Grades 4 & 5: Non-fiction

A collection of nearly sixty fables from Aesop, including such familiar ones as "The Grasshopper and the Ant," "The North Wind and the Sun," "Androcles and the Lion," "The Troublesome Dog," and "The Fox and the Stork."

Stories about a clever man who lived by his wits, as his pockets were always empty.

A retelling of the traditional Persian tale in which Settareh, neglected and abused by her stepmother and stepsisters, finds her life transformed with the help of a little blue jug.

Presents a collection of folk tales and songs from a variety of regions and ethnic groups in the United States.

Describes what scientists have been able to deduce about the nature of our solar system and the universe based on data collected by the Hubble telescope.

Examines the powerful forces found in the Earth, with an emphasis on earthquakes and volcanoes.

An in-depth look at the way weather works, an exploration of the power of storms and extreme weather, and an investigation into how we make forecasts.

Describes what fossils tell us about the physical characteristics and behavior of the large carnivorous Tyrannosaurus rex.

Illustrations and text describe some of the animals the author encountered in the deserts of the American Southwest.

Illustrations and text provide a close-up look at the physical characteristics and habits of twelve different spiders and daddy-longlegs.

Take a trip to the ocean's depths to learn the truth about the great white shark.

Discusses the work of Bob Mason and his efforts to study and protect snakes, particularly red-sided garter snakes.

The author describes her work studying dolphin communication and her invention of a listening device that allows researchers to tell which of a group of dolphins is vocalizing underwater.

Shows pictures of objects which are too small, too far away, or too fast to see without mechanical assistance such as microscopes, telescopes, X-rays, and other techniques.

Describes how all the contractors work together to build a house.

This is a very basic series for beginning drawers.

Creative, fun crafts for a variety of subjects are included.

Instructions for creating a variety of shapes and figures using fingerprints and a few simple lines.

This book has all kinds of crazy jokes and riddles.

Follow these instructions to make money move without ever touching it.  Learn all of Blackstone’s amazing secrets.

A picture book about making a picture book takes a step-by-step approach to explaining how a book is created, from an initial idea through the final product.

These are collections of humorous poetry.

A collection of made-up facts, educated guesses, and silly pictures about bad guys of the high seas.

A story of a boy, his teddy bear, and their escape from the Titanic's sinking, originally told to the boy by his mother shortly after their family's escape from that tragedy, features beautiful illustrations and a fascinating glimpse into the past.

An account of Admiral Richard Byrd's stay alone in a small shack during an antarctic winter.

The author recalls her life and impressions growing up in Cuba.

Discusses the life and accomplishments of astronaut Neil Armstrong, from his childhood in Ohio to his famous moon landing.

Tells the stories of three families who were helped by the work of Mary Breckinridge, the first nurse to go into the Appalachian Mountains and give medical care to the isolated inhabitants. Includes an afterword with facts about Breckinridge and the Frontier Nursing Service she founded.

A lively biography in which the well-known children’s author shares her childhood, writing advice, and the friendship of a unique snake.

Children's author-illustrator Tomie De Paola describes his experiences at home and in school when he was a boy.

True story of Victorian artist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, who built life-sized models of dinosaurs in the hope of educating the world about these awe-inspiring ancient animals and what they were like.

A biography and introduction to the work of the Japanese haiku poet whose love for nature finds expression in the more than thirty poems included in this book.

Describes the life and work of the popular American artist who depicted both traditional and contemporary subjects, including children, family scenes, astronauts, and the poor.

A powerful picture book biography of one of the abolitionist movement's most compelling voices.

The "I Was There" narrative of this suspenseful story tells of a city frozen in time by disaster--and what it might have been like to live and die there.

The castle structure and its surroundings are examined in fascinating detail, and a two-page spread of castles throughout history is included.

The true story of Lore Baer, who as a four-year-old Jewish child, was placed with a Christian family in the Dutch farm country to avoid persecution by the Nazis.

Bridget, a ten-year-old from northeastern Oklahoma, narrates this  fascinating look at the history, traditional culture, and current way of life of our second-largest Native American group.

Text and photographs present the traditions and the annual celebration of the charro, the Mexican cowboy.

Describes the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence, as well as the personalities and politics behind its framing.

An account of the ocean voyage and arrival at Ellis Island of twelve-year-old Julius Weinstein who, along with his mother and younger sister, immigrated from Russia in 1922.

Describes the customs, recipes, poems, and songs used to celebrate Christmas in the big plantation houses and in the slave quarters just before the Civil War.

Vivid watercolor spreads offer extraordinarily detailed views of some of the most popular sites, as well as a healthy dose of the unexpected.

Explains and illustrates the equipment, work, and lifestyle of cowboys and cowgirls in the Old West.

Uses lighthearted illustrations and excerpts from letters, journals, and newspaper articles to relate the story of the California Gold Rush of 1848.

Factual information with related art crafts makes for an educational and fun series.

Bring the fun of the world-famous San Francisco Science Museum into your own classroom or home.

Describes many things that originally came from various countries, including inventions, sports and games, food, musical instruments, animals, and words.

Examines small portions of environments, such as a cave, seashore, backyard, and a swamp, and describes the life they support.

Recounts the stories of bold, notorious, or successful women.

Light-hearted introductions to “professions” like gladiator, Viking, and slave.