Egyptian Mummies: A Pop-Up Book

by Milbry Polk

Summary: Unwrap a mummy to see what lies beneath its bandages, lift the layers of a pharaoh's coffin, and help an ancient priest remove the organs from a soon-to-be-mummified body!

This is a unique pop-up book because it contains detailed information and is for older readers. It is a lot of fun to read and manipulate this book, but beware: the beginning is not for those who can become queasy easily!

Interest Level: grades 4-6
Reading Level: grade 6

Happy Leap Year!

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Amazing True Stories About Animals

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Talk, Talk, Squawk:
A Human's Guide to Animal Communication
by Nicola Davies

Summary: Presents the creative ways animals communicate, including how various creatures use messaging methods ranging from colors and smells to vibrations and electricity.

This is a really fun nonfiction read. The cartoonish illustrations and captions make this book enjoyable for young elementary school students. It is lengthy, and not an ideal read aloud. However, it will be enjoyed by advanced elementary readers. Younger listeners with a long attention span may enjoy this book when read one on one, or the book may be read in sections over time.

Interest Level: grades k-6

Reading Level: grade 8

Happy February!

February is Black History Month

February 2nd is Groundhog's Day

February 14th is Valentine's Day

February 20th is Presidents Day

February 29th is Leap Day

Check out the labels below for related books!



Great Biographies of Lesser Known People

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What to Expect When You're Expecting Joeys:

A Guide for Marsupial Parents

by Bridget Heos

Summary: Explains the life cycle of marsupials using the format of a question-and-answer guide written about human pregnancy.

Although this book contains cartoon like illustrations and is written as if speaking to marsupial parents, you may find this book in the nonfiction section of your library. The true intended audience is children seeking information about marsupials. I recommend this book to advanced primary grade readers. However, it may be appreciated by older elementary students who are interested in the subject matter. I enjoyed the humorous elements of this story.

Interest Level: grades k-6
Reading Level: grade 4

Only the Mountains Do Not Move: A Maasai Story of Culture and Conservation

by Jan Reynolds

Summary: A photographic essay about the Maasai people in Kenya, explores the contemporary challenges they face, focusing on environmental changes such as the overgrazing of land and the threat of wildlife extinction, and how the Maasai are adapting their agricultural practices and lifestyle while preserving their culture.

This is a fascinating nonfiction book. In addition to information, the text includes wise proverbs of the Maasai culture. Most ideal for grades 4-6, the text allows for serious discussions, including how to respect and preserve the Earth. During Black History Month, this book can be used to discuss African culture. This book may be appreciated by mature primary grade students or middle school students interested in culture or environmental students.

Interest Level: grades 4-8
Reading Level: grade 6

Welcome Winter: Nonfiction reads for grades 1-3

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Who Has These Feet?

by Laura Hulbert

Summary: Looks at the feet of nine different types of animals and how they are adapted to help their owners survive in their environments.

This is an informational book that is highly suitable for reading aloud to classes, and having the children guess the adaptation.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 3
Reading Level: grade 3

Count Them While You Can: A Book of Endangered Animals

by Ann Bowman

Summary: Describes the habits of endangered animals.

This book contains a story in rhyme that flows like a poem. Children are invited to count the animals on each page. On opposite pages of the story, there are facts about endangered animals. For this reason, the book can be enjoyed by a large age range. An adult could read the story part with young children and encourage them to count. An early school age teacher could read the story aloud to a class and then provide the book during open read time for students who are interested in the facts. Older school age children may use facts in this book to supplement a report on endangered species.

Interest Level: ages 2-grade 6

Reading Level: grade 3

 

Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of 

Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero 

by Marissa Moss

Summary: A story of a nineteen-year-old woman who disguised herself as a man to avoid an unwanted marriage and who distinguished herself as a male nurse during the Civil War, and later as a spy for the Union Army.

This is an amazing true story! This book is lengthy, and most ideal for older elementary students to read to themselves. I was impressed by the author’s and illustrator’s note on one of the last pages. A teacher could use this book to open a lesson on the civil war. Also, this story is great for reading aloud before a student research project on the civil war or women’s history.

Interest Level: grades k-6

Reading Level: grade 5

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

by Peter Sis

Summary; Annotated illustrations, maps, and dreamscapes explore how the artist-author's life was shaped while growing up in Czechoslovakia during the Cold War, in a powerful graphic memoir.

This biography is the winner of the American Library Association’s prestigious Sibert Informational Award. The story is very moving. The main text is simple, but the side notes are what make an impact on the reader. This is an excellent read for any talk on the Cold War and the importance of free speech.

Interest Level: grades 4-12
Reading Level: grade 5

The Adventures of Mark Twain By Huckleberry Finn

by Robert Burleigh

Summary: Presents a biography of Mark Twain told from the perspective of one of his most famous characters, Huckleberry Finn.

This is an outstanding biography. The Huckleberry Finn in this book narrates in the vernacular of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry. This makes the book interesting, though at times difficult to follow, especially for younger children. This book is a great read aloud “hook” for a first lesson on any Mark Twain story.

Interest Level: grades 4-8
Reading Level: grade 5

Tarra and Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends

by Carol Buckley

Summary: Presents the story of the unusual friendship between Tarra, a retired circus elephant, and Bella, a stray dog, who are both cared for at the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee.

This story is AMAZING. I saw a recorded news segment on youtube long before the book came out. When I saw it in a book magazine, I insisted that my library purchase several copies. I recommend the youtube video as well. I love to read, but the elephant and dog in action is something else. If you enjoy this book, try Owen and Mzee books.

Interest Level: grades K-6
Reading Level: grade 3

Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace

Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace

by Jen Cullerton Johnson

Summary: A biography of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner and environmentalist Wangari Maathai, a female scientist who made a stand in the face of opposition to women's rights and her own Greenbelt Movement, an effort to restore Kenya's ecosystem by planting millions of trees.”

This book’s beautiful illustrations are inspired by handmade quilts. It is the winner of the prestigious American Library Association (ALA) Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent (Illustrator) Award. It is an interesting biography of a strong African woman. It is appropriate for this summer’s national public library theme, “One World Many Stories.”

Interest Level: 3-6
Reading Level: grades k-6

Owen & Mzee : The Language of Friendship

by Isabella Hatkoff

Summary: Provides the true story of the strong relationship between Mzee, the 130-year-old tortoise, and Owen, the orphaned baby hippo rescued from the tsunami floods, that has developed between this unlikely pair through their special form of communication of soft sounds and gestures.

This story is AMAZING. It is the sequel to Owen & Mzee : The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship. If you have not read the first book, you may choose to skip it because the first story is mostly retold in the second book.

Inerest Level: ages 2-grade 6
Reading Level: grade 6

Frida by Jonah Winter

Summary: About the life of an artist named Frida, who suffered many pains but made it through life with her art.

I was curious how the author would make the story of Frida into a children’s book after seeing the R rated movie that won academy awards. This book is simplistic enough that it is appropriate for children. There is an artist’s note at the end that she portrayed traditional characters in Mexican folk art which included funny skeletons, little devils, and sweet jaguars.

Interest Level: grades k-6
Reading Level: grade 3

The Right Dog for the Job

The Right Dog for the Job:
Ira's Path from Service Dog to Guide Dog
by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Summary: Tells how a golden retriever is trained as a service dog, to help someone who has trouble moving their arms or legs, and later as a guide dog for a man who cannot see.

This nonfiction story is an excellent read for discussing guide dogs. Though lengthy, this book is appropriate for discussing with a child what a service dog is or what a child can expect if their family is going to temporarily foster a service dog. It is also an excellent read for older, independent readers, especially those who love dogs.

Interest Level: grades k-3, grades 4-6
Reading Level: grade 6

Librarianjk recommends Elephants Can Paint, Too!

Elephants Can Paint, Too!

by Katya Arnold

Summary: In this true story, you will learn about an amazing class of elephants that are taught to become artists by an amazing teacher.

When I first came across this book, my first thought was “I am sure they can, but is it entirely necessary to teach them this skill?” After reading this outstanding book, I learned that this began for a reason and some elephants love it! Part of the profits of this book is donated to helping elephants.

Interest Level: ages 2-4, grades K-3

Reading Level: grade 3