(This post contains affiliate links, which means I may make a small commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. Thank you!)

I have enjoyed sharing themed book lists for kids on my website over the last couple of years, but I have never made a list as long as this one.

Who knew there were so many different biography series for kids available? And I didn’t even list them all!

In this post, I have listed more than fifteen biography series for kids to choose from and enjoy. Of course, each series contains multiple books, so this list includes over two hundred biography books for kids (and adults).

So many choices!

Some Considerations

I do have some caveats with this list that I’d like to mention before I share the book titles.

First, some books are categorized as biographies, but they don’t contain only facts about that person. I attended a picture book meeting with some other authors earlier this year, and we discussed how frustrating this can be. Sometimes, there may be just a small note in the beginning or at the end of the book that says something about the author taking liberties with the story.

This is especially true when it comes to dialogue since there may not be any documentation showing exactly what someone had said in specific situations. In one book that was categorized as a biography, we learned there wasn’t much known about the subject’s childhood, so the author invented that entire portion (which happened to be the majority of the book). So, with that in mind, the books listed here are categorized as biographies, but there may be some that would be better described as “based on the life of . . .”

You can’t really believe everything you read online or in books, I guess.

Second, everyone has a worldview. You have a worldview. I have a worldview. We all have a worldview. And, oftentimes, those worldviews are incorporated within books like these. Even if it’s unintentional. For example, consider two authors writing about the same person. One author is enamored by that person, but the other author has a strong distaste for that person. Even if they stick to the facts, the way in which they write and how they present the information may vary. It’s just something to keep in mind as you read about different people in books that have been written by different people and published by different companies.

Third, although my daughters and I have enjoyed reading many of these books, I have not personally read them all. So, I am not necessarily recommending all of these books. I simply wanted to share a list of some possible book biography series for kids. Please read them at your own discretion.

Fourth, if there is a particular person’s biography you are looking for, you may want to try using “cntrl” + “f” and type that person’s name in the search bar. I did not list all of the names of the people, though, so if you don’t find the name of the person you are looking for in this post, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the biography series I have listed don’t have a book about that particular person.

Fifth, affiliate links are included for your convenience, so you can easily find more information about many of the books. (I do make a small commission at no extra charge to you if you click on one of those links and make a purchase. I did spend many hours putting together this list, and the only compensation I make is from those purchases, so I do greatly appreciate it! Thank you for your support! Even if you don’t make a purchase, thank you for your support by visiting my website!)

Sixth, all of the Christian book series are marked with an asterisk.*

Seventh, since this post only contains biography series, I do hope to put together a list in the future of single picture book biographies (that are not part of a series). In the meantime, you are welcome to check out some of the other themed book lists I have on my website.

Themed Book Lists

• 10 Fun Alphabet Books
• 10 Books for Young Writers
• 23 Children’s Books with Raccoons
• 18 Children’s Books to Celebrate President’s Day
• 15 Children’s Books about Kindness and Friendship
• 22 Children’s Books about Pumpkins
• 21 Children’s Books About Apples
• 14 Children’s Books About Teachers
• 8 Batty Books
• 25+ Books About Owls
• 14 Children’s Books About Seeds, Plants, and Gardening
• 14 Children’s Books About Flowers
• 55 Children’s Books About Dads
• 8 Children’s Books About Community Helpers
• 10 Cookbooks for Kids

Finally, below is the list of biography book series for kids. They are listed in alphabetical order by series. The books within each list may or may not be listed in any particular order. Books that I saw were numbered were listed by number. Otherwise, I listed the books as I found them (or in order of how the pictures loaded). I may not have found all of the books included within each series. So, some of these series may actually contain more books than I listed here. I still hope this list helps in some way.

Happy reading (and learning)!

Amazing Scientist

Read about Dr. Temple Grandin (The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin), Dr. Patricia Bath (The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath), Raye Montague (The Girl with a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague), and Dr. Ella Ochoa (The Astronaut with a Song for the Stars: The Story of Dr. Ella Ochoa) in the Amazing Scientist series written by Julia Finley Mosca and illustrated by Daniel Rieley.

Christian Heroes: Then & Now*

In Christian Heroes: Then & Now gift set 1-5, you can read about Gladys Aylward (Gladys Aylward: The Adventure of a Lifetime), Nate Saint (Nate Saint: On a Wing and a Prayer), Hudson Taylor (Hudson Taylor: Deep in the Heart of China), Amy Carmichael (Amy Carmichael: Rescuer of Precious Gems), and Corrie ten Boom (Corrie ten Boom: Keeper of Angels Den) written by Janet and Geoff Benge.

In Christian Heroes: Then & Now gift set 6-10, you can read about Eric Liddell (Eric Liddell: Something Greater Than Gold), William Carey (William Carey: Obliged to Go), George Muller (George Muller: The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans), Jim Elliot (Jim Elliot: One Great Purpose), and Mary Slessor (Mary Slessor: Forward into Calabar) written by Janet and Geoff Benge.

In Christian Heroes: Then & Now gift set 11-15, you can read about David Livingstone (David Livingstone: Africa’s Trailblazer), Betty Greene (Betty Greene: Wings to Serve), Adoniram Judson (Adoniram Judson: Bound for Burma), Cameron Townsend (Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language), and Jonathan Goforth (Jonathan Goforth: An Open Door in China) written by Janet and Geoff Benge.

In Christian Heroes: Then & Now gift set 16-20, you can read about Lottie Moon (Lottie Moon: Giving Her All for China), John Williams (John Williams: Messenger of Peace), William Booth (William Booth: Soup, Soap, and Salvation), Rowland Bingham (Rowland Bingham: Into Africa’s Interior), and Ida Scudder (Ida Scudder: Healing Bodies, Touching Hearts) written by Janet and Geoff Benge.

In Christian Heroes: Then & Now gift set 21-25, you can read about Lillian Trasher (Lillian Trasher: The Greatest Wonder in Egypt), Wilfred Grenfell (Wilfred Grenfell: Fisher of Men), Florence Young (Florence Young: Mission Accomplished), Loren Cunningham (Loren Cunningham: Into All the World), and Sundar Singh (Sundar Singh: Footprints Over the Mountains) written by Janet and Geoff Benge.

In Christian Heroes: Then & Now gift set 26-30, you can read about C.T. Studd (C.T. Studd: No Retreat), Rachel Saint (Rachel Saint: A Star in the Jungle), Clarence Jones (Clarence Jones: Mr. Radio), Count Zinzendorf (Count Zinzendorf: Firstfruit), and Brother Andrew (Brother Andrew: God’s Secret Agent) written by Janet and Geoff Benge.

In Christian Heroes: Then & Now gift set 31-35, you can read about Jacob DeShazer (Jacob DeShazer: Forgive Your Enemies), David Bussau (David Bussau: Facing the World Head-on), John Wesley (John Wesley: The World His Parish), C.S. Lewis (C. S. Lewis: Master Storyteller), and Isobel Kuhn (Isobel Kuhn: On the Roof of the World) written by Janet and Geoff Benge.

In Christian Heroes: Then & Now gift set 36-40, you can read about Elisabeth Elliot (Elisabeth Elliot: Joyful Surrender), D.L. Moody (D.L. Moody: Bringing Souls to Christ), Paul Brand (Paul Brand: Helping Hands), Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Dietrich Bonhoeffer: In the Midst of Wickedness), and Francis Asbury (Francis Asbury: Circuit Rider) written by Janet and Geoff Benge.

In Christian Heroes: Then & Now gift set 41-45, you can read about Samuel Zwemer (Samuel Zwemer: The Burden of Arabia), Klaus-Dieter John (Klaus-Dieter John: Hope In the Land Of the Incas), Mildred Cable (Mildred Cable: Through the Jade Gate), John Flynn (John Flynn: Into the Never-Never), and Charles Mulli (Charles Mulli: We Are Family) written by Janet and Geoff Benge.

In Christian Heroes: Then & Now gift set 46-50, you can read about Richard Wurmbrand (Richard Wurmbrand: Love Your Enemies), John Newton (John Newton: Change of Heart), Helen Roseveare (Helen Roseveare: Mama Luka), Norman Grubb (Norman Grubb: Mission Builder), and Albert Schweitzer (Albert Schweitzer: Le Grand Docteur) written by Janet and Geoff Benge.

For more buying options, check out Rainbow Resource Center (not an affiliate link).

DK Life Stories

Read about Jane Goodall, Jesse Owens, Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart, Ada Lovelace, Nelson Mandela, Leonardo da Vinci, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., Helen Keller, Anne Frank, Katherine Johnson, Queen Elizabeth II, Gandhi, Alexander Hamilton, and Florence Nightingale in the DK Life Stories series.

For more buying options, check out Rainbow Resource Center (not an affiliate link).

Do Great Things for God*

Read about Corrie ten Boom (Corrie ten Boom: The Courageous Woman and The Secret Room), Betsey Stockton (Betsey Stockton: The Girl With a Missionary Dream), Gladys Aylward (Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman With a Big Dream), and Betty Greene (Betty Greene: The Girl Who Longed to Fly) in the Do Great Things for God series written by Laura Caputo-Wickham.

Food Heroes

Read about Alice Waters (Alice Waters and the Trip to Delicious), Roy Choi (Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix), and Will Allen (Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table) in the Food Heroes series written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin.

Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists

Read about the following artists in this series: Eugene Delacroix, James McNeill Whistler, Henri Rousseau, Camille Pissarro, Alexander Calder, Horace Pippin, Rene Magritte, Dorothea Lange, Titian, Francisco Goya, Winslow Homer, Frederic Remington, Giotto, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Edward Hopper, Grandma Moses, Raphael, Jacob Lawrence, Paul Gauguin, Marc Chagall, Roy Lichtenstein, Faith Ringgold, El Greco, Pieter Bruegel, Paul Klee, Sandro Boticelli, Diego Rivera, Georges Seurat, Johannes Vermeer, Henri Matisse, Norman Rockwell, Grant Wood, Paul Cezanne, Salvador Dali, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Frida Kahlo, Mary Cassatt, Edgar Degas, Georgia O’Keeffe, Rembrandt, Leonardo Da Vinci, Claude Monet, Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent Van Gogh.

For more buying options, check out Rainbow Resource Center (not an affiliate link).

Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Composers

Read about the following composers in this series: Frederic Chopin, Leonard Bernstein, Igor Stravinsky, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, Ludwig Van Beethoven, George Handel, PeterTchaikovsky, John Philip Sousa, and Johann Sebastian Bach.

For more buying options, check out Rainbow Resource Center (not an affiliate link).

Heroes of History for Young Readers*

Read about Meriwether Lewis (Meriwether Lewis: Journey Across America), George Washington Carver (George Washington Carver: America’s Scientist), George Washington (George Washington: America’s Patriot), Daniel Boone (Daniel Boone: Bravery on the Frontier), Louis Zamperini (Louis Zamperini: Survivor and Champion), Laura Ingalls Wilder (Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Little House Life), and Clara Barton (Clara Barton: Courage to Serve) in the Heroes of History for Young Readers series published by YWAM Publishing.

Lightkeepers*

The Lightkeepers Boys Box Set includes the following books:

• Ten Boys Who Changed the World: Brother Andrew; John Newton; Billy Graham; Eric Liddell; William Carey; David Livingstone; Nicky Cruz; Adoniram Judson; George Muller; and Luis Palau
• Ten Boys Who Used Their Talents: Wilfred Grenfell; C.S. Lewis; James Clerk Maxwell; Ghillean Prance; Paul Brand; Johann Sebastian Bach; Samuel Morse; George Washington Carver; C.T. Studd; and John Bunyan
• Ten Boys Who Made History: Samuel Rutherford; John Owen; Jonathan Edwards; George Whitefield; Robert Murray McCheyne; Dwight L. Moody; Billy Sunday; Charles H. Spurgeon; Aiden W. Tozer; and Martyn Lloyd–Jones
• Ten Boys Who Didn’t Give In: Polycarp; Alban; Sir John Oldcastle; Thomas Cranmer; George Wishart; James Chalmers’ Dietrich Bonhoeffer; Nate Saint; Ivan Moiseyev; and Graham Staines
• Ten Boys Who Made a Difference: Augustine of Hippo; Jan Hus; Martin Luther; Ulrich Zwingli; William Tyndale; Hugh Latimer; John Calvin; John Knox; Lord Shaftesbury; and Thomas Chalmers

The Lightkeepers Girls Box Set includes the following books:

• Ten Girls Who Changed the World: Isobel Kuhn; Mary Slessor; Joni Eareckson; Corrie Ten Boom; Evelyn Brand; Gladys Aylward; Jackie Pullinger; Amy Carmichael; Elizabeth Fry; and Catherine Booth
• Ten Girls Who Used Their Talents: Anne Lawson; Selina Countess of Huntingdon; Mildred Cable; Katie Ann Mackinnon; Sarah Edwards; Patricia St John; Helen Roseveare; Harriet Beecher Stowe; Mary Verghese; and Maureen McKenna
• Ten Girls Who Made History: Mary Jane Kinnaird; Emma Dryer; Florence Nightingale; Lottie Moon; Ida Scudder; Jeanette Li; Henrietta Mears; Bessie Adams; Betty Greene; and Elisabeth Elliot
• Ten Girls Who Didn’t Give In: Blandina; Perpetua; Lady Jane Grey; Anne Askew; Lysken Dirks; Marion Harvey; Margaret Wilson; Judith Weinberg; Betty Stam; and Esther John)
• Ten Girls Who Made a Difference: (Monica of Thagaste; Katherine Luther; Susanna Wesley; Ann Judson; Maria Taylor; Susannah Spurgeon; Bethan Lloyd–Jones; Edith Schaeffer; Sabina Wurmbrand; and Ruth Bell Graham

Little Lights*

In Little Lights box set 1, you can read about Amy Carmichael (Amy Carmichael: Can brown eyes be made blue?), Hudson Taylor (Hudson Taylor: Could somebody pass the salt?), Corrie ten Boom (Corrie Ten Boom: Are all of the watches safe?), George Muller (George Müller: Does money grow on trees?), and Helen Roseveare (Helen Roseveare: What’s in the parcel?).

In Little Lights box set 2, you can read about David Livingstone (David Livingstone: Who is the bravest?), John Calvin (John Calvin: What is the truth?), Martin Luther (Martin Luther: What should I do?), Eric Liddell (Eric Liddell: Are you ready?), and Mary Slessor (Mary Slessor: What is it like?).

In Little Lights box set 3, you can read about C. S. Lewis (C.S. Lewis: Can you imagine?), Gladys Aylward (Gladys Aylward: Are you going to stop?), Lottie Moon (Lottie Moon: What do you need?), John Knox (John Knox: Who will save you?) and Charles Spurgeon (Charles Spurgeon: Who Is the Greatest?).

On My Own Biographies

Read about Booker T. Washington, Aunt Clara Brown (Aunt Clara Brown: Official Pioneer), Martha Washington, Alexander Graham Bell, Nathan Hale (Nathan Hale: Patriot Spy), Laura Ingalls Wilder, Leif Eriksson, Florence Nightingale, Jackie Robinson, and Pocahontas in this series.

Ordinary People Change the World

In the Ordinary People Change the World series written by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos, you can read about Malala Yousafzai, Oprah Winfrey, I. M. Pei, Frida Kahlo, Benjamin Franklin, Anne Frank, Leonardo da Vinci, Walt Disney, Marie Curie, George Washington, Jane Goodall, Sacagawea, Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller, Rosa Parks, Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart, Abraham Lincoln, and more.

Activities and guides are available for this series here.

The Story of: A Biography Series for New Readers

Read about Thomas Jefferson, Katherine Johnson, Misty Copeland, Benjamin Franklin, Michelle Obama, Eliza Hamilton, Jim Henson, Jackie Robinson, Princess Diana, Martin Luther King Jr., Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, the Wright Brothers, Barack Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Alexander Hamilton, Malala Yousafzai, Amelia Earhart, Harriet Tubman, Fred Rogers, Helen Keller, John Lewis, Gandhi, Kamala Harris, Ruby Bridges, Nelson Mandela, Neil Armstrong, Leonardo Da Vinci, Frida Kahlo, Simone Biles, George Washington, Marie Curie, Jane Goodall, Anne Frank, and Stan Lee in this series for young readers.

Trailblazer Books*

There are forty books available in the Trailblazer Books series. I have not listed them all, but you can see the full list here.

There are curriculum guides (free at this time) available to go along with the following people (and books): Amy Carmichael (The Hidden Jewel: Introducing Amy Carmichael), Harriet Tubman (Listen for the Whippoorwill: Introducing Harriet Tubman), Martin Luther (Spy for the Night Riders: Introducing Martin Luther), Nate Saint (The Fate of the Yellow Woodbee: Introducing Nate Saint), George Müller (The Bandit of Ashley Downs: Introducing George Müller), David Livingstone (Escape from the Slave Traders: Introducing David Livingstone), Florence Nightingale (The Drummer Boy’s Battle: Introducing Florence Nightingale), and Hudson Taylor (Shanghaied to China: Introducing Hudson Taylor).

See the full list of books from the Trailblazer Books series here (not an affiliate link).

Trailblazers*

In Trailblazers box set 1, you can read about the following evangelists and pioneers: Billy Bray (Billy Bray: Saved From the Deepest Pit), Bill Bright (Bill Bright: Dare to be Different), Billy Graham (Billy Graham: Just get up out of your Seat), David Brainerd (David Brainerd: A Love for the Lost), and Joni Eareckson Tada (Joni Eareckson Tada: Swimming Against the Tide).

In Trailblazers box set 2, you can read about the following missionaries and medics: John G. Paton (John G. Paton: South Sea Island Rescue), Amy Carmichael (Amy Carmichael: Rescuer By Night), Adoniram Judson (Adoniram Judson: Danger on the Streets), Hudson Taylor (Hudson Taylor: An Adventure Begins), and Paul Brand (Paul Brand: The Shoes That Love Made).

In Trailblazers box set 3, you can read about the following preachers and teachers: John Stott, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Charles Spurgeon, George Whitefield, and Johnathan Edwards.

In Trailblazers box set 4, you can read about the following reformers and activists: John Knox, John Calvin, William Wilberforce, John Welch, and John Newton.

In Trailblazers box set 5, you can read about the following heroes and heroines: Corrie ten Boom, Brother Andrew, Richard Wurmbrand, George Müller, and Eric Lidell.

In Trailblazers box set 6, you can read about the following people in these books about arts and science: Michael Faraday, John Bunyan, Fanny Crosby, C.S. Lewis, and Patricia St. John.

In Trailblazers box set 7, you can read about the following American trailblazers: Jim Elliot, Elisabeth Elliot, Betty Greene, D. L. Moody, and Lottie Moon.

Trailblazers

Read about Lin-Manuel Miranda (Trailblazers: Lin-Manuel Miranda: Raising Theater to New Heights), Amelia Earhart (Trailblazers: Amelia Earhart: First Woman Over the Atlantic), Martin Luther King Jr. (Trailblazers: Martin Luther King, Jr.: Fighting for Civil Rights), J.K. Rowling (Trailblazers: J.K. Rowling: Behind the Magic), Stephen Hawking (Trailblazers: Stephen Hawking: A Life Beyond Limits), Simone Biles (Trailblazers: Simone Biles: Golden Girl of Gymnastics), Albert Einstein (Trailblazers: Albert Einstein: The Greatest Mind in Physics), Beyoncé (Trailblazers: Beyoncé: Queen of the Spotlight), Neil Armstrong (Trailblazers: Neil Armstrong: First Man on the Moon), Jackie Robinson (Trailblazers: Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers in Baseball), Harriet Tubman (Trailblazers: Harriet Tubman: A Journey to Freedom), and Jane Goodall (Trailblazers: Jane Goodall: A Life with Chimps) in this Trailblazers series.

Who Was/ Who Is

I included pictures for 48 books from the Who Was? series, but there are over 200 titles available. You can see the list of titles here on the Penguin Random House website.

There is also a What is the Story of? series (found here) and a What Was? series (found here) and a Where Is? series (found here) that offer even more information about a variety of topics and places.

I searched for a while but have had trouble finding box sets for the Who Was? series. The only box set I found on Amazon is this What Is? America box set, which includes the following twenty-five books (with a mixture of books from the Who Was? series, Where Is? series, and What Was? series).

1. What Was the First Thanksgiving?
2. What Was the Boston Tea Party?
3. Who Was George Washington?
4. What Is the Declaration of Independence?
5. What Is the Constitution?
6. Where Is the White House?
7. What Is the Statue of Liberty?
8. What Was the Lewis and Clark Expedition?
9. What Was the Underground Railroad?
10. Who Was Abraham Lincoln?
11. What Was the Battle of Gettysburg?
12. Who Was Sojourner Truth?
13. Who Was Sitting Bull?
14. What Was the Wild West?
15. Where Is the Grand Canyon?
16. Where Is Mount Rushmore?
17. Who Was Amelia Earhart?
18. What Was the Great Depression?
19. Who Was Eleanor Roosevelt?
20. What Was Pearl Harbor?
21. What Was the March on Washington?
22. Who Was Neil Armstrong?
23. Who Was Cesar Chavez?
24. What Is the Women’s Rights Movement?
25. What Were the Twin Towers?

Obviously, I did not include individual links for all of the books in this series, but I hope the links and pictures I did provide help guide you in the right direction if you want more information about them.

Please share any other recommendations for book biography series in the comments below.