Non-Fiction - Enjoyed Again

         Thanks to Alyson Beecher's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge at her blog, Kidlit Frenzy.   

         Come read to discover everyone's recent non-fiction picture books.

       Tweet - #NFPB15


       I'm lucky to have found these three books, two at the library, and one at the library sale! I couldn't believe it was there! The year is nearly gone, and it's a time for celebrating so many wonderful non-fiction picture books. I've enjoyed them all, and learned a lot!

Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine - written by Laurie Wallmark and illustrated by April Chu

          It’s an inspiring book for those interested in women’s restrictions in the past, the early beginnings of computing, and how people who work hard to solve problems when passionate about them. Ada Lovelace was a daughter of Lord Byron, but estranged from him early in life. Her mother loved mathematics, and supported Ada’s interest in pursuing learning math. Eventually, Ada was introduced to the well-known mathematician, Charles Babbage, becoming a life-long friend. His analytical machine was a wonder to her, but unfortunately he never built it. Ada worked to create a program that would solve difficult problems in mathematics, and designed an algorithm that was a plan. This was all on paper, but years later, computer scientists tested Ada’s software, and found it worked, with only one tiny error. So far ahead in her thinking, and despite the times in which she lived, it’s wonderful that Ada’s work is still available today.  There is detailed back matter adding to the story, and Chu’s illustrations fill each page of text with extended detail both of the historical times, and Ada’s excitement for mathematics.

        How fortunate for those who are studying water in their classrooms that the following two books have been published this year.

Raindrops Roll - written and photographed by April Pulley Sayre 

           I wonder if anyone could read and see this book and choose a favorite page? With poetic words and gorgeous, detailed photographs, April Pulley Sayre shows so enticingly the beginnings of rain, and then what raindrops do, like “waters. . . and washes. . . and weighs down.” Or at other times, “Raindrops settle. They slip. They dot. They drip.” The back matter page takes each phrase and explains the science behind it. No, I don’t have a favorite page; they’ll all beautiful and informative through the words and the photos.

Water Is Water - written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Jason Chin

             Taking a young boy and girl on a journey from being thirsty and having a “cup” of water, because “water is water unless . . . it heats up.” And then it becomes “steam, unless . . . it cools high.” Is it a “dragon in a wagon?” And Miranda Paul moves the reader on to clouds. The pictures show the children at play everywhere, and all the way through the seasons, until it’s a hot summer day needing a drink, of apple cider! You’ll need to read the book to find the connection between water and apple cider. It’s clever, has an expanded glossary explaining terms, and pages with additional interesting information.