Summer of Nonfiction
I’m so excited to try something new this summer! I’m going to be highlighting nonfiction titles for a variety of age groups and in different styles. I think nonfiction often gets overlooked for the more popular characters and titles you see on the New York Times Best Seller list. But, it’s changed so much since even when I was growing up – it’s so much more accessible and interesting for kids.
Many kids actually prefer to read nonfiction to fiction. They like to learn new facts about the things they enjoy and don’t necessarily have any interest in reading stories. These booklists are for them and for the kids who want to try something new this summer.
I plan on creating lists for different age groups – picture books, middle grade, and young adult. Plus, I’d like to take a look at format as well – books filled with facts, narrative non-fiction, and graphic novel format as well.
My first week, I’m focusing on the Sibert Medal. It is “awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English during the preceding year.” These titles were awarded for 2019 and are definitely a great place to start looking for quality nonfiction titles for kids and teens.
- The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science by Joyce Sidman
- Camp Panda: Helping Cubs Return to the Wild by Catherine Thimmesh
- Spooked!: How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America by Gail Jarrow
- The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees written and illustrated by Don Brown
- We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac
- When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana by Michael Mahin, illustrated by Jose Ramirez
Summer of Nonfiction Book Lists
