As an Oak Tree Grows

AS AN OAK TREE GROWS by G. Brian Karas. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2014.

An oak tree grows from
A tiny seedling , provides
Shade and more to all.

Port Chicago 50

THE PORT CHICAGO 50 by Steve Sheinkin. Roaring Brook Press, 2014.

Fifty stand accused
Though none is guilty. The trial
though may just be rigged.

Animal Fare Week

MOGIE, THE HEART OF THE HOUSE by Kathi Appelt with illustrations by Marc Rosenthal. Aladdin, 2014.

Mogie helps sick kids
Just by being there for them
The heart of the house.

The Open Ocean

THE OPEN OCEAN by Pittau and Gervais. Chronicle Books, 2014.

Lift the flaps to see
All the creatures of the sea
New to you and me.

New NF Take 4

GRANDFATHER GANDHI by Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hedges with illustrations by Evan Turk. Atheneum, 2014.

It's tough to be calm
When someone is bullying
Grandfather can help.

New NF Take 3

SEPARATE IS NEVER EQUAL: SYLVIA MENDEZ AHD HER FAMILY'S FIGHT FOR DESEGREGATION by Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams, 2014.

Separate not equal
Was the law of the land that
Needed to be changed.

New NF take 2

THE FOOD PYRAMID: HEALTHY EATING WITH THE NUTRITIOUS FOOD GROUPS by Elicia Castaldi. Holt, 2014.

The food pyramid
Helps us to eat more healthy
Foods every day.

GO!

GO! A KIDD'S GUIDE TO GRAPHIC DESIGN by Chip Kidd. Workman, 2013.

One of YALSA's Excellence in Nonfiction finalists, this book covers the elements of design from simple to complex in a form and format that exemplifies the ingenuity of Kidd and his work in the field. Book covers, logos, and much more are used to demonstrate the effect of color, shape, and other elements of the visual arts.

Courage Has No Color

COURAGE HAS NO COLOR: THE STORY OF THE TRIPLE NICKELS AMERICA'S FIRST BLACK PARATROOPERS by Tanya Lee Stone. Candlewick, 2013.

Stone dives into a little known piece of history with her nonfiction book about the first African American paratroopers, the Triple Nickels as they were known at the time. Though the paratroopers made history, their story has not been told in such incredible detail. Lots of archival photos, newspaper clipping, and other primary resources disclose what it was like for these history makers to achieve the status of being the "first" and yet not being utilized by the military which still had de facto segregation when it came to African American soldiers. History teachers will find this an invaluable book to share with students.

The President Has Been Shot

THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN SHOT! THE ASSASSINATION OF JOHN F. KENNEDY by James L. Swanson. Scholastic, 2013.

Details, photographs, and other elements combine to provide readers the historical background, information, and opinions on the events leading up to and following the assassination of President Kennedy. Compelling narrative makes readers feel as if they were there in the 60s when the unthinkable happened.

The Boy on the Wooden Box

THE BOY ON THE WOODEN BOX: HOW THE IMPOSSIBLE BECAME POSSIBLE ON SCHINDLER'S LIST by Leon Leyson with Marilyn Harran and Elizabeth Leyson. Atheneum, 2013.


Leon Leyson was one of them: one of the many saved by the generosity of Oskar Schindler. This memoir takes readers back to the time of the Holocaust, a tme when simply being Jewish could mean death. Leon and his family certainly faced extermination without the assistance of Schindler and others who put their lives at risk to save others. Leyson's first person account makes this read immediate and powerful.

Fun with Math

TRIANGLES by David Adler with illustrations by Edward Miller.

Geometry fun
With triangle facts and more
Answer the questions.

Hot or Cold?

TOO HOT? TOO COLD? KEEPING BODY TEMPERATURE JUST RIGHT by Caroline Arnold with illustrations by Annie Patterson. Charlesbridge, 2013.

This nonfiction book explores warm blooded and cold blooded animals and how they regulate their body temperatures. This book would be a great addition to any unit studying this aspect of animals and insects and also units on habitats, the science of the body, and extremes.

Nonfiction takes a turn

PLANTS FEED ME by Lizzy Rockwell. Holiday House, 2014.

Plants are healthy food.
We eat stems, leaves, and flowers.
And grow more to eat.

Dust

THE GREAT AMERICAN DUST BOWL by Don Brown. Houghton Mifflin, 2013.

The Dust Bowl era in America, in the 1930s, is described in exquisite detail in this nonfiction graphic format. The ecological and environmental causes, the economic tolls, the sheer desperation is conveyed in the ink drawings, spare text, and brown tones that comprise this work. Have students study this GN before diving into Steinbeck's novel. Offer this to reluctant readers who will become absorbed in the illustrations. Share this with kids.

Eye Spy

EYE: HOW IT WORKS by David Macaulay. Macmillan, 2013.

How does the eye work exactly? Macaulay provides young readers with lots of information within the confines of a story about a soccer player coming to the field. Glossary, index, and bibliography are also included. Pair this with the pop-up book about eyes, too.

Why OH Why?

WHY? ANSWERS TO EVERYDAY SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS by Joel Levy. Zest Books, 2013.

What are there 365 days in a year? Why is the sky blue? Why are babies and puppies considered universally cute? Answers to these and a multitude of other questions are contained in this terrific book for browsing. Tie in EVERY 60 SECONDS ON EARTH.

Parrots

PARROTS OVER PUERTO RICO by Susan Roth and Cindy Trumbore with illustrations by Susan Roth. Lee and Low, 2013.

Parrotse native to Puerto Rico came close to extinction due to encroachment of humans within their habitats. Now steps have been taken to ensure their survival. Colorful collage illustrations enhance the narrative of how the parrots' numbers dropped precipitously over the year and what scientists are doing to save the species.

animal and mineral

BONE COLLECTION: ANIMALS. by Rob Colson. Scholastic, 2013.

Strip away the skin and we can begin to see the commonalities our skeletal structures have with various animals. Skeletons from bats, possums, whales, snakes, slots, and more are presented with call out boxes and fun facts about each.

DISCOVER MORE: ROCKS AND MINERALS. Scholastic, 2013.

This series offers some interesting topics and presents them on glossy pages with incredible photographs and illustrations. In addition, a code inside the book leads readers to an online book that is related to the topic at hand. Explore the world of rocks and minerals in this entry. From types of rocks to the composition of various rocks and the qualities of minerals, there is much to be "mined."

Spy Story

NAZI HUNTERS: HOW A TEAM OF SPIES AND SURVIVORS CAPTURED THE WORLD'S MOST NOTORIOUS NAZI by Neal Bascomb. Scholastic, 2013.

The story behind the capture of Adolf Eichmann is the focus for this piece of narrative nonfiction. Pacing suitable for a grand spy adventure novel, spies whose identities are tied in no small part to their feelings about Eichmann and Hitler and the Holocaust, all combine to create nonfiction that will draw readers in and hold them captive. Other suggestions for books include HITLER YOUTH by Susan Campbell Bartoletti and the GN biography of Anne Frank by Colon and Jacobs.