Tag: Nonfiction Monday Review

Posted on

#Nonfiction Monday Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood

Time to get inspired by the nonfiction picture book Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood by Tony Hillery and illustrated by Jessie Hartland.

When Mr. Tony (Tony Hillery) spotted an abandoned lot across from a school in Harlem, he had an idea. Getting help from the community, he cleaned it up and invited children to help him plant a garden. Through trial and error a farm emerged.

The colors in Jessie Hartland’s illustrations reflect the journey of the story. The first few pages capture the gray mood of the abandoned lot. As things  turn around, the background colors move through shades of green to a lively and vibrant mix. Lovely!

The benefits of gardening with children are many. From getting outside for healthy exercise, to learning patience, to appreciating the taste of fresh vegetables, gardening is a win-win-win activity. Harlem Grown is about making it happen. Share a copy today and you will be glad you did.

Related suggestions:

Although designed to accompany another book, the delightful art-based activities in this video would be fun to accompany any gardening project.

See our growing list of books for gardening with children at Science Books for Kids.

Finally, we have a bunch of gardening ideas on our Pinterest Board.

 

Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 – 8 years
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books; Illustrated edition (August 18, 2020)
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1534402314
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1534402317

Disclosure: The book was provided by my local library. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.

Posted on

#Nonfiction Monday Plants on the Move

Let’s take look at the new picture book, Plants on the Move by Émilie Vast, translated by Julie Cormier.

There are many children’s books about plant and seed movement, but this one is certainly unique. In a lot of ways it is from a plant’s viewpoint.

As the blurb on the back says:

Have you ever bent down to take a closer look, perhaps thinking that we don’t ever go anywhere? But we plants might surprise you. We’re more adventurous than you think…

The text is well-organized and informative. Émilie Vast  categorizes the ways plants disperse into broad groups, like “Fly”, “Creep”, “Fall”, etc. For each group she gives step-by-step details of an example plant’s journey and life cycle. Once the pattern is established, then she provides  a cluster of images of other species that use the same dispersal method, which helps young readers apply what they’ve learned.

The Illustrations are otherworldly and mesmerizing. They are crisp and clean images against a starkly contrasting white background. If you want to see –and you really should — go to  Google Books for a preview.

Plants on the Move is a fantastic resource. It is perfect for budding botanists, young gardeners and nature lovers. Pop open a copy today!

Related:

1. Try the seed dispersal activity suggestions at Growing with Science blog.

2. Read more books from our growing list of children’s books about seeds at Science Books for Kids.

 

 

Reading age : 5 – 8 years
Publisher : Charlesbridge (May 25, 2021)
ISBN-10 : 1623541484
ISBN-13 : 978-1623541484

Disclosure: The book was provided by the publisher for review purposes. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.

Posted on

#Nonfiction Monday STEM for Pride Month

Today we have a children’s book for Pride Month, STEM by Emilie Dufresne and designed by Danielle Rippengill.

Meet ten people from across the LGBTQIA+ community who have made an impact in STEM fields, from Polly Arnold, who is a chemist at Berkley to Alan Turing, a mathematician who was code breaker during WWII and did early work with computers.

The introduction explains the definitions of certain words, like what does it mean to have pride and what the letters LGBTQIA+ stand for.  There is a frank discussion of the differences between sex and gender. The back matter includes tips for being an ally, an extensive glossary, and an index.

STEM helps us remember being inclusive is important. When students see themselves reflected in their curriculum, they are more likely to  pursue STEM careers. STEM is also an easy-to-read introduction for those who want to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community and being an ally — regardless of age.

About the Author and Publisher:

Emilie Dufresne Is a French-Canadian writer and poet who has written a variety of children’s books. Danielle Rippengill is a designer from the UK. Children’s publisher Booklife is also from the UK.

 

Reading age ‏ : ‎ 7 – 9 years
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Booklife (June 1, 2021)
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1839270829
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839270826

Disclosure: The book was provided digitally by the publisher for review purposes. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.

Posted on

#Nonfiction Monday Girl Warriors: How 25 Young Activists Are Saving the Earth

Are you an advocate for any causes? I am an advocate for children’s books, and more specifically the middle grade title  Girl Warriors: How 25 Young Activists Are Saving the Earth by Rachel Sarah.

In this book you will meet 25 girls and young women under the age of 25 who have decided to speak up for the Earth and for themselves. Eloquent and innovative, they hope to change minds and make a difference.

Young women like:

• Daphne Frias in West Harlem, New York City describes herself as “an un-apologetically fierce Latina, who is proudly disabled,” and is currently in medical school.
• Maya Penn in Atlanta, Georgia who is an eco-fashion designer, animator, producer and TED speaker.  Here she explains how even the dyes used to color fabric can harm the environment.

Although this video is from 2014, you can see on her Mayas Ideas 4 the Planet website that Maya is still incredibly active helping people and the Earth.

• Malaika Vaz in Goa, India who is a National Geographic Explorer and filmmaker.
• Vanessa Nakate in Uganda, Africa who founded the @TheRiseUpMovem1 and has been building solar-powered schools in Kampala.

Chicago Review Press books are all about getting hands on. If the stories  of these girls and young women inspire you, delve into the four pages of resources in the back matter to find out where you can make a difference, too.

Rachel Sarah is trained as a journalist, which shows in her clean and unobtrusive writing. She has gleaned personal details on each of the young women, making each of them stand out as memorable individuals.

Girl Warriors is an exciting book for young readers interested in activism and making a difference. Get inspired by a copy today!

Related:

Although there are many, many ways to make a difference, I am going to suggest considering the Green Bridges™ program from the Herb Society of America. Their goals are to create patches of native plant gardens across communities to:

  • help alleviate the problems caused by habitat loss and fragmentation
  • help protect nearby natural areas
  • remove or contain invasive species
  • provide food and shelter for local pollinators and other wildlife

 

Researching and choosing to plant responsibly-grown native plants can make a difference!

Side note:  Rachel Sarah and I are both members of STEAMteam books and our books released on the same day, April 6, 2021.

 

Reading age : 9 – 12 years
Publisher : Chicago Review Press (April 6, 2021)
ISBN-10 : 1641603712
ISBN-13 : 978-1641603713

 

Disclosure: The book was provided digitally for review purposes. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.