The Library is celebrating nonfiction this month with a colorful bulletin board display that features some great books. A growing interest in nonfiction for kids has led to the publication of some well-researched, very readable books including Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Mysteries of the H.L. Hunley. This award-winner follows the mysterious journey of the very first submarine to sink an enemy ship. But how and why did it disappear without a trace after its successful attack on a Confederate navy boat? What did archaeologists discover when, after 131 years, they raised the Hunley from the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Charleston, NC? The answers may surprise you.
Another nonfiction title written for kids, The Day-Glo Brothers tells the story of how Bob and Joe Switzer came to invent the fluorescent oranges, yellows, and greens we see everyday on traffic cones and fluorescent markers. Find out how two teenagers, end up creating a series of brand new colors in their basement!
Maybe you’ve seen the film Supersize Me! If you read the book Fast Food Nation, you’ll learn even more about the effects fast food can have on your body. Can you guess how many ingredients are in McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets? (see answer below.)
It’s important to explore quality nonfiction, not only for the information it imparts, but for the critical thinking skills it introduces. It models concepts like how to ask good questions, how to conduct effective research, and how to present evidence in an engaging way. Some nonfiction gives you instructions on how to perform a task (think cookbooks or how-to books).
The more nonfiction you read, the more you will know about the world and how it works. Check out some nonfiction today. You’ll find books that tell remarkable true stories, provide surprising facts, and teach you amazing things.
How many ingredients in Chicken McNuggets? 38!!
