Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: A Year in Review

It has been a weird year! I feel like I have been saying something like this for the past several years but the last few years truly have been...well just different. However, as I reviewed the list of nonfiction books I read in 2017, I was heartened to see how many I was actually able to find and read. From that perspective, it has been a good year, and for that I will celebrate.

Over the course of 2017, I have created 52 nonfiction picture book challenge posts. Despite crazy schedules, I have managed to stay dedicated to posting weekly. It is a commitment that is important to me. When I went to GoodReads to review what I read, I realized that I have read over 150 nonfiction books this year. Most of the titles were books released in 2017 with about 40 or so being from 2016 and earlier. And despite all my efforts, I still have a stack of about a dozen titles that I want to read before the year is out. 

To make things a bit easier for you, I have created a collection of links to posts that you might be interested in...

New releases:
January | February | March | April | June | August | September & October | 

Best Of:
NSTA Outstanding Trade Books 2017 | Orbis Pictus Winners | 2018 AAAS Subaru SB&F Longlist | 2018 AAAS Subaru SB&F Finalists

Mock Sibert Related Posts:
Mock Sibert Info Post | Mock Sibert Early Thoughts | Mock Sibert Part I| 

As I thought of doing my own personal best of list, I have been mulling over titles. It is so hard to narrow down books. I have read and enjoyed so many of them. In addition to my Mock Sibert Picks, I pondered over some other favorites. Finally, after much consideration, I narrowed it down to five picture books and five longer form books. 

Here are my choices in no particular order...

Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero by Patricia McCormick, Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno (Balzer & Bray)

Give Bees a Chance by Bethany Barton (Viking Books for Young Children)

Vincent Can't Sleep: Van Gogh Paints the Night Sky by Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Mary Grand Pré (Alfred A. Knopf)

What Makes a Monster? Discovering the World's Scariest Creatures by Jess Keating, Illustrations by David DeGrand (Alfred A. Knopf)

The Great Penguin Rescue: Saving the African Penguins by Sandra Markle (Millbrook Press)

Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive! by Laurie Ann Thompson and Ammi-Joan Paquette (Walden Pond Press)

Poison: Deadly Deeds, Perilous Professions, and Murderous Medicines by Sarah Albee (Crown Books for Young Readers)

Life on Surtsey: Iceland's Upstart Island by Loree Griffin Burns (HMH Books for Young Readers)

Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman (Henry Holt and Co.)

Look for these books at your indie bookstore or public library. 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

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

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: NSTA 2018 Outstanding Trade Books & Stem

Earlier this month, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) announced two of my favorite "best of" lists. 

Here are some of the titles that I haven't yet read that I am looking forward to reading:

Animal Journal: Land Mammals of the World by Juan Carlos Alonso (Walter Foster Jr. 2017)

The Book of Bees! A Honeyed History by Piotr Socha, Illustrated by Wojciech Grajkowski (Abrams Books for Young Readers 2017)

Margaret and the Moon by Dean Robbins, Illustrated by Lucy Knisley (Knopf Books for Young Readers 2017)

Exploring Space: From Galileo to the Mars Rover and Beyond by Martin Jenkins, Illustrated by Stephen Biesty (Candlewick Press 2017)

ABCs From Space: A Discovered Alphabet by Adam Voiland (Simon & Schuster 2017)

For a complete list of winners, click here. 

Here are a few of the titles that I haven't read but looking forward to reading:

Ada Lace Sees Red by Emily Calandrelli, Tamson Weston, Illustrated by Renee Kurilla (Simon & Schuster 2017)

Find the Dots by Andy Mansfield  (Candlewick 2017)

The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath by Julia Finley Mosca, Daniel Rieley (Innovation Press 2017)

The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin  by Julia Finley Mosca, Illustrated by Daniel Rieley (Innovation Press 2017)

Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant by Songju Ma Daemicke, Illustrated by Christina Ward (Arbordale Publishing 2017)

For a complete list of winning titles, click here. 

Look for these and all of the other titles on these lists at your local indie bookstore or public library. 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

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

#Road2Reading Challenge: Picture Books To Use With Early Readers

Recently, I spent some time with kindergarten teachers talking about the role of shared reading in reading workshop. As part of our time together, I provided the teachers with several different picture books that they could consider using as shared reading texts. It was interesting to watch as the teachers read through a text and thought about how they would share it with their students. When I share books, I always am asked for additional titles that can be used. While I read through a stack of picture books this weekend, I added a few books to my list of picture books that I would use as mentor text or shared reading text with kindergarten and first graders. 

Here are the titles that jumped out of the pile...

Firefighter Duckies! by Frank W. Dormer (Atheneum Books for Young Readers 2017)

Bold, simple illustrations and text are featured in Firefighter Duckies! 

This makes for a fun read aloud or a text that can be read in a shared reading format with beginning readers. 

Shake a Leg, Egg! by Kurt Cyrus (Beach Lane Books 2017)

The illustrations in this book are gorgeous. The one above almost makes it seem like you can touch the shells or the feathers of the duck. 

The text is just enough of a challenge for beginning readers that it makes for a nice option to use in a read aloud. 

Watersong by Tim McCanna, Illustrated by Richard Smythe (Simon & Schuster 2017)

This book won my heart on several levels. The illustrations are beautiful and the use of onomatopoeia words makes this a book that can be used as a mentor text with young readers. 

In addition to a mentor text, this would make for a lively shared reading text. 

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

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books. 

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: What am I reading? - The Nonfiction Edition

The end of 2017 is fast approaching and I still have stacks of books to read, including more nonfiction picture books. Thanks to a fabulous public library system and the ability to request up to 100 books at one time, I am working through the titles I still hadn't read. Here are some of the 2017 nonfiction titles that I read this past weekend. What is still on your list to read? 

Creekfinding: A True Story by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, Illustrated by Claudia McGhee (University of Minnesota Press 2017)

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

Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero by Patricia McCormick, Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno (Balzer & Bray 2017)

Take a Picture of Me, James Vanderzee! by Andrea J. Loney, Illustrated by Keith Mallett (Lee & Low Books 2017)

The Music of Life: Bartolomeo Cristofori & the Invention of the Piano by Elizabeth Rusch (Atheneum Books for Young Readers 2017)

Give Bees a Chance by Bethany Barton (Viking Books for Young Children 2017) 

If you still have titles to catch up on, don't forget to support your public library. 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

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

#Road2Reading Challenge: Two Read Alouds

Along with lots of picture books this weekend, I also included a few new to me chapter books that I discovered when browsing through the "Best Of" lists. Here are two that would not only be fun reads for students but would also make enjoyable read alouds. 

Yours Sincerely, Giraffe by Megumi Iwasa, Illustrated by June Takabatake (Gecko Press 2017)

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I quickly fell in love with it. Giraffe and Pelican are bored, which leads to letter writing and letter delivering and a new friendship with a Penguin, Seal and Whale. 

Zoey and Sassafras: Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro, Illustrated by Marion Lindsay

There was a lot to enjoy with this new series featuring a young girl who with the help of her cat must help injured magical creatures. Zoey uses her thinking goggles and scientific method to help a baby dragon. (Note: The Next Generation Science Standards or NGSS have expanded beyond simply teaching the scientific method. As a read aloud, you may be able to talk with students about other strategies that Zoey could have used.)

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

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books.