An Astonishing Survival Story ✮✮✮✮✮

Left for Dead, by Pete Nelson, is a thrilling non-fiction account of the sinking of the World War II warship (The Indianapolis), and the subsequent naval court-martial of the ship's captain. Amazingly, an 11-year old boy's history project more than 50 years later was the catalyst for revisiting the court-martial decision.

If you know of a mature young reader aged 12-up who is interested in World War II history, please recommend this book to them. Do prepare them by letting them know that the descriptions of the survivors clinging for life and avoiding the sharks in the ocean in the aftermath of the sinking are pretty gruesome. And finally, remind them that every year there are fewer and fewer survivors left to talk about this fascinating part of our history.

The Family Romanov ✩✩✩✩✩

This book gives the reader a fascinating glimpse into the times of the last Tsar of Russia in the early 1900s. Candace Fleming keeps readers on the edge of their seats as she follows the slow descent of the Romanov family from their opulent mansions to their final forced imprisonment in the mountains of Siberia. The reader will also learn about the deplorable conditions for the working class and peasants at the time. Finally, they will understand what precipitated the downfall of Russian royalty and why Lenin and Stalin came into power. This is a terrific non-fiction read for a 11-year old and up reader who is a fan of history. There is a great book trailer for the book on Candace Fleming's web page.

Non-Fiction That's Fun! ✩✩✩✩✩

Available on Amazon.com

One great way to get kids interested in reading non-fiction is to open a book by Meghan McCarthy. Her fun illustrations and friendly, narrative writing style will have your kids captivated. What kid wouldn't want to learn about how bubble gum was invented? Or how Pale Male, the city hawk, managed to survive in New York City. Try her books about Seabiscuit, or Balto, the great sled dog! Ms. McCarthy has chosen topics that will really engage young readers. To learn more about her books, check out her engaging website.