Habits 1 through 7
The 7 Habits of Happy Kids
By Sean Covey
Join Goob Bear, Sammy Squirrel, Jumper Rabbit and other adorable characters as they learn life lessons using the 7
Habits. Parent tips and discussion points are also included. Learn more.
Habit 1
The Little Engine That Could
By Watty Piper
Although the Little Engine is not the biggest, the fastest or the newest, it just keeps trying. When all the other trains
refuse to help, the Little Engine is proactive and a leader.
Habit 2
The Very Busy Spider
By Eric Carle
Throughout the story, the determined spider spins her web. She has an end in mind- to finish her web and catch a fly
for dinner.
Habit 3
The Little Red Hen
By Paul Galdone (or any version)
The Little Red Hen found wheat seeds and wanted help to plant them. No one would help so the Little Red Hen
planted, watered and weeded the plants by herself. The Little Red Hen put first things first and enjoyed the results.
Habit 4
Rainbow Fish
By Marcus Pfister
The Rainbow Fish believes he is the most beautiful fish in the ocean so he won’t play with the other fish. Once he
has no friends, he seeks out advice and is told to give away some of his beautiful scales. While he initially refuses,
he decides to be a leader and think win-win. He gives away just one scale but when he realizes how good it makes
everyone (including himself) feel, he shares even more scales and has never been happier.
Habit 5
The Runaway Bunny
By Margaret Wise Brown
The Runaway Bunny follows the thoughts of the little bunny who thinks he would like to run away. By Seeking
First to Understand, Mother Rabbit truly listens to her little bunny. She then Seeks to Be Understood by offering
assurance that she will always come and find him.
Habit 6
Swimmy
By Leo Lionni
Swimmy is a little fish swimming alone in the ocean. He finds a school of fish like him and encourages them to
come with him to see the other amazing ocean animals- but they are too scared. Swimmy uses synergy and
leadership to come up with a plan.
Habit 7
The Snowy Day
By Ezra Jack Keats
Peter finds all kinds of imaginative things to do in the snow and even puts some snow in his pocket for later. Peter
shows us how playing in the snow, being imaginative and taking a warm bath afterwards are all part of being a
leader and sharpening our saw.
CurriConnects Book List - 100 Leaders
100 Leaders
Leaders come in all places, times, ages, and genders. Some quietly set an example as they
forge new paths into the unknown so others may follow. Others rally people around them to
conquer challenges together. Still others create new ways for people to share common
experiences and build communities of ideas. This list of leaders includes a wide sampling from
politics to literature and the arts to entertainment. Use this list as you study any topic that
features leaders: the founding fathers, famous scientists, and more. Encourage students to read
about leaders in diverse fields - including the one you are studying -- to compare and discuss
what makes someone a successful leader and why people rise to the top among their peers
across time, place, and circumstance.
Preschool and Picture Books
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop - Christopher Raschka, (978-0553112030) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 140, ESL level: 2
Charlie Parker originated bebop music while entertaining the world with his saxophone.
Davy Crockett - Larry Dane Brimner, (978-0756508937) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 2
Davy Crockett's colorful and legendary life included the heroic jobs of frontiersman,
congressman, and tall tale hero.
Play, Mozart, Play! - Peter Sis , (978-0061121814) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-12, ESL level: 3-4
The child prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart learned to listen and play very imaginatively at a
young age.
What Charlie Heard - Mordicai Gerstein, (978-0374382926) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 330, ESL level: 2
Charles Ives was the first composer who incorporated the sounds and melodies of the world
around him in his music.
Early Elementary Books
Audubon: Painter of Birds in the Wild Frontier - Jennifer Armstrong, (978-0810942387) ,
Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-5, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3
This short biography of Audubon stresses his paintings of birds and other wildlife that made him
a leader in both wildlife observation and wildlife art.
Ben Franklin and the Magic Squares - Frank Murphy, (978-0375806216) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 400, ESL level: 2-3
Read about the history of Franklin's inventing the magic squares to amuse himeself and learn
how to create your own.
Benjamin Franklinstein Meets Thomas Deadison - Matthew McElligott, (978-0399254819) ,
Fiction
Interest level: 4-6, ESL level: 3
When a light bulb company tries to take over the brains and thinking of Philadelphia, Ben comes
to the rescue.
Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson - Charles R. Smith, (978-1596434738) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 980, ESL level: 4
Jack Johnson, an African-American fighter, became the first black heavyweight world champ.
The Champ - Tonya Bolden, (978-0440417828) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-5, Lexile: 820, ESL level: 4
Muhammad Ali changed his faith and his name en route to becoming one of the leading boxers
of the 20th century.
Different like Coco - Elizabeth Matthews, (978-0763625481) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-6, Lexile: 990, ESL level: 4
Coco Chanel's life was all about being different; her leadership in the world of fashion remains a
fact today.
Eat My Dust: Henry Ford's First Race - Monica Kulling, (978-0375815102) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 360, ESL level: 2
Henry Ford wanted to use his horseless carriage to win a race so that he could build cars for
everyone.
Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa - Andrea Pinckney, (978-0786805686) , Nonfiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 520, ESL level: 2-3
Ella Fitzgerald's original style had immense impact on many aspects of today's music.
Escape North - Monica Kulling, (978-0375801549) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 440, ESL level: 3
Harriet Tubman went from a childhood in slavery to being a director for the escape route north
known as the Underground Railroad.
Fannie in the Kitchen - Deborah Hopkinson, (978-0689869976) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 380, ESL level: 2-3
Fannie Farmer learned to cook while helping an employed cook; she got her idea of writing
down recipes with precise measurements and directions from the cook's daughter, and thus she
paved the way to modern recipe writing.
Frida - Jonah Winter, (978-0590203203) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 280, ESL level: 2
Frida Kahlo's original approach to colorful and distinctive paintings helped her to deal with the
multiple tragedies of her life as well as its triumphs.
Galileo's Journal - Jeanne Pettenati, (978-1570918797) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 660, ESL level: 3
The fictionally-created diary talks about the year Galileo made the first telescope and started
annotating his observations.
George Washington: Our First President - Garnet Jackson, (978-0439098670) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 350, ESL level: 2
This simple biography introduces George Washington, the father of our country.
Helen Keller and the Big Storm - Patricia Lakin, (978-1442016026) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-8, Lexile: 410, ESL level: 3
This book tells the story of how Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller's teacher, rescued the young girl.
The Humblebee Hunter - Deborah Hopkinson, (978-1423113560) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-5, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 2-3
Charles Darwin and his children study humblebees that live in their English garden in this
fictionalized account of Darwin and his methods.
I Could Do That: Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote - Linda Arms White, (9780374335274) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 3-4
Esther Morris led the state of Oregon to becoming the first state to allow women to vote.
I've Seen the Promised Land: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - Walter Dean Myers,
(978-0060277031) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 1010, ESL level: 4
Read about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
In the Garden with Dr. Carver - Susan Grigsby, (978-0807536308) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 990, ESL level: 4
George Washington Carver goes to an Alabama elementary school to help children learn to
garden in this fictionalized account.
Jackie Robinson and the Big Game - Dan Gutman, (978-0689862403) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 480, ESL level: 3
Learn about Jackie Robinson's childhood and how he started playing baseball.
Jesse Owens: Fastest Man Alive - Carole Boston Weatherford, (978-0802795502) , Nonfiction
Interest level: 0-6, Lexile: 880, ESL level: 4
Jesse Owens was a leader among runners, African-American athletes, and Olympic medalists.
Jump!: From the Life of Michael Jordan - Floyd Cooper, (978-0399242304) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 4
Michael Jordan practiced so much as a child that his older brother Larry's challenge to him
resulted in the younger boy's victory; his personal determination led him to be the basketball
player all younger boys emulated.
Langston's Train Ride - Robert Burleigh, (978-0439352390) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-5, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3
Langston Hughes became a leader among African American poets by featuring the life of
American blacks as the central point of his poems; this book features a journey through the
writing of one of his longer tomes.
Leonardo Beautiful Dreamer - Robert Byrd, (978-0525470335) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 1120, ESL level: 4-5
Leonardo da Vinci was the prototype Renaissance man, creating masterpieces of art, critically
important inventions, and the study of human anatomy among other things.
Make Your Mark, Franklin Roosevelt! - Judith St. George, (978-0399241758) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3
Franklin Roosevelt's wealthy beginnings and his famous uncle led to his having political
ambitions and accomplishing great things.
Mark Twain at Work! - Howard Goldsmith, (978-0689853999) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 530, ESL level: 3
This story about Mark Twain came from his life and found its way into his most famous book:
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - Doreen Rappaport, (9781423106357) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-5, Lexile: 410, ESL level: 2-3
This simple biography appeals to readers of all ages by relating information about the life and
accomplishments of MLK, using his own words to show the power of his rhetoric.
Now & Ben - Gene Barretta, (978-0805079173) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-5, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 4
Many of Franklin's inventions find themselves in today's usage.
Odd Boy Out - Don Brown, (978-0618492985) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-5, ESL level: 3
Albert Einstein's thinking led the scientific world to readjust their view of the universe.
One Giant Leap: The Story of Neil Armstrong - Don Brown, (978-0618152391) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 3
From Neil Armstrong's birth in Ohio to his landing on the moon, this book shows the
development of an important space leader.
Ray Charles - Sharon Bell Mathis, (978-1584300182) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 420, ESL level: 2
Ray Charles overcame his blindness and the taunts of other children to become a leader in jazz
and blues performance.
Skit Scat Raggedy Cat - Roxanne Orgill, (978-0763617332) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 820, ESL level: 4
Ella ended up in an orphanage after losing her parents and finding no relatives that would care
for her. On her own in New York City at a young age, she found poetry and music and began
performing in an original style, some of which can be found in this book.
So You Want to Be an Inventor? - Judith St. George, (978-0142404607) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-12, Lexile: 840, ESL level: 3-4
Find out what personal characteristics inventors share.
Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx - Jonah Winter, (978-1442403031) , Nonfiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 840, ESL level: 3
Sonia Sotomayor worked hard as a child in her single mother's home, keeping her goal of
becoming a judge in her mind.
Starry Messenger - Peter Sis, (978-0374371913) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3
This biography describes the life of Galileo who changed the world's thinking about the earth
being the center of the universe.
Strange Mr. Satie - M.T. Anderson, (978-0670036370) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-5, Lexile: 770, ESL level: 3-4
Erik's musical innovations changed the use of established musical conventions forever.
Thomas Jefferson and the Ghostriders - Howard Goldsmith, (978-1416926924) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 520, ESL level: 2-3
Young Thomas Jefferson was curious about Native Americans; he observed and learned from
them.
Thurgood Marshall: Young Justice - Montrew Dunham, (978-1439506646) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 840, ESL level: 3
This fictionalized biography highlights the life of the first African American to sit on the Supreme
Court in the U.S. federal government.
What Presidents Are Made Of - Hanoch Piven, (978-1442444331) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-6, Lexile: 980, ESL level: 4
This book explores the personalities of the men who grew to lead our country as President.
Woody Guthrie: Poet of the People - Bonnie Christensen, (978-0553112030) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 3-4
The life of Woody Guthrie included his connecting his many many songs with the poor, the
working man, members of labor unions, and the downtrodden, creating a new role for folk
music.
Upper Elementary to Middle School Books
The Adventures of Marco Polo - Russell Freedman, (978-0439523943) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-9, Lexile: 1270, ESL level: 4-5
Marco Polo led Westerners to a route to and trade with China.
Be Water, My Friend: The Early Years of Bruce Lee - Ken Mochizuki, (978-1584302650) ,
Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3-4
Bruce Lee began training early in martial arts and combined that with making films as his
expertise grew.
Buffalo Bill: Frontier Daredevil - Augusta Stevenson, (978-0689714795) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 480, ESL level: 3
Buffalo Bill is famous for his wild west shows, his leadership on the Pony Express mail delivery
system, his scouting, and his buffalo hunting.
Crazy Horse's Vision - Joseph Bruchac, (978-1591129110) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 420, ESL level: 3
This fictionalized biography tells the story of Crazy Horse as a young men who grew up to lead
the Lakota people.
Escape!: The Story of the Great Houdini - Sid Fleischman, (978-0060850944) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-12, Lexile: 940, ESL level: 4
Harry Houdini's life was full of amazing escapes, magic tricks, and great show business
accomplishments; all magicians who followed Houdini had to do better than he did!
Hammerin' Hank: The Life of Hank Greenberg - Yona Zeldis McDonough, (802-789978) ,
Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-6, Lexile: 920, ESL level: 4
Henry Greenberg persisted in his dream of becoming a baseball player, despite the fact that
there had never been another Jewish man to achieve this.
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez - Kathleen Krull, (978-0152014377) , Nonfiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3
Cesar Chavez' life changed considerably from the time he lived with his parents on their
American ranch to the time he awakened the country to the rights of migrant workers with his
protest against their shameful working conditions.
Invincible Louisa - Cornelia Meigs, (978-0316565943) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 1150, ESL level: 4
This book describes Alcott's early life which figured significantly in her books as well as covering
the time when she became a successful author.
Isaac Newton - Kathleen Krull, (978-0670059218) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 1000, ESL level: 4-5
Newton's brilliance was tempered by his personal weaknesses, and the time he lived in featured
colorful challenges including the plague, the Great Fire of London, and immense political unrest.
John Muir: Young Naturalist - Montrew Dunham, (978-1439508497) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 4
John Muir led the conservation movement in the U.S. and increased awareness of the
importance of preserving natural spaces by founding Yosemite National Park.
The Legend of Mexicati - Jo Harper, (978-1890515218) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, ESL level: 3-4
Mexicati led his followers to a spot he had seen in a dream to found the Aztec city of
Tenochtitlan or modern-day Mexico City
Leonardo da Vinci - Kathleen Krull, (978-0670059201) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 1010, ESL level: 4-5
This book looks at Da Vinci's notebooks and writings for a peek at his inventions, observations,
thoughts, studies, and experiments.
Lincoln: A Photobiography - Russell Freedman, (978-0395518489) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1040, ESL level: 4
This book's use of many authentic photos makes telling the story of the life and
accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln interesting and vivid.
Madam President - Catherine Thimmesh, (978-0618971435) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-12, Lexile: 1150, ESL level: 4
This book features information about the lives of several American political leaders who
happened to be women; it shows how female leadership has been strong but often unnoticed.
The Magic School Bus and the Science Fair Expedition - Joanna Cole, (978-0590108249) ,
Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 530, ESL level: 3
Mrs. Frizzle's class takes a trip to visit scientific leaders from the past so the students can use
their ideas for science fair projects.
Make Way for Sam Houston - Jean Fritz, (978-0698116467) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 1010, ESL level: 4
Sam Houston's colorful life including his roles as a fighter in the war with Mexico, a governor,
and a senator.
Only Passing Through - Anne Rockwell, (978-0440417668) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-5, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3-4
Sojourner Truth overcame her birth status in slavery and soared to become a strong voice in the
abolutionist movement as well as a well-respected writer.
Peaceful Protest: The Life of Nelson Mandela - Yona Zeldis McDonough, (978-0802789488)
, Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-5, ESL level: 2-3
Nelson Mandela continued being a great leader despite spending many years in prison and
eventually became the first black president of South African after he managed to outlaw
apartheid.
Ronald Reagan: Young Leader - Montrew Dunham, (978-1439506639) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 980, ESL level: 4
Ronald Reagan's life in the public eye began when he was a movie star and changed his career
to include politics.
Sacagawea - Liselotte Erdrich, (978-0876146460) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 840, ESL level: 4
Sacagawea, a native Shoshone, ended up working with Lewis and Clark on their famous
expedition in the middle of the American plains.
Satchel Paige: Don't Look Back - David Adler, (978-0152055851) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-5, Lexile: 840, ESL level: 4
Satchel Paige paved the way for many African American baseball players who followed him into
the Major Leagues.
Sigmund Freud - Kathleen Krull, (978-0670058921) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 1080, ESL level: 4-5
Sigmund Freud originated the theory of the id, ego, and superego, and pioneered the practice of
psychoanalysis.
So You Want to Be President? - Judith St. George, (978-0399234071) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-12, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3-4
This book discusses the characteristics of former U.S. Presidents as well as the requirements
for having the job.
Stand Tall Abe Lincoln - Judith St. George, (978-0399241741) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 660, ESL level: 2-3
Abe Lincoln's early life had a great influence on the leader he became.
The Tallest Tree - Sandra Belton, (978-0060527501) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3-4
A group of neighborhood boys who hear about Paul Robeson work to reclaim the older town
theater building in honor of Robeson's life.
Ted Kennedy: Lion of the Senate - George Stanley, (978-1416990413) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 1170, ESL level: 4
Kennedy's biography highlights his 46 years in the U.S. Senate and his childhood growing up in
an influential family.
The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss - Kathleen
Krull, (978-0375822988) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-6, Lexile: 950, ESL level: 4
Dr. Seuss' early life gives clues to his eventual smashing success as an innovator in children's
literature and illustration.
Theodore - Frank Keating, (978-0689865329) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-6, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 3-4
Enjoy reading about Theodore Roosevelt's life beginning with his important childhood.
Through My Eyes: Ruby Bridges - Ruby Bridges, (978-0590189231) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 3-4
Ruby Bridges tells the story of her elementary years in her own words, focusing on her
leadership in integrating New Orleans schools.
The Tree of Life - Peter Sis, (978-0374456283) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-12, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 4
Readers learn about Darwin's life and accomplishments, including being the originator of the
theory of natural selection, by viewing Darwin's journals and other writings.
The Voice That Challenged a Nation - Russell Freedman, (547-480342) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-12, Lexile: 1180, ESL level: 4
Marian Anderson's writings and accounts from journalism and personal sources create a vivid
picture of this woman who crusaded for African American artist rights.
When Washington Crossed the Delaware - Lynn Cheney, (978-1442444232) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 3
George Washington changed history by proving to be a valuable leader as he assisted his men
to cross the Delaware and beat the British.
Who Was Steve Jobs? - Pam Pollack, (978-0448462110) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 660, ESL level: 2-3
Steve Jobs, along with another man, founded the Apple Company and revolutionized the
computer industry.
Wilma Unlimited - Kathleen Krull, (978-0152020989) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3-4
Wilma Rudolph, an African-American, overcame the challenges of a low birth weight, childhood
polio, and having to wear a leg brace to become one of the fastest women runners, winning 3
Olympic Gold medals at the same games.
Wise Guy: The Life and Philosophy of Socrates - Mark David Usher, (978-0374312497) ,
Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-12, Lexile: 1060, ESL level: 5
This book shows how Socrates developed the method of questioning that he believed led to
wisdom and insight.
The Yellow Star - Carmen Agra Deedy, (978-1561452088) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 550, ESL level: 2-3
This book tells the story of Christian X who led the Danish resistance to the Reich during the
World War II years.
Middle School to Young Adult Books
Andy Warhol: Prince of Pop - Jan Greenberg, (978-0385732758) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 1120, ESL level: 4-5
Andy Warhol left behind his beginnings in poverty to become a Pop culture leader, creating art,
films, and a leftist magazine.
Anne Frank's Tales from the Secret Annex - Anne Frank, (978-0553586381) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 950, ESL level: 4
This book includes Anne Frank's other notebooks which, in addition to her famous diary, provide
insights into her person, the Jewish situation in WWII, and her writing talent.
Barak Obama: The Comic Book Biography - Jeff Mariotte, (978-1600105302) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, ESL level: 3-4
This book covers Obama's life from childhood until the first 100 days of his first term as
President in comic book form.
Carver: A Life in Poems - Marilyn Nelson, (978-1886910539) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 4
This poetry collection offers an insider's view of George Washington Carver, his
accomplishments, inventions, and companions.
The Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank , (978-0553296983) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 1080, ESL level: 4
Anne Frank's actual diary, recovered after the war, reveals what it was like to grow up a Jew in
hiding in Holland during WWII.
E.E. Cummings: A Poet's Life - Catherine Reef, (978-0618568499) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 1130, ESL level: 4
E.E. Cummings grew up to be a leader in breaking out of conventional poetry style when he
wrote with no capital letters and illustrated some of his own work.
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens, (978-0486415864) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, ESL level: 4
The life of Pip includes beginning as a child living in poverty and being sponsored by an
eccentric but wealthy woman with a mysterious adopted daughter.
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott, (978-1593081089) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1300, ESL level: 4
This book's contents reveal many of the details of Louisa May Alcott's life with her nontraditional family.
Wake Up Our Souls: A Celebration of Black American Artists - Tonya Bolden, (9780810945272) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 1190, ESL level: 4
This book provides a history of black artists beginning in the times of slavery.
Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath - Stephanie Hemphill, (978-0375837999) ,
Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, ESL level: 4
Sylvia Plath's life in fictional form reveals her childhood problems, her marriage, her writing, and
her battle with thoughts of suicide.
Books for Mature Teens and Adults
The Agony and The Ecstasy - Irving Stone , (978-0451213235) , Fiction
Interest level: 9-12, ESL level: 4
This sweeping novel portray's the life of one of history's greatest artist, Michelangelo, as well as
vividly painting a picture of the artistic ferment of the Italian Renaissance.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin - Benjamin Franklin, (978-0486290737) , Nonfiction
Interest level: 8-12, ESL level: 4
This autobiography covers Franklin's life, thoughts, inventions, and ideas.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X - Malcolm X, (978-0141185439) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, ESL level: 4
Malcolm X shared the story of his growing up in Harlem, his interest in African-American social
power, and his participation in beginning the Black Power movement.
Dreams from My Father - Barack Obama, (978-1400082773) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 8-12, ESL level: 4
President Obama writes candidly about his unusual upbringing in Hawaii, his struggles to find
himself despite his father's domineering mien, his early work as a community organizer, and his
development as a political leader and writer.
Gandhi: The Story of My Experiment with Truth - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, (9781463694876) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 7-12, ESL level: 4
Gandhi's autobiography includes the events of his beginnings as a humble civil servant to being
the first leader of the modern India, as well as his philosophy of non-violence and love.
Impatient Optimist: Bill Gates in His Own Words - Bill Gates, (978-1932841718) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 9-12, ESL level: 4
Bill Gates, the founder of the Microsoft empire, lead the world to its present state of computer
love, insisting on the importance of developing software and predicting the rise of personal
computing.
A Lust for Life - Irving Stone, (978-0452262492) , Fiction
Interest level: 9-12, ESL level: 4
This fictionalized account of Van Gogh's tortured life includes information about his relationship
with his brother and with other impressionist painters as well as details about his mental
problems which resulted in his cutting off his own ear and later, committing suicide.
The Moon and Sixpence - W. Somerset Maugham, (978-1477639795) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, ESL level: 4
This fictionalized account of Gauguin's life begins with Charles Strickland as a banker whose
artistic yearnings lead him to abandon his family and life in England for Paris and Tahiti where
he creates original works.
Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson, (978-1451648539) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 10-12, Lexile: 1080, ESL level: 4
Steve Jobs, along with another man, founded the Apple Company and revolutionized the
computer industry.