Informational Nonfiction

Student Voices: The Importance of Nonfiction from Kathy R. and Elise A.

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Importance of Nonfiction

“Are Nonfiction Books Actually Difficult or Are You Just Reading Nonfiction Books Wrong?” by Kathy R., 7th grade

Books are loved worldwide and pretty much everywhere, it comes in all formations and genres but the two main ways to separate books are in fiction and non-fiction. Fiction is formally more popular since it allows the reader to escape their worries and focus on the imaginative story they are reading. On the other hand non-fiction is usually depicted as boring and written with a ‘fact-heavy’ tone. But most of the time non-fiction isn’t a difficult read, maybe you are reading non-fiction the wrong way.

Finding the different types of non-fiction literature

There is a variety of types of non-fiction literature like history, science, biographies, essays. Going deeper into non-fiction there are types of books like narrative nonfiction which is telling a real life story in the form of a story, this is an easier way to read nonfiction if you are used to reading more story-like books. Another few examples are Art books if you are more on the art side of the reading spectrum, music is another example of reading non-fiction like a ‘how to’ book on learning the violin. Exploring these genres will help you find which is just right for you. Most of the time when people call non fiction ‘too hard’, it’s almost always because they are reading books that they can’t connect to or learn anything about said topic. 

What to avoid when reading non-fiction books

Other times people rush or try reading multiple genres at once which can lead to not understanding what you just read and not learning anything.  Arun Suresh, Finding It Difficult to Read Non-Fiction? You’re Probably Reading It the Wrong Way: “It’s common for people to switch between genres and read a variety of books on a variety of topics. It gives them a feeling of gaining knowledge of different subjects, but in the longterm, they won’t remember most of it. Which is why you should stick with a genre or two.” Frankly, one of the most important things to do while reading non fiction is to take in some of the information you’re gaining from that book. Why do the exact opposite by reading everything and anything at the same time? It completely defeats the purpose.

Tips when it comes to reading non-fiction

When it comes to reading non fiction there are a few tips and tricks that can help you greatly in understanding what you’re reading a little bit more. How to Read More Nonfiction (and Actually Enjoy It) gives a few examples such as:

  • Annotating your book with a highlighter and or sticky tabs 
  • Starting a non-fiction book with a friend or book club
  • Skimming through chapters and getting the main details
  • Set small goals that are easy to digest

Why should people go through all the troubles of reading a non-fiction book? What’s in it for them in the end?

The biggest question of all is why? Why is reading non-fiction important? Why should people go through the process of reading non-fiction? The best answer I can give you is that it helps you to learn and understand the world around us. You see, non-fiction as a whole is diverse and every book you read on one topic can help you understand more chapter by chapter. Every time you read something informational no matter what your age is you can learn and expand your knowledge. 

Some non-fiction books I could recommend to people

Here are a couple books that I would recommend to people with a variety of what the books are about!

Conclusion and final thoughts

In conclusion, non-fiction in a whole may seem ‘too complex’ and ‘overly academic’ but the truth is non-fiction and informational literature is for us to be able to understand more about this world we live in. Non-fiction may not be for everyone but it is better to try than and see if there is a book for you than to not give it a try. 

“I Think Readers Should Read More Nonfiction” by Elise A., 8th grade

Nonfiction should be promoted better because it is useful for learning different facts about life, history, science and any topic you like.

I’m not saying that reading fiction is bad. But they attract more people to them because of how popular they are which leads to more people buying them or checking them out unlike nonfiction books that are not that popular.

Nonfiction is also keeping our history alive. It tells us about our past and gives kids something to base our future off of. If we didn’t have the books then we won’t remember how different things changed and adapted to different environments.

Nonfiction shows real information all the way through and shows more facts than anything else. Some people may look at nonfiction and say that it’s boring but it’s just that they aren’t reading about a topic that they enjoy, they just pick up a nonfiction book and start reading instead of picking one that interests them.

Nonfiction books to read

There are many history books that can be used to promote like: 

  • The Rediscovery of America by Ned Blackhawk
  • Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
  • Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman by Tiya Miles

There are many science books that can be used to promote like:

  • The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
  • Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
  • Lab Girl by Hope Jahren

These books are a good example of books to read to better understand certain subjects in school or everyday life.

Personally I like books about presidents. I look at those to understand how the new presidents are different from past presidents.

Nonfiction vs Fiction

As you can see based on this graph there is a good amount of people who read nonfiction but it’s smaller in comparison to the people who read fiction. This shows that nonfiction isn’t disappearing, it’s just in the shadow of fiction.

But the thing is that most of the time people look at the books, and they judge it based on the cover.

Also, fiction isn’t the only type of books with series nonfiction also has series. Fiction series continue the story the author made up while nonfiction books show how different things in life are connected like how different parts of history are connected.

How librarians and educators could make it so their nonfiction books are something people want to read.

So I think to make nonfiction books look more appealing to people is to have it more in color or just more fun. If you make the area look more fun, like after you read the book, have people color by number with facts that they learn.

The reason to do all of this is because there are many fiction book activities like people have made many word searches for fiction books. So if the nonfiction books have activities then it will feel like something people read a lot convincing people to read them. Or have them take a quiz so they know what type of nonfiction books to look for kinda like finding different genres people like except there are science, history, and geography nonfiction books.

To conclude, nonfiction books should be read more because there are many good nonfiction books that need to get more love!

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at reading nonfiction!

Fighting For Justice: Alice Piper Speaks Up by Sage Andrew Romero and Loralee Sepsey, Illustrated by Morgan Thompson

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Alice Piper Speaks Up
(Fighting for Justice #3)
Authors: Sage Andrew Romero and Loralee Sepsey
Illustrator: Morgan Thompson
Published June 2nd, 2026 by Heyday Books
Instagram: @heydaybooks | Facebook: Heyday Books

Summary: Volume 3 in the acclaimed Fighting for Justice Series for young readers: the story of a Native teenager’s history-making fight for equal education.

Alice Piper just wanted to go to public school. The year was 1923, and Alice, a Native Paiute (Nuwuvi) teenager in California, dreamed about learning from teachers, making new friends, and being respected for who she was. So when the school board refused to let her and six other Native students attend, she decided to speak up, and she sued for her right to an equal education. Alice Piper Speaks Up, the first book dedicated to this major champion of civil rights, features new research into Alice’s life and court case. Each chapter begins with lyrical verse and full-color illustrations that invite readers into Alice’s story. Paired with the poems are visually engaging sections filled with keyword definitions, historical context, timelines, primary sources, and questions that help readers relate Alice’s experience to their own lives. The text connects Alice’s case to larger themes about education, Native rights, and movements for school desegregation across the United States. The third book in Heyday’s widely acclaimed Fighting for Justice series, Alice Piper Speaks Up shows how one teen’s action resonates throughout America’s history, even now.

About the Creators: 

Sage Andrew Romero
Sage Andrew Romero is from the Tovowahamatu Numu (Big Pine Paiute) and Tuah-Tahi (Taos Pueblo) tribes. The founder and director of the AkaMya Culture Group, a nonprofit dedicated to cultural revitalization, he lives in Big Pine, California. For more info, see nama.media/sage-andrew-romero.

Loralee Sepsey
Loralee Sepsey is a writer and a member of the Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley. Based in Santa Ana, California, she lives with her husband and their two cats. To learn more, visit her website: loraleesepsey.com.

Morgan Thompson
Morgan Thompson is a Cherokee (Cherokee Nation) artist with a love for Indigenous stories. When she’s not working, she enjoys a bit of stomp dancing or some beading on the side. Visit skadoodlin.com.

Instagram Sage Andrew Romero: @digitalndn | Morgan Thompson: @skadoodlin
FacebookSage Andrew Romero: Sage Andrew Romero

Review and Educators’ Tools for Navigation: Integration of education is taught in history classes but primarily focuses on Brown v. Board of Education and it isn’t often shared that there were fights all over the country from different marginalized communities to have the right to an equal education. This book focuses on a fight 30 years before Brown v. Board of Education, when Alice Piper, a 15 year-old Paiute student, along with six other children, sued the Big Pine School District stating that they had the right to attend Big Pin School based on the 14th amendment, AND THEY WON!

This book is MADE for teaching. The creators and publisher of this book know what they are doing. Through the authors’ beautiful free verse intertwined with emotions and onomatopoeia, we experience Alice’s story along with her. Then intertwined between chapters, the nonfiction spreads tie it all together with more history and information. By combining a biography-in-verse with nonfiction information that has vocabulary, timelines, discussion questions, and photographs makes it so the book is so easily cross-curricular as well as supportive of so many language arts standards, both literary and informational.

(And I am so curious about the other two books in the series! Because if they are formatted in similar ways, this series would be perfect for literature circles where each group read a different Fighting for Justice book then shares what they learned about their activist with their classmates.) 

And I love that the book ends with “Speaking Up for What’s Right: From Alice’s Day to Ours” to truly connect it all together. Really adds that extra bit to the book.

Oh, and did you know that Alice Piper Day is June 2 in California; this information is featured in the book also and is definitely a person deserving of her own day!

Discussion Questions: There are many discussion questions found scattered throughout the book, including:

  • What does it mean to be respected for who you are, and to respect other for who they are?
  • When was a timea family member or elder taught you an important skill?
  • How would you feel if your government decided to change your family’s name?
  • Some traditional Paiute names are non-lexical. Can you think of some non-lexical names commonly used today?

Flagged Passages & Spreads: 

Chaptier 1: Preparing Tüba

Alice is sweaty,
sticky, and ready
to grind.

It’s almost fall in Payahuunadü
and the summer heat still lingers.
Alice, a few months into thirteen,
is helping her family prepare
the season’s first batch of pine nuts–
tüba–
into today’s meal.

Alice’s mother, Annie, places
winnowing baskets on the ground.
Alice’s sisters, Ola and Mamie,
toss handfuls of tüba inside.
The hard shells make a clickety-clack
against the willow reeds.

Chapter 4: A Day at the Day School

“Wake up, Alice,
it’s time for school.”

Alice rubs the sleep out of her eyes
and blinks at her mother.
It’s cold and so dark
that she can still see the stars
in the morning sky.

Alice has a long journey
from Soha-witü–
Fish Lake Valley–
to the Indian day school in Tovowahamatu,
almost forty miles away.

Early mornings are normal for Alice,
and if she wants to learn
as much as she can,
the day must start early.

Read This If You Love: History, Activism

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Blue Slip Media (@blue_slip_media | @blue-slip-media) for providing a copy for review!**

Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea by Patricia Newman

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Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea
Author: Patricia Newman
Published October 1st, 2024 by Lerner Publishing Group

Summary: Off the coast of Perú, gentle giants swim beneath the waves. Thanks to the work of Kerstin Forsberg, giant manta rays have become a symbol of hope for ocean conservation in the region. Mantas are a flagship species, and when they’re protected, the whole ocean ecosystem benefits.

Kerstin, who founded the organization Planeta Océano, has taken a new approach to ocean conservation. Previous conservation projects were often led by scientists from other places who didn’t work with the local people. When Kerstin decided to help manta rays, she sought the opinions of local fishers and educated them about the dangers of overfishing, bycatch, and poaching—things that affect both manta rays and fishers. She also involved local schools and teachers.

With the help of teachers, students, and fishers, Kerstin launched a project to identify and track manta rays and protect them, making the ocean a better place for all creatures. Dive in with author Patricia Newman and explore how taking care of the ocean can benefit everyone!

About the Author: Patricia Newman wants us all to know we are part of nature. As a Robert F. Sibert Honor recipient, she shows us how our actions ripple around the world, empowers us to find our own connections to nature, and encourages us to use our imaginations to act on behalf of our communities. Her nonfiction titles have received multiple starred reviews, Orbis Pictus Recommended Awards (NCTE), Green Earth Book Awards, and several Eureka! Awards. She is based in California.

Review: I love learning new things, and Patricia Newman always delves into topics in such interesting ways that will make any reader want to not only read the entire book but also want to investigate further to learn as much as possible about it.

In this book, I dove (pun intended) into the world of manta rays: their uncertain future, their truly phenomenal elegance and uniqueness, and lots of information about environmental factors. I also learned about how much difference one person can make. This book is a call to future activists, a call for all animal lovers, and a call for all humans to see more than what we normally see.

I am also impressed how Newman wrote an entire book about manta rays but by the end, the reader has thought about so much include flagship species, collaboration, negotiation, activism, the ocean in many different ways, cause and effect, and so much more.

Once again a truly fascinating and informative book has been gifted to us readers by Patricia Newman.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation and Discussion Questions: 

In the standards-aligned guide provided by Lerner, educators can find lessons about manta ray anatomy, bycatch simulation, the challenge of overfishing, plotting manta sightings, civic role models, and exploring plankton.

The guide’s objectives are:

  • To help students understand our unbreakable connection to the ocean and we affect it.
  • To encourage and empower students to become a voice for the ocean in their homes, schools, and communities.
  • To help students become better science communicators

The guide focuses on Ocean Literacy Standards & Principles as well as United Nations Sustainable Developmental Goals

You can also access the educators’ guide here.

Book Trailer: 

Flagged Spreads: 

Read This If You Love: Nonfiction books about animals, environmental issues, and/or conservation efforts

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to the author for providing a copy for review!**

Author Guest Post: “Encouraging Kids’ Curiosity” by Sarah Albee, Author of Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber

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“Encouraging Kids’ Curiosity”

I’ve always been curious about the origins of everyday things. I love to ask people if they know who invented the [insert everyday thing here], or where [insert everyday thing here] originated. It’s one of my favorite cocktail party games. (I am so much fun at parties!)

So it probably tracks that I also love books for kids that trace the origins of stuff most of us take for granted; books that show us where something came from in entertaining and fascinating ways. Books like these spark a kid’s curiosity. If this topic has such a cool origin story, a kid reader might think, then maybe this other thing, or that one, or that one might, too! I love these books so much I try to write them as often as possible. (Or as I might phrase it at a cocktail party, “these topics comprise a large part of my oeuvre”.)

So I’m excited to tell you about my latest book, Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber. It was inspired by my fascination with bouncing balls. I’ve played basketball all my life, and whether a hooper is aware of it or not, anyone who becomes somewhat proficient at dribbling and shooting a basketball learns quite a bit about the laws of motion, and angles, and friction, and air pressure. But I wanted to know more, much more, about rubber itself. And I quickly realized that the modern world couldn’t function without this miraculous substance. It’s a very STEAMy book, with sidebars about polymers and elasticity and other physical properties.

Here are some excellent recent books that also trace the origins of everyday things. These are all books I wish I’d written. And they’re books that would make excellent additions to your classroom.

Concrete: From the Ground Up by Larissa Theule, illustrated by Steve Light

Confession: before I read this book I thought concrete and cement were the same thing. (They’re not.) The history of concrete—a combination of stone, sand, water, and cement (limestone and clay)—goes way, way back. With its clear and whimsical illustrations, the book explores the earliest use of concrete by the ancients as a way to hold stone and brick together, and then, later, its use by the Romans as a structural material. The Romans used it to build aqueducts and amphitheaters (such as the Colosseum) and even the dome of the Pantheon. But their recipe was lost. Many centuries later, concrete was reinvented, and civil engineers added steel rods running through it to create an even stronger material: reinforced concrete.

Perkins Perfect Purple by Tami Lewis Brown and Debbie Loren Dunn. Illustrated by Francesca Sanna

A chemist by trade, Englishman William Perkin attempted to create a synthetic version of quinine, a medication used to treat malaria. Although his effort was a failure, he discovered something else when cleaning his equipment. The leftover mucky stuff was a lovely shade of purple. This once-costly color could suddenly be made from inexpensive coal sludge. And suddenly Victorian England was awash in the color purple. It’s a great example of the unexpected consequences of scientific experimentation that can lead to new discoveries.

The Story of the Saxophone by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James Ransome

As a kid I was semi-obsessed with the beautiful, almost voice-like sound of the saxophone. So I was beyond excited to see the history of this instrument told by my favorite author-illustrator team, Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome. And it’s a fascinating history, especially as told by Lesa, a brilliant storyteller. The illustrations are equally captivating—James embeds saxophones on each spread that are collages of actual images. (Listen to their interview on NPR here.)

This is the history of an object, yes, but the larger theme is the power of curiosity.

Glitter Everywhere! Where it came from, where it’s found & where it’s going

By Chris Barton, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat

I loathe glitter, but I love Chris Barton’s writing, and this is a perfect kid-friendly topic. It’s the history of sparkly stuff from ancient times (beetles, mica) to the present. Importantly, it includes a frank discussion about the environmental damage glitter has wrought on the environment. (Also check out his books about Day-Glo colors and SuperSoakers.)

Here are some classroom activities you might consider for your students:

  • Ask students to write “Today I Learned,” in their writer’s notebooks, and then choose a nonfiction book. They can record an interesting fact or facts about something they’ve learned from the book.
  • Have students write down the sentence “I wonder where _____ comes from.” Ask them to brainstorm a list of five everyday objects they’d like to learn more about, and then choose one object to research.
  • After reading a book about the history of an object, ask students to create an infographic, art project, or other display of their choice that traces the origins of that object (such as rubber, concrete, the saxophone, or a topic of their choosing) from its invention to the present day.
  • Ask students to film a short video in which they ask people (teachers, students, family members) if they can tell you about the origins of an object. Sometimes the answers can be hilarious!

Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber
Author: Sarah Albee
Illustrator: Eileen Ryan Ewen
Published October 22nd, 2024 by Charlesbridge

About the Book: Ever wondered what makes rubber bounce? Or why it’s stretchy? And WHY is rubber so . . . rubbery?! Learn the fascinating science and history behind this ubiquitous material!

With sidebars, graphics, fun facts, and more, the history of rubber reveals plenty of fascinating secrets and surprises. Elementary school readers will discover that early balls didn’t bounce; that people in the rainforest made waterproof gear from rubber thousands of years before Europeans got into the act; and that sneakers, bicycles, and cars created demand for more and more rubber!

Back matter includes a time line and a bit about the complicated implications of harvesting rubber.

About the Author: Sarah Albee is the New York Times bestselling author of many nonfiction books for kids. Her most recent titles are both picture books: Bounce!: A Scientific History of Rubber and The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart’s Brush with George Washington. Other popular titles include Troublemakers in Trousers: Women and What They Wore to Get Things Done; Fairy Tale Science; Accidental Archaeologists: True Stories of Unexpected Discoveries; and Poop Happened: A History of the World from the Bottom Up.  She and her husband, a high school administrator, live in New York City and have three grown children. Visit her at www.sarahalbeebooks.com

Thank you, Sarah, for sparking our curiosity and inspiring us to spark our students’!

Clouds in Space: Nebulae, Stardust, and Us by Teresa Robeson, Illustrated by Diāna Renžina

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Clouds in Space: Nebulae, Stardust, and Us
Author: Teresa Robeson
Illustrator: Diāna Renžina
Published August 20th, 2024 by MIT Kids Press

Summary: Real space science meets beautiful images in this lyrical nonfiction introduction to one of the most alluring wonders of our universe—the nebula.

Nebula means “cloud” in Latin, but these little-known astronomical phenomena are different from Earth’s clouds. They can be the last breaths of supernovas, spreading the elements of life far and wide, or they can be star nurseries, swirling molecules together to form stars and planets. In this gorgeous nonfiction look into the cosmos, the nebula narrator invites young astronomers to learn more about these immense space clouds, from how they form to what they do. Readers will be entranced by the vibrant illustrations, which incorporate real photographs of nebulae, and the poetic text, which reveals that we are all grown from scattered stardust. Rich back matter provides details about nebulae and how people have studied them, the nebulae pictured in the illustrations (listed as the “cast”), and resources for further learning.

Praise: 

★“Lively language and gorgeous illustrations make this an excellent introduction to astronomy for a wide audience.” – School Library Journal (starred review)

“An eminently approachable introduction to an intriguing aspect of our universe.” – Booklist

About the Creators: 

Teresa Robeson has been an amateur astronomer since 1980, with a special interest in cosmology. She is the 2020 APALA Picture Book Award–winning author of Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom and other books on science and her own culture. She lives on a mini-farm in southern Indiana. To download a free curriculum guide, and to learn more, visit teresarobeson.com.

Diāna Renžina studied design and worked at several creative agencies before becoming a full-time illustrator and digital designer. She lives in Riga, Latvia, a city of cobbled streets, pine forest, Art Nouveau architecture, and the cold sea.

Instagram
Teresa Robeson: @tmrobeson
Diāna Renžina: @diana_renjina
MIT Kids Press/ Candlewick Press: @candlewickpress, @candlewick_sl
Blue Slip Media: @blue_slip_media

Facebook
Teresa Robeson: @teresa.robeson
Diāna Renžina: N/A
MIT Kids Press/ Candlewick Press: @CandlewickPressBooks
Blue Slip Media: @blue-slip-media

Twitter/X
Teresa Robeson: N/A
Diāna Renžina: N/A
MIT Kids Press / Candlewick Press: @candlewick
Blue Slip Media: @blueslipper & @barbfisch

Pinterest
Teresa Robeson: Teresa Ho Robeson

TikTok
MIT Kids Press/ Candlewick Press: @candlewickpress

Review: I am truly blown away by this picture book. I loved the idea of nebula speaking to a young girl and sharing secrets and the illustrations were as stellar and vase and beautiful as the idea of a nebula. The author’s informational text skills are on point, explaining quite complex concepts so well, and just so lyrical which makes the book a pleasure to read as well as informative. Just like the author mixed purposes, the illustrator did as well. The art in this book is edge to edge, full of color, and just embodies the ideas and lyricism of the book.

And then the backmatter goes even deeper for anyone interested in learning even more. The backmatter is accessible but also detailed.

Tools for Navigation: This book is built for a compare and contrast around clouds and nebula. What a perfect way to combine a reading comprehension skill and science!

Discussion Questions: 

  • How are nebula and clouds similar? Different?
  • Why were nebula’s named a word meaning cloud in the first place?
  • How did the illustration style add to the story?
  • Why do you think the author chose to have nebula be the narrator?
  • What else would you like to learn about nebulas?
  • Look at the nebulas in the backmatter. Are there any other animals you picture when looking at the images?
  • Although this book is mostly nonfiction, some may argue it is speculative because of magical realism. Why would they say that? What do you think?

Flagged Spreads: 

CLOUDS IN SPACE. Text copyright © 2024 by Teresa Robeson. Illustrations copyright  © 2024 by Diana Renžina. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

Read This If You Love: Space, Science

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!!**

The Shape of Things: How Mapmakers Picture Our World by Dean Robbins, Illustrated by Matt Tavares

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The Shape of Things: How Mapmakers Picture Our World
Author: Dean Robbins
Illustrator: Matt Tavares
Published August 20th, 2024 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary: How did the first people explore the land they lived on? How did civilizations expand their boundaries and chart courses into new lands? Learn about the history of cartography across cultures in this ode to mapmaking through the ages.

Join history’s first mapmakers as they explore the wonders of the world! In these pages, you’ll find the tools ancient people used to depict their surroundings, methods different cartographers developed to survey new lands, and how we’ve arrived at modern mapmaking today. Above all else, the thread that runs throughout thousands of years of civilization is the spirit of exploration that helps us measure the shape of things around us, the world we all share.

About the Creators: 

Dean Robbins is a journalist and children’s book author. His previous books include, The Fastest Girl on Earth!, Two Friends; Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, Miss Paul and the President, and Margaret and the Moon. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with his family. To learn more, visit https://deanrobbins.net/.

Matt Tavares is a New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of over twenty titles. His books have been featured in: ALA Notable, Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, and twelve were chosen for the Society of Illustrators Original Art exhibit. His artwork has been exhibited at the Brandywine River Museum, the Eric Carle Museum, and the Mazza Museum. Matt lives in Maine with his wife, Sarah, and their two daughters. Visit his website: matttavares.com.

Instagram:
Dean Robbins: @deanprobbins
Matt Tavares: @tavaresbooks
Random House Children’s Books: @randomhousekids
Blue Slip Media: @blue_slip_media

Facebook:
Dean Robbins: @deanrobbins
Matt Tavares: @tavaresbooks
Random House Children’s Books: Random House Children’s Books
Blue Slip Media: @blue-slip-media

Twitter/X:
Dean Robbins: Dean Robbins
Matt Tavares:  Matt Tavares
Random House Children’s Books: @randomhousekids
Blue Slip Media: @blueslipper & @barbfisch

Review: The informational, yet lyrical text, by Dean Robbins mixed with Matt Tavares’s beautiful art brings this massive idea to a level that any reader can connect with, understand, and will find interest in. And man, is it a fascinating history, and it is wonderful how The Shape of Things does an introduction to the full history of cartography in a way that doesn’t seem overwhelming but is so informative. I also appreciate the sharing of different strategies of different cultures when mapmaking.

Tools for Navigation: While reading, I couldn’t help but think of all the ways social studies teachers could use this text. This text, in addition to being entertaining, is a summary of cartography through world history which makes it perfect for social studies to look at human history, exploration, and technology over time. And educators, don’t forget about the backmatter which includes even more information.

Discussion Questions: 

  • How did maps change over time?
  • How did technology change map making?
  • How did exploration change map making?
  • What different abilities does a cartographer need to have to accurately create maps?
  • Why is mapmaking essential to humanity?
  • What is the future of maps?
  • Why do you think the author included a timeline in the back of the book?

Flagged Spreads: 

Read This If You Love: Maps, Geography, Cartography, History

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!**

Exclusion and the Chinese American Story by Sarah-Soonling Blackburn

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Exclusion and the Chinese American Story
Author: Sarah-Soonling Blackburn
Published: March 26, 2024 by Crown Books for Young Readers

Summary: Until now, you’ve only heard one side of the story, but Chinese American history extends far beyond the railroads. Here’s the true story of America, from the Chinese American perspective.

If you’ve learned about the history of Chinese people in America, it was probably about their work on the railroads in the 1800s. But more likely, you may not have learned about it at all. This may make it feel like Chinese immigration is a newer part of this country, but some scholars believe the first immigrant arrived from China 499 CE–one thousand years before Columbus did!

When immigration picked up in the mid-1800s, efforts to ban immigrants from China began swiftly. But hope, strength, and community allowed the Chinese population in America to flourish. From the gold rush and railroads to entrepreneurs, animators, and movie stars, this is the true story of the Chinese American experience.

Review: I am so glad that this book exists, and I especially recommend the audiobook. It tells the Chinese American experience from the very beginning—more specifically, from the first moment that a Chinese person came to America and the racism that Chinese Americans have experienced for centuries. The chapters are dense and filled with incredibly important information. I read a chapter each night to help me digest and think about each one of the topics and time periods covered. I especially appreciated the questions at the end of the chapters. This book is important for readers of all ages. 

Tools for Navigation: I wish more books like this one were taught in history classrooms. It’s imperative that young people don’t get a white-washed, sanitized version of US history. The Race to the Truth series (and this book, in particular) allow young people to read from many different perspectives to understand the truth about our country.

Discussion Questions: 

  • Which information did you find most surprising? Most interesting?
  • How has racism evolved across the centuries for Chinese Americans?
  • How can you use what you learned to share truths with others?

Read This If You Love: History books, conversations about equity, nonfiction

Recommended For: 

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RickiSig

**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of this book for an honest review**