Earmuffs for Everyone!: How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs by Meghan McCarthy

McCarthy, Meghan. Earmuffs for Everyone!: How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2015. 48p.

This interesting book is all about how earmuffs were made. It includes a lot of diagrams of different earmuffs throughout history. Readers will learn that Chester Greenwood did not invent earmuffs, but that he made them way better! 

This is a great book for nonfiction units and for learning about inventions in science. Students will also learn about patents and how important they are!  

By guest bloggers Harrison and Mohamed, 4 Chaddock

As an Oak Tree Grows by Brian Karas

Karas, G. Brian. As an Oak Tree Grows. New York: Penguin Group, 2014. 32p. 

On a sunny day, a young boy plants an acorn in the ground. Readers can watch the young tree grow into a magnificent oak in the depths of these colorful pages! Go back in time to 1775 and explore the world throughout 200 years as the tree sprouts and grows roots deep in the soil!  

        

This book is good for plant units or life cycle examples. Both students and teachers will love this story of a beautiful oak tree as they learn about a plant’s life cycle. This story is great for teaching young students about the weather and history too!

By guest bloggers Elena and Fielding, 4 Chaddock

For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story by Rebecca Langston-George

Langston-George, Rebecca. For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story. North Mankato: Capstone Young Readers, 2016. 40p.

This is an amazing, true story about a girl named Malala who fought for the right to learn. Malala was the daughter of Ziauddin Yousafzai, who owned a school in Mingora, Pakistan. Malala loved school and books very much. She would do anything to learn, even if it meant she had to fight a group that was outlawing education for girls. 

Soon, it was against the law for girls to go to school where Malala lived. Malala started writing a blog to put how she felt about girls not going to school into words. When her blog was seen, Malala was in great danger. She was on a bus when something horrible happened. What happened to her? Could she survive? Read For The Right To Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story to find out!

This story is perfect for teaching older students about biographies and character education. It's also great for teaching students about nonfiction writing, and it includes wonderful artwork. This book features some social studies information too, as it takes readers from Pakistan to England.

By guest bloggers Natalie and Angela, 4 Chaddock

Austin, Lost in America: A Geography Adventure by Jef Czekaj

Czekaj, Jef. Austin, Lost in America: A Geography Adventure. New York: Balzer + Bray, 2015. 40 p.

Austin the dog, having recently escaped from a pet store, searches for a new home while exploring the United States. Fun, quirky facts about each state, a list of states and capitals, and U.S. maps on the endpapers make this an engaging, informative choice for geography units!

Guinea Pigs Are Not Pigs! by Evelyn Ryan

Ryan, Evelyn. Guinea Pigs Are Not Pigs! New York: Garth Stevens Publishing, 2015. 24p.

Have you ever wondered if guinea pigs are actually pigs? Well, now you know that they are not pigs! Guinea pigs are not pigs because guinea pigs don't roll around in mud. Guinea pigs don't eat slop either. These are a few facts from this interesting nonfiction book. Read the book to find out more!

This book is great for kindergarten, first grade and second grade. For first grade and kindergarten, teachers can read it out loud. For second grade, students can read it independently. It will make nonfiction units fun! It's also good for science units on animals.  

By: Guest bloggers Luke and Nick, 4 Chaddock

True Stories of Animal Tricks and Talents by Arnold Ringstad

Ringstad, Arnold. True Stories of Animal Tricks and Talents. Mankato: The Child's World, 2015. 24p.

This book is about creative and talented animals! Did you know that pigs are very smart? Look in this book to find out what they can do!

Move over, Mozart- You have competition now! Some dogs, like Jacob and Jessica, are very talented at playing the piano, but they have other talents too!

Did you know that dolphins are good at trick-or-treating? You may ask, "What?! They eat candy?!" No, they eat an amazing treat! You may not like it though! Read this book to find out what other tricks these animals are up to!

We recommend this book for second and third grade. Teachers can use the book for character education lessons to help kids see and brainstorm their talents. It's also perfect for nonfiction lessons because it has a table of contents, headings, captions, fact boxes, a glossary and an index. Your students will love reading it! 

By: Guest bloggers Eric and Zach L., 4 Chaddock

Angel Island: Gateway to Gold Mountain by Russell Freedman

Freedman, Russell. Angel Island: Gateway to Gold Mountain. New York: Clarion Books, 2013. 96p.

This book is about immigrants who traveled from Asia to America for wealth, peace and a better life. These immigrants coming to America landed at Angel Island in San Francisco Bay. They had to pass through the Angel Island Immigration Station. Also, they had to pass many difficult examinations and were treated like prisoners. This historical, heartbreaking book tells the immigrants' stories.

This book is great for fourth grade. It is nonfiction. It has chapters, and teachers can use it for their immigration social studies unit. It also has historical photographs. It teaches kids about what it was like to immigrate and how immigrants were treated back then.

By: Guest bloggers Ella and Emily, 4 Chaddock

20 Fun Facts About Galaxies by Michael Sabatino

Sabatino, Michael. 20 Fun Facts About Galaxies. New York: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2015. 32p.

This amazing book is all about galaxies from outer space. It also has super fun and cool facts about outer space like, "Galaxies will eventually fade into nothing!" Also, did you know that, "The first galaxies were formed over 13 billion years ago?" Another awesome fact is that, "The largest known galaxy is about 60 times bigger than our galaxy, the Milky Way." There are many, many more interesting facts about galaxies that you can learn about if you read this fascinating book!

This nonfiction book is useful to teachers because it teaches many things about the universe. It will make science and nonfiction reading units really exciting!

By: Guest bloggers Noah and Zachary W., 4 Chaddock

Lives of the Explorers: Discoveries, Disasters (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull

Krull, Kathleen. Lives of the Explorers: Discoveries, Disasters (and What the Neighbors Thought). New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. 96p.

This is a fascinating book about explorers' lives! The awesome illustrations make the famous people look real. In this book, you will learn about Christopher Columbus, Henry Hudson, and many more explorers. This book will also tell you a little about these famous explorers' lives before they went on their journeys.

This book is perfect for social studies and biography units. If you`re learning about explorers and voyages, it would definitely make learning fun! It's all about famous people who overcame many challenges to follow their dreams!

By: Guest bloggers Jamie and Lincoln, 4 Chaddock

Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos by Stephanie Roth Sisson

Sisson,Stephanie. Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2014. 40p.

As a young boy, Carl Sagan was curious about everything around him. His imagination took him everywhere. But then, he saw some stars. Not knowing what they were, he looked at them every day. How did he find out what they really were? How did he become one of the world's most famous astronomers? Read this interesting book to find out!!! 

This book teaches kids about creativity and some basic facts about space. It's perfect for science and for reading and writing biographies. Its illustrations show some important facts as well.

By: Guest bloggers Jaden, Jake and Zack F., 4 Chaddock

Crocodile or Alligator? by Susan Kralovansky

Kralovansky, Susan. Crocodile or Alligator? North Mankato: Abdo, 2015. 24p.

Discover the differences between crocodiles and alligators in this concise nonfiction book! Well-supported by photographs, the text includes traditional features of nonfiction such as a table of contents, descriptive headings and a glossary. A step-by-step craft section at the end will also entice young readers. 

Fans of this book should check out others in the This or That? series as well!

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art by Barb Rosenstock

Rosenstock, Barb. The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2014. 40p.
 
This picture book biography shares the life of Vasya Kandinsky, a child who was expected to be a proper Russian boy but whose ability to hear sounds in colors made him stand out. After receiving a paint box from his aunt, Vasya began to develop creative, abstract, "noisy" paintings that changed art forever! 

Mary Grandpre's expressive acrylic paint and paper collage illustrations enhance the text, earning the book a 2015 Caldecott Honor medal! 

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant

Bryant, Jen. The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Books, 2014. 42 p.

In this exquisite picture book biography, readers experience Peter Mark Roget's journey from a shy boy who found comfort in lists of words to a medical student, tutor, lecturer, author and inventor of the Thesaurus. Through Jen Bryant's text and Melissa Sweet's watercolor, collage and mixed media illustrations, we learn how Peter Roget has given us an incredible gift- the ability to find precisely the right word for any occasion. This Caldecott Honor book is a treat for all ages!     

Dear Wandering Wildebeest: And Other Poems from the Water Hole by Irene Latham

Latham, Irene. Dear Wandering Wildebeest: And Other Poems from the Water Hole. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, 2014. 34 p.

Animal lovers will adore these beautifully written and illustrated poems about the animals of the African grasslands! Fact boxes accompanying each poem provide additional information on the animals and their environments.

Microwave Man: Percy Spencer and His Sizzling Invention by Sara Latta

Latta, Sara L. Microwave Man: Percy Spencer and His Sizzling Invention. Berkeley Heights: Enslow Publishers, 2014. 48 p.

Become inspired by Percy Spencer, a self-taught man who invented a system for producing radar tubes and later used his knowledge to change homes forever with the invention of the microwave! Learn how a melting candy bar led to one of the most popular inventions of the century as you read this high-interest biography, filled with supporting photographs, illustrations and fun facts.

For additional information on inventors, check out other books in the Inventors at Work series! 

The Woman Who Invented Windshield Wipers: Mary Anderson and Her Wonderful Invention by Sara Latta

Latta, Sara L.The Woman Who Invented Windshield Wipers: Mary Anderson and Her Wonderful Invention. Berkeley Heights: Enslow Publishers, 2014. 48 p.

Find out how Southern belle Mary Anderson solved a challenging issue common to cars of her time in this fascinating biography! Drawings, photographs, and "Real Fact!" pages add to the book's appeal. A perfect read for future inventors!

For additional information on inventors, check out other books in the Inventors at Work series! 

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Queen: Ruth Wakefield and Her Yummy Invention by Carmen Bredeson

Bredeson, Carmen. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Queen: Ruth Wakefield and Her Yummy Invention. Berkeley Heights: Enslow Publishers, 2014. 48p.  

In this fascinating biography, readers will discover interesting facts about Ruth Wakefield, the accidental inventor of chocolate chip cookies! Recipes, photographs, fact boxes, timelines and a "You Be the Inventor" section at the end add to the book's appeal. 

Young inventors will find inspiration in this book and in others within the Inventors at Work series! 

Get Into Art- Animals: Discover Great Art and Create Your Own! by Susie Brooks

Brooks, Susie. Get Into Art- Animals: Discover Great Art and Create Your Own! New York: Kingfisher, 2013. 32p.  

Each two-page spread contains an inspirational artist's masterpiece, an explanation of the work, a short biography of the artist, and a step-by-step related art project for readers to try on their own. This book is wonderful for learning art history while developing artistic skills in a fun, confidence-building way! 

Those Rebels, John & Tom by Barbara Kerley

Kerley, Barbara. Those Rebels, John & Tom. New York: Scholastic Press, 2012. 48p.

In this nonfiction picture book, readers learn how John Adams and Thomas Jefferson set aside their major differences to recognize each other's strengths and to work together for American independence. The "Author's Note" at the conclusion of the story includes facts about the complicated relationship between these two American heroes in the years following the Declaration of Independence.   

For further reading, check out Worst of Friends by Suzanne Jurmain! 

Ice Bear: In the Steps of a Polar Bear by Nicola Davies

Davies, Nicola. Ice Bear: In the Steps of a Polar Bear. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2005. 32p.

This beautifully-written account of a polar bear's life includes many interesting facts on adaptation. The conclusion highlights lessons humans have learned from this amazing species and a couple of ways in which we can protect polar bears' habitat by making eco-friendly choices in our everyday lives. 

Note: This version also includes a read-along CD with music and additional polar bear facts.