Classics, Nonfiction, and Children's Literature
Plants that Never Ever Bloom by Ruth Heller (Puffin, 1984) is an older picture book that provides examples off various fungi that grow around the world as well as evergreens, illustrating how these living organisms do not bloom as we might assume all plants do. Since it is older, the illustrations and cover have that
The lovingly illustrated One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies (illustrated by Jane Chapman; Candlewick, 2005) combines just the right amount of rhythmic text, full page illustrations, and factual subtexts to immerse the reader into world of sea turtles. The picture book begins with a scientific note about turtles. Then, a story starts with a young
The nonfiction picture book Volcanoes by Franklyn M. Branley (illustrated by Megan Lloyd; Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out book, Level 2; published 1985/reissued 2008) starts by telling the story of a few famous volcanoes, including Mount Tambora, Mount Vesuvius, and Mount Saint Helens. These very real stories immediately draw in the reader to the subject. Subsequent pages cover the
The uniquely illustrated picture book A Log’s Life by Wendy Pfeffer (illustrated by Robin Brickman; Simon & Schuster, 1997) shows the interconnectedness of ecosystems through the life of an oak tree. Three-dimensional collage illustrations bring the different creatures and textures to life in the illustrations. This picture book explains the cycle of decomposition with a
Seymour Simon’s nonfiction picture books have the bonus of being illustrated with full-color photographs. In his Coral Reefs (Harper Collins, 2013), the beauty of the coral reef is shown in the rich photos. Simon begins with a thorough discussion of various types of corals, along with images that show their distinct shapes and patterns. He
The text-heavy picture book The Island that Moved: How Shifting Forces Shape Our Earth by Meredith Hooper (illustrated by Lucia deLeiris; Viking, 2004) may be too wordy for a read-aloud, but it is an illustrated example of the changing geologic earth from era to era, thanks to the many forces at work on the tectonic
With a playful tone, the nonfiction picture book Plants Can’t Sit Still by Rebecca E. Hirsch (illustrated by Mia Osada; Millbrook Press, 2016) teaches readers how plants and seeds move in a variety ways, including how plants face the sunshine and spread seeds, and then the seeds sprouting into new plants. The pages have 1-3
The nonfiction picture book The Three R’s: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle by Nuria Roca (Sourcebooks, 2007), offers a refreshing perspective on the environmental subject through a first person plural and a second person narration (“we” and “you”), allowing us to delve into the concept of these three terms and comprehend the issue of excessive waste. This
Microbes have never been as fascinating to a young child as they are in the nonfiction picture Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes by Nicola Davies (illustrated by Emily Sutton; Candlewick, 2016; originally published 2014 as Tiny: The Invisible World of Microbes) . As with other nonfiction books by Davies, this illustrated book has a
The picture book Wired by Anastasia Suen (illustrated by Paul Carrick; Charlesbridge, 2007) gives two levels of text to teach about electricity in our communities. First, rhythmic poetry provides just a few words on each page to give a gentle poem about electricity going from a power station to a home for young readers. The
Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers (illustrated by Shawn Harris; Chronicle Books, 2017) is a second-person picture book about the Statue of Liberty. As the title indicates, it focuses on the right foot of the statue, a foot that shows motion! As a whole, the book tells the history of the sculpture, from the idea
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
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