Diverse Non-Fiction Books for the Advanced Elementary Reader

Recently, I was asked for some recommendations for books that would appeal to advanced readers in elementary school, some reading on the high school level. Whenever this happens you have to consider that even though the students can read very well, the subject matter of high school books might not appeal to them or may even be inappropriate.

Now, we can have a censorship discussion, but that's another post for another time. What I want to focus on is interest level coupled with ability. She also wanted to make sure the books were culturally relevant. This is important, because we are concerned with "interest". Culture is a big part of that. Many black and brown kids become reluctant readers because there are few books that appeal to them culturally. There are more talking animals who are the main characters in books in kidlit than kids of color. By the the time they reach middle school those animals disappear and are replaced by more straight, white children. So, what happens when you're a kid of color who reads very well? How do we support you?

Here is a list of appropriate non-fiction books for Advanced Elementary Readers:

Outliers	Malcolm Gladwell
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind	William Kwamkamba
I am Malala (Young Reader's Edition)	Malala Yousafazi
March	John Lewis
Find Where the Wind Goes	Mae Jemison
No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller	Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Rhythm Ride	Andrea Davis Pinkney
This Kid Can Fly: It's About Ability (Not Disability)	Aaron Philip
Sitting Bull: Lakota Warrior and Defender of His People	SD Nelson
Breakthrough: How Three People Saved "Blue Babies" and Changed Medicine Forever	Jim Murphy
Drowned City:Hurrican Katrina & New Orleans	Don Brown