Nonfiction Wednesday

 

  Join Alyson and others at Kid Lit Frenzy for a nonfiction picture book bonanza each week!

 

 

Water is Water by Miranda Paul, illustrated by Jason Chin

 

2015-book, creative-nonfiction, nonfiction, nonfictionchallenge2015, picture-book, poetry,  seasons, science, water   I need to buy this for our #ReadWalkWater unit!!  Poetic, beautifully illustrated, and creative - this picture book captures the wonder, beauty, and fascinating qualities of water.  Good information in the back about forms of water and how much water makes up various things - it never ceases to amaze me that water covers 71% of the Earth's surface! The House That Jane Built: A Story About Jane Addams by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Kathryn Brown   2015-book, biography, empathy, mock-sibert-2016, nonfiction, nonfictionchallenge2015, picture-book, poverty,  social-injustice, social-responsibility, social-studies-connections, women

 

 

It's fascinating that Jane Addams felt a compassion toward people in poverty at the age of six and vowed to do something about it at such a young age. Addams had an incredible spirit of adventure, love of learning, and sense of social responsibility. These added up to make her a force of goodness in the world. I loved the part that described how she gave all her gifts away to the less fortunate - even a monogrammed pair of bloomers! She gave people second chances and their dignity back. "Today, every community center in America, in large part, has Jane Addams to thank." Wonderful research and story telling from Tanya Lee Stone (I LOVE her writing) and beautiful illustrations by Kathryn Brown come together to introduce young people to a remarkable woman.  

 

 

Thomas Jefferson: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Everything by Maira Kalman

 

2014-book, american-revolution, biography, nonfiction, nonfictionchallenge2015, picture-book, presidents, social-studies-connections

 

 

Thomas Jefferson was interested in EVERYTHING! What a brilliant man. I especially loved the tidbit about designing his bed to be open to two different rooms. He slept slightly sitting up so he could get up at daybreak. "He could either go into his study with his ingenious copying machine and rotating book stand, or he could get out of bed on the other side, jump into his books and go outside." Kalman doesn't shy away from his faults, but she handles them in a completely appropriate way for young Thomas Jefferson was interested in EVERYTHING! What a brilliant man. I especially loved the tidbit about designing his bed to be open to two different rooms. He slept slightly sitting up so he could get up at daybreak. "He could either go into his study with his ingenious copying machine and rotating book stand, or he could get out of bed on the other side, jump into his books and go outside." Kalman doesn't shy away from his faults, but she handles them in a completely appropriate way for young children. I love her energetic and colorful illustrations.