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
Karl, Get Out of the Garden! by Anita Sanchez (illustrated by Catherine Stock; Charlesbridge, 2017) is a picture book biography of Carolus Linneas, the first to set up the a systematic way of classifying living things by giving each thing a scientific name. Carolus Linneaus is the Latin version of Karl Linne, a scientist who
In Which Switch is Which?: A First Look at Electricity by Sam Godwin (Holder Wayland, 2002; currently out of print), three mice and a moth explore a kitchen one night. The story is told by a simple line of text at the top of the page and also speech bubbles. As they are exploring, the
On This Spot: An Expedition Back Through Time by Susan E. Goodman (illustrated by Lee Christiansen; Greenwillow Books, 2004) is a nonfiction picture book showing glimpses of a place on earth over the course of billions of years. It begins with a street scene of New York City and then jumps back 175 years, 350
The nonfiction Keepers of the Reef by Dr. Sharon Wismer (illustrated by Alice Wong; Tillbury House, 2022) invites a young reader to visit the Great Barrier Reef to learn about a unique ecosystem. With a friendly “come on in!”, two children swim into a coral reef scene in this gorgeous book about the coral reef
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