Nonfiction

Strange Nature: The Insect Portraits of Levon Biss by Gregory Mone, photographs by Levon Biss

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Strange Nature: The Insect Portraits of Levon Biss: Mone, Gregory, Biss, Levon: 9781419731662: Amazon.com: Books
Bound To Stay Bound Books, Inc. - Bookstore

Summary:  Levon Biss is a photographer whose work was mostly focused on celebrities and political leaders until the day his son Sebastian brought a beetle into the kitchen.  When the two of them looked at it under a microscope, Levon was captivated by the beauty and complexity of the insect.  Since then, he’s created amazing photos of all kinds of creatures, taking thousands of photos of each one, then piecing them together on his computer.  This book includes 16 insects, with the photos as the main attraction, but also including some information about where each one lives, its size, a description, and a few facts.  Includes a glossary.  40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Anyone with the slightest interest in insects will be amazed by these photos and enriched by the information; anyone without that interest may be surprised to find out how beautiful and complex insects can be.

Cons:  The author has a note at the end that begins, “Normally an author wouldn’t send his or her readers to the Internet.  Not when there are shelves and shelves stacked with wonderful printed books….”  It’s okay, here in the 21st century, it is actually okay to unapologetically send readers to the Internet.

The Way of the Hive: A Honey Bee’s Story by Jay Hosler

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by HarperAlley

The Way of the Hive: A Honey Bee's Story: Hosler, Jay, Hosler, Jay: 9780063007369: Amazon.com: Books
The Way of the Hive: A Honey Bee's Story: Hosler, Jay, Hosler, Jay: 9780063007352: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  The life cycle of the honey bee is given a whole new twist in this graphic novel that follows the life of a Nyuki (Swahili for bee) from her early days as a pupa until her death at the base of a flower.  She is mentored by her older sister Dvorah, who tries to hold back Nyuki’s early urges to explore.  A premature sojourn from the hive results in some close calls with a praying mantis and a spider, and Nyuki returns home vowing to never leave again.  Now Dvorah has to find a way to lure her out, and her success is bittersweet.  As Nyuki grows older, she becomes a beloved member of the hive and ends up in the role of mentor herself, helping out a younger bee named Melissa.  Nearing the end of her life, Nyuki goes for one last flight and finds an unusual way to ensure that she will return to the hive after her death.  Includes labeled diagrams of the honeybee; ten pages of chapter-by-chapter annotations; and a list of references.  160 pages; grades 4-8.

Pros:  The graphic nonfiction just keeps on getting better and better.  Written and illustrated by a biology professor, this one manages to tell a fascinating story, creating interesting insect and flower characters, and also to impart a wealth of information.  With the extensive back matter, this could easily be used as a high school or even a college text, yet is engaging and understandable enough for older elementary kids.

Cons:  This is actually a revised edition of the author’s earlier book Clan Apis, so it feels like a little bit of a stretch to call it a new book in 2021.

Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas by Elizabeth Shreeve, illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Candlewick

Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas: Shreeve, Elizabeth, Preston-Gannon, Frann: 9781536214109: Amazon.com: Books
Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas: Shreeve, Elizabeth, Preston-Gannon, Frann: 9781536214109: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Which two are the most closely related: hippo, dolphin, shark?  That question is asked before the title page; the text goes back to the beginning of life on earth to find an answer.  Each two-page spread shows animals for a geologic period, with several sentences of text telling what happened during this time.  The final three (Paleozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, and Cenozoic Era) are covered on two pages and take us up to the present, where we learn how the hippo and dolphin are related.  “Always changing.  Always evolving.  From out of the blue…and back again.”  Includes a list of sources.  32 pages; grades 1-5.  

Pros:  An excellent introduction to geological history and evolution.  Kids will enjoy poring over the illustrations of so many interesting creatures from so many different time periods.  A first-rate science book.

Cons:  It’s pretty challenging to cover the history of life on Earth in just 32 pages, and I can’t help thinking a little more back matter could have added more substance.

A Shot in the Arm! (Big Ideas That Changed the World) by Don Brown

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

A Shot in the Arm! (Hardcover) | ABRAMS
Bound To Stay Bound Books, Inc. - Bookstore

Summary:  Lady Mary Wortley Montagu narrates this graphic history of vaccines from the early 18th century.  After losing a brother to smallpox and becoming scarred by the disease herself, she was determined to protect her children from it.  Living in the Ottoman Empire with her family, she heard of a procedure that involved introducing some matter from a pox sore into a cut on a person’s arm.  She decided to have the procedure done on her son, and when she returned to England, on her daughter.  Princess Caroline, future Queen of England, got wind of this, and began her own series of experiments which eventually popularized the procedure in Great Britain.  From there, Lady Montagu continues the story of vaccines against various diseases: measles, mumps, polio, and, of course Covid.  The narrative ends in November of 2020 as Covid vaccines are being developed and tested: “The world holds its breath…and hopes.”  Includes a timeline; additional information on Mary Wortley Montagu; a lengthy bibliography; an author’s note; and an index.  144 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  I looked for an interview of Don Brown to see if he began work on this book before or after Covid, but couldn’t find one.  Either way, this book could hardly be more timely.  It does a great job of explaining the science in an understandable way, coming down firmly on the side of vaccination while acknowledging those who fear it with a certain degree of sympathy.  (Although I did love page 67 showing 19th-century British anti-vaxers saying things like, “I heard the doctors are wrong!” and “I don’t like the government telling me what to do!”).    The back matter makes this an excellent research tool.  

Cons:  This book is billed as #3 of 3 in the Big Ideas That Changed the World series.  I do hope that doesn’t mean it’s the last one.

How to Build an Insect by Roberta Gibson, illustrated by Anne Lambelet

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Millbrook Press

How to Build an Insect - Kindle edition by Gibson, Roberta, Lambelet, Anne. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
How to Build an Insect: Gibson, Roberta, Lambelet, Anne: 9781541578111: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Readers learn about insects’ body parts as a young artist works on creating one.  First comes the head, followed by the thorax and the abdomen.  Decisions are made about a skeleton, legs, and wings.  Then the senses are considered: eyes, ears, a mouth, and antennae.  Decorations like hair and horns are the final touch before the insect is given a place to live and a snack, at which point the artist declares the work done.  Includes a two-page labeled illustration of an insect, a glossary, and instructions for building an insect model.  32 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  An engaging way to learn about insects, with large, colorful illustrations and text that reads like a conversation between the narrator and the artist.  A perfect example of blending art and science.

Cons:  Kind of an anti-climactic ending.

How Old Am I? 1-100 Faces From Around the World by Julie Pugeat

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Phaidon Press (released May 12)

How Old Am I?: 1-100 Faces From Around The World by Julie Pugeat, Hardcover | Barnes & Noble®
All you need to know about JR's new book How Old Am I? | design | Phaidon

Summary:  The first two pages in the book show the questions asked of each person: What is your name? How old are you? Where do you live? What makes you happy?  People from all over the world from ages 1 to 100 are pictured with the answers to the questions.  The last several pages give additional information about artist JR and his Inside Out Project that inspired this book.  216 pages; ages 1-100.

Pros:  A fascinating look at how people appear at different ages and what makes them happy.  Any child or adult will enjoy poring over this book and finding out more about the Inside Out Project.

Cons:  The people all seemed so interesting, and there was only a little information about each one.
 

A Day in the Life of a Poo, a Gnu, and You: A Laugh-Out Loud Guide to Life on Earth by Mike Barfield, illustrated by Jess Bradley

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Aladdin

A Day in the Life of a Poo, a Gnu and You: Barfield, Mike: 9781780556468: Amazon.com: Books
A Day in the Life of a Poo, a Gnu, and You: Barfield, Mike, Bradley, Jess: 9781534467217: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Divided into three sections–human body, animal kingdom, and earth and science–this book investigates life on earth through comic book-style stories about a day in the life of various things.  From the profound (brain, blue whale, moon) to the profane (fart, pimple, dung beetle), these stories will educate and entertain many different types of kids.  Includes a glossary.  128 pages; grades 2-6.  

Pros:  Both the format and the wide range of topics make this a very appealing book that is perfect for browsing.

Cons:  There’s a little information on a lot of topics, so probably not the best for research. 

Hear My Voice/Escucha Mi Voz: The Testimonies of Children Detained at the Southern Border of the United States compiled by Warren Binford for Project Amplify

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Workman Publishing

Amazon.com: Hear My Voice/Escucha mi voz: The Testimonies of Children Detained at the Southern Border of the United States (English and Spanish Edition) (9781523513482): Binford, Warren, Bochenek, Michael Garcia: Books

Amazon.com: Hear My Voice/Escucha mi voz: The Testimonies of Children Detained at the Southern Border of the United States (English and Spanish Edition) (9781523513482): Binford, Warren, Bochenek, Michael Garcia: Books

Summary:  International children’s advocate Warren Binford was shocked by his 2019 visit to  the Clint Border Patrol Station in Texas where he found over 350 children locked in a warehouse, a loading dock, and overcrowded cells.  After Donald Trump and Mike Pence refused to acknowledge the truth about Clint, Warren and his colleagues went on social media to ask artists, writers, faith leaders, and anyone else to help these children tell their stories.  Project Amplify has resulted in songs, plays, billboards, works of art, and now this book, which is a collection of the children’s stories in their own words.  Illustrated by 17 Latinx artists, the text is in both English and Spanish, and lets the kids tell why they left their countries for the U.S. and the deplorable conditions they experienced once they got here.  Includes a foreword by Michael Garcia Bochenek of Human Rights Watch and several pages about Project Amplify and the book, including thumbnail portraits of each artist and questions to ask children about the text.  96 pages; ages 8 and up.

Pros:  An incredibly powerful book, made more so by the amazing illustrations (some realistic and some more fantastic), and the back matter.  

Cons:  It’s hard to recommend an age group for this book.  While I think there are plenty of elementary kids who would learn a lot from it, it should definitely be read with some adult guidance.

The Wisdom of Trees: How Trees Work Together to Form a Natural Kingdom by Lita Judge

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

Published by Roaring Brook Press

The Wisdom of Trees: How Trees Work Together to Form a Natural Kingdom: Judge, Lita: 9781250237071: Amazon.com: Books
The Wisdom of Trees | Lita Judge | Macmillan

Summary:  Each two-page spread has a watercolor illustration of the tree in its natural habitat with animals that live in or near it, a free-verse poem, and several paragraphs of information about the tree.  The “wisdom” aspect of trees is emphasized, showing the remarkable ways trees defend themselves, maintain Earth’s balance, and even communicate with each other.  Includes an author’s note; additional information about each tree in the book and the future of forests; how to help forests; glossary; and sources.  48 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  This gorgeous science book has some pretty mind-blowing information about trees that scientists are just beginning to discover.  It certainly gave me a new appreciation for trees, and it will undoubtedly have the same effect on younger readers.

Cons:  It will take a pretty dedicated tree enthusiast to get through the entire book. But the good news is, if this tree book doesn’t grab you, there are a couple dozen more to choose from this year.

My Tiny Life by Ruby T. Hummingbird by Paul Meisel

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Published by Holiday House

My Tiny Life by Ruby T. Hummingbird by Paul Meisel: 9780823443222 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
Paul Meisel-My Tiny Life by Ruby T. Hummingbird

Summary:  A ruby throated hummingbird narrates a year in his life, starting on May 15 when he hatches out of an egg.  A few weeks later, he’s ready to fly, and spends the summer sipping nectar and fighting/playing with the other hummingbirds.  August 22: “I’m hearing a lot of chatter about a big trip soon.”  In September, he heads to Mexico, where he stays until the end of February.  By May 4, he’s back home again, and thinking about finding a mate.  Includes additional information about hummingbirds on both the front and back endpapers, as well as a glossary and a list of sources and recommended reading.  40 pages; ages 4-9.

Pros:  Paul Meisel and Holiday House have teamed up for a number of I Like to Read books, and this series feels like it could appeal to the same audience.  There’s just a sentence or two of text on each page, and the diary format makes it engaging and fun.  Yet there’s plenty of back matter that could make this a great research resource for older kids.  There are three other books in this series, which started in 2018.

Cons:  As you may recall, I’m not a big fan of using the endpapers for additional information.  Fortunately, the book I got from the library didn’t have a dust jacket, so nothing was covered up.