Who Was / What Was

When kids are ready to move beyond picture books but aren’t quite ready for dense biographies, the Who Was? and What Was? series fills the gap beautifully. These accessible chapter books introduce key figures, events, and landmarks—from artists and scientists to national parks and historical moments—in friendly, illustrated narratives. Created by a team of children’s authors and illustrators, the series is designed to be both readable and information-rich, making it popular for independent reading, reports, and history spines. Parents love that the books are widely available at libraries and used book sales, keeping costs low even for voracious readers. While they can’t replace a full history curriculum, they’re a great way to build background knowledge and spark curiosity; we recommend keeping a small stack around and letting kids choose their next subject.