Non-Fiction Teaches

              Thanks to Alyson Beecher's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge at Kidlit Frenzy, those who link up share fabulous non-fiction picture books. I am grateful for all that I've learned through reading non-fiction picture books. 

      Need book ideas? Check out the following wonderful books!

       In the midst of reading all the poetry for Cybils Awards, I managed to finish this wonderful non-fiction story of the main characters who surprised everyone in their secret plans to kill Hitler.  This will be a great introduction to the way Hitler increased his power, slowly creating more laws against those he deemed not worthy of the Aryan standard, which he created as well. The focus is on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a son of a prominent German family who felt left out when his brothers and sisters found their own respected passions and careers. He had no idea what was meant for him. He was thoughtful, quiet, and lonely. But then he found that his faith invited his questioning and he became a pastor. And eventually, he became a pacifist, working hard against the war that he saw about to happen.  
        Bonhoeffer worked hard, even against his own superiors, to end Hitler's hate-filled agenda, but was denied again and again. At the end, he turned to the only answer he and his secret cohorts believed would work. Hitler must be assassinated! The intrigue and introduction year by year of the atrocities, the deniers, and the supporter is fascinating. Dietrich is a religious figure whose writings are still read and respected today, something I didn't know. This is another part of the story of Hitler and those who fought against him that will add to students' and others' knowledge. Great book!
        FYI-There are additional pages of back matter: a timeline, endnotes, and additional resources!

         I also want to share a few books I received thanks to the generosity of Candlewick Press. These seem destined to be marvelous gifts for just the right person!

          In this amazing book, we're taken on a visual journey of photography history, with information and full-page photographs taken by some of the cameras. I even found a picture of my husband's old Pentax on one of the pages, and one of my old Brownie Hawkeye. There are parts concerning film, many pictures of cameras and how they worked, and those wonderful full page photos. This book will be a treasure for both new and experienced photographers, and anyone who loves taking pictures and loves history.

      If you know any Dungeons & Dragons' avid players, this is the book for them. Candlewick says: "The world's most beloved roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons, joins the legendary 'Ology series as the renowned guide Volo Geddarm takes you on an unforgettable journey through the Forgotten Realms."
       We've had the Dragonology book for a long time, and love reading and seeing all the little added parts. This book has those too, although only Dungeons & Dragons aficionados will understand (I think). 

Turn the book over and it's "Under Earth"!

       Last, an amazing and over-sized picture book that I imagine will have kids opening, putting on the floor, lying on their stomachs while looking and learning. It holds so much information about "under the earth" and "under the sea". Classrooms should have one, and a child interested in this part of science will love it.

A glimpse of the table of contents.

an 'under earth" page

an "under water" page