Tag Archives: National Non-Fiction November

Guest Post for #NNFN: How I started writing non-fiction by Cathy Evans

As we continue to celebrate National Non-Fiction November, I’m delighted to welcome Cathy Evans, author of Cat Eyes and Dog Whistles (the Seven senses of humans and other Animals), published by Cicada Books, to the blog. Cathy shares her journey to becoming a non-fiction writer for children. Welcome to the blog Cathy!

How I started writing non-fiction by Cathy Evans

“I’ve come to children’s non-fiction by a slightly unusual route. I worked as a vet, and took a break when my kids were born. Writing has always been a passion of mine, so when my kids were a little older I started writing the occasional article for local papers and websites, and gradually gained confidence. I was drawn to the idea of a book about the senses for kids when I was home schooling my kids. We were doing a lot of work about current events and news/fake news. I started explaining to my older son how our bodies tell us stories through our sensory organs; how the story of the self starts with anatomy, with our bodies telling us what is real. He was surprisingly fascinated by it all. Particularly proprioception – how brilliant is it that you can touch your nose with your finger without seeing either body part?! I pitched it as an idea and within a year Cat Eyes was born!

My editor paired me with Becky Thorns, who is a brilliant illustrator, and who really brought the material to life. I think that there’s such a gap in the market for books that communicate information in an exciting graphic way.

Speaking as a parent, I want my kids to be curious and explore the world, but I don’t necessarily want them doing that online. My son is very much a visual person. He likes text to be broken into chunks and he likes illustration to guide him around the subject matter. Sometimes it’s hard to find science books that do this effectively and which reach out to kids, like my son, who aren’t natural science enthusiasts, but who can be drawn into it by means of engaging text and presentation.

In a world that can be very confusing, factual books can be very reassuring. I believe we need to teach kids how things work – nature, our bodies, the planet – because if there’s anything the past couple years have taught us, it’s that nothing can be taken for granted.”

Find out more about Cathy’s book here. With thanks to Cathy and Cicada Books for contributing this guest post.

National Non-Fiction November: Cicada Books

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Cicada Books is a New York Times award-winning children’s book publisher based in London, who specialise in beautiful, high-end books for children aged 4-11. Their books are often unique, quirky and always engaging, with eye-catching artwork. Today, I am delighted to share a whole host of gorgeous non-fiction titles published by Cicada on the blog, in celebration of National Non-Fiction November.

Map of You by Sophie Williams helps middle-grade readers colour and draw their way to inner peace in this charming wellbeing activity book. Full of helpful advice with opportunities for self-reflection , this delightful book will engage readers and support their development, through lively illustrations and heart-warming positivity.

Atlas of Amazing Architecture: The Most Incredible Buildings You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of by Peter Allen celebrates buildings all over the world from neolithic monuments in Northern Europe to traditional Japanese architecture to the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain. Beautifully presented with detailed artwork, this is a vibrant, wonderful journey across the world and will open the eyes of young readers to the awe-inspiring architecture all around us.

The Young Cyclist’s Companion by Peter Drinkell, illustrated by Thomas Slater will give any young cycling enthusiast the ideal treat and explain all the essentials from bike maintenance to road safety to cycling techniques. Combing colourful, quirky illustrations with photographic images, this informative book will have young readers itching to get out on their bicycles!

Cat Eyes and Dog Whistles: The Seven Senses of Humans and Other Animals by Cathy Evans, illustrated by Becky Thorns is a step-by-step guide through the biology of the senses, bringing to life the remarkable world of communication in all it’s forms. Did you know that smells can trigger feelings and emotion in a way sight and sound can’t? Did you know that a cow has 250,000 tastebuds, compared to a human’s 5,000? A lively and engaging narrative gives brilliant insight, accompanied by colourful and equally lively illustrations. It’s time to make sense of the senses!

History of Cars by Elliot Kruszynski introduces the knowledgeable Professor Wooford McPaw, who takes the reader on a journey through the history of the motor vehicle. Reminiscent of classic book The Busy World of Richard Scarry, quirky characters help Professor Wooford show how the car has changed over time from the age of steam to cars of the future! This book will delight car enthusiasts young and old; readers will love Professor McPaw and be waiting with anticipation for his next canine adventure.

Find out more about the wonderful world of Cicada Books here.

New review: You Are Positively Awesome written and illustrated by Stacie Swift

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In celebration of National Non-Fiction Month, I’m sharing my review of this delightful book full of good vibes and self-care suggestions. You Are Positively Awesome written and illustrated by Stacie Swift is a gorgeous guide to feeling good about yourself. Not only is it full of brilliant ideas to combat those days when we feel a bit rubbish, there’s also space for readers to jot down their own thoughts and self-motivating notes.

Full of colour and simple, lively illustrations, you cannot fail to feel good after reading through all the words of wisdom and self-care. Affirmations and practical suggestions provide helpful guidance in how to find your way through life’s ups and downs. At a time when the world is all over the place, and children might be feeling the strain, You Are Positively Awesome is the ideal encouragement – something we can all benefit from! Covering everything from why self-care is important, to that it’s okay to say no and how to be kind, there is a good idea for every day of the week.

Published by Pavilion, this book would make a great gift for independent readers and would also be perfect for sharing with younger readers, to help them make sense of how they’re feeling and learn how to be kind to themselves. And grown-ups will benefit too!

Find out more at www.stacieswift.com and www.pavilionbooks.com.

With thanks to Pavilion Books for sending me this title to review.

National Non-Fiction November – a celebration of books!

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In celebration of National Non Fiction November, I’m sharing some fantastic non-fiction titles on the blog today that demonstrate brilliantly why children’s non-fiction is so popular and deserves to be celebrated! From super series to one off wonders, children and adults alike will be enthralled by them all.

Be Your Best Self – Life Skills for Unstoppable Kids by Danielle Brown and Nathan Kai celebrates being confident in your own skin and provides lots of tips and techniques on how to be successful, achieve your dreams and generally be brilliant! Written by double Paralympic gold medallist Danielle Brown, and the youngest self-development published author, Nathan Kai who is also a member of MENSA, you know the advice is going to be good. There are chapters devoted to each area that impact development for example – goal setting, self-confidence and role models. It also looks at bullying, kindness and how to keep going when the going gets tough – all very real issues for children and young people today. Straightforward advice is brought to life with colourful illustrations throughout and both authors share their own experiences to enable readers to really relate to it. This well-written and beautifully presented book would make a great gift for youngsters to encourage and motivate them to be the best they can be!

“To Be Your Best Self means loving who you are, feeling confident in your own skin and achieving the things you want to do.”

Find out more at www.buttonbooks.co.uk

A Million Dots by Sven Volker is a quirky picture book that does exactly what the title says – brings a million dots to life! A clever concept where doubling the numbers from one to one million happens over the 40 pages of the book, with a pullout at the back to accommodate all the dots! Recognisable objects illustrate numbers to begin with– such as trees, peas, raindrops and even freckles – until there are too many to fit on the page. As ther number increases the dots get smaller and smaller. A remarkable visualisation of numbers, A Millions Dots makes a great book to share and I can imagine some young readers would want to count them all too!

Find out more www.cicadabooks.co.uk

Odd Science: Brilliant Bodies by James Olstein is the fourth instalment in this fantastic series which so far has covered inventions, the animal kingdom and space. Full of fascinating facts accompanied by the now trademark gorgeous design and illustration, readers can explore the human body and find out weird and wacky truths about the way our bodies work. Did you know that every 7-10 years, a human skeleton renews the cells inside itself completely?! Or that the human nose can sniff out the difference between at least a trillion different odours?! With so many interesting things to discover, Brilliant Bodies is a wonderful addition to this series which presents science in a fun and easy to digest format. Not only do these books look really nice on the bookshelf (I’m a sucker for great design!) but they’re educational and entertaining too!

Find out more at www.pavilionbooks.com

Encyclopedia of Grannies by Éric Veillé is a delightful book full of word play and humour all about grandmas. Lively illustrations shine a light on the wonderful world of grannies and the things they get up to; this is a book for the family to enjoy. Have you ever wondered why grannies tell us to speak up? Or why they have creases on their faces? How old are they really?! I thoroughly enjoyed this encyclopedia which is full of wit and wisdom and may have some unexpected answers to these questions! Encyclopedia of Grannies would make a brilliant gift to give grandma – so she can share it with her grandchildren!

Find out more at www.geckopress.com

Darwin’s Voyage of Discovery by Jake Williams is a beautiful book celebrating one of the most remarkable journeys in history. Enter the world of Charles Darwin and travel on his ship, The Beagle, as you find out all about what inspired our knowledge of the natural world. Overflowing with insight, this book features the story of the voyage but also shares fascinating facts about wildlife and nature too. There’s even a detailed look at the ship itself and the equipment Charles took, as well as hearing about the Captain and the crew. Beautifully illustrated with wonderful presentation this book is a must for children who are interested in history, science and nature and would make a perfect gift.

Find out more at www.pavilionbooks.com

So you think you’ve got it bad? A Kid’s Life in Ancient Rome by Chae Strathie and Marisa Morea brings life in Ancient Rome leaping off the page is the third book in this series developed in consultation with experts from The British Museum. Lively illustrations accompany the informative narrative, shedding light on just how children lived in Roman times and featuring all manner of things from what they wore, to what they ate and what school was like. Gladiators even make an appearance! Entertaining sound bites and engaging design will keep young readers enthralled as they delve into the past. This is a great addition to any bookshelf and in particular for those studying Ancient Rome, this book makes a great starting point.

Find out more at www.nosycrow.com

Atlas of Amazing Birds by Matt Sewell is a glorious book full to the brim with the world’s most amazing birds. The author and illustrator is a well-respected wildlife artist and writer who has brought together this wonderful selection and beautifully crafted all the illustrations to depict birds in all their glory! Alongside witty and informative descriptions, you can read all about just how unique birds are and how each has its own quirky behaviour, ‘song’ and habits. You will also discover birds you’ve never heard of (Painted Bunting, Resplendent quetzal, Corncrake were certainly new to me!). There are spreads on each continent visited explaining which birds come from which area. All in all it’s a truly wonderful atlas and if you’re not a bird lover, you will be after reading this. As the author says, ‘remember to always look up and around as you never what you are going to see’!

Find out more at www.pavilionbooks.com

With thanks to Pavilion Press, Cicada Books, Gecko Press, Nosy Crow and Button Books for sending me these books to review.

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Book of the Month: Adventures on Earth by Simon Tyler

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Adventures on Earth by Simon Tyler published by Pavilion is a stunning book about the world’s most extreme environments with a powerful message of conservation. In keeping with Simon Tyler’s previous titles (Bugs and Adventures in Space – both of which I loved) expect incredible, bright and colourful illustration accompanying amazing information that will keep you totally absorbed. Published this Autumn, I’m very pleased to make it Book of the Month especially as it’s National Non-Fiction November!

Adventures on Earth invites you to travel throughout history alongside the world’s bravest explorers, across deserts and oceans, over mountains and through polar regions. Learn about the world’s most wild terrain, as well as the animals that live there and the people who have explored them. A glossary and useful explanations and maps give a depth to the text, bringing each part of the world in focus to life. Readers will also find out how each of these regions is under threat and what can be done to conserve them.

A true celebration of the wonder of the world, coupled with the achievements of those who have dared to explore, anyone reading this book will want to ensure we do everything we can to protect our planet. This is a book to be enjoyed again and again by all the family.

Find out more at www.simontyler.co.uk and www.pavilionbooks.com

With thanks to Pavilion for sending me this gorgeous book to read and review.