New Youth Non-Fiction

After reviewing some new picture books, I went back to the youth new book shelf and picked out some non-fiction.  I find non-fiction a lot easier for readers advisory.  Kids are so much more open to new subjects than adults.  You can book talk them into trying something that just looks cool pretty easily.  Here are a few youth non-fiction books I found on the new book shelf:

Bon Appetit! The Delicious Life of Julia Child
by Jessie Hartland

I don't know if kids know who Julia Child is, but this is a very appealing book!  It is formatted a little bit like a graphic novel with lots of images and words sort of strewn around the page.  You're never sure which part you're supposed to read next, but it doesn't really matter  The author told an interesting story with funny pictures.  She included little tidbits like the fact that Julia Child was really tall and had large feet.  I would recommend this book to older elementary kids, around fourth grade or so.

The Superheroes Employment Agency
Written by Marilyn Singer
Illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

Cute!  These are superhero misfits who can be hired to help you with any problem you may encounter.There's The Pretzel, The Cajoler, The Clairvoyant, Muffy the Vampire Slayer, and a whole crew of others.  This is told in rhyme (cataloged as poetry), which makes it a quick read.  The rhymes are sometimes a little awkward, and the vocabulary seems fairly high.  Again, I'll recommend it for upper elementary aged kids.

The Main Event: The Moves and Muscle of Pro Wrestling
by Patrick Jones

This was written by THE Patrick Jones of librarian fame.  It would be great for any upper elementary or even junior high kid interested in wrestling.  It starts with a history of the "sport" (the author carefully refers to it as sports entertainment, as WWE does).  Lots of pictures and short bios of famous wrestlers like John Cena, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio, and others.  This is a text-heavy book, though, and kids will learn something.  It's perfect for that child who really gets into things and wants to know everything there is to know about it.  I bet my 11-year-old nephew would love it!  

Unsolved Mysteries: The Escape from Alcatraz
By Stephanie Watson

Hmmm, I didn't really manage to find any non-fiction for younger kids this time.  At just over 100 pages, this is a great choice for a book report for a middle schooler.  It profiles the four men involved in the escape and includes a list of tools and clues and a timeline at the back of the book.  It's really interesting, and talks about things like decoys and some history of Alcatraz.  There are full chapter citations included and the book comes across as very well-researched.  It is fun to read, though, with lots of sidebars and pictures.