Showing posts with label #nf10for10. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #nf10for10. Show all posts

Monday, February 10, 2020

Today's the Day: Share Your Nonfiction Picture Book Selections Here #nf10for10


It's February 10th!!!

You know what that means....

It's time for our annual #nf10for10.

If you're looking for the place to share your nonfiction picture book selections for our #nf10for10 event, you're in the right spot.  I'm excited to be hosting this year's nonfiction picture book celebration!  Just scroll to the bottom of the post for more information, but basically you just need to leave your link in the comments below.

This is our 8th year for this nonfiction event.  I am looking forward to reading everyone's selections.

And My 2020 Selections Are...
So what does participation in #100daysofnotebooking with Michelle Hasteltine, coupled with the conversations I have been having with colleagues about supporting young writers with informational writing, and the latest blog post from Melissa Stewart about expository nonfiction text structures have me wondering?  All this has me thinking about the importance of a notebook in collecting ideas and information for nonfiction writing.  So...what are the books that might make a young writer want to grab a notebook for some informational writing?

Maybe these ten will get us started....

10 Books to Inspire Young Writers to Grab Their Notebook

Look Up!  Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate

This book might inspire some quiet observation outside or a bit of research to learn more.  The book's illustrations, speech bubbles, and simple collections of information are sure to inspire the information collector.  The "Bird Watching Do's and Don't's!" could easily apply to other lists of "do's and don't's."  There are several other informational organization ideas presented in the pages that are sure to bring pen to paper.

Animals by the Numbers:  A Book of Animal Infographics by Steve Jenkins

Oh, infographics.  I love them and this book does not disappoint.  Full of interesting collections of animal facts, this book is sure to inspire notebook collections.  Want to web information?  You'll find examples here.  Want to graph findings?  Yep, you'll find that too.  Want to get creative with collections?  Here's the place to start.


Mapping Sam by Joyce Hesselberth

Writers can do so much with mapping.  Want to understand a location?  Want to share your house, a park you've visited, a city, or the stars?  Well, mapping is the perfect way to do that.  Mapping Sam has maps to inspire your thinking.






The Presidents:  Portraits of History by Leah Tinari

From the author of Limitless:  24 Remarkable American Women of Vision, Grit, and Guts comes this beautifully illustrated book.  This book will inspire budding artists, fact collectors, and information enthusiasts to open their notebooks.  Grab some paints, markers, or colored pencils and get started!







Lovely Beasts:  The Surprising Truth by Kate Gardner and illustrated by Heidi Smith

For all the word collectors, Lovely Beasts is sure to get them jotting words and interesting ways to express meaning.  The author weaves words with interesting facts about these lovely beasts.





Give Bees a Chance by Bethany Barton

The end papers alone should bring out the notebooks.  The author has drawn a variety of bees with a quick fact about each.  These simple drawings and collections of information are sure to inspire young writers to start researching.  Additionally, the book is full of other interesting ways to collect information including drawings with labels, sequence of steps (in this case for how honey is made), and so much more.  Packed with possibility this book is sure to get readers to think twice about bees AND to grab their notebook.


Flying Frogs and Walking Fish by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Hmmm.  I wonder if I have ever had a nonfiction list that didn't include a Steve Jenkins book.  This list has two.  He's the master.  One of the things I love about his work is the interesting way he sorts and categorizes information.  This book is a great read full of the many ways animals move, but its the last pages that I'm sure will bring out the notebooks.  Jenkins and Page have quickly collected facts on different animals and the many ways they move.



Who Am I? by Tim Flach

This book is sure to inspire some quick writes in a writing notebook.  In this book, Flach shares a dozen animals that are endangered.  The book allows a quick peek at part of the animal, tells a bit about it, and then readers find out which animal was being highlighted as they turn the page.  Writers are sure to be inspired to start to collect clues for their own "Who Am I" writing.  The back of the book includes more information about why each animal is special and the reasons they have become endangered.  This one is sure to get pencils flying.



Notable Notebooks:  Scientists and Their Writing by Jessica Fries-Gaither

This book highlights different scientists and the way they used their notebooks to collect information.  So many possibilities....








The Hike by Alison Farrell

I'm taking a little liberty here.  Isn't that what these picture book events are all about?  We've all found little ways to finesse the system.  This book isn't an informational text...well unless the author has taken some autobiographical liberties.  Though it isn't informational, I think it could inspire some observational collecting in a writer's notebook.  Mandy shared this book with me as we wandered the rows at NCTE and I fell in love with it immediately.  Not only is it a great story about the delight of a hike with friends, but it also has some peeks into Wren's sketchbook at the end that are sure to inspire.


10 Nonfiction Picture Books 
In previous nonfiction events, I've shared:

Join Us
Want to join the conversation?  You're in the right place.  Just add your link in the comments below.
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Thursday, February 6, 2020

It's Almost Time for our Annual Nonfiction Picture Book Celebration

Our February Nonfiction Event
Yikes!  Time flies when you're having fun!  How did we leap into February so quickly?  (I think we will leap out of February this year too.  Sorry, I love bad puns.) Mandy, our event co-conspirator shared a little sneak peek to her stack for upcoming nonfiction celebration.

Yep, the countdown is well underway.  Next week is February's Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 event (#nf10for10).  I'm always amazed that this event rolls up so quickly.  It seems we flip the calendar - and boom - it's time to prepare for February's nonfiction picture book party:  #nf10for10. This year will be our 8th annual nonfiction event.  Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 is the sister event for August's #pb10for10.

What is #nf10for10
In 2010 Mandy Robek and I hosted our first picture book event.  In 2013, Julie Balen suggested we add a nonfiction picture book event that worked the same.  Participants choose 10 - well, usually 10 (they're a crafty bunch) - nonfiction picture books to share.

On the day of the event, Monday, February 10th, we'll ask that you visit this blog, Reflect & Refine, to add your nonfiction link to the conversation.  
So....

Join us!

Start sorting through your collections to find your favorite titles and join us on February 10th as we each share 10 nonfiction picture books we just can't live without.  Feel free to grab the #nf10for10 button and spread the word.

I guess I better get busy.  I only have a few days to pull together my titles.  Whew!  I guess I better get busy.  
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Sunday, February 10, 2019

It's Today: Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 #nf10for10


Goodness, how did it get here so fast?  Today's the day for our nonfiction picture book celebration.  This is an important event for me as it is a reminder to keep nonfiction texts in the front of mind.  It reminds me of the importance of weaving these texts alongside the other picture books we read.  It's certainly a great time to talk about nonfiction picture books as authors and publishers continue to grow in the work they do in this genre.

(Directions to join are at the bottom of this post.)

10 Nonfiction Picture Books 
In previous nonfiction events, I've shared:
This Year
This year, I'm going to share 10 hybrid texts I love.  I've often called narrative texts that weave in information, literary nonfiction.  More and more I see the term "hybrid text" being used to talk about books that weave narrative and nonfiction.  I might be going a bit too far in my collection as I'm going to also include poetry that has information woven within its pages.  I'm thinking this works as well, but it is certainly up for debate.

Ten hybrid texts I can't live without:

Join Us
Want to join the conversation?  Visit Mandy's blog, Enjoy and Embrace Learning, to add your nonfiction link to the conversation.  This is different than in the past as we have been hosting on Google Plus, but Google Plus is shutting down.

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Saturday, January 12, 2019

Are You Ready? The Countdown Begins for Our Nonfiction Picture Book Event

Our February Nonfiction Event
It's January in Ohio and they say we're about to get a bunch of snow.  Personally, I think the weather forecasters have had nothing to talk about so they're a bit overzealous, but time will tell.  I guess if I get snowed in for the weekend, it would be the perfect time to begin my quest for my favorite nonfiction titles.  You see, it's almost time for our annual nonfiction event!

Yep, let the countdown begin.  It's less than a month until February's Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 event (#nf10for10).  This year will be our 7th annual nonfiction event.  Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 is the sister event for August's #pb10for10.  I'm always amazed that this event rolls up so quickly.  It seems we flip the calendar - and boom - it's time to prepare for February's nonfiction picture book party:  #nf10for10.

Not only does Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 provide an opportunity to bring our picture book community together to share some book love, but it pushes me to grow in my knowledge of nonfiction.

What is #nf10for10
In 2010 Mandy Robek and I hosted our first picture book event.  In 2013, Julie Balen suggested we add a nonfiction picture book event that worked the same.  Participants choose 10 - well, usually 10 (they're a crafty bunch) - nonfiction picture books to share.  If you'd like to take a look at some of the books shared by participants in previous years, make sure you stop by our #pb10for10 community to find links to their posts.

On the day of the event, we'll ask that you visit Mandy's blog, Enjoy and Embrace Learning, to add your nonfiction link to the conversation.    This is different than in the past as we have been hosting on Google Plus, but Google Plus is shutting down.  Don't get me started on this!!!!  I'll save that rant for another post.  ;o)
So....

Join us!

Start sorting through your collections to find your favorite titles and join us on February 10th as we each share 10 nonfiction picture books we just can't live without.  Feel free to grab the #nf10for10 button and spread the word.

I see the snowflakes beginning to fall outside my window.  Every store is out of bread and milk, and I saw people grabbing snow shovels like hotcakes when I stopped by the store yesterday.  Personally, I haven't pulled my boots out of my closet yet.  What can I say?  I'm a skeptic.  Who knows, maybe I will have a chance to start looking for my titles today.  Time will tell.....
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Saturday, February 10, 2018

Nonfiction Picture Books to Inspire Informational Writers #nf10for10

Today's the day for our nonfiction picture book event:  #nf10for10.  This is our 6th annual nonfiction event.  In the past, Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning, Julie Balen of Write at the Edge, and I have cohosted this event.  Again this year all activity will be collected in our Picture Book 10 for 10 Community.  Stop by to read, share your favorites, and/or link up.

Ways to participate:

My 2018 List:  10 Nonfiction Picture Books to Inspire Informational Writers
As a student, I remember writing research papers year after year after year.  I think we all do.  Sometimes the process required some time with an encyclopedia and an assigned topic, others it required a large stack of notecards.  Always the paper ended up about the same.  I'm sure my teachers were tortured by my voiceless writing and lack of passion for my subject.

A lot has changed since then.  Since I began teaching, there seems to have been an explosion of new informational text.  (Thank you, authors!)  Inquiry and research no longer require a research paper; thanks to today's authors, writers can envision so much more.  Moving our thinking beyond research papers, to new possibilities in genre and craft, can open new doors for our writers.  It might have saved my teachers from falling asleep while reading my research papers all those years ago.

Here are 10 nonfiction picture books to inspire writers.

Infographics
Animals by the Numbers by Steve Jenkins

Did you know that nearly 1,000,000 insect species have been named with new discoveries happening all the time?  Did you know that termites have the largest biomass with a combined weight of 700,000,000 tons!?  Did you know that giraffes only sleep about 2 1/2 hours a day?  In today's world, infographics are everywhere.  Oh, the possibilities in this book!  From graphs to charts to unique visual representations, Jenkins shares a variety of ways to compare and contrast information across a topic.

This book not only makes an outstanding mentor text for infographics, but it is sure to be a book children will return to again and again.


Essay
Little Leaders:  Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison

This collection of essays describing the important contributions of black women will surely bring readers back again and again.  Featuring essays of over 40 women who have had an impact on our world for over two centuries.  Each essay tells about the leader's childhood, life experiences, and accomplishments.

This book would surely work as a mentor to help writers to understand the power of the essay in sharing important information with others.



Poetry
Freedom Over Me:  Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan

In this book, Ashley Bryan discovers a real historical document about property auctioned from a plantation including a houseful of slaves.  Bryan was moved by the document and decided to use poetry to imagine the stories of their lives.  She features eleven slaves in two poems.  The first poem describes their role at the house, and the second their dreams.  The possibilities abound with this book.

Poetry provides informational possibilities for writers of all ages and the mentor text possibilities continue to grow.  After narrowing my collection I still had a stack of five books including When the Sun Shines on Antarctica by Irene Latham, Shaking Things Up:  14 Young Women Who Changed the World by Susan Hood, River Friendly, River Wild by Jane Kurtz, National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry edited by J. Patrick Lewis, and When Thunder Comes:  Poems for Civil Rights Leaders by J. Patrick Lewis.


Narrative
Miracle Mud:  Lean Blackburne and the Secret that Changed Baseball by David A. Kelly with illustrations by Oliver Dominguez

 This book just stays among my favorites.  You can't go wrong with a story about baseball, but this one has the stretch of mindset.  Kelly tells the story of Lena Blackburne who wanted to be a baseball great.  Things didn't go as planned for Lena, but he found a way to contribute to a sport he loved.

Narrative nonfiction uses story to tell about people, places, topics, time periods or other important information.  It takes a deep understanding of a topic to be able to weave it into a narrative.  This is another stack I struggled with as it is a favorite of mine.  In the end, my literary nonfiction stack also included The Water Princess by Susan Verde and Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson with impressive illustrations by Frank Morrison.


How To
How to Swallow a Pig:  Step-by-Step Advice from the Animal Kingdom by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Want to know how to trap fish like a humpback whale?  Build a dam like a beaver?  Dance like a grebe?  Then you'll want to check out this book by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page.  It offers step-by-step advice on how to do each of these things, and so much more.  Illustrations complement the steps of each of these tasks.

In the You Tube age, everyone wants to know how to do something.  Beyond videos, there are many possibilities in books to learn something new.  Sharing mentor texts with students can open up the possibilities.  While some picture book mentors carry one how-to task across many pages (like Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle by Chris Raschka), this mentor text puts readers in the place of the animal to help them understand some of their interesting behaviors.


Consider a Side Bar
Fabulous Frogs by Martin Jenkins with illustrations by Tim Hopgood

Readers will love this fun, fast-paced, book about frogs.  Perfect for read aloud because of its way with words, colorful illustrations, and interesting information, this book is sure to be a hit.  I also love that it has two layers.  First, it is possible to just readd the narrative of the author who shares interesting descriptive information about frogs.  Next, readers will love to return to the side bars for more information.

Many nonfiction authors include side bars, often placed at the side or bottom of the page, to give readers more information.  Often easier to make sense of information because of their placement (as opposed to including it in the back of the book), side bars are often seen in literary nonfiction or alongside informational poetry.


 Question - Answer
Can an Aardvark Bark? by Melissa Stewart with illustrations by Steve Jenkins

In this book, Stewart playfully takes a look at the sounds animals make through the use of questions.  Can a porcupine whine?  Can a dingo bellow?  Can a giraffe laugh?  You might be surprised by the answers.  Stewart answers these questions while using questions to compare and contrast the sounds animals make.  (Yep, more side bars too.)

This mentor text can help young writers see the way questions can be used to tell readers more about a topic.


Circle Text

Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Schaefer

This book is a delight for young readers.  It begins with the acorn that becomes a tree.  Because of the tree so many things happen in nature.  As the story ends the acorn returns.  The author's rhythm of words, "because of a ____, a _____," will make this a book young readers will want to read again.  Beautifully illustrated, students will want to take time to notice all the detail the illustrator has provided.

When I think about a circle text structure, where the end brings us back to the beginning, I often think of this craft move for fiction, yet it works well with informational text as well as is illustrated by this book.  This structure would also work well for steps in a process, "before a ___, a ____," or "after a ____, a ____."  It seems this would also make sense when trying to write about a system or cycle.  This mentor text might open the door to a lot of new possibility for young writers learning to understand the world around them.


Sounds 
Woodpecker Wham!  by April Pulley Sayre with illustrations by Steve Jenkins

This book makes a delightful read aloud.  Full of beautiful words and catchy rhythm, this story of the woodpecker just rolls as you read it.  Young readers will be drawn to the illustrations full of strong shapes and bold colors.  At the end of the book, Sayre has included more information about woodpeckers.  Readers will enjoy digging into these pages to learn more about woodpeckers.

This mentor text is perfect for thinking about informational books that might include sounds.  What would a woodpecker book be without sounds like "CHOP, CHIP, CHOP?"  There are just some informational texts where sound might make a difference.  This crafting technique might be useful in writing about observations or topics where sound is important.


Words Beautiful Words
If You Find a Rock by Peggy Christian with photographs by Barbara Lember

Young readers will enjoy the way the author talks about the many different kinds of rocks that can be found in the world.  The photographs enhance the text, making it perfect for read aloud and revisiting.

Nonfiction writing requires curiosity, reading, recording, and often some observation.  This book, not only demonstrates the power of deep observation but, uses beautiful words to help readers know more about each rock.  If you want informational writers to be thought about words, this book is the perfect mentor to start that conversation.
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Wednesday, January 10, 2018

It's Coming: February's Nonfiction Picture Book Event

Our February Nonfiction Event
How did the calendar get to 2018 so quickly?!?  Well, here we are...and January is moving so quickly.

February is waiting right around the corner and, of course, there's a lot to LOVE about February.   It's time to get ready for one of my favorite events: February's Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 event (#nf10for10).  This year will be our 6th annual nonfiction event (August is the sister event #pb10for10).  Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 allows the opportunity to bring our community together to share our favorite nonfiction picture books.  I'm always trying to grow in my knowledge of nonfiction, and this event always reenergizes this quest.

What is #nf10for10
In 2010 Mandy Robek and I hosted our first picture book event.  In 2013, Julie Balen suggested we add a nonfiction picture book event that worked the same.  Participants choose 10 - well, usually 10 (they're a crafty bunch) - nonfiction picture books to share.  On the day of the event, we'll ask that you visit the Google Community site to add your nonfiction link to the 2017 #nf10for10 tab.
So....

Join us!

Start sorting through your collections to find your favorite titles and join us in one month as we each share 10 nonfiction picture books we just can't live without.  Feel free to grab the #nf10for10 button and spread the word.  
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Friday, February 10, 2017

10 Nonfiction Picture Books of Promise for Our World #nf10for10

Today's the day for our nonfiction picture book event:  #nf10for10.  This is our 5th annual nonfiction event.  In the past Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning, Julie Balen of Write at the Edge, and I have cohosted this event.  Again this year all activity will be collected on our Picture Book 10 for 10 Community.  Stop by to read, share your favorites, and/or link up.

Ways to participate:

10 Nonfiction Picture Books 
In previous nonfiction events, I've shared:

My 2017 List:  10 Nonfiction Picture Books of Promise for Our World
In school, we often talk about our 20 square feet.  If we each take care of our own 20 square feet, we can help the world be a better place.  However, the world is much bigger than our 20 square feet.  Here are books that remind us of our obligation to make the world a better place.

We can make a difference.
The Water Princess, written by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter Reynolds.











We can share our gifts with others.
Radiant Child by Javaka Steptoe.











We can bravely speak against injustice.
Iqbal:  A Brave Boy from Pakistan, Malala:  A Brave Girl from Pakistan by Jeanette Winter.








We can stand for equality.
The Youngest Marcher, written by Cynthia Levinson and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton.  










We can raise our voice.
I Dissent:  Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark, written by Debbie Levy and illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley.










We can take care of our beautiful earth.
The Earth Book by Todd Parr.

We can reuse items in new ways.
Ada's Violin:  The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay, written by Susan Hood and illustrated by Sally Wern Comport.












We can protect our endangered species.
Animals by the Numbers by Steve Jenkins.













We can help care for our oceans. 
Smart About Sharks by Owen Davey.  Kids will enjoy this book full of information about sharks.  The book ends with ways to help keep oceans healthy.











We can respect the delicate balance of life.  
No Monkeys, No Chocolate, written by Melissa Stewart, Allen Young, and illustrated by Nicole Wong.





















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Saturday, January 14, 2017

It's Coming: Our 5th Annual Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 Event

Our February Nonfiction Event
It seems like just yesterday we were planning our August Picture Book 10 for 10 lists and preparing our classrooms for a new school year.  Now here we are turning the corner on another year.  That means it's time to get ready for February's Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 event (#nf10for10).  This year will be our 5th annual nonfiction event.  Nonfiction Picture Book 10 for 10 allows the opportunity to bring our community together to share our favorite nonfiction picture books.  I don't know about you, but I feel like this is a genre that just keeps getting better and better.

What is #nf10for10
In 2010 Mandy Robek and I hosted our first picture book event.  In 2013, Julie Balen suggested we add a nonfiction picture book event that worked the same.  Participants choose 10 - well, usually 10 (they're a crafty bunch) - nonfiction picture books to share.  On the day of the event, we'll ask that you visit the Google Community site to add your nonfiction link to the 2017 #nf10for10 tab.
  • What:  10 nonfiction picture books you can't live without.
  • Hashtag:  #nf10for10
  • Who:  Anyone interested --- educators, media specialists, librarians, parents, and book lovers.  
  • When:  Friday, February 10th
  • Where:  All posts will be linked on the 2017 #nf10for10 page of our Picture Book 10 for 10 Google Community Site.  
  • How:  Stop by our community site, join the community, and share your favorites on February 10th.  
So....

Join us!

Start sorting through your collections to find your favorite titles and join us in one month as we each share 10 nonfiction picture books we just can't live without.  Feel free to grab the #nf10for10 button and spread the word.  
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Friday, February 19, 2016

It's Time: 2016's Nonfiction 10 for 10 Event is Today #nf10for10

I'm 
It's finally here.  Today is our nonfiction picture book event:  #nf10for10.  This is our 4th annual nonfiction event.  In the past Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning, Julie Balen of Write at the Edge, and I have cohosted this event.  Again this year all activity will be collected on our Picture Book 10 for 10 Community.  Stop by to read, share your favorites, and/or link up.

Ways to participate:
  • Write a blog post with your 10 favorite nonfiction books and link your blog to our Picture Book 10 for 10 Google Community.  (You will be unable to post until you have requested to join.  I'll try to keep an eye on requests all day.)  
Add your 2016 nonfiction post here.
Please note:  If you've participated in past events, we would love it if you could add your previous posts to the tabbed year of the event.  We're trying to recreate past resources.  

Maybe I've changed my mind three or four times about the focus of this list for this year's nonfiction picture book event.  It's really not unusual.  When we first created this event, my hope was to fix my nonfiction book gap.  I'm always on the learning curve when it comes to nonfiction.  Personally, I read quite a bit of nonfiction, but when it comes to working with young literacy learners I have to work to weave nonfiction into our workshops.

So this year, I have decided to share ten nonfiction picture books by authors I just can't live without.  I'm always looking for nonfiction books that approach this type of writing in new ways.  (So a few these books might walk the line between fiction and nonfiction.)  Here are ten authors I can't live without in my classroom library.  I hope you'll share some of your favorite authors in the comments below.

Here we go:

Steve Jenkins is really one of my favorite nonfiction picture book authors.  You just can't go wrong with his books, and there are possibilities to span the grade levels.  His texts are always engaging for students, and the structures are varied enough to model many possibilities for student writing.  This book, Creature Features, is written by Jenkins and Robin Page.  The pages begin with a question about the creature.  The creature then answers the question with a bit of information.  This book inspires wonder and opens the door to curiosity.

I love the way Jenkins takes a topic and thinks about it through a new lens.  Some of my favorites include:  What Do You Do With a Tail Like This, Time to Eat, and Actual Size.




April Pulley Sayre is another can't miss nonfiction picture book author.  My attraction to Sayre's work is her way with words.  She really has a gift for making language that will roll off your tongue.  Her books are always perfect for read aloud.  Like many of her books, Sayre's Woodpecker Wham!, illustrated by Steve Jenkins, has a literary flow, but is filled with interesting information in the back to tell you more.  Her books are sure to inspire wonder as her words draw you in and make you want to know more.  Some of my favorites include:  Raindrops Roll, Eat Like a Bear, and Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out.

Nicola Davies is the master of combining narrative and nonfiction.  In one of her newest stories, I Don't Like Snakes (illustrated by Luciano Lozano), she does just that once again as the story of a girl who doesn't like snakes --- living in a family that does --- shares her story.  The narrative sitting beside interesting facts about snakes is sure to be a crowd pleaser.  Yes, the lines of nonfiction and narrative can be quite blurry but, it's one of the things I love most about Davies' work.  A few other favorites:  Surprising Sharks, Outside Your Window, and White Owl, Barn Owl.



Melissa Stewart is another must have in every classroom library.  Melissa has a wide variety of texts for students to read and enjoy.  I appreciate the variation in text structures she uses, proving that intentional decision making is important in sharing a message with readers.  Feathers:  Not Just for Flying (illustrated by Sarah Brannen) is one of my favorites.  What kids haven't spent some time collecting feathers? Stewart gives readers a way to think about studying them closely.  A few of my other favorites:  Frog or Toad, No Monkeys, No Chocolate and don't miss her National Geographic Reader titles --- always a hit.


Joyce Sidman is another author to consider as you find nonfiction for your classroom.  I like to have a variety of author style's in my classroom, and poetry can't be missed.  Sidman's ability to weave poetry and information is engaging.  Her work certainly opens the door for young writers as well who might like to combine information and wondrous words.  This book combines beautiful illustrations by Rick Allen, poetic words, and information not to be missed.  Other collections not to be missed:  Just Us Two, Swirl by Swirl and Dark Emperor.  



Sandra Markle is a recent addition to my nonfiction author list.  More and more I come across books and say to myself, "I didn't know this was written by Sandra Markle."  Like Stewart, Markle varies her style to match her purpose.  Students enjoy spending time with her books.  One of the books I'm seeing students pick up over and over again is part of a What If Scholastic series.  What If You Had Animal Ears!? sure makes you ask a lot of questions.  With illustrations by Howard McWilliam, students will spend much time looking at pictures and reading interesting facts.  A few other favorites:  How Many Baby Pandas?, Snakes:  Biggest, Littlest......and I must get my hands on a copy of Build, Beaver, Build.  


Nic Bishop's titles are plentiful.  His books seem to be a bit more informational and follow more of what I might expect from traditional (for lack of a better word) nonfiction with its facts and photographs.  Kids are memorized by his titles and there is certainly plenty to choose from.  The photographs really pull the reader into the books.  Other favorites:  Is It an Insect, Red Eyed Tree Frog, and Fantastic Flying Squirrels.  






Jennifer Ward.  I'm just getting to know Jennifer Ward's work, but I am enjoying what I have found so far.  You may have noticed I have a bias toward books that fall more toward the literary side of nonfiction; books that can be read aloud and make students want to hear more, know more.  Mama Build a Little Nest (illustrated by Steve Jenkins --- he's a busy man) was the first one I discovered, but I soon found she has many more worth checking out.  Ward has several picture books:  some fiction, some sitting the border of fiction and nonfiction, and many more coming in the next few years.   Keep your eyes on Jennifer Ward.

Jane Yolen is one of those "go to" authors that never lets you down.  We typically think of her narrative work, but I also love Yolen's poetry.  I have a soft spot, for what I will call nonfiction poetry:  poetry that weaves facts into a poem or uses shared facts to help build the poem.  An Egret's Day (with photographs by Jason Stemple) is among my favorite.  Bug Off, Birds of a Feather, and Least Things.  
Andrea Davis Pinkney.  I can't complete this post without considering biography and historical nonfiction.  It seems to me that this is one genre that is opening new doors for picture book readers.  Authors are bringing important stories into our classrooms in a way children can understand.  Andrea Davis Pinkney is an example of an author that is doing just that.  One of my favorite titles is Sit-in:  How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down (illustrated by Brian Pinkney).  Others to consider:  Ella Fitzgerald, Martin and Mahalia, and Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride.  

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