Nonfiction

Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre & His World of Insects by Matthew Clark Smith, illustrated by Giuliano Ferri

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Published by Two Lions

Summary:  Back in the early 1900’s, an eccentric old man lived in a village in France.  His neighbors observed him squatting in the sun for hours to watch beetles, and marveled that he would pay children to gather dead moles and lizards to attract flies.  Imagine their surprise when a procession of cars arrived at their quiet village one day, and out of one of them stepped the President of France!  Turns out the old man was Jean-Henri Fabre, a scientist whose lifelong passion was studying insects.  Other scientists had written about dead insects from faraway places, but Fabre was more interested in the bugs he saw in the fields and woods around him.  He liked to study the live ones to learn about their behavior.  Then he wrote about them in books so beautiful that the President of France came to his house to let him know he had been nominated for a Nobel Prize in Literature.  While Fabre is little known today outside of France, his work influenced Darwin and inspired generations of naturalists.  Grades 2-5.

Pros:  This is an engaging biography of a little-known scientist, which includes a lot of interesting information about insects.  The illustrations capture the amazing creatures Fabre loved as well as his wide-eyed wonder of them throughout the nine decades of life.

Cons:  This is long for a picture book; probably best suited to older elementary students.

A Penguin Named Patience: A Hurricane Katrina Rescue Story by Suzanne Lewis, illustrated by Lisa Anchin

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Published by Sleeping Bear Press 

Summary:  When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2008 many of the animals at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas did not survive.  Patience was the oldest of a group of 19 penguins who were rescued and sent to the Monterey Aquarium in California.  This book tells the story from Patience’s perspective, from the day she senses something is wrong to the grand re-opening of the aquarium when the penguins strut down a purple carpet to the sound of “When the Saints Go Marching In”.  The author’s note at the end provides interesting additional information.  Grades K-4.

Pros:  This is a great introduction to Hurricane Katrina and ways that people across the country reached out to help the city of New Orleans.  The large, cheerful illustrations add an upbeat note.

Cons:  The story mentions 19 penguins, and the author’s note talks about a group of 18 penguins.

Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure by Nadja Spiegelman and Sergio Garcia Sanchez

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Published by TOON Graphics

Summary:  It’s the first day at a new school for Pablo; his sixth, and he’s decided it’s just too hard to keep trying to make new friends.  Alicia has other ideas, though, and volunteers to be his partner on the field trip to the Empire State Building.  Before they leave, their teacher, Mr. Bartle, gives them an engaging lesson on the history and layout of New York’s subway system.  In spite of this, Pablo and Alicia manage to get themselves on the wrong train, and eventually the two of them get separated.  Armed with his new knowledge, Pablo manages to negotiate the subway system to get to the Empire State Building, where he’s reunited with the rest of the class and his new friend Alicia.  Grades 3-6.

Pros:  This is an engaging story of friendship with a lot of interesting information about NYC and its subway woven in.  But the real treasure of this book is the artwork.  When Mr. Bartle teaches about the subway, a map springs to life in their classroom, allowing kids to perch on New Jersey and Queens, surrounded by historical photos.  When the kids are lost in NYC, readers could spend an hour poring over the details of each page, with its dozens of diverse characters. There’s even a Where’s Waldo-type challenge, as Mr. Sanchez included pictures of himself and a police officer in every spread.  You will definitely want to visit New York and ride the subway after seeing these marvelous illustrations.

Cons:  There may be a bit too much technical detail for non-engineering types.

Wangari Maathi: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prevot, illustrated by Aurelia Fronty

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Published by Charlesbridge

Summary:  While other picture book biographies about Wangari Maathi have focused on her tree planting, this book takes a broader look at her political activism.  She was fortunate to get a high school education in Kenya at a time when most girls didn’t go to school at all, and did so well that she was part of a group selected by President Kennedy to study in America.  Upon her return to Kenya, she observed how ravaged the land was from deforestation, and began her work to plant trees.  This work was in opposition to some of the plans of President Daniel arap Moi, and Maathai was imprisoned more than once.  In 2002, Moi was defeated, and Wangari Maathai was appointed assistant minister of the environment, natural resources, and wildlife.  In 2004, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.  She died in 2011 at the age of 71.  End pages include an extensive timeline, information on Kenya today, quotes from Wangari Maathi, and further resources.  Grades 2-6.

Pros:  This French import is more extensive than other Maathi biographies, and would be appropriate for an older audience looking for more in-depth information.  The illustrations are striking, each one painted against a boldly colored background that fills the whole page.

Cons:  This is the fifth picture book biography of Wangari Maathi published since 2008, so some libraries may pass on purchasing this one, which would be too bad.

Dolley Madison: Parties Can Be Patriotic! By Kathleen Krull

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Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Summary:  When Dolley Madison died, her funeral was the largest ever seen in Washington, D.C. at that time.  It closed down the government, because so many people wanted to attend, including some of the twelve U.S. presidents she had known in her lifetime.  After a simple Quaker childhood and an arranged first marriage, Dolley, a widow at age 25, married James Madison, who later became the fourth U.S. President.  Dolley threw large parties every week, redecorated the White House, and famously rescued the portrait of George Washington just hours before the British burned down the White House during the War of 1812.  When Zachary Taylor referred to her as the First Lady, he coined a term that Dolley defined during her long, eventful life.  Ages 7-10.

Pros:  Veteran biographer Kathleen Krull has a new series, “Women Who Broke the Rules”.  This entry is fun, breezy, and informative.  At 46 pages, with illustrations on almost every page, it’s just the right length to give an enticing introduction to the life of a famous woman.

Cons:  The cover could be a bit more enticing.

A Nest Is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long

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Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Why is a nest noisy?  Because of the life being nurtured inside of it.  Nests are made of an almost infinite range of materials, from millions of interlocking army ants to the hardened saliva of a swiftlet (whose nest is used to make birds’ nest soup).  And nests aren’t just for birds.  Alligators, platypuses, orangutans, and others make nests, too.  Each two page spread has a statement about what a nest is (“A nest is neighborly”, “A nest is hidden”, etc.), followed by a paragraph or two explaining this statement, all gorgeously illustrated with exquisitely detailed watercolors.  The front endpapers show all the nests described in the book, and the back ones display all the animals that inhabit them.  Ages 5-10

Pros:  This award-winning team has produced beautiful nonfiction books about eggs, seeds, butterflies, and rocks.  The writing and illustrations ensure that readers will gain a wonder and appreciation of the world around them.

Cons:  There is a lot of information for younger readers.  They might appreciate this book more if read over several sessions rather than all at once.

An Ambush of Tigers: A Wild Gathering of Collective Nouns by Betsy R. Rosenthal, illustrated by Jago.

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Published by Millbrook Press

Summary:  “Do you ever wonder what animals do/when they gather in groups of more than two?”  If the answer is yes, get ready to learn what different groups of animals are called.  Most of us have heard about a pack of wolves or a team of oxen, but how about a bouquet of pheasants or a prickle of porcupines?  A shiver of sharks or a rumba of rattlesnakes?  The richly colored illustrations portray the various animals interacting with each other, concluding with a panoramic view of all the animals together.  A glossary at the end lists all the animal group names and gives other definitions for the terms.

Pros:  Kids will love learning the names of their favorite animal groups, and the rhyming text makes it even more fun.  This could lead to researching other collective nouns.

Cons:  An intrusion of roaches.

Water Is Water by Miranda Paul, illustrations by Jason Chin

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Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  “Drip. Sip. Pour me a cup. Water is water unless…it heats up.”  Each page has a rhyme to show a different form water can take—steam, clouds, rain, snow, etc.  The brief text is beautifully illustrated by incomparable nature artist Jason Chin.  Kids will connect with the brother and sister as they experience the different forms of water in their everyday lives.  End pages give a brief explanation of the stages of the water cycle, a comparison of what percent water different animals are (humans=65%), and resources for further reading.  Preschool-grade 2.

Pros:  A perfect pairing of text and pictures that will explain the water cycle to even the youngest reader.

Cons:  The title struck me as a bit inane, but it makes more sense when you read the book.

A Chicken Followed Me Home! Questions and Answers about a Familiar Fowl by Robin Page.

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Published by Beach Lane Books

Summary:  Did you know there are approximately 19 billion chickens on earth?  Or that chicken can run as fast as the average human (9 miles per hour)?  Learn this and much more about everyone’s favorite fowl in this informational picture book.  Most of the text is in question-and-answer format, answering the narrator’s questions when a chicken follows her home.  What do I feed my chicken?  Will my chicken lay eggs?  How can I get the eggs to turn into more chickens?The answers are straightforward and brief, most just two or three sentences.  The large, simple illustrations are the perfect complement to the text.  The final two pages answer more chicken questions and provide additional resources.  Recommended for ages 4-9.

Pros:  This is the first solo effort by Robin Page, collaborator and wife of author/illustrator Steve Jenkins.  She has put together a near-perfect informational book, simple but packed with facts.  I didn’t realize exactly what I wanted to know about chickens, but Robin did, and she got all the answers just right.

Cons:   19 billion chickens running 9 miles per hour = a nightmare.

Founding Fathers: Those Horse-Ridin’, Fiddle-Playin’, Book-Readin’, Gun-Totin’ Gentlemen Who Started America by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Barry Blitt

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Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Who were the men who helped start America, and what exactly did it mean to be a Founding Father?  Jonah Winter takes an irreverent look at fourteen of them, giving each one a page of information that includes height, weight, shoe size, career and wealth, slaveholding status, position on the Boston Tea Party, famous quotes, and a few other facts and anecdotes.  Each page is accompanied by a full-page portrait.  The introduction or “Preamble” tells a little about this group and draws some comparisons to present-day politics and arguing over issues.  The final few pages take a closer look at some of the issues including the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, religion, slavery, government, foreign wars, and taxes, then concludes with a full page of additional resources.  Grades 2-5.

Pros:  The writing is heavy on humor and kid-friendly facts.  Yet this is a great introduction to the whole concept of “Founding Fathers” (a term coined by Warren G. Harding in 1918, in case you were wondering).  It might also make you feel better about today’s Congress to learn that so much was accomplished in spite of 18th-century partisan bickering.

Cons:  There’s not much depth.  The additional resources will be needed to cover the history of the period more thoroughly.