Chromatopia: An Illustrated History of Color

Written by: David Coles and Adrian Lander

First line: Since the beginning of human existence, colour has played an integral role in the way we describe the world around us. 

Why you should read this book: A remarkable interdisciplinary endeavor, Coles blends history, archaeology, chemistry, botany, mineralogy, etymology, entomology, materials science, folklore, psychology, and art to create a dazzling and comprehensive guide to the human journey to reproduce the hues perceived in nature as pigments for use in artistic processes. The bulk of the text, arranged more or less chronologically, spans from prehistoric human's early processing of ochres, bone, chalk, and smoke to the ultra-modern techniques for creating glow-in-the-dark pigments and the blackest black.  Lushly illustrated with gorgeous, color-rich photographs, and including several complete recipes for those interested in replicating some of the most ancient manufacturing processes, this book draws the reader back through time and directs them to consider how precious and rare reproducible color has been for most of human history and how much knowledge goes into its production today.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You can't see straight because your printer currently refuses to print black text due to being low on cyan toner, and this fills you with rage. Might also be a bad choice if you're color blind.

The Little Girl Who Wanted To Be Big

Written by: Dave Engledow

First line: There once was a little girl who wanted to be big.

Why you should read this book: There's so much that you can't do when you're little—ride roller coasters, use the stove, drive a tractor—and this little girl wants them so much that she exercises and eats broccoli, to no avail. Her parents advise her to think big if she wants to do big things, and the book takes a fun turn as it illustrates the little girl getting bigger and bigger and taking on more and more of the world. The pictures are Photoshopped images of the author's own family, and children will enjoy seeing the little girl appear big enough to have a real impact on the world as her size gives her the opportunity to do everything she's ever wanted to do. 

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're a fully grown adult and you're still not big.

Shooting Kabul

Written by: NH Senzai

First line: It's a perfect night to run away, thought Fadi, casting a brooding look at the bright sheen of the moon through the cracked backseat window.

Why you should read this book: Fadi and his family have to escape Afghanistan before the Taliban comes for his father, but everything happens so quickly, and even though Fadi was holding his sister's hand, in the space of a moment she's lost, the family has no choice but to continue to America without her. Wracked with guilt, Fadi tries to hide his own shame while doing his best to keep his head down and avoid trouble in his new school, but then the attack on the World Trade Center changes his relationship to his classmates and forces him to stand up for himself and others. Fadi places all his hope in winning a photography contest, which he is sure will be the solution to all his problems, and allow him to make up for the mistakes of his past.

Why you shouldn't read this book: It made me cry like fifteen times.

I Love Our Earth

Written by: Bill Martin Jr and Dan Lipow

First line: I love our earth...where green grasses ripple, and gray mountains rise, where blue oceans curl, and brown deserts swirl.

Why you should read this book: A crowd-pleaser for young readers, each page pairs a sweeping panoramic vista or up-close portrait of nature, paired with images of happy, active, multi-cultural children. There aren't a lot of words, but there are a lot of details, and the pictures are both beautiful and yet accessible. This book seems to make kids happy.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You hate our earth.

The Little Book of Snowflakes

Written by: Kenneth Libbrecht

First line: Out of the bosom of the air/Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken.

Why you should read this book: Dozens of stunning macrophotography images are laid out with quotes about the natural world and some basic scientific information about the formation of snow crystals. The photographs, all apparently taken in the field by the author with his "traveling snowflake photomicroscope" are stunning in detail and variety. A perfect gift for a child with a mind for science and beauty, this book does not disappoint.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're getting cold just reading the title.

Smile If You're Human

Written by: Neal Layton

First line: Here we are landing at a place I've wanted to visit my whole life.

Why you should read this book: A little alien, armed with a camera and a grin, lands on earth, determined to photograph its favorite earth creature: the elusive human. Apparent to the reader, but not the narrator, is the fact that the aliens have landed at a zoo, one that is mysterious free of human contamination. However, the alien delights in meeting the natives and goes home satisfied.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You don't smile.

DK First Animal Encyclopedia

Written by: Penelope Arlon

First line: The animal kingdom is huge.

Why you should read this book: A beautiful reference book for little kids, young readers, and curious adults, this book breaks the animal kingdom down into five parts and then divides each category up into manageable two-page spreads with quizzes and “links” to related sections in the book. Like all DK books, the draw here is the remarkable, full-color photographs, making this book perfect for perusal by pre-readers. A lovely and kid-friendly reference work perfect to be cherished for many years by any animal lover.

Why you shouldn’t read this book: You don’t like animals.

Hummingbirds: A Portrait of the Animal World

Written by: Hal H. Wyss

First line: Most of the more remarkable physical characteristics of hummingbirds are in some way related to their small size.

Why you should read this book: If you're fascinated by the dazzling colors and zippy maneuverability of these living gems, you have something in common with the author of this text, who has compiled an accessible and informative coffee-table book on the subject of all things Apodiforme. Physiology, iridescence, mating habits, migration patterns, and feeding behaviors are all covered, with gorgeous, larger-than-life photographic illustrations and instructions for attracting more hummingbirds to your yard. All sixteen species commonly found in North America are described in the last chapter.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You hate beauty.

Double Dutch: A Celebration of Jump Rope, Rhyme, and Sisterhood

Written by: Veronica Chambers

First line: Anyone who has witnessed double Dutch knows that to be a part of the double-Dutch game means that you belong to a special group.

Why you should read this book: Combining the author's own narrative recollections of her youth as a jump rope master, action photography of girls in the rope, traditional jumping rhymes, a history of the sport, an overview of modern double Dutch competitions, and quotes from lovers of double Dutch, this is the definitive reference for those who want to know more about the history and culture of this often-overlooked sport. There is much joy in the retelling, along with the idea that double Dutch is an activity that brings people (not just young black girls, but people of all ages, races, and genders) together and empowers them to work toward a common goal. A nice reference that covers oral, personal, and cultural history.

Why you shouldn't read this book: The only thing this book doesn't explain is how you get into that eggbeater rope! If, like me, you've been whipped in the face every time you tried, don't expect any help here.

The Octopus's Garden: The Secret World Under the Sea

Written by: Dr. Mark Norman

First line: Octopuses and squid are like the wizards of the sea.

Why you should read this book: Featuring simple descriptions and glorious photographs, this book introduces young readers to the wonderful world of cephalopods, without ever mentioning the word "cephalopod." Big, sharp, full-color photographs of octopuses, squid, cuttlefish, and nautilus are coupled with smaller inset photos and interesting facts written by an expert in the field. This thoroughly modern book also includes a DVD featuring lovely footage of said cephalopods in hypnotic action.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You fear tentacles.

Lincoln: A Photobiography

Author: Russell Freedman

First line: Abraham Lincoln wasn't the sort of man who could lose himself in a crowd.

Why you should read this book: Still the definitive work for young people on the subject of our sixteenth president two decades after its original publication, this Newbery-winning biography collects all the meaningful facts of Lincoln's life along with copious illustrations, photographic and otherwise, from the great president's time. The writing is never condescending, preachy, or effusive, but rather, allows readers to draw their own conclusions based on demonstrable facts, painting an accurate portrait of the intelligence, wit, and drive that propelled a humble farm boy to become the most celebrated of all American statesmen. A truly engaging biography, which skillfully allows for the reconciliation in the reader's mind of Lincoln, the man, and Lincoln, the hero for the ages.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're still flying the Confederate flag and teaching your kids that all men aren't created equal.

Farm Town

Editor: Grant Heilman

First line: On the farm, spring's a time of coming alive.

Why you should read this book: Comprising dozens of black and white photographs shot by J. W. McManigal in the small town of Horton, Kansas in the late 30s, along with commentary from locals who recalled those images forty years later, this book provides a window onto a vanishing world: one in which everyone knows everyone, and crops and livestock are central to ones day-to-day existence. As the family farm vanishes across America, pictures like these remind us of the days of simpler machines and hard work, of family and friends who gather face to face across kitchen tables or at county fairs, and of the innovations that slowly changed our reality. Nostalgic but saccharine, this book reminds us of both the rewards and the sacrifices our nation has left behind in its quest for modern efficiency.

Why you shouldn't read this book: When it comes to technology, you're only interested in the future. When it comes to land, you're only interested in development. When it comes to family and friends, you prefer email.

What the World Eats

Author: Peter Menzel

First line: Imagine for a moment that it is early Saturday morning in the United States.

Why you should read this book: Seeking to answer the question of what the world eats, this book centers around its food portraits--photographs of twenty-six families from twenty-one countries, posed in their kitchens with a week's worth of food, with the grocery list and budget on the facing page--along with several pages of accompanying text for each family, describing their lives, their relationship to food, and some cultural details, as well as a few recipes. Interspersed among the food portraits are graphs with data about obesity, fast food, literacy, meat consumption, access to drinking water, and more, plus photo collages creating a snapshot of how we eat. Although intended for a younger audience, this well-written and provocative book is appropriate for anyone with an interest in food, nutrition, global economy, and world culture.

Why you should read this book: You're on the supersize-me diet.

A Russian Moment

Editor: Bill Harris

First line: The United Nations does its work in six different languages, and in the nearly fifty years since it began helping to make the world smaller hundreds of words have become interchangeable in all of them.

Why you should read this book: The moment referred to in the title turns out to be the very last moment of the Soviet Union, a historical snapshot the creators of this book probably did not anticipate as it was conceived. Following a short synopsis of Russian history, beginning with Peter the Great and ending with the new concept of perestroika, the book presents a series of lovely photographs, including vast, sweeping panoramas and small, posed portraits, with the intention of creating an accessible picture of the large and multifarious nation. With a coffee-table sensibility, this book seeks to project only the most beautiful depiction of the country, although Communist restrictions probably prevented the photographers from revealing anything less than picturesque.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're looking for hard facts, not pretty pictures.

Dragons: A Beautifully Illustrated Quest for the World's Greatest Dragon Myths

Author: Jonathan Evans

First line: Dragons and dragon myths are ubiquitous in world history and culture.

Why you should read this book: It's exactly what it claims to be: a beautifully illustrated collection of dragon myths from ancient to medieval, grouped by region of the world, first eastern, then western. Most of the illustrations derive from historical sources and are reproduced in loving detail. A fairly basic overview.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're not a dragon-obsessed otherkin who compulsively collects dragon artifacts.

Eyewitness: Epidemic

Author: Brian Ward

First line: Infectious disease has always existed around both humans and animals.

Why you should read this book: Like all Dorling Kindersley titles, this book is full of surprising, colorful photographs, in this case, representations of viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and protozoa. Each two-page spread comprises a chapter, with short, informative blurbs giving an overview of the subtopic and further information for each of the numerous pictures. Great material for curious kids looking to learn about disease.

Why you shouldn't read this book: E-coli is not a pretty thing.

Koko-love: Conversations with a Signing Gorilla

Author: Francine Patterson

First line: If you have ever chatted on-line with a gorilla, you must have been talking to Koko!

Why you should read this book: A first glimpse into the lives of Koko, the signing gorilla, and the other gorillas and humans who share her world. With lots of charming photographs, this book introduces young readers to the circumstances of Koko's life, including her introduction to ASL, her love of kittens, her friendship with Mr. Rogers, and her relationship with the handsome gorilla she met through video dating. A glossary of signs at the end of the book is a nice addition to a picture book that seeks, above all, to share the idea that animals can think and feel.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're afraid the general knowledge that animals can think and feel will devalue your investments in African deforestation and civil war.

The Jerusalem Windows

Authors: Marc Chagall and Jean Leymarie

First line: Great works of art defy limitations of time and place, but sometimes strange combinations are required to produce such art.

Why you should read this book: Chagall's twelve stained glass windows, commissioned in 1959 for the shul of Jerusalem's Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, represent a groundbreaking fusion of ancient and modern. Working with biblical themes and twentieth-century techniques, he created twelve dazzling windows, one to commemorate each tribe of Israel. This book reproduces each gorgeous panel, as well as all of Chagall's preliminary work, bringing together five drafts for every finished window, so readers can follow the development of the artist's idea from conception to completion.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're color-blind.

The Enduring Navaho

Author: Laura Gilpin

First line: To understand the Navaho People, even in small measure, it is essential to know at least some part of their symbolic ritual.

Why you should read this book: When a friend invited photographer Laura Gilpin on her rounds as a public nurse in Navajo Country in the early 1930s, she began a lifelong relationship with the indigenous people of the American southwest, documenting their lives on film for sixty years. Although her perspective remains that of an outsider and her cultural bias is evident, she connects with strangers through her photographs, which are intimate, honest, and appealing. The text weaves an overview of Gilpin's experiences with descriptions and explanations of Navajo beliefs, crafts, traditions, ceremonies, and government.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You'd rather learn what a Navajo person has to teach you about the Navajo way of life.

The Deep

Author: Claire Nouvian

First line: In 2001, after watching a stunningly beautiful film at the Monteray bay Aquarium in California, I took my first dive into the deep.

Why you should read this book: In the deep ocean, the sunless zone beginning two hundred meters from the surface and stretching down as far as eleven thousand meters, explorers have discovered an uncounted wealth of biodiversity in myriad astounding forms seemingly ripped from the pages of science fiction. This book, with huge, glossy, full-color illustrations on almost every page, brings to light a massive, yet still partial catalog of surprising benthic and pelagic organisms in all their alien splendor, accompanied by short (under fifteen hundred word) essays by scientists covering a broad overview of deep sea life. Giant squids, bioluminescent jellies, fanged anglerfish, and creatures that beggar description and have yet to be named or classified: every page of this book is like a mind-blowing birthday present from your favorite eccentric uncle.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You fear sea monsters.