Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Start the New Year With These New Non-Fiction Books for Kids

The McElderry Book of Mother Goose by Petra MathersMother Goose gets a makeover in this vibrant new collection of childhood classics.This innovative Mother Goose collection combines family favorites with less well-known rhymes in a bright, new package. Here Little Miss Muffet and her tuffet meet Gregory Griggs and his twenty-seven wigs, and the cat and the fiddle are not the only music-makers—there’s also Terrence McDiddler the Three-Stringed Fiddler.

     From “Hickory, Dickory Dock” to “Higgelty, Piggelty Pop,” Petra Mathers and her vivid, quirky illustrations capture the timeless joy and cleverness that are inherently Mother Goose. This modern collection of Mother Goose classics promises to enchant and delight a new generation of nursery rhyme readers.
From the Good Mountain by James RumfordWhat was made of rags and bones, soot and seeds? What took a mountain to make?
For the answer, travel back to the fifteenth century—to a time when books were made by hand and a man named Johannes Gutenberg invented a way to print books with movable type.
Written as a series of riddles and illustrated in the style of medieval manuscripts by an award-winning author and artist, From the Good Mountain will intrigue readers of all ages. On every page there is something surprising to learn about how the very thing you are holding in your hands came to be.
The Story of Silk by Richard SobolJoin author and photographer Richard Sobol as he picks up his camera once more and travels to a small village in Thailand for an in-depth exploration of the story of silk and the labor-intensive process of making it. From nurturing the silkworms to weaving the fabric and photographing the children as they proudly model the finished product, this first-person narrative, illustrated with richly detailed photographs, chronicles the amazing process of creating one of history’s most desired textiles.
Snakes by Nic BishopYIKES!!! Join naturalist Nic Bishop for a closer look at scaly, scary snakes!

Snakes are scaly, scary, silent predators. They use powerful venom or crushing strength to overwhelm their victims. Then they swallow them whole!

With breathtaking full-page images, Sibert Medal-winning photographer Nic Bishop introduces the terrifying and beautiful world of snakes. The simple, engaging text presents both basic information and captivating details about the appearance, habits, and remarkable abilities of these amazing reptiles. An index and glossary are included, along with an author's note detailing his research and the fun stories behind the photographs.