Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge

Alyson Beecher at Kid Lit Frenzy is hosting at nonfiction picture book challenge for 2020. She will post new nonfiction picture book reviews every Wednesday on her blog!

My goal is to read and review one nonfiction picture book a month! Since I'm reviewing so many other books, I'm hoping this goal will make it more manageable for me, especially since I am pretty new to blogging and book reviewing.

Want to participate, but don't have a blog? You can post your review on twitter using the hashtag #nfpb2020!

Welcome to my brand new blog!

Welcome to my new blog! My name is Alicia and I am a fourth grade English language arts and social studies teacher in Ohio. I have a Master's of Education in Literacy, and I LOVE to read. This blog is going to be where I post my reviews for children's books that I think children will enjoy. Advanced reader's copies of books are provided by Kid Lit Exchange, NetGalley, and Edelweiss.

I originally started blogging using Wix, but I have decided to move my blog to Blogger. At Wix, I wasn't getting much interaction with my posts, and through my research, I discovered that most teachers seem to use Blogger instead. Since teachers are my target audience, I decided to go where my audience is! I transferred all of my old blog posts from my Wix website onto this blog, so all of my posts will be in one place. 

I am excited to connect with educators and book lovers through Blogger. Comment below if you know of any great book review or teacher blogs that I should follow!

Pause Power

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Thanks to NetGalley, Boys Town Press and Smith Publicity for the review copy of Pause Power by Jennifer Law and illustrated by Brian Martin. All opinions are my own. This book is scheduled to be released on February 4, 2020.

This picture book focuses on Gabe who becomes easily frustrated and angry with his classmates because they are always pushing his buttons. However, when he reacts out of anger, he usually gets into trouble. This book is about Gabe learning to pause and think before reacting out of anger or frustration.

I have been looking for more books to use during our morning meetings that focus on social/emotional development, and this book seems perfect! It’s not uncommon for fourth graders to still react out of anger or frustration, and this book helps them see how they can change that and learn to control it. This book would be great to use with a whole class or as a social story for an individual student. I love that this book focuses on how reacting out of anger can impact friendships! This book also includes practical tips for parents and teachers at the end and would be a great conversation starter for students in grades K - 5. Amazon affiliate link below.

Diana: Princess of the Amazons

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Thanks to NetGalley and DC Comics for the review copy of Diana: Princess of the Amazons by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale and illustrated by Victoria Ying. All opinions are my own. This book is releasing today, January 7, 2020.

This graphic novel is about Diana, daughter of the queen of the Amazons. Diana hates that she is the only kid among the Amazons. She builds a friend out of clay and wishes for her to come to life. She is shocked when it works and is delighted to finally have a friend! However, things may not be as they seem. Instead of relieving her boredom, her new friend may just lead her into trouble.

The illustrations in this book are wonderful! If you pay close attention, there are some subtle clues in a few of the illustrations that help the reader figure out the ending. This story has a great lesson about friendship and choosing your friends wisely. I think many kids will be able to relate to feeling torn about a friend the way that Diana does in this story. This book would be ideal for grades 3 -6. Amazon affiliate link below.

Harvey Comes Home

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Thanks to the Kid Lit Exchange network and Pajama Press for the review copy of Harvey Comes Home by Colleen Nelson and illustrated by Tara Anderson. All opinions are my own. This book was released on September 19, 2019.

Harvey, a West Highland Terrier, escapes his yard to chase a squirrel but becomes hopelessly lost. He wanders around town and eventually comes to rest outside Brayside Retirement Villa where Austin finds him. Austin is a young boy that helps his grandpa clean Brayside as a punishment for bringing firecrackers to school. Austin’s mom and grandpa agree to let Austin keep Harvey while they search for the owner. However, when it comes time to take Harvey to check for a microchip, Austin chickens out. He lies to his mom and grandpa and tells them that they couldn’t find Harvey’s owner. Meanwhile, Maggie, Harvey’s owner, misses her dog dearly and searches for him. Across town, Austin and Harvey become close, and Austin tries to convince himself that he is doing the right thing by keeping Harvey. Then Austin realizes that Harvey is the key to getting cranky, old Mr. Pickering to open up about his past and his trusty dog named General. Will Mr. Pickering’s stories be enough to convince Austin to do the right thing?

I absolutely adored this sweet tale of a dog bringing people together. Colleen Nelson does a beautiful job of weaving a tale that includes tough choices, heartbreak, and hope. This book would be fantastic for teaching or reviewing point of view since the chapters alternate between three different perspectives: Harvey, Austin, and Maggie. As a social studies teacher, I also enjoyed that this book included some information about the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. This book would be ideal for grades 3 – 6. Amazon affiliate link below.