Two intrepid librarians

Two intrepid librarians review the best nonfiction books for children

Monday, February 26, 2018

New Nonfiction Releases- January and February

It's great to return to the blog again after a year of being on hiatus. Thanks so much to Louise for blogging solo for over a year. She did a fantastic job!

It looks like it's going to be another banner year for nonfiction. I'm really excited about the 2018 titles I've seen so far. Here are some nonfiction books for children and teens that hit shelves in January and February. Look for reviews of many of these titles in the upcoming months.

Cathy

January Releases

Chasing King's Killer: The Hunt for Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassin
by James L. Swanson
Scholastic Press
On sale: January 2 

Born to Swing: Lil Hardin Armstrong's Life in Jazz
by Mara Rockliff and Michele Wood
Calkins Creek
On sale: January 2 

March Forward Girl: From Young Warrior to Little Rock Nine
by Melba Pattillo Beals
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers
On sale: January 2 

Facing Frederick: The Life of Frederick Douglass, a Monumental American Man
by Tonya Bolden
Abrams Books for Young Readers
On sale: January 9

Very, Very, Very Dreadful: The Influenza Pandemic of 1918
by Albert Marrin
Knopf Books for Young Readers
On sale: January 9

Between the Lines: How Ernie Banks Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery
by Sandra Wallace and Bryan Collier
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
On sale: January 23

A Lady Has the Floor: Belva Lockwood Speaks Out for Women's Rights
by Kate Hannigan and Alison Jay
by Calkins Creek
On sale: January 30

Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!
by Marley Dias
Scholastic Press
On sale: January 30


February Releases

Snowy Owl Invasion: Tracking an Unusual Migration
by Sandra Markle
Millbrook Press
On sale: February 1

Seeing Into Tomorrow
by Richard Wright and Nina Crews
Millbrook Press
On sale: February 1

Becoming Madeleine: A Biography of the Author of A Wrinkle in Time by Her Granddaughters
by Charlotte Jones Voiklis and Lena Roy
Farrar Straus Giroux
On sale: February 6

Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon
by Annette Bay Pimentel and Micha Archer
Nancy Paulsen Books
On sale: February 6

Fly Girls: The Daring American Women Pilots Who Helped Win WWII
by P. O'Connell Pearson
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
On sale: February 6

Votes for Women!: American Suffragists and the Battle for the Ballot
by Winifred Conkling
Algonquin Young Readers
On sale: February 13

A Seed is the Start
by Melissa Stewart
National Geographic
On sale: February 13

Rising Above: Aspiring Women in Sports
by Gregory Zuckerman
Philomel Books
On sale: February 20

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science
by Joyce Sidman
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers
On sale: February 20


All That Trash: The Story of the 1987 Garbage Barge and Our Problem with Stuff
by Meghan McCarthy
Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster
On sale: February 27

Monday, February 19, 2018

Nonfiction sightings at #alamw18

One more post about ALA.

I returned home a week ago, Monday, from Denver. For some reason, I felt this conference was the best one since I started attending back in 2005.  Everything just clicked. I so enjoyed being present at events organized by Holiday House, Chronicle Books, HarperCollins, MacMillan, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and our friends at Boyds Mill Press. I went to sessions hosted by USBBY, ALSC, YALSA and a few on the topic of the Future of Libraries. All were excellent. Because my committee obligations were minimal compared to what is expected being on a book award committee, I had the luxury of spending quite a bit of time at the Exhibit Hall investigating what nonfiction is coming out in 2018. 
If you did not see the post about the Youth Media Awards winners, click here to see the list. Congratulations to all who worked so hard all year reading and evaluating the hundreds of titles. (Check out the Newbery winners)



Here are some of the new titles spotted at #alamw18


Champion: The Comeback Tale of the American Chestnut Tree by Sally M. Walker 
Henry Holt


Dog Days of History: the Incredible Story of Our Best Friends by Sarah Albee
National Geographic


Hawk Rising by Maria Gianferrari
Roaring Brook Press


March Forward Girl: From Young Warrior to Little Rock Nine by Melba Pattillo Beals
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt


Siege: How General Washington Kicked the British Out of Boston and Launched a Revolution by Roxane Orgill


Terrific Tongues!  by Maria Gianferrari
Boyds Mill Press



Happy reading,
Louise

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

2018 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award


I'm back from #ALAMW18 held in Denver, Colorado. It was an exciting adventure. In case you missed it, on Monday, February 12, the 2018 Youth Media Awards were announced at ALA's Midwinter meeting. I was thrilled with the titles chosen by the 2018 Robert F. Sibert Award Committee.  I can't believe I left off my best list Twelve Days in May: Freedom Ride 1961 by Larry Dane Brimner. It is an excellent book. I will be so happy when Cathy returns! (It should be soon) Two heads are always better than one.

I want to give a huge thank you to all the individuals on all the book award committees. They spend all their free time for a whole year reading and taking copious notes on hundreds and hundreds of books. (It's true!) Their dedication to the process is greatly appreciated.



The 2018 Sibert Honor Books



Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix
written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and June Jo Lee; illustrated by Man One



Grand Canyon 



Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask about Having a Disability
written by Shane Burcaw; illustrated by Matt Carr



Sea Otter Heroes: the Predators That Saved an Ecosystem
written by Patricia Newman

And...the winner is...



Twelve Days in May: Freedom Ride 1961

Monday, February 5, 2018

Headed to ALA Midwinter #ALAMW18


It's hard to believe but this week, Cathy and I are headed to Denver and #ALAMW18.  Cathy will be busy with her committee work, while I attend some sessions and then spend time visiting publisher booths to see what new nonfiction titles are coming out this year. I will snap pictures of the book covers to share upon my return. 

Be sure to tune in to the awards announcements on Monday morning, February 12, 2018.
I am always wondering how many of the winners I have read. You, too? Will you agree with the winners? Leave a comment on what books you hope will win.

More later...
Louise