Non-Fiction is True Enjoyment

Non-fiction is not dull reading. New and beautiful books on topics from poetry to pandas and biographies to ball games come out every month. While I will indicate ages of the intended on audience on this, keep in mind that non-fiction appeals to all ages.

1. Panda Kindergarten by Joanne Ryder is aimed at humans in kindergarten through second grade but everyone will enjoy the photographs of panda babies at play. Learn how panda rescue efforts are keeping these amazing creatures alive.



2. Can You Survive the Titanic? An Interactive Survival Adventure by Allison Louise Lassieur is part of an interesting new series of choose your own adventures. In these historically accurate stories, the reader is asked to make decisions that a person would have had to make in the actual situation. Should a young person on the Titanic go above deck or wait for friends or family? Should he jump overboard and try to swim to safety? A wrong choice can lead to death. A great deal of historical fact is presented in a format that will appeal to readers in grades three and up.



3. Odd Ball: Hilarious, Unusual and Bizarre Baseball Moments by Timothy Tocher helps verify what I have always suspected--part of baseball's appeal is the expectation of the unexpected. With funny drawings to illustrate the many odd facts, this will be enjoyed by baseball fanatics who will surely share the stories with everyone within ear shot. This book will hit a home run with readers in grades three and up.



4. Demi creates some of the most beautiful biographies in any collections. Her illustrations are detailed and intricate and so are the stories she tells. Look for biographies of a wide range of people such as Tutankhamun, Muhammad, Buddha, Jesus, Marco Polo, Gandhi, The Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa, and many more. The illustrations make these seem as though they may be picture books, but you will find solid, well researched biographies inside the covers. It will take reading ability at the fourth grade level or above to digest all of the information provided.



5. Lemonade: and Other Poems Squeezed From a Single Word by Bob Raczka with illustrations by Nancy Doniger is a playful exploration of words, anagrams, and poetry that delights those who are able to see how the poem grows out of a single word. The revelation of this trait and the often pun filled nature of the poems are perfectly amplified with simple illustrations. The illustrations in my other favorite poetry book of the year are lush and filled with fairy tale charm. Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer with illustrations by Josee Massee offers two views of familiar fairy tales in poetry that reads up and down to offer differing perspectives. Poetry lovers, aficionados of word play, and those who simply enjoy a fairy tale will all enjoy this unique collection.



6. I Feel Better with a Frog in My Throat : History's Strangest Cures by Carlyn Beccia admittedly plays on the gross factor while introducing medical treatments from days gone by. Who doesn't squirm at the thought of swallowing live frogs or sprinkling ground up mummies on a wound? The book's multiple choice quiz format encourages discussion and sharing with others. Many of the cures that may seem crazy are shown to have a sound scientific basis while others are revealed to be more harmful than helpful. Readers in grades two and up will find much to share in this unusual book.
   

Enjoy the facts and fun of a good non-fiction book.