Book picks similar to
Ancient Wonders by Iris Volant


non-fiction
nonfiction
historical
child-books

Two Brothers, Four Hands


Jan Greenberg - 2019
    . . but even more devoted to each other. A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young PeopleA Capitol Choices Noteworthy TitleEveryone who knew them agreed. Alberto was the genius of the family. His younger brother Diego was his opposite--he didn't care much for books or schoolwork, and he had no idea what he would be when he grew up. But despite their differences, the two brothers shared an intense bond.Alberto Giacometti became one of the iconic artists of the twentieth century, whose tall, spindly sculptures grace the collections of museums around the world. Diego was always at his side, helping and encouraging, and in his spare time creating remarkable pieces of furniture, works of sculpture in their own right.The poignant story of brothers and sculptors Alberto and Diego Giacometti is skillfully brought to life in the hands of multiple Sibert Honor authors Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, and the spectacular artwork of Hadley Hooper.This lavishly illustrated 64-page book includes extensive backmatter, complete with a timeline, source notes, photographs, and an essay on how to look at a Giacometti sculpture.A Horn Book Best Book of the Year A Washington Post Best Children's Book of the YearA Bank Street Best Book of the Year

Ancient Egypt


George Hart - 1990
    From the splendor of the pharaoh's court to the everyday life of ordinary people, the great civilization of the Nile valley is revealed in page after page of dramatic photos of the objects they left behind: human and animal mummies, reed brushes, children's pull-toys, and more. "Stunning."--School Library Journal.

Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp


Jerry Stanley - 1993
    with photographs from the Dust Bowl era. This true story took place at the emergency farm-labor camp immortalized in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. Ostracized as "dumb Okies," the children of Dust Bowl migrant laborers went without school--until Superintendent Leo Hart and 50 Okie kids built their own school in a nearby field.

Who Was Louis Braille?


Margaret Frith - 2014
    Blind from the age of four, he was only fifteen when in 1824 he invented a reading system that converted printed words into columns of raised dots. Through touch, Braille opened the world of books to the sightless, and almost two hundred years later, no one has ever improved upon his simple, brilliant idea.

Nature's Friend: The Gwen Frostic Story


Lindsey McDivitt - 2018
    After a debilitating illness as a child, Gwen sought solace in art and nature. She learned to be persistent and independent--never taking no for an answer or letting her disabilities define her. After creating artwork for famous Detroiters and for display at the World's Fair and helping to build WWII bombers, Gwen moved to northern Michigan and started her own printmaking business. She dedicated her work and her life to reminding people of the wonder and beauty in nature.

Fatty Legs: A True Story


Christy Jordan-Fenton - 2010
    Faced with unceasing pressure, her father finally agrees to let her make the five-day journey to attend school, but he warns Margaret of the terrors of residential schools.At school Margaret soon encounters the Raven, a black-cloaked nun with a hooked nose and bony fingers that resemble claws. She immediately dislikes the strong-willed young Margaret. Intending to humiliate her, the heartless Raven gives gray stockings to all the girls -- all except Margaret, who gets red ones. In an instant Margaret is the laughingstock of the entire school.In the face of such cruelty, Margaret refuses to be intimidated and bravely gets rid of the stockings. Although a sympathetic nun stands up for Margaret, in the end it is this brave young girl who gives the Raven a lesson in the power of human dignity.Complemented by archival photos from Margaret Pokiak-Fenton's collection and striking artwork from Liz Amini-Holmes, this inspiring first-person account of a plucky girl's determination to confront her tormentor will linger with young readers.

Arthur and the Golden Rope


Joe Todd-Stanton - 2016
    Who could be in charge of such a vault and how did he come into possession of such a unique collection? Who is...Professor Brownstone?

Who Was Frida Kahlo?


Sarah Fabiny - 2013
    A brave woman who was an invalid most of her life, she transformed herself into a living work of art. As famous for her self-portraits and haunting imagery as she was for her marriage to another famous artist, Diego Rivera, this strong and courageous painter was inspired by the ancient culture and history of her beloved homeland, Mexico. Her paintings continue to inform and inspire popular culture around the world.

Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives


Elizabeth Rusch - 2013
    Today, more than one billion people worldwide live in volcanic danger zones. In this riveting nonfiction book—filled with spectacular photographs and sidebars—Rusch reveals the perilous, adrenaline-fueled, life-saving work of an international volcano crisis team (VDAP) and the sleeping giants they study, from Colombia to the Philippines, from Chile to Indonesia.

Kafka and the Doll


Larissa Theule - 2021
    In the fall of 1923, Franz Kafka encountered a distraught little girl on a walk in the park. She'd lost her doll and was inconsolable. Kafka told her the doll wasn't lost, but instead, traveling the world and having grand adventures! And to reassure her, Kafka began delivering letters from the doll to the girl for weeks.The legend of Kafka and the doll has captivated imaginations for decades as it reveals the playful and compassionate side of a man known for his dark and brooding tales. Kafka and the Doll is a testament to living life to the fullest and to the life-changing power of storytelling.

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen


Deborah Hopkinson - 2018
    But she would have noticed you. Jane watched and listened to all the things people around her did and said and locked those observations away for safekeeping.Jane also loved to read. She devoured everything in her father’s massive library, and before long she began creating her own stories. In her time, the most popular books were grand adventures and romances, but Jane wanted to go her own way . . . and went on to invent an entirely new kind of novel.Deborah Hopkinson and Qin Leng have collaborated on a gorgeous tribute to an independent thinker who turned ordinary life into extraordinary stories and created a body of work that has delighted and inspired readers for generations.

Ick! Yuck! Eew!: Our Gross American History


Lois Miner Huey - 2013
    The sounds, smells, filth, bugs, rats, poor hygiene, lack of dental and medical care, and bad food are not portrayed at today's historic sites, in movies, or in most books about US history. Yet this kind of stuff appeals greatly to kids. The purpose of this book is to de-sanitize the past, present it as it actually was, and help kids come to an understanding of how people put up with it--or didn't even notice.

Ruth and the Green Book


Calvin Alexander Ramsey - 2010
    Along the way they encounter prejudice, but they also discover The Green Book, a real guide to accommodations which was published for decades to aid African-American travelers as they faced prejudice on the roads across the country.

Maria von Trapp: Beyond The Sound of Music (Trailblazers Biographies)


Candice Ransom - 2002
    Along the way, these inspiring people have blazed a trail through history. Anyone who has seen The Sound of Music knows how Maria von Trapp's life began--but what happened after the final scene? Discover what Maria's life was like after fleeing Nazi-occupied Austria for America. With intriguing facts about her life in the nunnery, her romance with Captain von Trapp, their ten children, and their singing careers, this inspiring story reaches beyond The Sound of Music--and reveals the courage and determination of a kind, energetic, and very real woman.

All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World


Lori Alexander - 2019
    A full-color chapter book biography that shows how a self-taught scientist was the first to observe the microbial life in and around us. By building his own microscope, Antony van Leeuwenhoek advanced humanity's understanding of our oft-invisible world around us.