Gift-giving season is upon us.  And the approach of winter with its shorter days and chillier weather conjures images of curling up in a comfy chair with a new book.  The last few years have seen an explosion of picture book biographies that are inspirational narrative nonfiction, written like a story, beautifully illustrated, appropriate for a wide age span of kids, and very popular.

For the athlete on your list, “Growing Up Pedro” by Maine author and illustrator Matt Tavares recounts how a boy from the Dominican Republic made his dream of playing in the major leagues come true and pitched the Red Sox to the World Series.

For swimmers and budding oceanographers, “Shark Lady” by Jess Keating is the true story of how Eugenie Clark became the ocean’s most fearless scientist at a time when many people felt woman should not be scientists. She taught the world that sharks were admirable, not ugly and scary.

Have any young artists needing a gift?  Try “World of Glass: The Art of Dale Chihuly” by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. Chihully, the most celebrated glass artist in the world, thought he’d become an interior designer until one night when he casually blew some molten glass through a pipe and watched a small bubble form.  He was hooked on creating colorful, distinctive glass pieces that are in museums and botanical gardens all around the world.

For aspiring astronauts, “The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon” by Dean Robbins is the true story of Alan Bean, an astronaut aboard the Apollo 12 mission and the fourth person to walk on the moon.  When he returned to Earth, he painted what he saw so others could see the beauty and magic he had experienced 240,000 miles away.

Aspiring dancers will enjoy “Rudolf Nureyev” by Vegara, which recounts the life of the renowned Russian ballet dancer.  Raised in poverty, at five his mother carried him to school because he had no shoes. But his mother did manage to buy a single ticket to a ballet and Rudolf was captivated.  Although his father did not think a boy should be a ballet dancer, Rudolf persisted.

Budding historians and feminists will enjoy “The Only Woman in the Photo: Frances Perkins and Her New Deal for America” by Kathleen Krull. Shy as a child, but mindful of her grandmother’s encouragement to always challenge herself, Frances was chosen by President Franklin Roosevelt to be the first female secretary of labor and help pull the country out of the Great Depression.

Young scientists will be fascinated by “Stay Curious!, the story of Stephen Hawking,” perhaps the most famous scientist ever, and the brilliant discoveries he made about the universe even though he struggled with a life-threatening illness.

Inspirational, informative, and beautifully illustrated, picture book biographies make a memorable gift.