I'm Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton

I do NOT love spiders but I do LOVE this book!  Beginning with the awesomely informative endpages about different types of spiders to the "smashing" hands trying to catch that "spider" on the loose to the amusing illustrations with helpful information, this book is a great way to introduce nonfiction books to kids.  I suspect this will be a big hit with elementary kids as well as teach them some facts about these amazing arachnids.


Text:  5 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations:  5 Buckeye leaves

Earmuffs for Everyone by Meghan McCarthy

I will admit I am a big fan of Meghan McCarthy's nonfiction books.  I love "tricking" kids into reading nonfiction and LEARNING something and them not even knowing it!  Awesome!  Her nonfiction books read like a picture book story so the kids that are reluctant to reading nonfiction will actually read them!!  Furthermore I love the topics she picks:  Balto, Seabiscuit, Walter Diemer, etc.  That being said, her newest books is about Chester Greenwood, inventor, or the "improver" of Earmuffs.  The book also has a nice introduction to the process of inventing and patents.  It also discuses other inventors, such as Edison, and Greenwood's other inventions.  A great fun introduction to someone few may be familiar with.

Text:  4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations:  4 Buckeye leaves

Fly Guy Presents: Firefighters by Tedd Arnold

Fly Guy and Buzz are off on another exciting field trip!  This time the duo are visitng the fire station.  In the latest in the NONFICTION Fly Guy books, readers will learn about the day to day activity in the fire station and when the fire fighters are on a call.  Photographs and diagrams accompany the text to make for an fact packed early nonfiction book.  A great introduction to nonfiction. 

Text:  4 Buckeye Leaves
Illustrations:  4 Buckeye Leaves

Ladybugs by Gail Gibbons

Gail Gibbons is a master at creating nonfiction books for younger children.  True to her form, Gibbons has written shorter nonfiction captions and text to accompany illustrations that include identifying text to help extend the understanding of the text.  For example, did you know, ladybugs have a yellow fluid that oozes from their leg joints when they feel threatened?  Yum!  Ladybugs are also being used by many farmers as a way to help rid crops of other harmful insects.  Another great addition to the Gibbons library of nonfiction!

Animal Fights by Catherine Ham

Animals "fight" for a variety of reasons. Through short, easy to read text, the reader learns the variety of ways that animals use their different adaptations to fight other animals. Easy to read text makes this a great nonfiction book for read aloud or introduction to nonfiction.

Text: 4 Buckeye leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves - Great photographs.

Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

I will admit, this book has been in our house for a while (from public library).....at one point I was going to read it to Adam but I thought it was much longer and skipped over it. WELL I was a rebel tonight and sat down - ALONE - when Daddy was giving Adam a bath and read it to myself. FASCINATING! Yes, I will admit I am a history buff, but I think this nonfiction book would grab kids because 99.9% of all kids LOVE the BIG BALLOONS in the parades! Ever hear of TONY SARG? Without Tony Sarg the Macy's Day Parade would not have the big, popular balloons each year. Tony was a puppeteer that never grew up. He performed with his marionettes on the streets of New York City. He was soon contacted by R. H. Macy's department store to create a "puppet parade" for the store's holiday display. Macy had another job for Sarg. He wanted to help the many immigrants that worked for his company celebrate their home cultures, thus the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was born. Next Sarg worked on balloons, using his puppet background as a basis, that would be big enough for the many people to see. A great book for elementary students. Full of interesting information/facts and unique fun illustrations!

Text: 5 Buckeye Leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye Leaves

Endpages: 5 Buckeye leaves (with the ad from the New York Times, 1933)

A ++++!!!!

The Incredible Life of Balto by Meghan McCarthy

In 1925 during a snow storm Balto led a sled dog team to Nome, Alaska to deliver life saving medicine. As with all of McCarthy's nonfiction books, the story of Balto is written in a way that even the youngest reader (as in, I have tried some of her books on the 3 1/2 year old here so I have proof) can understand. Equally interesting to the actual story of Balto is the additional information in the back of the book which McCarthy explains how she as a nonfiction writer went through the process of encountering different information in her research for the book. The book provides a great introduction to the format of nonfiction in the form of an easy to read and understand. Great easy to read nonfiction - which kid's will love because most kids love any book with animals.

Doggy Whys by Lila Prap

I will begin by saying I LOVE cute, little, fluffy, non yapping dogs....from far away. I never had a dog. I don't think I ever will. I can appreciate a cute one but beyond that....But I LOVE this book. The illustrations are adorable - look at that cover! How can you resist picking it up with that face staring at you?? Then of course I check the endpages....slam dunk!!! Even more adorable! LOVE them!! Then to the actual writing...each 2-page spread has a question at the top, such as: Why do dogs do what we tell them? OR Why do some dogs' ears hang down? Somehow some CATS get into the book and "answer" the question from the top...hmmm I don't think those cats are telling the truth but they do tell some that are good for a laugh! Of course the page includes the actual answer as well as a picture of some type of dog with a paragraph about that type of dog. Kids will LOVE this book! Adult dog fanatics will love this book! Even NON-DOG LOVERS will like this book! A great FUN twist on nonfiction! And one I plan to buy for both of my schools!

Text: 5 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves
Endpages: 5+ Buckeye leaves....LOVE LOVE LOVE these!! They are covered with....of course, dogs!! AND with each dog is a label for us "non-dog" people!

National Geographic Kids Reader: Dinosaurs

National Geographic Kids is publishing GREAT nonfiction readers at an incredible speed. I have read quite a few, from the different levels, as I have bought a great deal of them for school. These are GREAT nonfiction. Great illustrations and color throughout the books. We read the Dinosaur one this am. It is a level 1 reader. Great introduction to nonfiction as all boys are fascinated by dinosaurs and this book provides a great intro to nonfiction. The information on the page is not overwhelming. In the side bars is some additional information that can be added after reading the book a few times. As the reader I really appreciate that there are pronunciations for the words.

How many times did I say GREAT?? Well, they are GREAT!!! Start reading the nonfiction as soon as possible....nonfiction will be a part of kiddos lives forever!!

Text: 5 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: Buckeye leaves

If dinosaurs are not your thing....check out the website for other topics or levels:
http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/ngs/category/national-geographic-readers-series

Pigs...pigs....and more PIGS! Oink!

Pig story number one: Little Pink Pup by Johanna Kerby. The cover will grab you right away. First time I saw it, I had to do a double take...A bunch of dachshund puppies and....a little pink piglet! I can hear the ooohhhsss and aaahhhsss from my kids already! Of course, gotta check those endpages and I am happy to report they are so cute with the dachshund pawprints and the piglet pawprints. This book is in the easy section of our public library but is based on true events that happened on the author's farm in Elizabeth, West Virginia. (Side note: Elizabeth is a town with a population of 994 and I have been there!! I have pictures to prove it. My Grandpa was born and raised not far from Elizabeth in Pee Wee, West Virginia so seeing this is where the author lives connected me even more to the story!) Pink the piglet is the runt of the litter. The Kerby family did not think he would survive in the barn so they brought him in the house and he was "adopted" by Tink the dachshund, mother of new puppies. Kids love animal stories and the love TRUE animal stories more. There is a message in this book, one that many people, adults include, could stand to learn...acceptance of those who are different. That you do not have to be the same "animal" to be a family. Love it.

Author's http://www.johannakerby.com/
*Note: I have not looked through the author's entire blog.

Story: 5 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves (photographs are great but I wish I could have seen more of the farm, where the pigs live, etc.)



A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea by Michael Ian Black
I will admit right off I had to read this book more than once to really "get it". Part of it was because I was trying to read it to the soon to be 3 year old and was trying to feed him while I read and was not focused on the book. (Yes, that is how we get him to eat some days....we read and he forgets he is eating and he will open and shut his mouth for us.) Basically if you have ever thought of organizing a pig parade - DON'T DO IT!! Those pigs...they just DO NOT cooperate! They do not like floats, other than rootbeer floats, will not march, and don't even try the uniforms! I have not read it to kids yet (at school) so I am anxious to see what they say about it - it is on the plan for 2nd grade this week!

Story: 4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves