Zoo Day: A My First Experiences Book by Annie Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell

Zoo Day: A My First Experiences Book by Anne Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell (2017)

I probably don’t need to tell you how great Anne Rockwell’s books are for storytime, and this one is no different. A perfect, realistic, and gentle narrative that shows what a trip to the zoo is like for a family (aside from the lack of crowds, that is). A perfect example of narrative nonfiction for storytime.

Themes/topics: zoo, family, parrots, maps, events, nonfiction, firsts

Sample text from one spread:

When the zookeeper comes to feed them, the sea lions gather around, barking even louder. She throws a shiny fish up in the air. A sea lion catches it and slaps his flipper on the rock. Another catches a fish and dives underwater.

“Now they’re making me hungry,” I tell my mom.

“Me too,” she says. 

I am Josephine (and I am a living thing) by Jan Thornhill and Jacqui Lee

I am Josephine (and I am a living thing) by Jan Thornhill and Jacqui Lee (2016)

This book made me so happy when it came across my desk—I don’t order nonfiction, so it was a surprise.  Josephine tells us that she is a human being, talks about other human beings, and invites readers to point out other human beings on a full spread. She then defines herself as a mammal, an animal, and a living thing following the same pattern. This book is a great introduction to the concept of how humans fit into broader categories, while still being unique individually. The delightful pictures, by the illustrator of the fabulous reader series, Murilla Gorilla, are large, clear, and perfect for sharing during storytime.

Themes/topics: people, self-esteem, individuality, STEM, categories

Sample text from two spreads:

I am Josephine, and I am a living thing.

I am a living thing, and so is my brother, Felix, and so is a butterfly, and so is a tree, and so is a penguin. How many different living things can you find on this page?

'I'm a Great Little Kid' Series Nonfiction

Although I don't buy nonfiction for my system, I recently noticed a few titles from the "I'm a Great Little Kid" series from Second Story Press. 

I've read Never Give Up: A Story About Self-Esteem and That Uh Oh Feeling: A Story About Touch, both by Kathryn Cole illustrated by Qin Leng. While I'm not reviewing them in a formal way here, I read through both of them and was favorably impressed with the way sensitive issues are handled, and the fact that the books are racially diverse in a way that doesn't resort to tokenism. I'm not sure having only read two of them, but I think it's the same group of kids in all the books, and each book features a different child as the main character. Never Give Up in particular could work with older kids in a storytime or classroom setting. I like that the main character is a hijabi girl who solves a bullying problem for someone else--a white boy who is being mocked for his inability to ride a bike.