Format: Nonfiction

Kids Fight Extinction

Kids Fight ExtinctionKids Fight Extinction: Act Now to Be a #2minutesuperhero by Martin Dorey, Tim Wesson
Published by Candlewick Press on 3/26/24
ISBN: 1536234001
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Kids Fight Extinction is an engaging nonfiction book that encourages readers to become two minute superheroes to save the environment.  Written for elementary students, this book explains the impacts of extinction without sugarcoating the seriousness of this issue or causing climate anxiety.  It is designed to empower readers to fight extinction in large and small ways by assigning points to fun missions like making a seed cake for birds to eat, harvesting rainwater, and making fliers to raise awareness. Readers are also encouraged to use their voice by talking with adults in their lives such as caregivers and teachers or principals, to see if they can change habits like mowing the lawn less or setting up compost at school.  Not only is the text empowering for the readers, it is also extremely entertaining.  The pages are filled with vibrant colors and fun graphics that provide extra information without overwhelming readers.  This book would be a great addition to any nonfiction collection and will appeal especially to kids who enjoy graphic novels. 

reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

four-stars

What It’s Like to Be a Bird (Adapted for Young Readers): From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing–What Birds Are Doing and Why

What It’s Like to Be a Bird (Adapted for Young Readers): From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing–What Birds Are Doing and WhyWhat It's Like to Be a Bird (Adapted for Young Readers): From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing--What Birds Are Doing and Why by David Allen Sibley
Published by Delacorte Press on Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 9780593430187
Pages: 208
Genres: Animals, Non-Fiction
Format: Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This gorgeous, fact-filled book opens with general information about wild birds, then goes into accounts of individual bird species. Most entries are two pages, but some specific topics receive more detailed illustrations and text (ex. the nesting cycle of Robins). This oversized edition includes one beautifully detailed, full-page illustration for each bird, with smaller illustrations included to depict other typical behaviors described in the text (ex. flight, variations in plumage, etc.). Text for each species lists common traits, but also includes information uniquely applicable to each bird. Based on Sibley’s adult version of the same title, this book contains entries for a wide range of North American birds, including woodpeckers, cardinals, eagles, turkeys, gulls, loons, and many more, all made easily accessible to younger readers.

While this book is suggested for readers 10-12 years of age, I think it holds appeal for bird-lovers of all ages. This book does for birds what National Geographic’s 2-volume Book of Mammals does for world mammals, providing hours of potential entertainment. What It’s Like to Be a Bird is an excellent resource for information on specific bird species, but is also a fascinating book for general browsing. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Crystal Wilder, Gorham Campus Library, University of Southern Maine

five-stars

Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day

Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every DayHidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott
Published by Random House Graphic on March 14, 2023
ISBN: 9780593125366
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

“A hidden system is something we don’t notice until it breaks.” In a thoroughly understandable combination of text and graphics, Dan Nott does an amazing job of explaining exactly how some of the major infrastructures of our world work. Utilizing a 9-panel spread on most pages, with occasional full-page depictions of major ideas, the author covers the history, components, and possible futures of three major systems; internet, electricity, and water, in an engagingly accessible manner.  In the final section, Nott encourages the reader to understand these systems more deeply in order to reimagine them in a more environmentally and equitably balanced format. The book ends with Author’s Notes & Acknowledgments and a Selected Bibliography. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a simplified explanation of the hidden systems of our world.  (All ages)

Reviewed by Crystal Wilder, Gorham Campus Library, University of Southern Maine

five-stars

Wearing My Mother’s Heart

Wearing My Mother’s HeartWearing My Mother's Heart by Sophia Thakur
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536230162
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

“Wearing My Mother’s Heart” is a collection of poems about Sophia Thakur’s love for her mother and grandmothers. Some poems are very short and others are long, but all of them are beautiful. Some are written from the point of view of her family members and many are from Thakur herself. Topics range from family life to politics to religion and give you an emotional glimpse into Thakur’s life and what her family has been through. Written for ages 14 and up, this is a recommended purchase where poetry is popular.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

three-stars

Drawn to Change the World

Drawn to Change the WorldDrawn to Change the World Graphic Novel Collection: 16 Youth Climate Activists, 16 Artists by Anoosha Syed, Bill Masuku, Derick Brooks, Devon Holzworth, Emma Reynolds, Erin Hunting, Gloria Felix, Jade Zhang, Margarita Kukhtina, Natasha Donovan, Natasha Nayo, Shivana Sookdeo, Teo Duvall
ISBN: 0063084228
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Drawn to Change the World pairs 16 youth climate activists with 16 illustrators to offer some hope for the future of our environment. These kids and teens are remarkable and are doing wondrous things to help save our planet.

Each chapter is set up as a brief biography of the activists with different illustrators contributing to the graphic novel format of the book. While it is a graphic novel, there is plenty of straight text as well, and the additional information is very extensive. It lists a lot ways to connect to other activists through social media, which allows for immediate action for youth who are interested.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

The Mona Lisa VanishesThe Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day, Brett Helquist
Published by Random House Studio on September 5, 2023
ISBN: 0593643844
Pages: 288
Genres: Arts, Biography/Autobiography, Mystery, Non-Fiction
Format: Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Did you know that before 1911, the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, known in France as La Joconde but in the US as the Mona Lisa, was in fact not famous? Written by Nicholas Day and copiously illustrated by Brett Helquist (A Series of Unfortunate Events), this narrative non-fiction book relates the fascinating tale of the theft of a small portrait from the Louvre in the early 20th century and how its disappearance sparked an international search for one of Leonardo’s only finished paintings. Day interchanges brief chapters of the heist and hunt with information on Leonardo da Vinci, his life in Renaissance Italy, and how the man of many talents but no follow through came to paint the Mona Lisa. Along the way, readers learn about art, fingerprints, and two time periods of court and political intrigue. Day keeps the momentum by adroitly cutting to different settings and characters connected to the creation or capture of what is now the most visited work of art in the world. This title is highly recommended for all middle grade and junior high school students. Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Melissa M. Orth, Richmond Middle/High School, Richmond, ME

five-stars

One in a Million

One in a MillionOne in a Million by Claire Lordon
Published by Candlewick Press on 2023
ISBN: 1536213675
Genres: Biography/Autobiography, Mental Health, Non-Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

The subtitle of One in a Million, a graphic memoir by Claire Lordon, is “High school is hard enough without a mysterious illness”, which introduces the reader to Claire’s challenging life. In Claire’s junior year, she begins experiencing excruciating headaches in addition to other symptoms that are difficult to deal with as a teenager such as unexplained weight gain, hair loss, and severe acne. Worse than all of these combined is an extreme lack of concentration and energy, making studying and having the ability to play sports or partake in activities with friends impossible. Claire’s lifeline is her diary and sketchbook. Now an adult, those outlets are the basis for this graphic memoir. One in a Million captures the frustration of feeling ill but not knowing why, the stress of a calendar filled with testing and medical appointments, and the relentless pain and exhaustion that sucks the joy from life. Lordon so clearly channels her teenage self, that the reader cannot help but feel deep empathy with her experience. She drew most of the frames using shapes of purple, with breaks in full black to express negative emotions. Unfortunately the sheer relentless anxiety and depression can overwhelm the reader at times. A trigger warning in the introduction is helpful. Anyone who has ever dealt with a chronic illness or who enjoys medical mysteries would appreciate this graphic memoir.

Reviewed by Melissa M. Orth, Richmond Middle/High School, Richmond, ME

four-stars

Songs of America: Young Readers Edition: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music that Made a Nation

Songs of America: Young Readers Edition: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music that Made a NationSongs of America: Young Reader's Edition: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation by Jon Meacham, Tim McGraw
Published by Delacorte on 2023
ISBN: 0593178793
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Jon Meacham does an impressive job of connecting American music to major social issues in United States history, from the Revolutionary War to the 2008 election of America’s first Black President, Barack Obama. Country music superstar Tim McGraw’s added commentary throughout the book provides a more personal voice to the dryer historical analyses provided by Meacham. While the book is clearly well-researched and attractively presented with extensive color and black & white illustrations and photographs, I found the content much easier to appreciate once I began to recognize the actual songs the authors were discussing. I would recommend this book for collections with a special interest in American music history.

Reviewed by Crystal Wilder, University of Southern Maine, Gorham Campus Library

four-stars

At the Poles

At the PolesAt the Poles by David Elliott, Ellen Rooney
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536205990
Genres: Animals, Fiction in Verse/Poetry
Format: Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Following his other poetry books,  “At the Pond,” “In the Woods,” and “On the Farm,” Elliot takes readers from the Antarctic to the Arctic in this beautifully illustrated book of fifteen poems about creatures that inhabit the North and South poles. There are the commonest oceanic and land animals, such as penguins and walrus, to some lesser known ones, such as krill, Antarctic shag, tardigrade, and Greenland shark. The poetry is clever and humorous at times but always shows respect for the featured creature. Rooney’s accompanying digital and patterned-paper collage portraits of the animals are beautiful and depict the sparseness of the landscape. In comments at the end, the author expands on the animals in the verses. This book will compliment a unit study about polar regions and perhaps serve as a model for students to write their own poetry.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

A is for Australian Reefs

A is for Australian ReefsA is for Australian Reefs by Frané Lessac
Published by Candlewick, Candlewick Press on June 13, 2023
ISBN: 1536228303
Pages: 48
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Nonfiction, Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Many alphabet books are done in service to an interesting subject that doesn’t bear up well under the pressure of having to come up with a compelling entry for each letter of the alphabet. A is for Australian Reefs is a marvelous example of an alphabet book that is delightful in its own right and has fascinating and factual entries for even the most challenging letters (looking at you, xanthid crabs!). The book is well-organized; within the alphabetical order, the author has carefully selected entries that take the reader from the big picture (A is for Australian Reefs, B is for Biodiversity) to individual species and subspecies. 

Each full-bleed two-page spread illustrated entry starts with a prominent image of the letter (which contains a depiction of the exemplar for the entry), a broad overview of the entry subject and a number of interesting detailed facts within each entry on the subject, many focused on the important role many species play in balancing the ecosystem. Did you know that “sea cucumber poop contains several substances that fertilize coral, helping it grow”? The illustrations are realistic and whimsical, drawing the reader from fact to fact to fact.

Readers between ages of 7-10 who love browsable nonfiction and are interested in ocean life will find this a terrific read. This beautiful book is specific to Australia but wider issues like conservation and coral reef protection are included. Teachers looking to discuss nonfiction or conservation and ocean life could introduce the text to students by reading the generalized entries at the top of each page, and simply browsing the illustrations. Highly recommended.

Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS Young School Library Saco, ME 

five-stars