Nonfiction for Fun

If I've learned anything during my time in grad school and while working with the newest in children's literature, it's that nonfiction (especially for youth) doesn't get the respect it deserves. Or it does, but not as "pleasure reading" - it's used in classrooms, or for research, or it's read out of some sort of obligation (all of which are perfectly fine reasons to read!), but rarely just because a person wants to hunker down with some facts. I'm here to tell you, nonfiction books can be just as thrilling as any fictional novel - you've just got to find the right one for you! These are a few I've enjoyed recently:

Family/Cultural Drama

Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune by Pamela S. Turner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Samurai Rising is the truly epic tale of Minamoto Yoshitsune, a Japanese man who became a samurai despite all the odds against him. It reads like a novelization of a movie or television show - the opening scene would not be out of place on an HBO drama. Turner has a way of making ancient history seem so fresh and relevant, and there were several times that I noticed how she explained very complex and nuanced Japanese rituals or familial structures with ease and fluidity. As an adult reader, I appreciated that things were never watered down or left out, but instead given extra detail. It was apparent that Turner trusts her audience, whether teen readers or older, to go along with her for a wild ride.

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay, so I knew what was going to happen in this intimate look at Russia's last royal family, but I still could not put it down and felt the suspense the entire way through! I was truly engrossed in this book, which felt like a telenovela, and I loved the contrast in chapters focusing on the Romanovs versus the common citizens of Russia. There was a lot of information presented in each chapter, but I never felt overwhelmed, which shows the strength of Fleming's writing and organization skills. Again, Fleming trusts her audience and does the story justice with honesty and wit. Additional resources include photos, maps, journal entries, and other historical documents.

Poetic Nonfiction

Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This illustrated verse novel details the relationship and resulting civil rights case of Mildred and Richard Loving, a black woman and a white man who fell in love as teenagers in Virginia in the 1950s. It would take years of trials, separation, jail time, and protests to legalize interracial marriage, and Loving vs. Virginia shows the emotion of this time for the Lovings. Each poem alternates in perspective between Richard and Mildred, allowing both of them to tell their own stories. The poems range from light and quick to longer, more in depth meditations on what it means to love and be loved. Photos, a timeline, and additional resources round out this informational narrative.

Mary's Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mary Shelley's life and the creation of her most well-known work, Frankenstein, are detailed in this free verse biography for young adults. Haunting black and white watercolor illustrations complete this nonfiction verse novel, and both the poetry and the images work together to bring Shelley and her writing to life. Mary's Monster joins several other biographic works about Mary Shelley this year (as it's the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein), but the artistry sets this one apart. It's simply a beautiful book!

Audiobook

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The audio, the content, the subject, the backstory - so much contributes to the strength of this book. I'm not sure how I would've reacted to it pre-arrest, but listening to it post-arrest was very satisfying. Obviously DNA is what got the GSK eventually, but to hear all the connections and guesses McNamara and others made without it was stunning.

I'm in awe of people with such a passion, and McNamara's fastidious determination and grit came through on every page (or in every recorded minute, as it were).


Extras: view all my reviews, more audiobooks, and more poetry.