Informational - Grades 3-5

Carson, M.K. (2010). The Bat Scientists. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

The author of this book set out to reverse the damage done by previous children’s books that have scared people away from bats due to the negative imagery.  This book is informational, promotes bats in a scientific and factual manner, and teaches readers how to help bats as bats are suffering a decline in population for unknown reasons.  The photographs by Tom Uhlman are unbiased photos taken of bats in their habitats and exhibiting healthy behaviors.  The photographs and captions provide a hook for readers and the writing is very informative.  (Grades 3 and up).

Sidman, J. (2010). Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 

This book is half poems, half informational essays.  The poetry is flowing and rythmic, making the book easy to read and share with youngsters.  The informational sections are full of facts and details about life forms which have survived the enormous changes brought about since the beginning of life.  The illustrations are beautiful, spreading across pages and allowing the poems to flow through them.  The book is created with sparks of information for all readers from the very young who will appreciate the colors and rhythmic poem to the older learners who will appreciate the immense amounts of information about life that has beat the odds.  (Grade 3 and up).