Here are the top 30 bestselling biographies books for 5 year olds. Please click Read Review to read book reviews on Amazon. You can also click Find in Library to check book availability at your local library. If the default library is not correct, please follow Change Library to reset it.
1. I am Jane Goodall (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Sep 06, 2016 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
Each picture book in this series is a biography of a significant historical figure, told in a simple, conversational, vivacious way, and always focusing on a character trait that makes the person a role model for kids. The heroes are depicted as children throughout, telling their life stories in first-person present tense, which keeps the books playful and accessible to young children. And each book ends with a line of encouragement, a direct quote, photos, a timeline, and a source list. This tenth book in the series features Jane Goodall, the scientist and conservationist who is famous for her work with chimpanzees.
2. Ordinary People Change the World Gift Set (Ordinary People Change World)
by: Brad Meltzer Release date: Oct 20, 2015 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
What makes a hero? Brad Meltzer and illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos answer that question, one great role model at a time. And now you can buy the first four—Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, and Albert Einstein—together in a wonderfully designed slipcase that includes an exclusive, autographed print, suitable for framing.
“This is not just a series of books,” says bestselling author Brad Meltzer. “This is my dream for my daughter. My dream for my sons. These aren’t just the stories of famous people. They’re what we’re all capable of on our very best days. This is our history and, I hope, our greatest legacy.”
3. The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto (Step-Into-Reading)
by: Natalie Standiford, Donald Cook Release date: Oct 17, 1989 Number of Pages: 48 Find in Library Read Review |
4. Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving
by: Eric Metaxas Release date: Aug 27, 2012 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
Experience the true story from American history about the spiritual roots and historical beginnings of Thanksgiving.
This entertaining and historical story shows that the actual hero of Thanksgiving was neither white nor Indian but God. In 1608, English traders came to Massachusetts and captured a twelve-year-old Indian, Squanto, and sold him into slavery. He was raised by Christians and taught faith in God. Ten years later he was sent home to America. Upon arrival, he learned an epidemic had wiped out his entire village. But God had plans for Squanto. God delivered a Thanksgiving miracle: an English-speaking Indian living in the exact place where the Pilgrims landed in a strange new world.
5. I am Martin Luther King, Jr. (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Jan 05, 2016 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
Even as a child, Martin Luther King, Jr. was shocked by the terrible and unfair way African-American people were treated. When he grew up, he decided to do something about it—peacefully, with powerful words. He helped gather people together for nonviolent protests and marches, and he always spoke up about loving other human beings and doing what’s right. He spoke about the dream of a kinder future, and bravely led the way toward racial equality in America.
This lively, New York Times Bestselling biography series inspires kids to dream big, one great role model at a time. You’ll want to collect each book.
6. I am George Washington (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Sep 06, 2016 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
George Washington was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known. He was never afraid to be the first to try something, from exploring the woods around his childhood home to founding a brand new nation, the United States of America. With his faith in the American people and tremendous bravery, he helped win the Revolutionary War and became the country’s first president.
Each picture book in this series is a biography of a significant historical figure, told in a simple, conversational, vivacious way, and always focusing on a character trait that makes the person a role model for kids. The heroes are depicted as children throughout, telling their life stories in first-person present tense, which keeps the books playful and accessible to young children. And each book ends with a line of encouragement, a direct quote, photos, a timeline, and a source list.
7. I am Amelia Earhart (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Jan 14, 2014 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
“Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography – for his own kids, and for yours. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in an entertaining, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Amelia Earhart refused to accept no for an answer; she dared to do what no one had ever done before, and became the first woman to fly a plane all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. This book follows her from childhood to her first flying lessons and onward to her multi-record-breaking career as a pilot.
This engaging series is the perfect way to bring American history to life for young children, and to inspire them to strive and dream.
8. I am Helen Keller (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Sep 01, 2015 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
When Helen Keller was very young, she got a rare disease that made her deaf and blind. Suddenly, she couldn’t see or hear at all, and it was hard for her to communicate with anyone. But when she was six years old, she met someone who change her life forever: her teacher, Annie Sullivan. With Miss Sullivan’s help, Helen learned how to speak sign language and read Braille. Armed with the ability to express herself, Helen grew up to be come a social activist, leading the fight for people with disabilities and so many other causes.
9. Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
by: Laurie Halse Anderson, Matt Faulkner Release date: Oct 01, 2005 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
Thanksgiving might have started with a jubilant feast on Plymouth’s shore. But by the 1800s America’s observance was waning. None of the presidents nor Congress sought to revive the holiday. And so one invincible “lady editor” name Sarah Hale took it upon herself to rewrite the recipe for Thanksgiving as we know it today. This is an inspirational, historical, all-out boisterous tale about perseverance and belief: In 1863 Hale’s thirty-five years of petitioning and orations got Abraham Lincoln thinking. He signed the Thanksgiving Proclamation that very year, declaring it a national holiday. This story is a tribute to Hale, her fellow campaigners, and to the amendable government that affords citizens the power to make the world a better place!
10. I am Rosa Parks (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Jun 17, 2014 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
“Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography – for his own kids, and for yours. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Rosa Parks dared to stand up for herself and other African Americans by staying seated, and as a result she helped end public bus segregation and launch the country’s Civil Rights Movement.
This engaging series is the perfect way to bring American history to life for young children, providing them with the right role models, supplementing Common Core learning in the classroom, and best of all, inspiring them to strive and dream.
11. Coco Chanel (Little People, Big Dreams)
by: Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Ana Albero Release date: Feb 04, 2016 Number of Pages: 32 Find in Library Read Review |
In this new series, discover the lives of outstanding people from designers and artists to scientists. All of them went on to achieve incredible things, yet all of them began life as a little child with a dream. The first book follows Coco Chanel, from her early life in an orphange–where she is a genius with needle and thread–to her time as a cabaret singer, hat maker, and, eventually, international fashion designer. This inspiring and informative little biography comes with extra facts about Coco’s life at the back.
12. I am Abraham Lincoln (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Jan 14, 2014 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
“Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography – for his own kids, and for yours. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in an entertaining, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Abraham Lincoln always spoke up about fairness, and thus he led the country to abolish slavery. This book follows him from childhood to the presidency, including the Civil War and his legendary Gettysburg Address.
This engaging series is the perfect way to bring American history to life for young children, and to inspire them to strive and dream.
13. I am Albert Einstein (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Sep 16, 2014 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
Even when he was a kid, Albert Einstein did things his own way. He thought in pictures instead of words, and his special way of thinking helped him understand big ideas like the structure of music and why a compass always points north. Those ideas made him want to keep figuring out the secrets of the universe. Other people thought he was just a dreamer, but because of his curiosity, Einstein grew up to be one of the greatest scientists the world has ever known.
What makes a hero? This lively, fun biography series by best-selling author Brad Meltzer answers the question, one great role model at a time.
14. Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis
by: Jabari Asim, E. B. Lewis Release date: Oct 11, 2016 Number of Pages: 32 Find in Library Read Review |
John wants to be a preacher when he grows up—a leader whose words stir hearts to change, minds to think, and bodies to take action. But why wait? When John is put in charge of the family farm’s flock of chickens, he discovers that they make a wonderful congregation! So he preaches to his flock, and they listen, content under his watchful care, riveted by the rhythm of his voice.
Celebrating ingenuity and dreaming big, this inspirational story, featuring Jabari Asim’s stirring prose and E. B. Lewis’s stunning, light-filled impressionistic watercolor paintings, includes an author’s note about John Lewis, who grew up to be a member of the Freedom Riders, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and demonstrator on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. John Lewis is now a Georgia congressman, who is still an activist today, recently holding a sit-in on the House floor of the U.S. Capitol to try to force a vote on gun violence.
15. I am Lucille Ball (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Jul 14, 2015 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
“Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography—for his own kids, and for yours. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Lucille Ball could make any situation funny. By making people around the world laugh, she proved that humor can take on anything.
This engaging series is the perfect way to bring American history to life for young children, providing them with the right role models, supplementing Common Core learning in the classroom, and best of all, inspiring them to strive and dream.
16. Thank You, Mr. Falker
by: Patricia Polacco Release date: Apr 12, 2012 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
Patricia Polacco is now one of America’s most loved children’s book creators, but once upon a time, she was a little girl named Trisha starting school. Trisha could paint and draw beautifully, but when she looked at words on a page, all she could see was jumble. It took a very special teacher to recognize little Trisha’s dyslexia: Mr. Falker, who encouraged her to overcome her reading disability. Patricia Polacco will never forget him, and neither will we.
This inspiring story is available in a deluxe slipcased edition, complete with a personal letter to readers from Patricia Polacco herself. Thank You, Mr. Falker will make a beautiful gift for the special child who needs encouragement&150or any special teacher who has made a difference in the child’s life.
17. Disney: Ultimate Sticker Book (Ultimate Sticker Books)
by: DK Publishing Release date: Aug 19, 2002 Number of Pages: 16 Find in Library Read Review |
18. I am Jackie Robinson (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Jan 08, 2015 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
Jackie Robinson always loved sports, especially baseball. But he lived at a time before the Civil Rights Movement, when the rules weren’t fair to African Americans. Even though Jackie was a great athlete, he wasn’t allowed on the best teams just because of the color of his skin. Jackie knew that sports were best when everyone, of every color, played together. He became the first black player in Major League Baseball, and his bravery changed African-American history and led the way to equality in all sports in America.
This engaging series is the perfect way to bring American history to life for young children, providing them with the right role models, supplemementing Common Core learning in the classroom, and best of all, inspiring them to strive and dream.
19. Amelia Earhart (Little People, Big Dreams)
by: Ma Isabel Sanchez Vegara, MARIADIAMANTES Release date: Aug 09, 2016 Number of Pages: 32 Find in Library Read Review |
In the Little People, Big Dreams series, discover the lives of outstanding people from designers and artists to scientists. All of them went on to achieve incredible things, yet all of them began life as a little child with a dream. The book follows Amelia Earhart, whose strong will and self-belief helped her overcome prejudice and technical problems to become the first female flier to fly solo across the Atlantic ocean. This inspiring and informative little biography comes with extra facts about Amelia’s life at the back.
20. Smart About the Presidents (Smart About History)
by: Jon Buller, Maryann Cocca-Leffler, Dana Regan, Susan Saunders, Jill Weber Release date: Jul 08, 2004 Number of Pages: 64 Find in Library Read Review |
21. Maya Angelou (Little People, Big Dreams)
by: Lisbeth Kaiser, Leire Salaberria Release date: Aug 09, 2016 Number of Pages: 32 Find in Library Read Review |
In the Little People, Big Dreams series, discover the lives of outstanding people from designers and artists to scientists. All of them went on to achieve incredible things, yet all of them began life as a little child with a dream. The book follows Maya Angelou, from her early traumatic childhood to her time as a singer, actress, civil rights campaigner and, eventually, one of America’s most beloved writers. This inspiring and informative little biography comes with extra facts about Maya’s life at the back.
22. Frida Kahlo (Little People, Big Dreams)
by: Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Gee Fan Eng Release date: Feb 04, 2016 Number of Pages: 32 Find in Library Read Review |
In this new series, discover the lives of outstanding people from designers and artists to scientists. All of them went on to achieve incredible things, yet all of them began life as a little child with a dream. The second book follows Frida Kahlo, whose desire to study medicine was destroyed by a childhood accident. Frida began painting from her bedside and produced over 140 works, culminating in a solo exhibition in America. This inspiring and informative little biography comes with extra facts about Frida’s life at the back.
23. Lucia: Saint of Light
by: Katherine Bolger Hyde Release date: Oct 01, 2009 Number of Pages: 32 Find in Library Read Review |
24. I am Jim Henson (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Jan 10, 2017 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great–the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Jim Henson, for example, was always dreaming up something new, and always expressing his belief in the goodness of people. Henson was a born performer with a terrific sense of humor, and he used those talents to help create two of the most beloved programs in television history: The Muppet Show and Sesame Street. Through his Muppets, Jim showed the world that there’s nothing more beautiful than imagination, especially when it’s accompanied by laughter and kindness.
Each book in this series tells the story of one inspiring individual through lively text and art that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos.
25. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight
by: Kathleen Krull, Amy June Bates Release date: Aug 25, 2015 Number of Pages: 48 Find in Library Read Review |
Before Hillary Clinton was in the running to be president, she was a young girl growing up outside Chicago who lost the election for student-body president. She wanted to be an astronaut, to soar as high as the stars above. She kept reaching up and up as she grew. There were people who told her no—most of them simply because she was a girl—but she didn’t listen to them. There were people who didn’t think she could do it. But she believed in herself. And Hillary has been making history ever since. This is the inspiring story of a girl with dreams as big as the open sky.
26. George Washington and the General’s Dog (Step-Into-Reading, Step 3)
by: Frank Murphy, Richard Walz Release date: Dec 24, 2002 Number of Pages: 48 Find in Library Read Review |
sees a dog lost on the battlefield. Whose dog is it? How will it find its master? Early readers will be surprised to find out what happens in this little-known true story about America’s first president.
27. This Little President: A Presidential Primer
by: Joan Holub, Daniel Roode Release date: Jan 12, 2016 Number of Pages: 26 Find in Library Read Review |
Leading our country.
Helping you and me.
Keeping all fifty states
safe, happy, and free.
Little presidents have a great big job.
Now even the youngest patriots can learn about America’s presidential history with this bright and playful board book. Highlighting ten of the most memorable presidents—and featuring all forty-four on the last page—parents and presidents-in-training alike will love sharing this fun primer full of age-appropriate facts, leadership skills, and White House history.
28. The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss
by: Theodor Geisel, Maurice Sendak Release date: Oct 03, 1995 Number of Pages: 95 Find in Library Read Review |
29. Christmas from Heaven: The True Story of the Berlin Candy Bomber
by: Tom Brokaw, Robert T. Barrett Release date: Oct 15, 2013 Number of Pages: 32 Find in Library Read Review |
As he performed his duties, Lt. Halvorsen began to notice the German children gathered by the fences of Tempelhof Air Base. Knowing that they had very little, he one day offered them some chewing gum. From that small act, an idea sprang: He would bomb Berlin with candy. Fashioning small parachutes, he and his crew sent them floating down as they approached the Berlin airport, wiggling the wings of their C-54 as a signal to the children that their anticipated cargo would soon arrive.
Lt. Halvorsen became known by hundreds, if not thousands, of children in Berlin as Uncle Wiggly Wings or The Candy Bomber. Word soon spread, and donations of candy and other supplies poured in from sympathetic Americans. Lt. Halvorsen’s small idea became a great symbol of hope not only to German children in a bombed-out city but to all those who yearned for freedom.
Famed broadcast journalist and author Tom Brokaw brings this remarkable true story to life in a stunning live performance with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, captured on the accompanying DVD. Also included in the book is a template and directions for creating your own Candy Bomber parachutes.
30. I am Sacagawea (Ordinary People Change the World)
by: Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos Release date: Jun 13, 2017 Number of Pages: 40 Find in Library Read Review |
Sacagawea was the only girl, and the only Native American, to join Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery, which explored the United States from the Mississippi River all the way to the Pacific Ocean in the early 1800s. As a translator, she helped the team communicate with members of the Shoshone tribe across the continent, carrying her child on her back the whole way. By the time the expedition arrived at the west coast, Sacagawea had proved that she truly was a trailblazer.
This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great—the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero’s childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos.
Best Selling Books for 5 year olds:
- Action & Adventure
- Activities, Crafts & Games
- Animals
- Biographies
- Classics
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Early Learning
- Education & Reference
- Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
- History
- Holidays & Celebrations
- Humor
- Literature & Fiction
- Mysteries & Detectives
- Religions
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Science, Nature & How It Works
- Sports & Outdoors
- Computers & Technology
Recommended Books for 5 year olds:
- Action & Adventure
- Activities, Crafts & Games
- Animals
- Biographies
- Classics
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Early Learning
- Education & Reference
- Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
- History
- Holidays & Celebrations
- Humor
- Literature & Fiction
- Mysteries & Detectives
- Religions
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Science, Nature & How It Works
- Sports & Outdoors
- Computers & Technology
Best Selling Biographies Books for:
- 1 Year Olds
- 3 Year Olds
- 4 Year Olds
- 5 Year Olds
- 6 Year Olds
- 7 Year Olds
- 8 Year Olds
- 9 Year Olds
- 10 Year Olds
- 11 Year Olds
- 12 Year Olds
- Teen & Young Adults
- 2 Year Olds
Recommended Biographies Books for:
- 1 Year Olds
- 3 Year Olds
- 4 Year Olds
- 5 Year Olds
- 6 Year Olds
- 7 Year Olds
- 8 Year Olds
- 9 Year Olds
- 10 Year Olds
- 11 Year Olds
- 12 Year Olds
- Teen & Young Adults
- 2 Year Olds
Last updated: Monday, December 5, 2016 4:06 AM