Mutiny on the Bounty

This is my favorite genre, which I like to call "non-fiction that reads like fiction".

Tells of the famous mutiny on the British naval vessel Bounty in 1787. Commanded by William Bligh and, under him, Fletcher Christian, the ship sailed from England to Tahiti. After leaving the island, simmering tensions boiled over, and Christian took command of the ship, forcing Captain Bligh and sailors loyal to him onto a small boat. Miraculously, Bligh and his men survived and made their way back to England. Meanwhile, some of the mutineers returned to Tahiti, while others made their way to Pitcairn Island. O'Brien writes clearly, balances both sides of the story, and illustrates the book with dramatic watercolor-and-gouache paintings. The artwork sets the story's tone, defines the period, and brings the characters to life. Blocks of text almost give this the look of a graphic novel

My First... by Eva Montanari

"All Alice wants for her birthday is a doll. That is all—just a doll! She gets the baby carriage and embroidered socks ready. But her parents give her something entirely different! Will she learn to appreciate the extraordinary nature of her present? Will you? Unique artwork with unusual perspectives and colors fill this special book about a young girl’s enjoyment of her book."

from Amazon.com

Sophie Peterman tells the truth by Sarah Weeks

"PreS-Gr 2—In no uncertain terms, a girl warns readers about the perils of a new sibling. Looking like an alien at first, and the object of unwarranted praise and attention, a baby is prone to all manner of gross behaviors. Sophie reveals that the situation doesn't get better as the infant grows into a toddler (known as a "monster"): stealing Halloween candy, swallowing lucky marbles, and exhibiting general uninhibited behavior. She softens, though, when the monster begins to focus affection on her but leaves readers with a warning not to reveal this softness to parents lest they repeat the experience. "
from School Library Journal

A Dragon's Child: The Story of Angel Island by Laurence Yep

This story is based on the transcripts from one family's immigration interviews with the United States immigration officials at Angel Island, off the coast of California. Parts of the story are fictional, but each chapter begins with one of the interegation questions that the main character, Gim Lew Yep, or his father were asked during their interviews. The interviews were very intense, and officials would ask very indepth questions about Gim's house, his family and their occupations, the neighbors and their homes, as well as the numbers of doors and windows within a home. Such questions were asked to ensure that another individual didn't enter into the US under false pretenses. This story was an eye-opener into Chinesse immigration.

"A Season of Gifts" by Richard Peck

Mrs. Dowdell is back! The beloved, hilarious and outrageous grandmother from Peck's Newbery award winning series, (A Year Down Yonder and A Long Way from Chicago), is up to her old tricks. In this book, which takes place 20 years A Year Down Yonder left off, a preacher and his family move in next door to Grandma. This novel is from the point of view of the preacher's 12-year-old son. He finds it is a hard road to walk living in such a back water town. But with the help of Mrs. Dowdell, the unexpected happens. This book is a great read for all Richard Peck fans.