Pocket Bios by Al Berenger Set #2 - ADVISABLE

Pocket Bios by Al Berenger. NON-FICTION/PICTURE BOOK. Roaring Brook Press, 2015. $15.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – ADVISABLE.  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Each book is divided into about ten sections. Each section has a guiding topic at the top, two or three paragraphs, and a date or date range. These are each paired with a cartoonish illustration. Following the text is a timeline, map key, people to know page, and fun facts. 

I love the way the text is divided up into sections that make the biographies accessible. There is a lot of detail in these biographies without being hard to read. The illustrations are cartoonish which makes it less aesthetically pleasing but less intimating for young readers. These books do a good job covering the whole span of a life - not just the moments they are famous for. I am disappointed that there are only four women covered in the collection so far. 

Nelson Mandela  9781250166135  

I learned that Nelson Mandela used the World Cup to bring his country together. 

Abraham Lincoln 9781250166111  

I learned the Abe grew a beard after a young girl wrote him a letter saying it would be good luck. 

Neil Armstrong 9781250166197  

I learned that young Neil got his pilots license before he got his drivers license. 

Albert Einstein 9781250166098  

I learned that Albert was asked to be president of the newly formed Israel but declined.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher