Books of Information

 

Harris, Robie H., and Michael Emberley. It’s so Amazing!: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families. Candlewick Press, 1999.

Robie H. Harris is a teacher, winner of Mary Lee Tatum Award and Planned Parenthood Federation of America's highest education award, and picture book author. Through her thoughtful research, she has become an authority in the subject area. She presents the subject through "difficult but necessary" conversations with children through age appropriate language and clear writing. It is easy to follow and understand this book. She avoids stereotypes and generalizations, simply stating facts about what sex is, why people might have sex, and what do different relationships mean.

The scope is narrow, without being too narrow or limited. There is more depth than width of subject matter. This book is fact based with accurate information. There is no distinguishing between fact, theory, and opinion, as this is a fact based book. There are two cautions at the start: recommended for ages 7+ and to talk to a trusted grown up if you have more questions after reading this book. Both are appropriate.

The organization is appropriate and loosely follows the life cycle starting with our bodies' relation to reproduction, how a fetus grows, and the life of babies. There are other chapters along the way to learn about staying healthy, keeping safe, adoption, and even HIV & AIDS. There is a table of contents, chapters, and an index to help you navigate the book more easily. The index could be more thorough, and a glossary would be a welcome addition. The layout is appropriate and helps to move the narrative along in a natural way. The pattern is easy to follow for older kids, but younger readers might need a little extra help. The font and size are attention grabbing while still being accessible to readers that have trouble reading (such as dyslexia) or need to use a screen reader. 

The large book and colorful cover will draw children in. The cover also features many children of different body types, expressions, and races, which will attract many young readers! The colorful images throughout enhance the presentation and support the information provided on the page. Due to the subject matter, the illustrations are very helpful in further explaining the material. The variety of illustrations is appreciated - graphic novel style pages, diagrams and close-ups are all utilized. Graphs and realistic illustrations are clearly labeled. 

Slade, Suzanne, and Cozbi A. Cabrera. Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2020.

Suzanne Slade is an award-winning author who writes about women in history. Her extensive research makes her an authority for this topic, and she presents her expertise via a narrative of Gwendolyn Brooks' life. There is limited information available in the bibliography. Her writing style is age appropriate for picture book readers, and her language is clear and straight forward. The author avoids stereotypes while also discussing stereotypes that Brooks faced as a child. 

The scope is narrow, which is a plus, as this is a picture book about one woman that is geared towards younger readers. The depth is appropriate for the intended audience. While the information overall is accurate, there do seem to be opinions sprinkled throughout that are not distinguished. For example, the author writes that Brooks felt she didn't fit in at school - is that assumed or documented? The story is told chronologically throughout Brooks' life, making it easy to follow. The back material includes an author's note, timeline, sources for quotes, bibliography, and acknowledgements. The reference aids are not necessary but they are relevant and useful!

The layout is appropriate to the organizational method and writing style, as it is a narrative of her life. There is a clear and natural flow of information through the storytelling style. The typeface is pleasant to the eye, and I appreciate the extra detail of changing the color of the font based on the image in the background. This makes it easier to see and read the type. The physical size of the type and of the physical book is appropriate for young readers. The cover is attractive with it's lush and whimsical illustration. The colors used throughout enhance the presentation. The flowing brushstrokes tie in nicely to the flowing of the poetry. Illustrations support the information provided through accurately depicting age, location, and scene that is being told. They help the reader better visualize what Gwendolyn Brooks looked like and what her life was like at various stages. As a picture book, the illustrations are heavily plot driven, with some backdrop tie-ins when the words are the driving point of the page. For example, beautiful pink and white brushstrokes with a poem printed on the page.

Jenkins, Steve. Earth: By the Numbers. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019.

Steve Jenkins is a Caldecott Honor-award winning author who has written and illustrated many non-fiction picture books. The concise bibliography indicates thoughtful research. The scope of coverage is appropriate for the intended audience. There is one main topic (Earth), with an introduction to various sub-topics such as earthquakes or oceans. The information is accurate, age appropriate, and factually based with citations. The language is clear, concise, and age appropriate. The author speaks to the reader in a respectful manner, never speaking down to the audience. 

The information is organized in an easy to follow way. It begins with an overview of Earth, goes in to different parts of the Earth (such as mountains), then weather patterns, and ends with a global timeline. There is a glossary and bibliography at the end, which is helpful to reference. The layout is appropriate and helps to guide the book along. It is heavily illustration-forward, which makes it easy to follow. The typeface is on the smaller side, which might be difficult for younger readers. The cover is attractive, but it does feel more like a textbook, which might not be a draw for some children. Since this is very illustration heavy, the choices made were crucial to the information displayed. Color illustrations help the information be shown in a more clear way. They are relevant, appropriate, and the driver of the book. Different viewpoints are utilized throughout the book to help enhance the information being told. 

Maillard, Kevin Noble, and Juana Martinez-Neal. Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story. Roaring Brook Press, 2019.

Kevin noble Maillard is a professor, journalist, and member of the Seminole Nation, giving him academic, professional, and lived experience making him an authoritative voice on this subject. There are several notes, showing thoughtful research going into this book. There is narrow focus, writing only of fry bread and why it's special, but this would appeal to the younger audience that this book is geared to. The information is accurate, although the author does not differentiate between fact and opinion.

This is written as a picture book story, and the language is appropriate for this younger age group. The material is clear and easy to follow. While the language is younger, it is not condescending. It is organized as a story narrative, making it consistent to young readers. This would also do well in a read aloud environment. There is a recipe, author's note, reference, and notes in the back of the book. The layout is appropriate and contributes to a natural flow of information. The pattern is easy to follow. The typeface size and style is appropriate to the audience and blends will with the illustrations. The physical size is ideal for a picture book. The cover is attractive and durable. The children will be drawn to the faces on the cover. 

The colorful illustrations lend themselves to the story, moving the narrative along. They are both relevant to the information and imaginative in nature. They help the reader understand and visualize the information being presented. The illustrations are mainly narrative driven and do not include graphs, charts, etc. However, those don't feel necessary in this story.

Sidman, Joyce. The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018.

Joyce Sidman is a Newberry Honor winner and nature poet. She is an authority in this subject which is shown through her thoughtful and thorough research on the topic. The scope of this book is both the butterfly lifecycle and Maria Merian's life and work. It is a nice complementary subject matter throughout the book. It doesn't feel too broad or too narrow, and seamlessly marries the two. The information is accurate, reading like a biography with a narrative structure. 

The language level is appropriate, and is geared towards older children. There is clarity to the style of writing. The material is easy to follow. The author avoids stereotypes and condescending language. The method of organization is original - following the life of both a butterfly and Maria as they grow. It is both informative and told in a narrative style. Due to being told chronologically, it is easy to follow along. Reference aids include a table of contents, glossary, author's note, timeline, quote sources, bibliography, further reading, acknowledgements, image credits, and an index. 

The layout is appropriate to the writing style. Illustrations, maps, and photographs weave throughout the story, helping to draw in readers. The font transports the reader back in time. The cover is attractive and makes you wonder what Maria did to change the science of butterflies! The illustrations are used to enhance the information and immerse you in the story. The illustrations, photographs, and maps were used in a way to provide more information and more imagination throughout your reading.