"Growing up in the late 19th century, Laura Wheeler Waring didn't see any artists who looked like her. She didn't see any paintings of people who looked like her, either. So when she was offered a commission to paint portraits of accomplished African Americans, she jumped at the chance. Writers, singers, political activists, and thinkers all posed for her. Now her portraits hang in Washington, D.C.'s National Portrait Gallery, where children of all...

Discover the man behind the magic and see how Houdini pulled off his most daring escapes Before Harry Houdini (1874-1926) became the greatest magician in the world, he was just little Ehrich Weisz, a Hungarian-born immigrant who moved to America with his family and performed stage tricks for a little extra cash. He started off with card tricks and then eventually began performing the escape acts that would make him famous. Known for his daring and...

"Aaron Philip's memoir chronicles his extraordinary journey from happy baby in Antigua to confident teen artist in New York City. His honest, often funny stories of triumph-- despite physical difficulties, poverty, and other challenges-- are as inspiring as they are eye-opening"--

Presents the story of Lily Renée Wilheim, the Jewish girl who escaped from the Nazis through the Kindertransport operation, leaving her parents behind and traveling alone to England, later becoming a comic book artist in New York.

Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Puerto Rican mother and Haitian father. When he was eight and recovering from a car accident, his mother gave him a copy of Gray's Anatomy, which sparked his interest in the human form. This biography of the world's most famous street artist features a facts and photos section at the back.

"Born in 1452 to a peasant woman and a country gentleman, Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most amazing people who ever lived. He grew up to be a great painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, and inventor. As a boy, Leonardo was apprenticed to a famous artist. But he quickly became more skillful than his teacher, and his passionate interests went far beyond art. Fascinated with the human body, he carried out his own experiments in secret. He filled...

Learn about elephants and how they can paint just like human children in this true story of how Katya Arnold teaches painting to kids in Brooklyn and Asian elephants in Thailand.

Presents the life and accomplishments of the famous artist, scientist, engineer, and inventor.

Recalls a working day in the life of Impressionist painter Claude Monet, when, so absorbed in his attempts to paint a rock formation on the French seashore, he didn't notice the tide coming in and was doused by a large wave, losing his canvas and paints in the process!

Presents a biography of this prolific artist and inventor through projects in cartography, animal art, bird observation, and mask making.