New Nonfiction Books for Kids
By Laura Ransom, Children’s Programming Coordinator
A new year is a great time to discover new books. We currently have a surplus of new children’s books at the library! Because of the pandemic, shipments from our book supplier have been delayed by several months. I have found several intriguing nonfiction titles that kids can dive into.
“Teatime Around the World” by Denyse Waissbluth is filled with facts about the origins of tea and how people enjoy it today. This informational picture book has colorful illustrations of friends and families drinking tea from cups, wooden bowls, and even bags! I love warming up with a cup of hot tea on cold winter nights, and this book taught me so much more about the seemingly simple drink.
This title is a helpful book for crafty kids, “Friendship Bracelets” by Keith Zoo. It includes ten different bracelet styles and detailed, easy-to-follow instructions for each one. Our library also has other crafting books by this author, including how to make paper airplanes, tie knots, and braid hair. Check them out for the kid in your life that says, “I’m bored!”
“Cardboard Box Engineering” by Jonathan Adolph can entertain those bored kids, too. With simple materials like cardboard boxes, tape, and paper cups, kids can learn how to make a mini wind-powered cardboard car. Aluminum foil can transform cardboard into a solar oven that actually works! Templates and instructions are included, along with some information about engineers throughout history.
“Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance” by Nikki Grimes is a collection of both classic and new poetry. Grimes includes poems by female African-American poets that flourished during the Harlem Renaissance in the early 1900’s. She also selected some of their work and created new poems that spring from the originals. Beautiful illustrations decorate the pages of this unique book.
Playful animals take center stage in Douglas Florian’s “Ice! Poems About Polar Life”. This picture book of poetry transports kids to both the North and South Poles. Alongside poems about animals like polar bears and narwhals, Florian sprinkles in facts about their everyday lives in their frozen homelands. Snowy owls and wolverines were my favorite animals featured in the book. Poetry has been one of my favorite things to read since my third-grade teacher introduced it to me so many years ago!
“Countries of the World” by Andrea Mills is a recently updated book from DK Publishing. DK does a fabulous job of presenting information in a succinct manner with wonderful photos to accompany the content. I always love learning about other countries, and this book is a great way for me to immerse myself in faraway cultures. The book includes entries similar to an encyclopedia, with facts, maps, and information about the country’s famous people. When I read the page about Cyprus, I learned that it has been full of cats since ancient times! Their island nation has almost 300,000 more cats than people. I highly recommend this title to any curious kid, or even grown-ups like me.
“Everything Awesome About Sharks and Other Underwater Creatures” by Mike Lowery might be my favorite book title so far this year! Comical illustrations of sharks, jellyfish, and other ocean animals make this nonfiction book truly enjoyable. The back of the book also includes instructions for how to draw the creatures. For kids who love dinosaurs, Lowery previously published “Everything Awesome About Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Beasts”.
Stop by the Children’s Room at the library to find even more excellent books for kids. The children’s collection is open for browsing by appointment. Our librarians can also select books on topics of your choice with our Quick Picks for Kids service by calling 785-776-4741 ext. 400.