Whether exploring the history of remote mountain regions or telling the story of a city through its people, these new works of nonfiction explore how five places around the world evolved over time.
Beaver River Country: An Adirondack History
Edward I. Pitts, June 2022, Syracuse University Press, Longleaf
Themes: History, Adirondacks, United States
Pitts explores the history of the remote northeastern United States known as the western Adirondacks. From indigenous people to early settlers and seasonal visitors, Pitts shares how this wild area was preserved and continues to survive.
Take-aways: Use this book to jumpstart an exploration of your own region’s rural areas. Think about how local history such as photos, key historical events, and interesting people can bring your area live for students.
France: An Adventure History
Graham Robb, July 2022, W.W. Norton & Company, and imprint of W.W. Norton
Themes: History, Europe, France
Balancing fascinating historical information with humorous anecdotes, Robb’s amazing narrative reflects decades of research and exploration of France’s urban and rural areas.
Take-aways: Use this book as an example of the connection between history and travel. Use the author’s adventures to encourage students to think about places they’d like to visit and explore in-depth.
España : A Brief History of Spain
Giles Tremlett, Sept 2022, Bloomsbury Publishing, an imprint of Macmillan
Themes: History, Europe, Western
From prehistoric times to today, readers explore the geographic, cultural, and political history of Spain along with its relationship with people and lands nearby. Stunning photographs and illustrations bring the place and international history to life.
Take-aways: Educators will find the book’s approach useful as they think about interesting ways to present international history.
The New Yorkers: 31 Remarkable People, 400 Years, and the the Untold Biography of the World’s Greatest City
Sam Roberts, Oct 2022, Bloomsbury Publishing, an imprint of Macmillan
Themes: History, Biography, New York, United States
The story of New York is told through the lives of lesser-known individuals who impacted the cultural landscape of the famous city.
Take-aways: Think about how this book uses individual lives to tell the city’s story. Ask youth to use a biography-focused approach to telling the story of another city.
Himalaya: Exploring the Roof of the World
John Keay, Nov 2022, Bloomsbury Publishing, an imprint of Macmillan
Themes: History, Asia, Central Asia
Keay explores the unique historical, social, geographic, and environmental aspects of Himalaya. Told thought fascinating anecdotes, readers explore the unique features of this endangered area of the world.
Take-aways: Of particular note is how the author connects the history of the Himalaya to the consequences of climate change. Think about how this approach could be applied in teaching about other areas of the world.
Whether helping educators keep up-to-date in their subject-areas, promoting student reading in the content-areas, or simply encouraging nonfiction leisure reading, teacher librarians need to be aware of the best new titles across the curriculum and how to activate life-long learning. - Annette Lamb
