It’s Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday!
This is Week 2 of 3 where I will be sharing thirty titles (ten at a time) of my favourite nonfiction books for older readers. The first ten are here.
My post last week goes into more detail of why I wanted to put together these three lists. Basically, I had just written a number of blog posts featuring titles for younger readers (like this one) and had received a comment about older students losing their passion for nonfiction titles. I wanted to share some of my favourite titles that I have read with my own children or on my own that I think will appeal to these intermediate/middle school readers. I hope something catches your eye!
The second ten:
The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest by Steve Jenkins (published 1999)
Poop – A Natural History of the Unmentionable written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Neal Layton (published 2004)
Predator Showdown (30 Unbelievably Awesome Predator vs. Predator Face-offs!) by Lee Martin (published 2011)
Let’s Talk About Race written by Julius Lester and illustrated by Karen Barbour (published 2005)
Helen’s Big World The Life of Helen Keller written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Matt Tavares (published 2012)
Meadowlands – A Wetlands Survival Story by Thomas F Yezerski (published 2011)
Bugged: How Insects Changed History written by Sarah Albee and illustrated by Robert Leighton (published 2014)
Every Human has Rights – A Photographic Declaration for Kids A National Geographic book with a forward by Mary Robinson. (published 2008)
Look Up! Bird Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate (published 2013)
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth written by Rochelle Strauss and illustrated by Rosemary Woods (published 2007)
Thanks to Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy for the inspiration to read and share more nonfiction picture books in 2014. Follow the link to Alyson’s blog to read about more nonfiction books you need to read!
My goal is to read 65 nonfiction picture books for 2014. Progress: 102/65 complete!
There's a Book for That 
Some are new to me, Carrie, like that final one about water. Will pass it on to the teacher who is studying water with her students this year! I would add Sarah Albee’s other book, Poop Happened. It’s fascinating, too! Thanks much for a great list!
I have heard about but have yet to read Poop Happened although it is on my TBR list! One Well is a fantastic book to discuss the water in the world and what we need to do to protect it.
While I’ve never heard of most of these titles, this is the first list I’ve come across where I haven’t read any of the books!
I’m not sure if that is a good thing or not! 🙂
So excited by this series you’re doing as I’m buying books to add to my son’s 6th-grade reading classroom (he has three different classes in this room, so I want to be sure he and the other kids are surrounded by books they’ll want to read; there’s a decent selection of recent fiction but zero nonfiction). I’ve added many titles from your list to my cart! Oh and bonus: I get to read them before I send them to school!
Zero nonfiction?! You are the perfect nonfiction loving Mom to remedy this. Nonfiction in the older grades needs to still be everywhere they look. Part of the reason I want to do these posts. We all need reminders no matter what grade we teach to fill our rooms with fantastic nonfiction.
I know! I was horrified! And then I thought, well I can fix this problem! I have a very full cart right now but think I might add a few more nonfiction graphic novel titles because there were also almost no graphic novels. My son (strangely) hates graphic novels–maybe the layout is just too busy and confusing for him?–but I bet most of the other kids in his class like them. So many good nonfiction graphic novels for middle grade. Will have to do a blog post about everything I bought–because who doesn’t love a book list??
Well. . . I for one, love a book list! But that might be a little obvious. Can’t wait to read it. You are really amazing with this gift to the classroom – it will benefit so many kids. But, the next issue is who is going to book talk all of those books?
Thanks so much for this wonderful list! I’ve requested a few of them from my library. 🙂
I hope you will let me know which ones you enjoy Sarah.
These are some great engaging titles! I really enjoyed One Well, I think there are some great projects that can be done to go along with that one. Bugged is definitely a book to hook older readers on! I put it with the Croaked/Choked books. I think they would all attract the same kind of reader.
I think you are right. I have How they Croaked put aside for my son.
Great list as always dearest Carrie. I particularly enjoyed and loved Helen’s Big World – Tavares’ art is simply stunning. The poop one I shall most likely borrow for my daughter’s erm delectation. 🙂
I so agree – the art in this book just makes me sigh. The Poop title is one I have had a lot of fun with with different classes!
Such a great list, as usual! We have a few of these and others on a “to get” list. Will be looking for others here as well. Thanks for sharing!
Happy nonfiction reading and wishing!