Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - 2017 favorites 12.27.17




The coming of the end of a calendar year always surprises me for some reason.  It comes too quickly and with the holidays everything seems so rushed.  I'm always happy to slow down and reflect on the year.  It's always fun to look back on the reading year and reminisce about your favorites!  Here are some of the books I enjoyed this past year.  As I make the lists, I keep noticing books I left off because I forgot to write them down somewhere.  So this may not be a comprehensive list!  They may or may not have been published in the United States.  They may or may not have been published in 2017.  But they were all enjoyed!  Today I'm celebrating some of my favorite nonfiction reads.

The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist
The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist
written by Cynthia Levinson
illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton

Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing
Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing
written by Kay A. Haring
illustrated by Robert Neubecker

One Proud Penny
One Proud Penny
written by Randy Siegel
illustrated by Serge Bloch

Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
by Jason Chin

Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive!
Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive!
written by Joan Paquette and Laurie Thompson

Balderdash!: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books
Balderdash! John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books
written by Michelle Markel
illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code
Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code
written by Laurie Wallmark
illustrated by Katy Wu

If Sharks Disappeared
If Sharks Disappeared
by Lily Williams

Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines
written by Jeanne Walker Harvey
illustrated by Dow Phumiruk

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist
written by Jess Keating
illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns

Can an Aardvark Bark?
Can An Aardvark Bark?
written by Melissa Stewart
illustrated by Steve Jenkins

This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from around the World
This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids From Around the World
written by Matt LaMothe

She Persisted
She Persisted
written by Chelsea Clinton
illustrated by Alexandra Boiger 

The Hidden Life of a Toad
The Hidden Life of a Toad
by Doug Wechsler

Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion
Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion
written by Chris Barton
illustrated by Victo Ngai

Apex Predators: The World's Deadliest Hunters, Past and Present
Apex Predators: The World's Deadliest Hunters, Past and Present
by Steve Jenkins

Robins!: How They Grow Up
Robins! How They Grow Up
written by Eileen Christelow

What Makes a Monster?: Discovering the World's Scariest Creatures
What Makes a Monster?: Discovering the World's Scariest Creatures
written by Jess Keating
illustrated by David DeGrand

Moto and Me: My Year as a Wildcat's Foster Mom
Moto and Me: My Year as a Wildcat's Foster Mom
by Suzi Eszterhas

Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth
Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth
by Don Tate

Full of Fall
Full of Fall
by April Pulley Sayre

Many: The Diversity of Life on Earth
Many - The Diversity of Life on Earth
written by Nicola Davies
illustrated by Emily Sutton

Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire
Pocket Full of Colors: the Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire
written by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville
illustrated by Brigette Barrager

Poison: Deadly Deeds, Perilous Professions, and Murderous Medicines
Poison: Deadly Deeds, Perilous Professions, and Murderous Medicines
by Sarah Albee

How to Be an Elephant
How to be an Elephant
by Katherine Roy

A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider--The Story of E. B. White
A Boy, A Mouse, and a Spider: The Story of E.B. White
written by Barbara Herkert
illustrated by Lauren Castillo

Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters
Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters
written by Michael Mahin
illustrated by Evan Turk

Her Right Foot
Her Right Foot
by Dave Eggers
illustrated by Shawn Harris

How the Cookie Crumbled: The True (and Not-So-True) Stories of the Invention of the Chocolate Chip Cookie
How the Cookie Crumbled: the True (and Not-So-True) Stories of the Invention of the Chocolate Chip Cookie
by Gilbert Ford


What were your favorite nonfiction picture books?  I'm so grateful for the amazing nonfiction writing we have for our readers!


Did you catch my other favorites posts?

Favorite 2017 early readers/early chapter books/transitional chapter books
Favorite 2017 middle grade books 
Favorite 2017 picture books 


See you next week when I look ahead to all of the books I am looking forward to in 2018!



5 comments:

  1. I've loved getting your recommendations every week. Thank you so much!

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  2. Wow, that a fantastic selection of books - some I've read (and loved), and a few are entirely new to me, which is always exciting!! Here's to a wonderful 2018!

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  3. If you're looking for another 2017 book illustrated by She Persisted artist Alexandra Boiger then check out When Jackie Saved Grand Central.

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  4. Great list. There are definitely some I missed!

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  5. I've read all except for three of these & enjoyed them! I loved How to be an Elephant! One of my very favorites as well as Beauty and the Beak. I also loved Fancy Party Gowns

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