Reading guide
The Who Was? series has more than 240 illustrated biographies, each about 112 pages on one person, written for ages 8–12, grades 3–7. When a reader is ready for more, here is where to go next, especially if the science and invention titles were their favorites.
How Famous in STEM differs from the Who Was? series, for families deciding what comes next.
| Who Was? series | Famous in STEM | |
|---|---|---|
| Written for | Ages 8–12, grades 3–7 (publisher) | Readers 13 and up |
| Each book | One person, about 112 illustrated pages | 20 to 27 people from one field, one short chapter each |
| Subjects | History, science, sports, the arts and more (247 titles) | Science, technology, engineering and math only: 7 books, 161 people |
| The science | Woven into the life story, with sidebars and a timeline | One idea per chapter explained step by step, usually with something to try, notice or think about |
| Publisher | Penguin Workshop (Penguin Random House), originally Grosset & Dunlap, since 2002 | Independent, by Javier Sanz; 2026 editions |
Who Was? facts from the publisher’s series and title pages, checked November 2026.
The people in these Who Was? titles also have chapters in Famous in STEM, alongside 20 or more others from the same field.
If they loved
If they loved
If they loved
If they loved
If they loved
None of these has a book in the Who Was? series (checked November 2026). Each has a chapter in Famous in STEM.
The poet’s daughter who saw what a computer could become
He imagined the computer before anyone could build one
The admiral who taught computers English
The software engineer who gave the Web away
The photograph that showed the shape of life
The chemist who found left-handed molecules
The man who read his own obituary
The girl who dug sea monsters out of a crumbling cliff
The nurse who beat the army with a diagram
The untidy laboratory that saved millions
The summer the swimming pools reopened
Admitted to medical school as a joke
The repairman who noticed where the heat was going
Award-winning true stories and illustrated books pitched between Who Was? and adult nonfiction. For older teens, see the science reading list for teens.
Narrative nonfiction that reads like a spy thriller; a natural step up in length and depth.
Sibert Medal (2013) · Newbery Honor (2013)
The women mathematicians behind NASA’s early flights, told for younger readers.
Stories of the elements and their discoverers, organized around the periodic table.
The young women poisoned by radium paint in watch factories, and their fight in court.
The people and engineering behind Apollo, with richly detailed illustrations.
Sibert Honor (2021)
One illustrated page per scientist: a quick, visual way to meet 50 women in science.
Graphic-novel introductions to one science topic each, such as coral reefs, volcanoes and dinosaurs. Good for reluctant readers.
The publisher lists them for ages 8–12, grades 3–7. Each is a 112-page illustrated biography of one person.
Keep the true stories, and step up in length and depth: narrative nonfiction for ages 10–14 such as Bomb by Steve Sheinkin, young readers’ editions such as Hidden Figures and The Disappearing Spoon, and, for readers who love science, the Famous in STEM books (13 and up), which give each field a whole book of short biographies with the science explained.
Yes, including Who Was Albert Einstein?, Who Was Marie Curie?, Who Was Isaac Newton?, Who Was Charles Darwin?, Who Was Jane Goodall?, Who Was Katherine Johnson? and Who Was Steve Jobs?. Each of those people also has a chapter in Famous in STEM.
No. Famous in STEM is an independent series by Javier Sanz. Who Was? and Who HQ are published by Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Who Was?, Who Is?, Where Is? and Who HQ are trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC. Famous in STEM is independent and not affiliated with Penguin Random House.
Famous in STEM gives each field of science a whole book of short, true stories, written for readers 13 and up.
Famous in STEM
