Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: New Releases

As part of the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge, one of my favorite things is to round-up as many new quality nonfiction books for children and share them with readers of this blog.  Some months, I miss the release of books and add them to the next month's post.  Since I have not seen every book listed, I cannot always confirm if they are truly a nonfiction book or more of an informational fiction text or a bit of historical fiction.  Below I have also included the links to previous posts in case you missed a book and want to add it to your list. 

Links to previous new release posts: January | February | March | April | May | June | June Part II

July 2016

Coyote Moon by Maria Gianferrari; Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline (Roaring Brook Press, July 19, 2016) 

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky (Ten Speed Press, July 26, 2016)

August 2016

Around America to Win the Vote: Two Suffragists, a Kitten, and 10,000 Miles by Mara Rockliff; Illustrated by Hadley Hooper (Candlewick Press, August 2, 2016)

Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer, Adam Schaefer; Illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon (Chronicle Books, August 2, 2016)

Bridge to the Wild: A Day in the Life of Zoo Curators by Caitlin O'Connell; Illustrated by Timothy Rodwell (HMH Books for Young Readers; August 2, 2016)

Crow Smarts: Inside the Brain of the World's Brightest Bird (Scientist in the Field) by Pamela S. Turner; Photographs by Andy Comins (HMH Books for Young Readers, August 2, 2016)

The Deadliest Creature in the World by Brenda Z. Guiberson; Illustrated by Gennady Spirin (Henry Holt and Co., August 23, 2016)

The Great Leopard Rescue: Saving the Amur Leopards by Sandra Markle (Millbrook Press, August 1, 2016)

Let Your Voice Be Heard: The Life and Times of Pete Seeger by Anita Silvey (Clarion Books, August 2, 2016)

Mountain Chef: How One Man Lost His Grocercies, Changed His Plans, and Helped Cook Up the National Park Service by Annette Bay Pimentel; Illustrated Rich Lo (Charlesbridge, August 2, 2016)

September 2016

Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams, A Life in Nature by Cindy Jenson-Elliot; Illustrated by Christy Hale (Henry Holt and Co., September 6, 2016) 

Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights by Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace (Calkins Creek, September 13, 2016)

Giant Squid by Candace Fleming; Illustrated by Eric Rohmann (Roaring Brook Press; September 27, 2016) 

Presenting Buffalo Bill: The Man Who Invented the Wild West by Candace Fleming (Roaring Brook Press, September 20, 2016)

Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant; Illustrated by Boris Kulikov (Knopf Books for Young Readers, September 6, 2016)

Mark your calendars and look for these new and upcoming releases at your local indie bookstores or community libraries. 

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews: 

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Cover Reveal - Martina & Chrissie

Recently, Anna from Candlewick Press reached out to see if I was interested in doing a special cover reveal. Of course, I couldn't pass up revealing the cover for a new picture book biography celebrating tennis greats Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. 

Before I reveal the cover, here are a few words from Phil Bildner about his upcoming book, Martina & Chrissie: The Greatest Rivalry in Sports.

When we think of the greatest rivalries in the history of sports, we often think of boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, facing one another in three epic showdowns for the heavyweight championship of the world in the 1970s. We think of basketball immortals Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, facing one another three times in the NBA Finals in the 1980s.

In tennis, we think of legends like John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, who went head-to-head fourteen times and Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who squared off thirty-four times.

Yet none of those rivalries come anywhere close to the rivalry of Martina Navratilova and Chrissie Evert. They faced one another an astounding eighty times, fourteen times in grand slam finals. 

But what made their rivalry so much greater than all the others went way beyond the grass courts of Wimbledon and the red clay of Roland Garros. What made their rivalry transcendent was the humanity of the combatants.

Earlier this month at the Olympics in Rio De Janeiro, we witnessed a rare moment of sportsmanship we're not quite used to seeing these days. During a qualifying heat of the women's 5,000 meters race, Abbey D'Agostino of the United States clipped Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand. Both runners fell to the track, and in an instant, lifelong Olympic dreams were dashed. But then the amazing happened. For the remainder of the race, Abbey and Nikki looked out for one another and made sure they both crossed the finish line.

That snapshot moment took place on the track, but it captured the essence of the Martina Navratilova and Chrissie Evert rivalry. Martina and Chrissie were fierce competitors, playing under the brightest lights and on the biggest stages. But they were also the best of friends, and in the world of sports where we often carelessly serve and volley phrases like "going to war" and "doing battle" and "fighting for your life," Martina and Chrissie never lost sight of their humanity and heart and the role of sportsmanship in competition.

That's what made their rivalry the greatest in the history of sports.

Now for the reveal.....

Isn't this a great cover? Absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to get in and see the illustrations in the finished copy and to read the story of Martina & Chrissie. Mark your calendar for March 2017 and pick up a copy of the book at your local indie bookstore. 

About the book: 
Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert come from completely different places and play tennis in completely different ways. Chrissie is the all-American girl: practiced, poised, with perfect technique. Martina hails from Czechoslovakia, a Communist country, and her game is ruled by emotion. Everything about them is different, except one thing: they both want to be the best. But as their intense rivalry grows, something else begins to swing into place, and a friendship forms that will outlast all their tennis victories. Phil Bildner and Brett Helquist tell the engaging true story of these two masters of the court as they win title after title — and, most importantly, the hearts of the fans.

About the author: Phil Bildner has written many historical picture books, including Marvelous Cornelius and The Unforgettable Season. His next book—the fascinating dual biography of tennis greats Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, Martina & Chrissie—publishes on March 14, 2017. He lives with his husband in Newburgh, New York.

Don't forget to link up your reviews....

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Mountain Chef

This month authors Janet Fox, Barbara Rosenstock, and Liz Garton Scanlon are shining a light on our National Parks with a series of blog posts - Page Through the Parks. I am joining them in celebrating the 100th Anniversary of National Park Service. Check out my earlier post here. 

My post this week celebrates a frequent participant in the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and author, Annette Bay Pimentel's new book. 

Mountain Chef: How One Man Lost His Groceries, Changed His Plans, and Helped Cook Up the National Park Service
by Annette Bay Pimentel, Illustrated by Rich Lo
Charlesbridge Publishing (August 2, 2016)
Nonfiction * Biography * Cultural Heritage
Audience: Ages 6 to 9
Indiebound | Worldcat

Description from GoodReads: The true story of a Chinese American mountain man who fed thirty people for ten days in the wilderness--and helped inspire the creation of the National Park Service.
 
Tie Sing was born in the mountains. The mountains were in his blood. But because he was of Chinese descent at a time in America when to be Chinese meant working in restaurants or laundries, Tie Sing’s prospects were limited. But he had bigger plans. He began cooking for mapmakers and soon built a reputation as the best trail cook in California. 
 
When millionaire Stephen Mather began his quest to create a national park service in 1915, he invited a group of influential men—writers, tycoons, members of Congress, and even a movie star—to go camping in the Sierras. Tie Sing was hired to cook. 
 
Tie Sing planned diligently. He understood the importance of this trip. But when disaster struck—twice!—and Tie Sing’s supplies were lost, it was his creative spirit and quick mind that saved the day. His sumptuous menus had to be struck and Tie Sing had to start over in order to feed the thirty people in the group for ten whole days. His skills were tested and Tie Sing rose to the challenge. 
 
On the last night, he fed not just the campers' bodies, but also their minds, reminding them to remember and protect the mountains.
 
2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, created by Congress on August 25, 1916. 
 
Today, you can hike to Sing Peak, named for Tie Sing, in Yosemite National Park.

Quick thoughts on this book: 

I love when a children's biography introduces me to a new person and a fascinating piece of history. 

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of National Park Service, I am featuring Mountain Chef by Annette Bay Pimentel.  Can you imagine lugging everything you need to cook basically gourmet meals (without modern amenities) in the mountains and do so on the backs of mules? A few years ago, I went camping with friends. We camped not far from the beach. We took care to weigh down coolers and to make sure food was secure and yet, by early morning raccoons had lifted one of the cooler lids enough to reach in and pull things out. However, in our case, we could drive a car into town to pick up anything that we needed. Tie Sing and his small crew didn't have those options so when things were lost, they were gone.  It was a tough trip. 

Pimentel provides readers with insight into the one small element of Tie Sing's life and how his dedication, creativity, and perseverance as a cook may have influenced Stephen Mather's guests on a very special camping trip. 

Another aspect of this story that I appreciated was the focus on an individual of Chinese decent who during his lifetime had to face extreme prejudices but still managed to make his own mark.

Check out these two posts from Annette here and Rich here. Pick up a copy of Mountain Chef at your favorite indie bookstore or check it out at your local library. 

Join the giveaway for teachers and librarians sponsored by Janet, Barb, and Liz. For more information about the giveaway, check out Janet's post here.

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Don't forget to link up your nonfiction posts below: 

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Celebrating the Olympics

This is the first year that I have watched the Olympics with very athletic kids. One a gymnast in the making and the other a multi-sport high school athlete. Seeing the Olympics through their eyes has been interesting, fascinating, and entertaining. I have also had quite a few chuckles as a result. So in honor of the Olympics and the young athletes I know, here are two books to celebrate and share.

Nadia: The Girl Who Couldn't Sit Still
by Karlin Gray; Illustrated by Christine Davenier
HMH Books for Young Readers (June 7, 2016)
Nonfiction * Biography * Sports
Audience: 2nd to 4th grade
Indiebound | Worldcat

Description from GoodReads: 
Nadia Comaneci was a feisty and fearless little girl who went from climbing trees in the forests of Romania to swinging into history at the 1976 Olympic Games, where she received an unprecedented seven perfect scores in gymnastics. But as readers will see in this first-ever illustrated picture book about Nadia’s journey to Olympic gold, the road from small-town girl to world-class athlete was full of many imperfect moments.       Expert illustrations that capture the energy and fluidity of Nadia's exuberant gymnastic routines and referential back matter round out this inspirational story of determination and overcoming adversity. A perfect 10.

Quick thoughts:
In 1976, I remember both the Winter and Summer Olympics. These were the first Olympics that stood out in my memory and made a huge impression on me. During the summer Olympics, I and millions of others were drawn to Nadia Comaneci. Her performance and perfect scores were incredibly inspiring. 

Gray works to provide young readers with a perspective of a very young Comaneci and her energy. 

Though this only provides a narrow focus into the life of Nadia Comaneci, it is definitely a good introduction and one to encourage further reading. 

The Wildest Race Ever: The Story of the 1904 Olympic Marathon
by Meghan McCarty
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman (March 1, 2016)
Nonfiction * Biography * Sports
Audience: 2nd to 4th grade
Indiebound | Worldcat

Description from GoodReads: 
It was 1904 and St. Louis was proud to host the World’s Fair and America’s First Olympics. Hundreds of thousands of people came by car, by train, by boat. Part of the Olympics was a wild, wacky marathon. Forty-two racers registered, thirty-two showed up, and of the three racers vying for the finish line: one drove part way, one was helped by his trainers over the line, and one was a postman who travelled from Cuba and ran in street clothes that he cut off to look like shorts. How they ran and who won is a story of twists and turns that wouldn’t be believed if it weren’t true! And it is! Find out who won in this picture book all about the historic Olympic Marathon of 1904.

Quick thoughts: 
I admit I have never run a marathon. However, I have walked a few half marathons and I can say that even the half distance of 13.1 miles is an admirable goal. For those who have participated in local or national 5K races or half marathons or the full 26.2 miles, you know that there are rules in order to make the race fair and to ensure the safety of the participants. However, in 1904, things were a little different. 

For those participating in the 1904 Olympic Marathon, there were challenges that made the experience memorable and not always in a good way.

As I read this book, I was simply amazed that this had happened but as they say "truth is stranger than fiction". I can confidently say that for the runners out there you will appreciate how far marathons have come in the past 100+ years. 

Pick up a copy of both of these books at your local indie bookstore or community library.

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Celebrating National Parks

This month authors Janet Fox, Barbara Rosenstock, and Liz Garton Scanlon are shining a light on our National Parks with a series of blog posts - Page Through the Parks. I am joining them with this post and another later in the month. 

On August 25, 2016, the National Park Service celebrates 100 years. Did you know fourth graders can get into national parks for free and bring their families? Educators there is information for you as well at Every Kid in a Park. 

To celebrate National Parks month, I am shining the spotlight on Park Scientists: Gila Monsters, Geysers, and Grizzly Bears by Mary Kay Carson and illustrated by Tom Uhlman (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2014)

Description from GoodReads:
America's National Parks are protected places and have become living museums for as many as 270 million visitors per year! In addition, researchers are able to perform long term studies of a wide number of subjects from salamanders the size of thumbnails to gigantic geothermal geysers. These parks are natural laboratories for scientists. Did you know that Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming sits on top of an active (and very large) volcano? This volcano is monitored and studied on a daily basis, not only as a means of protection (though it seems a long way off from erupting) but also as a way of understanding how the environment changes and influences what goes on deep underground.

The scientists profiled in The Park Scientists also study grizzly bears in Yellowstone, the majestic Sagauro catci in Arizona, and fireflies in Tennessee -- and suggest many ways for the average reader of any age to help out. The emphasis here is twofold: the great science that happens everyday in these important, protected spaces, and the fact that you can visit all of them and participate in the research.

It's backyard science at its biggest and best in this latest resourceful addition to the Scientists in the Field series!

Quick thoughts on this book:
If you read this blog on a regular basis, you know that I am a huge fan of the Scientist in the Field Series. Of course, when thinking about National Parks, I immediately thought about Park Scientists. In looking at the Scientists in the Field website, they are on the same wavelength. Harriet Low has a blog post about Park Scientists that you can read, Definitely check out the links included in the post. 

Park Scientists features three different parks and the work of scientists studying Gila Monsters, Geysers, and Grizzly Bears. 

One thing that I appreciate with this book is that you can start with whatever interests you the most and move to the other sections. For some student readers, this is a great way to hook them in and before you know it they have read the whole book. I of course started with the grizzly bears because I have a special love of bears. 

Check out this video about Park Scientists: 

Look for Park Scientists and other Scientist in the Field books at your local indie bookstore or public library. Check out the discussion and activity guide here. 

Join the giveaway for teachers and librarians sponsored by Janet, Barb, and Liz. For more information about the giveaway, check out Janet's post here.

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Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews: