12 Nonfiction Picture Books with Emotional Resonance

Mar 22, 2023 | Nonfiction, Picture Books

A special thank you to Eileen Robinson for sharing this great list of books!

Science

  • Counting Birds: The Idea That Helped Save Our Feathered Friends, by Heidi E.Y. Stemple and illustrated by Clover Robin
  • The Snail with the Right Heart: A True Story, by Maria Popova and illustrated by Ping Zhu
  • Footprints Across the Planet, by Jennifer Swanson and illustrated with photographs
  • Moth (An Evolution Story), by Isabel Thomas and illustrated by Daniel Egneu
Book cover: The Snail with the Right Heart
Book Cover: Counting Birds
Book cover: Footprints Across the Planet
Book cover: Moth
Biography
  • Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma, by Joanna Ho and illustrated by Teresa Martinez
  • Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks, by Suzanne Slade and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera
  • Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist, by Julie Leung and illustrated by Chris Sasaki
  • It Jes' Happened: When Bill Taylor Started to Draw, by Don Tate and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Book Cover: Playing at the Border
Book Cover: It Jes' Happened
Book Cover: Exquisite
Book Cover: Paper Son
History
  • Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, by Jeff Gottesfeld and illustrated by Matt Tavares
  • Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement, by Angela Joy and illustrated by Janelle Washington
  • Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky, by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond and illustrated by Daniel Minter
  • Action! How Movies Began, written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
Book Cover: Choosing Brave
Book Cover: Blue
Book Cover: Twenty-One Steps
Book Cover: Action!

Thank you to our faculty for this Guest Post!

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