Nonfiction Navigators discussion

Here's an author for this month as well.

I really loved Heart and Soul. It is a great view of U.S. history from a different perspective than we usually see. That first part about the revolution would fit really well with Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. Also, Nelson's artwork is just fantastic.

I am showing it to my fifth grade teachers since they are the ones with that content, but I plan to booktalk it with my library classes when I showcase narrative non-fiction later this year. I want to let them know that NF isn't all DK books and books with snippets of this and that.

Some of our traditional chapter book readers may not realize that some non-fiction reads almost like a novel. Thats the kind of NF that I generally pick up for my personal reading.

I heard Kadir Nelson speak at Baltimore's Book Festival this year and really enjoyed hearing him talk about his process. His works from We are the Ship are currently on a touring exhibition. http://www.kadirnelson.com/Exhibits.html

I love Crystal's points about nonfiction that reads like a story. I haven't read Heart and Soul yet but I'm wondering if it is accessible for 5th graders. Thoughts and opinions?

Laura wrote: "I heard Kadir Nelson speak at Baltimore's Book Festival this year and really enjoyed hearing him talk about his process. His works from We are the Ship are currently on a touring exhibition. http..."

I think it would be accessible for 5th, but it will be even more so if used as a read aloud. I think reading aloud the parts of it related to the history curriculum that is taught would be perfect and then students may go ahead and want to read the rest.

That's pretty much what I imaged for Heart and Soul. I can totally imagine using it as a classroom teacher but I have a harder time seeing students reading it independently.

Roger Sutton interviewed Kadir Nelson about Heart and Soul in Horn Book this month. A really great, insightful interview. I definitely kept a copy as a reference for teachers and when I use the book to support the curriculum later in the year.

I read a picture book Kadir illustrated called Testing the Ice. It was written by Jackie Robinson's daughter. It had some ties to the desegregation of major league baseball as well as to family life.

I've had Heart and Soul to read all week. I hope to get to it tonight at last.

I think everything that Kadir Nelson has published is fabulous!!!

I finally got to read Heart and Soul. It was a very informative overview of us history. I found it fascinating and could see it being useful for classroom teachers.

His art is amazing (and I wish I had a better vocabulary for discussing book art).