Barretta, Gene. Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives. (621.3) Traces modern inventions to the source of their inspiration--Thomas Edison. Without Edison’s early inventions, we might not have movie cameras, batteries, and music players.
Beccaloni, George. Biggest Bugs Life-Size. (595.714 BEC) Beautiful photos of bugs in their actual sizes. Includes map of habitats.
Becker, Helaine. Zoobots: Wild Robots Inspired by Real Animals. (629.8 BEC) Engineers, scientists, and inventors are using technology to make zoobots--robots designed to mirror skills of a human or animal.
Brown, Don. All Stations! Distress!: April 15, 1912, the Day the Titanic Sank. (910.9163 BRO) Recounts the tragic voyage of the Titanic, which sank on its very first sailing. Illustrations help to tell this fascinating true story. Nominated for the 2011-2012 Bluestem Award. 2012 Bluestem Nominee
Brown, Don. He Has Shot the President. (973.7 BRO) You're probably aware that John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln while Mr. Lincoln was watching a play. However, you might be surprised to learn who else was injured that night, who helped Mr. Booth carry out his plan, and what happened after the country learned the shocking news.
Buckley, Carol. Tarra and Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends. (599.67 BUC) The special bond of friendship between this unlikely pair cannot be broken even in the most difficult of situations.
Cassino, Mark. The Story of Snow. (551.57 CAS) Answers questions about snow such as how it forms, why all flakes are different, and what shapes the crystals. 2013 Bluestem Nominee.
Castrovilla, . Revolutionary Rogues. (973.3 CAS ) Bitter after being injured in battle, Benedict Arnold plans to make history in a different way. Little did he know that his name would become a synonym for traitor.
Cleary, Brian P. "Mrs. Riley Bought Five Itchy Aardvarks" and Other Painless Tricks for Memorizing Science Facts (372.35 CLE) These poems, songs, acronyms, and other memory tools will make learning science facts easier. You could even learn to make up your own memory tricks.
Curlee, Lynn. Mythological Creatures. (292.2 CUR) Stories and illustrations of some of the most famous and feared beasts from mythology will have you on the edge of your seat.
Davies, Nicole. Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little. (591.4 DAV) Ever wonder why elephants are so big while ants are so small? This book has answers and many more things to think about.
Dennis, Brian. Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine, & a Miracle. (636.7 DEN) It was against marine orders to keep a pet, but someone forgot to tell Nubs, the leader of a pack of wild dogs in Iraq. In fact, when the marine unit was transferred, Nubs found a way to follow them to their new location seventy miles away across the desert. 2014 Bluestem Nominee
Drummand, Allan. Energy Island: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed Their World. (333.9 DRU) Everyone knows that it’s important to find more efficient ways to produce and use energy. This is the true story of how one small island in Denmark actually reduced carbon emissions by 140% and became almost completely energy efficient. If they can do it, maybe others can, too!
Edwards, Wallace. The Cat’s Pajamas. (428.1 EDW) Twenty-six idioms and illustrations bring new meaning to popular sayings like facing the music, smelling something fishy, and having more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
Falvey, David. Letters to a Soldier. (956.7044 FAL) When a fourth grade class write letter to First Lieutenant David Falvey in Iraq, they aren’t sure what his responses will be. This honest exchange between soldier and students gives insights into the minds and hearts of those at war.
FitzSimmon, David. Curious Critters. (591.9 FIT) Get up close to these photographs of curious critters as they explain in their own words what it's like to be a butterfly, crayfish, bullfrog, opossum, snake, or owl. Volume II= Curious Critters II, Curious Critters: Marine
Galat, Joan Marie. Stories of the Planets. (523.4 GAL) Ever wonder how the planets were named? This book includes stories of the Greek and Roman gods who share the names of the planets.
Goodman, Susan. How Do You Burp in Space. (629.45 GOO) Includes everything you need to know before heading into space such as: what can you do for fun, what are the sleeping accommodations, what should you pack, what happens when you need to burp, and so much more! You'll be ready for your space vacation after reading this fun, informational book!
Guiberson, Brenda. The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea. (591.77 GUI) Thirteen sea creatures describe their amazing attributes in first person narrative. Each one seems more amazing than the next. It will be difficult to choose the one you think is MOST amazing.
Helberg, Berit. Sniffer & Tinni. (591.56 HEL) Playing with sticks, chasing squirrels, and exploring the woods are some of Sniffer and Tinni's favorite things to do. Incredibly vivid photography captures the unlikely friendship between this orphaned fox and playful German shepherd who live in Norway.
Jenkins, Steve. Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World. (573.8 JEN) What's it like to go eye to eye with some of the world's most amazing animals? What's it like to look at the world through an animal's eyes? Your questions will be answered in this beautiful book with illustrations so realistic that you might think they're photographs, but they are really made from cut paper!
Jenkins, Steve. Never Smile at a Monkey. (591.6 JEN) Provides answers to why you shouldn’t smile at a monkey, pet a platypus, or harass a hippopotamus. Amazing facts from the animal world with gorgeous paper collage illustrations.
Keating, Jess. Pink Is for Blobfish. (591.47 KEA) Think pink is a strange color for an animal? After reading about the 17 unique pink creatures from around the world, you might start to think pink is a perfect color for these unusual beasts.
Jennings, Ken. Maps and Geography. (910 JEN) Guide to maps and geography with quizzes, trivia, and illustrations brought to you by the all-time Jeopardy! champ in his Genius Guides series. Others in this series include: Outer Space (523 JEN), and U.S. Presidents (973.09 JEN).
Laidlaw, Rob. Cat Champions. (636.8 LAI) If you've ever worried about the huge numbers of lost, abandoned, or feral cats out there, you'll be excited to learn how kids can help. Whether it's fundraising, fostering, volunteering, or educating others, you'll find tips to show you care enough to do something to make a difference.
Larson, Kirby. Two Bobbies: True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival. (636.08 LAR) True story of a dog and cat who found each other after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina separated them from their families. Their friendship and loyalty helps them survive under unlikely circumstances.
Llewellyn, Claire. Ask Dr. K. Fisher about Creepy-Crawlies.-Insects/Arachnids (595.7 LLE) Where can you get advice if you are an insect, earthworm, spider, or scorpion? Just write a letter to Dr. K. Fisher to answer your all your questions. Others in this series are letters about animals and dinosaurs.
Lunge-Larsen, Lise. Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words and Wisdom from Greek and Roman Mythology. (401 LUN) Are you aware that words like chaos, genius, panic, echo, and more got their meanings from the names of gods, goddesses, and characters in Greek mythology?
Macken, JoAnn Early. Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move. (581.4 MAC) In order for seeds to become plants, they need to travel to a spot where they can grow. You might be surprised at how some seeds get from here to there.
Magner, Tim. An Environmental Guide from A to Z. (508 MAG) This earth friendly alphabet book will inspire you to take care of our planet while you learn about some of the problems , solutions, villains, and heroes in ecology.
Markle, Sandra. Animal Heroes: True Rescue Stories. (636.0887 MAR) From dog to dolphins, cats, and gorillas, these animals have all saved peoples’ lives. Read about these amazing animals to learn exactly what they did to rescue humans. Nominated for the 2011-2012 Bluestem Award. 2012 Bluestem Nominee
Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table. (630 MAR) After spending his childhood working hard on a farm, Will Allen promised himself that he'd never dig or plant again. He followed his dream and became a professional basketball player, but when he retired from basketball, he broke his earlier promise to himself. Find out what caused Will to completely change his mind about planting and how he helps others learn the benefits of playing in the dirt, maintaining worm health, and eating the plants come from the garden.
Montague, Brad. Kid President's Guide to Being Awesome. (158.3 MON) Meet the internet sensation known as Kid President and find out about all the awesome things he's seen and done since his videos went viral, and learn what you can do to be more AWESOME!
Napoli, Donna Jo. Treasury of Egyptian Mythology. (299 NAP) Untangle the secrets of Egyptian gods and goddesses by reading their stories in this collection of myths. Includes map, timeline, family tree, bibliography, and index.
Newman, Patricia. Plastic Ahoy: Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. (363.738 NEW) We use plastic everyday, but what happens to all that plastic if it is not recycled? Join three scientists as they investigate the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to answer questions about what happens to the plants, animals, and ocean because of all that plastic garbage.
Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. Dogs On Duty: Soldiers' Best Friends on the Battlefield and Beyond. (355.4 PAT) Dogs have long been known as “man’s best friend.” This book shows how dogs have been heroes in wars throughout history, often saving their human companions and others in their troops. You’ll be amazed at the training and accomplishments of these amazing dogs!
Price, Jane. Underworld: Exploring the Secret World Beneath Your Feet. (624.1 PRI) When you look down and see the ground, you probably don't realized all that could be beneath your feet. Volcanoes, bones, tombs, city works, caves, animal homes, treasure and more could be right below you at this very minute. Want to know more? Check this book.
Rhatigan, Joe. People You Gotta Meet Before You Grow Up. (307.77 RHA) Have you ever wondered what successful people actually DO while they're working? If so, this is the book for you. You'll learn the ins and outs of careers for people who run, explore, and change the world. It's filled with additional links to help investigate these careers even further, and you'll even learn how to interview other people to research what they do at their jobs.
Rose, Deborah Lee . Beauty and the Beak. (598.9 ROS ) An engineer with a 3D printer comes to the rescue after Beauty, a bald eagle, has lost half her beak to a hunter's bullet. Learn about her amazing life and the rescue team who saved her.
Roth, Susan. Parrots Over Puerto Rico. (598.7 ROT) Out of hundreds of thousands of parrots that lived on Puerto Rico before humans arrived, only 24 were left in 1967. By 1975, only 13 Puerto Rican parrots were living in the wild. What happened to those beautiful birds and can anything be done to save them?
Shulman, Mark. Are You “Normal”?. (155.2 SHU) See how your choices in food, pets, activities, and even your own body compare to other people around the world. This is also a great introduction to fractions and percents.
Smith, David. If America Were a Village. (304.6 SMI) By looking at the United States as a village of 100 people, the author explains how many people out of that hundred belong to a certain ethnic group, religion, economic class, and more. Provides an introduction to percents and statistics.
Stabler, David. Kid Presidents. (973 STA) No one would have predicted that a boy whose bedroom was set up like a museum with dead animals or a boy who struggled with dyslexia would become president, but both of those boys did become presidents. This book is filled with funny, interesting facts about the childhoods of American presidents.
Truss, Lynne. Twenty-Odd Ducks. (428.2 TRU) It's funny how one little punctuation mark can change the entire meaning of the sentence. Plenty of funny examples help prove this point.
Tunnell, Michael O.. Candy Bomber: The Story of Berlin Airlift’s “Chocolate Pilot.”. (943 TUN) Primary sources used to explain the efforts of Gail Halvorsen who dropped candy to children in Berlin during the Russian blockade after WWII. 2014 Rebecca Caudill Nominee
Vaughan, Marcia K. Irena’s Jars of Secrets. (940.53 VAU) Two thousand five hundred Jewish children were rescued from the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII thanks to Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic social worker. Learn her amazing story in this book.
Vernick, Audrey. Brothers at Bat. (796.357 VER) Back in the 1930s, families had a lot of kids. With twelve boys in the Acerra family, they had more than enough to form their own baseball team. Find out about this amazing family of athletes!