From an Alabama Spitfire to A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider...and Also an Octopus

You might have noticed that non-fiction picture books, especially picture book biographies, are making a mark in the book world lately. And for good reason. These aren't your grandparent's non-fiction books (although some of them may be about your grandparents...). They are well-researched and innovative. They're less "book report" and more book. They often focus on just a short period of a person's life, are concisely and cleverly told, and/or mix a fictional story with juicy bits of non-fiction information (a category often referred to as "fictinformational").

The best ones capture the good and the bad in relatable, child-friendly ways, and remind us that we're all human. They whet the appetite for further learning. They inspire us. And this stack of some of our non-fiction favorites is chock-full of the best of the best.