Biographies for Children by Kathleen Krull

Newly revised for 2011

Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought)
Lives of Presidents The President of the United States has always been in the public eye--but do we know these men as well as we think we do? What were they like as fathers, husbands, and neighbors? What did they do for fun, what were their favorite foods, and how did they take care of their hair? Other books focus on the historical achievements of those who have occupied our country's highest office--Lives of the Presidents looks instead at their bad habits, silly nicknames, and strange pets, examining their high points, low points, and times in between. Even the most avid presidential buff may make new discoveries, and those who think the presidents are dull are sure to find some surprises.

“The entertaining gossipy style remains unaltered….It is the new information on our most recent presidents (learning, for instance, that President Obama has read all seven Harry Potter novels with his girls) that makes this worthwhile.”
--Horn Book

“The author's combination of concisely presented facts and fascinating anecdotes remains inviting and informative, as she delves beyond each leader's public persona to show him as a regular human being. For example, Bush got into trouble in the fourth grade for "inking sideburns, a beard, and a mustache on his face," and Obama was brought "back to earth" after winning the Nobel Peace Prize by his daughters, who told him that "the day of the announcement was also the birthday of their Portuguese water dog, Bo, not to mention the start of a three-day weekend….Containing enough information to fuel short reports and satisfy history buffs, this book also makes an entertaining classroom read-aloud.”
--School Library Journal

Lives of the Athletes: Thrills, Spills (and What the Neighbors Thought)

Babe Ruth was the worlds greatest slugger—and off the field snacked on pickled eels and chocolate ice cream. Johnny Weissmuller swam to Olympic fame—and on land practiced the Tarzan yell. Babe Didrikson Zaharias won eighty-two golf tournaments—and when she beat a man, she gloated, “And me just a little old gal!”
Almost everybody can reel off stats about a famous athlete, but few fans know the person behind the trophies and medals. Lives of the Athletes: Thrills, Spills (and What the Neighbors Thought) tells more than just the physical achievements of twenty groundbreaking athletes. What did they like to eat, to drink, to wear? What childhood games did they play? How did they handle fame and fortune? Avid fans and sports phobics alike will relish this collection of fears, habits, quirks, and what the neighbors found to gossip about.

Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought)
Lives of Artists

Most people can name some famous artists and recognize their best-known works. But what's behind all that painting, drawing, and sculpting? What was Leonardo da Vinci’s snack of choice while he painted Mona Lisa's mysterious smile? Why did Georgia O’Keeffe find bones so appealing? Who called Diego Rivera “Frog-Face”? And what is it about artists that makes both their work and their lives so fascinating—to themselves, to their curious neighbors, and to all of us?
   Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) presents the humor and the tragedy in twenty artists’ lives as no biography has done before. Kathleen Krull’s scrupulously researched text strikes a warm and chatty tone, offering juicy tidbits along with the basic facts. Kathryn Hewitt’s full-color illustrations reveal everything from laugh lines to fashion sense, as well as visual clues to some of the artists’ trademark styles and famous works.
   Come along on this fly-on-the-wall tour, across centuries and continents, and discover why the neighbors of the world's greatest artists have had so much to whisper about.
   Follow the artists' links on the Cast of Characters page to SEE the artwork!

Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought)

Shakespeare wrote with a feather quill and ink; Emily Dickinson wrote with a fountain pen; Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote on a Yiddish typewriter. But what did such writers do when they weren't writing? What did Jane Austen eat for breakfast? What could make Mark Twain throw his shirts out the window? Why would Zora Neale Hurston punch a fellow elevator passenger? Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought) tells all that and more, including plenty about writing, how these writers viewed the world of literature—and how their neighbors viewed them.
In this companion to the highly praised Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought), Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt offer the inside scoop on twenty literary luminaries. Even famous writers are real people with odd habits, secret hopes, dismal failure, and wild successes; Lives of the Writers reveals it all with wit and style.

Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought)
Lives of Musicians

It's no secret that Beethoven went deaf, that Mozart had constant money problems, and that Gilbert and Sullivan wrote musicals. But what were these people—and other famous musicians—really like? What did they eat? What did they wear? How did they spend their time? What were they like as children? What were their phobias, obsessions, and bad habits? And what did their neighbors think of it all?
Here are the fascinating and often humorous stories of twenty famous musicians—people of all shapes, sizes, temperaments, and lifestyles, from various countries and historical periods, beginning with Vivaldi and ending with Woody Guthrie. Accompanied by brilliant caricatures, Lives of the Musicians will appeal to those who love music, to those who like to hear the story behind a famous name, and to just about everyone else.
Follow the musicians' links on the Cast of Characters page to HEAR the music!

Audiobooks
Please visit Audio Bookshelf to order audiobooks or CD’s for Women, Presidents, Musicians, Writers, Artists, and Pirates.

All written by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt, and published by Harcourt
All “Lives of” artwork copyright © by Kathryn Hewitt. Published by Harcourt, Inc. and reproduced with permission. All rights reserved.