Format: Picture Book Nonfiction

Combines

CombinesCombines by Kirsty Holmes
Published by Fusion Books on January 1, 2021
ISBN: 9781647475437
Pages: 24
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
two-stars

Part of Farmer Llama’s Farm Machines series. Farmer llama takes you on a tour of the farm as you learn all about combines. Reported reading age is 4-8 years, but the illustrations (appealing to a 4 year old) do not match the text (8+ year old). May have appeal in communities with many large farms or for children interested in large machines.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

two-stars

Maryam’s Magic: The Story of Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani

Maryam’s Magic: The Story of Mathematician Maryam MirzakhaniMaryam's Magic: The Story of Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani by Aaliya Jaleel, Megan Reid
Published by Balzer + Bray on January 19, 2021
ISBN: 0062915967
Pages: 40
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Lovely in its presentation, Maryam’s Magic is both an inspiring and a satisfying read. This biography covers the life and accomplishments of a woman who may not be well known but readers will be glad to make her acquaintance.   As a child in Iran Maryam preferred storytelling and art to math yet she became inspired by geometry.  While young readers may not know much about geometry the delightful two-page spreads will satisfy their curiosity.

Perfect for the first biography assignment, this book is informative and full of imagery.  Gr 2-4 students will find enough information for an early book report and lots of intellectual stimulation for their own growing knowledge and math and science.   Primary school media centers need this in their STEM collection and public libraries should consider its addition to their early biography shelves.

Consider for Cream of the Crop

Submitted by Jan Hamilton, retired librarian in Scarborough, ME

five-stars

Earth Hour

Earth HourEarth Hour: A Lights-Out Event for Our Planet by Bao Luu, Nanette Heffernan
Published by Charlesbridge Publishing on January 21, 2020
ISBN: 1580899420
Pages: 32
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

One of the most difficult parts of dealing with our climate crisis is explaining it to kids in a way that doesn’t make them shut down and feel helpless and overwhelmed (I suppose that’s true for everyone, not just kids). Earth Hour is about an event I had no idea existed but from now on my family will be taking part in it. Every year around the equinox in March, people across the world turn off their lights at 8:30 p.m. for one hour. It’s an international energy conserving effort that started in Sydney, Australia and has spread worldwide. I love that this simple act can unite us all and draw attention away from the sheer enormity of climate change and toward what we can do if we work together globally. More information at www.earthhour.org

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

All of Sudden and Forever

All of Sudden and ForeverAll of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing After the Oklahoma City Bombing by Chris Barton, Nicole Xu
Published by Carolrhoda Books (R) on February 4, 2020
ISBN: 1541526694
Pages: 40
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Chris Barton uses a single American elm tree that withstood the devastation of the Oklahoma City bombing as the center of this book about grief and perseverance. The year after the bombing seedlings from the tree were started and eventually used for a memorial and for gifts given to those also grieving major losses. The seedlings continued to be propagated and became symbols for the strength of the human spirit. This book has sparse, but effective, text and minimal, but lovely, illustrations. It’s restrained and heart-wrenching and reverent.  I can only imagine how difficult it is to write a children’s book about grief, and especially one that embraces how long it can take for a single person, or a nation, to recover, but Chris Barton has done it beautifully here. This isn’t a book I would choose as an everyday read aloud but it has its place as a discussion starter or a comfort after a traumatic event.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free library, Bath

five-stars

Honeybee

HoneybeeHoneybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming, Eric Rohmann
Published by Neal Porter Books on February 4, 2020
ISBN: 0823442853
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

This book fills me with absolute awe for honeybees. I thought I knew bees are busy and I thought I knew that they work altruistically and tirelessly for their entire, short, lives for the sake of the hive but, really, I had no idea. The book follows the life of one worker bee, Apis, as she emerges from larvae-hood and embarks on her journey. She immediately starts working and the book follows her from one task to the next and stresses how much work is accomplished before she even leaves the hive to look for nectar. This book is really fascinating and is beautifully illustrated. It’s perfect for younger grades but could also be used for slightly older students (4th-5th grade) looking to learn about bees.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

five-stars

Sprouting Wings: The True Story of James Herman Banning, the First African American Pilot to Fly Across the United States

Sprouting Wings: The True Story of James Herman Banning, the First African American Pilot to Fly Across the United StatesSprouting Wings: The True Story of James Herman Banning, the First African American Pilot to Fly Across the United States by Floyd Cooper, Louisa Jaggar, Shari Becker
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers on January 5, 2021
ISBN: 1984847627
Pages: 48
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This is the true story of James Herman Banning, the first African American pilot to fly across the country. Banning, a farm boy from Oklahoma, always dreamed of flying. After many struggles, he achieves a journey in an airplane that would span 3,300 miles, take twenty-one days, and inspire a nation. A well researched book, including Banning’s own writings and an interview with the aviator’s great-nephew, that is complemented by Floyd Cooper’s earth-toned dreamlike illustrations. This picture book biography content will appeal to fans of Hidden Figures and upper elementary and middle school students.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer. Liberty Library

four-stars

Welcome to Florida; Welcome to Texas; Welcome to Arizona

Welcome to Florida; Welcome to Texas; Welcome to ArizonaWelcome to Florida (Welcome To) by Asa Gilland
Published by Doubleday Books on January 5, 2021
ISBN: 9780593178256
Pages: 32
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars

A series of picture books about each US state. Each book contains information about the state’s animals, plants, regions, food, people, customs, and fun places to visit. No author or authority is provided. Asa Gilland is the illustrator and her cutesy, cartoonish drawings are bright and amusing. There is not enough information for research, but preschoolers to 7-year olds from each state and those who’d like to visit the state will enjoy the illustrations and fact-filled picture books.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

three-stars

She Caught the Light: Williamina Stevens Fleming Astronomer

She Caught the Light: Williamina Stevens Fleming AstronomerShe Caught the Light: Williamina Stevens Fleming: Astronomer by Julianna Swaney, Kathryn Lasky
Published by HarperCollins on January 19, 2021
ISBN: 0062849301
Pages: 40
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads

Williamina Stevens  Fleming, a woman whose love of the stars and determination to study them is the focus of Kathryn Lasky’s latest book. Fleming , daughter of a Scottish photographer was fascinated by her father’s work and the stars. She worked in the household of Professor Edward  Pickering, director of the Harvard College Observatory, and became his student. With her background in photography, she was able to identify the chemical elements of each star that was photographed. She was  ultimately  able to create a map of the universe.  Pickering, so impressed, hired more women to compute the light of stars at a time when women were not even permitted to look through the lens of a telescope. In 1898, she was appointed curator of astronomical photographs , the first woman to be given an official title at Harvard University. Her work and that of her fellow “human computers” paved the way not only for women but for the advancement of astronomy.

Lasky introduces Williamina’s story  with text easily understandable and that text is supported by bright , inviting illustrations done in pencil and watercolor. She has also included a time line, author’s note and glossary.

Use this in units about astronomy, women in science and Women’s History Month

grades 3-6

submitted by Kathy George, Gray Public Library, Gray Maine

Consider for Cream

 

111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl

111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl111 Trees by Rina Singh
Published by Kids Can Press on 2020
ISBN: 9781525301209
Pages: 36
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This inspiring books tells the story of Sundar, the head of the small village Piplantri in India. After losing his mother, daughter and environment to poverty, deforestation and dehydration, Sundar makes the radical decision to plant 111 trees for every baby girl born in the village. It’s a hard sell at first as traditionally the birth of a girl is met with silence while the birth of a boy is met with celebration but he perseveres and convinces the village to try it. His plan is genius; girls and boys start being treated equally, water and food are returned to the area and the village and villagers prosper. The plan returns balance to the surroundings. Not only is this an uplifting story with beautiful illustrations, it’s a great introduction to eco-feminism for kids.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick

four-stars

Birds

BirdsNature All Around: Birds by Carolyn Gavin, Pamela Hickman
Published by Kids Can Press on September 1, 2020
ISBN: 1771388188
Pages: 32
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This beautifully-illustrated nonfiction picture book packs a lot into 32 pages. Offering information about the general design, features, and habitats of birds, young readers will learn about feather structure, eggs, nests, and where birds go throughout the year. While specific birds are mentioned to illustrate a point, this book is not meant for use in studying specific birds. With it’s oversized pages and stunning illustrations, the book can be used in a classroom or by the budding bird-watcher. The book is part of the Nature All Around Series, which encourages kids to “hone their observation skills in order to appreciate the variety of wildlife that can be found right outside their front doors.” This title certainly has met this goal and author Hickman offers loads of fun facts and compelling write-ups. End matter includes information on how readers can help endangered birds, a bird feeder activity, a glossary, and an index. For grades 2-5.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

four-stars