As 2015 winds down, I am working to catch up on reading nonfiction releases from this year. Here are four that I read recently.
Brain Games: The Mind Blowing Science of Your Amazing Brain
Jennifer Swanson
National Geographic Kids (September 8, 2015)
Interested in learning about how the brain works but not interested in reading a medical textbook? Swanson provides both young and old readers with information about the brain, and how it works with our memory, emotions, decisions, and actions. Extra notes, facts and challenges provide readers with layers of information to explore.
Ebola: Fears and Facts
Patricia Newman
Millbrook Press (August 1, 2015)
Just the mention of the word Ebola can cause a lot of anxiety and fear. Patricia Newman provides readers with information about the history of Ebola outbreaks and facts about the disease. Readers also learn about how doctors and other health care workers are working to contain outbreaks, and prevent deaths. Additional information, a frequently asked questions, and additional resources are included at the end of the book.
Forgotten Bones: Uncovering a Slave Cemetery
Lois Miner Huey
Millbrook Press (October 1, 2015)
I envy the patience of archeologists. I simply don't have the temperament to participate in a site dig. However, uncovering the mystery behind what is located at a dig is always fascinating. Lois Miner Huey draws in readers as she shares about the slave cemetery discovered in Albany, New York in 2005. Readers are taken through the excavation process, bones studies, and facial reconstruction. The cemetery in Albany was compared to another in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and New York, New York and information about origins, daily life, and more was pieced together from the bones, DNA, and the burial site. Definitely a worthwhile read.
Animal Planet Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia
Animal Planet
Animal Planet (September 22, 2015)
As a child, I loved looking things up. Without the internet, I was limited to a set of encyclopedias and the library. There is something fascinating about facts and information and when paired with photographs it is a win-win. There are fact boxes, a poster, and even QR codes that allow readers to explore beyond the pages of the book. Oversized and over 300 pages of general facts about hundreds of animals will keep kids flipping through the pages and coming back for more.
All four of these titles are worth adding to a classroom or school library and will appeal to a wide range of students.
Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews: