Who Was...?/Who Is...? Books in Order
Who Was...?/Who Is...? is a 9-book series by Janet B. Pascal for ages 9–12, at a grades 5–6 reading level, with gentle to moderate content (HootRated intensity 1–3 out of 5).
- Books
- 9
- By publication date
- Content intensity
- Gentle to moderate
- HootRated 1–3 out of 5 · avg 1.4
Who Was...?/Who Is...? Reading Order
Series numbers aren't available for most Who Was...?/Who Is...? books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).
| # | Title | Reading Level | Ages | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who was Thomas Jefferson? 2003 · Dennis B. Fradin | Level 5-6 | 9-12 | Mild |
| 2 | Who was Mark Twain? 2004 · April Jones Prince | Level 6-7 | 9-12 | Gentle |
| 3 | Who was Abraham Lincoln? 2008 | Level 5-6 | 9-12 | Moderate |
| 4 | Who was Dr. Seuss? 2011 | Level 5-6 | 9-12 | Gentle |
| 5 | Who Was Maurice Sendak 2012 | Level 5-6 | 9-12 | Gentle |
| 6 | Who Was Isaac Newton? 2014 | Level 5-6 | 9-12 | Gentle |
| 7 | Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy? 2016 · Bonnie Bader, Who HQ | Level 5-6 | 9-12 | Gentle |
| 8 | Who Is Barack Obama? | Level 5-6 | 9-12 | Gentle |
| 9 | Who Was Frederick Douglass? | Level 5-6 | 9-12 | Mild |
Content Intensity Across the Series
VariesContent intensity ranges from Gentle to Moderate across the series.
Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Who Was...?/Who Is...? (9 books by Janet B. Pascal) lands at a grades 5–6 reading level, with average content intensity 1.4/5. Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.
The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.
All Who Was...?/Who Is...? Books
Who was Thomas Jefferson?
Dennis B. Fradin
Who was Thomas Jefferson?
Dennis B. Fradin
Who was Mark Twain?
April Jones Prince
Who was Mark Twain?
April Jones Prince
Who was Abraham Lincoln?
Janet B. Pascal
Who was Abraham Lincoln?
Janet B. Pascal
Who was Dr. Seuss?
Janet B. Pascal
Who was Dr. Seuss?
Janet B. Pascal
Who Was Maurice Sendak
Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ
Who Was Maurice Sendak
Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ
Who Was Isaac Newton?
Janet B. Pascal
Who Was Isaac Newton?
Janet B. Pascal
Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy?
Bonnie Bader, Who HQ
Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy?
Bonnie Bader, Who HQ
Who Is Barack Obama?
Who Is Barack Obama?
Who Was Frederick Douglass?
Who Was Frederick Douglass?
Series Like Who Was...?/Who Is...?: What to Read Next
Similar reading level, content intensity and themes.
- Beacon Biography by Tamra B. Orr 11 books · Grades 5–6 · gentle to mild content
- From Sea to Shining Sea by Dennis B. Fradin 50 books · Grades 4–7 · gentle to intense content
- Cover-to-Cover Informational by Mary Turck 6 books · Grades 4–7 · gentle to very intense content
- Alternator Books; Boss Lady Bios by Heather E. Schwartz 4 books · Grades 5–6 · gentle to moderate content
- What Was.../What Is...? by Janet B. Pascal, Who HQ 6 books · Grades 5–6 · gentle to moderate content
- Founding Fathers (ABDO/Pop!); A&D Biographies by Stuart A. Kallen 11 books · Grades 5–7 · gentle to intense content
Questions about the Who Was...?/Who Is...? series
- What reading level is the Who Was...?/Who Is...? series?
- Who Was...?/Who Is...? books are at a grades 5–6 reading level (average grade level 5.5), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 9–12. There are 9 books in the series.
- What order should I read the Who Was...?/Who Is...? books?
- Series numbers aren't available for most Who Was...?/Who Is...? books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Who was Thomas Jefferson? (2003); Who was Mark Twain? (2004); Who was Abraham Lincoln? (2008); Who was Dr. Seuss? (2011); Who Was Maurice Sendak (2012); and 4 more.
- What age is the Who Was...?/Who Is...? series appropriate for?
- HootRated recommends Who Was...?/Who Is...? for ages 9–12. Content is gentle to moderate (HootRated intensity 1–3 out of 5). Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.