3 Nonfiction Book Series To Engage Your Child
Get kids engaged with nonfiction series books!
Nonfiction books are an essential part of Common Core curriculum. End of grade tests and benchmark tests throughout the school year focus heavily on comprehending nonfiction, yet many children read only fiction for pleasure. Here are some nonfiction series that will get children (and parents!) engaged with nonfiction and prepare them for upcoming tests.
“Who Was” biographies by Penguin Books
Read about famous leaders, inventors, athletes, entertainers and more with the “Who Was/Who Is” biography series. The series includes historical figures like George Washington, Isaac Newton, and Mozart and continues with more current figures like Steve Jobs, Jim Henson and Malala Yousafzai. The simple text, caricature-like illustrations, and paperback covers are all appealing to hesitant readers and get them interested in biographies. Each book contains a timeline of the person's life and a comparison timeline of the world at that time. The books conclude with a bibliography for further reading. These are key components of the Common Core and a great way to get children exposed to nonfiction.
National Geographic Kids Readers
National Geographic Kids Readers cover a wide range of topics like robotics, sharks, plants, insects and cute animals. With simple text, kids of all ages can enjoy this series. Geared toward students in kindergarten through second grade, each chapter contains vocabulary words and their definitions. This series contains the vivid animal and nature photographs that National Geographic is famous for. Each book includes a table of contents and a multiple choice quiz that helps readers reinforce their reading comprehension.
Usborne Big Books
Usborne Big Books excite children with large format pictures. Young children with a thirst for adventure will love this series. Books cover subjects like trains, dinosaurs, trucks and sea creatures. Rather than long paragraphs, the books contain fold-out pages with images, labels and explanations of each item.
Emily Long is a children's librarian at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Hickory Grove Branch.
