Biography picture books for 3rd grade

Buy it: Dragons in a Bag series on Amazon. In each title, a girl in distress receives a magic bracelet in the mail that promises to grant wishes. Buy it: Best Wishes series on Amazon. Harriet Wermer loves to puzzle over mysteries during her summer stay on Marble Island. She also, it turns out, tends to stretch the truth … often. This can make it hard to get adults to listen to her.

Share these titles with your third graders who love relatable, endearing characters. Buy it: Just Harriet series on Amazon. This series stars third graders Violet and Pablo as they take science-themed adventures that include transport by magical science instruments to a challenge-filled Maker Maze, a guide that reminds us of Miss Frizzle, and fun project directions for home.

As a neuroscientist and a mom, this author knows what will get kids excited about reading and science! Buy it: Magnificent Makers series on Amazon. A father-daughter pair navigates a Paris art heist in this fast-moving story packed with tons of interesting background information for kids. It would also be a popular chapter book for a class read-aloud.

Buy it: Julieta and the Diamond Enigma on Amazon. These sweet stories will take students to small-town Texas, where 9-year-old Mya navigates the ups and downs of family life and school with plenty of spunk. A great series for a third grade library. This series opener from the author of the popular Yasmin early reader series is ideal for third graders.

In the series opener, Marya is desperate for an over-the-top awesome birthday party like her neighbor Alexa. Buy it: Marya Khan series on Amazon. Marcus takes an after-school film class and starts dreaming of turning his cartoon drawings into a hit movie. These books will have kids wondering: Could they be famous one day? Written by actor and comedian Kevin Hart.

In this engaging and highly readable series, Elliot and Uchenna join their odd teacher, Professor Fauna, on quests to protect mythical creatures. Meet Bat, an unforgettable third grade boy on the autism spectrum, as he tries to show his mom that a baby skunk can be the perfect pet. This new series from a favorite author is readable, quirky, and fun.

Tim, a smart-aleck peasant, finds himself wrapped up in a royal rescue scheme. This could make a great student book club choice. Keep an eye out for the sequel too. Buy it: Once Upon a Tim series on Amazon. This series reflects common childhood dilemmas and drama with fresh-feeling details and plenty of heart. Also check out the Miles Lewis series by the same author.

Buy it: Jada Jones series on Amazon. Your collection of third grade books should definitely include a hysterical crowd-pleaser like this one. A cat launches a space expedition to save the moon from hungry rats. These British imports, recently re-released with updated illustrations, will appeal to students who like wacky humor. He feeds and pets them to let them know they are loved.

The next day more cats come, and then even more! There are too many for Alaa to take care of on his own. Alaa has a big heart, but he will need help from others if he wants to keep all of his new friends safe. He traveled across a vast ocean from China to America with only a suitcase and a few papers. Not papers for drawing—which he loved to do—but immigration papers to start a new life.

Once in America, Tyrus seized every opportunity to make art, eventually enrolling at an art institute in Los Angeles. Working as a janitor at night, his mop twirled like a paintbrush in his hands. Eventually, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime—and using sparse brushstrokes and soft watercolors, Tyrus created the iconic backgrounds of Bambi.

Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki perfectly capture the beautiful life and work of a painter who came to this country with dreams and talent—and who changed the world of animation forever. This Little Golden Book is a compelling introduction to an inspiring woman, written for the youngest readers. From a young age, Ruth Bader Ginsburg knew that she wanted to fight for girls and women to have equal rights.

She studied and worked very hard and became just the second woman—and the first Jewish woman—to be a United States Supreme Court Justice. This is a terrific read for future trailblazers and their parents! Jane Goodall is a celebrated scientist for her studies of chimpanzees in the forests of Africa. Before she observed chimps and helped save them from losing their home, Jane was a curious kid who loved learning about animals.

She showed people that women could be scientists, just like men, and fought to follow her dream of working with wild chimps. Explore how Jane Goodall went from being a young nature lover in England to the most important chimpanzee expert in the world. When Wu Chien Shiung was born in China years ago, most girls did not attend school; no one considered them as smart as boys.

But her parents felt differently. Along the way, she earned the admiration of famous scientists like Enrico Fermi and Robert Oppenheimer and became the first woman hired as an instructor by Princeton University, the first woman elected President of the American Physical Society, the first scientist to have an asteroid named after her when she was still alive, and many other honors.

Simone Biles has been called the greatest gymnast of all time, winning five Olympic and 25 World Champion medals by age Before she wowed the world with her incredible gymnastics skills, Simone was an energetic young girl who dreamed of becoming a top gymnast. She trained for hours every day and made many sacrifices to pursue her goals.

Explore how Simone Biles went from being a kid growing up in Texas to an Olympic athlete who has won more gymnastics medals than anyone in history. Exquisite follows Gwendolyn from early girlhood into her adult life, showcasing her desire to write poetry from a very young age. This picture-book biography explores the intersections of race, gender, and the ubiquitous poverty of the Great Depression—all with a lyrical touch worthy of the subject.

Gwendolyn Brooks was the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize, receiving the award for poetry in And in , she was named the poet laureate of Illinois. A bold artist who from a very young age dared to dream, Brooks will inspire young readers to create poetry from their own lives. Here, he rolled dirt between his fingers to check if plants needed more rain or sun.

He protected roots through harsh winters, so plants could be reborn in the spring. He trimmed flowers, spread soil, studied life cycles. His passion and determination are the seeds to this lasting story about triumph over hardship—a tale that begins in a secret garden. If she felt sad, music cheered her up, and when she was happy, the piano helped her share that joy.

Soon she was writing her own songs and performing in grand cathedrals. Then a revolution in Venezuela forced her family to flee to the United States. Teresa felt lonely in this unfamiliar place, where few of the people she met spoke Spanish. Worst of all, there was fighting in her new home, too—the Civil War. Still, Teresa kept playing, and soon she grew famous as the talented Piano Girl who could play anything from a folk song to a sonata.

Louis Braille was just five years old when he lost his sight. He was a clever boy, determined to live like everyone else, and what he wanted more than anything was to be able to read. Even at the school for the blind in Paris, there were no books for him. And so he invented his own alphabet—a whole new system for writing that could be read by touch.

A system so ingenious that it is still used by the blind community today. Growing up quiet and lonely at the beginning of the twentieth century, Gyo learned from her relatives the ways in which both women and Japanese people lacked opportunity. Her teachers and family believed in her and sent her to art school and later Japan, where her talent flourished.

Finding a new home at the New York Public Library as a bilingual assistant, she turned her popular retellings into libros and spread story seeds across the land. You will find the stories behind the invention of the super soaker, the fascinating life of the first Black ballerina to dance for the American Ballet Theatre, the man behind ramen noodles, and so much more.

Just so you know, we may get a small share of the sales made through affiliate links on this page. Environmental scientist Ken Nedimeyer is working to rebuild coral reefs by hand. The efforts are surprising, involving gluing grafted corals to barren sea floors and tending them. She became an accomplished physicist and the first female instructor at Princeton University, among many other accolades.

She began her library career as a bilingual library assistant, where her Spanish retellings of stories were wildly popular. This is a great STEM title that goes into detail about the mechanics of the balloons as well as delving into the joy they bring to millions each year. She wrote and illustrated the book Babies , which was initially rejected but once published sold nearly 2 million copies.

Mae Jemison was the first Black woman to travel in space. Mae Among the Stars encourages children to follow their dreams no matter what detractors may say. Ernie Barnes grew up in the segregated South. While he was recruited to play football for an all-black university and eventually played in the NFL for the Colts, his true passion was in creating art.

He got his opportunity after leaving the NFL when he was hired as the first official artist for the American Football League. Temple Grandin, who was diagnosed with autism as a young child, has a unique and powerful connection with animals. She has used this connection and the unique way her mind works to improve the lives of farm animals all over the world.

The John J. So the Harvey retired, until a group of friends decided to save it from the scrap heap. Then, one sunny September day in , something so horrible happened that the whole world shook. And a call came from the fire department, asking if the Harvey could battle the roaring flames. In this inspiring true story, Maira Kalman brings a New York City icon to life and proves that old heroes never die.

Now Jessica needs Rescue by her side to help her accomplish everyday tasks. And it turns out that Rescue can help Jessica see after all: a way forward, together, one step at a time. An endnote from the authors tells more about the training and extraordinary abilities of service dogs , particularly their real-life best friend and black lab, Rescue.

Wilson Bentley was always fascinated by snow. In childhood and adulthood, he saw each tiny crystal of a snowflake as a little miracle and wanted to understand them. His parents supported his curiosity and saved until they could give him his own camera and microscope. At the time, his enthusiasm was misunderstood. But with patience and determination, Wilson catalogued hundreds of snowflake photographs, gave slideshows of his findings and, when he was 66, published a book of his photos.

Biography picture books for 3rd grade

His work became the basis for all we know about beautiful, unique snowflakes today. A really interesting biography picture book for the winter months! In , Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war.

A picture-book account of one of the most famous pieces of radio history: the War of the Worlds broadcast. This is a really fun book to talk about evaluating sources and also scary until the reveal. When young Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism , no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in modern science.

Yet, the determined visual thinker did just that. Her unique mind allowed her to connect with animals in a special way, helping her invent groundbreaking improvements for farms around the globe! When Bobbi Gibb saw the Boston Marathon her mind was set-she had to be a part of it. But when the time came to apply for the marathon, she was refused entry.

This picture book tells the true story of how she broke the rules in and how, one step at a time, her grit and determination changed the world. Margaret Hamilton loved numbers as a young girl. She knew how many miles it was to the moon and how many back. She loved studying algebra and geometry and calculus and using math to solve problems in the outside world.

Apollo 8, Apollo 9, Apollo 10 and Apollo Without her code, none of those missions could have been completed. An excellent book about women in STEM! On June 6, , engineer Otis Barton and explorer Will Beebe dove into the ocean inside a hollow metal ball of their own invention called the Bathysphere. They knew dozens of things might go wrong.

A tiny leak could shoot pressurized water straight through the men like bullets! A single spark could cause their oxygen tanks to explode! No one had ever dived lower than a few hundred feet…and come back. But friends Otis and Will were determined to become the first people to see what the deep ocean looks like. Camping by themselves in the uncharted woods, the two men saw sights and held discussions that would ultimately lead to the establishment of our National Parks.

Who was Grace Hopper? A software tester, workplace jester, cherished mentor, ace inventor, avid reader, naval leader—AND rule breaker, chance taker, and troublemaker. As a boy, Alan wanted to fly planes. As a young navy pilot, Alan wished he could paint the view from the cockpit. So he took an art class to learn patterns and forms.

But no class could prepare him for the beauty of the lunar surface some , miles from Earth. In , Alan became the fourth man and first artist on the moon. He took dozens of pictures, but none compared to what he saw through his artistic eyes. When he returned to Earth, he began to paint what he saw.