Nonfiction does not get enough attention in our library and I'm sure that is similar to most other libraries. Children are focused on chapter books and picture books. They don't even think about reading nonfiction if they don't have to. So I have taken it upon myself to read more nonfiction to be able to recommend more amazing titles to our patrons.
Lately I have been browsing our new nonfiction section and have found some gems. My favorite is Presidential Pets. This book is full of wacky facts about our 44 Presidents. Did you know that Thomas Jefferson had two pet bear cubs that lived on the White House lawn? Or that John Quincy Adams had a pet alligator that lived in a bathroom? I know I didn't. I love quirky trivia, especially about U.S. history. I was enthralled with this book and I learned a lot of valuable information that will hopefully come in handy one day.
I also found Mrs. Harkness and the Panda to be a hit. Mrs. Harkness scoured the wilderness of China to find and bring the first panda to the U.S. in the 1930's after her husband passed away during his expedition to do the same thing. She felt obligated to finish what he began. She single-handedly transformed American attitudes towards wildlife by introducing Su Lin to the country. This book has beautiful illustrations, is very informative, and is perfect for children of all ages.
The Boy Who Bit Picasso offers us an inside view into a snippet of Picasso's life and provides information about his artwork. The author's parents were great friends with Picasso so he would come and stay in their English house. On one visit, Tony, the author, bit Picasso and Picasso bit him right back! The book includes photographs and pieces of Picasso's artwork that are sure to impress readers.
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