Nonfiction

Nonfiction genre

Kamakwie: Finding Peace, Love, and Injustice in Sierra Leone

Kathleen Martin spent several weeks in the tiny village of Kamakwie in the interior of Sierra Leone, where she worked with a Canadian medical team. Staying in the grounds of the community hospital, Kathleen had the opportunity to meet with the people of the village. The experience was a revelation. Her mission was to talk to people about their lives, aspirations and their memories of the civil war. She also had a camera though which she developed a visual chronicle. Above all, she was struck by the children. Their resilience, their hopes, their enjoyment of the moments when they could gather and sing and play soccer.
Initially, the writer is an observer, but it is not long before the observer is passionately involved.
In this vivid and moving account of her time in Kamakwie, Kathleen Martin provides a window into a world far from the comfortable lives of most Americans – a world that through this book will become a colorful, sometimes horrifying, sometimes beautiful reality.

Teens in Russia

The Russian Federation has been an independent country since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. For Russian teenagers, this change has presented many opportunities. At school, teens are learning about a history that the communist government tried to hide. In their free time, they are learning to express themselves in ways their parents were not allowed. Teens in Russia is part of Global Connections, a series that uncovers the challenges, pastimes, and customs of teens around the world.

The Fairy Ring or Elsie and Frances Fool the World: A True Story

Frances was nine when she first saw the fairies. They were tiny men, dressed all in green. Nobody but Frances saw them, so her cousin Elsie painted paper fairies and took photographs of them “dancing” around Frances to make the grown-ups stop teasing. The girls promised each other they would never, ever tell that the photos weren’t real. But how were Frances and Elsie supposed to know that their photographs would fall into the hands of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? And who would have dreamed that the man who created the famous detective Sherlock Holmes believed ardently in fairies

Faith: Five Religions And What They Share

This kid-friendly exploration of faith provides a superb overview of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. Young readers will learn about different aspects of each religion, including historical origins and beliefs, holy texts, religious clothing and places of worship. They will also find out about the values, customs and symbols all five religions share, such as the golden rule, charity, prayer and candles. Straightforward, simple text makes the content interesting and accessible, as do the vivid photos of children around the world. Parents and teachers will find Faith an invaluable tool for teaching youngsters tolerance and respect for people of different beliefs.

Pop-Up London

Welcome to the great city of London! Are you ready for your tour? Open this inviting, large-format book and follow the river Thames as it winds through the heart of the celebrated capital. Peer inside Buckingham Palace, spin the London Eye, whisper in Saint Paul’s Cathedral gallery, and raise the historic Tower Bridge. Lift the flaps, and you’ll find famous faces, spooky stories, and surprising secrets. Turn the book around to look inside buildings and find out even more. Be inspired by the magic of London in three dimensions.

Latin Americans Thought of It: Amazing Innovations

Travel from the ancient hidden city of Machu Picchu high in the Andes, past Mayan ruins over 2,000 years old, to the bustling modern cities of Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires. Along the way, readers will learn about the vibrant cultures and innovations of Latin Americans–rodeo, carnival, chocolate, coffee, piñata, tango, and salsa, to name only a few. Many of these have become part of the daily lives of people all around the world.

Stories To Play with: Kids’ Tales Told with Puppets, Paper, Toys, and Imagination

For storytellers who are just starting out, it seems appropriate to begin telling to young children. Yet young children present the most difficult audience a storyteller can face. So where does one begin? Simple. With some old newspaper and the story Rain Hat or Mountain Climbing, children will be enthralled at the action of the young hero as you fold and tear and create mountains, hats, fans, and boats right before their very eyes. Or, take a milk carton and make a frog puppet to tell the story.