Nonfiction Picture Books
Each year Evanston Public Library decides on the 101 Great Books for Kids. Biographies, science, sports, history, and more fill these incredible publications!
77. Are You Big? by Mo Willems / Are You Small? by Mo Willems
Are you big or are you small? To a cloud, our moon, the sun, or even a galaxy cluster you might be small, but to a little insect you are big! Books on relative size brought to us by the man who created The Pigeon, Elephant & Piggie, and more. Call Number: JPicture Wille.M
78. Call Me Roberto! Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos by Nathalie Alonso, ill. Rudy Gutierrez
The highs and lows of one of the greatest baseball players of all time is told here with a special focus on how Clemente fought racism throughout his whole career. A bio of a hero. Also available in Spanish! Call Number: x796.357 Pirates Alons.N
79. Comet Chaser: The True Cinderella Story of Caroline Herschel by Pamela S. Turner, ill. Vivian Mildenberger
Was Caroline Herschel going to be doomed to be her mother’s servant for the rest of her life? Find out how this 18th century woman became the world’s first professional female astronomer in this scintillating tale. Call Number: xBiog Hersc.C Turne.P
80. The Fastest Drummer: Clap Your Hands for Viola Smith! by Dean Robbins, ill. Susanna Chapman
Born into the family band, Viola Smith was a drummer from the start. Watch and see how for a century she broke barriers and drummed her heart out in this energetic book full of voom and pizzazz! Call Number: xBiog Smith.V Robbi.D
81. Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller by Breanna J. McDaniel, ill. April Harrison
A hero librarian who paved the way for so many others! An award-winning author/illustrator pair recount the life of a woman who made change wherever she went. Call Number: xBiog Baker.A Mcdan.B
82. The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure by Barb Rosenstock, ill. Jamey Christoph
A deep dive (literally!) into the Great Lakes, their history, present, and future. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about their six quadrillion gallons of freshwater and how vital they are to the world. Call Number: x977 Rosen.B
83. I See Color: An Affirmation and Celebration of Our Diverse World by Valerie Bolling and Kailei Pew, ill. Laylie Frazier
You say you “don’t see color”? “Do you not see me?” A celebration of people and the vast array of colors they represent, celebrated in this collected picture book biography of over thirty incredible leaders. Call Number: x305.8 Bolli.V
84. The Iguanodon’s Horn by Sean Rubin
What did the iguanodon really look like? Follow its discovery and the different ways humans have pictured it over the centuries in this magnificently illustrated investigation into how we’ve changed our minds about dinos. Call Number: x567.914 Rubin.S
85. Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall by Lynn Brunelle, ill. Jason Chin
Death for one whale means life for an entire ecosystem of creatures. Learn the fascinating science behind a single whale’s contribution to ocean life. Call Number: x577.79 Brune.L
86. My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story by George Takei, ill. Michelle Lee
What would it feel like if your country went to war and then imprisoned you for no reason? A kid’s-eye-view of living through the Japanese internment camps. Call Number: xBiog Takei.G Takei.G
87. The Noisy Puddle: A Vernal Pool Through the Seasons by Linda Booth Sweeney, ill. Miki Sato
“LOOK! LOOK! Look over there… / a noisy puddle cold and clear.” Gentle rhyming text describes a vernal pool and all the critters that rely upon it. Call Number: JPicture Sween.L
88. Nothing: John Cage and 4’33” by Nicholas Day, ill. Chris Raschka
On August 29, 1952, pianist David Turdor sat down at a piano and played… nothing. How can nothing be something? A celebration of one of John Cage’s iconic pieces of music, and why it was so important. Call Number: x780.92 Day.N
89. The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart’s Brush with George Washington by Sarah Albee, ill. Stacy Innerst
Everyone loved posing for Gilbert Stuart, one of the most renowned painters of his day. Everyone, that is, except for George Washington. The true story of what happened when Stuart was asked to paint Washington’s most famous portrait. Call Number: xBiog Washi.G Albee.S
90. Space: The Final Pooping Frontier by Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White, ill. Lars Kenseth
Waste in space is the focus of this hilarious exploration of number two amongst the stars. Think we’ve always had this problem figured out? Think again. Call Number: x629.45 Bondo.A
91. This Is My Brain: A Book on Neurodiversity by Elise Gravel
My brain isn’t like your brain and your brain isn’t like mine. Find out how to make them happy and what it is that they can and can’t do. Call Number: x612.82 Grave.E
92. Time to Make Art by Jeff Mack
What exactly is art? What can it be? As one small girl asks questions, artists ancient and modern make it clear that art is whatever you want it to be. Inspiring and fun! Call Number: x701.1 Mack.J
93. The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants by Philip Bunting
Are you ready for some ant facts? Are you ready to laugh out loud? Are you ready to learn more than you ever thought you’d be able to about these tiny little workers? Get ready for factual hilarity that’ll give you a newfound respect for our tiny friends. Call Number: x595.796 Bunti.P
Find the full list of 101 Great Books for Kids here.
Committee Members: Patrizia Alm, Karina Andrus, Stephen Barnes, Betsy Bird, Lisa Dallas, Kyria Dickerson, Betsy Haberl, Jessica Iverson, Kennedy Joseph, Taylor Keahey, Leigh Kennelly, Martha Meyer, Jeny Mills, Olivia Mo, Katrina Moravec, Bill Ohms, Bridget Petrites, Julie Rand, Jennifer Shreve, Robin Sindelar, Elizabeth English Steimle, Kasandra Trejo, Lulu Tripp, Michael Warren, and Brian Wilson
