Format: Picture Book Nonfiction

The Girl Who Built an Ocean

The Girl Who Built an OceanThe Girl Who Built an Ocean: An Artist, an Argonaut, and the True Story of the World's First Aquarium by Jess Keating, Michelle Mee Nutter
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on October 25, 2022
ISBN: 0593305116
Pages: 40
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This is a beautifully illustrated biography of Jeanne Villepreux-Power, who started out designing and sewing in-demand dresses but soon found her calling as a naturalist. After moving to the Mediterranean she discovered the beauty of ocean life and loved collecting and studying specimens. Some of the specimens proved too elusive, though, so Villepreux-Power designed the world’s first aquarium. With her new aquarium Villepreux-Power studied argonauts to find out how their papery shells formed.

While I would have loved to see some of the trial and error that goes in to inventing a water tight glass box, this is a solid, eye-catching biography that will do well in a library or classroom.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

Black-Eyed Peas and Hoghead Cheese: A story of food, family, and freedom.

Black-Eyed Peas and Hoghead Cheese: A story of food, family, and freedom.Black-Eyed Peas and Hoghead Cheese: A Story of Food, Family, and Freedom by Glenda Armand, Steffi Walthall
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers on September 6, 2022
ISBN: 0593486145
Pages: 40
Genres: Cultural / African American
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Young food historians will enjoy the description and history of nine year old Frances’ family’s New Year’s meal. Each dish is tied to the culinary contributions that Frances’ ancestors made to our country while enslaved and Frances’ grandparents explain how each recipe came to be. The pages are full of admiration and appreciation for the dishes that were created and have been passed down from generation to generation. The meal becomes a way to honor ancestors and tradition while enjoying family on New Year’s day.

This would be a good classroom or read aloud book and features sidebars about the Atlantic Slave Trade and some specific ingredients. It also has a lovely author’s note, further reading suggestions, and a recipe for pralines!

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

The Power of Architecture

The Power of ArchitectureThe Power of Architecture: 25 Modern Buildings Around the World by Annette Roeder, Pamela Baron
Published by Prestel Junior on September 20, 2022
ISBN: 3791375148
Pages: 64
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars

This nonfiction book shows 25 modern buildings from around the world. From Olympic stadiums to memorials to factories, this book takes you on a journey to places many have never seen. The reader will learn how and why different buildings were created. The detailed illustrations aim to show the magnitude of these buildings. There are not a lot of children’s books about architecture out there and this one would be good for middle grade readers. Not a must have, but an interesting read.

Reviewed by Erin Scott, MSAD 75, Woodside

three-stars

Standing in the Need of Prayer

Standing in the Need of PrayerStanding in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual by Carole Boston Weatherford, Frank Morrison
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers on September 20, 2022
ISBN: 0593306341
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

This deeply moving book takes the reader from 1916 to today in a beautifully illustrated riveting way. This story takes the reader from the arrival of enslaved people in Jamestown through emancipation, from segregation to Black Lives Matter. The way the text repeats the line “Standing in the need of prayer” multiple times on every page gives the book the feel of a call and response prayer. This book is highly recommended for every classroom and library for grades 2-12.

Reviewed by Erin Scott, MSAD 75, Woodside

five-stars

The Animal Toolkit

The Animal ToolkitThe Animal Toolkit: How Animals Use Tools by Steve Jenkins, Robin Page
Published by Clarion Books on August 30, 2022
ISBN: 0358244447
Pages: 32
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This nonfiction animal book teaches the reader about various animals who use tools in the wild. The unique torn and cut paper collage illustrations add amazing detail to the informative text. This book will capture the readers attention from the first page and teach them so many interesting facts. Perfect for animal lovers in grades 2-5. A great addition to any bookshelf.

Reviewed by Erin Scott, MSAD 75, Woodside

four-stars

Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe

Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the GlobeWhere We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe by Margriet Ruurs, Wenjia Tang
Published by Kids Can Press on October 4, 2022
ISBN: 1525301373
Pages: 40
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars

On the left page, there is a scenario of one of 16 children’s neighborhoods in mostly little-known countries that will enlighten readers’ understanding of global cultures. The right-side page is an accompanying map of the neighborhood that was featured. While the vignettes are strong, the maps were difficult to understand. Readers will learn a lot about different countries while reading this book, but might have to look up more information on a computer, such as the types of medicines obtained from coconut trees. An interesting book about cultures, but not a great introduction to maps. For readers in grades 3-6.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

three-stars

Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winter

Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in WinterHiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winter by Jessica Kulekjian, Salini Perera
Published by Kids Can Press on October 4, 2022
ISBN: 1525304852
Pages: 32
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This nonfiction picture book has an interesting format. The main text is poetic: “When days grow short, flowers fade and colors crumple to the ground … all the hiders hide.” The information in the inserted circles is informational, describing the many ways animals face the challenges of winter — some hide (hibernate and related terminology) while others seek (migrate) and finders keep (adapt to cold by growing extra fur). Two sections in the back describe the tracks the animals make in the snow. Throughout the book, a father and daughter, both of whom have brown skin, hike through the forest. The supplements add much of the interest to the book. Back matter contains an author’s note and a list of resources. This is a unique presentation and life science teachers could use this as an introduction to a sorting and classifying lesson. It can also be used to read aloud one-on-one as there are a lot of details in the illustrations. Recommend for grades K-4.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

Mae Makes Way: The True Story of Mae Reeves, Hat & History Maker

Mae Makes Way: The True Story of Mae Reeves, Hat & History MakerMae Makes a Way: The True Story of Mae Reeves, Hat & History Maker by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Andrea Pippins
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers on May 24, 2022
ISBN: 0525645853
Pages: 48
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This picture book biography of Mae Reeves (1912-2016) tells the story of a significant figure in our country’s history. Reeves was a successful milliner, civic organizer, and Black business owner in a time when these accomplishments were more difficult than they are now. Items from Reeve’s millinery shop including many of her stunning hats are on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

Reeves made hats for the biggest names of the day (Lena Horne, Marion Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald), as well as for wealthy White women and less well-off Black women. The narrative puts Reeve’s accomplishments into historical and cultural context: “Hats were a way for these queens (Black women) to be SEEN, shining a light on the dignity they always had.”

Rhuday-Perkovich includes many specifics from Reeve’s story, putting Reeve’s societal and personal struggles and successes into context, so the reader understands how remarkable she was. Occasionally, the details get in the way of the narrative’s flow, but the specifics are fascinating.

The attractive, stylized illustrations support the text but don’t do justice to the actual hats. In the back matter are interviews with Reeve’s daughter and the NMAAHC Head of Collections, as well as photographs of some of Reeve’s hats in the museum collection. The photographs of her gorgeous hats help the reader understand the artisanship involved in creating them and why she is such an icon.

This could be an excellent story for students in middle school studying the Civil Rights era. The depth of the story makes it a good fit for students in grades 3-6, interested in history and finery. It could be an accompaniment to a maker activity about hats. If possible, share photographs of the actual hats.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, Young School Library, Saco

four-stars

Building

BuildingBuilding by Henry Cole
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on June 21, 2022
ISBN: 0063136554
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Henry Cole returns with another beautifully illustrated book about nature. This time, it’s the life and work of beavers. From building dams to building families, this book covers all aspects of beaver life. As with many of Cole’s books, the illustrations really make the book. The story is good though a bit slow for younger readers and those who desire a more fast-paced picture book. The story also ends a bit abruptly and unexpectedly. The line drawings coupled with a few splashes of acrylic color turn this book into a real work of art. The details drawn into each illustration are impressive and really give the works a life-like quality. Recommended for one-on-one reading for readers 4 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Alexander von Humboldt: Explorer, Naturalist & Environmental Pioneer

Alexander von Humboldt: Explorer, Naturalist & Environmental PioneerAlexander Von Humboldt: Explorer, Naturalist & Environmental Pioneer by Danica Novgorodoff
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers on February 22, 2022
ISBN: 1524773085
Pages: 40
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Alexander von Humboldt: Explorer, Naturalist & Environmental Pioneer Novgorodoff, Danica (au. & ill.)

This picture book by Danica Novgorodoff (award-winning graphic novelist), blends sparkling text and captivating illustrations to tell the life story of Alexander von Humboldt, known as the Father of Ecology for his scientific work demonstrating interconnectedness of living things within an ecosystem. Quotes from Humboldt’s personal narratives are woven through the text and illustrations.

Novgorodoff presents a full picture of Humboldt (1769-1859), whose curiosity about the natural world put him “out of step” with his family and those around him. She is careful, through text and illustrations, to tell his story without generalizing the indigenous people he encounters during his travels, and acknowledges that many of the primary accounts were Eurocentric. The illustrations and diagrams are simple and vivid but provide detail and information for visual learners and readers.

Primary and secondary resources are an important feature of this picture book biography. The book is rich in back matter: timeline, quotation sources, maps as endpages, notes on the text – all work together (a backmatter ecosystem!) to enrich this account of his life.

Naturalists (any child who lays on the ground to examine a bug’s progress) will see themselves in this story about where curiosity can take a person. This is a wonderful example of how a picture book biography can provide enough information for a deep dive about an interesting subject, and still deliver the story in a way that is accessible to younger readers. This book would be a great read-aloud for younger children, and could be used with students through fifth grade, with attention to all the resources within the covers, outside the narrative. Highly recommended! Ten out of ten!

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, Young School Library, Saco

five-stars