I hope these posts are helping you to discover some new nonfiction favorites of your own!

Here are my favorites from this week:

Mars Is: Stark Slopes, Silvery Snow, and Startling Surprises by Suzanne Slade – The photographs! Oh, the photographs! There is something about viewing photos of a place you can never travel in person. With layered text and intriguing photographs, Suzanne shares the many wonders of our neighbor, Mars. Come explore the geographic features of the red plant from the comfort of your chair!

Even though it is old news, the fact that we can experience a 360 degree view of the actual Mars surface still blows my mind! Can’t you just smell the red dust?

Up Periscope!: How Engineer Raye Montague Revolutionized Ship Building by Elizabeth Rusch – This is a must read biography that details the story of Raye Montague, a groundbreaking engineer in the shipbuilding field. Be sure to read Jennifer’s Author’s Note to discover which words in the book were spoken by Raye Montague!

Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond – OK, I may be biased because blue is my favorite color – but according to research, I am not alone. This deep, calming, and beautifully written story of the color blue is as informative as it is entertaining.

Nature’s Ninjas: Animals with Spectacular Skills by Rebecca L. Johnson  – I haven’t confirmed this with Rebecca, yet I suspect this book was written specifically at the request of my youngest son. He aspires to be a ninja, is fascinated by nature, and is a voracious consumer of nonfiction. We have read and re-read (and read again!) this clever text that pairs ninja skills with animals that display those same traits. The concept is just so cool that I think I enjoy the book as much as he does! This is a longer picture book – divided into chapters – and is illustrated with photographs and the occasional graphic. If you have a nature-loving ninja in your home or classroom – sneak over to your library or bookstore and nab a copy immediately! 

And last but not least, my funny re-read of the week (and one of my boys’ favorite books) Battle of the Butts: The Science Behind Animal Behinds by Jocelyn Rish. With engaging language, Jocelyn draws readers into the strange and startling world of animal behinds. Maybe it is because I am surrounded by males (two of which are young boys) that I, too, think farts are funny. From fish that use farts to communicate to a turtle that breathes through its butt, this book’s potty humor definitely doesn’t stink!

What were your favorites this week? Share them with me over on StarrMatica’s Facebook post or Bluesky post!