Thrilling, Terrible, Thoughtful...and True
Thrilling, Terrible, Thoughtful...and True
by
Kate Marley
The great thing about non-fiction books for children these
days is that there are so MANY of them. Picking only a
few good ones becomes nearly impossible - there are so many
wonderful books to choose from! Books about birds, beasts and bugs
are still most kids’ favorite non-fiction fare, and again,
there are so many good animal series out, that parents may be hard
pressed to pick just one or two.
But most of the following I chose because of their
usefulness for school papers or book reports. That doesn’t
mean that they are boring to read, however!
PICTURE BOOKS
Pink Snow and Other Weird Weather
by Jennifer Dussling. c
1998, Grosset & Dunlap.
This is a neat and simple book about some of the strange
things weather can do, including toads falling in a
rainstorm, odd lightning strikes, and freakish tornadoes.
Cartoonish illustrations by Heidi Potach add to the
whimsical nature of the book.
Destination : Jupiter
by Seymour Simon. c 1998, Morrow Junior
Books.
Fully updated with new information and stunning photographs
from the unmanned spacecraft Galileo, this book is great for
kids who want to learn more about the largest planet in our
solar system.
The Best Book of Bugs
by Claire Llewellyn. c 1998, Kingfisher.
This big, colorful offering of little beasties will delight
bug lovers with plenty of drawings and just enough text for
a short profile on each major insect group.
Turn of the Century
by Ellen Jackson. c 1998, Charlesbridge
Publishing.
This was such a great idea! Every double page spread has a
short profile of a child celebrating New Year’s Day of each
new century starting with March 25, 1000, and then some
interesting facts are listed about life in Europe (or
America) during that century. Intricate and colorful
illustrations by Jan Davey Ellis show typical clothing,
games, food and shelter. A fascinating book, sure to
generate discussion with all ages.
TRANSITIONAL BOOKS
Children of the Midnight Sun
by Tricia Brown. c 1998, Alaska
Northwest Books.
Seven different Native American tribes of Alaska are
represented by youngsters who show us Alaska from a child’s
perspective, with all the love and awe of the land they live
in, as well as their own unique ways of life. Excellent
photographs by Roy Corral capture not only the children, but
the incredible beauty of Alaska.
Take a Look, It's in a Book
by Ronnie Krauss. c 1997, Walker
and Company.
Most kids (and adults!) will recognize the title as a line
in the lyrics to Reading Rainbow’s theme song, a popular TV
show that promotes reading and books for children. This
fascinating book takes readers through each step needed to
produce one episode. Lots of colorful and detailed photos by
Christopher Hornsby bring the action up close and personal.
It’s an education in how complicated television shows are to
make.
With Love
by Jane Goodall. c 1994, North-South Books.
The subtitle sums it up - “ten heartwarming stories of
chimpanzees in the wild”. For animal lovers, it’s a
reaffirmation of positive qualities such as love,
compassion, and heroism that skeptics attribute only to
humans. It’s a wonderful collection of stories, and
beautifully illustrated by Alan Marks.
Raptors! : The Nastiest Dinosaurs
by Don Lessem. c 1996,
Little, Brown.
For kids who want the other side of nature, the ruthless
rip-em apart for dinner crowd…then this book is for you.
Filled with the latest scientific discoveries, and gory
illustrations by David Peters, it’s a dinosaurs lovers delight.
FOR OLDER READERS
Life in Prison
by Stanley "Tookie" Williams, with Barbara
Cottman Becnel. c 1998, Morrow Junior Books.
Told in first person, this grim and realistic picture of
prison life is meant by the author to serve as a cautionary
tale for youngsters who may be misled into thinking, as he
was, that prisons are ‘gladiator schools’, a cool and manly
place to be. And he does a really good job describing the
caged feelings, the danger, humiliations, and grime.
But it bothered me that his dedication was to black
activists - as if he was part of that company. Not only is
it a bit racist, but presumptive as well. Stanley Williams,
co-founder of the Crips, and convicted of four murders, does
not deserve to be ranked with Nelson Mandela, in my opinion. And while
Williams says he’s sorry for dropping out of school, for
founding the Crips, and so on…but he never says he’s sorry
about killing four people. If this book saves others, this
might be a minor point... except that kids are sharp enough to
see what is NOT being said as well as what IS. Still, it's a
fascinating, if disturbing, book.
No Pretty Pictures : A Child of War
by Anita Lobel. c 1998, Greenwillow.
The subtitle…”a child of war”…prepares us to expect sad,
horrible things. Just turned five when the Nazis invaded her
Polish homeland, Anita tells how her family (more
specifically, her and her younger brother) suffered and
survived. Mostly, the children were hidden in a variety of
places by their Catholic nanny, until they were captured and
sent to concentration camps. And although one knows what to
expect - the fear, the hunger, the loss of nearly every
human dignity - how the author tells her story is riveting.
Some of you may wonder, why another Holocaust story? (Even
though the author became a famous childrens' writer and artist.)
It’s a story that has been told many times, and many ways, but -
it’s still a tale that needs to be repeated until certain
adults learn better.
Red Scarf Girl
by Ji-Li Jiang. c 1997, HarperCollins.
This “memoir of the Cultural Revolution” makes for gripping
reading. Only 12 when the great political experiment began,
Ji-Li was proud to be a red scarf girl, and believed with
all her heart in Chairman Mao. But as the movement gained
momentum, and spiteful, vicious people gained local control,
she had to start making choices between her cherished
communist party or her loving family. It’s another sad,
brave story of how children cope when adults mess up.
FOR ADULTS
The Values Book
by Pam Schiller and Tamera Bryant. c 1998,
Gryphon House.
Although storybooks with morals can help children, it won’t
do much good if the adults around them don’t live as they
preach. And that was the really great thing about this book,
was that it constantly asks the adult reader to take a hard,
honest look at what THEIR actions are teaching. “Is it OK to
step on a snail?” “When was the last time you asked a
neighbor for help?” “Would you sacrifice your own needs for
someone else’s?” The authors find a way to say it over and
over in different ways - “Model the behavior you want them
to imitate.” It’s a strong combination of integrity and
practicality throughout, with classroom and family
activities geared for different ages, suggested books, and
parent guidelines.
All contents © 1998, Kate Marley. All rights reserved.
