State House Press is launching a new series of Texas biographies aimed at students in the fourth grade. The series focuses on important, but perhaps lesser known, Texans and their contributions to Texas history. The first two books in the series look at Henrietta King, matriarch of the King Ranch family, and Mirabeau B. Lamar, second president of the Republic of Texas. They are among the personalities whose names appear on study guides for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test taken by all children in the fourth grade. Written by noted Texas children's author Judy Alter, the biographies are concisely presented in language that can be understood by fourth graders but also enjoyed by older readers. West Texas artist Patrick Messersmith illustrates the books with compelling black and white sketches. The books are designed to be inviting and approachable to readers of any age, with extra spacing between lines to enhance readability and creative use of informative side-bar material. ""The Stars of Texas"" Series is a natural fit for State House Press, an imprint of the McWhiney Foundation, whose mission is to promote and encourage the study of history.

Illustrated by: Patrick Messersmith