Book Biography of Sam Houston by David A. Adler and Michael S. Adler, illustrated by Matt Collins (Holiday House, 2012)

A key figure in Texas politics, Houston served two terms as the president of the Republic of Texas before it became the 28th state. He served as its US senator and governor.

The Handbook of Texas Online provides a fascinating biography of Houston.

March 2 Birthday: Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss, writer
Mar. 2, 1904-Sept. 24, 1991

The Boy on Fairfield Street by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher (Random House, 2004)

From a childhood spent dreaming and doodling to budding artist at 22, this biography of the famous children’s writer shows what made Seuss tick.

Dr. Seuss’ Seussville is maintained by his publisher, Random House and has a biography of Seuss as well as cool games for kids.

March 1 Birthday: Frederic Chopin

Frederic Chopin, musician
Mar. 1, 1810-Oct. 17, 1849

Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1993)

Chopin began playing the piano at four and performing at eight. This Polish composer is known as one of the "greatest pianists in history."

An online resource about Chopin are available here.

February 27 Birthday: Marian Anderson

Marian Anderson, musician
Feb. 27, 1897-Apr. 8, 1993

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson by Pam Munoz Ryan, illustrated by Brian Selznick (Scholastic, 2002)

When African-American contralto Marian Anderson was 57 years old, she sang with the Metropolitan Opera. This is the story of her journey, from childhood church singer to European sensation to opera star.

Marian Anderson: A Life in Song exhibit at the Penn Library not only contains information about Anderson’s tours, but includes video and audio excerpts from interviews and performances.

February 26 Birthday: Fats Domino

Fats Domino, musician
Feb. 26, 1928-

Shake, Rattle & Roll: The Founders of Rock & Roll by Holly George-Warren, illustrated by Laura Levine (Houghton Mifflin, 2001)

Domino learned to play piano when he was ten. Born and raised in New Orleans, he's still rockin'.

Domino was an inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

February 25 Birthday: George Harrison

George Harrison, musician
Feb 25, 1943-

The Beatles Were Fab (and They Were Funny) by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer, illustrated by Stacey Innerst (Harcourt Children’s Books, 2013)

Pub date March 19, 2013!

In the meantime, visit The Beatles website for information about their music, movies, and news.

February 23 Birthday: George Frideric Handel

George Frideric Handel, musician
Feb. 23, 1685-Apr. 14, 1759

Handel, Who Knew What He Liked by M.T. Anderson, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (Candlewick, 2001)

Here’s a humorous (and detailed) take on Handel’s life and music, including the a debunking of the myth that the tradition of standing during the Hallelujah Chorus began with the king.

Read an introduction to the Handel House, it’s history, restoration and about Handel’s London at the Handel House Museum.

February 22 Birthday: George Washington

George Washington, U.S. President

Feb. 22, 1732-Dec. 14, 1799

George: George Washington, Our Founding Father by Frank Keating, illustrated by Mike Wimmer (Paula Wiseman Books/Simon and Schuster, 2012)

Written in first person, this moving portrait of one of our founding fathers captures the heart and soul of Washington.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens offers a virtual mansion tour. Visit today.

February 20 Birthday: Joshua Slocum

Joshua Slocum, navigator
Feb. 20, 1884-Nov. 14, 1909

Born in the Breezes: The Voyages of Joshua Slocum by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Walter Lyon Krudop (Orchard, 2001)

Sail the high seas with this story about Slocum’s life and his love of it.

The Joshua Slocum Society International website attempts to “maintain a complete record of all single-handed circumnavigators, to popularize the legendary first solo circumnavigator, Captain Joshua Slocum.”

February 18 Birthday: Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison, professor and writer
Feb. 18, 1931-

Women of Hope: African Americans Who Made a Difference by Joyce Hansen (Scholastic, 1998)

Morrison won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Beloved in 1988 and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. Highlights of this extraordinary woman can be found in this collective biography.

Biographies, bibliographies, essays, interviews are posted on a site devoted to Morrison.

February 17 Birthday: Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan, athlete
Feb. 17, 1963-

Jump! From the Life of Michael Jordan by Floyd Cooper (Philomel, 2004)

Meet African-American basketball player Air Jordan as a child and young adult in this picture book biography about him. Hoops, anyone?

NBA.com offers a player profile of Jordan. Check it out.

February 15 Birthday: Galileo Galilei

Galileo Galilei, astronomer
Feb. 15, 1564-Jan. 8, 1642

Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei by Peter Sis (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, reprint, 2000)

Winner of the Caldecott Honor Medal for its glorious artwork, this is the story of the scientist who was heralded and them condemned for his ideas.

For extensive resources on Galileo Galilei, visit The Galileo Project at Rice University.

February 14 Birthday: Katherine Stinson Otero

Katherine Stinson Otero, aviator
Feb. 14, 1891-July 8, 1977

Katherine Stinson Otero, High Flyer by Neila Skinner Petrick, illustrated by Daggi Wallace (Pelican, 2006)

High flyer, indeed. Stinson was the fourth woman in the U.S. to earn a pilot’s license and performed throughout the world. But when she was denied permission to fly for the armed services in WWI, she raised money for the effort by flying in exhibitions.

The New Mexico Centennial posts a bio of Stinson on their site.

February 14 Birthday: Anna Howard Shaw

Anna Howard Shaw, women’s rights advocate
Feb. 14, 1847-July 2, 1919

A Voice From the Wilderness: The Story of Anna Howard Shaw by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin, 2001)

Based on her autobiography, this story of Shaw traces her life from childhood to adulthood. A teacher, then a doctor, Shaw became active in the women’s suffrage movement.

A biography and photo of Shaw are available at the National Women's History Museum.

February 12 Birthday: Barnum Brown

Barnum Brown, archeologist 
February 12, 1873-February 5, 1963

Barnum's Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the World by Tracey Fern, illustrated by Boris Kulikov (FSG, 2012)

A fossil collector since childhood, Barnum, who was named after the famous circus man, hoped he would grow up to do something important. He did. In 1902, he unearthed a T- rex, that was eventually displayed at the American Museum of Natural History.

Drop by the American Museum of Natural History in NYC today.

February 11 Birthday: Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison, inventor

Feb. 11, 1847-Oct. 18, 1931

A Wizard from the Start: The Incredible Boyhood & Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010)

This daydreamer didn’t sync with school so Edison’s mother taught him at home. He made a lab in the cellar. He was a huge reader. Telegraph lessons led to a job as an operator. He devoted all his time to his inventions and invent hie did—the electric storage battery, motion picture camera, electric light bulb-1,093 patents in all!

At a site hosted by Rutgers, you'll find The Edison Papers, a collection of over five million pages of documents. Search Edison’s bio, patents, inventions and other related materials.

February 9 Birthday: William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison, U.S. President

Feb. 9, 1773-Apr. 4, 1841

Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)

Harrison, Number 9, served the shortest term—one month.

The POTUS (Presidents of the United States) section of the IPL (The Internet Public Library) gives an overview of Harrison’s life with plenty of links to take you beyond the basic facts.

February 8 Birthday: Alice Walker

Alice Walker, writer

Feb. 8, 1944-

Women of Hope: African Americans Who Made a Difference by Joyce Hansen (Scholastic, 1998)

Born to sharecroppers in Georgia, Alice Walker worked hard in school. She was an active participant in the civil rights movement and is an accomplished poet and novelist. The Color Purple is her most well-known work.

Links to information about Walker can be found at a Cuny.edu site.

February 8 Birthday: Waterhouse Hawkins

Waterhouse Hawkins, artist
Feb. 8, 1807-1889

The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins: An Illuminating History of Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins, Artist and Lecturer by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Brian Selznick (Scholastic, 2001)

This is the story of a man with a vision and talent. Hawkins was passionate about dinos and it led him to build life-size models of them.

From an article in Prehistoric Times Magazine, see drawings of Hawkins’ work and read more about him.

February 7 Birthday: Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens, author
Feb. 7, 1812-June 9, 1870

A Boy Called Dickens by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by John Hendrix (Schwartz & Wade, 2012)

Fans of A Christmas Carol will be especially interested in this biography of Dickens, who rose above his troubled childhood.

The Dickens Fellowship is dedicated to all things Dickens.

February 7 Birthday: Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder, author

Feb. 7, 1867-Feb. 10, 1957

Laura Ingalls Wilder by Alexandra Wallner (Holiday House, 1997)

The story of the pioneer girl turned author is featured in this simple biography about the creator of the Little House books.

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum contains Wilder’s history, museum information and a link just for kids.

February 6 Birthday: Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth, athlete
Feb. 6, 1895-August 16, 1948

Home Run: The Story of Babe Ruth by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Mike Wimmer (Voyager Books, 2003)

The story of Ruth as well as his home run record-breaking in 1927 is illustrated with realistic paintings and images of baseball cards with career stats.

BabeRuth.com is a source for biography, stats, achievements, quotes, photos and awards about Babe Ruth.

February 6 Birthday: Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan, U.S. President

February 6, 1911-June 5, 2004

Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)

A movie actor turned president, Reagan loved to ride horses and tell a good story. He was the 40th president of the United States.

Read a bio of Reagan on the White House site.

February 5 Birthday: Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron, athlete
Feb. 5, 1934-

Hank Aaron: Brave in Every Way by Peter Golenbock, illustrated by Paul Lee (Gulliver Books, 2001)

African-American baseball great Hank Aaron followed his dream and in spite of the racial tensions in the 1960s and hate mail directed to him, he kept on and broke the home run record of Babe Ruth.

Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, Aaron is featured on their site.

February 4 Birthday: Honus Wagner

Honus Wagner, athlete
February 4, 1874-December 6, 1955

All Star! Honus Wagner and the Most Famous Baseball Card Ever by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Jim Burke (Philomel Books, 2009)

Honus Wagner grew up playing baseball. Wanger grew into a professional baseball player who “had more home runs, RBIs, doubles, triples…more steals…and played in more games than any other player in the National League.” And that makes his baseball card the most valuable of them all.

The Official Site of Honus Wagner features his biography, photos, career highlights and more.

February 4 Birthday: Charles Lindbergh

Charles Lindbergh, aviator
Feb. 4, 1902-Aug. 26, 1974

Flight by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Mike Wimmer (Putnam Juvenile paperback, 1997)

This is one of my all-time favorite picture book biographies. It is the dramatic account of Lindbergh’s solitary flight across the Atlantic in 1927 with picture-perfect artwork.

Information about the flight, flight timeline, Spirit of St. Louis, photos, documents, articles, and biographies can be found at CharlesLindbergh.com.

February 4 Birthday: Alexis Soyer

f

Alexia Soyer, chef
Feb. 4, 1810-Aug. 5, 1858

The Adventurous Chef: Alexis Soyer by Ann Arnold (FSG, 2002)

French chef Soyer organized a soup kitchen during the Irish potato famine and worked with Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War.

To read more about Soyer, visit the Victorianweb.org site.

February 2 Birthday: John P. Parker

John P. Parker, abolitionist, inventor

Feb. 2, 1827-Jan. 30, 1900

Freedom River by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier (Jump At the Sun, 2000) This Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book recounts the story of ex-slave John P. Parker, and his efforts to assist others in gaining freedom through the Underground Railroad.


The Autobiography of John Parker, an Online Archival Collection at Duke University gives visitors information about Parker and links to Underground Railroad sites.