Nonfiction Wednesday
Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!
Because of It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? posts, I find myself often with huge piles of picture books from the library that were highly recommended by fellow bloggers. I celebrate many of the nonfiction pictures books on Wednesdays, but I want to share some of the fiction picture books I have enjoyed. So, I decided to start series here on UR where I can pass on the love for these books sporadically as I read them. Here is a list of some great pictures books that I’ve read recently from my huge library pile (part 8!).
I have read and reviewed about some amazing nonfiction titles throughout 2015: Women Who Broke the Rules (series) by Kathleen Krull, Frozen Wild by Jim Arnosky, Fab Four by Susanna Reich, I Am Lucille Ball by Brad Meltzer, Jump Back, Paul by Sally Derby, Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash, The Underground Abductor by Nathan Hale, Seeds of Freedom by Hester Bass, The Sky Painter by Margarita Engle, The Red Bicycle by Jude Isabella, and I am Jackie Robinson by Brad Meltzer.
However, at the end of the year when blogs such as Kid Lit Frenzy and There’s a Book for That shared their favorite nonfiction texts from 2015, I realized there were some amazing books I had not read yet, but I made sure to fix that!
Tricky Vic: The Impossible Story of the Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower
Author and Illustrator: Greg Pizzoli
Published March 10th, 2015 by Viking Books for Young Readers
This is one of the most fascinating, page-turning, funny, exciting nonfiction picture books I’ve ever read! Pizzoli does a wonderful job of bringing Tricky Vic’s story to life. Learning about all of his cons from conning Al Capone (and living!) to making people believe he was Count Victor Lustig to selling the Eiffel Tower, you just want to keep turning the pages to see what else he gets away with! I also loved the artwork. It is a simplistic almost political cartoon style, but Tricky Vic’s face is always just a finger print because who is he, really?!
Trombone Shorty
Author: Troy Andrews
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Published April 14th, 2015 by Harry N. Abrams
I love stories that celebrate music, diversity, and passion, and this book does all of that. Troy’s story of learning how to play a trombone at age four, playing with Bo Diddley at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at age 4, leading his own band by age 6, finding a deep love in music, and becoming a successful musician is inspiring. I love his stories of forming a band with his friends–nothing could stop them, even the lack of instruments! It is also so amazing that The illustrations are beautiful as well. They are collage and watercolor and truly bring the story to life. I love how Collier brought the music to life by visualizing it in his illustrations.
Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans
Author and Illustrator: Don Brown
Published August 4th, 2015 by HMH Books for Young Readers
I am a big fan of both of the books I’ve read by Don Brown because he does an amazing job at telling truth in an interesting way but without bringing any bias into it. He includes all of the truth with illustrations that make history come to life. Drowned City transports you back to the terror that was felt after Hurricane Katrina, but also shares information that wasn’t common knowledge because the media didn’t include it. This is a must read.
Check back next Wednesday for some more 2015 nonfiction titles!
Want to see Part One? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Two? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Three? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Four? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Five: We Need Diverse Books (NF)? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Six: We Need Diverse Books (F)? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Seven? You can view it HERE.
Loved all 3 of these books. I’m hoping Trombone Shorty gets an award next week, it was a stand out for me.
I hope all 3 do!
I loved all of these books, too, Kellee, am excited to see if any are chosen for awards. Lots of nervous people waiting I guess!
ALA Award time is so exciting!
Tricky Vic was one of my favourites this year too, such a unique and striking book, and a very engaging story!
I agree! It was like no other book I’ve read in many ways.
That’s my favorite part of the Best of… lists–figuring out which titles I’ve missed.
I have many, many books on hold at the library right now, thanks to those lists!
But I always find so many! 🙂
Yay, I’m forever going to cheer anyone reads Trombone Shorty!
That’s a great resolution 🙂 It deserves it.
Trombone Shorty is really fantastic! I LOVED the illustrations. Ticky Vic was such an interesting title.I think it has universal appeal – from kids to adults!
I think they both are universal. They are both quite brilliant 🙂
I have yet to read Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina which I borrowed from the library, and very excited to read it now.
I still try to get a nonfiction book posted on Monday, even though Nonfiction Monday has lost some of its shine. I do like the Brown titles, especially the Dust Bowl one!