The PJ Library Book Selection Committee loves sharing picture-book biographies with families. Illustrated stories of extraordinary people who achieved extraordinary accomplishments, such as violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, are fascinating and inspiring.
But not all picture-book biographies are about household names. Some tell the stories of people whose names do not populate the pages of history books. And yet, in reading about these individuals, we learn that they are quite extraordinary, too, and their lives were fascinating and inspiring.
Elsa’s Chessboard is one such book. It follows the story of author Jenny Andrus’s grandmother, Elsa, who, grew up in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century and wanted to play chess even though it wasn’t considered appropriate for girls to do so at the time. After her brothers surprise her with a chess set on her 10th birthday, the game becomes a passion that propels Elsa through the rest of her life. She meets and falls in love with her spouse through the game, flees Europe with her family and beloved chessboard, and connects with her new colleagues and neighbors in America through teaching them to play.
Illustrated by Julie Downing in warm and luminous watercolors, Elsa’s Chessboard is an inspiring picture-book biography of a strong and resilient woman who lived through tremendous moments in history, holding and sharing a game across continents and generations.
February 2, 2026