Twenty Memorable Nonfiction Titles from 2012

2012 is coming to a close and, as I skim through the list of nonfiction and historical fiction picture books I’ve read and studied this year, a handful of new releases stand out as memorable, for various individual reasons.  Of course, there are oodles of outstanding middle grade nonfiction books out this year, too, but I’ve chosen to narrow this particular list to the picture book form only.

Without futher ado, here are the standouts from my personal readings of 2012 releases:
(Note, they are in alphabetical order by publisher because that’s the way I record them in my reading log-more on that later.)

 MINETTE’S FEAST; THE DELLICIOUS STORY OF JULIA CHILD AND HER CAT by Susanna Reich. Illustrated by Amy Bates (Abrams, 2012)

BILL THE BOY WONDER: THE SECRET CO-CREATOR OF BATMAN by Marc Tyler Nobleman. Illustrated by Ty Templeton (Charlesbridge 2012)

BAMBINO AND MR. TWAIN by P.I. Maltbie. Illustrated by Daniel Miyares (Charlesbridge, 2012)

EMILY AND CARLO by Marty Rhodes Figley. Illustrated by Catherine Stock (Charlesbridge, 2012)

BROTHERS AT BAT: THE TRUE STORY OF AN AMAZING ALL-BROTHER BASEBALL TEAM by Audrey Vernick. Illustrated by Steven Salerno (Clarion, 2012)

THE CAMPING TRIP THAT CHANGED AMERICA by Barb Rosenstock. Illustrated by Mordecai Gerstein (Dial, 2012)

ELECTRIC BEN: THE AMAZING LIFE AND TIMES OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN written and illustrated by Robert Byrd (Dial, 2012)

THE FANTASTIC JUNGLES OF HENRI ROUSSEAU by Michelle Markel. Illustrated by Amanda Hall (Eerdman’s, 2012)

BARNUM’S BONES: HOW BARNUM BROWN DISCOVERED THE MOST FAMOUS DINOSAUR IN THE WORLD  by Tracey Fern. Illustrated by Boris Kulikov (F,S,G, 2012)

NOAH WEBSTER AND HIS WORDS  by Jeri Chase Ferris. Illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch (Houghton Mifflin, 2012)

JUST BEHAVE, PABLO PICASSO by Jonah Winter. Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (Arthur Levine Books, 2012)

IT JES’ HAPPENED: WHEN BILL TRAYLOR STARTED TO DRAW by Don Tate. Illustrated by Gregory Christie (Lee & Low, 2012)

ISLAND: A STORY OF THE GALAPAGOS written and illustrated by Jason Chin (Roaring Brook, 2012)

MONSIEUR MARCEAU by Leda Schubert. Illustrated by Gerard DuBois  (Roaring Brook, 2012)

ANNIE AND HELEN by Deborah Hopkinson. Illustrated by Raul Colon (Schwartz & Wade, 2012

BON APPETIT! THE DELICIOUS LIFE OF JULIA CHILD  written and illustrated by Jessie Hartland (Schwartz & Wade, 2012)

A BOY CALLED DICKENS by Deborah Hopkinson. Illustrated by John Hendrix (Schwartz & Wade, 2012)

HERE COME THE GIRL SCOUTS!: THE AMAZING ALL-TRUE STORY OF JULIETTE “DAISY”” GORDON LOW AND HER GREAT ADVENTURE by Shana Corey. Illustrated by Hadley Hooper (Scholastic, 2012)

LOOKING AT LINCOLN written and illustrated by Maira Kalman. (Penguin (Nancy Paulsen) 2012)

TOUCH THE SKY: ALICE COACHMAN, OLYMPIC HIGH JUMPER by Ann Malaspina. Illustrated by Eric Velasquez (Albert Whitman, 2012)

One Response to “Twenty Memorable Nonfiction Titles from 2012”

  1. E.S. Ivy

    I didn't know there was a picture book about Julia Child! Just this week I read that YoYo Ma Was even inspired by her. Quite a lady who can even influence a world famous violinist with just her cooking and our outlook. 🙂

    I read her memoir a year ago and really enjoyed it.