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....