Come one, come all and learn about the extraordinary life of P.T. Barnum and the stupendous history of his American Museum and the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Barnum was famous for many attractions: 25 in. tall Tom Thumb, Zazel the human cannonball, Salamander the fire horse, and an 11 and a 1/2 ft. tall elephant named Jumbo to name a few. But perhaps the biggest attraction was P.T. Barnum himself. He made the famous American Museum, watched it burn down, and built it again only to have it catch fire once more. He then entered the circus business at age sixty,  inventing the three ring circus layout. P.T. Barnum was a showman above all else, and his life was one great show.

Every page contained an amusing tidbit--much like the museum Barnum built his fame and fortune on. My favorite anecdote from the book is that of ivy island, but I don't want to give it away--you'll have to read it for yourself! I'd give this to anyone with an interest in life in the Victorian Era or entertainment, especially of the circus and sideshow variety.

The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum by Candace Fleming

Erica's Picks
5th - 8th Grade
Tags: Biography, History, Nonfiction

There are stories waiting under the ground. Our ancestors buried their history along with their dead, and for those who have been trained to read the signs, a pile of bones can be a buried treasure. Find out how to read a jaw bone to see the infections and pain hidden there. Discover how a spine can reveal a life of hard labor. Bones can even tell you if a person who died hundreds of years ago was left or right handed! Take a tour of the harsh life of early settlers viewed through the evidence that it left in their very bones.

Being able to understand the jargon on popular crime investigation shows is obviously a big draw for the book, but there are great details about other fields of study as well.They get a physicist to develop an x-ray that can penetrate lead, mathematicians to calculate how heavy the coffins will be, and historians  to find documents that lead to identifying the bodies. At the end they have artists create a sculpture based on a skull they find. It is all beautifully formatted and explained in a clear way.  An excellent example of narrative nonfiction.  

Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally Walker

Erica's Picks
5th - 8th Grade
Tags: History, Nonfiction

World War I marked the beginning of modern warfare, but its commanders still used the old war tactics. The results were disastrous. Soldiers were stuck in mud-filled trenches full of disease, afraid to lift their head above the edge for even a second for fear of being struck down by a sharpshooter. The two sides would exchange grenades and fire and occasionally be ordered out on doomed charges. Yet surrounded by death and violence, peace triumphed for a brief period. On Christmas Day 1914, hundreds of thousands of soldiers defied orders and laid down their arms to meet their enemies in the no-man's land between the trenches and celebrate together.

Murphy details the events leading up to World War I in a clear way. His descriptions are compelling and it is an excellent read all around. The ample excerpts of letters and photographs from the time help to give an authentic sense of the events.  I'd give this to kids looking for a narrative nonfiction book with an interest in history.


Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting by Jim Murphy

Erica's Picks
4th - 6th Grade
Tags: History, Nonfiction

The ratification of the 15th Amendment in 1870 prohibited denying anyone the right to vote based on race, but in Alabama in 1965, they found enough ways to get around that amendment that even though half the population of Selma was black, 99 % of the voters were white. The people of Selma decided to make a stand by marching to protest the unfair voting practices. The marchers were jailed, bombs were set off in the houses of the leaders, protesters were fired from their jobs, and the violence escalated leading up to what came to be known as Bloody Sunday. On Sunday, March 7th protesters gathered to march to Montgomery. Many of the protesters were children and teenagers who did not have jobs to lose. Despite this fact the police released tear gas on the peaceful protesters and came at man, woman, and child with clubs swinging. But trips to jail and even the hospital were not enough to stop them. These children and teenagers would gather again, and this time they would make it all the way to Montgomery. 

The story of how many children and teenagers were involved in these marches knowing the violence that awaited them is absolutely amazing. The book relies heavily on pictures taken during the events described. This really helps to communicate the story visually and draw the reader in. Partridge also uses excerpts from protest songs to tell the story. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a narrative nonfiction book, especially those with an interest in the Civil Rights Movement.

Marching for Freedom: Walk Together Children and Don’t You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partidge

Erica's Picks
6th - 8th Grade
Tags: History, Nonfiction, People of Color

Nathan Hale is about to be hanged when he utters his famous last words ("I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.") and the Big Huge Book of American History swallows him up. This infuses him with knowledge beyond his life and allows Nathan to stay the hand of the executioner as long as he keeps entertaining him with historical tales.

This first volume is all about Nathan Hale and the Revolutionary War.   The comic is chock full of historical facts as well as humor and action.  The second book in the series, about the American Civil War is just as funny and informational.  This is a great choice for students who want to learn more about history or those just looking for a funny comic.  

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy by Nathan Hale

Erica's Picks
3rd - 6th
Tags: Comics, History, Humor

Today Superman is best known for battling Lex Luthor and other super villains. But before Superman came to stand for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" he was known as the "Champion of the Oppressed" and he regularly battled dictators, terrorists, and spies. In the summer of 1946 the Man of Steel even took on the Ku Klux Klan. Attacking the infamous organization was a dangerous affair for the creators of the show, and it required careful planning. Intelligence was gathered from spies who had infiltrated the organization. This is the true story of two outcast kids who grew up to create an iconic American hero, an activist and spy who wasn't afraid to fight for what he believed in, and an infamous organization that used hate-filled rhetoric to feed its greed.

This book contained a trove of interesting information and skillfully balanced multiple threads. I enjoyed reading about the real-life people associated with Superman.  This has a little something for everyone and is a quick to read. Naturally it has some appeal for superhero fans, but a love or even knowledge of comics isn't necessary to enjoy the book.

Superman Versus the Ku Klux Klan: The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate by Rick Bowers

Erica's Picks
5th - 8th Grade
Tags: Biography, Comics, Fast Paced, History, Nonfiction, Spies

In the winter of 1692, two girls began to twitch and choke and writhe. Their parents tried every remedy, but the symptoms prevailed. When a doctor was finally called to examine them, his diagnosis was that the girls were bewitched. The original cause of the girls’ symptoms remains unknown to this day. What is known is that the girls’ strange behavior set off a case of witch-hunt fever that would turn neighbors against each other and result in the loss of innocent lives. The Salem Witch Trials are an iconic chapter of American history and its name is used to point out our folly when suspicions cause us to turn against each other. But what really happened in Salem in 1692?

This book takes the facts and presents them clearly and concisely. Schanzer presents the questions the events pose and the various attempts to answer them, but does not take any one side. The last part of the book is devoted to summaries of what happened to those involved after the trials, which provided a nice perspective. My favorite part of the book is the woodcut illustrations throughout. They are in black and white with touches of red that cause elements to pop.

Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer

Erica's Picks
4th - 8th Grade
Tags: History, Nonfiction