Non-Fiction Wednesday, #NFPB2014

Thanks to Alyson at KidLitFrenzy for hosting this weekly challenge.  There are so many wonderful non-fiction picture books these days - I just don't want to miss any of them!

I absolutely love the following 2 books.  Both are illustrated using collage and both are about birds.  One takes place in a tropical paradise and one takes place in the Arctic Tundra.

Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore

This book tells the story of the Puerto Rican parrot which nearly became extinct.  The author weaves together both the history of Puerto Rico and the parrots' struggles to survive along with the story of how scientist worked to save this beautiful bird.  If I ever get to Puerto Rico I know I will find a way to view these special creatures.  I wish I had read this book before I had finalized my Mock Caldecott list because I would have surely included it among my favorites.

The Long, Long Journey: The Godwit's Amazing Migration by Sandra Markle and Mia Posada

This book has been on my TBR list for awhile and my library finally got a copy.  The story of how the Godwit migrates from the Alaska to New Zealand is told in narrative fashion.  The accompanying illustrations are beautiful.  I just love collage.  It makes me want to try this type of illustration with my students, or try it myself!  I especially love the author's note at the end that explains her inspiration for the book.  She actually grew up in New Zealand and describes how the community welcomed the Godwit back to celebrate the arrival of spring!

Both of these books would make great additions to any study of birds, migration, seasonal change and even Social Studies.

I highly recommend these books.  Have you read any good non-fiction lately?

Non-fiction Wednesday

Thanks to Kid Lit Frenzy for keeping me informed about all the great non-fiction books out there!

On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne and illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky

This wonderful picture book is so much more than an introduction to the life of a most famous scientist! Jennifer Berne does such an outstanding job introducing complex scientific concepts and makes them accessible to both young readers and adults. Throughout the book, Jennifer points out the importance of imagination and play, and taking time to wonder about the world.

As soon as I bought and read my copy of this book I decided to give it away as a gift to a fellow teacher. She teaches science to 7th and 8th graders. I knew she would appreciate the message of the book - science is not about memorizing facts, it's about wondering and questioning. But now I have to purchase another copy for myself!

Dirt by Steve Tomecek and illustrated by Nancy Woodman

This book is part of the National Geographic Jump Into Science series.  It is a great introduction to soil. It describes the different types of soil, what lives in soil and the importance of dirt.  The illustrations are great and help the reader better understand the text.  There are simple diagrams and labels.  I love that there is a little mole that is used as the main character throughout the book.  Who knew a mole could be so cute!

This series is perfect for the second grade class library.  If you use guided reading levels it is listed as a Level L.  I want the whole collection for my class library!!