Get Real: Nonfiction to Get Kids (and Us!) Excited about Reading!

Get Real: Nonfiction to Get Kids (and Us!) Excited about Reading!
Kathleen Baxter [email protected] 763-717-2581 Rochester, NY July18, 2013
Use this handout to correlate with the PowerPoint presentation. It is in the same order, and the
slide showing the cover of each book has the corresponding number.
Reading Levels: Many reviews you read indicate different reading levels. These are my best stabs at itbut I believe a creative, good teacher can use extremely simple books successfully even with high school
students! Don’t be afraid to try it!
1. Albee, Sarah. Poop Happened! A History of the World from the Bottom Up. Illustrated by Robert
Leighton. Walker, 2010. 9780802720771 170 p. Grades 4-8 $15.99. The subtitle says it all! Boys
adore this. For many, this would be as about as exciting as reading gets. And girls like it too…
2. King, Bart. The Big Book of Gross Stuff. Illus. by Russell Miller. Gibbs Smith, 2010.
9781423607465 288 p. Grades 4-9 $19.99. Quizzes, facts, trivia, words, phrases, and other things
related to gross things. Boys love it!
3. Boyer, Crispin. That’s Gross! Icky Facts That Will Test Your Gross-Out Factor. National
Geographic, 2012. 9781426310669 176 p. Grades 3-8 $12. 95. Contains descriptions of a wealth of
disgusting, gross, and repulsive things, grouped in the categories of the human body, nature, animals,
and food.
4. Micro Monsters: Extreme Encounters with Invisible Armies (Kingdom Series). Kingfisher, 2010.
9780753464557 8 p. Grades 4-9 $14.99. Photographs, illustrations, and text introduce twenty unusual
microscopic organisms, including the red blood cell, influenza virus, head louse, and red spider mite.
They are pretty disgusting!
5. Marrin, Albert. Little Monsters: The Creatures That Live on Us and in
Us. Dutton, 2011. 9780525422624 152 p. Grades 5-8 $19.99. Describes the
various parasites, including fleas, ticks, lice, bedbugs, leeches, and maggots,
that live in and on the human body and explains how they can harm and help
people. Marrin is a wonderful writer.
6. Johnson, Rebecca L. Zombie Makers : True Stories of Nature's Undead.
Millbank, 2012. 9780761386339 48 p. Grades 4-8 $23.00. Examines real-life
accounts of zombies in nature, including a fly-enslaving fungus, a suicide
worm, and a cockroach-taming wasp, and related topics. This actually made
me jump when I turned one of the pages. Yuck! 2013 ALA Notable Children’s Book
7. Gould, Frances. Why You Shouldn’t Eat Your Boogers: Gross But True Things You Don’t Want to
Know about Your Body. Illustrated by JP Coovert. Putnam, 2013. 9780399257902 113 p. Grades 3-8
$8.99 pap. You won't be able to resist picking this one!
8. Davies, Nicola. Deadly! The Truth about the Most Dangerous Creatures on Earth. Illustrated by
Neal Layton. Candlewick, 2013. 9780763662318 61 p. Grades 3-6 $14.99. Lions and scorpions and
lethal little jellyfish, oh my! As fascinating look at nature's fiercest creatures – who deserve their
place on earth as much as humans do.
9. Kyi, Tanya Lloyd. 50 Burning Questions: a Sizzling History of Fire. Illustrated by Ross Kinnaird.
Annick, 2010. 9781554512218 100 p. Grades 4-8 $21.95. Chronicles the history of fire through fifty
silly questions with factual answers about how early humans learned to use fire, the link between fire
and religion, jobs that involve fire, the use of fire to show emotions, firefighting strategies, and
volcanoes and other fiery forces. One in an intriguing series of 50…books by the same publisher.
10. Murphy, Glenn. Stuff That Scares Your Pants Off! Illustrated by Mike Phillips . Roaring Brook,
2011. 192 p. Grades 3-8 $14.99. A thought-provoking scientific information about thirty-six of the
most common fears, covering spiders, sharks, aliens, volcanoes, public speaking, lightning, flesh-
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eating bacteria, and other scary topics. Try also his Why is Snot Green? And Other Extremely
Important Questions (and Answers), and How Loud Can You Burp? (both 2009).
Murphy, Jim, and Alison Blank. Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-Ending Search for
a Cure. Clarion, 2012. 9780547822686 149 p. Grades 5-up $18.99. Tuberculosis a horrible disease,
but many of the treatments were even worse. Loaded with photos, this is a fascinating account of the
efforts to find a cure. Many of the discussion points mentioned in the presentation may be found at
http://booklistonline.com/commoncore . 2013 ALA Notable Children’s Book
Platt, Richard. Plagues, Pox and Pestilence. Illustrated by John Kelly. Kingfisher, 2011.
9780753466872 48 p. Grades 3-8 $15.99. Traces the history of disease and pestilence from the
perspective of the bugs and pests that cause them, featuring case studies, illustrations, diagrams, and
more. This and the book above can be used in a cluster—add books such as Jim Murphy’s An
American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793, and Suzanne
Jurmain’s The Secrets of the Yellow Death, and James Cross Giblin’s When Plague Strikes: The
Black Death, Smallpox, AIDS.
Kyi, Tanya Lloyd. 50 Underwear Questions: a Bare-All History. Illustrated by Ross Kinnaird.
Annick, 2011. 9781554513536 116 p. Grades 4-8 $21.95. A heavily illustrated, very funny history of
underwear. This and the Krull and Weaver books below form a fine cluster. What do we need to
wear and what do we want to wear and look like. Why? Why do many fashion fads from the past
seem so ridiculous now?
Krull, Kathleen. Big Wig: a Little History of Hair. Illustrated by Peter Malone. Scholastic, 2011.
9780439676403 Unpaged Grades 2-4 $18.99. This "little history of hair" entertains largely with
hair-brained ideas about how humans tame their tresses.
Weaver, Janice. From Head to Toe: Bound Feet, Bathing Suits, and Other Bizarre and Beautiful
Things. Illustrations by Francis Blake. Tundra Books, 2003. 9780887766541 80 p. Grades 4-8
$16.95. A fascinating look at the history of clothing and body ornamentation which provides some
excellent discussion topics.
National Geographic Kids. Xtreme Illusions. National Geographic, 2012. 9781426310119 46 p.
Grades 2-5 $16.95. A collection of visual puzzles, encouraging the reader to decipher optical illusions
with images that appear to be moving and pictures that depict more than they seem, along with
perplexing patterns, and more..
16a. Vry, Silke. 13 Art Illusions Children Should Know. Prestel, 2013. 9783791371108 46p. Grades
4-up $14.95. Introduces illusions used in art, covering techniques, styles, use of perspective, and
composition.
Berger, Lee R. The Skull in the Rock: How a Scientist, a Boy, and Google Earth Opened a New
Window on Human Origins. National Geographic, 2012. 64 p. Grades 4-8 9781426310102 $18.95.
Tells the story of how Professor Lee Berger and his nine-year-old son used Google Earth to find a
new way to study the history of human evolution. This and the next two books form a fine cluster.
Walker, Sally M., and Douglas W. Owsley. Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the
Paleoamerican World. Carolrhoda, 2012. 9780761374572 136 p. Grades 5-up $22.95. Explores the
discovery and identification of the Kennewick Man, a nine thousand year
old skeleton whose remains were found in a river bed in Washington State
in 1996.
19. Deem, James M. Faces from the Past: Forgotten People of North
America. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. 9780547370248 154 p. Grades 5-up
$18.99. Describes the discovery of bodies in North America from fifteen to
twenty thousand years ago, and discusses the evidence their remains reveal
about themselves and the civilizations in which they lived.
20. MacLeod, Elizabeth. Bones Never Lie: How Forensics Helps Solve
History’s Mysteries. Annick, 2013. 9781554514823 156p. Grades 4-8
$14.95. A guide to understanding the forensic sciences. I adore historical mysteries-and so do kids
when they learn of them.
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21. Rumford, James. From the Good Mountain: How Gutenberg Changed the World. Roaring Brook,
2013. 9781596435421 Unpaged Grades 3-up $17.99. Spectacularly beautiful look at how Johann
Gutenberg's printing press changed the world and how early books were printed. What would we do
without printing and books?
22. Weaver, Janice. Hudson. Illustrated by David Craig. Tundra Books, 2010. 9780887768149 48 p.
Grades 3-6 $22.95. Picture Book for Older Readers Chronicles the life and accomplishments of
Henry Hudson, describing his efforts to find a northern route to China, the mutiny that claimed his
life, and the legacy for which he is remembered. This works great with Margaret Peterson Haddix’s
Torn.
23. Krull, Kathleen. Lives of the Pirates: Swashbucklers, Scoundrels (Neighbors Beware!). Illustrated
by Kathryn Hewitt. Harcourt, 2010. 9780152059088 96 p. Grades 3-8 $21.00. A lot of people
think pirates are really interesting and cool. Interesting, for sure. But cool? Read this book to learn
about a bunch of real pirates and decide how cool you think they were.
24. Rubin, Susan Goldman. Jean Laffite: the Pirate who Saved America. Illustrated by Jeff Himmelman.
Abrams, 2012. 9780810997332 48 p. Grades 3-5 $18.95. A biography of Jean Laffite, a real Pirate of
the Caribbean, who settled in New Orleans, where he became a respected businessman while still
pirating and played a role in helping the USA win the War of 1812.
25. Schanzer, Rosalyn. Witches! the Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem. National Geographic,
2011. 9781426308697 144 p. Grades 5-up $16.95. An illustrated history of the witch hunts that took
place in colonial-era Salem, Massachusetts, featuring primary source accounts, and describing the
victims, accused witches, corrupt officials, and impact of the events on society. You can often find
more children’s books about most topics by googling or searching in Amazon. Be sure to check the
reviews to make sure the books are well written and accurate.
26. Byrd, Robert. Electric Ben: the Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin. Dial, 2012.
9780803737495 Unpaged Grades 3-7 and up $17.99. An delightful and though provoking illustrated
biography of Founding Father and inventor Benjamin Franklin.
27. Freedman, Russell. Becoming Ben Franklin: How a Candle-Maker’s Son Helped Light the Flame of
Liberty. Holiday House, 2013. 9780823423743 80 p. Grades 4-8 $24.95. A biography of Benjamin
Franklin that follows him from his childhood in Boston to his success and subsequent fame.
28. Freedman, Russell. The Boston Tea Party. Illustrated by Peter Malone. Holiday House, 2012.
9780823422661 40 p. Grades 3-5 $17.95. Introduces young readers to the Boston Tea Party and its
impact on American history.
29. Brown, Don. Henry and the Cannons: An Extraordinary True Story of the American Revolution.
Roaring Brook, 2013. 9781596432666 Unpaged Grades K-3 $16.99. Before Washington crossed the
Delaware, Henry Knox crossed Massachusetts in winter—with 59 cannons in tow.
30. Hale, Nathan. One Dead Spy: the Life, Times, and Last Words of Nathan Hale, America’s Most
Famous Spy (Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales). Amulet, 2012. 9781419703966 128 p. Grades 4-8
$12.95. Retells, in graphic novel format, the history of the author's namesake, an officer and spy for
the American rebels during the Revolutionary War, revealing facts about Nathan Hale's earlier days at
Yale and his unlucky experiences as an military officer.
31. Figley, Marty Rhodes. Revolutionary War Captive: the Prison-ship
Adventure of James Forten (History’s Kid Heroes). Adapted by
Amanda Doering Tourville. Illustrated by Ted Hammond and Richard
Pimentel Carbajal. Graphic Universe, 2011. 9780761370758 32 p.
Grades 3-6 $8.95. In 1781, fifteen-year-old James Forten, a free
African American from Philadelphia, is proud to be fighting for the
American colonies, but when the British capture the ship on which he
serves he fears for both his life and his freedom.
32. Sheinkin, Steve. The Notorious Benedict Arnold: a True Story of
Adventure, Heroism & Treachery. Roaring Brook, 2010.
9781596434868 Grades 5-up $19.99. If Benedict Arnold had died in
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battle, he would be one of the greatest American heroes. Instead, he is despised in history. How did
this happen? This won the Sibert Award and the Horn Book/Boston Globe award as the best
nonfiction book of the year. I will be the first in line to read any book by Steve Sheinkin.
Castrovilla, Selene. Revolutionary Friends: General George Washington and the Marquis de
Lafayette. Illustrated by Drazen Kozjan. Calkins Creek, 2013. 9781590788806 Unpaged Grades 3-6
$16.95. Looks at the friendship of Marquis de Lafayette who traveled from France to Philadelphia to
sign on for the patriot cause with George Washington.
Kernan, Denise, and Joseph D’Agnese. Signing Their Rights Away : the Fame and Misfortune of the
Men Who Signed the United States Constitution. Quirk Books, 2011. 9781594745201 255 p. Grades
7-up $19.95. Profiles the thirty-nine men who signed the United States Constitution, revealing their
personal quirks, public personas, and the events that led to the crafting of the Constitution. This is a
thought-provokingly good read, in spite of its lousy cover-which is actually very cool at close look!
Gherman, Beverly. First Mothers. Illustrated by Julie Downing. Clarion, 2012. 9780547223018 64
p. Grades 3-6 $17.99. A delightful look at the mothers of our presidents.
Kerley, Barbara. Those Rebels, John & Tom. Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. Scholastic, 2012.
9780545222686 Unpaged. Grades 2-4 $17.99. A lively, fun account of the friendship between two of
the most famous founders of the USA. This and the book below indicate that mud-slinging is not
something new in political campaigns.
Jurmain, Suzanne Tripp. Worst of Friends: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and the True Story of an
American Feud. Illustrations by Larry Day. Dutton, 2011. 9780525479031 Unpaged Grades 1-4
$16.99. Describes how their different political views caused friends Thomas Jefferson and John
Adams to become rivals, until they learned to set aside their differences for the sake of their
friendship. Compare and contrast this with the book listed above it.
Ferris, Jeri Chase. Noah Webster & His Words. Illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch. Houghton Mifflin,
2012. 97805473690550 Unpaged Grades 1-4 $16.99. An illustrated account of the life of Noah
Webster, a Connecticut farm boy who spent twenty years writing what became the first American
dictionary ever to be published-and established American English.
Codell, Esme Raji. Seed by Seed: the Legend and Legacy of John “Appleseed” Chapman.
Illustrations by Lynne Rae Perkins. Greenwillow, 2012. 9780061455155 Unpaged All ages. $16.99.
Chronicles the life of the man who came to be known as Johnny Appleseed and reveals the five
principles he followed that led to his legendary status in American history. The five principles
provide excellent discussion points.
Murphy, Jim. The Giant and How He Humbugged America. Scholastic, 2012. 9780439691840 112
p. Grades 4-up $19.99. A description of the Cardiff Giant mystery in which a man in upstate New
York buried a ten-foot-tall, petrified model of a man, which was discovered by well diggers a year
later, and set into motion a money-making spectacle. Excellent read.
Pringle, Laurence. Ice! The Amazing Story of the Ice Business. Calkins Creek, 2012.
9781590788011 74 p. Grades 5-7 $17.95. Traces the history of the ice industry from its origins in the
early 1800s, describing the ideas and inventions that enabled individuals to store ice in their homes
and businesses, and sharing photographs, postcards, and other primary source materials.
Stone, Tanya Lee. Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. Henry
Holt, 2013. 9780805090482 Unpaged Grades K-3 $16.99. Elizabeth
Blackwell wanted to be something women weren’t allowed to be: a doctor.
43. Freedman, Russell. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: the
Story Behind an American Friendship. Clarion, 2012. 9780547385624
119 p. Grades 5-up $18.99. Looks at the lives of Frederick Douglass and
Abraham Lincoln, including their friendship and their effect on
Emancipation and the Civil War. 2013 ALA Notable Children’s Book
44. Cole, Henry. Unspoken: a Story from the Underground Railroad.
Scholastic, 2012. 9780545399975 Unpaged All ages $16.99. A stunning,
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wordless, riveting look at a girl in the middle of the Civil War who helps an escaping slave. Stunning.
2013 ALA Notable Children’s Book
Smith, Charles R., Jr. Brick by Brick. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Amistad, 2013. 9780061920820
Unpaged Grades 1-4 $17.99. Looks at the people who built the White House, including several
slaves, some of whom were able to buy their freedom after learning a trade through this work.
Cheng, Andrea. Etched in Clay: the Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter and Poet. Woodcuts by the
Author. Lee & Low, 2013. 9781600604515 143 p. Grades 5-up $17.95. Explores the life of a South
Carolina slave named Dave, who became skilled at turning pots and jars on a pottery wheel, reading,
and writing, and went on to use these skills to speak out against slavery. Written in verse.
Delano, Marfe Ferguson, with Mount Vernon. Master George’s People: George Washington, His
Slaves, and his Revolutionary Transformation. Photography by Lori Epstein. National Geographic,
2013. 9781426307607 61 p. Grades 4-7 $30.18. Discusses George Washington's beliefs about
slavery, the lives of George Washington's slaves, his relations with them, and how his beliefs about
slavery changed over his lifetime.
Fradin, Judith Bloom and Dennis Brindell Fradin. The Price of Freedom: How One Town Stood Up
to Slavery. Illustrated by Eric Velasquex. Walker, 2013. 9780802721662 Unpaged Grades 1-4
$16.99. Documents the efforts of an Ohio community to secure the freedom of escaped slave John
Price, examining various aspects of Price's escape from Kentucky, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850,
and the heroic showdown.
Fradin, Judith, and Dennis Fradin. Stolen into Slavery: the True Story of Solomon Northrup, Free
Black Man. National Geographic, 2012. 9781426309380 120 p. Grades 5-up $18.95. Recounts the
experiences of Solomon Northup, an African American man who was kidnapped into slavery and
suffered through twelve years of bondage before being rescued from the Louisiana cotton plantation
by friends from New York.
Adler, David A. Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Holiday House, 2013.
9780823423651 140 p. Grades 5-up $18.95. A biography of Harriet Tubman, describing her life born
a slave, how she escaped slavery, how she became the most famous conductor of the Underground
Railroad-giving a great deal of information about other slave escapes as well.
Asim, Jabari. Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington. Illustrated by Bryan Collier.
Little Brown, 2012. 9780316086578 Unpaged Grades 2-4 $16.99. An illustrated introduction to the
life of Booker T. Washington that focuses on his hard work and determination to earn a college
degree. With intelligence and hard work, you can accomplish amazing things.
Bolden, Tonya. Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty. Abrams, 2013.
9781419703904 120 p. Grades 5-up $24.95. Examines the Emancipation Proclamation, discussing the
steps that led President Lincoln to create the document, how his views changed and how he was to
address a divided country.
Krull, Kathleen. Louisa May’s Battle: How the Civil War Led to Little Women. Illustrated by Carlyn
Beccia. Walker, 2013. 9780802796691 Unpaged Grades 2-5 $16.99. Louisa May Alcott's experiences
as a nurse for wounded Union soldiers during the Civil War influence her outlook and inspire her to
write her successful novel "Little Women."
54. Moss, Marissa. Nurse, Soldier, Spy: the Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil
War Hero. Illustrated by John Hendrix. Abrams, 2011. 9780810997356 48 p.
Grades 2-5 $18.95. Describes the life of Sarah Emma Edmonds, who
disguised herself as a man, took the name Frank Thompson, joined a
Michigan army regiment to fight in the Civil War, served as a nurse on the
battlefield, and became a spy.
55. Anderson, Tanya. Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of
Gettysburg. Twenty-First Century Books, 2013. 9781467706926 96 p.
Grades 4-8 $26.00. Describes the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War
through the eyes of Tillie Pierce, a teenager who lived through the fighting.
56. Daugherty, James Henry. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: a Pictorial
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Interpretation. Albert Whitman, 1947, 2013. 9780807545508 Unpaged All ages. $19.99. Collects a
series of paintings that illustrate Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
Sheinkin, Steve. Lincoln’s Grave Robbers. Scholastic, 2013. 9780545405720 214 p. Grades 5-up
$16.99. An account of how counterfeiter Benjamin Boyd's gang stole the body of Abraham Lincoln
and demanded Boyd's release from jail and two hundred thousand dollars as ransom and the efforts of
the Secret Service to recover the remains.
Smith, Lane. Abe Lincoln’s Dream. Roaring Brook, 2012. 9781596436084 Unpaged Grades 1-up
$16.99. When a schoolgirl gets separated from her tour of the White House and finds herself in the
Lincoln bedroom, she also discovers the ghost of the great man himself.
Krull, Kathleen. Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought).
Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt. Harcourt, 1998, updated 2011. 9780547598096 104 p. Grades 4-8
$21.00. This is educational, entertaining, and great fun to use with kids (and grown-ups!). many of
the questions I ask here make you think analytically—which is what Common Core wants us to do!
Would a recent president have the most descendants? Why would a president be the first one born in
the U.S.A.—hasn’t that always been the law? Etc.
Green, Dan. U.S. Presidents: the Oval Office All Stars! Illustrations copyright Simon Basher
Kingfisher, 2013. 9780753469644 112 p. Grades 4-7 $14.99. Profiles the presidents of the United
States, from George Washington to Barack Obama, and includes facts and trivia about each president,
including major achievements and personality quirks.
Rhatigan, Joe. White House Kids: the Perks, Pleasures, Problems, and Pratfalls of the President’s
Children. With Illustrations by Jay Shin. Imagine Publishing, 2012. 9781936140800 96 p. Grades
4-8 $14.95. It’s not all fun to be the child of a president—there are benefits and drawbacks. This
tells the story of some of those interesting kids.
Allegra, Mike. Sarah Gives Thanks. Illustrated by David Gardner. Albert Whitman, 2012.
9780807572399 Unpaged Grades K-4 $16.99 Tells the story of how Sarah Josepha Hale, writer and
magazine editor, worked to make Thanksgiving a national holiday.
63. Wallner, Alexandra. Susan B. Anthony. Holiday House, 2012.
9780823419531 Unpaged Grades 2-4 $16.95. Examines the life of
Susan B. Anthony, discussing what life was like for women of the
nineteenth century, and describing how Anthony's vision for equality
between men and women led to the passing of the Nineteenth
Amendment, which gave women the right to vote in the United State
64. Sheinkin, Steve. Which Way To The Wild West?: Everything Your
Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About America's Westward Expansion.
Illustrated by Tim Robinson. Roaring Brook, 2009. 9781596433212
261 p. Grades 5-up $19.95. I love this story of the growth of the American west, starting with the
Louisiana Purchase and ending with the government declaration that the west was officially settled.
Funny, heartbreaking, and a great read. Use with the four books below.
Nelson, S.D. Black Elk’s Vision: a Lakota Story. Abrams, 2010. 9780810981991 48 p. Grades 3-8
$19.95. When Black Elk was a small child, he had a vision which shaped his life—which included
being present at the Battle of Little Big Horn, watching Crazy Horse die and the Battle of Wounded
Knee. A beautiful book.
Ray, Deborah Kogan. Paiute Princess: the Story of Sarah Winnemucca. FSG, 2012.
9780374398972 Unpaged. Grades 4-7 $17.99. A biography of Sarah Winnemucca, Paiute Indian and
Native American civil rights activists, discussing her childhood, her work as an advocate for all
Native Americans, and the appeals to white America to treat her people with dignity.
Olson, Tod. How to Get Rich in the California Gold Rush: an Adventurer’s Guide to the Fabulous
Riches Discovered in 1848. Illustrated by Scott Allred. National Geographic, 2008. 9781426303159
48 p. Grades 3-7 $16.95. When gold is found in California, young Thomas Hartley can’t wait to get
there and make his fortune. Interesting stuff!
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68. Schwartz, Heather E. The Foul, Filthy American Frontier: the Disgusting Details about the Journey
out West (Fact Finders: Disgusting History). Capstone Press, 2010. 9781429639576 32 p. Grades 3-5
Describes disgusting details about daily life in the American frontier, including housing, food, and
sanitation.
69. Burgan, Michael. Breaker Boys: How a Photograph Helped End Child Labor. (Captured History).
Compass Point, 2012. 9780756545109 64 p. Grades 4-8 Paperback $6.89, hardbound available.
Recounts photographer Lewis Hines' fight against child labor in the early 1900s and discusses how
his work and the work of others revealed truths about the issue to the public.
70. Markel, Michelle. Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909. Pictures by Melissa
Sweet. Balzer & Bray, 2013. 9780061804427 Unpaged Grades K-3 $17.99. Describes how
immigrant Clara Lemlich fought back against the poor treatment of her fellow factory workers and
led the largest walkout of women workers in the country.
71. Marrin, Albert. Flesh & Blood So Cheap: the Triangle Fire and Its Legacy. Knopf, 2011.
9780375868894 182 p. Grades 5-up $19.99. A fantastic read about immigration in the early 1900s,
its effect on society and on workers’ conditions, and of the horrendous fire that killed 146 workers. I
cried more than once. The last chapter comparing conditions in the Triangle Factory with conditions
in the factories in Third World countries today is perfect for the Common Core.
72. Blumenthal, Karen. Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition. Roaring
Brook, 2011. 9781596434493 154 p. Grades 6-up $18.99. A thought-provoking history of
Prohibition in the United States, a period from 1920 to 1933 during which it was illegal to sell or
drink alcohol, discussing how what began as a movement to heal social ills, became a burden to
ordinary citizens and a boon to criminals.
73. Aronson, Marc. Master of Deceit: J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies. Candlewick,
2012. 9780763650254 Grades 7-up 230 p. $25.99. Examines the legacy and the power held by J.
Edgar Hoover during his years as the first director of the FBI and describes how his decisions affected
the lives of Americans in the twentieth century. This is a perfect example of a Common Core book.
Excellent guide is at http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763650250.bdg.1.pdf
74. Osborne, Linda Barrett. Miles to Go for Freedom: Segregation and
Civil Rights in the Jim Crow Years. Abrams, 2012. 9781419700200 118 p.
Grades 5-up $24.95. Describes the lives of African Americans during the
Jim Crow years, a period of legal segregation and discrimination from the
1890s through the 1950s, including photographs and interviews with
African Americans who were young during this time and other primary
resources.
75. Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed
America. Paintings by Brian Pinkney. Disney/ Jump at the Sun Books,
2012. 9781423142577 243 p. Grades 5-8 $19.99. Offers insight into the
lives of ten influential African American men from different times in the
history of the United States. 2013 Coretta Scott King Author Award
76. Stone, Tanya Lee. Courage Has No Color: the True Story of the Triple Nickles: America’s First
Black Paratroopers. Candlewick, 2013. 9780763651176 148 p. Grades 5-up $24.99. Tells the story
of America's first black paratroopers during World War II. This is an unbelievably powerful book.
77. Hoose, Philip. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice. Melanie Kroupa Books, Farrar Straus
Giroux, 2009. 9780374313227 133 p. Grades 5-up $19.95 Presents an account of fifteen-year-old
Claudette Colvin, an African-American girl who refused to give up her seat to a white woman on a
segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, nine months before Rosa Parks, and covers her role in a
crucial civil rights case.
78. Tougas, Shelley. Little Rock Girl 1957: How a Photograph Changed the Fight for Integration.
Compass Point, 2011. 9780756544409 64 p. Grades 5-9 $28.99. Recounts the events surrounding
the 1957 photograph taken by Will Counts that captured one of nine African-American students
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trying to enter an Arkansas high school while being taunted by an angry white mob and discusses
how the photo brought the civil rights movement to the forefront of the nation's attention.
Levinson, Cynthia. We’ve Got a Job: the 1963 Birmingham Children’s March. Peachtree, 2012.
9781561456277 176 p. Grades 5-9 $19.95. When Martin Luther King called for the prisons in
Birmingham to be filled, African-American kids volunteered to do it. An astounding story. Would
you be willing to do what those kids volunteered to do? 2013 ALA Notable Children’s Book
Brimner, Larry Dane. Black & White: The Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth
and Eugene “Bull” O’Connor. Calkins Creek, 2011. 9781590787663 112 p. Grades 5-up $16.95.
Provides an account of the confrontation between civil rights activist Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth,
and Birmingham, Alabama, police chief Eugene "Bull" Connor, who was determined to keep the
city's schools, parks, workplaces, and public facilities segregated.
Bausum, Ann. Marching to the Mountaintop : How Poverty, Labor Fights, and Civil Rights set the
Stage for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Final Hours. National Geographic, 2012. 9781426309397 Grades
5-up $19.95. Examines the link between the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike and the assassination of
Martin Luther King, Jr., discussing how the strike, the media, politics, the civil rights movement, and
the labor protests all laid the foundations for what many consider to be King's greatest speech.
Winter, Jonah. Sonia Sotomayor: a Judge Grows up in the Bronx / LAJuez Que Crecio en el Bronx.
Illustrated by Eric Rodgriguez. Atheneum, 2010. 9781442403031 Unpaged. Grades 1-3 $16.99.
The story of the first Latina Supreme Court justice, who grew up in a poor single-parent household in
the Bronx.
Sheinkin, Steve. Bomb: the Race to Build-and Steal-the World's Most Dangerous Weapon. Flash
Point, 2012. 9781596434875 $19.99. Examines the history of the atomic bomb, discussing the
discovery of the behavior of Uranium when placed next to radioactive material, the race to build a
bomb, and the impact of the weapon on societies around the world. A wonderful read! Newbery
Honor 2013 Sibert Award 2013 A great fiction book to pair this with is The Green Glass Sea by
Ellen Klages.
Borden, Louise. His Name was Raoul Wallenberg: Courage, Rescue, and Mystery During World
War II. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. 9780618507559 136 p. Grades 5-9 $18.99. A biography of the
incredibly heroic Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jewish lives in Hungary.
Rubin, Susan Goldman. Irena Sendler and the Children of the Warsaw Ghetto. Illus. by Bill Farnsworth. Holiday House, 2011. 9780823422517 40 p. Grades 2-5 $18.95. A young Catholic social
worker rescued nearly 400 children from the Warsaw Ghetto—and kept track of who they were.
Thomson, Ruth. Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust. Candlewick, 2011. 9780763649630 64 p.
Grades 5-up $18.99. Provides firsthand accounts and artwork from the Jewish people who were
forced to live in Terezin, the Czechoslovakian town that was turned into a ghetto and later a transit
camp by the Nazis during World War II.
87. Rappaport, Doreen. Beyond Courage: the Untold story of Jewish
Resistance During the Holocaust. Candlewick, 2012. 9780763629762 240 p.
Grades 5-up $22.99. A fascinating account of the many ways courageous
Jewish people resisted the Nazis. 2013 ALA Notable Children’s Book
88. Hodge, Deborah. Rescuing the Children : the Story of the
Kindertransport. Tundra Books, 2012. 9781770492561 64 p. Grades 5-8
$17.95. Discusses the efforts of the Kindertransport, which rescued ten
thousand Jewish children from Nazi occupied countries before the start of
World War II. Nearly 10,000 children were saved.
89. Arato, Rona. The Last Train: a Holocaust Story. Owlkids, 2013.
9781926973623 142 p. Grades 4-8 $15.95.Tells the true story of five-yearold Paul Auslander and his family who endured the atrocities of the Holocaust when in 1944 their
hometown of Karcag, Hungary became occupied by the Nazis.
Tunnell, Michael O. Candy Bomber: the Story of the Berlin Aircraft’s Chocolate Pilot.
Charlesbridge, 2011. 9781580893367 110 p. Grades 4-8 $18.95. Pilot Gail Halvorsen, one of the
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pilots assigned to the Berlin Airlift in 1948, realized that the kids in Berlin had not had candy for
years and decided to do something about it. A great true story! The same story is told for younger
kids in Margo Theis Raven’s Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot: a True Story of the Berlin Aircraft
and the Candy That Dropped from the Sky.
91. McPherson, Stephanie Sammartino. Iceberg Right Ahead! The Tragedy of the Titanic. Twenty-First
Century Books, 2011. 9780761367567 112 p. Grades 4-8 $33.26. A riveting account of the ship
sinking and its consequences. This and the two books below have different points of view and tell the
well-known story in different ways. All are excellent. 2013 ALA Notable Children’s Book
92. Denenberg, Barry. Titanic Sinks! Viking, 2011. 978067001243572 p. Grades 4-8 $19.99. Retells the
events surrounding the sinking of the RMS "Titanic," describing the ship's construction and launch,
and featuring authentic photographs and illustrations from the period.
93. Hopkinson, Deborah. Titanic: Voices from the Disaster. Scholastic, 2012. 9780545116749 289 p.
Grades 5-up $17.99. Draws on stories from survivors and archival photographs to describe the history
of the "Titanic" from its launch to its sinking. 2013 ALA Notable Children’s Book
94. Nelson, Kadir. Nelson Mandela. Katherine Tegen Books, 2013. 9780061783746 Unpaged Grades
1-4 $17.99. A beautifully illustrated biography of the former South African president best known for
his political activism and fight to end apartheid.
95. Blumenthal, Karen. Steve Jobs: the Man Who Thought Different. Feiwel & Friends, 2012.
978125014450 311 P. Grades 5-up $8.99 pb $16.99 hb. Chronicles the life and accomplishments of
Apple mogul Steve Jobs, discussing his ideas, and describing how he has influenced life in the
twenty-first century. 2013 ALA Notable Children’s Book
96. Brown, Don. America is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: the Day the Towers Fell. Roaring
Brook, 2011. 9781596436947 Unpaged Grades 2-5 $16.99. A chronological account of September
11, 2001, and the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in
Washington, D.C., and the hijacking of a plane that crashed in Pennsylvania.
97. Hale, Christy. Dreaming Up: a Celebration of Building. Lee & Low, 2012. 9781600606519
Unpaged. Grades K-2 $18.95. A collection of concrete poetry, illustrations, and photographs that
shows how young children's constructions, created as they play, are reflected in notable works of
architecture from around the world. Includes biographies of the architects, quotations, and sources.
98. Weitzman, David. Skywalkers: Mohawk Ironworkers Build the City. Roaring
Brook, 2010. 9781596431621 124 p. Grades 5-up $19.99. The Mohawks
proved to be astoundingly good at working on tall structures, and this
examines how those structures came to be necessary as well as the history of
the people. An excellent addition to a unit on Native Americans.
99. Harris, Robie H. Who Has What? : All about Girls' Bodies and Boys‘ Bodies.
Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott. Candlewick, 2011. 9780763629311
Unpaged. Grades K-3 $15.99. Provides colorful illustrations and easy-tounderstand facts for young children about the physical differences between
boys and girls and follows siblings Nellie and Gus on a family outing to the
beach where they ask lots of questions.
100. Arnold, Caroline. Too Hot? Too Cold? Keeping Body Temperature Just Right. Illustrated by Annie
Patterson. Charlesbridge, 2013. 9781580892766 32 p. Grades 1-4 $17.95. Explains what body
temperature is, how people and animals regulate it, and why it's important.
101. Murphy, Jim. Baffling & Bizarre Inventions. Sky Pony, 2011. 9780616084745 96 p. Grades 4-8
$12.95. An old book, reissued with newly colored illustrations, is great fun to use with kids. Guess
what these actual patented inventions are!
102. DeCristofano, Carolyn Cinami. A Black Hole is Not a Hole. Illustrated by Michael Carroll.
Charlesbridge, 2012. 9781570917837 74 p. Grades 5-8 $18.95. A blow-your-head examination of
black holes that discusses what they are, what causes them, how they are discovered, and more.
103. Aguilar, David A. 13 Planets: the Latest View of the Solar System. National Geographic, 2011.
9781426307706 61 p. Grades 4-8 $16.95. Profiles each of the planets in Earth's solar system,
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including Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Haumea, MakeMake, the sun, the Oort cloud, comets, and more. It made
me realize how little I know and understand!
104. Weitekamp, Margaret A., with David DeVorkin. Pluto’s Secret: an Icy World’s Tale of Discovery.
Illustrated by Diane Kidd. Abrams, published in association with the Smithsonian National Air and
Space Museum. 2013. 9781419704239 Unpaged Grades 1-4 $16.95. Provides the history of the
small, icy world of Pluto from its discovery and naming to its recent reclassification, and explains
how scientists organize and class our solar system as they gain new insights into how it works and
what types of things exist within it.
105. Rusch, Elizabth. The Mighty Mars Rovers: the Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity
(Scientists in the Field). Houghton Mifflin, 2012. 9780547478814 80 p. Grades 5-up $18.99. The
story of the two robot vehicles, Spirit and Opportunity, that were sent to explore Mars, lasting far past
their projected lives of three months and sending back invaluable images of the environmentally
hostile planet. A incredibly good read with lots of photos. ALA Notable Children’s Book 2013
106. Kirk, Ellen. Human Footprint : Everything You Will Eat, Use, Wear, Buy, and Throw Out in Your
Lifetime. National Geographic, 2011. 9781426307676 32 p. Grades 2-6 $6.95. Helps readers
understand the environmental impact of their actions by providing statistics on the amount of food,
clothes, gas, milk, water, and other things they will consume in their lifetime.
107. D’Alusio, Faith. What the World Eats. Photographed by Peter Menzel. Tricycle, 2008. 1582462461
Grades 5-8 $22.99. A startling look at what and how much people eat around the world. Thoughtprovoking, to say the least.
108. Butterworth, Chris. How Did That Get in my Lunchbox? : the Story of Food. Illustrated by Lucia
Gaggiotti. Candlewick, 2011. 9780763650056 Unpaged Grades K-2 $12.99. Explains where
different foods come from and how they get to the store, describing farms, dairies, and factories.
109. Eamer, Claire. The World in Your Lunch Box. Artwork by Sa Boothroyd. Annick Press, 2012.
9781554513932 121 p. Grades 3-8 $22.95. Contains historical and scientific facts about everyday
foods. Interesting.
110. Aronson, Marc, and Marina Budhos. Sugar Changed the World: a Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery,
Freedom and Science. Clarion Books, 2010. 9780618574926 166 p. Grades 6-up $20.00. You
probably never realized what a profound influence sugar has had on history and human beings—all
because we crave sweetness. A powerful, unforgettable look at a continuing horror story. Excellent
for the Common Core.
111. Smith, David J. This Child, Every Child: a Book about the World’s Children. Illustrated by Shelagh
Armstrong. (CitizenKid). Kids Can, 2011. 9781554534661 36 p. Grades 4-up $18.95. Interesting,
and often sad, facts about the children in the world today. This can be used with the author’s If the
World Were a Village.
112. Hughes, Susan. Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools around the World. Owlkids, 2011.
9781926818856 64 p. Grades 4-6 $22.95. Introduces readers to children
from around the world who attend unique schools in strange locations,
such as caves, boats, or train platforms, and describes what it is like to
attend those schools.
113. Curtis, Andrea. What’s for Lunch? How Schoolchildren Eat Around the
World. Photography by Yvonne Duivenvoorden. Red Deer, 2012.
9780889954823 40 p. Grades 4-7 $12.95. Describes what children
around the world eat for lunch, including children in Japan, Kenya,
Afghanistan, the United States, Peru, Canada, and more.
114. Chin, Jason. Island: a Story of the Galapagos. Roaring Brook, 2012.
9781596437166 Unpaged Grades 1-4 $16.99. A history of the Galapagos
Island, describing how the island formed and animals came to inhabit it.
ALA Notable Children’s Book 2013
115. Aston, Diana Hutts, and Sylvia Long. A Rock is Lively. Chronicle, 2012. 9781452106458 Unpaged
Grades K-2 $16.99. A spectacularly illustrated introduction to rocks and minerals.
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116. Bonner, Hannah. When Dinos Dawned, Mammals got Munched, and Pterosaurs Took Flight: a
Cartoon Prehistory of Life in the Triassic. National Geographic, 2012. 9781426308628 44 p. Grades
3-6 $17.95. Examines the developments of the Triassic Age, which saw the beginning of the
dinosaurs, several dramatic extinction events, and the start of life for mammals on Earth.
117. Lawlor, Laurie. Rachel Carson and her Book that Changed the World. Illustrated by Laura
Beingessner. Holiday House, 2012. 9780823423705 32 p. Grades 2-5 $16.95. Tells the life story of
Rachel Carson, a biologist and environmentalist, covering her childhood, her years in college where
she changed her career focus, and her most well-known works up until her death.
118. Nivola, Claire A. Life in the Ocean: the Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle. FSG, 2012.
9780374380687 Unpaged Grades 2-5 $17.99. A picture book biography of oceanographer Sylvia
Earle, discussing her childhood along the Gulf of Mexico, her passion for the environment, and her
experiences in ocean exploration.
119. Bang, Molly, & Penny Chisholm. Ocean Sunlight: How Tiny Plants Feed the Seas. Illustrated by
Molly Bang. Blue Sky/Scholastic, 2012. 9780545273220 Unpaged. Grades K-4 $18.99. A
beautifully illustrated look at how tiny plants feed the seas- and at the food chain.
120. Coombs, Kate. Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems. Illustrated by Meilo So. Chronicle, 2012.
9780811872843 Unpaged Grades K-5, also older $16.99. A collection of poems about the sea,
accompanied by watercolors by artist Meilo So. Great for teaching voice and point of view. ALA
Notable Children’s Book 2013
121. Bayrock, Fiona. Bubble Homes and Fish Farts. Illus. by Carolyn Conahan. Charlesbridge, 2010.
9781570916694 45 p. Grades 2-4 $16.95. A fascinating look at how water creatures use bubbles.
122. Johnson, Rebecca L. Journey into the Deep: Discovering New Ocean Creatures. Millbrook, 2011.
9780761341482 64 p. Grades 5-8 $27.95. Famous oceanographer Sylvia Earle has said that we know
more about some planets in outer space than we do about our own oceans! And Wow! When you
read and stare at the incredible photographs in this exciting book, you will be stunned at what you—
and scientists—did not know.
123. Sherry, Kevin. I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean. Dial, 2007. 0803731922 $16.99. A giant squid
brags that it is the biggest thing in the ocean—until it has to change its tune. This would make a fun
readaloud for older kids to read to younger ones.
124. Newquist, HP. Here There be Monsters: the Legendary Kraken
and the Giant Squid. Houghton Mifflin, 2010. 9780574076782 74 p.
Grades 5-up $18.00. Examines the connections between old myths
about the kraken--a Scandinavian sea monster--and modern scientific
study of the giant squid, and explores representations of the creature in
film and literature.
125. Hillman, Ben. How Big Is It?Scholastic Reference, 2007.
0439918081 48 p. Grades 3-6 $14.99. A surprising look at big things.
126. Arnosky, Jim. Monster Hunt: Exploring Mysterious Creatures.
Disney /Hyperion, 2011. 9781423130284 32 p. Grades 2-5 $16.99. An entertaining look at some of
the possibly mythical creatures that many people believe really exist.
127. Hearst, Michael. Unusual Creatures: a Mostly Accurate Account of Some of the Earth’s Strangest
Animals. Artwork, Diagrams, and Other Visuals by Arjen Noordeman, Christie Wright, and Jelmer
Noordeman. Chronicle, 2012. 9781452104676 109 p. Grades 4-up $16.99. Text and illustrations
introduce children to extraordinary life forms.
128. Hillman, Ben. How Weird is It? A Freaky Book all about Strangeness. Scholastic, 2009.
9780439918688 48 p. Grades 3-7 $15.99. An illustrated discussion of various strange scientific
occurrences, ideas, creatures, and elements of the universe, such as dark energy, anglerfish, neutron
stars, liquid nitrogen, and cosmic static.
129. Fern, Tracey. Barnum’s Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the
World. Pictures by Boris Kulikov. FSG, 2012. 9780374305161 Unpaged. Grades 1-4$17.99. A
wonderfully illustrated biography of the paleontologist who first found a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
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130. Ganeri, Anita, and David West. Dinosaurs (Monster Fight Club). PowerKids Press, 2012.
9781448852017 32 p. Grades 3-5 Contains profiles of various dinosaurs, and imagines what the
outcomes would be if they were paired off in fights. Lots of analytical thinking here, which could
easily be applied to other animals.
131. O’Connell, Caitlin, and Donna M. Jackson. The Elephant Scientist. Houghton Mifflin, 2011.
9780547053448 72 p. Grades 5-8 $17.99. Photographs and text recount Caitlin O'Connell's
experiences observing African elephants in their natural habitat, describing the discoveries she made
about elephant communication. Sibert Award Honor Book 2012
132. Bishop, Nic. Nic Bishop Snakes. Scholastic Nonfiction, 2012. 9780545206389 48 p. Grades 1-5
$17.99. Wonderful photographs and illustrations describe the physical characteristics, behaviors,
habits, and life cycle of various snakes.
133. Bishop, Nic. Nic Bishop Butterflies and Moths. Scholastic Nonfiction, 2009. 9780439877572 48 p.
Grades 1-5 $17.99. Full-color photographs and illustrations describe the physical characteristics,
behaviors, habits, and life cycle of butterflies and moths.
134. Jenkins, Steve. The Beetle Book. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. 9780547680842 33 p. Grades 3-5
$16.99. An illustrated introduction to a variety of beetle species with information on unique
characteristics and how these insects have adapted to survive. 2013 ALA Notable Childrens Book
135. Judge, Lita. Bird Talk: What Birds are Saying and Why. Roaring Brook, 2012. 9781596436466
Unpaged Grades 1-5 $17.99. Illustrations and text examine how birds communicate, showing the
different ways birds sing, talk, dance, drum, cuddle, and fight.
136. Cate, Annette LeBlanc. Look Up!: Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard. Candlewick, 2013.
9780763645618 52 p. Grades 2-5 $15.99. A spectacular book loaded with great ideas and
information, presented in a humorous and delightful way.
137. Spinner, Stephanie. Alex the Parrot: No Ordinary Bird. Illustrated by Meilo So. Knopf, 2012.
9780375868467 Unpaged Grades 2-5 $17.99. Presents the true story of an African grey parrot named
Alex, and explains how its intelligence changed the way scientists view the brain.
138. Lewin, Ted and Betsy. Puffling Patrol. Lee & Low, 2012. 9781600604249 Unpaged Grades 2-5
$19.95. Describes the rescue of baby puffins in Heimaey, Iceland, and provides information about the
animals. A good companion to this one is Bruce McMillan’s Night of the Pufflings.
139. Burns, Loree Griffin. Citizen Scientists: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery from Your Own Backyard.
Photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz. Henry Holt, 2012. 9780805090628 80 p. Grades 4-8 $19.99.
Text, tips, and photographs explain how to observe and gather data about
backyard insects and animals. Also use Carol Pasternak’s How to Raise
Monarch Butterflies, a Step-by-Step Guide for Kids.
140. Hoose, Phillip. Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor
B95. FSG, 2012. 9780374304683 148 p. Grades 5-up $21.99. Chronicles
a year in the life of rufa red knot B95, also called Moonbird, following
him through his migration pattern and discussing the environmental
problems that caused the rufa population to collapsed by nearly eighty
percent. Don’t miss Hoose’s book The Race to Save the Lord God Bird.
141. Davies, Nicola. Just Ducks! Illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino.
Candlewick, 2013. 9780763659363 Unpaged Grades K-2 $15.99. A young girl shares her
observations about the mallard ducks that live down on the river.
142. Jenkins, Martin. Can We Save the Tiger? Illustrated by Vicky White. Candlewick, 2011.
9780763649098 Unpaged Grades 1-4 $16.99. A simple look at several endangered animals which
describes some that are already extinct and encourages us to preserve species.
143. Potter, Alicia. Mrs. Harkness and the Panda. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Knopf, 2012.
9780375844685 Unpaged Grades K-4 and up $16.95. A spectacularly illustrated account of Ruth
Harkness' journey to China and up the Yangtze River, where she discovered a baby panda she named
Su Lin. There are many Common Core connections here.
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144. Kvatum, Lia. Saving Yasha: the Incredible True Story of an Adopted Moon Bear. Photographs by
National Geographic Young Explorer Liza Pokrovskaya. National Geographic, 2012.
9781426310515 Unpaged Grades K-4 $16.95. Looks at the rescue of Yasha, a moon bear found
orphaned in the Russian wilderness.
145. Esterhaz, Suzi. Brown Bear. Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2012. 9781847803023 Unpaged
Grades K-2 $15.99. Chronicles the life of two baby brown bears from their birth in the mountains of
Alaska to adulthood.
146. Esterhaz, Suzi. Orangutan (Eye on the Wild). Frances Lincoln, 2013. 9781847803160 Unpaged
Grades K-5 $15.99. Chronicles the life of a baby orangutan from her birth to adulthood.
147. Frydenborg, Kay. Wild Horse Scientists (Scientists in the Field). Houghton Mifflin, 2012.
9780547518312 80 p. Grades 5-up $18.99. Scientists are working hard to keep the ponies on Assateague Island, endangered due to their effect on the environment and their overpopulation, wild.
148. Jenkins, Steve, & Robin Page. My First Day: What Animals Do on Day
One. Houghton Mifflin, 2013. 9780547738512 Unpaged Grades K-2
$16.99. Newborn animals describe things they did on the day they were
born. Includes facts about each species featured.
149. Frost, Helen, and Rick Lieder. Step Gently Out. Photographs by Rick
Lieder. Candlewick, 2012. 9780763656010 Unpaged. Grades K-2
$15.99. Examines nature through lyrical text and close-up photography.
150. Heos, Bridget. Stronger than Steel: Spider Silk, DNA and the Quest for
Better Bulletproof Vests, Sutures, and Parachute Rope. Photographs by
Andy Comins. Houghton Mifflin, 2013. 9780547681269 77 p. Grades 58 $18.99. Discusses the work scientists are doing with the golden orb weaver spider, whose web silk
is nearly indestructible, and genetically engineered goats, whose milk contains the proteins needed to
artificially spin the spider silk and produce it in a quantity that will make it realistic to use in health
care, in body armor, in parachutes, and much more.
151. Lewis, J. Patrick. World Rat Day: Poems about Real Holidays You’ve Never Heard Of. Illustrated
by Anna Raff. Candlewick, 2013. 9780763654023 36 p. Grades K-4 $15.99. From the Children's
Poet Laureate comes a year-round ode to wacky holidays just begging to be celebrated.
152. Muntean, Michaela F. Stay: the True Story of Ten Dogs. Photographs by K.C. Bailey and Stephen
Kazmierski. Scholastic, 2012. 9780545234979 Unpaged Grades K-3 $16.99. Luciano Anastasini, a
man who calls the circus home, and ten homeless dogs are brought together by fate. Have you ever
thought about how some people are able to see opportunities in areas where other people see only the
negative side?
153. Carnesi, Monica. Little Dog Lost: the True Story of a Brave Dog Named Baltic. Penguin, 2012.
9780399256660 $15.99. A ship on the Baltic Sea manages to rescue a little dog that was carried
seventy-five miles on a sheet of ice.
154. Bial, Raymond. Rescuing Rover : Saving America's Dogs. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. 78 p. Grades 4-7
9780547341255 $16.99. Argues that the United States faces a dog overpopulation problem, offers
information on puppy mills, pet stores, breeders, and animal shelters, and explains how to adopt a pet
from a shelter.
155. Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. Dogs on Duty: Soldiers’ Best Friends on the Battlefield and Beyond.
Walker, 2012. 9780802728456 48 p. Grades 3-8 $16.99. Explains the many ways that dogs are used
in the military and how they are trained and cared for.
156. MacLachlan, Patricia, and Emily MacLachlan Charest. Cat Talk. Illustrated by Barry Moser.
Katherine Tegen Books, 2013. 9780060279783 Unpaged Grades 1-3 $17.99. In this collection of
children's poems, a variety of cats describe themselves and their relationships to other animals and to
their humans.
157. Farrar, Sid. The Year Comes Round: Haiku through the Seasons. Illustrated by Ilse Plume. Albert
Whitman, 2012. 9780807581292 Unpaged Grades 1-up $16.99. An illustrated Haiku poem about
nature and the seasons.
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158. Adler, David A. Millions, Billions, & Trillions: Understanding Big Numbers. Illustrated by Edward
Miller. Holiday House, 2013. 9780823424030 Unpaged. Grades K-3 $17.95. Simple text and
illustrations explain the mind-boggling concepts of very large numbers.
159. Goldstone, Bruce. That’s a Possibility! A Book about What Might Happen. Henry Holt, 2013.
9780805089981 32 p. Grades 1-3 $16.99. Easy-to-understand scenarios help kids understand the
prospect of things being probable, possible or impossible. Attractive and interesting!
160. LaRochelle, David. 1 +1=5. Illustrated by Brenda Sexton. Sterling, 2010. 9781402759956 32 p.
Grades K-3 $14.95. Colorful illustrations and unusual calculations
encourage children to think about numbers in a creative way.
161. Jenkins, Emily, and G. Brian Karas. Lemonade in Winter: a
Book about Two Kids Counting Money. Schwartz and Wade, 2012.
9780375858833 unpaged Grades 1-3 $16.99. Pauline and her brother
John-John set up a stand to sell lemonade, limeade, and lemonlimeade one cold, wintry day, then try to attract customers as Pauline
adds up their earnings.
162. Leedy, Loreen. Seeing Symmetry. Holiday House, 2012.
9780823423606 32 p. Grades 1-4 $17.95. Introduces the concept of
symmetry, discussing how it appears in the world. Includes activities. Download an excellent free
activity pack at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Activity-Pack-for-Seeing-Symmetrybook-by-Loreen-Leedy
163. Rappaport, Doreen. Helen’s Big World. Illustrated by Matt Tavares. Disney Hyperion, 2012.
9780786808908 Unpaged Grades K-3 $17.99. An illustrated biography of Helen Keller, introducing
young readers to her life and legacy, and including quotations by Keller. ALA Notable Children’s
Book 2013
164. Lambert, Joseph. Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller. Disney/Hyperion, 2012.
9781423113362 83 p. Grades 5-up $17.99. A graphic novel that explores the role of Annie Sullivan
as teacher and companion to Helen Keller and discusses the bond that formed between the two
women as Helen went on to accomplish many feats.
165. Montgomery, Sy. Temple Grandin: How the Girl who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed
the World. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. 9780547443157 148 p. Grades 5-up $17.99. Examines the life
and accomplishments of Temple Grandin, whose childhood diagnosis of autism and love of cows led
her to revolutionize the livestock industry.
166. Stone, Tanya Lee. Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream. Candlewick Press, 2009.
9780763636111 Grades 5-8 134 p. $24.99. Profiles thirteen women who challenged social norms and
government policies to prove they could be exceptional astronauts.
167. Sweet, Melissa. Balloons over Broadway: the True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade.
Houghton Mifflin, 2011. 9780547199450 Unpaged Grades 1-5 $16.99. Tells the story of puppeteer
Tony Sarg, the man who first invented the helium balloons that have become the trademark of the
annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Sibert Award Winner 2012
168. Bean, Jonathan. Building Our House. FSG, 2013. 9780374380236 Unpaged Grades K-3 $17.99.
young girl narrates her family's move from the city to the country, where they have bought a piece of
land and live in a trailer while they build a house from the ground up, with help from relatives and
friends.
169. Stone, Tanya Lee. The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie: a Doll’s History and Her Impact on Us.
Viking, 2010. 130 p. Grades 6-up 9780670011872 $19.99. Explores how Barbie has influenced
generations of girls, discussing criticisms of the doll, her role in fashion, and her surprising popularity
during her first fifty years.
170. Vernick, Audrey. Brothers at Bat: the True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team.
Illustrated by Steven Salerno. Clarion, 2012. 9780547385570 Unpaged Grades K-3 $16.99. hares
the story of the Acerras and their sixteen children, who had enough members to fill every position on
a baseball team.
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171. Tavares, Matt. Becoming Babe Ruth. Candlewick, 2013. 9780763656461 Unpaged Grades K-3
$16.99. Before he is known as the Babe, George Herman Ruth was just a boy who lived in Baltimore
and gets into a lot of trouble.
172. Moss, Marissa. Barbed Wire Baseball. Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu. Abrams, 2013. 9781419705212
40 p. Grades 2-6 $18.95. Looks at Japanese American baseball player Kenichi Zenimura's time spent
in the internment camps during World War II and his creation of a baseball field there.
173. Skead, Robert. Something to Prove: the Great Satchel Paige vs. Rookie Joe DiMaggio. Illustrations
by Floyd Cooper. Carolrhoda, 2013. 9780761366195 Unpaged Grades 1-3 $16.95. Each of these
two legendary baseball players had something to prove when they faced each other for the first time.
174. Winter, Jonah. You Never Heard of Willie Mays?! Illustrated by Terry Widener. Schwartz & Wade,
2013. 9780375868443 Unpaged Grades 1-4 $17.99. A visual profile of baseball star Willie Mays,
tracing his Birmingham childhood, achievements in the Negro Leagues, and fame as a center fielder
for the Giants.
175. Full Count : Top 10 Lists of Everything in Baseball (Sports Illustrated Kids). Time Home
Entertainment, 2012. 9781618930064 96 p. Grades 3-up $19.95. Contains top ten lists about baseball,
including oddest deliveries, rivalries, mascots, ugly uniforms, and more.
176. Coy, John. Hoop Genius: How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball.
Illustrations by Joe Morse. Carolrhoda, 2013. 9780761366171 Unpaged Grades K-2 $16.95. Tells the
story of why and how James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891.
177. Berne, Emma Carlson. Today’s Marines (The U.S. Armed Forces). Compass Point, 2013.
9780756546212 48 p. Grades 3-9 $21.49. An outstanding look at the U.S. Marine Corps today and in
the past. Well written and exciting!
178. Close, Chuck. Face Book. Abrams, 2012. 9781419701634 56 p. Grades 4-up $18.95. This
fascinating, interactive autobiography presents Chuck Close’s story, his art, and a discussion of the
many processes he uses in the studio. Horn Book/ Boston Globe Nonfiction winner 2012
179. Bryant, Jen. A Splash of Red: the Life and Art of Horace Pippin. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Alfred
A. Knopf, 2013. 9780375867125 Unpaged Grades 2-5 $17.99. An illustrated biography of African
American painter, Horace Pippin.
180. Jocelyn, Marthe. Sneaky Art: Crafty Surprises to Hide in Plain Sight. Candlewick, 2013.
9780763656485 54 p. Grades 3-6 $12.99. Made you look! Kids will uncover their inner guerrilla
artist as they sneak funny art projects into surprising places to make people smile!
181. Rubin, Susan Goldman. Diego Rivera: An Artist for the People. Abrams, 2013. 56 p. Grades 4-8
9780810984110 $21.95. A brief biography of Mexican artist Diego Rivera, who was best known for
his public mural paintings depicting the culture and struggles of the Mexican working class.
182. Stringer, Lauren. When Stravinsky met Nijinsky: Two Artists, Their Ballet, and One Extraordinary
Riot. Harcourt, 2013. 9780547907253 Unpaged Grades K-2 $16.99. The Russian artists Igor
Stravinsky and Vaslav Nijinsky were popular in their time: Stravinsky for
music, Nijinsky for dance. When their radically new ballet, The Rite of
Spring, was first performed in Paris on May 29, 1913, the reaction was so
polarized, there were fistfights and riots!
183. Turner, Tracey. Dreadful Fates: What a Shocking Way to Go!
Illustrated by Sally Kindberg. Kids Can, 2011. 9781554536443 109 p.
Grades 4-up $14.95. A fun, illustrated look at the many unusual ways in
which people, famous and unknown, died.
184. Bragg, Georgia. How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully
Famous. Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. Walker, 2011. 9780802798176
180 p. Grades 5-up $17.99. A lot of really famous people did not die
peacefully in their beds. Many of them suffered horribly during their lives
and at the end.
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185. Prelutsky, Jack. Stardines Swim High Across the Sky and Other Poems. Illustrated by Carin Berger.
Greenwillow, 2013. 36 P. 9780062014641 $17.99. A collection of poems describing imaginary
creatures such as Bluffaloes, Swapitis, and Stardines.
Many Common Core exemplar books, the more or less “official” examples, are on this website:
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_B.pdf –or just google Common Core Exemplar.
When I first looked at it, many of the books were out of print, but they certainly seem to be
coming back into print quickly. Never fear: we get to choose our own books, there are no
official ones. And just because a book is older does not mean it is no longer excellent.
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There are many excellent internet sites—a few I was impressed by are these:
http://tmsteach.blogspot.comvisit http://bookends.booklistonline.com
http://booklistonline.com/commoncore I just love this site. Also excellent ideas and
recommendations from two Michigan Librarians These are so user friendly.
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy
http://www.teachingbooks.net/show.cgi?f=common_core_cu_home
an excellent subscription
site
Book jobbers such as www.follett.com often include Common Core information and especially
ideas for clusters. Amazon includes information on other books on the same topic, also useful for
clusters.
And look at the publisher’s website: they often have Common Core ideas for their titles.
A Few Thoughts from the Experts—which is often us.
Children need to see that reading is an important part of life. If an adult is seen reading regularly, then it
is! If not, it must not be. Read. Talk about what you read. Kids need to know that we consider reading
fun. A lot of them today consider reading only for work.
With boys in the ‘tween years, the best book is not the issue.
What is an issue is what books they will actually read. Also, boys
are less likely to talk about or overtly respond to their reading than
girls are. But they LOVE information that exports readily to
conversation—that they can repeat to other people. This is one
reason why nonfiction works well.
Do NOT tell a child in any way, verbally or in body language, that
the books he or she likes are bad. I bet you (like me) read a lot of
trash, especially in the beauty shop.
Kids need our assurance and our permission to read easy books. Include plenty of easier books in your
booktalks.
In a recent study, reluctant readers indicated that they only liked to read when they got to pick whatever
they want to read. Let them choose!!!
Studies show that reading comprehension is related to reader’s interest in the topic. Interested readers can
comprehend materials normally considered to be beyond their reading level.
Leonard Saxe recommends that you recommend books to a boy conversationally, side by side, standing
next to each other, rather than confrontationally, face to face. “And look at THIS picture!”
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As the school media specialist to keep a list in a prominent place of what the most popular books are in
your library or media center. Create buzz. So you get a waiting list. Hey, that’s a goal!
Wouldn't it be great if the public library sent out a list of high interest books that they have available to
add to the school list?
Consider making a PowerPoint DVD or flash drive that will highlight new titles available in your library
or media center. We know we will never be able to place every appealing book face out on the shelves.
Think of how cool it would be to sit down in front of a computer with a PowerPoint show, all books
numbered to make requesting them easier, and note that the library has books on all sorts of intriguing
topics. Make copies and give them to every classroom. This is a great volunteer project. Publishers do
not at all object to our use of book covers in promotion. Better yet, use a digital picture frame at the
checkout desk.
And an important thing: if you are looking for fiction or nonfiction titles on a particular title and
having trouble finding ones that might work, ask at your local school or public library. We
librarians LOVE to help you find this kind of thing, and every question we are asked makes us feel
more valuable in these endangered economic times!
Nonfiction Booktalking Tips
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Approach your books with a supply of post-it notes or tape flags.
Browse through the books on your shelf. Do any have topics that particularly
appeal to you? Grab them!
Look through the illustrations and photographs. Is there one that is absolutely
irresistible? Read the caption and scan the accompanying information. Mark it.
Keep browsing. Is there another great illustration or a fascinating fact
guaranteed to secure the attention of your audience? Mark it.
Browse the book just enough to get you a feel for what it is saying. Jot down
notes to help you remember any key points, then stick your notes in the book.
Or put a post it on the back of the book!
Select books on a variety of topics. You are not attracted by absolutely every
topic and neither is your audience.
Keep your booktalk moving. This is not the age of rhetoric. I have seen
librarians talk about one book for 15 minutes. It is beyond boring! Make it
quick and snappy. No one has much of an attention span anymore!
Be enthusiastic! Let your audience see your excitement about the book. Let
the wild woman or wild guy inside out!
Include a commercial for your library, media center or classroom collection.
Make it easy for kids to get the book.
Use PowerPoint whenever possible. It cuts down on heavy hauling and allows the
books to be used by their audience.
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A FEW QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND THOUGHT
1. Do you have a favorite nonfiction book that you regularly read aloud to
children?
2. Do you have a favorite nonfiction book that you regularly recommend to
children?
3. If you are a librarian, what do you do to promote nonfiction in the library?
4. Do you buy books that win awards for nonfiction? Do you ever read
nonfiction books?
5. Librarians: How to you choose the materials for your collection? Do you
use reviews? Salespeople? Recommendations from other librarians?
6. Are there any subjects on which we need more books? Or ANY books?
7. Were there any nonfiction books or series of books that you remember
fondly from your own childhood?
8. What do you see as major trends happening in children’s books right at the
moment? How are they affecting you and the books you select?
9. Do you buy any graphic nonfiction? Do you read any yourself?
10.What trends do you see in nonfiction publishing?
11.Share a nonfiction book that is popular in your school.
12.What is the best book you have read lately?
13.Do you ever read nonfiction? Think of a nonfiction book you really enjoyed.
14.Did you see any book today that you would like to read yourself or share
with young people?
15.Do you have any thoughts on good fiction books to pair these nonfiction
books with?
The article on the following pages was reprinted from Book Links: Literature-Based
Resources for the Curriculum, September 2012 issue. This comes out four times a year,
with your subscription for Booklist Magazine, and is published by and reprinted here with
the permission of the American Library Association. Ask your school or public librarian if
you might see their issues.
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