Books. Nonfiction

The following picture books, selected by Junior Library Guild editors, highlight real-life people who had the strength to be who they truly were. Share these titles with students to encourage them to accept the differences in all of us.

In this month's column, the lives and work of scientists both past and present feature prominently.

These new nonfiction titles can inform and inspire young readers as they learn about their world―from roots to stars. Junior Library Guild editors select the latest informational books for budding scientists.

“Korean Nursery Rhymes” and the Pinkneys’ “Martin & Mahalia”.

Navigating school successfully, a global perspective on bikes, “The Hatfields & the McCoys”.

If you had told me as recently as a year ago that I was doomed to become The Nonfiction Dialogue Stickler of Doom (copyright pending) I would have said . . . . well, honestly I would have asked where you came up with that term.  Then, once you’d defined it (Nonfiction Dialogue Stickler of [...]

Rapture Practice by Aaron Hartzler. Little, Brown & Co. 2013. Reviewed from ARC from publisher. It’s About: Aaron Hartzler’s memoir about growing up in an ultra-religious Christian family. It is funny; touching; rebellious; believing; and loving. The Good: I have a bit of a fascination with religion, especially those that say they have the answers. [...]

Attendees of SLJ’s annual Day of Dialog received an information boost from the pre-BEA event’s first panel of authors and illustrators. Moderated by Kathleen T. Isaacs, author of Picturing the World: Informational Picture Books for Children, the lively discussion offered Jim Arnosky, Jennifer Berne, Elisha Cooper, Thomas Gonzalez, and Jonah Winter the chance to share with librarians more about their creative processes, who they write for, and why they choose to create nonfiction for young readers.

Back in January, we had a conversation (in reference to Derf Backderf’s Alex Award-winning My Friend Dahmer) about what makes a graphic novel “nonfiction” and the rigidity of categories like “fiction” and “nonfiction.” A couple of new comments have been added to that thread, so please head over to the above link to read the whole chain, but [...]