The kids are in school. Finally. If you're like HuffPost blogger Devon Corneal, you let them slide this summer. They barely cracked a book during the long, hot days of August, and you're wondering if they're even able to read anymore. Maybe you're looking for interesting topics for book reports. Or -- gasp! -- maybe you just want to read together at bedtime. Whatever the reason, Devon has put together a list of back-to-school books that will keep curious kids entertained and educated long after school is out for the day.
Picture Books/For Young Readers
Back To School Books For Young Readers
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Non-Fiction
It's book report time! There are wonderful non-fiction titles out this fall that give both younger and older readers something to sink their teeth into.
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Animalium, curated by Katie Scott and Jenny Broom
This book is an extraordinary collection of information about the vast variety of Earth's animals, from the smallest insect to the largest whale. It's a portable museum, open anytime you want to visit. The book is glorious -- full of oversized drawings reminiscent of old-fashioned botany or Audubon prints you can only find in rare book shops. The pages are luxurious -- weighty in your hands and demanding long hours of uninterrupted attention. You'll be enchanted, and so will your kids.
Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos by Stephanie Roth Sisson
A picture book for younger readers, Star Stuff gives budding stargazers a peek into the life of Carl Sagan and the mysteries of the galaxy. This generation may not know about "Cosmos," but they'll identify with a young boy who has big dreams.
Gingerbread for Liberty! by Mara Rockliff
Ever heard of Christopher Ludwick? Me neither. But roll up your sleeves and get reading about this German baker and forgotten hero of the American Revolution. When you're finished, there's even a recipe for gingerbread.
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Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes by Nicola Davies
There are thousands of books about animals -- especially the big and exciting and beautiful ones. But until now, I haven't seen a children's book that explores the fascinating world of microbes. Tiny Creatures tackles the unseen world of the world's smallest organisms -- from the polio virus to paramecium -- and shows children how vital they are to our existence.
Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis
How do you top the Eiffel Tower? By building the world's first Ferris wheel, of course. Learn all about George Ferris's ambition to design a modern marvel for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, and the incredible engineering it took to make it all work.
The History of Money: From Bartering to Banking by Martin Jenkins
You know in Chapter One, cleverly titled "In Which Nobody Has Any Money," that this not another boring treatise on banking. Jenkins takes readers through an engaging tour of the history of money, covering everything from how we moved from barter to currency, to interest and inflation, and how we understand the value of money. If your kid is old enough to have an allowance, this is worth adding to the shelf.
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The Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass
Candlewick Biographies are always filled with information, but I found this one particularly interesting because I'd never heard of Walter Anderson, an American naturalist and artist whose watercolors of wildlife in the Mississippi Gulf Cost were largely unknown until after his death. If you have a budding artist in your midst, he or she will love this wonderfully illustrated book.
Stand There! She Shouted: The Invincible Photographer Julia Margaret Cameron by Susan Goldman Rubin
If you have a young photographer in your house, she may be interested in learning more about Julia Margaret Cameron, a Victorian portraitist whose peripatetic life is as fascinating as her photography.
Information Graphics: Human Body by Peter Grundy
I'm a huge fan of the Information Graphics series. Bold images and accessible facts on an array of topics collide in these treasure troves of information. The latest in the series, Human Body, covers anything and everything that makes us tick.
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