Literary Genre Bibliography: Nonfiction
Grades K-2
Davies, Nicola, and Luciano Lozano. I Don't like Snakes. Somerville: Candlewick, 2015. ISBN:
9780763678319.
Summary: As the sister in a snake loving family tells each reason why she doesn’t like snakes, they give
her information and facts about snakes in general and also information about specific snakes with
drawings. This helps her decide that snakes are really cool and she does like snakes after all!
Curricular use: Great read aloud for K-2 and enough information and oooh factor for 3rd and 4th. Could
use as a structure for writing or a model for research projects. (Would also work well with 3rd grades
science unit – Structures of Life)
Audience: K-6.
Paul, Miranda, and Jason Chin. Water Is Water: A Book about the Water Cycle. New York: Roaring
Brook, 2015. ISBN: 9781596439849.
Summary: This beautifully illustrated book shows the different forms of water (ice, fog, etc.) in
children’s lives. It is not really about the water cycle, but appreciating water in all its forms. Using
great vocabulary and follows a pattern: Snow is snow unless…..
Curricular use: Great read aloud for K-2 to extend vocabulary. Would work great with Raindrops Roll by
April Pulley Sayre. Also goes with Water science unit in 3rd grade. Older students could follow the
pattern and make their own weather book.
Audience: K - 3
Grades 3-4
Eggers, Dave, and Tucker Nichols. This Bridge Will Not Be Gray. San Francisco, CA: McSweeney's, 2015.
ISBN: 9780544313651.
Summary: Conversational and humorous text and unique artwork tell how people influenced and
changed the color of the bridge the Golden Gate Bridge.
Curricular use: Develops idea of how plans and projects change over time. Would pair well with The
Fantastic Ferris Wheel: The Story of Inventor George Ferris by Betsy Harvey Kraft and Steven
Salerno.
Audience: 3 - 6
Jenkins, Steve, and Robin Page. How to Swallow a Pig: Step-by-step Advice from the Animal Kingdom.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. ISBN: 9780544313651.
Summary: Gives a step by step directions for many animal’s techniques or skills. Fun look with Steve
Jenkin’s great illustrations at how animals use their unusual skills.
Curricular use: Great with any animal unit (Structures of Life in 3rd) or a fun way to model writing
directions.
Audience: 3-6
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Grades 5-6
Aldrin, Buzz, and Marianne J. Dyson. Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet.
Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Kids, 2015. ISBN: 9781426322068.
Summary: Buzz Aldrin is encouraging children to be interested in space exploration as this book explores
living on Mars in the near future. Covers all areas of going to and living on Mars with background
information and experiments. Very appealing photos and graphics.
Curricular use: Would tie in to with 5th grade Sun, Moon, and Planets unit.
Audience: 5-6
Markle, Sandra. The Great Monkey Rescue: Saving the Golden Lion Tamarins. Minneapolis: Milbrook,
2016. ISBN: 9781467780308.
Summary: Great photos and straight forward text tell the story of the Golden Lion Tamarins that almost
became extinct due to deforestation and how scientists worked to reintroduce them in the wild.
Curricular use: Examples and discussion about problem solving in nature and how changes in a habitat
have unpredictable effects. Fits with 6th Grade Diversity of Life science unit.
Audience: 3 - 6
Series
Krasner, Barbara. Native Nations of the Northeast. Mankato: Child's World, 2016. Series: Native
Nations of North America. ISBN: 9781634070324.
Summary: Each book (region) contains 4 pages of text and photos of the groups in each area.
Curricular use: 5th grade social studies – has groups that a library doesn’t usually have a book for.
Audience: 3 -6
Larson, Kirsten W. Vampires in Nature. Mankato: Amicus, 2016. Series: Freaky Nature. ISBN:
9781607537823.
Summary: One page of text combined with a one page photo of very unusual animals. Other books in
series are Mutants in Nature, Super Powers in Nature, and Zombies in Nature.
Curricular use: Popular with students
Audience: 1-6
Mead, Wendy. Kids Top 10 Pet Birds. Berkeley Heights: Enslow, 2015. Series: Top 10 Pets for Kids. ISBN:
9780766066250.
Summary: Nice format of photos and information
Curricular use: Popular with students
Audience: 3-6
Meister, Cari. Volcanoes. Minneapolis: Pogo, 2016. Series: Disaster Zone. ISBN: 9781620312278.
Summary: Simple text and photos
Curricular use: Popular with students
Audience: 1-3
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Series - Continued
Nagelhout, Ryan. Becoming a Pro Football Player. New York: Gareth Stevens, 2015. Series: Becoming a
Pro. ISBN: 9781482420630.
Summary: Stages for working towards being a pro starting with playing as a youth. Other series titles are
Becoming a Pro Auto Racer, Becoming a Pro Baseball Player, Becoming a Pro Basketball Player,
Becoming a Pro Hockey Player, and Becoming a Pro Soccer Player.
Curricular use: Popular with students
Audience: 3-6
Roumanis, Alexis. Grasslands. New York: AV2, 2016. Series: Exploring Ecosystems. ISBN:
9781489630063.
Summary: Simple facts with lots of great photos. Other books in series are Coral Reefs, Deserts,
Mountains, Oceans, and Rainforests.
Curricular use: Biomes/Habitats in 4th (High-Lo)
Audience: 1-4
Turnbull, Stephanie. Thirsty!: Could You Find Water in the World's Wildest Places? Mankato: Smart
Apple Media, 2015. Series: Survival Challenge. ISBN: 9781625882189.
Summary: Survival information with examples of people’s real life survival experiences. Other titles in
series are Cold! Emergency! Hungry! Lost! Stranded!
Curricular use: Very popular with students
Audience: 3-6
Exceptional Books – If You Have the Right Reader
Carson, Mary Kay. Inside Biosphere 2: Earth Science Under Glass. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2015.
ISBN: 9780544416642.
Summary: Heavy on text, but great information
Curricular use: Use with Living Systems in 5th
Audience: 5-6
Collard, Sneed B. Fire Birds: Valuing Natural Wildfires and Burned Forests. Missoula: Bucking Horse,
2015. ISBN: 9780984446070.
Summary: Tells the positive effects of forest fires for birds in the Rocky Mountains. Great photos.
Curricular use: Use when studying the relationships between fires, plants and animal life in a habitat.
Audience: 5-6
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Rhythm Ride: A Road Trip through the Motown Sound. New York: Roaring
Brook, 2015. ISBN: 9781596439733.
Summary: Chronicles the artists and sound through the history of Motown. For the highly interested
student.
Curricular use: Could pull out information for biographies, Black History or music.
Audience: 5-6
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Exceptional Books – If You Have the Right Reader (Continued)
Winchester, Simon. When the Earth Shakes: Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunamis. New York:
Penguin, 2015. ISBN: 9780670785360.
Summary: Lots of information about volcanoes and the history of volcanoes and their effect throughout
the world. Great pictures with both narrative and expository text.
Curricular use: Studying cause and effect of natural occurrences.
Audience: 5-6
Too Good to Miss
Buzzeo, Toni, and Holly Berry. A Passion for Elephants: The Real Life Adventure of Field Scientist
Cynthia Moss. New York: Dial for Young Readers, 2015. ISBN: 9780399187254. Easy to read picture
book about how Cynthia studied elephants in the wild and became their champion. Great read
aloud about people who follow their passion and make a difference.
Jenkins, Steve, and Robin Page. Egg: Nature's Perfect Package. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
2015. ISBN: 9780547959092. Packed with information with Jenkins’ great art.
Kraft, Betsy Harvey, and Steven Salerno. The Fantastic Ferris Wheel: The Story of Inventor George
Ferris. New York: Henry Holt, 2015. ISBN: 9781627790727. Readers will be amazed at the Ferris
Wheel built for the Columbian Exposition of 1893 (Chicago’s World Fair) in this picture book.
London, Jonathan, and Matthew Trueman. Hippos Are Huge! Somerville: Candlewick, 2015. ISBN:
9780763665920. Fun picture book packed with facts (yes, even how they poop) about hippos. Great
illustrations with 2 kinds of informational text – larger font has basic information, smaller font has
more detailed information.
Sayre, April Pulley. Raindrops Roll. New York: Beach Lane, 2015. ISBN: 9781481420648. Amazing
photographs with simple sentences, but great vocabulary.
Slade, Suzanne, and Jennifer Black Reinhardt. The Inventor's Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry
Ford. Watertown: Charlesbridge, 2015. ISBN: 9781580896672. When Henry Ford was discouraged
because his inventions and models weren’t working out, he engineered a meeting with Thomas
Edison to find out his secret of success. It turns out he already knew the secret. Hint: Starting with
the Model A, he went through the alphabet until he got to his Model T. Great read aloud for
perseverance.
Stewart, Melissa, and Taia Morley. Hurricane Watch. New York: Harper, 2015. ISBN: 978-0-06-232776-5.
Part of a series, but the other books are not weather related. Has great information about
hurricanes that makes them easier to understand.
Walker, Sally M., and Jonathan D. Voss. Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-thePooh. New York: Henry Holt, 2015. ISBN: 9780805097153. Great picture (nonfiction book) about the
origins of Winnie-the-Pooh. Has actual photographs on the end papers. Would be great to pair with
the picture book, Finding Winnie : The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay
Mattick.
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