With lots of great nonfiction to choose from and a plethora of fiction titles that weave in innovative ideas not usually associated with fiction, using text sets is easier than ever. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Topic: Helping the Environment (upper elementary)

This Journal Belongs to Ratchet by Nancy Cavanaugh features an eleven-year-old girl who, motherless, believes she has no role model and is lost in trying to “become who I’m really supposed to be.” Her father, eternally distracted by auto repairs and his tireless campaign to save a local park, appears to Ratchet as a less-than-ideal resource as she struggles to find ways to make friends and fit in. An unlikely role with a group of boys building go-carts forges a first friendship and a renewed relationship between Ratchet and her father. As the time comes for the park to be destroyed, Ratchet and her allies lay down a valiant effort to save it. This heartwarming novel is creatively written as Ratchet’s journal, on lined paper in a font that looks like handwriting. Graphic organizers and doodles accompany her various journal entries, or “writing exercises,” as she labels them. (ISBN 9781402281068. Gr 4-6.)

Make a Splash! by Cathryn Berger Kaye and Philippe Cousteau is a junior activists’ guide to working on projects that benefit water and the environment. Neatly broken into chapters based on the five main tenets of service learning—Investigate, Prepare, Act, Reflect, and Demonstrate—it also features sidebars and text bubbles that offer statistics, definitions, tips, and other interesting facts and ideas. Colorful, fun spreads and interesting info bits make this book accessible and engaging for everyone. Co-authored by Phillipe Cousteau, the grandson of Jacques Cousteau and founder of EarthEcho–an organization dedicated to empowering youth in restoring and protecting the earth’s water. (ISBN 9781575424170. Gr 4-6.)

You might also consider…

Flush by Carl Hiaasen (ISBN 9780375841859. Gr 6-8.)

Not Your Typical Book about the Environment by Elin Kelsey (ISBN 9781897349847. Gr 3-6.)

Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French (ISBN 9780810997202. Gr 4-6.)

Topic: Aftermath of a Hurricane (middle/upper elementary)

In Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Lanesha lives in this New Orleans community with her beloved Mama Ya-Ya, the elderly woman who took her in as an infant after her own mother died at Lanesha’s birth. Mama Ya-Ya’s kindness, confidence, and extraordinary abilities are things she shares with Lanesha–who also has the “sight,” recognizing the ghost of her mother in Mama Ya-Ya’s bedroom, as well as other ghosts that mill about at school and in the streets. Mama Ya-Ya’s sixth sense warns her that a terrible storm is coming, and Lanesha helps her prepare for it. As the water rises in the Ninth Ward, Lanesha, Mama Ya-Ya, the neighbor boy TaShon, and a friendly stray dog hole up in the attic, hoping for help to come. When it doesn’t, Lanesha’s resilience and resourcefulness are challenged like never before. (ISBN 9780316043083. Gr 4-7.)

Mangled by a Hurricane by Miriam Aronin is a nonfiction account of Hurricane Katrina, narrating the true stories of survivors of the disaster in the Ninth Ward, many of whom survived by climbing onto the roofs of their homes (like Lanesha in the novel). The narratives are accompanied by scientific explanations of the storm and the destruction it left behind. Text features include sidebars, diagrams, safety tips, a glossary, and a bibliography. (ISBN 9781936087495. Gr 3-6.)

You might also consider…

Hurricane Katrina by Peggy Caravantes (ISBN 9781617839580. Gr 3-6. 8/13.)

Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods (ISBN 9780142421864. Gr 4-7.)

Topic: Numbers and Equations (middle/upper elementary)

Numbed! by David Lubar is a fun novel featuring Logan and Benedict, two youngsters who dare to trespass in a secret research area inside a mathematics museum. They encounter a strange robot that “numbs” them–causing them to forget how to do any math at all. To become “un-numbed,” the boys need to perform a series of tasks within the museum so that they are able to calculate math again and get good grades on an upcoming math test at school. Dr. Thagoras at the museum and their teacher, Ms. Fractalli, guide the two in realizing the value of math in this light read in which the chapter numbers are equations for the reader to solve. (ISBN 9781467705943. Gr 2-5.)

Math: A Book You Can Count On! created by Simon Basher and written by Dan Green, part of a fun nonfiction series for kids, features a cast of characters known as the Number Bunch. These entertaining characters introduce mathematical concepts in a fun and light-hearted manner (Zero: “I am called nix, zip, zilch, nada, zippo…Hovering between being and not-being, I am one of the most important numbers in math”). (ISBN 9780753464199. Gr 3-6.)

You might also consider…

Edgar Allan Poe’s Pie: Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems by J. Patrick Lewis (ISBN 9780547513386. Gr 1-4.)

The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos by Deborah Heiligman (ISBN 9781596433076. Gr 2-5. 6/13.)

The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. by Greg Pincus (ISBN 9780439912990. Gr 4-6. 10/13.)

Topic: Leadership—Mandela’s South Africa (early elementary)

The Herd Boy by Niki Daily tells the story of a day in the life of Malusi, a young boy growing up in the veld, a steppe region in South Africa, where he tends a herd of sheep and goats–a big responsibility for a young boy. While keeping his animals safe, Malusi finds time for a bit of soccer with his friend Lungisa and some lunch with his sister, but he springs to action when baboons threaten the herd and a lamb is wounded. As he carries the lamb home, he and Lungisa encounter a car. The driver (Nelson Mandela, as is apparent in the illustration) stops to talk with them and discovers that Malusi dreams of being president one day. He tells Malusi, “a boy who looks after his herd will make a very fine leader.” A glossary in the back of the book defines Xhosa and Afrikaans words that appear throughout the story, and an author’s note explains how many great leaders have come from humble beginnings. The beautiful story and illustrations evoke the sensory experiences of a day in Malusi’s life. (ISBN 9780802854179. Gr K-2.)

Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson is one of the most striking books I have ever seen. This biography tells in sophisticated, deliberate prose the story of this world leader’s life, accompanied by gorgeous, realistic, large-as-life paintings of people and events along the way. This is a powerful introduction to Mandela that will grab students’ attention and spur meaningful discussions about determination and leadership. (ISBN 9780061783746. Gr K-3.)

You might also consider…

Leadership by Sue Barraclough (ISBN 9781432933227. Gr 1-3.)

The World Is Waiting for You by Barbara Kerley (ISBN 9781426311147. Gr PS-3.)

Many teachers begin with the story–the fiction title–and then fuel students’ desire for more information by providing the nonfiction title. Look around the Internet for creative ways to use these text sets–there are lots of fun ideas! You can start by trying these sites:

Read Write Think

The Reading Zone

Layers of Learning

Blogger: Lori C.

Sleepwalkers by Viviane Schwarz. May 2013. 9780763662301. Gr. 2-6

If you’re ever afraid to go to sleep, all you need to do is leave a letter under your pillow for the Sleepwalkers.  They will save you from your nightmares.  The Sleepwalkers take on the monsters and scary situations that disturb our sleep by giving the dreamer what they need to face their fears. But the three heroes have been rescuing children from their nightmares for a long time, and they are ready to train their replacements.  This is the story of the new Sleepwalkers as they learn to conquer their own fears right in the dreams of the children they are rescuing.  Viviane Schwartz creates a fantastic world with unusual heroes that just may  have young readers looking at their dreams and fears with new perspective.

After Eli by Rebecca Rupp. August 2012. 9780763658106. Gr. 6-8

It’s been three years since Daniel’s brother Eli died in Iraq.  Though that time has passed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the pain has lessened.  Daniel still adds names to the Book of Death notebook where he lists the names of people who have died particularly senseless or cruel deaths.  His parents aren’t really present for him anymore, and Daniel is focused on keeping the memory of his brother alive on his own.  When he meets some unconventional new friends, he finds that he is slowly drawn in to their lives, which is what he needs to be able to process his grief and move on.

Will & Whit by Laura Lee Gulledge. May 2013. 9781419705465. Gr. 7-10

Wilhelmina Huckstep has an old fashioned soul—she likes old things and a simple life—but she is haunted by shadows, and she has been ever since her parents died. She would love to eschew modern life to spend time with her friends without technology getting in the way, but she’s embarrassed to admit that she’s afraid of the dark.  It turns out that Hurricane Whitney forces the issue when it knocks out the power, and makes Will and everyone else in town to do without for a few days.  Artistically inclined readers may relate to the way Will uses art to face her grief from her parents’ death.  Will is a likable heroine, and her story will have readers alternately cheering for her and tearing up.

There’s a lot more in the webcast on this theme and beyond.  I thought I’d pick just a few of them to share on the blog perhaps to entice those of you who haven’t watched the webcast yet to check it out.  You’ll hear my voice in the sections devoted to realistic teen fiction, graphic novels, and secondary science. 

Blogger:  Mindy R.

I am a big basketball fan, but for some reason my slow, low-jumping, 5’11” body was not attractive to NBA General Managers, and alas, I was not selected in the 1992 (or any other) NBA draft, so my career ended in high school.  But that’s what is great about sports…anyone can be a fan of the game even if you aren’t highly skilled.

The college season recently wrapped up with March Madness crowning Louisville as king, and the NBA Playoffs are currently in full swing.  I thought this would be a great time to talk about a basketball-related event and contest we recently had here at Mackin, and about a great new basketball-themed title I love.

Recently, a group of us at Mackin gathered to watch a webcast featuring two giants of their respective fields:  James Patterson, author of numerous books for children and adults, and Dwyane Wade, star guard for the NBA’s Miami Heat.  Their common bond is that they are outspoken advocates for getting children to read, so that makes me an instant fan of them both.  The webcast featured their commentary about the importance of reading in their youth, as well as answering questions from students at Ponce de Leon Middle School in Florida.  Also featured were video clips from other NBA stars, encouraging kids to read.  Overall, the webcast is a great tool that shows academic and athletic role models coming together for a great cause.  An on-demand replay of the webcast is available for viewing at jamespattersonevents.com for anyone interested.  Also, the Mackin-sponsored contest where you can win autographed items from both Patterson and Wade is still open!  Enter the contest here, until May 31^st.

Sticking with the hoops theme, a recent book by Twin Cities author John Coy has grabbed my attention.  It is Hoop Genius, and is a great way to introduce children to the history and origin of the game of basketball.  The title refers to Dr. James Naismith, inventor of basketball, and tells how he devised the game that has become a huge phenomenon today.  It turns out that he was a young P.E. teacher who was having trouble engaging a group of boys in games that weren’t boring or that didn’t result in rough play and injury, and came up with a game he called “Basket Ball” to achieve this.

Coy’s story is enhanced by Joe Morse’s illustrations, showing the dress of the late 1800s as well as the mustachioed young men that played the first-ever game of basketball.  A small photo at the end of the book shows that the illustrations are historically accurate…evidently sporting a bushy mustache was the height of fashion for young men of the era!  I was especially interested in the reprint of Dr. Naismith’s original rules of the game, which shows how the game has evolved in the 100-plus years since its inception.  It would make a great compare/contrast activity to do with students, especially those that are basketball fans or players.

I will leave you today with a quote from one of basketball’s all-time greats, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: “I’m not comfortable being preachy, but more people need to start spending as much time in the library as they do on the basketball court.”

Blogger: Ryan H.

Rain! by Linda Ashman, ill. by Christian Robinson. 9780547733951. 2013. Gr PK-2.

A grouchy old man and an enthusiastic young boy each make their way to the Rain or Shine café, passing along their moods as they go.  Everyone who meets up with the grumpy guy walks away with a scowl on their faces, whereas those who pass the joyful little boy end up smiling and cheerful.  But whose attitude will rub off on the other when they bump into each other in the café?  This Japanese proverb gives a hint: One who smiles rather than rages is always the stronger.

The Dark by Lemony Snicket, ill by Jon Klassen. 9780316187480. 2013. Gr PK-2.

Most kids—and adults!—are afraid of something, and Laszlo is no exception.  He is afraid of the dark that lives at his house—in the closet, behind the shower curtain, and mostly in the basement.  One night, Laszlo’s nightlight burns out, and the dark comes to visit him in his room.  The dark tells Laszlo to follow—into the hall, down the stairs, into the basement.  And in the far corner of the basement, the dark tells Laszlo to open the bottom drawer of an old dresser, where Laszlo finds….a new nightlight bulb.  This wonderful book about facing your fears is from the powerhouse talents of Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen.

Grumpy Goat by Brett Hellquist. 9780061139536. 2013. Gr PK-2.

Sunny Acres was the friendliest farm in the county—the animals were friends and loved to play together.  Then… Grumpy Goat arrived.  He didn’t want to be friends and chased away anyone who wanted to play.  Finally, after crashing his way through the fence, he wandered to the top of the hill and saw—a dandelion! As he admires the beauty of the flower, the other animals wander closer, and soon all are friends until…one day, Grumpy Goat notices his flower is white, not yellow, and when the wind blows, all the white puffs away.  Will Grumpy Goat become…grumpy again?  This lovely read-aloud shows that friends can help you through good times and bad.

When No One Is Watching by Eileen Spinelli, ill. by David A. Johnson. 9780802853035. 2013. Gr K-2.

Shyness can be disabling, keeping a person from doing something he or she might normally like to do.  In Spinelli’s picture book, a little girl loves to dance and leap and spin…when she is alone, but when everyone’s watching, she hides.  She loves to cheer and dunk the ball through the hoop with a whoop…when she plays by herself.  When everyone’s watching, she only passes the ball to a teammate.  But she has a friend—a shy friend—and when they are together, they don’t care who’s watching at all.  This picture book treats a painful feeling with respect and compassion.

Blogger : Tracey L.

Fitz

Fitz by Mick Cochrane was one of many teen fiction ARCs stacked on my desk at the end of 2012 that I was wading through, and I might have passed it by if I hadn’t opened the book to the first sentence.  It said, “On a cool morning in late May, Fitz is standing in the alley behind his father’s apartment in St. Paul.”  Most readers probably wonder about Fitz’s relationship to his father when they read that, but my attention was drawn to the mention of St. Paul.  A quick scan down the page revealed—with mention of “Summit  Hill District” and “F. Scott Fitzgerald”–that it was, in fact, St. Paul, Minnesota, and I had to read the book.  After all, I lived in St. Paul for several years, and I love the Summit Hill District.  Though I had to laugh at Fitz’s opinion of the neighborhood: “It’s full of yuppies.”  I don’t know if I agree with that, but I can imagine a 15 year-old boy thinking that.

For those without a personal connection to the setting, it doesn’t take long before the big reveal that will have you on the edge of your seat for the duration of the novel. Fitz is waiting outside his father’s apartment with a gun.  “. . . he’s carrying a Smith & Wesson .38 revolver in the waistband of his jeans and a gutful of confusion, a lifetime’s resentment in his heart.  A gnawing hunger for a father he’s never known.”  This is in the first five pages of the book.  In the next hundred and seventy pages, we follow Fitz and his father all around the city as they spend a day getting to know each other with a gun between them.

It’s a fast moving story that will likely have appeal to some of your more reluctant readers. It is also a thoughtful look at a boy desperate enough for his father’s attention that he is willing to threaten him with a gun.  As Fitz’s father tells his story, we see that there are no easy answers.  This short novel is both suspenseful and poignant.  Highly recommended for a complex look at divorce and father-son relationships.

Blogger: Mindy R.

As with stories that revolve around other popular pastimes, the best horse books–the ones that horse lovers cherish–are written by authors who know the subject matter. The best stories are accurate and reflect knowledge, humor and sadness, and real experiences and relationships, no matter if they’re written for young children, teens, or adults. Luckily, there are many great books featuring horses. Here are some titles fresh off the presses for horsey-minded readers to enjoy.

Told from the point of view of a large Belgian draft horse, Macadoo of the Maury River is the tale of a colt, born at a large breeding establishment in Alberta and sold at auction to a kindhearted person who saves him from the kill buyer. Macadoo grows from a brave colt into a gentle soul of a horse satisfied with his place in the world. Named after the man who bought him at the auction–because the man’s name is on the halter the colt is given–Macadoo is moved from place to place as the situations of his humans change. He is always treated properly, but his story reveals his sorrow at being torn from his mother’s side and later at losing the boy he has developed a bond with. Macadoo finds himself at a riding stable for children, where he finally comes to terms with his role helping young people gain confidence. This book, to be released in August, is the second installment in Gigi Amateau‘s Horses of the Maury River series. (ISBN 9780763637668. Gr 4-7.)

Mystery at Black Horse Farm by Jenny Hughes is a high-action whodunit with a little harmless romance thrown in for good measure. Tweens and teens at a summer horse camp practice their jumping, venture out on trails, and even swim in the ocean with their horses. Meanwhile, the protagonists try to figure out who is trying to steal a necklace belonging to the girl whose family owns the property.The mystery thickens to reveal dangerous thieves, a hidden treasure, and a heroine on horseback. Other books in this 2013 series include Fantasy Horse and Model Horse. (ISBN 9781621240037. Gr 4-6.)

In Samphire Song by Jill Hucklesby, fourteen-year-old Jodie finds solace working at a horse stable after her father is killed in an airplane accident. When her mother’s financial situation suddenly improves, Jodie finally is able to search for her dream horse. She chooses Samphire, a part-Arabian stallion with some emotional baggage of his own, but the two bond and develop a strong relationship, allowing Jodie to heal and make friends with the other girls at the stable. When Jodie’s younger brother suddenly needs a new kidney, the health costs lead to losing Samphire. Distraught but resigned to abide by her family’s needs, Jodie moves on after his sale, but is determined to one day get him back. A perilous evening in a horse yard with dangerous thugs features Jodie fleeing on her faithful steed, and a satisfying ending leaves the reader cheering for girl and horse. (ISBN 9780807572245. Gr 5-7.)

Jessie Haas‘s Bramble and Maggie books are super for young horse lovers, but they will be eagerly read by other young readers as well. In the first book, Bramble and Maggie: Horse Meets Girl, Bramble is revealed to be an opinionated pony no longer interested in giving lessons at the riding school. Maggie is looking for her first mount and the two find themselves to be a good match. Realistic in characterization and description, as well as in the charming illustrations, the book is a great introduction to how a girl and her first pony get to know one another. In Bramble and Maggie: Give and Take, Maggie learns that in order to get Bramble to cooperate, she must also understand and respond to her pony’s preferences. Little girls who pore over horse care encyclopedias and dream of their own ponies will love these books! (ISBN 9780763662516, 9780763650216. Gr 1-3.)  

For a full list of contemporary books for horse lovers, click here. For even more horse books, click here. Giddyup!

Blogger: Lori C.

Like most kids, my sisters and I were very excited to open our presents.  We usually did it after dinner, and after the dishes were done, and after Dad finished his bath.  And then—we had to drive to town and look at the Christmas lights.  Our town of Baldwin, Wisconsin, wasn’t very big, but I swear we saw every light that was up.  The longer Dad drove, the more excited we would get.   And every year, just as we thought we had seen them all, Dad would say, “I don’t think we’ve been here yet!” and turn down another street.  My sisters and I would roll our eyes and groan inwardly.  I really don’t remember much of what I got for Christmas as a kid, but I do remember the anticipation!

Each of these picture books tells about a family’s history and can be used to inspire students to find out about the lives of their own parents and grandparents.

Red Kite, Blue Kite by Ji-Li Jiang. 9781423127536. 2013. Gr 1-3.

This book is inspired by the friend of the author, whose family lived in China during the Cultural Revolution.  A little boy and his father love to fly kites together in the city.  When his father is sent to a labor camp, the boy is sent to a nearby village to live with a farmer.  At first his father comes to visit every weekend, but one day he sadly says he will not be able to come for a while.  But—they can still “talk” to each other with their kites:  the boy will fly his red kite every morning, and his father will fly a blue kite every evening.  They will see the kites and know they are thinking of each other.  Bad times are ahead, and the father is sent farther away.  But the boy continues to fly both kites every day.  The themes of family, Chinese history, and world cultures make this a versatile picture book.

Building Our House by Jonathan Bean. 9780374380236. 2013. Gr PK-2.

A little girl and her family leave their old home in the city to build a new house in the country.  While the parents are building the house from scratch—most of it by themselves—the family will be living in a small trailer onsite.  The little girl tells the story of the process as it starts with reading the blueprints, having experts hook up water and electricity, and setting up the foundation.   Readers will be fascinated by the trucks and tools used at the construction site.   The house slowly changes as the seasons pass—and the mom slowly changes, too!  By the time the baby is born, the house is ready.  The book is based on the real-life experience of the author’s parents, told from his older sister’s point of view.

The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman. 9780763646011. 2013. Gr 1-4.

A young girl visits her great-grandfather for the first time, and to break the ice he asks her to pick anything in his room full of collections and he will tell her a story about it.  She brings to him a cigar box full of small matchboxes.  In each matchbox is a small item that the old man had saved from his childhood in Italy, his family’s immigration to the United States, and his life in America.  This was his diary, since no one in his family knew how to read and write.  On her way home, the five-year-old starts her own unwritten diary.  This book is great to use in talking about family histories and can inspire kids to start their own diaries—with or without words.

I tried to continue the Christmas light tradition when I became a mom, but my boys didn’t keep their groans and impatience to themselves.  Maybe when they’re older, they will tell me how much they appreciated it.  Maybe.

I’m not counting on it.

Blogger : Tracey L.

This heavy black and white graphic novel uses negative space masterfully. The story itself can be relatable to those who live by street rules, only sometimes doing the right thing is the hardest and scariest decision.  This is definitely a page turner.

Recommended for high school (mild language and graphic violence).

Blogger : Tuan N.

Ear-Splitting Sounds and Other Vile Noises by Anna Claybourne. 2013. 9780778709251. Gr. 3-6.

Electric Shocks and Other Energy Evils by Anna Claybourne. 2013. 9780778709268. Gr. 3-6.

Glaring Light and Other Eye-Burning Rays by Anna Claybourne. 2013. 9780778709558. Gr. 3-6.

Gut-Wrenching Gravity and Other Fatal Forces by Anna Claybourne. 2013. 9780778709503. Gr. 3-6

We all know that students learn in different ways and at different rates.  Sometimes we need to be tricky in how we get kids interested and invested in learning.  There are a lot of high-interest titles out there for reluctant readers, and here I review one series I have recently come across that is highly interesting and entertaining, and should have kids of all learning styles excited and engaged.

The Disgusting and Dreadful Science series should be especially attractive to boys.  With the popularity of humorous fiction such as Captain Underpants, it is no secret that if you deem any title “disgusting”, boys will want to check it out!

The great thing about this series is that there is a wealth of scientific knowledge “disguised” as fun.  Each two-page layout is on a different area of the main subject.  For example, in Ear-Splitting Sounds, there is the page title of Ear-Splitting Science,  which is an introduction to the decibel scale; the pages below it are filled with fun pictures and fact boxes, as well as an experiment that helps further understanding of the concepts. On this particular topic, there is a decibel meter chart and various comparative sounds.  Would you have guessed that the loudest burp ever (107dB) was almost as loud as a rock concert (115 dB)?  Now you begin to see the creative ways in which science is tied into disgusting fun.  It is not all goofiness, though.  There is also a See for Yourself section that instructs readers to make a paper megaphone and explains how the sound is directionally amplified when the megaphone is used.

The other titles in the series follow a similar formula.  In Electric Shocks a (hopefully Photoshopped) picture of an elephant on a toilet accompanies an infobox about how some zoos collect animal waste in order to recycle it to use its methane gas as fuel to generate electricity.  In Glaring Light, information about the electromagnetic spectrum is presented with factoids about how scorpions glow under ultraviolet light, and how bioluminescence in different animals works. In Gut-Wrenching Gravity, G-force is explained by relating how rollercoasters create them, and show how Air Force experiments in the 1940s and 50s exposed airmen to incredible g-forces that caused broken bones and burst blood vessels!

All of the above examples just scratch the surface; each of the books in the series are filled with hundreds of similar examples, and it is a safe bet that everyone can find something that interests them here.  So, if you are looking for a nonfiction series that kids will be curious about, and will teach them some science along the way, check out Disgusting and Dreadful Science!

Blogger: Ryan H.

That is all important information—and I could go on listing various percentages—but a list of numbers really doesn’t do much by itself.  What do you want me to know about those numbers?  Where do they fit into what I already know?

It’s often hard to get a sense of the meaning behind the numbers, especially for kids who may not have the context they need to apply the data to the world around them.  Many of the books we share with young people have charts, graphs, and other representations of data in sidebars and call-out boxes to help make sense of some of the data, but what if you made the call-out box the entire spread?  That’s exactly what The World in Infographics series does.  Each spread in these books is designed to look like the graphics we find and share online.

For those who may not have discovered infographics yet, here is a definition from Wikipedia: “Information graphics or infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly.”  These graphics are perfect for comparing numbers, getting a sense of scale, and making connections.

The World in Infographics series uses these strengths to its advantage as it demystifies the numbers of our world.  In Planet Earth, for example, we learn the size of the world’s largest iceberg relative to the island of Jamaica and the 3,963 miles from the surface of the Earth to the center turns into the distance between London and Chicago. Some of these comparisons may work better than others, and some kids may take to this format more than others.  Nonetheless, this is a series to watch.  Planet Earth and The Natural World are available now.  Two more titles will be published in the fall.

These books are good choices for science teachers looking for simple visual explanations of various science topics.  But they are great choices for teachers who want to talk about using data and presenting knowledge.  This series will introduce students to the concept behind infographics and give them an opportunity to look closely at what translates well to this format and what doesn’t.  Whether you are using these books for the content or the presentation, you will find a unique series that will appeal to kids and teachers.

Bibliography:

Planet Earth by Jon Richards. March 2013. 9781926973753. Gr. 3-6

The Natural World by Jon Richards.March 2013. 9781926973746. Gr. 3-6

The Human Body by Jon Richards. October 2013. GR. 3-6

The Human World by Jon Richards. October 2013. Gr. 3-6

Blogger: Mindy R.