Nonfiction Picture Challenge: What are you reading? - 5/3/17

In April, I did a number of "What are you reading?" posts on 2016 titles that I had missed. Now, I am working to catch up in sharing 2017 titles. Here are some of the nonfiction titles that I read recently.  Here are three books you shouldn't miss. 

Balderdash! John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books by Michele Markel; Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter (Chronicle Books, April 4, 2017) - Though I knew some general things about John Newbery, there was much I didn't know about the man whose name graces the biggest award for Children's Literature. Learning about how Newbery really paved the way for the publishing of children's books was fascinating. A fabulous introduction to John Newbery. Carpenter's illustrations are a perfect match to Markel's lively text. 

Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song by Gary Golio; Illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb (Millbrook, February 1, 2017) - I have read a number of Gary Golio's picture book biographies and I appreciate the way that he presents information about individuals with very complicated life experiences and does so in a way that is appropriate for the audience. In his most recent book, Golio puts the spotlight on jazz great Billie Holiday by focusing on her 

willingness to sing a protest song and make it even a part of her contract that she would sing the song. Riley-Webb's gorgeous paintings make readers feel the music. Definitely get your hands on this book. 

Since I had never heard Billie Holiday singing Strange Fruit, I went in search of it on YouTube and discovered this video.

In this rare footage, Holiday performs Strange Fruit, and just wow!

Wake Up! by Helen Frost; Photographs by Rick Lieder (Candlewick Press, March 14, 2017) - Frost pairs up with Lieder for another beautiful book. Lieder's photo are framed by Frost's poetic text. I love these books for introducing young children to books written in verse. They love the photographs and are drawn to the text.

Look for each of these books at your local bookstore or public library. 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen @2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: What are you reading? - 4/26/17

During April, I have been doing a number of "What are you reading?" posts. Part of my goal has been to catch up on 2016 nonfiction picture books that I missed.  This week's post will continue to highlight 2016 titles that I missed and feature a couple of titles that won't be out until later in 2017. 

So, here is what jumped out of the pile for me....

She Stood for Freedom: The Untold Story of a Civil Rights Hero, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland by Loki Mulholland, Angela Fairwell, Charlotta Janssen (Shadow Mountain, 2016) I didn't know the story of Joan Trumpauer Mulholland and found it fascinating to read. 

Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas by Gwendolyn Hooks; Illustrated by Colin Bootman (Lee & Low Books, 2016) - Another story that I was completely unaware of and found thoroughly fascinating. 

Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk by Jane Sutcliffe; Illustrated John Shelley (Charlesbridge, 2016) - Sutcliffe and Shelley did a fabulous job on both the concept and illustrations. I found the origins of so many common day phrases to be fascinating.

Ticktock Banneker's Clock by Shana Keller; Illustrated by David C. Gardner (Sleeping Bear Press, 2016) - If you are looking for a story of determination and perseverance, this one certainly fits the bill. 

Moto and Me: My Year as a Wildcat's Foster Mom by Suzi Eszterhas (Owlkids Books, April 11, 2017) - This is a new release and as a kitten foster mom for the next few weeks I couldn't pass up reading this one. 

Upcoming Books:

Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion by Chris Barton; Illustrated by Victo Ngai (Millbrook Press, August 1, 2017) - This book is going on my mock-Sibert list, which I am still compiling. Of course, I don't put my list together until the fall but this book is definitely going to be on it. I was fascinated about the story of these ships and the artwork is stunning. 

The Great Penguin Rescue: Saving the African Penguin by Sandra Markle (Millbrook Press, August 1, 2017) - I love this series by Sandra Markle. I knew little to nothing about these particular penguins but Markle has a way of drawing you into the story will also providing readers with lots of facts and information. 

Crayola Fall Colors by Mari C. Schuh (Lerner Books, September 1, 2017) - As a preschool/kindergarten teacher, I would have used this in the fall with one of my teaching units. 

Look for these at your local indie bookstore or community library.

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen @2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: March and April 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 at the beginning of a month 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.  Here are recent releases to check out.

Previous Nonfiction Release Post: January | February | March 

February 2017

The Secret Project by Jonah Winter, Jeanette Winter (Beach Lane Books, February 7, 2017)

March 2017

Feathers and Hair, What Animals Wear by Jennifer Ward; Illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong (Beach Lane Books, March 7, 2017)

Lighter Than Air: Sophie Blanchard, the First Woman Pilot by Matthew Clark Smith; Illustrated by Matt Tavares (Candlewick Press, March 14, 2017)

Red Cloud: A Lakota Story of War and Surrender by S.D. Nelson (Abrams Books for Young Readers, March 14, 2017)

Rhino in the House: The Story of Saving Samia by Daniel Kirk (Harry N. Abrams, March 14, 2017)

Wake Up! by Helen Frost; Illustrated by Rick Lieder (Candlewick Press, March 14, 2017)

Bees: A Honeyed History by Piotr Socha (Abrams Books for Young Readers, March 28, 2017)

April 2017

Shell, Beak, Tusk: Shared Traits and the Wonders of Adaptations by Bridget Heos (HMH Books for Young Readers, April 4, 2017)

The Hawk of the Castle: A Story of the Medieval Falconry by Danna Smith; Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline (Candlewick Press, April 11, 2017)

Tide Pool Secrets by Narelle Oliver (Candlewick Press, April 11, 2017)

Laugh Out Loud Animals by Jeffrey Burton (Little Simon, April 18, 2017) 

The Music of Life: Bartolomeo Cristofori & the Invention of the Piano by Elizabeth Rusch; Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, April 18, 2017)

Teedie: The Story of the Young Teddy Roosevelt by Don Brown (HMH Books for Young Readers, April 20, 2017)

Eye of the Storm: NASA, Drones, and the Race to Crack the Hurricane Code (Scientists in the Field) by Amy Cherrix (HMH Books for Young Readers, April 25, 2017)

Looking Up! The Science of Stargazing by Joe Rao; Illustrated by Mark Borgions (Simon Spotlight, April 25, 2017)

Super Women: Six Scientists Who Changed the World by Laurie Lawlor (Holiday House, April 26, 2017)

Look for these titles at your local indie bookstore or public library. 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen @2017

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

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: What am I reading? - 4/12/17

This past week, I have continued to catch up on books that I missed from last year or a couple from earlier this year. I still have a large stack that I am going through but I wanted to do another  round-up post featuring some of the books I have been reading. 

Here is what jumped out of the pile over the past week...

Feathered Dinosaurs by Brenda Z. Guiberson; Illustrated by William Low (Henry Holt, & Co., 2016) - Dinosaur fans will enjoy this book. I still find it fascinating how scientists can imagine what these creatures looked like from the fossils. 

Salamander Dance by David FitzSimmons; Illustrated by Michael DiGiorgio (Wild Iris Publishing, 2016) - A beautifully illustrated book entailing the life cycle of the salamander.

Does a Fiddler Crab Fiddle? by Corinne Demas and Artemis Roehrig; Illustrated by John Sandford (Persnickety Press, 2016) - An entertaining read about what a fiddler crab can do. 

A Spy Called James: The True Story of James LaFayette, Revolutionary War, Double Agent by Anne Rockwell; Illustrated by Floyd Cooper (Carolrhoda Books, 2016) - A look into the life of a slave who gained his freedom by helping fledgeling nation find theirs. 

The Navajo Code Talkers by J. Patrick Lewis; Illustrated by Gary Kelley (Creative Editions, 2016) - An introduction to how the Navajo people and their language helped the allies win WWII. 

How Cities Work by James Gulliver Hancock (Lonely Planet Kids, 2016) - This is one of those books that children will find fascinating and want to share and pour over again and again.

Grand Canyon by Jason Chin (Roaring Brook Press, February 21, 2017) - Chin has a magical way of communicating information. In his latest book, he looks at the Grand Canyon in present and the past. 

John Ronald's Dragons: The Story of J.R.R. Tolkien by Caroline McAlister; Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler (Roaring Brook Press, March 21, 2017) - An introductory biography to J.R.R. Tolkien and what inspired his writing.

The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk by Jan Thornhill (Groundwood Books, 2016) - A fascinating look at the Great Auk, the road to extinction and the silver lining that resulted from a loss. 

So, what are you reading? 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen @2017

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

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: What are you reading? - 4/5/17

During March, I featured a series of books that celebrated strong women and their contributions to history. At the same time, I have been checking out a number of nonfiction titles from the library in an effort to catch up on books that I either missed from last year or from earlier this year. I still have a large stack that I am going through but I wanted to do a round-up post featuring some of the books I have been reading. 

Here is what jumped out of the pile over the past couple of weeks...

Mickey Mantle: The Commerce Comet by Jonah Winter & C. F. Payne (Schwartz & Wade, February 2017) - I am always interested in finding new baseball biographies and discovered this recent release. I knew very little about Mantle and this provided a nice introduction to this well-known baseball legend. 

You Never Heard of Casey Stengle?! by Jonah Winter; Illustrated by Barry Blitt (Schwartz & Wade, 2016) - When I was checking out the Mickey Mantle book, the librarian pulled this title and added it to my pile. I love when a librarian knows just what you will want to read. More fascinating baseball history between the pages of this book. 

Whose Eye Am I? by Shelley Rotner (Holiday House, 2016) - A unique way of exploring how animals see. I found this fascinating. 

Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Ann Cole Lowe by Deborah Blumenthal; Illustrated by Laura Freeman (Little Bee Books, January 17, 2017) - Wish I had found this book soon enough to have featured it in last month's series of posts. A fascinating introduction to fashion designer, Ann Cole Lowe.

Otters Love to Play by Jonathan London; Illustrated by Meilo So (Candlewick Press, 2016) - An entertaining read as fun as the subject of the book. 

The Deadliest Creature in the World by Brenda Z. Guiberson; Illustrated by Gennady Spirin (Henry Holt and Co., 2016) - I tend to be a fan of Guiberson's work and this is a nice companion to her earlier book, The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea. 

Skateboards (Made By Hand #1) by Patricia Lakin (Aladdin, February 7, 2017) - Lakin explores a bit about the history of the skateboard and in particularly, one craftsman is creating his own skateboards by hand. 

Bicycles (Made By Hand #2) by Patricia Lakin (Aladdin, February 7, 2017) - As part of the Made By Hand series, Lakin gives readers some history of the bicycle and more about a business owner, who makes custom bicycle frames. 

A Beetle is Shy by Dianna Hutts Aston; Illustrated by Sylvia Long (Chronicle Books, 2016) - I love this series of books by Hutts Aston and can't believe that I missed this one last year. Just as beautiful and poetic as her other titles. 

Prairie Dog Song: The Key to Saving North America's Grasslands by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore (Lee & Low, 2016) - Roth and Trumbore pack a lot of information into this picture book. It definitely requires a couple of read throughs. Readers can read the narrative story on one read and then return to learn about prairie dogs and the grasslands in the expository text. The end pages provide even more information. 

The Polar Bear by Jenni Desmond (Enchanted Lion Books, 2016) - I had seen this book featured on a number of blogs back in the fall and glad to finally read it. At the beginning of the book, I was expecting more of a narrative story about polar bears, almost wondering if it was going to be a fiction text, but the writing quickly turns into an engaging expository text. 

Look for these titles at your local indie bookstore or public library. 

So, what are you reading? 

Artwork by Sarah S Brannen @2017

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