Non-Fiction-Always Learning

  
              Thanks to Alyson Beecher's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge at Kidlit Frenzy, everyone shares wonderful non-fiction picture books.

Be sure to go here to Ruth's post at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken Town for line number twenty of the April Progressive Poem created by Irene Latham.

              Three wonderful books for classrooms. 

Here Come the Humpbacks - April Pulley Sayre and Jamie Hogan

Oh, it’s great to read about these beautiful whales, and their long journey from south to north, and back again. Each double-page spread begins with a caption like the title or one featuring another part of their lives, like “Here breathes a humpback!” Sayre follows with a short paragraph of introduction, then further explanation on the facing page. And that same spread is filled with ocean and the beauty of the whales, showing how they breathe, eating habits, escape from enemies, and about their songs. A whale and her baby are followed on their way north in their yearly migration. It’s a good introduction to the humpback, with quite a lot of information, including the challenges faces with ocean pollution.

28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed The World - Charles R. Smith Jr. and Shane W. Evans

            A wonderful book filled with both the familiar and the unfamiliar important people of color and events in our world.  Charles Smith has used words from our Constitution, the Supreme Court, poetry to tell inspiring stories we all should know. Day 28 shows Barack Obama, and celebrates all those 27 people who came before, those who became his foundation so he could become the first black president. For example, “Crispus Attacks sacrificed, Daniel Hale healed, Bessie Coleman soared and Wilma roared.” With acrylics and collage, Shane Evans shows beautiful action in every one of the portrait pages. Some action was an adventure, but without reward, but they persevered, to help themselves and others. Sarah Breedlove, or as she was later known, Madam C.J. Walker, became the richest black woman in America. She became parentless at the age of seven, took in laundry to make money at the age of ten. Her story continues on with early marriages, parenthood, and finally a new venture, hair care products.  I enjoyed the way Smith told her story. Each time there was change, the words for her are “she pressed on.” It, like every other one, is inspiring and told in an entertaining and creative way. Every classroom should have a copy for sharing with everyone, to spark interest in characters in our history who “pressed on”.

Beaver Steals Fire, A Salish Coyote Story - Johnny Arlee and Sam Sandoval 

         I included this as a non-fiction book because the background information shared the importance of fire in the Salish and Kootenai Tribes, shares a brief guide to written Salish and Kootenai language and information about The Fire History Project, this book being part of that. They also give the rules for sharing coyote stories, to be shared in the winter when snow is on the ground. This is a coyote story, one that tells how the animals stole fire from the sky so that they could be warm on earth. It comes from years of oral tradition and would be a great introduction to how different cultures use stories to teach.  Additional information at the back shares how native Americans managed the earth's land through fire, encouraging more growth through the use of burning off plants and fields. The information shared is interesting about management, and how they were forced to stop when the white man took over, how much has been lost because of the changes made. 

Happy Reading Everyone!