Rounding up the best nonfiction for children and teens
Underground: Subway Systems Around the World
by Uijung Kim (Author/ Illustrator )
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Booktalk: Find out about world cities and their underground systems in this search-and-find book with “inside” and “outside” pages.
Snippet:
LONDON
1890 The year it became known as “The Tube” due to the shape of the tunnels.
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
Copyright © 2022 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Five-Minute Friendship Starters: A Sesame Street ® Guide to Making a Friend
by Marie-Therese Miller (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Booktalk: Filled with suggestions for conversation starters, easy games, and ways to demonstrate caring, this picture book helps young readers learn fun ways to approach, get to know, and have fun with a new friend–in just five minutes!
Snippet:
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
Copyright © 2022 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Children of the World
by Nicola Edwards (Author) and Andrea Stegmaier (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Booktalk: Young readers can discover what life is like for children all around the world as they explore everything from food to family, and even learn how to say hello in many different languages.
Snippet: In NIGERIA, the older you are, the more respect you get from those around you. If you are the oldest child in an Igbo household, you might be called “Senior Brother/Sister,” instead of your name.
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
Copyright © 2022 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Honeybee Rescue: A Backyard Drama
by Loree Griffin Burns (Author) and Ellen Harasimowicz (Photographer)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Booktalk: Follow honeybee rescuer Mr. Nelson as he expertly removes a colony of bees from Mr. Connery’s barn (with a vacuum!) and helps it relocate back to a hive.
Snippet:
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
The author, Loree Griffin Burns, is one of my former students.
Copyright © 2022 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
What Can I Do?: Inspiring Activities for Creative Kids
by Mary Richards (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Booktalk: What will you do today? In this book of activities you’ll find plenty of easy-to-follow activities, from “Invent a Dance” to “Make a Museum”. On each page, there are lists of what you’ll need, tips for getting started, and ideas for making the most out of the task you’ve chosen. As you read through, you’ll discover new facts on every page. Most of the activities can be done indoors, but there are plenty of ideas for outdoor fun, too. All you’ll need to get started is a pencil and paper — and a lot of imagination!
Snippet:
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
Copyright © 2022 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
ReThink the Internet: How to Make the Digital World a Lot Less Sucky
by Trisha Prabhu (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Booktalk: This middle grade book uses stories to show the hows, the whats, and the whys of digital citizenship, so readers can lead with kindness and stop internet hate.
Snippet: Today’s internet might seem pretty simple: hop online, chat with friends, watch videos, do your homework . . . but the internet–and technology more broadly–is messier than you might realize. This book is meant to teach you seven main skills, which, if you master them, will ensure that the internet never gets the better of you.
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
Copyright © 2022 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Dorothy & Herbert: An Ordinary Couple and Their Extraordinary Collection of Art
by Jackie Azúa Kramer (Author) and Julia Breckenreid (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Booktalk: In the heart of Manhattan lived a librarian and a postal clerk who loved art so much that they collected it. Over the years, Dorothy and Herbert brought home hundreds of works of art–from little-known SoHo artists to luminaries such as Chuck Close and Christo and Jeanne-Claude–to their small, empty-walled apartment, much to the curiosity and delight of their eight cats and tank of fish. Their passion for art and support of artists was so impressive, Dorothy and Herbert became famous themselves. And when they gifted their extraordinary collection to the National Gallery of Art, their art became ours, inspiring new generations of artists.
Snippet:
And when there was a new museum exhibit
or gallery show in town,
Dorothy and Herbert were always there,
hand in hand.
Art filled them with WONDER.
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
Copyright © 2022 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Rising Troublemaker: A Fear-Fighter Manual for Teens
by Luvvie Ajayi Jones (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Booktalk: The world can feel like a dumpster fire, with endless things to be afraid of. It can make you feel powerless to ask for what you need, use your voice, and show up truly as your whole self. Add the fact that often, people might make you feel like your way of showing up is TOO MUCH.
BE TOO MUCH, and use it for good. That is what it means to be a troublemaker.
Snippet: What’s an oríkì? It is a Yoruba word that combines two words to mean “praising your head/mind.” Orí is “head” and kì is “to greet or praise.” An oríkì is a greeting that praises you through praising your kinship and speaking life to your destiny. It is your personal hype mantra, and can be spoken or sung.
BONUS! Download the Teacher’s Guide
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
Copyright © 2022 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
10 at 10: The Surprising Childhoods of Ten Remarkable People
by Carlyn Beccia (Author / Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Booktalk: Audrey Hepburn, Roberto Clemente, Albert Einstein-kids know the names, but do they know what some of history’s most famous figures were like at the age of ten?
Snippet:
Frida Kahlo
You have probably heard the art advice to paint or draw what you see. But what if all you can see is limited to what surrounds your bed? This was the reality Frida Kahlo faced after a bus accident confined her to her bed for over a year. So, Frida chose to paint the most fascinating subject contained in the four walls of her room–herself.
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
Copyright © 2022 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Strong
by Rob Kearney (Author), Eric Rosswood (Author), and Nidhi Chanani (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Booktalk: Rob dreams of becoming a champion strongman. He wants to flip huge tires, lug boulders, and haul trucks — and someday be the strongest man in the world! But he feels like he can’t fit in with his bright leggings, unicorn T-shirts, and rainbow-dyed hair. Will Rob find a way to step into his true self and be a champion?
In this biography, readers meet author Rob Kearney and follow his journey from an athletic kid trying to find his place to the world’s first openly gay professional strongman.
Snippet:
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
Copyright © 2022 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.