Classics, Nonfiction, and Children's Literature
The children’s picture book biography Her Name Was Mary Katharine by Ella Schwartz (illustrated by Dow Phumiruk; Christy Ottaviano Books, 2022) tells about the woman whose name is on The Declaration of Independence. As a woman in Revolutionary America, Mary Katharine Goddard had a unique opportunity to succeed as a printer, eventually securing the chance
The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence by Judith St. George (illustrated by Will Hillenbrand; Philomel Books, 2005) is a nonfiction story about the physical copy (copies) of the Declaration of Independence. Rather than talking about the reasons for its creation (which is briefly touched upon), it is about the parchment itself
The Declaration of Independence (A True Book) by Elaine Landau is a straight-forward nonfiction picture book, but I have to highlight it because the “True Book” series produces notable nonfiction that is both comprehensive and attractive. When I see a “True Book,” I know I’ll find a clear explanation of a subject, combined with a
The longer picture book The 4th of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh (illustrated by Marie Nonnast; Charles Scribner, 1956) gives a general overview of the patriotic beginnings of American independence. Although it is somewhat a nonfiction book, many dates and details are merged together, making it a muddy collection of facts and patriotic sentiments. But as
The Declaration of Independence from A to Z by Catherine L. Osornio (illustrated by Layne Johnson; Pelican Books, 2010) is a new approach to the alphabet book style because it smoothly tells the story of the revolutionary document (the Declaration of Independence) even while starting each page with a word in alphabetical order. Thus, A
America: A Patriotic Primer by Lynne Cheney (illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser; Paula Wiseman Books, 2002) may be an alphabetic picture book, but it is definitely written for older children. It is a nonfiction book that highlights important historical concepts, events, and people. Each letter of the alphabet has a word assigned to it, and most pages
The nonfiction board book The Story Of America’s Birthday by Patricia A. Pingry (illustrated by Meredith Johnson; Candy Cane Press, 2000), is a very basic introduction for young children that explains why we celebrate on July 4th. But even for a basic introduction, the book packs a lot of facts in. It introduces concepts such
The picture book We are Fungi by Christina Nishiyama (Might Cold Studios, 2017) shows various types of fungi in the wild, told from the perspective of a group of fungi. Lots of information is given in these “we” statements. The illustrations show a child going through a forest with a dog, and labels appear wherever
The attractive read-aloud picture book This is the Reef by Miriam Moss (illustrated by Adrienne Kennaway; Lincoln Children’s Books, 2007) repeats the phrase “This is the place” as it visits a variety of plants and animals in the coral reef habitat. A few unique and specific animals, such as nudibranchs (a mollusk) and fish-eating flowers,
In Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu (Walden Pond Press, 2024) Violet moves to a new house that has surprising secrets. When she finds herself battling a lingering illness, she suspects something in the attic’s yellow wallpaper is watching her. All of this complicates her new year in middle school, which is already bringing
The quirky picture book How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World by Faith McNulty (illustrated by Marc Simont; Harper Collins, 1990). This quirky book shares the (obviously) fictional story of a child who succeeds in digging through the Earth. The sites he sees on the way down are helpful for
The ANNEthology edited by Judith Graves (Acorn press, May 2024) is a new collection of young adult stories by Canadian young adult authors, subtitled “A Collection of Kindred Spirits Inspired by the Canadian Icon.” I adore Anne of Green Gables, so I was excited to revisit this lovely creature with new stories. I was so disappointed,
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