Biographical Stories

Jerome Lejeune: Saintly Geneticist

Book cover: Jerome Lejeune, Saintly Geneticist
Author(s): 
Ana Braga-Henebry
Illustrator(s): 
Anita Barghigiani

A wonderful book that integrates faith and science!

Ana Braga-Henebry and Anita Barghigiani have created an engaging book about Venerable Dr. Jerome Lejeune, the father of modern genetics. This lovely book is instructive for all ages! The book includes a timeline of important events in the life of Dr. Lejeune with dates and photographs from pivotal moments in his life. The author shares the story of Dr. Lejeune's childhood, his marriage, and his work as a pediatrician.

Do Re Mi

Author(s): 
Susan Roth

A dear blog reader recommended this picture book on the life of Guido d'Arezzo, the Benedictine monk who came up with the system for writing music one thousand years ago–the same system we still use today. I requested it via inter library loan since our library does not own the title.

Louisa

Author(s): 
Yona Zeldis McDonough
Illustrator(s): 
Bethanne Andersen

I love picture books and I love biographies... and I love it when both are combined successfully! This warmly illustrated picture book tells of the most beloved American author Louisa May Alcott. Her family was definitely sui generis, holding unusual beliefs and moving often, and Louisa began thinking and writing poetry at a very young age.

This picture book sheds light on what a noble soul Louisa had, filled of generosity, integrity and character. Highly recommended especially for young readers who love the wonderful Little Women author.

Ask Albert Einstein

Author(s): 
Lynne Barasch
Back flap of book

So maybe your elementary school age child will not learn much Math with this book--the one problem shown involves the Pythagorean theorem and it shows the external tangent line touching two circles--but she may learn a few related things: who is Albert Einstein, why he came to America, where he worked and study, ... and how he actually helped some kids with their Math homework!

Planting the Trees of Kenya

Author(s): 
Claire A. Nivola
Illustrator(s): 
Zhao, Jing

When I was doing my research for this year's library tree project, I spent a bunch of time at a local bookstore, checking out great new children's titles. Easily my favorite (which it turns out the library had already purchased) was Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai by Claire A. Nivola.

Galileo's Leaning Tower Experiment

Author(s): 
Wendy Macdonald
Illustrator(s): 
Paolo Rui

Science readers are to be found if you look around enough as this book demonstrates.  It is the fictional story of Massimo, a boy who regularly throws his uncle's lunch off a bridge to his boat as his uncle rows by below.  Galileo happens to see that the bread and the cheese land at the same time.  The story ends atop the leaning Tower of Pisa, as legend suggests Galileo did.

A Life of Our Lord for Children

Book cover: A Life of Our Lord for Children
Author(s): 
Marigold Hunt
Illustrator(s): 
Ted Schluenderfritz

Sophia Institute Press has reprinted another gem! In an easy conversational manner, Marigold Hunt tells the story of the Life of Christ. She begins by spending one chapter on the time before Christ, the promise, and the prophets. Then she tells of his birth and young life, his preaching and miracles, and his death and resurrection. The last chapter, His Kingdom is the Church, tells of the Pentecost.

Abigail and the Widow Mary

Book cover: 'Abigail and the Widow Mary'
Author(s): 
Noel Trimming

Mr. Trimming has created several very engaging stories about some of Jesus' most beloved miracles told from the point of view of children. These stories fall into the category of historical fiction. In other words, they are based on real events, but include some fictitious characters and dialogue. This technique allows us to see the story from a different point of view (in these stories, it is from a child's point of view) and more fully understand the story because of historical details such as customs and etiquette of the day.

Jesus of Nazareth

Book cover: 'Jesus of Nazareth: The Story of His Life Simply Told'
Author(s): 
Mother Mary Loyola

"We did not see what the people of His own land saw every day, but we have the story of His life written by those who knew Him intimately, and it ought to be familiar to us all... It is of more importance to us by far than anything else we have to learn. It was written, not for mankind in general, but for each of us, one by one, that we might study it and copy its lessons into our own lives."

(p. 22)

Pages