Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Infinite Hope by Ashley Bryan

Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey From World War II to Peace
by Ashley Bryan
Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books (October 15, 2019)
Nonfiction * Biography * History
Audience: Ages 10 and up
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
In May of 1942, at the age of eighteen, Ashley Bryan was drafted to fight in World War II. For the next three years, he would face the horrors of war as a black soldier in a segregated army.

He endured the terrible lies white officers told about the black soldiers to isolate them from anyone who showed kindness—including each other. He received worse treatment than even Nazi POWs. He was assigned the grimmest, most horrific tasks, like burying fallen soldiers…but was told to remove the black soldiers first because the media didn’t want them in their newsreels. And he waited and wanted so desperately to go home, watching every white soldier get safe passage back to the United States before black soldiers were even a thought.

For the next forty years, Ashley would keep his time in the war a secret. But now, he tells his story. The story of the kind people who supported him. The story of the bright moments that guided him through the dark. And the story of his passion for art that would save him time and time again.

Filled with never-before-seen artwork and handwritten letters and diary entries, this illuminating and moving memoir by Newbery Honor–winning illustrator Ashley Bryan is both a lesson in history and a testament to hope.

Quick thoughts on this book:

When I opened the envelope and found the F&G (folded & gathered) of Ashley Bryan’s upcoming book, I immediately knew I had to read it. I was intrigued by the cover, and the title. How was Bryan going to tackle this biographical work particularly because of the format and audience?

As I read through this book, I was fascinated to learn about Bryan’s time in the military, his encounter with racism that was different than he had experienced before, and how his art flows throughout all of his story. The other thing that struck me as I read this book is that though the format may be a picture book, the text and content are for older students. Though I think picture books are for all ages and that even a picture book written for a young audience can be appreciated by older students or adults, there are still some picture books that are specific to an older audience. This is one of those books. For teachers looking for picture books for middle school students, you will want to take a look at this book.

Teacher can utilize this book as a mentor text for a memoir/biography unit. Art teachers can use this to talk about text and design. Bryan utilizes photographs, handwritten letters, illustrations, and more to share his experiences. Mark your calendars to pick up this book when it releases on October 15, 2019. You won’t want to miss this one.

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews…

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: North America by Sarah Albee

North America: A Fold-Out Graphic History
by Sarah Albee, Illustrated by William Exley
What On Earth Books & Smithsonian (October 1, 2019)
Nonfiction * History * United States
Audience: Ages 8 to 13
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description of the book:
A richly illustrated, foldout graphic history of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the islands of the Caribbean.

North American history unfolds in this graphic timeline that places the United States, Canadian and Mexican/Caribbean histories in the context of their continent. From healers in the Aleutian islands in 10,000 BCE to the first to cultivate corn in 3,000 BCE in Mexico to Canadian scientists studying butterfly migration in 1975. From the Aztecs of the city of Tenochtitlan to the Mississippians who built Cahokia to the Inuit of the arctic and the Taino of the Caribbean. Then there are Spanish, French, English, and other Europeans who invaded in the 1500s, the enslaved Africans forcibly brought to our shores, and millions more, from all around the world.

Ours is the story of creation and destruction, migration, exploration, conquest, wars, alliances, trade, governments, railroads, mutinies, panning for gold, invention, and art. It includes terrible injustices and amazing movements toward equality and freedom, and so much more. So unfold the book and immerse yourself in the vast tapestry that is North American history.

Quick thoughts on the book:
Sometimes when I read a book, I wonder how the author pulled together and organized so much material. In looking, Sarah Albee’s new book, NORTH AMERICA, I definitely wondered how you go about creating “a sweeping illustrated timeline of Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the Islands of the Caribbean”. Albee’s author note gives readers a little bit of her process and how her perspective on history was shaped by this process.

Albee manages to condense history to an 8 foot double sided timeline. I wasn’t expecting this when I opened the book and it kept unfolding. I imagined a group of kids unfolding the timeline across the floor and gathering around it to read the various facts and going back and forth through time by moving forward and back along the pages. This is a book to pour over and read and come back to read some more. I am looking forward to sharing this book with kids and seeing how they choose to interact with it.

Check out this interview with Sarah Albee on Watch.Connect.Read with Mr. Schu.

Look for this book on October 1st at your local bookstore.

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews…

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: What am I reading? - 8/28/19

Kids Can Press is a Canadian-owned children’s book publisher. When I receive a box of their new releases, I always feel like I am celebrating a holiday. Over the years, I have found some new favorite authors and discovered some titles with a more global focus than I have often see in children’s books published in the United States. I also appreciate their selection of nonfiction titles.

Here are several of their nonfiction titles that will be released on October 1st.

The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle: The Cool Science Behind Frank Epperson's Famous Frozen Treat by Anne Renaud, illustrated by Milan Pavlović

Join the No-Plastic Challenge!: A First Book of Reducing Waste by Scot Ritchie

Megabugs: And Other Prehistoric Critters That Roamed the Planet by Helaine Becker, illustrated by John Bindon

Nature All Around: Bugs by Pamela Hickman, illustrated by Carolyn Gavin

It Started with a Big Bang: The Origin of Earth, You and Everything Else by Floor Bal, illustrated by Sebastian Van Doninck

Look for these at your local indie bookstore and if they don’t carry Kids Can Press books maybe you can suggest they bring some in.

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews…

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Kicking Off a New School Year

Whether you started the new school year a couple of weeks ago or won’t start for a couple of more weeks, I want to wish everyone a fabulous start of the new year.

As I have scrolled through Twitter and Facebook, I have seen many posts about read alouds for the start of the year. One of the things I have noticed is that many of the posts focus on the latest fiction picture books. Occasionally, though, a teacher will mention that they are looking for some nonfiction recommendations. It made me realize that I needed to dust off a few of my old blog posts about nonfiction read alouds.

If you are looking for some tips on reading aloud nonfiction including expository nonfiction, check out these previous posts:
Nonfiction Read Alouds, Part II

Reading Aloud Nonfiction

If you are a regular reader of this weekly challenge, then you probably have a list of nonfiction that you would include in your stack of books to share with students. A few weeks ago, I shared my favorite nonfiction picture books from the first part of 2019. If you missed the post, you can check it out here. These are definitely titles that I will be sharing with teachers and students.

Here are a few upcoming releases that just miss the first few weeks of school that I am looking forward to reading and sharing with students:

Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayer, Illustrated by Rafael Lopez (Philomel Books, September 3, 2019)

What Miss Mitchell Saw by Hayley Barrett, Illustrated by Diane Sudyka (Beach Lane Books, September 3, 2019)

If Elephants Disappeared by Lily Williams (Roaring Brook Press, September 17, 2019)

Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung, Illustrated by Chris Sasaki (Schwartz & Wade, September 24, 2019)

Migrations: Open Hearts, Open Borders: The Power of Human Migration and the Way That Walls and Bans Are No Match for Bravery and Hope by ICPBS, Various Illustrators (Candlewick Studio, October 8, 2019)

Cells: An Owner’s Handbook by Carolyn Fisher (Beach Lane Books, October 15, 2019)

Mark your calendars for when these books are released, and may you have a fabulous year of picture book read alouds and don’t forget to include nonfiction in your book sharing.

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews…

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Taking a Vacation

I don’t take vacations very often from this weekly post but as I get ready for the start of the new school year I realized that I needed some time to think about the direction of the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge along with catching up on some of reading. The weekly challenge will be back on Wednesday, August 21st. Until then, happy reading everyone.

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews…