Psst! Come closer… I have a
little secret to share or maybe a confession. I started this post in August,
but with the start of the school year and new responsibilities at work, I ended
up putting it on hold. Over the past year, I have been reading and loving
everyone’s 5 Faves. When Melissa reached out to me again about doing my 5
Faves, I immediately said “yes.”
As I prepared for this post, I
reviewed all of the previous posts to see what books have been mentioned. And
then I had a momentary feeling of panic. How can I whittle down the hundreds of
expository nonfiction books that I have read and pick only five? What if I pick
the wrong books? Breathe! This isn’t a test and there are no right choices. I decided to select five books
that surprised, entertained, and educated me.
Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle by Cheryl Bardoe; Illustrated by
Alan Marks (Charlesbridge, 2014)
books are easy to book talk. Books with a high gross factor or ones that talk
about poop are particularly fascinating to kids. Bardoe provides readers with a
basic understanding of the life cycle and habitat of the dung beetle. Marks’
illustrations take Bardoe’s text to the next level.
I also
loved learning about why the Egyptians revered dung beetles, otherwise known as
scarabs.
Born in the Wild: Baby Mammals and Their Parents by Lita Judge (Roaring Brook Press, 2014)
(and adults) love baby animals. It is easy for children to find similarities
between themselves and baby animals born in the wild. Judge provides simple
facts about animal families and the need for shelter, protection, food, and
attention.
to loving the informative expository text, the illustrations in the book are
gorgeous. This can be used as a read aloud or as a mentor text for writing.
I, Fly: The Buzz About Flies and How Awesome They Are by
Bridget Heos; Illustrated by Jennifer Plecas (Henry Holt & Co., 2015)
am aware that humor is a powerful tool for drawing in readers, I am always on
the lookout for books that use humor effectively to convey information. I,
also, admired the use of the fly as a narrator and the interaction with the
audience.
Though
this book is not as easily used as a read aloud, I find that it is perfect for
two or three children to share and engage in conversation.
The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea by Brenda Guiberson; Illustrated
by Gennady Spirin (Henry Holt & Co., 2015)
moment I started reading this book, I fell in love with it. I particularly
enjoyed the structure of the text.
I loved
how Guiberson starts with each creature identifying itself as the most amazing
creature of the sea followed by reasons why it’s so amazing. This is another
book that I enjoy using as a read aloud and also as a mentor text for writing.
Otters Love to Play by Jonathan London; Illustrated by Meilo So (Candlewick, 2016)
level is a narrative text set in large type that tells the story of an otter family. In smaller type, readers can enjoy expository text that provides a treasure trove of factual details. In addition to using this as a read aloud, teachers can use
this as a mentor text.
Thank you
Melissa for inviting me to share my 5 Fave Expository Nonfiction titles and for
tirelessly advocating for expository nonfiction to be read and shared in
classrooms.
Alyson Beecher is
an educator, book geek, and blogger. She has a serious book addiction and a
love for nonfiction picture books, which led her to begin the Nonfiction
Picture Book Challenge on Wednesdays on her blog. Her passion is getting
students excited about books, reading, and writing. You can find her on
twitter as @alybee930 or on her blog: Kid
Lit Frenzy.
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