What is #nf10for10
In 2010, Mandy Robek and Cathy Mere hosted the first picture book event. In 2013, Julie Balen suggested a nonfiction picture book event that worked the same. Participants choose 10 nonfiction picture books to share.
What: 10 nonfiction picture books you can't live without.
Hashtag: #nf10for10
Hosts: @mandyrobek (Enjoy and Embrace Learning), @jacbalen (Connecting to Learn), @cathymere (Reflect & Refine)
Who: Anyone interested --- educators, media specialists, librarians, parents, and book lovers.
When: Monday, February 10th
Where: All posts for 2020 will be linked here at Reflect & Refine
If you ever want to identify gaps in your reading or gaps in the publishing field, try selecting a topic and see if you can pull together ten nonfiction picture books. For this year’s #NF10for10, I spent a lot of time trying to narrow down the focus. I found a bunch of gaps. I am still not finding enough biographies on women of color and though there are a number of true stories about immigrants and fictionalized stories on refugees, we need true stories about refugees and more diversity in the books celebrating immigrants and their contributions.
Here are 10 books that I selected. They are not in any particular order.
Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War by Duncan Tonatiuh (Harry N. Abrams) - In the past couple of years, we are getting more stories around World War I. I am cheating on this one because de la Luz Sáenz was actually a first generation Mexican American. However, I felt his story was important to include and to understand the work he did to help create the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), which is the oldest Latino civil rights organization.
Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom by Teresa Robeson, Illustrated by Rebecca Huang (Sterling) - I am thrilled that the stories of women who often never received any recognition for their work while they were alive are finally coming out. We need more of them. The hard work, perseverance, and dedication of woman like Wu Chien Shiung are inspiring and need to be told.
Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung, Illustrated by Chris Sasaki (Schwartz & Wade) - Tyrus Wong was a Chinese immigrant who dreamed of becoming an artist. Wong’s work is best known for the backgrounds of the Disney movie, Bambi.
Mario and the Hole in the Sky: How a Chemist Saved Our Planet by Elizabeth Rusch, Illustrated by Teresa Martainez (Charlesbridge) - Mario Molina was a curious little boy who became a scientist and through research identified how CFCs were causing a “hole in the sky”.
Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle, Illustrated by Rafael Laopez (Atheneum Books) - A young girl flees a revolution in Venezuela to come to the United States during the Civil War. Music brought her comfort and she shared that with others.
Hedy Lamarr's Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor by Laurie Wallmark, Illustrated by Katy Wu (Sterling) - Growing up, I had heard of Hedy Lamarr as an actress though I was not really familiar with her work. Never did I imagine that she had another side to her and that one of her inventions helped create a groundbreaking communications system.
Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, June Jo Lee, Illustrated by Man One (Readers to Eaters) - Food trucks have been around for a long-time, as has cultural street food. Choi’s unique spin takes food trucks to new levels.
Growing Up Pedro: How the Martínez Brothers Made It from the Dominican Republic All the Way to the Major Leagues by Matt Tavares (Candlewick Press) - It is hard enough to rise up to the level of professional baseball player and harder still when the odds seem insurmountable. Tavares captures it all in his story of Pedro Martinez.
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales (Neal Porter Books) - Morales shares her story of coming to the United States with a young son and her dreams. What readers get is a love story about strength, passion, and books.
First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great by Sandra Neil Wallace, Rich Wallace, Illustrated by Agata Nowicka (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) - This one might be cheating a bit since it is really a bit more than a picture book and shares about 36 immigrants but I had to include it.