The Not-So-Random Shelf: Nonfiction

I love “children around the world” books, so reading A Ride on Mother’s Back was a real treat! Each page introduces us to a mother (but sometimes a father or grandparent) and her baby. We learn how mothers carry their babies while they are cooking, working in the fields, or gathering food. This lovely book contains further notes and explanations about each mother’s country and culture.



Ever heard of a steamboat getting stuck in a cornfield? That’s exactly what happened to the Virginia in 1910. The Ohio River’s tides were tricky to navigate before locks and dams regulated the river, and the steamboat found itself on dry land. Fortunately, all’s well that ends well, and the steamboat is back into commission (after a brief stay). Steamboat in a Cornfield almost reads like a ballad poem (it was written by country singer John Hartford) and would make an unusual read aloud. Newspaper clippings and photographs capture the period.