Want to read about history that informs and excites the imagination without reading a 700-page tome? Go to children's books.

Fascinating without being weighty, history and historical fiction written for a younger audience provides tantalizing information. If the subject is of further interest, dive into other books on that subject.

That's the beauty of a well-written children's book — just enough information to whet an appetite, inform without droning on and on, and generate an interest that could quite possibly last a lifetime.

Books to BorrowThe following book is available at many public libraries.

"Nine Days a Queen: The Short Life and Reign of Lady Jane Grey" by Ann Rinaldi, HarperCollins, 182 pages; read aloud: age 11 and older; read yourself: age 11 to 12 and older.Born in 1537, Lady Jane Grey's life was one of English royalty, privilege and pageantry. It also was riddled with cruelty, beginning with the way her mother treated her. But the cruelty didn't end there. Pressured by her parents and others who wished to elevate their own political positions, Lady Jane Grey was married to a man she didn't love and became Queen of England for only nine days before she was beheaded at age 16.Powerfully written in the first person, this well-researched historical novel is extraordinary in every way.

Librarian's Choice

Library: Mars Public Library, 107 Grand Ave., Mars

Library Director: Mary Jo SimonsChoices this week:

"Welcome to Molly's World, 1944" by Catherine Gourley;

"Time Soldiers" series by Kathleen Duey;

"Ma! There's Nothing to Do Here" by Barbara Park

Books to BuyThe following books are available at favorite bookstores.

"Kubla Khan: The Emperor of Everything" by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Robert Byrd, Viking, 2010, 44 pages, $17.99 hardcover; read aloud: age 8 and older; read yourself: age 9 to 10 and older.Emperor Kubla Khan has usually appeared as a secondary character when reading about the travels of Marco Polo. Now, author Kathleen Krull has placed Kubla Khan and his extraordinary accomplishments front and center in this fascinating book that is certain to intrigue and amaze readers of many ages.Born in 1215 in Mongolia and grandson to the great Genghis Khan, Kubla Khan was educated by his mother. She made certain her son was properly groomed to be a great leader, including teaching him to value the well-being of his subjects and to tolerate all religions.Kubla became an unusually fair ruler and constantly sought the advice and wisdom of his some 40 advisers. Under his rule in the 13th century, Kubla Khan conquered and ruled the largest empire in the world, building magnificent cities, supporting the arts, increasing literacy by many fold, and substantially expanding knowledge in all of the sciences. These accomplishments are but some of what this incredible ruler achieved in his lifetime.Fast-paced, approachable text combines with lush illustrations, making this selection a fitting tribute to one of history's great leaders.

"How the Sphinx Got to the Museum" written and illustrated by Jessie Hartland, Blue Apple, 2010, 36 pages, $17.99 hardcover; read aloud: age 6 to 7 and older; read yourself: age 8 to 9 and older.Thousands of years ago, the pharaoh Hatshepsut ruled Egypt.Hatshepsut was a woman, which was unusual for a pharaoh of Egypt. Like other pharaohs, Hatshepsut ordered her temple to be built, along with a collection of statues and six sphinxes. After Hatshepsut died, her stepson, Tutmose III, became pharaoh. Wishing to erase every trace of Hatshepsut, Tutmose III ordered his workers to smash the statues and sphinx that honored Hatshepsut and bury it in the ground.So how did the sphinx get to the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, and who was involved? Read this interesting story to find out!Accessible, interesting text and colorful illustrations make this slice of history come alive in more ways than one.