Top Nonfiction Books of the Month

The Football Fanbook: Everything You Need to Become a Gridiron Know-it-All
(A Sports Illustrated Kids Book)
by Gary Gramling

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-1683300076
Publisher: Sports Illustrated
Date of publication: August 8, 2017
Age: Grades 4 and up
Genre: Nonfiction
Format: ARC from publisher

Themes: football, NFL, facts & trivia, stats

"So you're a football fan and now you want to take your passion for the game to the next level? The Football Fanbook is filled with fun trivia and unique lingo to impress friends, illustrated behind-the-skills how-to's, important game-winning strategies, and much more, including an analysis of each NFL team. Readers will sound like experts in no time."

Now THIS is a football book! Somehow Gramling manages to fit in records, cool facts, team summaries, and an index of valuable lingo all within a manageable size of book--totally accessible to the middle-grade audience it's targeted towards. The anecdotal way it's written keeps the stats and numbers personable and exciting. Gramling really knows what he's talking about. I don't know that there's much to criticize, except that I do wish the book itself was bigger, more like the reference book that it is rather than a small chapter book. A small complaint, because football fans are going to appreciate this book in any case. Very much recommended, especially as football season gets underway.

Find it at your library or on Amazon

Benjamin Franklin's Wise Words: How to Work Smart, Play Well, and Make Real Friends
Written by K. M. Kostyal, illustrated by Fred Harper

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-1426326998
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
Date of publication: January 24, 2017
Age: Grades 3 - 7
Genre: Nonfiction
Format: copy from publisher

Themes: Benjamin Franklin, self-improvement, biography, quotations

"Discover history through the eyes of one of the smartest, funniest, and coolest figures from America's past. This book presents 50 of Benjamin Franklin's famous 'wise words' from Poor Richard's Almanack, his personal letters, and other writings, with sage advice on everything from good citizenship and manners to friendship and being happy. Sayings are paired with hilarious illustrations and witty translations for modern audiences. It's a great go-to for inspirational and innovative ways to practice mindfulness, industriousness, and self-improvement."

This was actually a really interesting book that not only helped me learn more about an important figure in American history, but also helped me find a way to improve my own life. I'm not even kidding. I mean, some of BF's (how the author often refers to Franklin) sayings are pretty cheesy or archaic, but some are definitely applicable (hint: my favorite is on page 53). The author's interpretations of them, however, were not always as admirable; I wish she'd left more of the interpreting up to the reader to apply it to their own understanding as they choose. Either way, I did love the stories she told from BF's life that showed how he lived up to his own advice--well-researched and well-delivered. I don't think it'd be very useful as a biographical reference, but overall, more for fun.

The illustrations are very bold and heavily caricatured, adding plenty of humor and punch to this book of advice. Some are abstract in and of themselves, which seems fitting for BF's advice. I just hope the kids like them. Overall, it would take some hand selling, but you should read some or all of these sayings with your kids.

Find it at your library or on Amazon

Virginia Hamilton: America's Storyteller
Julie K. Rubini

My rating: ★★★½

ISBN: 978-0821422694
Publisher: Ohio University Press
Date of publication: July 13, 2017
Age: Grades 5 - 8
Genre: Nonfiction
Format: copy from publisher

Themes: Virginia Hamilton, biography, authorship, race

"Long before she wrote The House of Dies Drear, M. C. Higgins, the Great, and many other modern classics, Hamilton grew up among her extended family around Yellow Springs, Ohio. The stories she heard from her family fueled her imagination, and the freedom to roam the farms and woods nearby sharpened her powers of observation and encouraged her creativity. As she grew older, witnessing racial discrimination and the response of the early civil rights movement established in her a lifelong commitment to representing a diversity of experiences in her work."

Now here's a very traditional biography, and it's about someone who really does need more credit, especially in light of the recent #weneeddiversebooks movement and the like. Hamilton really was an amazing author who always featured characters of diverse races and backgrounds. This story of her life highlights the origin of the inspiration for her books; how her life provided her experience to tell an expert story. I also appreciated the little side notes and inserts about what was going on in history during the time of her life (e.g. notes about the Civil Rights Movement in Ohio, etc). Overall, very informative and well-written. The writing is a bit advanced, though, so I would definitely put the target age solidly in middle-grade.

Find it at your library or on Amazon

Reviews of the Week 9/19

Today's books almost took a "sports theme" turn, but I wanted to talk about a middle-grade novel that's been receiving some acclaim and starred reviews. So maybe a "fall theme"? "Admired people theme"? Yeah, no. I'm gonna give up trying to find a theme now...

  

Flannel Friday: Football!

Living in Phoenix this time of year was a big deal to a lot of people. That's right. I'm talking about the Super Bowl! Since we Arizonans were hosting this year, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to host a big football storytime party.

I have two flannels that we used. First, inspired by Leah & Mollie (at Sunflower Storytime), I used this "5 Little Footballs" rhyme:

Five little footballs trying hard to score

One makes a touchdown, hear the crowd roar! 

(at which point we all cheered and did our version of a touchdown dance)

Second, I did the kids' favorite game of hide and seek:

I hide the little brown football behind one of the helmets and let the kids yell out which color helmet they think hides the ball. Then we say:

Football, football, where do you hide?

Under the (color) helmet? Let's peek inside!

We do the sign language for the rhyme, too. It's great color practice.

Of course, you don't have to wait until your hometown is hosting the Super Bowl to do these! This is great for anytime you want to talk about sports. The kids really enjoyed them.

.....

Bridget at What is Bridget Reading is hosting the Flannel Friday round-up today. You can also check out the FF website, Pinterest, or Facebook! Or use #flannelstorytime on Twitter!

Boys of Blur

Boys of Blur
N. D. Wilson

My rating: ★★

ISBN: 978-0449816738
Publisher: Random House
Date of publication: April 8, 2014
Age: Grades 5 - 7
Genre: Horror

Themes: football, folklore, family, courage

Charlie has just moved to Taper, Florida—a small town isolated by everglades and swamps, and covered in sugarcane. It breeds the fastest runners and football players in the state, boys that chase muck rabbits in the fields when the cane is being burned and harvested. But it also breeds a dark secret, growing under the ancient mounds and roaming the cane at night. Together with his cousin, Charlie will hunt the secret and try to save those he loves.

This book has popped up a few times as a possible Newbery nominee, which is why I read it. And I can see why: it combines the ancient epic of Beowulf with African American lore in an engaging way. But it also combines child abuse, race relations, the South's love of football, zombies, blended family relationships, and more. In 200 pages. Yeah. There's a lot of gaps, jumps, and confusing little twists. Not to mention I was just really blind-sided by the zombie aspect: nothing on the cover, summary, or elsewhere led me to believe it was a horror story.

The characters came off flat, probably because there just wasn't time to develop them. Charlie's tumultuous relationship with his birth father comes to a head quite suddenly and ends just as quick. His mother makes, like, two appearances, even though her son is running all over creation with zombies. There's just too much crammed into one little book. With a big dose of weird. I didn't much like it.

If you really want to, find it at your library or on Amazon

It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk Blog Tour (and Giveaway!!)

Oh man, it is about time that I got to host a blog tour stop for one of Josh Funk's books—and have an interview with the man himself! I am such a fan. Allow me to introduce you to his newest book, report his comments on the matter, and then, (drumroll...) post the giveaway! Enter for the chance to win a copy of It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk below...

It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk
Written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Edwardian Taylor

My rating: ★★★★½

ISBN: 978-1542045650
Publisher: Two Lions
Date of publication: September 19, 2017
Format: ARC from publisher

Themes: fractured fairytale, narrator & character relations, beans, giants, humor

"Jack is not fond of the bossy narrator of his fairy tale! When Jack is told to trade his beloved cow Bessie for some magic beans, throw the beans out the window, climb the ENORMOUS beanstalk that sprouts overnight, and steal from a GIANT, he decides this fairy tale is getting out of control. In fact, he doesn’t want to follow the story line at all. Who says Jack needs to enter a life of daring, thievery, and giant trickery? He takes his story into his own hands—and you’ll never guess what happens next!"

If It Rains Pancakes: Haiku and Lantern Poems

If It Rains Pancakes: Haiku and Lantern Poems
Written by Brian P. Cleary, illustrated by Andy Rowland

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 9781467744126
Publisher: Millbrook Press
Date of publication: May 1, 2014
Age: Grades 1 - 4
Genre: Poetry

Themes: humor, poetry, anything and everything

Although a "haiku" just sounds like you're sneezing, and a "lantern" is a lighting source, they're also types of ancient Japanese poetry. And you can have a lot of fun with them. For example: "Haiku:/When you've written one/without enough syllables/you add words. Football." and "Hug:/a gift/that is best/when you return/it."

Brian Cleary may be the newest addition to my favorite-poet list. Yes, right up there with Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky. Why? Because he's hilarious, but totally educational! Just like you should be. My favorites are his "Words Are CATegorical" books, which are just AWESOME (like Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What Is an Adjective?), Honestly, I wish I had had them when I was trying to figure out English as a kid.

ANYWAY... So I was super excited to see this book and discover Cleary's new series "Poetry Adventures." And I discovered that it is totally hilarious. I think it is so important to be able to laugh aloud while reading. Which this one totally did make me laugh. And feel good. Yes, this book has feel-goods. Plus! It does a fabulous job of explaining how Haikus and Lanterns work, and how kids can try it out on their own. So, great in the classroom, or to laugh at in storytime—either way, I highly recommend it. (This one is probably even more favorite than his others.)

I posted a review for the newest "Poetry Adventures" book today, as well, here.

Find it at your library or on Amazon

10 New Sports & Olympics Books for Kids

The Olympics in Rio are officially underway! I definitely get excited for the games (for instance, check out this Olympics book display idea I created), but I always forget how much I enjoy watching all these random sports and athletes until the Olympics come on once again and I just sit in front of the TV all day. It's seriously cutting into my reading time. Good thing there's lots of good sports books to help satisfy both needs!

To celebrate the Olympics and sports in general, here are some of the best books for kids published in the last year that incorporate these themes.

The Spookiest New Stories for Middle-Grade Readers

I really enjoy a good scary story, whether it's told in a movie, by the campfire, or in a book. Which brings me to this list, of course. There's been a lot of good, creepy middle-grade fiction the last couple years. Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman or R. L. Stine, this list has some of my favorite favorites.