Informational Books
Maya Angelou: A Biography of an Award-Winning Poet and Civil Rights Activist
Author: Agins, Donna Brown Illustrator: None
Publisher: Enslow Publishers, 2013
Genre: Nonfiction/Biography Age Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Enslow Publishers, 2013
Genre: Nonfiction/Biography Age Level: Young Adult
Plot summary:
This book tells the story of Maya Angelou's life. The interest level is for Young Adults, but the text is simple and is easy to read for struggling readers. The book does not leave out the more difficult issues that Maya dealt with in her life, and everything is covered in a matter of fact way. Maya's different interests and occupations are covered, as are her travels and her friendships and work for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Maya's later life and her poetry are also covered.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I thought that the book was well written in that it provided the facts of Maya Angelou's life without skipping any challenges that she faced or lingering on any one period of her life. I liked that the book had substance, but was very accessible to students who may not be able to read at grade level. There were many interesting facts about Angelou's life that I did not know, which added interest to the book. It was a bit dry at times, but overall was very readable.
Memorable literary element:
While this book is nonfiction, there is a great deal of conflict in Maya Angelou's story. There is definitely conflict of person against person and person against society, especially when Angelou was young and living in very racist Alabama, but there is also a great deal of conflict against self, which is important for young adult readers to see. Angelou often lived in situations where she did things that others wanted her to do, but that compromised her dreams or beliefs as a person. In these instances, the book describes how Angelou had to work through her conflicting feelings, but ultimately how she chooses to live for herself, in the way that she feels is best. One example is when Angelou marries Tosh Angelos. Angelos wants Maya to stay at home all of the time, giving up her friends and her church. She does do this for a time, but eventually comes to realize that she must honor herself and her beliefs over everything else.
Illustrations:
The book has no illustrations or photographs.
Review from a selection aid:
(Library Media Collection) Each book in this biographical series covers the life of a notable African-American. Some of the titles include sidebars to expand upon the text. Students can use these books to support research into both the lives of prominent individuals as well as historical context. All of the books are highly readable though some deal with difficult subject matter such as abuse and racism. Unfortunately, there are no images beyond the cover photo, but references are extensive and can easily lead to further research.
Promotion idea:
This book would be great as a study of poets and their impact on society at different times in history. It would also be a great tie-in to a unit on the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There is so much information in the book that would provide interest for a variety of topics, since Maya Angelou has had an impact on many areas in her lifetime.
This book tells the story of Maya Angelou's life. The interest level is for Young Adults, but the text is simple and is easy to read for struggling readers. The book does not leave out the more difficult issues that Maya dealt with in her life, and everything is covered in a matter of fact way. Maya's different interests and occupations are covered, as are her travels and her friendships and work for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Maya's later life and her poetry are also covered.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I thought that the book was well written in that it provided the facts of Maya Angelou's life without skipping any challenges that she faced or lingering on any one period of her life. I liked that the book had substance, but was very accessible to students who may not be able to read at grade level. There were many interesting facts about Angelou's life that I did not know, which added interest to the book. It was a bit dry at times, but overall was very readable.
Memorable literary element:
While this book is nonfiction, there is a great deal of conflict in Maya Angelou's story. There is definitely conflict of person against person and person against society, especially when Angelou was young and living in very racist Alabama, but there is also a great deal of conflict against self, which is important for young adult readers to see. Angelou often lived in situations where she did things that others wanted her to do, but that compromised her dreams or beliefs as a person. In these instances, the book describes how Angelou had to work through her conflicting feelings, but ultimately how she chooses to live for herself, in the way that she feels is best. One example is when Angelou marries Tosh Angelos. Angelos wants Maya to stay at home all of the time, giving up her friends and her church. She does do this for a time, but eventually comes to realize that she must honor herself and her beliefs over everything else.
Illustrations:
The book has no illustrations or photographs.
Review from a selection aid:
(Library Media Collection) Each book in this biographical series covers the life of a notable African-American. Some of the titles include sidebars to expand upon the text. Students can use these books to support research into both the lives of prominent individuals as well as historical context. All of the books are highly readable though some deal with difficult subject matter such as abuse and racism. Unfortunately, there are no images beyond the cover photo, but references are extensive and can easily lead to further research.
Promotion idea:
This book would be great as a study of poets and their impact on society at different times in history. It would also be a great tie-in to a unit on the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There is so much information in the book that would provide interest for a variety of topics, since Maya Angelou has had an impact on many areas in her lifetime.
A Seed Is Sleepy
Author: Aston, Dianna Hutts Illustrator: Long, Silvia
Publisher: Chronicle Books, 2007
Genre: Nonfiction/Picture Book Age Level: Grades K-3
Publisher: Chronicle Books, 2007
Genre: Nonfiction/Picture Book Age Level: Grades K-3
Plot summary:
This book tells the reader facts about seeds. It gives characteristics of seeds and explanations for what seeds are, what they need to grow, how they are dispersed, and interesting facts about them. There are diagrams showing seed parts. The illustrations show what different seeds look like for different plants. They also detail what plants look like when growing.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I thought the books was very effective. The text is interesting, which is valuable in an information book. I believe students would want to read this book. The illustrations are a great complement to the book and invite the reader to pick the book up and begin to explore. The information is up to date and interesting.
Memorable literary element:
This book uses text features and large illustrations to teach students. Each two page spread contains a flowing sentence in a large font describing an aspect of seeds, such as, "A seed is fruitful." The descriptive text is then smaller and explains the sentence in greater detail. This helps the reader gain a clear understanding of the properties of seeds.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are large and bold in color. They show different types of seeds and have identifying text to let the reader know what seed the illustration depicts. The illustrations are in ink and watercolor. They are beautiful and inviting. They are a perfect complement to the text and make the reader want to look at the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Hornbook) " In this beautifully designed book, each double-page spread uses a human quality ("secretive," "adventurous") to illustrate features of plant seeds and reproduction. The illustrations of botanicals, often up-close paintings filled with relevant details and beautiful colors, are magnificent. While the use of anthropomorphism can help readers interpret seed characteristics, at times the poetic artistry trumps the science."
Promotion idea:
This book is a great book to use in conjunction with a science unit on plants and the life cycle of plants. The book discusses types of seeds, how they are dispersed, and what they need to grow and thrive. Students could grow their own plants, using a variety of different seeds to see first hand what the book describes.
This book tells the reader facts about seeds. It gives characteristics of seeds and explanations for what seeds are, what they need to grow, how they are dispersed, and interesting facts about them. There are diagrams showing seed parts. The illustrations show what different seeds look like for different plants. They also detail what plants look like when growing.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I thought the books was very effective. The text is interesting, which is valuable in an information book. I believe students would want to read this book. The illustrations are a great complement to the book and invite the reader to pick the book up and begin to explore. The information is up to date and interesting.
Memorable literary element:
This book uses text features and large illustrations to teach students. Each two page spread contains a flowing sentence in a large font describing an aspect of seeds, such as, "A seed is fruitful." The descriptive text is then smaller and explains the sentence in greater detail. This helps the reader gain a clear understanding of the properties of seeds.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are large and bold in color. They show different types of seeds and have identifying text to let the reader know what seed the illustration depicts. The illustrations are in ink and watercolor. They are beautiful and inviting. They are a perfect complement to the text and make the reader want to look at the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Hornbook) " In this beautifully designed book, each double-page spread uses a human quality ("secretive," "adventurous") to illustrate features of plant seeds and reproduction. The illustrations of botanicals, often up-close paintings filled with relevant details and beautiful colors, are magnificent. While the use of anthropomorphism can help readers interpret seed characteristics, at times the poetic artistry trumps the science."
Promotion idea:
This book is a great book to use in conjunction with a science unit on plants and the life cycle of plants. The book discusses types of seeds, how they are dispersed, and what they need to grow and thrive. Students could grow their own plants, using a variety of different seeds to see first hand what the book describes.
Frogs
Author: Bishop, Nic Illustrator: Bishop, Nic (photography)
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 2008
Genre: Nonfiction Age Level: Grades 3-5
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc., 2008
Genre: Nonfiction Age Level: Grades 3-5
Plot summary:
This is a nonfiction book which teaches facts about frogs. It is written in paragraph form. It is densely written and filled with different facts. The book discusses topics such as how frogs breathe, how they eat, predators, the different types of frogs, and survival tips.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
This book is very informative. The author is very specific and includes a great deal of information. This is a book for students who are good readers and who know how to get information out of text in dense paragraph form. The photographs make a beautiful addition to the book. They help the reader get a feel for the animals they are reading about.
Memorable literary element:
This book is fact driven, so there is very little to it besides the photographs and the text. To make the text easier to read, the author uses one sentence on each page to highlight a piece of information. That sentence is written in a larger font and is of a complementary color to the page around it. The author also uses the captions for the photographs to teach facts, as opposed to just describing the photograph.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are actual photographs of frogs. The photographs are taken by the author himself on his canoe trips. The photographs are vivid and bright and take up much of the space on the pages. There is no white space in this book. The photographs are accompanied by colored backgrounds and black text. The photographs are a great complement to the book make the information accessible to the reader.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) " Gliding frogs, glass frogs, growling grass frogs--who knew there were so many frogs in the world? Stupendous photographs combine with a genuinely enthusiastic text to open readers' eyes to this lowly amphibian like nothing has before. Gorgeous full-bleed photos present ordinary garden toads and wood frogs with as much affection and admiration as their more exotic counterparts, golden eyes, glistening skin and all captured with incredible clarity. The text is a series of happy factlets that, when finished, provide a surprisingly thorough overview of frog physiology and behavior. In their detail, these tidbits go straight to kids' interests--one African bullfrog downed 17 young cobras! A gliding frog can soar for 50 feet! Tadpoles absorb their tails as food! The beautiful design picks up on the frogs' colors, a boldly indigo text box complementing a dart poison frog and a comfortable brown one, the spadefoot toad. A chatty author's note gives insight into both Bishop's enthusiasm and the painstaking techniques behind the spectacular images; a glossary and index complete the superlative whole. "
Promotion idea:
This book would be a great companion to use as a nonfiction companion to a unit on Fairy Tales. If the students were reading The Frog Prince and doing a play, they could use this book to learn facts about frogs. This is a way to get students interested in nonfiction and to show the link between fiction and nonfiction and the importance of reading both.
This is a nonfiction book which teaches facts about frogs. It is written in paragraph form. It is densely written and filled with different facts. The book discusses topics such as how frogs breathe, how they eat, predators, the different types of frogs, and survival tips.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
This book is very informative. The author is very specific and includes a great deal of information. This is a book for students who are good readers and who know how to get information out of text in dense paragraph form. The photographs make a beautiful addition to the book. They help the reader get a feel for the animals they are reading about.
Memorable literary element:
This book is fact driven, so there is very little to it besides the photographs and the text. To make the text easier to read, the author uses one sentence on each page to highlight a piece of information. That sentence is written in a larger font and is of a complementary color to the page around it. The author also uses the captions for the photographs to teach facts, as opposed to just describing the photograph.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are actual photographs of frogs. The photographs are taken by the author himself on his canoe trips. The photographs are vivid and bright and take up much of the space on the pages. There is no white space in this book. The photographs are accompanied by colored backgrounds and black text. The photographs are a great complement to the book make the information accessible to the reader.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) " Gliding frogs, glass frogs, growling grass frogs--who knew there were so many frogs in the world? Stupendous photographs combine with a genuinely enthusiastic text to open readers' eyes to this lowly amphibian like nothing has before. Gorgeous full-bleed photos present ordinary garden toads and wood frogs with as much affection and admiration as their more exotic counterparts, golden eyes, glistening skin and all captured with incredible clarity. The text is a series of happy factlets that, when finished, provide a surprisingly thorough overview of frog physiology and behavior. In their detail, these tidbits go straight to kids' interests--one African bullfrog downed 17 young cobras! A gliding frog can soar for 50 feet! Tadpoles absorb their tails as food! The beautiful design picks up on the frogs' colors, a boldly indigo text box complementing a dart poison frog and a comfortable brown one, the spadefoot toad. A chatty author's note gives insight into both Bishop's enthusiasm and the painstaking techniques behind the spectacular images; a glossary and index complete the superlative whole. "
Promotion idea:
This book would be a great companion to use as a nonfiction companion to a unit on Fairy Tales. If the students were reading The Frog Prince and doing a play, they could use this book to learn facts about frogs. This is a way to get students interested in nonfiction and to show the link between fiction and nonfiction and the importance of reading both.
Citizen Scientists: Be A Part of Scientific Discovery From Your Own Backyard
Author: Burns, Loree Griffin Illustrator: Harasimowicz, Ellen (photographs)
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, 2012
Genre: Nonfiction Age Level: Grades 3-6
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, 2012
Genre: Nonfiction Age Level: Grades 3-6
Plot summary:
This book tells readers how to be "citizen scientists." Citizen science is defined by the book as the study of our world by people who live in it. The emphasis is that these scientists are every day people, including kids. The book is broken down into 4 chapters, with a chapter for following an different animal through each of the seasons. The chapters show readers how to capture and tag monarch butterflies to track their migratory patterns, to count birds in winter, to listen to and learn the different frog sounds, and to map ladybugs and find rare or "lost" ladybugs. Also included are sections on resources, a glossary, an index, and quick quizzes to test the reader's understanding of the material.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I was a little skeptical about the book when I read the first section on tagging butterflies. I wasn't sure if there was enough attention given to how to do this properly without hurting them. As I read on, however, the other sections were very interesting and, while I don't know how many kids would do some of these activities because of their intensity, I think that readers would enjoy learning more about how citizens become scientists and study the world around them. The book was nicely put together, with bright colored photographs and specific sections to make reading easy.
Memorable literary element:
This book uses sections within the chapters to help students access the information easily. There is written text to give instructions and background, but there are also different colored boxes and diagrams to add interest and variety to the text. As an example, in the butterfly chapter, there are a few pages after the written text that show a diagram of the parts of a butterfly, a section of tips for what to do and wear when you go out looking for the butterflies, and a Quick Quiz to check for comprehension. These are all sections that are differently colored or in boxes to draw the eye to them.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are beautiful color photographs. They are a great addition to the text in the book, making the material very exciting and accessible. The photographs are accented with the colored boxes and diagrams that highlight additional text. Both animal and children citizen scientists are photographed, allowing readers to see other kids in action.
Review from a selection aid:
(School Library Journal) "An engaging book of seasonal projects for nature lovers (and their parents and teachers as well). Burns explains in her informally sociable text, "Citizen science is the study of our world by the people who live in it." Beginning with fall, she delves into migratory monarchs, instructing youngsters how to catch, tag, and release these long-distance flitters, and goes on to provide a history and a geography of monarch migration patterns. She introduces two young "Monarch Watchers" (ages seven and six), presents a list of necessary equipment, and offers a quick quiz (answers at the back of the book). She repeats this format for winter (joining in the Christmas Bird Count); spring "frogging" at night (identifying mating calls); and summer ("ladybugging"). Resource sections containing a list of books, field guides, and websites are included for each critter, along with pointers for finding more. Burns is careful to emphasize "gentleness" in catching, tagging, photographing, and releasing specimens. Crisp color photos flow through the pages, many showing kids of various ages hot on the trail of frog sounds or birdcalls. Interested readers will enjoy many of the suggested titles, and a side trip into such elegant offerings as Pamela Turner's The Frog Scientist (2009) or Sy Montgomery's The Tarantula Scientist (2004, both Houghton Harcourt) might show them how far these early explorations might lead. Handsome and challenging "
Promotion idea:
This book would be a nice addition to a science unit on animals. This would give the students a feel for how many of the animals that are part of a class study are animals that are right out in their own backyard. A trip to a local park or nature area would help students try their luck at finding butterflies, birds, frogs, and ladybugs just like the kids in the photographs, especially for students who live in the city and may not have as many opportunities to be in nature.
This book tells readers how to be "citizen scientists." Citizen science is defined by the book as the study of our world by people who live in it. The emphasis is that these scientists are every day people, including kids. The book is broken down into 4 chapters, with a chapter for following an different animal through each of the seasons. The chapters show readers how to capture and tag monarch butterflies to track their migratory patterns, to count birds in winter, to listen to and learn the different frog sounds, and to map ladybugs and find rare or "lost" ladybugs. Also included are sections on resources, a glossary, an index, and quick quizzes to test the reader's understanding of the material.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I was a little skeptical about the book when I read the first section on tagging butterflies. I wasn't sure if there was enough attention given to how to do this properly without hurting them. As I read on, however, the other sections were very interesting and, while I don't know how many kids would do some of these activities because of their intensity, I think that readers would enjoy learning more about how citizens become scientists and study the world around them. The book was nicely put together, with bright colored photographs and specific sections to make reading easy.
Memorable literary element:
This book uses sections within the chapters to help students access the information easily. There is written text to give instructions and background, but there are also different colored boxes and diagrams to add interest and variety to the text. As an example, in the butterfly chapter, there are a few pages after the written text that show a diagram of the parts of a butterfly, a section of tips for what to do and wear when you go out looking for the butterflies, and a Quick Quiz to check for comprehension. These are all sections that are differently colored or in boxes to draw the eye to them.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are beautiful color photographs. They are a great addition to the text in the book, making the material very exciting and accessible. The photographs are accented with the colored boxes and diagrams that highlight additional text. Both animal and children citizen scientists are photographed, allowing readers to see other kids in action.
Review from a selection aid:
(School Library Journal) "An engaging book of seasonal projects for nature lovers (and their parents and teachers as well). Burns explains in her informally sociable text, "Citizen science is the study of our world by the people who live in it." Beginning with fall, she delves into migratory monarchs, instructing youngsters how to catch, tag, and release these long-distance flitters, and goes on to provide a history and a geography of monarch migration patterns. She introduces two young "Monarch Watchers" (ages seven and six), presents a list of necessary equipment, and offers a quick quiz (answers at the back of the book). She repeats this format for winter (joining in the Christmas Bird Count); spring "frogging" at night (identifying mating calls); and summer ("ladybugging"). Resource sections containing a list of books, field guides, and websites are included for each critter, along with pointers for finding more. Burns is careful to emphasize "gentleness" in catching, tagging, photographing, and releasing specimens. Crisp color photos flow through the pages, many showing kids of various ages hot on the trail of frog sounds or birdcalls. Interested readers will enjoy many of the suggested titles, and a side trip into such elegant offerings as Pamela Turner's The Frog Scientist (2009) or Sy Montgomery's The Tarantula Scientist (2004, both Houghton Harcourt) might show them how far these early explorations might lead. Handsome and challenging "
Promotion idea:
This book would be a nice addition to a science unit on animals. This would give the students a feel for how many of the animals that are part of a class study are animals that are right out in their own backyard. A trip to a local park or nature area would help students try their luck at finding butterflies, birds, frogs, and ladybugs just like the kids in the photographs, especially for students who live in the city and may not have as many opportunities to be in nature.
Noah Webster & His Words
Author: Chase Ferris, Jeri Illustrator: Kirsch, Vincent X.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012
Genre: Picture Book/Biography Age Level: Ages 5-9
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012
Genre: Picture Book/Biography Age Level: Ages 5-9
Plot summary:
This book tells of the life of Noah Webster. Noah had great ambition to be a scholar, instead of one in a long line of farmers in his family. He also had a passion for words and for the independence of the United States. These desires led him to teach and to write textbooks for his students that were completely American. His first published book was the "Blue-Backed Speller" which taught children the American spellings of words. Over the course of his life, Noah published many books, but his biggest project was the first American dictionary. He researched and wrote it over the course of twenty years.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The facts of Noah Webster's life were written in such a way as to be very interesting and fresh. It is also written to be very accessible to children. The book really brings Noah Webster's story to life and helps the reader understand why he was motivated to publish his works.
Memorable literary element:
This book mimics Noah Webster's dictionary by including words that readers may not be familiar with in capital letters. It breaks the words into syllables and it provides a definition and a part of speech for those words. In this way, the reader has the opportunity to learn new words, but also gets to see the words as they may appear in the dictionary, linking them to Noah Webster and his work in a very real way. As an example, when Noah wanted to go to school instead of farming the family's land, the text reads, "Noah wanted to be a SCHOL-AR [noun: one who goes to school; a person who knows a lot]." This format carries into the summary of the book on the cover, the write-ups of the author and illustrator, and the bibliographic information at the end.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book were done with ink, watercolor, and graphite. They are done with pale colors and show the people in caricatures. Most of the people have large heads and smaller bodies. The clothing and hair styles are indicative of Noah Webster's time. As Noah ages, there are subtle changes in the way he looks to indicate this aging. The color palate is mostly yellows, blues, and browns, with some greens.
Review from a selection aid:
(Booklist) "While the first thing most readers will associate with Noah Webster is his famous dictionary, it turns out old Webster was something of an overlooked Founding Father. This picture-book biography details his life, from a childhood sloughing off farm work in order to read and an early career as a teacher to the publication of his influential speller and the massive project of his dictionary. Ferris emphasizes that Webster was motivated to codify American English because “now that America was free from England, why should Americans spell the way they did in England?” Webster’s “blue-backed speller” helped unite the fledgling nation, but that was nothing compared to his dictionary, which took almost 20 years to complete and was the first American book of its kind. Ferris’ decision to define upper-level words right in the narrative is clever enough and isn’t very intrusive. Meanwhile, Kirsch’s fine-lined, bubbly illustrations give Webster a cartoony, swollen head, and he deepens shadows with cursive scribbles. In all, it’s a good deal more fun than the subject might suggest."
Promotion idea:
This book would be great to use in the library with a lesson on the dictionary. This books gives an interesting background to the first American dictionary, and allows students to see words as they appear in the dictionary, with parts of speech, syllable break downs, and definitions. Students could take the highlighted words and put them in alphabetical order and work with them on a smaller scale before delving in to the larger dictionary itself.
This book tells of the life of Noah Webster. Noah had great ambition to be a scholar, instead of one in a long line of farmers in his family. He also had a passion for words and for the independence of the United States. These desires led him to teach and to write textbooks for his students that were completely American. His first published book was the "Blue-Backed Speller" which taught children the American spellings of words. Over the course of his life, Noah published many books, but his biggest project was the first American dictionary. He researched and wrote it over the course of twenty years.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The facts of Noah Webster's life were written in such a way as to be very interesting and fresh. It is also written to be very accessible to children. The book really brings Noah Webster's story to life and helps the reader understand why he was motivated to publish his works.
Memorable literary element:
This book mimics Noah Webster's dictionary by including words that readers may not be familiar with in capital letters. It breaks the words into syllables and it provides a definition and a part of speech for those words. In this way, the reader has the opportunity to learn new words, but also gets to see the words as they may appear in the dictionary, linking them to Noah Webster and his work in a very real way. As an example, when Noah wanted to go to school instead of farming the family's land, the text reads, "Noah wanted to be a SCHOL-AR [noun: one who goes to school; a person who knows a lot]." This format carries into the summary of the book on the cover, the write-ups of the author and illustrator, and the bibliographic information at the end.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book were done with ink, watercolor, and graphite. They are done with pale colors and show the people in caricatures. Most of the people have large heads and smaller bodies. The clothing and hair styles are indicative of Noah Webster's time. As Noah ages, there are subtle changes in the way he looks to indicate this aging. The color palate is mostly yellows, blues, and browns, with some greens.
Review from a selection aid:
(Booklist) "While the first thing most readers will associate with Noah Webster is his famous dictionary, it turns out old Webster was something of an overlooked Founding Father. This picture-book biography details his life, from a childhood sloughing off farm work in order to read and an early career as a teacher to the publication of his influential speller and the massive project of his dictionary. Ferris emphasizes that Webster was motivated to codify American English because “now that America was free from England, why should Americans spell the way they did in England?” Webster’s “blue-backed speller” helped unite the fledgling nation, but that was nothing compared to his dictionary, which took almost 20 years to complete and was the first American book of its kind. Ferris’ decision to define upper-level words right in the narrative is clever enough and isn’t very intrusive. Meanwhile, Kirsch’s fine-lined, bubbly illustrations give Webster a cartoony, swollen head, and he deepens shadows with cursive scribbles. In all, it’s a good deal more fun than the subject might suggest."
Promotion idea:
This book would be great to use in the library with a lesson on the dictionary. This books gives an interesting background to the first American dictionary, and allows students to see words as they appear in the dictionary, with parts of speech, syllable break downs, and definitions. Students could take the highlighted words and put them in alphabetical order and work with them on a smaller scale before delving in to the larger dictionary itself.
We've Got a Job
Author: Levinson, Cynthia Illustrator: None
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, 2012
Genre: Nonfiction Age Level: Grades 5-8
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, 2012
Genre: Nonfiction Age Level: Grades 5-8
Plot summary:
This book is a photo-essay that tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama through the perspective of the children who marched in the 1963 Birmingham Children's March. It highlights the story of four of these children and gives the history and timeline of the events that led up to the march. Interspersed in with the text are photographs and text boxes that provide more information and help bring the story alive.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I really enjoyed this book. I can easily see how it won so many awards. It is very engaging and brings to life the battle for desegregation that so many people fought so many years ago. For students (and adults) who were not alive during the Civil Rights Movement, it makes the time and the movement real and understandable in a way that just hearing about it cannot. It is also very accessible to its readers because the book showcases the children who marched. Many of these children would be the same age as the readers, so it makes it easier to relate to the events described.
Memorable literary element:
The plot of this book shows us a classic element of person against society. It is all the more intense because it is a true story and not just a fictionalized story out of someone's imagination. Young readers can easily see, as they read this book, how black people were treated by society as a whole in 1963. With information about the Ku Klux Klan, how the dogs attacked the marchers, and the conditions faced by those put in jail, the reader immediately and intensely feels how much the odds were against the marchers. They can see how, time and time again, those struggling for freedom were beaten back and subdued.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book, but the black and white photographs add immensely to the impact of the text. The book shows photographs taken at the marches and of key people in the Civil Rights Movement. They also show the four children who are highlighted in the book, helping readers to identify more easily with them. Pictures of white people taunting black people, bomb devastated areas, and children dressed in Ku Klux Klan outfits bring the fear and the devastation home.
Review from a selection aid:
(Horn Book, May/June, 2012) "Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963 was a "dismally segregated" place, from lunch counters, parks, and department-store dressing rooms to public schools. The civil rights movement led by Fred Shuttlesworth, Ralph Abernathy, and Martin Luther King Jr. intended to change all of that. Focusing on four young African Americans but never losing sight of the overall struggle, Levinson does a superb job of taking readers inside the movement, demonstrating just how difficult it was for the leaders to create a movement at all. Many blacks questioned nonviolence as a tactic, and many feared for their jobs. Adults didn’t take to the streets in great enough numbers, so children had to: with young minister James Bevel as their Pied Piper, young people turned out in great numbers, intending to get arrested, fill the jails, and cripple the city. Their actions inspired adults, but when police responded with hoses, dogs, and billy clubs, nonviolence was a difficult promise to keep, as Levinson effectively shows. Clear and lively writing, well-chosen photographs, and thorough documentation make this a fine chronicle of the civil rights era. Though it lacks the tight narrative focus and the stunning photographs of Elizabeth Partridge’s Marching for Freedom (rev. 11/09), both volumes show that, sometimes, children can change the world. "
Promotion idea:
This book is a great book to use for a number of different units of study. It would be perfect for a unit on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for Black History Month, or for a unit on the Civil Rights Movement. It would be an addition to these units that would really bring the history home to the students in a way that many other informational books could not.
This book is a photo-essay that tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama through the perspective of the children who marched in the 1963 Birmingham Children's March. It highlights the story of four of these children and gives the history and timeline of the events that led up to the march. Interspersed in with the text are photographs and text boxes that provide more information and help bring the story alive.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I really enjoyed this book. I can easily see how it won so many awards. It is very engaging and brings to life the battle for desegregation that so many people fought so many years ago. For students (and adults) who were not alive during the Civil Rights Movement, it makes the time and the movement real and understandable in a way that just hearing about it cannot. It is also very accessible to its readers because the book showcases the children who marched. Many of these children would be the same age as the readers, so it makes it easier to relate to the events described.
Memorable literary element:
The plot of this book shows us a classic element of person against society. It is all the more intense because it is a true story and not just a fictionalized story out of someone's imagination. Young readers can easily see, as they read this book, how black people were treated by society as a whole in 1963. With information about the Ku Klux Klan, how the dogs attacked the marchers, and the conditions faced by those put in jail, the reader immediately and intensely feels how much the odds were against the marchers. They can see how, time and time again, those struggling for freedom were beaten back and subdued.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book, but the black and white photographs add immensely to the impact of the text. The book shows photographs taken at the marches and of key people in the Civil Rights Movement. They also show the four children who are highlighted in the book, helping readers to identify more easily with them. Pictures of white people taunting black people, bomb devastated areas, and children dressed in Ku Klux Klan outfits bring the fear and the devastation home.
Review from a selection aid:
(Horn Book, May/June, 2012) "Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963 was a "dismally segregated" place, from lunch counters, parks, and department-store dressing rooms to public schools. The civil rights movement led by Fred Shuttlesworth, Ralph Abernathy, and Martin Luther King Jr. intended to change all of that. Focusing on four young African Americans but never losing sight of the overall struggle, Levinson does a superb job of taking readers inside the movement, demonstrating just how difficult it was for the leaders to create a movement at all. Many blacks questioned nonviolence as a tactic, and many feared for their jobs. Adults didn’t take to the streets in great enough numbers, so children had to: with young minister James Bevel as their Pied Piper, young people turned out in great numbers, intending to get arrested, fill the jails, and cripple the city. Their actions inspired adults, but when police responded with hoses, dogs, and billy clubs, nonviolence was a difficult promise to keep, as Levinson effectively shows. Clear and lively writing, well-chosen photographs, and thorough documentation make this a fine chronicle of the civil rights era. Though it lacks the tight narrative focus and the stunning photographs of Elizabeth Partridge’s Marching for Freedom (rev. 11/09), both volumes show that, sometimes, children can change the world. "
Promotion idea:
This book is a great book to use for a number of different units of study. It would be perfect for a unit on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for Black History Month, or for a unit on the Civil Rights Movement. It would be an addition to these units that would really bring the history home to the students in a way that many other informational books could not.
The House That George Built
Author: Slade, Suzanne Illustrator: Bond, Rebecca
Publisher: Charlesbridge, 2102
Genre: Nonfiction/Picture Book Age Level: Ages 5-10
Publisher: Charlesbridge, 2102
Genre: Nonfiction/Picture Book Age Level: Ages 5-10
Plot summary:
This book tells the story of how the White House (originally named The President's House) was built. George Washington, after being elected the first president of the United States, wanted a grand house to be a symbol of the new nation. The book tells how George Washington found the land for the site and helped get it ready for building. It discusses the different materials used and the changes that needed to take place when money or time was short. Alongside the smaller informational text on the left side of the book, the author added a rhyming cumulative tale in the style of The House That Jack Built. There is also a sources page and suggested resources for readers who want to learn more.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I really enjoyed reading this book and think that young readers will, as well. The information is interesting and well written, and the cumulative tale makes children want to go on to the next page to see what will happen. The book also makes readers think about the origins of the iconic building in a way they might not have before. The presidential facts at the end of the book are also very engaging.
Memorable literary element:
This book is part informational text, part cumulative story. The informational text is typed in a small font on the left side of the book, while the cumulative tale is typed in a larger font on the right side. This provides a nice balance between information and a rhyming, building poem. The cumulative tale always includes, "the house that George built." One example of a this is: "This is the design, that would stand for all time, that was drawn for the lot, that grand, scenic spot, for the President's house that George built."
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are done in watercolor and ink. The illustrator uses very muted earth tones to show the progression of the building of the President's House. The illustrations take up the entire page and the text is incorporated into the paintings. The illustrations are very detailed. There is a great deal to look at on every page.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "A simple, well-constructed overview takes a close look at how the magnificent house at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. was built on an empty piece of land with a view of the Potomac.It was George Washington who conceived of a superb residence for the American President and directed its development over the 11 years it took to build, including surveying, vetting the design and administering the construction from his presidential office to bring the project in on schedule. Slade’s clear description of the steps in the building process accompanies Bond’s amiable edge-to-edge detailed watercolor depictions of the construction site and its busy progress. A cumulative rhyme—“the house that George built”—accompanies the compact, informative text and serves as a place holder and mnemonic to convey the stages of this impressive undertaking. A charming illustration of John and Abigail Adams, standing at last in a great hall not entirely swept of workmen’s tools and stray nails, shows the first of the residents who would leave their mark on this principle residence of democracy. The author’s note and list of some of the improvements made by those in residence over the years (tennis courts for Theodore Roosevelt; a vegetable garden for the Obamas) add to a fascinating first history of the White House. Sure to see—and worthy of—plenty of use, and not just in election years. (author’s list of sources and suggested resources to learn more) "
Promotion idea:
This book would pair well with a unit on presidents. The story focuses on George Washington and briefly touches on John and Abigail Adams, who were the first to live in the White House. The section that describes additions to the White House by different presidents over the years brings in other presidents to the discussion. Students could do further research on the additions made by different presidents and the reasons they were made, including the innovations of the times and the needs of the occupants. This adds a sense of the presidents as people, as well as iconic leaders of our country.
This book tells the story of how the White House (originally named The President's House) was built. George Washington, after being elected the first president of the United States, wanted a grand house to be a symbol of the new nation. The book tells how George Washington found the land for the site and helped get it ready for building. It discusses the different materials used and the changes that needed to take place when money or time was short. Alongside the smaller informational text on the left side of the book, the author added a rhyming cumulative tale in the style of The House That Jack Built. There is also a sources page and suggested resources for readers who want to learn more.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I really enjoyed reading this book and think that young readers will, as well. The information is interesting and well written, and the cumulative tale makes children want to go on to the next page to see what will happen. The book also makes readers think about the origins of the iconic building in a way they might not have before. The presidential facts at the end of the book are also very engaging.
Memorable literary element:
This book is part informational text, part cumulative story. The informational text is typed in a small font on the left side of the book, while the cumulative tale is typed in a larger font on the right side. This provides a nice balance between information and a rhyming, building poem. The cumulative tale always includes, "the house that George built." One example of a this is: "This is the design, that would stand for all time, that was drawn for the lot, that grand, scenic spot, for the President's house that George built."
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are done in watercolor and ink. The illustrator uses very muted earth tones to show the progression of the building of the President's House. The illustrations take up the entire page and the text is incorporated into the paintings. The illustrations are very detailed. There is a great deal to look at on every page.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "A simple, well-constructed overview takes a close look at how the magnificent house at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. was built on an empty piece of land with a view of the Potomac.It was George Washington who conceived of a superb residence for the American President and directed its development over the 11 years it took to build, including surveying, vetting the design and administering the construction from his presidential office to bring the project in on schedule. Slade’s clear description of the steps in the building process accompanies Bond’s amiable edge-to-edge detailed watercolor depictions of the construction site and its busy progress. A cumulative rhyme—“the house that George built”—accompanies the compact, informative text and serves as a place holder and mnemonic to convey the stages of this impressive undertaking. A charming illustration of John and Abigail Adams, standing at last in a great hall not entirely swept of workmen’s tools and stray nails, shows the first of the residents who would leave their mark on this principle residence of democracy. The author’s note and list of some of the improvements made by those in residence over the years (tennis courts for Theodore Roosevelt; a vegetable garden for the Obamas) add to a fascinating first history of the White House. Sure to see—and worthy of—plenty of use, and not just in election years. (author’s list of sources and suggested resources to learn more) "
Promotion idea:
This book would pair well with a unit on presidents. The story focuses on George Washington and briefly touches on John and Abigail Adams, who were the first to live in the White House. The section that describes additions to the White House by different presidents over the years brings in other presidents to the discussion. Students could do further research on the additions made by different presidents and the reasons they were made, including the innovations of the times and the needs of the occupants. This adds a sense of the presidents as people, as well as iconic leaders of our country.
Balloons Over Broadway
Author: Sweet, Melissa Illustrator: Sweet, Melissa
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011
Genre: Nonfiction/Biography Age Level: Grades K-3
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011
Genre: Nonfiction/Biography Age Level: Grades K-3
Plot summary:
This book tells the story of Tony Sarg and how he worked with Macy's Department Store to bring the helium filled balloons over the streets of New York each Thanksgiving for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The book touches on Sarg's young life and some of the early history of the parade, but the bulk of the story is focused on the evolution of the marionettes to the helium filled balloons that fill the skies during the parade.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
This story is so interesting and fun. Most of us probably have no idea how the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade started and so will be enthralled with Tony Sarg's story. The book has lots of different things to look at and blends facts and artifacts in with the illustrations to create interest. I do wonder if the book will appeal as much to younger readers who take the parade and its giant balloons for granted.
Memorable literary element:
This book uses many interesting text features to bring Tony Sarg's story to life. The author/illustrator included newspaper clippings, pages from Tony Sarg's book, The Tony Sarg Marionette Book, and collage pieces to add to the basic story. These details turn the picture book into a true informational text. As an example, the newspaper clipping from Thanksgiving Day in 1933 tells about the helium balloons that will be floating in the sky over New York that afternoon. Readers can see the article and hear how the parade was promoted back then.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are a variety of gouache, collage, and mixed media. They are colorful and varied and very fun. There are so many different things to see on the pages. The reader can find something new to look at each time the book is read. The scale of the drawings help the reader see just how big the parade is and convey the sense of fun that both Tony Sarg and Melissa Sweet find so important.
Review from a selection aid:
(Booklist) " This is a picture book about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but that’s on the macro level. There is also a wonderfully personal story here as Sweet introduces Tony Sarg, a boy who loved puppets and grew up to create them for one of the world’s most famous parades. As a kid, young Sarg was a master manipulator, making marionettes and inventing pulleys that could feed the chickens in his family’s coop. As an adult, he brought his marionettes to Broadway, where R. H. Macy saw them and asked Sarg to provide designs for his store’s windows and then, later, to create puppets for a holiday parade. Right from the start, in 1924, the Thanksgiving Day Parade was a success, and Sarg’s ideas became more expansive, literally, as he designed animals—part puppet, part balloon—that eventually became the fabulous creatures we know today. Through careful explanation and fantastic art, Sweet explains step-by-step how the balloons were shaped and evolved. The pictures, a mix of collage and watercolors, are as exciting as the parade itself and are presented in an innovative design that uses an array of typefaces, reproductions of old newspaper articles, silhouettes, and the occasional comic-strip format. The only thing that could have made this better is if Sweet had used her stand-out collage techniques for the balloon representations, instead of watercolor artwork. But that’s a quibble. What she has done is make a joyous piece of nonfiction that informs and delights in equal parts. "
Promotion idea:
This book would be an interesting addition to a lesson for older students on the helium shortage we are facing. The book is interesting and fun and very appropriate for older readers and the topic of how much helium is used for the parade and how much helium we have left as a resource can be researched. Students can then take positions on continuing the parade as an historical tradition vs. adapting like Tony Sarg did to come up with a new way to include characters in the parade and present their opinions in a debate format.
This book tells the story of Tony Sarg and how he worked with Macy's Department Store to bring the helium filled balloons over the streets of New York each Thanksgiving for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The book touches on Sarg's young life and some of the early history of the parade, but the bulk of the story is focused on the evolution of the marionettes to the helium filled balloons that fill the skies during the parade.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
This story is so interesting and fun. Most of us probably have no idea how the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade started and so will be enthralled with Tony Sarg's story. The book has lots of different things to look at and blends facts and artifacts in with the illustrations to create interest. I do wonder if the book will appeal as much to younger readers who take the parade and its giant balloons for granted.
Memorable literary element:
This book uses many interesting text features to bring Tony Sarg's story to life. The author/illustrator included newspaper clippings, pages from Tony Sarg's book, The Tony Sarg Marionette Book, and collage pieces to add to the basic story. These details turn the picture book into a true informational text. As an example, the newspaper clipping from Thanksgiving Day in 1933 tells about the helium balloons that will be floating in the sky over New York that afternoon. Readers can see the article and hear how the parade was promoted back then.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are a variety of gouache, collage, and mixed media. They are colorful and varied and very fun. There are so many different things to see on the pages. The reader can find something new to look at each time the book is read. The scale of the drawings help the reader see just how big the parade is and convey the sense of fun that both Tony Sarg and Melissa Sweet find so important.
Review from a selection aid:
(Booklist) " This is a picture book about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but that’s on the macro level. There is also a wonderfully personal story here as Sweet introduces Tony Sarg, a boy who loved puppets and grew up to create them for one of the world’s most famous parades. As a kid, young Sarg was a master manipulator, making marionettes and inventing pulleys that could feed the chickens in his family’s coop. As an adult, he brought his marionettes to Broadway, where R. H. Macy saw them and asked Sarg to provide designs for his store’s windows and then, later, to create puppets for a holiday parade. Right from the start, in 1924, the Thanksgiving Day Parade was a success, and Sarg’s ideas became more expansive, literally, as he designed animals—part puppet, part balloon—that eventually became the fabulous creatures we know today. Through careful explanation and fantastic art, Sweet explains step-by-step how the balloons were shaped and evolved. The pictures, a mix of collage and watercolors, are as exciting as the parade itself and are presented in an innovative design that uses an array of typefaces, reproductions of old newspaper articles, silhouettes, and the occasional comic-strip format. The only thing that could have made this better is if Sweet had used her stand-out collage techniques for the balloon representations, instead of watercolor artwork. But that’s a quibble. What she has done is make a joyous piece of nonfiction that informs and delights in equal parts. "
Promotion idea:
This book would be an interesting addition to a lesson for older students on the helium shortage we are facing. The book is interesting and fun and very appropriate for older readers and the topic of how much helium is used for the parade and how much helium we have left as a resource can be researched. Students can then take positions on continuing the parade as an historical tradition vs. adapting like Tony Sarg did to come up with a new way to include characters in the parade and present their opinions in a debate format.