Abstract
This study has six goals. One, it discusses the history of biography and its integral role in the development of modern children’s literature. Two, it shares research that continues to indicate biography, especially picturebook biography, is a preferred genre of all readers, especially adolescents and males, because readers find this genre enlightening, informative, and inspirational. Three, it presents a list of high-quality and award-winning picturebook biographies from a variety of countries and regions around the world, along with several research-based, instructional strategies that K-12 teachers can use with these biogrphies. Four, it identifies and describes the essential qualities and major benefits of multicultural picturebook biographies, focusing specifically on the power and potential of biography to inform and inspire all readers. Five, it focuses on the question: How can K-12 teachers select high-quality multicultural picturebook biographies to use with their students? It provides a set of research-based guidelines that K-12 teachers can use to select high-quality multicultural picturebook biographies. It also includes specific titles of multicultural picturebook biographies that represent an exemple of each guideline. Six, it ends with final thoughts about the ability of multicultural biographies to inform and inspire all readers. The ultimate goal is to start some new conversations about how multicultural picturebook biographies can inform and inspire all readers.
Presenters
William BintzProfessor, Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Studies, Kent State University, Ohio, United States
