There’s a Who Was? Book for That
by the Brightly Editors
With their instantly recognizable bobblehead style illustrations, accessible text, and fascinating facts, the bestselling Who Was? series has become a go-to for curious kids everywhere. Produced at an impressive pace, and covering people, places, and events both historical and timely, the series now claims near 200 titles. For so many interesting individuals, remarkable locations, and moments in history — from Alexander Hamilton to Serena Williams, the Wild West to the Great Pyramids — there is a Who Was? book to match. Here are just some of the many things to tap into via its pages.
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To unleash your inner musician:
Flip open the pages and rock out with some of the coolest performers and bands in history. Get a little bit country with Dolly Parton and move to the music of rock and roll. Put on your blue suede shoes with Elvis Presley and belt out some Latin music with Selena.
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Who Were the Beatles?
Also available from: Who Was Louis Armstrong?
Also available from: Who Is Bruce Springsteen?
Also available from: Who Was Selena?
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Who Is Dolly Parton?
Also available from: Who Was Elvis Presley?
Also available from: Who Is Bono?
Also available from: What Is Rock and Roll?
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To learn about our Founding Fathers:
Did you know that Alexander Hamilton founded The New York Post? Or that Ben Franklin was a man of so many talents that some people thought he had magical powers? Discover all kinds of interesting facts, and learn about key moments in our nation’s history, as you explore the lives of the Founding Fathers.
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Who Was Thomas Jefferson?
Also available from: Who Was Ben Franklin?
Also available from: Who Was George Washington?
Also available from: Who Was Alexander Hamilton?
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To get your creative juices flowing:
Art history is full of different colors, mediums, shapes, and sizes! Young art enthusiasts will be thrilled to get to know a variety of groundbreaking artists, like these major players behind Impressionism, Cubism, self-portraiture, and Pop Art.
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Who Was Claude Monet?
Also available from: Who Was Pablo Picasso?
Also available from: Who Was Frida Kahlo?
Also available from: Who Was Andy Warhol?
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Who Was Norman Rockwelll?
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For when you're sipping tea with a queen ... or princess:
Readers can get a little closer to royalty with these books about powerful regal women in history. Jump back to 1558 when Elizabeth I was crowned queen at age 25 or learn why Lady Diana was called the People’s Princess.
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Who Was Queen Elizabeth?
Also available from: Who Was Queen Victoria?
Also available from: Who Was Marie Antoinette?
Also available from: Who Was Princess Diana?
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To learn more about your favorite MVPs:
From “The Greatest” boxer Muhammad Ali to tennis superstar sisters Venus and Serena Williams, the world of sports is brimming with legendary figures. Dive into the action with these athletic icons, frontrunners and underdogs alike, from both past and present.
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Who Is Pele?
Also available from: Who Is Derek Jeter?
Also available from: Who Was Jesse Owens?
Also available from: Who Was Muhammad Ali?
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Who Are Venus and Serena Williams?
Also available from: Who Was Roberto Clemente?
Also available from: Who Is Wayne Gretzky?
Also available from: Who Is Michael Jordan
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For when you're feeling inventive:
There is no shortage of ingenious individuals in history — and in the Who Was? book collection. Light up a room with Thomas Edison, give Alexander Graham Bell a call, or fly away with the Wright Brothers. Their inventions may just inspire one of your own!
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Who Was Thomas Alva Edison?
Also available from: Who Was Alexander Graham Bell?
Also available from: Who Was Louis Braille?
Also available from: Who Were the Wright Brothers?
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For fans of the name "Milton":
What do chocolate bars and board games have in common? They were both created by men named Milton. And since chocolate and board games are probably two of your kids’ favorite things, these guys are basically their heroes!
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Who Was Milton Bradley?
Also available from: Who Was Milton Hershey?
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For sailing off on an adventure:
Inspire young explorers by reading about these famous ones! Dive into the deep blue sea with Jacques Cousteau or set off on a treacherous journey to the Spice Islands with Ferdinand Magellan.
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Who Was Jacques Cousteau?
Also available from: Who Was Ferdinand Magellan?
Also available from: Who Was Marco Polo?
Also available from: Who Was Christopher Columbus?
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To help you feel like a boss:
Leaders all got their start somewhere — a farm, a garage, breeding parakeets! Future entrepreneurs can tap into the creativity, perseverance, and out-of-the-box thinking that rocketed titans of industry like Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, and Henry Ford to the top. Late-night tinkering may follow!
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Who Was Henry Ford?
Also available from: Who Is Richard Branson?
Also available from: Who Is Bill Gates?
Also available from: Who Was Steve Jobs?
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To stand against injustice:
Inform and inspire young readers with these powerful stories of incredible people who risked their lives by taking a stand for peace, equality, and the right to pursue their dreams — and ultimately changed the world for the better.
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Who Was Gandhi
Also available from: Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen?
Also available from: Who Was Nelson Mandela?
Also available from: Who Is Malala Yousafzai?
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Who Was Susan B. Anthony?
Also available from: What Was the March on Washington?
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For exploring some of the Wonders of the World:
Travel around the world from the comfort of your couch. Discover the Great Barrier Reef, scale Everest, take a look at the mummies inside the Great Pyramids, and marvel at the Grand Canyon. The world is full of wonders way beyond your own front door just waiting to be explored.
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Where Is the Great Barrier Reef?
Also available from: Where Is the Tower of London?
Also available from: Where Is Mount Everest?
Also available from: Where Is the Eiffel Tower?
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Where Is Area 51?
Also available from: Where Is the Grand Canyon?
Also available from: Where Are the Great Pyramids?
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To live like a frontiersman:
See what life was like in the Wild West, complete with cowboys, gunslingers, pioneers, and “forty-niners” searching for gold. Get a feel for this crazy, harried, and formative time in American history — dust included!
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What Was the Wild West?
Also available from: What Was the Gold Rush?
Also available from: Who Was Davy Crockett?
Also available from: Who Was Daniel Boone
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For weathering natural disasters:
Mother Nature is often the force that leaves the biggest mark on history. Read about the natural disasters that time will not forget and see how cities were shaped and changed by them. From the ashes of Pompeii to the flooding in New Orleans, young readers will be fascinated by these gripping accounts.
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What Was Pompeii?
Also available from: What Was Hurricane Katrina?
Also available from: What Was the San Francisco Earthquake?
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Check out all the books in the Who Was…?, What Was…?, and Where Is…? series collections. With over 250 books and counting, there really is a Who Was…? book for that!