I
chose five favorite expository nonfiction books about our planet Earth. Our
planet, our home, is an amazing and complex place, as readers can learn within
the pages of these books. In addition to providing information, these books are
favorites because they celebrate our Earth, remind us how precious it is, and
nudge us to be kind to it.
Stacy McAnulty (Holt, 2017)
Earth, who is both informative and entertaining, tells the story
of her life. This book gives young readers an introduction to our planet,
telling facts about how it works and how it has evolved. It’s also a
celebration of the place we call home with a reminder to take care of it.
by Seth Fishman (Greenwillow, 2017)
Numbers
are used to explain facts about our universe and planet Earth. This book will
ignite reader’s curiosity and their sense of wonder about the world. The use of
numbers illustrates just how vast our world is. In the note at the end of the
book, the author explains how he researched and estimated to arrive at the
numbers in the book.
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2003)
Even
though this book is wordless, I classify it as expository because it provides
information about how our Earth looks from a great distance and close up. It
begins with an astronaut’s view of Earth which then, over the pages of the
book, turns into a closer and closer view. Turning each page to see a closer
look at our Earth is interesting, but can also lead to discussions about our
planet and its place in the universe.
of Life on Earth by Nicola Davies (Candlewick, 2017)
Nicola Davies explains that there are many different kinds of living things on
our planet Earth. This book not only shows the great diversity of life, but
also that there is life in places we may not even think to look and there is a
connection among living things. This book is one that will inspire wonder, but
also prompt readers to reflect on the role we play among living things.
Press, 2017)
The
sun is the narrator of this book that explains the role of the sun in the water
cycle process, which makes it possible to have life on our planet. The authors
provide factual information with descriptive language that sounds like poetry.
This book explains concepts related to the water cycle and shows the importance
of water in our lives.
specialist at DeMello School in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. She is an active
member of the Massachusetts Reading Association, currently serving as Publicity
Chair. You can read about the books she is reading on her blog Literacy on the Mind. You can also follow her on Twitter
@DrLMaucione.
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