Month: November 2023

The theme for National Non Fiction November is Wonderful Water this year, so I have chosen four fabulous non-fiction books that fit this topic.

For our youngest children, I have chosen Little Lifecycles: Drip by Maggie Li. Drip is a little drop of water. In this book, learn how he will travel through the water cycle to become a tiny drip once again. This beautifully illustrated board book for the very young explores the journey of a raindrop.

Watch Drip travel through streams, rivers, the ocean and clouds to become a little drip once again. A die-cut right through to the last page of the book highlights that nature is full of changes, but that the story begins and ends with a tiny drop of water.

Next, I’ve chosen The Wonderful World Of Water by Sarah Garre and Marijke Huysmans, illustrated by Wendy Panders, where you can dip into any page of this fun, fact-filled book and discover the endless ways that water impacts and sustains life on earth.

Water is our planet’s most important resource, yet it’s easy to overlook its significance in our daily life. This kaleidoscopic journey across the planet offers fascinating insights into how water is connected to the air we breathe, the food we eat, and how our own actions can upset the delicate balance of its cycle. Readers will learn about how water journeys from ocean to sky to mountains, rivers, soil and back again; how water purification works; the flora and fauna of the rainforest; cloud formations and the weather they predict; natural phenomena such as the tiger bush; why rivers flood; what causes a tsunami.

Presented in lively and engaging double-page spreads, each topic is explored with quirky illustrations, trivia, and sidebars that encourage further exploration and experimentation. Best of all, it makes young readers aware just how deeply entwined their futures are with the health of our planet’s water.

The latest book in the Protecting The Planet series, Ice Journey Of The Polar Bear by Martin Jenkins, illustrated by Lou Baker-Smith, it is not just a picture book; it’s a call to action, encouraging young readers to become stewards of the planet and protect the delicate balance of nature for generations to come.

For this polar bear, this is a sign it’s time to make a den, a safe place to sleep through the harsh Arctic winter and to give birth to her cubs. But the Arctic is changing; familiar landscapes are melting. What kind of world will her cubs grow up in? This beautifully illustrated picture book gently explores the effects of climate change on polar bears, along with information on how we can all make a difference and protect the planet for these majestic animals.

A poignant and visually captivating exploration of how climate change is impacting the lives of polar bears, Martin and Lou have combined beautiful illustrations with an engaging narrative to educate us all about the challenges faced by these majestic creatures. Through the eyes of a resilient mother bear, we are introduced to the harsh realities of climate change and its direct impact on the Arctic environment.

Finally, brimming with illustrations and information, By The Sea: Life Along The Coast by Judith Homoki and Martin Haake is a coast-to-coast journey through time and across continents introduces young readers to the historical and cultural importance of the world’s seashores.

Coasts have always been the starting point of discovery― whether by explorers searching for new lands or children sifting through the sand for beautiful shells. This trip around the world’s oceans provides hours of fun and learning in a series of highly detailed double-page spreads that look at every aspect of critical coastal habitats, including the ebb and flow of tides; life in a coastal settlement; artistic depictions of seashores; native animals and plants; the whaling industry; tourism; and climate change.

The book also provides a Twenty-First-Century corrective to Western-centric narratives about exploration and colonialism. Interspersed throughout are meticulously detailed maps of the world’s largest oceans with historic events, figures and scientific facts highlighted. As fun as it is informative, this vibrant book takes readers on a trip around the globe that fosters a feeling of connection between their lives and the world’s coastlines.

It also provides one of my favourite facts I’ve discovered this year about the origins of bobble hats – you’ll have to read the book to find out what it is.

Happy reading and fact hunting!