Biography novel list for students

Autobiography

We love handing over an excellent biography or memoir to the young adult readers we know. Here are some of our favorite recent memoirs and biographies for teens. Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves! Heiligman chronicles the amazing and eccentric lives of the Van Gogh brothers, their relationship with each other, and their work.

Known for her groundbreaking work exposing the mistreatment of patients in an asylum, Nellie Bly did not let the traditional expectations of female reporters stop her from becoming a pioneering journalist. Written in verse, Engle shares the tension of living between two worlds, Cuba and Los Angeles.

Children's biography picture books

Lowery shares her experience as the youngest marcher fighting for civil rights alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Gymnast Simone Biles shares her personal journey from foster care to Olympic gold medalist. After witnessing the murders of her mother and younger sister, Sandra Uwiringiyimana escaped a refugee camp in the Congo and immigrated to America.

She survived and healed through art and activism. Abdul-Jabbar shares how he overcame setbacks and difficulties to become a leader on and off the court. Lost on a train at age five, homeless, and then placed in an orphanage, Brierley shares the story of how he spent years wondering about his life, searching for his home, and finally finding it.

The lives of two teens from very different neighborhoods are forever changed and bound together by a horrific crime. What are your favorite biographies for teens?