Over 250 Who Was? titles have been published since the series first began in 2002. And with the addition of the What Was? and Where Is? series, readers now have more than 200 amazing books about influential people, world-famous landmarks, and compelling historical events.

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The subjects for the Who Was? series are often decided quite far in advance. People who are the first at something, or the best at what they do, or who have made major contributions in their field—and sometimes all three!—make the best subjects. The Where Is? titles are some of the most fascinating places on earth, and What Was? subjects are usually things we all wish we knew more about.

The first four Who Was? books—Who Was Sacagawea?, Who Was Ben Franklin?, Who Was Albert Einstein?, and Who Was Annie Oakley?—were actually published on the same day in 2002. So when February 18 rolls around, be sure to wish these books a Happy Birthday!

Just about! Every Who Was? cover (except two!) is illustrated by Nancy Harrison, who has been working on the series since the very first book.

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There are about eighty illustrations in each book—one on almost every page, and always one for each sidebar.

Who HQ books are not only fun and educational, they are also eye-catching. The illustrations in each book are meant to emphasize important scenes and help our readers paint a better mental picture of the subject’s life. If Walt Disney drove around in an ambulance that he decorated with cartoon characters during World War I, the book will show just what that ambulance looked like.

The Who HQ books give readers information that is factual and up-to-date. And we work with experts on certain titles to make sure we address our topics in the most clear and precise ways possible.

It can take years! And sometimes the books are finished much more quickly. From the time an author is contracted to write the manuscript, through editing, copyediting, design and illustration, to publication takes—on average—eighteen to twenty-four months.

Readers can look forward to about 24 new and exciting Who HQ books each year!

The big heads were inspired by the caricatures that used to be drawn for the cover of the New York Times Book Review each week. Some people now call the Who Was? series the “Bobblehead Bios” or “Big-Head Biographies,” and almost everyone has a favorite.