Thank you everyone for signing up for the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge 2014. It is going to be an amazing year of sharing nonfiction books with one another.
In just a little more than a week, I am heading to Philadelphia to attend the American Library Association's Midwinter Convention. I very much look forward to this trip and the opportunity to connect with other book lovers. Additionally, I am very thrilled to be able to attend the Youth Media Awards. One award that I look forward to is the Robert F. Sibert Medal Award and Honor Books. I just had to squeeze in a few more nonfiction titles this week just in case one of them wins a medal or an honor medal.
Here are the last of 2013 nonfiction and historical fiction that I will probably be able to squeeze in before my trip east...
Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World by Elizabeth Rusch; Illustrated by Oliver Dominguez (Candlewick Press, September 10, 2013). My first encounters with Nikola Tesla came from television shows with the first one being a sci-fi show. I realized that I really had no clue who this Serbian-American inventor was and I needed to find out more. When I saw that Rusch had written a picture book biography about Tesla, I knew I had to read it. Rusch does a solid job in introducing children to the famous inventor. The scientific end notes are also informative and provide children with places to further explore both the inventor and his inventions.
The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan (Roaring Brook Press, October 1, 2013) - Until I picked up this book, I had never heard of George Ohr. Apparently, this potter from Mississippi was flamboyant and possessed a bigger than life personality, in addition to being a very talented artist. This picture book biography is geared for upper elementary and middle school students and will fascinate readers. The book is filled with sepia toned photographs of Ohr and his family, a few illustrations, and many photographs of his pottery.
A Single Pebble: A Story of the Silk Road by Bonnie Christensen (Roaring Brook Press, October 15, 2013) - This is a beautifully illustrated story about the Silk Road. Though this is technically historical fiction, I included it in this post because it does have some wonderful end notes including an author's note, maps, useful websites and bibliography on the Silk Road. I am looking forward to sharing this one with students.
Stop by the blog on Friday for a special nonfiction joint collaboration from Kid Lit Frenzy and Unleashing Readers. You will not want to miss it.
Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews below. Also stop by and visit the other blogs participating in the #nfpb2014 challenge. I love getting more suggestions for titles to read.
