Non-Fiction and Historical Fiction
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Middle
TITLE: A Big Cheese for the White House
AUTHOR: Candace Fleming
YEAR: 2004
When the good people of Cheshire, MA learn that a cheese other than Cheshire cheddar is being eaten in Washington DC, they hatch a plan to regain their town's place as exclusive provider of cheese to the nation's capitol. The plan involves creating a humongous wheel of cheese and shipping it to the White House as a gift to Thomas Jefferson. The kids thought this was all pretty hilarious, and got a "taste" of how truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction.
TITLE: A Big Cheese for the White House
AUTHOR: Candace Fleming
YEAR: 2004
When the good people of Cheshire, MA learn that a cheese other than Cheshire cheddar is being eaten in Washington DC, they hatch a plan to regain their town's place as exclusive provider of cheese to the nation's capitol. The plan involves creating a humongous wheel of cheese and shipping it to the White House as a gift to Thomas Jefferson. The kids thought this was all pretty hilarious, and got a "taste" of how truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction.
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Up
TITLE: City of Snow, The Great Blizzard of 1888
AUTHOR: Linda Oatman High
YEAR: 2004
The illustrations in this book about the blizzard that hit NY and the East Coast in 1888 are gorgeous. The story is told in rhymes and is decent, but the pictures alone make it worth a look.
TITLE: City of Snow, The Great Blizzard of 1888
AUTHOR: Linda Oatman High
YEAR: 2004
The illustrations in this book about the blizzard that hit NY and the East Coast in 1888 are gorgeous. The story is told in rhymes and is decent, but the pictures alone make it worth a look.
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Up
TITLE: Ducky
AUTHOR: Eve Bunting
YEAR: 2004
This one is more historical fiction than non-fiction (considering the narrator is a duck!), but tells of the really cool true story of the voyage of a container of toys that was lost at sea.
TITLE: Ducky
AUTHOR: Eve Bunting
YEAR: 2004
This one is more historical fiction than non-fiction (considering the narrator is a duck!), but tells of the really cool true story of the voyage of a container of toys that was lost at sea.
Mom: Thumbs up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Up
TITLE: The First Marathon - The Legend of Pheidippides
AUTHOR: Susan Reynolds
YEAR: 2006
This is a well told version of the original marathon story. It traces Pheidippides' epic run from Athens to Sparta and back (140 miles each way), followed by a 25 mile march to Marathon and service in battle against the Persians, after which he ran back from Marathon to Athens and then promptly dropped dead (wouldn't you?).
TITLE: The First Marathon - The Legend of Pheidippides
AUTHOR: Susan Reynolds
YEAR: 2006
This is a well told version of the original marathon story. It traces Pheidippides' epic run from Athens to Sparta and back (140 miles each way), followed by a 25 mile march to Marathon and service in battle against the Persians, after which he ran back from Marathon to Athens and then promptly dropped dead (wouldn't you?).
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Up
TITLE: Going Lobstering
AUTHOR: Jerry Pallotta
YEAR: 1990
This nice book about two kids who get to go out on a lobster boat is quite educational and not a bit boring. We must have read it 50 times!
TITLE: Going Lobstering
AUTHOR: Jerry Pallotta
YEAR: 1990
This nice book about two kids who get to go out on a lobster boat is quite educational and not a bit boring. We must have read it 50 times!
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Up
TITLE: Librarian on the Roof
AUTHOR: M.G. King
YEAR: 2010
M.G. King tells the true story of a Texas librarian who took to the roof of her town's library to call attention to the need to raise $20,000 for a new children's room. In the end she raises $40,000, builds the room, and brings a tear to my eye (who doesn't love a good library children's room?).
TITLE: Librarian on the Roof
AUTHOR: M.G. King
YEAR: 2010
M.G. King tells the true story of a Texas librarian who took to the roof of her town's library to call attention to the need to raise $20,000 for a new children's room. In the end she raises $40,000, builds the room, and brings a tear to my eye (who doesn't love a good library children's room?).
Mom: Thumbs Middle Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Up
TITLE: Little Lost Dog
AUTHOR: Monica Carnesi
YEAR: 2012
This is a sweet book about a dog who was spotted floating on an ice floe in a river in Poland in 2010, and was rescued and kept as a pet by the ship's crew.
TITLE: Little Lost Dog
AUTHOR: Monica Carnesi
YEAR: 2012
This is a sweet book about a dog who was spotted floating on an ice floe in a river in Poland in 2010, and was rescued and kept as a pet by the ship's crew.
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Up
TITLE: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
AUTHOR: Mordicai Gerstein
YEAR: 2007
Gerstein tells the amazing true story of the morning in 1974 when Philippe Petit strung a tightrope between the twin towers in New York and stunned the city and the world by spending 45 minutes walking and dancing thousands of feet above the ground. As it was written in 2007, it mentions the destruction of the twin towers, but only very briefly.
TITLE: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
AUTHOR: Mordicai Gerstein
YEAR: 2007
Gerstein tells the amazing true story of the morning in 1974 when Philippe Petit strung a tightrope between the twin towers in New York and stunned the city and the world by spending 45 minutes walking and dancing thousands of feet above the ground. As it was written in 2007, it mentions the destruction of the twin towers, but only very briefly.
Mom: Thumbs Middle Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Up
TITLE: Molasses Flood
AUTHOR: Blair Lent
YEAR: 1992
Another historical fiction book, this one is about a boy who is caught in the Great Molasses Flood of 1919 in Boston. The kids were fascinated by the story of the flood in general, but I think they would have preferred real photos to the cartoonish drawings in this book.
TITLE: Molasses Flood
AUTHOR: Blair Lent
YEAR: 1992
Another historical fiction book, this one is about a boy who is caught in the Great Molasses Flood of 1919 in Boston. The kids were fascinated by the story of the flood in general, but I think they would have preferred real photos to the cartoonish drawings in this book.
Mom: Thumbs Middle Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Middle
TITLE: My Senator and Me: A Dog's Eye View of Washington D.C.
AUTHOR: Edward Kennedy
YEAR: 2006
Ted Kennedy wrote this nice book from the perspective of his dog, Splash, who accompanies him through a typical day as a senator. The kids enjoyed the fun story, but I think Kennedy could have done a better job of giving his readers some civics basics to help them follow along more closely.
TITLE: My Senator and Me: A Dog's Eye View of Washington D.C.
AUTHOR: Edward Kennedy
YEAR: 2006
Ted Kennedy wrote this nice book from the perspective of his dog, Splash, who accompanies him through a typical day as a senator. The kids enjoyed the fun story, but I think Kennedy could have done a better job of giving his readers some civics basics to help them follow along more closely.
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Up
TITLE: Now and Ben
AUTHOR: Gene Barretta
YEAR: 2008
This is a good introduction to Ben Franklin and all the many things he invented, some of which are still widely used today (e.g., post office, fire department), and some of which are not (e.g., glass harmonica).
TITLE: Now and Ben
AUTHOR: Gene Barretta
YEAR: 2008
This is a good introduction to Ben Franklin and all the many things he invented, some of which are still widely used today (e.g., post office, fire department), and some of which are not (e.g., glass harmonica).
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Up
TITLE: Planting the Trees of Kenya
AUTHOR: Claire Nivola
YEAR: 2012
Nivola tells the story of how Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangari Maathai, led a movement to repair the environment, the economy and the health of the people of Kenya by planting trees to replace those that had carelessly been cut down.
TITLE: Planting the Trees of Kenya
AUTHOR: Claire Nivola
YEAR: 2012
Nivola tells the story of how Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangari Maathai, led a movement to repair the environment, the economy and the health of the people of Kenya by planting trees to replace those that had carelessly been cut down.
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Down
TITLE: Rocks in His Head
AUTHOR: Carol Otis Hurst
YEAR: 2001
Hurst tells the uplifting story of her father's life long love of rocks and minerals, and how his hobby eventually landed him a job (during the depression) as a janitor in a Science Museum, and ultimately, despite his lack of a college degree, a position as Head Curator of Mineralogy.
TITLE: Rocks in His Head
AUTHOR: Carol Otis Hurst
YEAR: 2001
Hurst tells the uplifting story of her father's life long love of rocks and minerals, and how his hobby eventually landed him a job (during the depression) as a janitor in a Science Museum, and ultimately, despite his lack of a college degree, a position as Head Curator of Mineralogy.
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Middle
TITLE: Sleds on Boston Common
AUTHOR: Louise Borden
YEAR: 2000
This one is a bit on the long side, so probably better for kids on the older end of the picture book range. It is set in colonial Boston and tells the engaging story (possibly true, possibly apocryphal) of a 9 year-old who finds the bravery to confront the British troops camped on the Common with a plea to make room for him and his siblings to use their new sled on the freshly fallen snow.
TITLE: Sleds on Boston Common
AUTHOR: Louise Borden
YEAR: 2000
This one is a bit on the long side, so probably better for kids on the older end of the picture book range. It is set in colonial Boston and tells the engaging story (possibly true, possibly apocryphal) of a 9 year-old who finds the bravery to confront the British troops camped on the Common with a plea to make room for him and his siblings to use their new sled on the freshly fallen snow.
Mom: Thumbs Middle Nicholas: Thumbs Middle Julia: Thumbs Middle
TITLE: Stand Straight Ella Kate: The True Story of a Real Giant
AUTHOR: Kate Klise
YEAR: 2010
This book tells the story of a woman born in the late 19th century who grew to be over 8 feet tall and toured the country with circuses and fairs to earn money for her family. The mood is upbeat and optimistic, but the "freak show" subtext is a little disturbing.
TITLE: Stand Straight Ella Kate: The True Story of a Real Giant
AUTHOR: Kate Klise
YEAR: 2010
This book tells the story of a woman born in the late 19th century who grew to be over 8 feet tall and toured the country with circuses and fairs to earn money for her family. The mood is upbeat and optimistic, but the "freak show" subtext is a little disturbing.
Mom: Thumbs Middle Nicholas: Thumbs Middle Julia: Thumbs Down
TITLE: Sugaring
AUTHOR: Jessie Haas
YEAR: 1996
Sugaring is a book about how maple sap is collected and turned into maple syrup. Julia was bored by it and Nicholas thought it was just OK, but I am a sucker for snowy winter-in-New-England pictures and pretty much anything to do with maple syrup!
TITLE: Sugaring
AUTHOR: Jessie Haas
YEAR: 1996
Sugaring is a book about how maple sap is collected and turned into maple syrup. Julia was bored by it and Nicholas thought it was just OK, but I am a sucker for snowy winter-in-New-England pictures and pretty much anything to do with maple syrup!
Mom: Thumbs Up Nicholas: Thumbs Up Julia: Thumbs Middle
TITLE: The Wild Boy
AUTHOR: Mordicai Gerstein
YEAR: 2002
This is the fascinating and thought-provoking true story of a boy who was found living in the forest in France at the turn of the 19th century. He is taken in by a Parisian doctor who essentially adopts and attempts to civilize the boy.
TITLE: The Wild Boy
AUTHOR: Mordicai Gerstein
YEAR: 2002
This is the fascinating and thought-provoking true story of a boy who was found living in the forest in France at the turn of the 19th century. He is taken in by a Parisian doctor who essentially adopts and attempts to civilize the boy.