These exciting nonfiction titles were published in May.
PRIMARY NONFICTION
Around the World Right Now by Gina Cascone & Bryony Williams Sheppard (ill. by Olivia Beckman). 9781585369768. 2017. Gr K-3.
Travel on a journey around the world for each of the day’s twenty-four hours. See what people might be doing, from six in the morning in San Francisco, California, all the way across the world to Bangkok in Thailand, where it is already nine o’clock at night.
Different? Same! by Heather Tekavec (ill. by Pippa Curnick). 9781771385657. 2017. Gr PK-1.
Two animals can be different, but at the same time they can be the same! Zebras, bumblebees, lemurs, and tigers get around in different ways—but they all have stripes. The author contrasts other groups of four animals, only to look at them again to show off their similarities.
Electricity in Your Life by Bo-Hyun (ill. by Sung-Hua Kwak). 9781939248169. 2017. Gr K-2.
A young girl realizes all the ways electricity impacts her life, and how different her world would be without electricity.
Go, Green Gecko! by Gay Hay (ill. by Margaret Tolland). 9781760360337. 2017. Gr K-2.
Follow a little green gecko around the backyard to learn about its behavior, life cycle, and habitat.
If Sharks Disappeared by Lily Williams. 9781626724136. 2017. Gr 1-3.
Sharks are very important to the health of oceans. Read about what might happen if they all disappeared.
Kate Warne, Pinkerton Detective by Marissa Moss (ill. by April Chu). 9781939547330. 2017. Gr 1-3.
Read this picture book biography of the first woman to be a detective at the prestigious Pinkerton Detective Agency.
Long May She Wave : The True Story of Caroline Pickersgill and Her Star-Spangled Creation by Kristen Fulton (ill. by Holly Berry). 9781481460965. 2017. Gr K-2.
Read the true story of Caroline Pickersgill and her family. They made the United States flag that was waving at Fort McHenry when the British attacked it in the War of 1812, the flag that inspired the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
Margaret and the Moon : How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing by Dean Robbins (ill. by Lucy Knisley). 9780399551857. 2017. Gr PK-3.
Pioneer scientist Margaret Hamilton was fascinated with stars as a young girl. As an adult, she eventually convinced NASA scientists to use computer software to send the Apollo missions to the moon.
Maya Lin : Artist-Architect of Light and Lines by Jeanne Walker Harvey (ill. by Dow Phumiruk). 9781250112491. 2017. Gr PK-3.
This picture book biography of the famous architect describes her childhood, explaining how her love of nature inspires her buildings. Maya Lin’s design for the Vietnam War Memorial won even though she was still in college at the time.
This Is How We Do It : One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from around the World by Matt Lamothe. 9781452150185. 2017. Gr K-3.
Learn about life in seven countries from real kids living in Italy, Japan, Iran, India, Peru, Uganda, and Russia. They explain that, though their activities are different from each other, their daily routines are very similar.
The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Jerry Pinkney. 9780316341578. 2017. Gr PK-3.
When two small hungry goats trot across a bridge that separates them from a lush green valley, the troll guarding the bridge has other plans. The goats will have to outsmart the troll if they hope to make it safely to the other side. This familiar fairy tale is illustrated by the award-winning Jerry Pinkney.
Up! Up! Up! Skyscraper by Anastasia Suen (ill. by Ryan O’Rourke). 9781580897105. 2017. Gr PK-2.
Kids learn the process of building a skyscraper from the construction team as they dig, pour, pound, bolt, and more. Sidebars add more information to the rhyming text.
Wordplay (Toon) by Ivan Brunetti. 9781943145171. 2017. Gr K-2.
This humorous, cartoon introduction to compound words follows a young student named Annemarie who learns how to have fun with language.
INTERMEDIATE NONFICTION
Chasing Space : Young Readers’ Edition by Leland Melvin. 9780062665928. 2017. Gr 4-6.
Leland Melvin, a former NASA astronaut and NFL wide receiver, adapts his adult memoir for young readers.
Cricket in the Thicket : Poems about Bugs by Carol Murray (ill. by Melissa Sweet).9780805098181. 2017. Gr 2-5.
The poems in this collection feature different insects, and fact boxes for each insect are also included.
Grace Hopper : Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark (ill. by Katy Wu). 9781454920007. 2017. Gr 3-6.
Grace Murray Hopper coined the term “computer bug” and invented the programming language that taught computers how to recognize English words, which is the basis for all modern computer software.
Meatless? : A Fresh Look at What You Eat by Sarah Elton (ill. by Julie McLaughlin).9781926818436. 2017. Gr 3-6.
This interesting history of meat-based diets explores why and how people choose a vegetarian lifestyle.
Real Friends by Shannon Hale (ill. by LeUyen Pham). 9781626724167. 2017. Gr 3-6.
(Graphic novel) Author Shannon Hale writes about her experiences from kindergarten through fifth grade as she tried to make and be a friend and how difficult it was for her.
Seven Wonders of the Solar System by David A. Aguilar. 9780451476852. 2017. Gr 4-7.
Take a trip around the solar system to discover seven amazing sights, from the largest volcano (on Mars) to the deepest oceans (on Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons) and beyond to check out if Planet 9 really exists. David Aguilar, an astronomer, is the navigator on our exciting journey.
MIDDLE SCHOOL NONFICTION
Be the One : Six True Stories of Teens Overcoming Hardship with Hope by Byron Pitts. 9781442483828. 2017. Gr 7-10.
Read the stories of six kids who, despite bullying, abuse, war, drug addiction, mental illness, and violence, overcame their problems and now offer hope to others.
Brave by Svetlana Chmakova. 9780316363174. 2017. Gr 5-8.
Jensen dreams of being a brave hero, but his reality in middle school is very different. Will he be able to find real solutions to his problems? This graphic novel is by the author of Awkward.
How to Keep a Werewolf : And Other Exotic Pets Which May or Not a) Exist or b) Eat You by Fiona Bowron & Tom Jennings. 9781911042266. 2017. Gr 5-8.
Before I let my kids have a pet (and we had plenty!), I always made them read a book on taking care of it. This book is for those who want to get a cryptological or mythological pet, such as a sea monster, phoenix, yeti, werewolf, or more.
Magellan : Over the Edge of the World by Laurence Bergreen. 9781626721203. 2017. Gr 7-10.
This adaptation of Bergreen’s adult best-seller follow the historic voyage of Ferdinand Magellan—the first to circle the world. Thrills, danger, mutiny, murder, and tragedy—an exciting adventure and great addition to a course on early explorers.
The New Ocean : The Fate of Life in a Changing Sea by Bryn Barnard. 9780375870491. 2017. Gr 5-8.
Examine the potential fate of six ocean creatures—jellyfish, orcas, sea turtles, tuna, corals, and blue-green algae—and learn how their fate could ultimately affect mankind.
Philanthroparties! : A Party-Planning Guide for Kids Who Want to Give Back by Lulu Cerone. 9781582705873. 2017. Gr 6-8.
The seventeen-year-old author provides ideas on how to combine fun with social activism in this party planning guide. The book includes party ideas, games, recipes, crafts, as well as personal stories and suggestions for causes.
Science Comics : Flying Machines : How the Wright Brothers Soared (Science Comics) by Alison Wilgus & Molly Brooks. 9781626721401. 2017. Gr 4-8.
A graphic novel biography of the innovative Wright brothers.
HIGH SCHOOL NONFICTION
Chasing Space : An Astronaut’s Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances by Leland Melvin. 9780062496720. 2017. Gr 11-Adult.
Leland Melvin, a former NASA astronaut and NFL wide receiver, tells his amazing life story.
Deep Water (Simon True) by Katherine Nichols. 9781481481076. 2017. Gr 9-12.
Nichols tells the true story of Eddie Otero who, wanting a chance at the good life, agreed to smuggle illegal drugs from Mexico by swimming them at night past the border patrol. This one bad decision led to more crimes until he was caught. Also published in May is One Cut by Eve Porinchak, in which a neighborhood fight between teens led to murder convictions.
Double Cross : Deception Techniques in War by Paul B. Janeczko. 9780763660420. 2017. Gr 7-12.
Enemies have always strived to win battles through deceit; they only difference between now and ancient times is the methods. Janeczko, author of The Dark Game (about spies), tells the stories of deception from the Biblical story of Gideon to the disinformation and duplicity of today.
The Factory Girls : A Kaleidoscopic Account of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire by Christine Seifert. 9781942186458. 2017. Gr 7-12.
In the early 20th century, teen immigrant girls labored in factories, making clothes under brutal conditions set by greedy factory owners. The turning point was the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in 1911, in which over one hundred people died because they had been locked in. This book looks at how the history of fashion, the desire for goods, and the advances in industry fostered a culture of greed.
How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana. 9780062470140. 2017. Gr 7-12.
Sandra was ten years old when rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo killed her mother and sister. She managed to escape and found refuge in the United States through a refugee program. However, in middle school in New York she realized she needed to overcome her ethnic disconnect and give voice to her people.
Queer, There, and Everywhere : 23 People Who Changed the World by Sarah Prager. 9780062474315. 2017. Gr 8-12.
These twenty-three men and women throughout history are considered to be part of the queer community, as well as openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Included are the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Lili Elbe, and Alan Turing—all people who have greatly influenced history and paved the way for the modern gay and transgender rights movement.
Shattered Warrior by Sharon Shinn & Molly Knox Ostertag. 9781626720893. 2017. Gr 8-12.
(Graphic novel) Eight years after the alien Derichets conquered her world and killed her family, Colleen exists alone, far from the city in a Derichet family, with only her human coworkers and, unlikely as it sounds, a Derichet factory overseer. Then the recklessly brave Jann and his rebel Chromatti invade Colleen’s village, and start a revolution.
Spill Zone (Book 1) by Scott Westerfeld & Alex Puvilland. 9781596439368. 2017. Gr 10-12.
(Graphic novel) Three years after an inexplicable event in upstate New York destroyed Addison’s hometown, the Spill Zone has become a waking nightmare of unearthly and lethal dangers. To make money, Addie risks capture by sneaking into the Zone to take pictures and sell them. But one day she ventures in too far, where something sinister is calling her name.
Tuesday’s Promise : One Veteran, One Dog, and Their Bold Quest to Change Lives by Luis Carlos Montalvan. 9780316314411. 2017. Gr 11-Adult.
Luis Montalván writes again about his service dog, Tuesday’s, and their mission to help soldiers, veterans, and others with disabilities in their search for healing and peace. Luis had to make a hard decision on whether or not to live his life in a wheelchair at the same time that he was trying to make room in his life for another furry friend.
We Have No Idea : A Guide to the Unknown Universe by Jorge Cham & Daniel Whiteson. 9780735211513. 2017. Gr 10-Adult.
There are lots of books that explain what we know and how we know it, but this one does the opposite. Using infographics, cartoons, and a witty, conversational tone, Cham and White try to explain what science doesn’t know and why we don’t yet know it.
