Classics, Nonfiction, and Children's Literature
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
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
From the fantastic Wells of Knowledge nonfiction picture book science series, What’s Smaller Than a Pygmy Shrew? by Robert E. Wells (Albert Whitman, 1995) teaches about microscopic creatures for young readers. Beginning with a small creature, this book encourages child readers to consider even smaller creatures, including bacteria and the size of an atoms. The
Greg’s Microscope by Millicent Selsam (illustrated by Arnold Lobel and published 1963) is an early reader that explores the variety of small things that may be seen through a microscope. It is easily accessible, even to an early reader, because of the friendly, story-like tone to the book. It has a dialogue-based story of Greg
Just as in another book in the series that I read, Bethany Barton’s I’m Trying to Love Germs (Viking Books, 2023) is a story told in alternating voices, this time between a human and a microscopic germ, this time teaching the reader basic facts about microorganisms. It includes interactive elements, such as “just move your
It must be difficult to write a nonfiction book for young children that will both instruct and keep a child engaged in continuing to read. Germs by John Devolle (Pushkin Press, June 2023) is a nonfiction picture book that nicely balances facts with humor and amusing bright geometric illustrations. I was amazed at the amount
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