The Mother of All Booklists

February 1, 2015

Nonfiction, especially children's, is a buzzword at the moment, thanks to the Common Core State Standards. And for a few years now, more authors and publishers have been answering the call and writing exceptional informational books. In an effort to separate the wheat from the chaff in a very crowded genre, bookstore owner and former education professor Martin has compiled this hefty guide to the 500 most recommended nonfiction books for ages 3 to 103. What makes the list stand out is that it culls from more than 100 other authorities (annual awards as well as recommendations from noteworthy sources including librarians, teachers, magazines, and more), providing a vast number of diverse points of view. Covers are shown and titles are annotated and there is a great multicultural representation. The book is divided into appropriate sections (e.g., preschoolers, early readers, young adults, etc.). But as thoughtful as the organization and selection is, some of the titles appear misplaced in their chapters, with excellent works, such as Laban Carrick Hill and Bryan Collier's Dave the Potter and a volume on the Underground Railroad inappropriately listed among the preschool ages three-five groupings, for example. Other books, recommended as they may be, are very old; a 1971 title is included in the section for middle readers. VERDICT Appropriate as an additional purchase for a parent-teacher collection.--Sharon Verbeten, Brown Cty. Lib., Green Bay, WI

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