Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2020Like this list

31 items

• All About Anxiety

  Lewis, Carrie (Children's author)

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  News. The dark. School. Friends. Hormones. These are just some of the things that might make you feel anxious. In this short book with lots of illustrations, learn the causes and effects of anxiety, facts about brain chemistry, things that can…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Blood and Germs

  the Civil War Battle Against Wounds and Disease

  Jarrow, Gail,

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  The Civil War took hundreds of thousands of lives, but did you know that twice as many people died from the outbreak of disease than from the battles?  In this fascinating book, find out why so many soldiers died from diseases and how the Civil War…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Boreal Forest

  a Year in the World's Largest Land Biome

  Carmichael, L. E. (Lindsey E.),

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  With lyrical language and sidebars providing rich information about these northern forests, author L. E. Carmichael's engaging story is of a forest biome is sure to pique your interest. Josée Bisaillon's detailed mixed media illustrations highlight…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Box

  Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom

  Weatherford, Carole Boston, 1956-

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  In 1849 an unusual parcel arrived at the American Anti-Slavery Society office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inside it was a person escaping slavery - a man named Henry Brown. Written in a series of six-line poems – one for each side of a box – this…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Chance

  Escape From the Holocaust

  Shulevitz, Uri, 1935-2025

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  This captivating memoir reveals extreme persecution that a young boy and his parents endure after fleeing Poland during the Holocaust. It is written and illustrated by Uri Shulevistz, a renowned book creator who uses his skill with art and a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Changing the Equation

  50+ US Black Women in STEM

  Bolden, Tonya,

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  Learn about these amazing women who achieved greatness in sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics in spite of sexism and racism. The mini biographies are packed full of information, photos and images that are sure to inspire you scientists.

• Cub

  Copeland, Cynthia L.,

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  What do the early 1970s have in common with 2020? From trouble in the White House with the famous Watergate scandal to women still fighting for equal rights to worrying about the environment, these are similar issues in our country today. In…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Consent (for Kids!)

  Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of You

  Brian, Rachel, 1971-

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  What is consent? Rachel Brian's lively comic format explains what consent is and what it means to be in charge of your own body. With clear examples from real life (and some silly ones just for fun), the author will provide you with practical…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Fabled Life of Aesop

  Lendler, Ian,

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  Have you heard the story of “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse?” How about “The Lion and the Mouse?” If you have, then you’ve read a few of Aesop’s fables. But what do you know about their author? Who is Aesop? This book shares twelve of his…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Finish the Fight!

  the Brave and Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote

  Chambers, Veronica,

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  Have you ever wondered who else was involved in the fight for the right to vote besides Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton? Look no further as this book highlights those not-as-well-known women of color and from the LGTBQ community who…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Mayflower

  Messner, Kate,

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  In 1620, a group of pilgrims set sail from England for America where they were welcomed at Plymouth Rock by a group of Wampanoag people who gifted them with corn. Right? Um, not so much. History Smashers is a new series that aims to strip away the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Women's Right to Vote

  Messner, Kate,

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  In 1920, the 19th Amendment was passed giving women the right to vote. All the women had to do to get it was ask nicely. Or not. History Smashers is a new series that aims to strip away the myths to reveal the "real-deal stories" of some the most…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• How We Got to the Moon

  the People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure

  Rocco, John,

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  This comprehensive and stunningly illustrated guide to the space program highlights the many people involved in making the technological advancements that allowed the Moon landing in 1969 to succeed. Profiles of the people whose work was essential…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Lifting as We Climb

  Black Women's Battle for the Ballot Box

  Dionne, Evette,

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  Learn the often excluded story of Black women’s work in the suffrage movement. The book takes the reader beyond what’s been told in textbooks and explores the challenges and obstacles faced by Black women securing the right to vote while at the same…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Lizzie Demands a Seat

  Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights

  Anderson, Beth, 1954-

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  New York City, 1854: one hundred years before Rosa Parks took her seat, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Jennings sued for her right to board a crowded streetcar – and won! Her legal battle would set the precedent for equal rights on public transportation.…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• More Than a Game

  Race, Gender, and Politics in Sports

  Doeden, Matt,

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  What’s your favorite sport? When you think of your favorite sport, you may not connect it with controversies that have happened in regards to equity, inclusion and diversity. Readers are sure to spot their favorite sports in this historical book…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Nuestra América

  30 Inspiring Latinas/latinos Who Have Shaped the United States

  Vourvoulias, Sabrina,

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  Get inspired by this well-researched, up-to-date anthology of 30 Latinas and Latinos from kids to adults. Follow the journeys of their difficulties and successes in these courageous stories. Additional online resources on 23 of these influential…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• One Real American

  the Life of Ely S. Parker, Seneca Sachem and Civil War General

  Bruchac, Joseph, 1942-

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  This is the true story of the life of Ely S. Parker, a Seneca (Iroquis) man who served as a civil engineer, lawyer, Union general, Seneca sachem and the first Native American Commissioner of Indian Affairs under President Grant. Author Joseph…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Only Woman in the Photo

  Frances Perkins and Her New Deal for America

  Krull, Kathleen,

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  Frances Perkins was very shy, but she couldn’t stay silent when she saw injustices happening.  Inspired by her grandmother’s advice that “when someone opens a door, you move forward,” Frances was a vocal volunteer and  activist, and she became the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Powwow

  a Celebration Through Song and Dance

  Pheasant-Neganigwane, Karen,

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  Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane (Anishinaabe) shares her personal journey attending and dancing in powwows throughout her life as a framework to discuss Indigenous peoples' lives and culture. She shares the importance that powwow culture plays in…Read moreRead more of this annotation