Looking for interesting middle school non-fiction recs

[wickedwords]

My son's first book report of the year is supposed to be a non-fiction book, but we're both scratching our heads about it. Last year, he used 'Understanding Comics', and this year, he was thinking about 'something to do with history. Maybe the middle ages.' (Yeah, you got it. Like there is such a small number of those.)

So I am actively soliciting recs for non-fiction books that my middle-schooler might like. He needs something with a good narrative voice, and where the vocabulary won't have him looking up every second word (as he doesn't just look it up, he just yells 'mom, what does this mean?', and then I have to yell back at him to look it up, which leads to a lot of shouting.)

If you can think of something that fits these vague guidelines--I'd also say Age of Sail along with the Middle Ages--please drop me a comment and we'll check it out.

Comments

[apple-pi.livejournal.com]

The only thing I could think of off the top of my head was Chew on This (http://www.amazon.com/Chew-This-Everything-Dont-About/dp/0618593942/ref=pd_bbs_4/105-3481610-9554851?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188587131&sr=8-4), a young adult version of Fast Food Nation, which talks about the industry and (dubious) health record of fast food companies in America and around the world. I haven't read it myself, but I've heard good things from other parents about it. It's supposed to be written for grade 7 and up, although I know adults who've read it and liked it, too.

[apple-pi.livejournal.com]

Oh, he might also want to look up Tim Severin, who recreates ancient journeys for fun. The only one I've read was Crusader: By Horse to Jerusalem (http://www.amazon.com/Crusader-Horse-Jerusalem-Tim-Severin/dp/1842122789/ref=sr_1_8/105-3481610-9554851?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188587301&sr=1-8), in which Severin travels from England to Jerusalem on the back of a warhorse (or the closest equivalent he could get). I don't think it's really written for young adults, but I think some could get through it. Severin has also written several other, similar books, which my dad just loves. That's more in keeping with the medieval theme, I think? Just a thought. ravel books are almost the only nonfiction I read, to be honest.

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

Oh, that one looks neat too. I'll see if he's interested in that.

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

I think they have to read this or Fast Food Nation as part of their health class. Cool.

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

Anything by Larry Gonick. The Cartoon History of the Universe was a huge influence on the Future of Fandom; I don't know if the Distant Future of Fandom (age 11) has read it yet.

DFoF is currently reading The Vicious Vikings and the Measly Middle Ages (http://www.amazon.com/Vicious-Vikings-Measly-Horrible-Histories/dp/0439963478/), part of the Horrible Histories series, which seems to going down a treat. The You Wouldn't Want To (http://www.amazon.com/You-Wouldnt-Want-Medieval-Dungeon/dp/0531166511/) series seems to be along similar lines.

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

The horrible histories look like they are in-line with the book guidelines, so we'll see what he says. Thanks!

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

Well, not really in the genre so much, although it fits under Age of Sail, but I immediately thought of Scurvy (http://www.amazon.com/Scurvy-Surgeon-Mariner-Gentlemen-Greatest/dp/0312313926/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4891011-8120817?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188590159&sr=8-1). Plenty of satisfyingly gross details for the middle-school boy! Gross food! Disgusting illnesses! Captain Cook! The scientific method!

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

You may have the winner here. Ev took 'Bring Out Your Dead: a history of disease' last year, and a book about Scurvy fits right in with that. Thanks!

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

It's a good read generally. I recommend stealing it when he is done and reading it yourself. Or reading it before handing it over -- there's a fair amount of detail about naval life in it, and I'm trying to remember if there's anything about VD/prostitutes. I don't recall any, but you might want to check up on that first if you think he might be too young for that.

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

Hey, I think my middle-school girl might like that one, too. Gross is for everybody!

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

true dat.

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

The one non-fiction book that stands out in my memory from my own middle-school years is this one (http://www.amazon.com/Miles-Go-Biography-Great-Arabian/dp/0316800317/ref=sr_1_11/002-2712838-4116803?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188590279&sr=8-11), which would only work if your son likes horses. (Being a typical horse-mad girl, I devoured any and all books about horses available at my various local libraries.)

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

Oh, man! I think I read that book. I'd forgotten about all of the horse biographies out there, like Seabiscuit. He's not exactly horse-mad, but I remember devouring these type of books. Thanks!

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

Your're welcome! Not only did I love that book, it was (in that weird one-thing-leads-to-another way) my introduction to Robert Frost. To this day that particular poem makes me think of that horse.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

One of the first non-fiction books I ever read was a book of Greek and Roman myths, explaining how they influenced their respective societies in the moment.

...which is not middle-ages, but I think I was a middleschooler when I read it.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Or, you know, I take that back. I'm pretty sure I read some biographies of Helen Keller and Anne Frank and various other people as early as fifth grade...

(I'm sorry, I'm not really helping)

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

I suggested biographies to him, as I love them, and he looked at me blankly. So I'm not sure those will work for him. I'll keep trying, though. This summer, he actual snuck in reading under his covers after he was supposed to be asleep. *g*

[(Anonymous)]

Someone above mentioned Tim Severin - he has written a few books about re-enacting historic voyages: The Brendan Voyage, The Sinbad Voyage, The Ulysses Voyage. For what it's worth, I've read and enjoyed the Brendan Voyage: the first half of the book covers research and building the boat, the second half the trip from Ireland to 'the New World'.
Landra

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

Oh cool! Those sound interesting as well. Thanks.

[springwoof.livejournal.com]

I like anything by Frances & Joseph Gies (http://www.amazon.com/s/002-0661124-9517661?ie=UTF8&tag=mozilla-20&index=blended&link%5Fcode=qs&field-keywords=Joseph%20Gies&sourceid=Mozilla-search), especially Life in a Medieval City, but their writing may be much too dry for a middle-schooler...

This book about Vikings (http://www.amazon.com/Real-Vikings-Craftsmen-Traders-Fearsome/dp/0792251326/ref=pd_bbs_3/002-0661124-9517661?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188603284&sr=8-3) might be a better read for him....

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

Oh, we'll look into those. Thanks!

[cricketk.livejournal.com]

A non-fiction book I have loved since I was 12 is Philip Ziegler's The Black Death (http://www.amazon.com/Black-Death-Philip-Ziegler/dp/0061315508). It taught me an awful lot about the plague, but also about reliability of source material, thought processes of other cultures and other times and how to respond to conflicting source material.

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

Neat! He studied the black plague last year as part of his history of infectious diseases class, so I know he's interested. Thanks!

[gattagrigia.livejournal.com]

You want middle ages, don't forget we have a library here of lots of stuff - I know a couple of the Tim Severin books are on the shelves as well as the Gies books - and lots more. Sorry that I have to leave again this weekend for Yakima otherwise I'd troll thru and find cool stuff for E!

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

Oh cool! He's going with the scurvy book this time, but he has several years of book reports left. Thanks!

[lydia-petze.livejournal.com]

Necropolis: London and Its Dead (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Necropolis-London-Dead-Catharine-Arnold/dp/1416502483/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/203-4237774-8063902?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188627619&sr=8-1)

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

that looks very cool, and right up Ev's alley too. Thanks!

[lydia-petze.livejournal.com]

No probs :-) It's written very entertainingly and is a smooth read, too, not a dense history tome.