Nonfiction Wednesday

 

I'm excited that Alyson Beecher, at Kid Lit Frenzy, is continuing her Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge for the third year in a row.

 

 

Fall Leaves by Loretta Holland, illustrations by Elly MacKay

 

	2014-book, creative-nonfiction, mock-caldecott-2015, mock-sibert-2015, model-for-writing, nature, nonfiction, nonfiction-challenge-2014, picture-book, poetry

Everything I've heard about this book is true - it's beautiful! It will become one of my literary nonfiction mentor texts for my classroom. The illustrations are amazing. Nonfiction done with poetry is becoming one of my favorite genres/formats.   Speaking of that, I just read this next one...     Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Rick Allen   2014-book, animals, creative-nonfiction, mock-caldecott-2015, nature, nonfiction, nonfiction-challenge-2014, picture-book, poetry,  winter   The cover of this beautiful, informative book captured my interest right away. It's gorgeous! The rest of the book doesn't disappoint. Sidman's wonderful poetry and Rick Allen's absolutely captivating illustrations combine to make this a must-have for the classroom library. Informational paragraphs follow up each poem, teaching us about tundra swans, snowflakes, honeybees, voles, chickadees, and more. I'm looking forward to sharing this with my students in December when I do a winter unit on fig The cover of this beautiful, informative book captured my interest right away. It's gorgeous! The rest of the book doesn't disappoint. Sidman's wonderful poetry and Rick Allen's absolutely captivating prints combine to make this a must-have for the classroom library. Informational paragraphs follow up each poem, teaching us about tundra swans, snowflakes, honeybees, voles, chickadees, and more. I'm looking forward to sharing this with my students in December when I do a winter unit on figurative language and sensory details using short texts.    Read a Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast interview with Rick Allen here.         Here Is the World: A Year of Jewish Holidays by Leslea Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal   2014-book, family, holidays, multicultural, nonfiction, nonfiction-challenge-2014, picture-book, poetry, rhyme, social-studies-connections, spiritual, traditions, weneeddiversebooks   I was especially captivated by the illustrations in this book about Jewish holidays. This is a great introduction to the traditions surrounding the Jewish holidays with more information in the back. I loved the emphasis on family.                        The Iridescence of Birds: A Book About Henri Matisse by Patricia MacLachlan, illustrations by Hadley Hooper   2014-book, art, biography, mock-sibert-2015, mothers, nonfiction, nonfiction-challenge-2014, picture-book   I love the focus of this Henry Matisse biography - his mother's inspiration. Matisse's mother encouraged creativity and loved color, which helped Matisse look at the world's light and movement. I enjoyed Hooper's relief printing illustrations, especially the two-page spread with young Matisse on the left side of the ladder and adult Matisse on the right with the red background. Pair up with Henri's Scissors by Jeannette Winter.     Joltin' Joe DiMaggio by Jonah Winter, illustrated by James E. Ransome   2014-book, biography, nonfiction, nonfiction-challenge-2014, picture-book, sports Joe had three strikes against him: he was supposed to become a fisherman like his dad, he was an Italian American in a prejudiced time, and he barely said a word. Those things didn't stop him at all, though. He loved baseball, and he was so good at it that the New York Yankees AND his dad approved. He played baseball for the Yankees through the Great Depression and in 1941, he tied the American League hitting streak record that George Sisler had set in 1922. He didn't stop his hitting streak, ma Joe had three strikes against him: he was supposed to become a fisherman like his dad, he was an Italian American in a prejudiced time, and he barely said a word. Those things didn't stop him at all, though. He loved baseball, and he was so good at it that the New York Yankees AND his dad approved. He played baseball for the Yankees through the Great Depression and in 1941, he tied the American League hitting streak record that George Sisler had set in 1922. He didn't stop his hitting streak, making it through 56 games, a record that still stands today. Big, bold language and dynamic, expressive illustrations join to make this an entertaining read for all readers, not just baseball fans. An Author's Note & Stats give extra information in the back.   What I'll read this afternoon to get ready for the November SharpSchu Book Club: