What's going on in 2nd and 3rd grades?

Recently 2nd and 3rd grades have been enjoying books about individuals who struggled to overcome hardship in pursuit of their dreams. Most of the books we've been reading have been biographies - a genre which has come a long, long way since the rather dry books many of us parents and teachers remember reading as kids!

These days there are captivating, richly illustrated biographies of individuals both famous and not-so-famous. One thing their stories all have in common is persistence in the face of what can seem like insurmountable odds!

Students were fascinated to learn about Billy Wong, the Arizona-born son of Chinese immigrants who became El Chino, a famous bullfighter in Spain. Noted Japanese American author and artist, Allen Say, writes that Wong's "search for self-identity became the inspirational force for the story."

This was a theme at work in the story of Wilma Rudolph as well. Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull tells the remarkable tale of her triumph over debilitating diseases to become one of the greatest athletes of her time.

The public library's biography reading lists for kids and teens will help you find more great books to enjoy at home!