Tang, Gregg (2001). The grapes of math. Scholastic Press. New York.
Summary:
This is a cute little book that presents math word problems in riddle form. The riddles are challenging and involve finding patterns, grouping, adding, and subtracting. Each riddle had pictures to go with it to help in solving the riddle.
Author: Gregg Tang
Illustrator: Harry Briggs
Illustrations: Were created on computer and incorporate different animals, insects, and food.
Access Features: Answers to Riddles, A Note About Grapes of Math
Grade Level: K-3
Book Design: Book is square with bright colors on cover and is appropriately covered with grape vines. End pages are purple again symbolic of grapes. Each two page spread has a different theme that the text and illustrations follow. Text is written over the illustrations and the subject of the word problem riddle is on the left page. The riddle is on the right page and each riddle has it’s own title.
Writing Style: Text is very children friendly but the riddles are also challenging. These are great brain teasers and it introduces and uses “math language.”
Curriculum: Math
Classroom Use: I think this would be a great resource to use to help learn “math language” and practice word problems and problem solving.
Standards: Math-Understand patterns, relations, and functions; Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems
Awards: N/A
Author Credibility: Tang has a master’s degree in economics and math education. He has also taught Kindergarten through college.
Related Texts: Math-terpieces by Greg Tang; Math Curse by Jon Scieszka; Math Appeal (Mind-Stretching Math Riddles) by Gregory Tang; Math Potatoes: Mind-stretching Brain Food: Mind-stretching Brain Food by Greg Tang; How Big Is a Foot? by Rolf Myller; Fractals, Googols, and Other Mathematical Tales by Theoni Pappas
Response:
This book was so much fun to read. Some of the riddles made me think and took me a while to figure out. The illustrations are really helpful in solving the riddles and the book is so colorful that it keeps you interested. I really enjoyed all the challenging problems.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Toulouse-Lautrec: The Moulin Rouge and the City of Light
Burleigh, Robert (2005). Toulouse-Lautrec: the Moulin Rouge and the city of light. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York.
Summary:
Burleigh uses this book to introduce an author that was previously just seen as a fixture in Parisian nightlife. He begins the book by addressing his childhood which was riddled with a disease that stunted the growth of his legs. While the rest of his body grew, his legs stayed those of a child. The author then goes on to discuss his decision to study art and the disapproval of his parents. He became a figure in the nightlife of Paris and began painting advertising posters for the nightclubs in the area. A poster for the Moulin Rouge is one of his most famous. The author moves through his rapid-growth career and ends with his death and a snippet about how his fame lives on through his work.
Author: Robert Burleigh
Illustrator: N/A
Illustrations: Artwork done by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and photographs of him and his circle of friends.
Access Features: Bibliography, Author's Note, Acknowledgments, Illustration Credits
Grade Level: 4-7
Book Design: Tall, rectangle. Oversized in honor of Lautrec's first advertising poster that was nearly 6 feet tall. Illustrations are dispersed throughout the book sometimes with more illustrations on the pages than text. End pages are a muted lime green like most of the colors he used in his paintings.
Writing Style: Somewhat formal. Very detail oriented and enumerative. Some text is larger than other writing on the page perhaps to be viewed as a flashback to his work that was oversized as well. However, he uses language that is comprehensible to children to relate the facts of Lautrec' life but makes sure the language is not beneath them.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: Art History project or to talk about propoganda and advertising history
Standards: Social Studies Standard 1: Culture; Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity; Standard 9: Global Connections
Awards: N/A
Author Credibility: Bibliography present. Most of the information was obtained from the Art Institute of Chicago, which would be deemed an expert establishment, and books previously written about Lautrec.
Related Texts: Seurat and La Grande Jatte: Connecting the Dots by Robert Burleigh; Toulouse-Lautrec in Paris (Memoire) by Franck Maubert; Paul Cezanne: A Painter's Journey by Robert Burleigh; Toulouse-Lautrec: A Life (Phoenix Giants) by Julia Frey; Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre by Richard Thomson; Through Georgia's Eyes by Rachel Victoria Rodriguez
Response:
I was really intrigued by the cover of this book. It's so inviting because the colors and the artwork are so different. I really enjoyed reading about Lautrec because I've never heard of him before but also because there was a lot of interesting information about the Moulin Rouge and advertising in Paris during that time. It's a great resource to help teach advertising practices and propoganda.
Summary:
Burleigh uses this book to introduce an author that was previously just seen as a fixture in Parisian nightlife. He begins the book by addressing his childhood which was riddled with a disease that stunted the growth of his legs. While the rest of his body grew, his legs stayed those of a child. The author then goes on to discuss his decision to study art and the disapproval of his parents. He became a figure in the nightlife of Paris and began painting advertising posters for the nightclubs in the area. A poster for the Moulin Rouge is one of his most famous. The author moves through his rapid-growth career and ends with his death and a snippet about how his fame lives on through his work.
Author: Robert Burleigh
Illustrator: N/A
Illustrations: Artwork done by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and photographs of him and his circle of friends.
Access Features: Bibliography, Author's Note, Acknowledgments, Illustration Credits
Grade Level: 4-7
Book Design: Tall, rectangle. Oversized in honor of Lautrec's first advertising poster that was nearly 6 feet tall. Illustrations are dispersed throughout the book sometimes with more illustrations on the pages than text. End pages are a muted lime green like most of the colors he used in his paintings.
Writing Style: Somewhat formal. Very detail oriented and enumerative. Some text is larger than other writing on the page perhaps to be viewed as a flashback to his work that was oversized as well. However, he uses language that is comprehensible to children to relate the facts of Lautrec' life but makes sure the language is not beneath them.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: Art History project or to talk about propoganda and advertising history
Standards: Social Studies Standard 1: Culture; Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity; Standard 9: Global Connections
Awards: N/A
Author Credibility: Bibliography present. Most of the information was obtained from the Art Institute of Chicago, which would be deemed an expert establishment, and books previously written about Lautrec.
Related Texts: Seurat and La Grande Jatte: Connecting the Dots by Robert Burleigh; Toulouse-Lautrec in Paris (Memoire) by Franck Maubert; Paul Cezanne: A Painter's Journey by Robert Burleigh; Toulouse-Lautrec: A Life (Phoenix Giants) by Julia Frey; Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre by Richard Thomson; Through Georgia's Eyes by Rachel Victoria Rodriguez
Response:
I was really intrigued by the cover of this book. It's so inviting because the colors and the artwork are so different. I really enjoyed reading about Lautrec because I've never heard of him before but also because there was a lot of interesting information about the Moulin Rouge and advertising in Paris during that time. It's a great resource to help teach advertising practices and propoganda.
River Boy: The Story of Mark Twain (bk 1) (40 pgs)
Anderson, William (2003). River boy: the story of Mark Twain. Harper Collins. New York.
Summary:
River Boy is a very simple story about the life of Mark Twain. Anderson begins at the time of Mark Twain's birth and traverses through his life with stories of mischief and dreams. Mark Twain followed his dreams and through his adventures he decided to write about them. People found his stories so amusing that he actually went on tour just telling his stories to peole that came to listen. This is a definite read for any Mark Twain fan. It's a fascinating story that ends on the day of his death and with a phenomenon that is rare. Even more strange is this phenomenon also occurred on the day of his birth as well.
Author: William Anderson
Illustrator: Dan Andreasen
Illustrations: Illustrations appear to be acrylic and usually take up one full side of a two-page spread. Sometimes the illustrations are on the top or bottom of the pages and the text is on the opposite. Illustrations are representative of some aspect of the text it is associated with.
Access Features: Time Line of Mark Twain
Grade Level: 1-3
Book Design: Book is a tall rectangle with words on the cover representative of old poster lettering. Cover has an illustration of a little boy fishing with the pole going into the book like an invitations to open the book and see what's on the the end of the line. End pages are an illustration of a riverboat floating down the river. Pages are white with a little bit of writing.
Writing Style: Very child friendly language. The author uses figurative language but not too complex for younger children to understand. This is enumerative text or a chronological telling of the events of Mark Twain's life from birth to death.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: Author's History Study; Geography of Mississippi River and surrounding areas
Standards: Social Studies Standard 3: People, Places, and Environments
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Anderson is a teacher and has written many books about history. He visited Mark Twain's homesites while preparing for this book but gives no sources for his writing.
Related Texts: Mark Twain for Kids: His Life & Times, 21 Activities (For Kids series) by R. Kent Rasmussen; Who Was Mark Twain?: (Who Was...?) by April Jones Prince; First to Fly: How Wilbur and Orville Wright Invented the Airplane by Peter Busby; American Boy: The Adventures of Mark Twain by Don Brown; Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing (Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor (Awards) by James Rumford; If I Only Had a Horn: Young Louis Armstrong by Roxane Orgill; Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein (Bccb Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award (Awards) by Don Brown; The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter
Response:
Reading this book was like an adventure all on it's own. I learned a lot about Mark Twain that I never knew. He really was a very eccentric person and found adventure wherever he went. It was fascinating to learn about the way he became a writer and how the fame just seemed to fall on him.
Summary:
River Boy is a very simple story about the life of Mark Twain. Anderson begins at the time of Mark Twain's birth and traverses through his life with stories of mischief and dreams. Mark Twain followed his dreams and through his adventures he decided to write about them. People found his stories so amusing that he actually went on tour just telling his stories to peole that came to listen. This is a definite read for any Mark Twain fan. It's a fascinating story that ends on the day of his death and with a phenomenon that is rare. Even more strange is this phenomenon also occurred on the day of his birth as well.
Author: William Anderson
Illustrator: Dan Andreasen
Illustrations: Illustrations appear to be acrylic and usually take up one full side of a two-page spread. Sometimes the illustrations are on the top or bottom of the pages and the text is on the opposite. Illustrations are representative of some aspect of the text it is associated with.
Access Features: Time Line of Mark Twain
Grade Level: 1-3
Book Design: Book is a tall rectangle with words on the cover representative of old poster lettering. Cover has an illustration of a little boy fishing with the pole going into the book like an invitations to open the book and see what's on the the end of the line. End pages are an illustration of a riverboat floating down the river. Pages are white with a little bit of writing.
Writing Style: Very child friendly language. The author uses figurative language but not too complex for younger children to understand. This is enumerative text or a chronological telling of the events of Mark Twain's life from birth to death.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: Author's History Study; Geography of Mississippi River and surrounding areas
Standards: Social Studies Standard 3: People, Places, and Environments
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Anderson is a teacher and has written many books about history. He visited Mark Twain's homesites while preparing for this book but gives no sources for his writing.
Related Texts: Mark Twain for Kids: His Life & Times, 21 Activities (For Kids series) by R. Kent Rasmussen; Who Was Mark Twain?: (Who Was...?) by April Jones Prince; First to Fly: How Wilbur and Orville Wright Invented the Airplane by Peter Busby; American Boy: The Adventures of Mark Twain by Don Brown; Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing (Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor (Awards) by James Rumford; If I Only Had a Horn: Young Louis Armstrong by Roxane Orgill; Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein (Bccb Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award (Awards) by Don Brown; The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter
Response:
Reading this book was like an adventure all on it's own. I learned a lot about Mark Twain that I never knew. He really was a very eccentric person and found adventure wherever he went. It was fascinating to learn about the way he became a writer and how the fame just seemed to fall on him.
Through Georgia' Eyes (bk 1) (32 pgs)
Rodriguez, Rachel (2006). Through Georgia's eyes. Henry Holt and Company. New York.
Summary:
Rachel Rodriguez gives the reader a look into the world that was Georgia O'Keefe's life. Through her very present passion about her subject, Rodriguez tells the story about O'Keefe's first memory and ends with her death without actually mentioning when she died. Rodriguez tells us about O'Keefe's childhood dream of becoming an artist and her decision that she was going to do so. She goes through the years of O'Keefe's travels through cities and her desire to return to the "Faraway" place she loves. O'Keefe then goes on her journeys to paint the world in order to show it's wonder.
Author: Rachel Rodriguez
Illustrator: Julie Paschkins
Illustrations: Paschkins used sheets of paper painted with gradiating color. She then cut these pieces of paper into shapes and glued them into layers as a cut paper collage. She used some of O'Keefe's own painting for inspiration. The illustrations are bright and colorful and take up most of the two page spreads on most pages.
Access Features: Author's Note, Illustrator's Note, More About Georgia O'Keefe
Grade Level: K-3
Book Design: Cover is an illustration of one of Georgia O'Keefe's paintings of numerous rolling hills. End pages are green perhaps to represent O'Keefe's love for nature. Pages are white with most illustrations covering a two page spread with very little text on the bottom of the page.
Writing Style: Some of the text may be difficult for younger students to understand, but the language is simple with extremely beautiful images conjuered by the metaphors and similes used in the text. Rodriguez takes the reader through O'Keefe's life and you can really feel her passion for the woman she is writing about.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be a wonderful book to use to talk about influential women in history or as an art history lesson.
Standards: Art Standard 4:Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures; Social Studies Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2007
Author Credibility: This is the author's first book. In her author's note she states that she read all she could about her, however she doesn't list any of her resources or give any details that would giver her credibility.
Related Texts: My Name Is Georgia: A Portrait by Jeanette Winter; A Bird or 2: A Story About Henri Matisse by: Bijou Le Tord; Georgia's Bones by: Jen Bryant; Pablo Picasso: Breaking All the Rules (Smart About Art) by: True Kelley; Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors: (Smart About Art) by: Jane O'Connor; Edgar Degas: Paintings That Dance (Smart About Art) by: Maryann Cocca-Leffler; Paul Cezanne: A Painter's Journey by: Robert Burleigh; Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies: Sunshine and Waterlilies (Smart About Art) by: True Kelley
Response:
I was so intrigued by this book just by looking at the cover. The colors were so bright and vibrant that it just seems to pull you in. I wasn't disappointed. Rodriguez does a wonderful job of describing Georgia O'Keefe's paintings and her determination to become an artist. It's a really short read but it has an impact just the same.
Summary:
Rachel Rodriguez gives the reader a look into the world that was Georgia O'Keefe's life. Through her very present passion about her subject, Rodriguez tells the story about O'Keefe's first memory and ends with her death without actually mentioning when she died. Rodriguez tells us about O'Keefe's childhood dream of becoming an artist and her decision that she was going to do so. She goes through the years of O'Keefe's travels through cities and her desire to return to the "Faraway" place she loves. O'Keefe then goes on her journeys to paint the world in order to show it's wonder.
Author: Rachel Rodriguez
Illustrator: Julie Paschkins
Illustrations: Paschkins used sheets of paper painted with gradiating color. She then cut these pieces of paper into shapes and glued them into layers as a cut paper collage. She used some of O'Keefe's own painting for inspiration. The illustrations are bright and colorful and take up most of the two page spreads on most pages.
Access Features: Author's Note, Illustrator's Note, More About Georgia O'Keefe
Grade Level: K-3
Book Design: Cover is an illustration of one of Georgia O'Keefe's paintings of numerous rolling hills. End pages are green perhaps to represent O'Keefe's love for nature. Pages are white with most illustrations covering a two page spread with very little text on the bottom of the page.
Writing Style: Some of the text may be difficult for younger students to understand, but the language is simple with extremely beautiful images conjuered by the metaphors and similes used in the text. Rodriguez takes the reader through O'Keefe's life and you can really feel her passion for the woman she is writing about.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be a wonderful book to use to talk about influential women in history or as an art history lesson.
Standards: Art Standard 4:Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures; Social Studies Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2007
Author Credibility: This is the author's first book. In her author's note she states that she read all she could about her, however she doesn't list any of her resources or give any details that would giver her credibility.
Related Texts: My Name Is Georgia: A Portrait by Jeanette Winter; A Bird or 2: A Story About Henri Matisse by: Bijou Le Tord; Georgia's Bones by: Jen Bryant; Pablo Picasso: Breaking All the Rules (Smart About Art) by: True Kelley; Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors: (Smart About Art) by: Jane O'Connor; Edgar Degas: Paintings That Dance (Smart About Art) by: Maryann Cocca-Leffler; Paul Cezanne: A Painter's Journey by: Robert Burleigh; Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies: Sunshine and Waterlilies (Smart About Art) by: True Kelley
Response:
I was so intrigued by this book just by looking at the cover. The colors were so bright and vibrant that it just seems to pull you in. I wasn't disappointed. Rodriguez does a wonderful job of describing Georgia O'Keefe's paintings and her determination to become an artist. It's a really short read but it has an impact just the same.
The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights (bk 2) (114 pgs)
Freedman, Russell (2004). The voice that challenged a nation: Marian Anderson and the struggle for equal rights. Clarion Books. New York.
Summary:
Marian Anderson was an amazing woman who fought to win the freedom to sing wherever she wanted to. This book chronicles her childhood and her rise to fame. It tells of the struggles she experience trying to sing in the United States. Freedman beautifully describes her voice and her passion for her talent. He also helps the reader understand her disappointment and feelings of failure when she still was not allowed to perform in certain areas. At the end of the book, Freedman helps the reader understand the powerful feelings of exhilaration Marian felt when she finally achieved the status she always dreamed up.
Author: Russell Freedman
Illustrator: N/A
Illustrations: Photographs of Marian Anderson through the years and some of her concerts and personal appearances.
Access Features: Table of Contents, Chapter Notes, Selected Bibliography, Selected Discography, Acknowledgments, Picture Credits, Index
Grade Level: 5-8
Book Design: Book is really basic. The cover is a photograph of Marian Anderson in concert in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The title on the cover is large at the top and get smaller as they go down the book. The end pages are a copper color perhaps to reflect the tone of Marian Anderson’s contralto voice. The pages are white with lots of text and at least one picture on every other page.
Writing Style: Freedman uses simple language and wonderful descriptions of her voice and attitude. This book would require background knowledge in order to completely understand the struggles Anderson experienced. Freedman doesn’t explain some of the terms or aspects of that particular time in American history so it would be hard to understand without some knowledge of that time period.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be a great resource to use during a study of the Civil Rights Movement.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Awards: BCCB Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award; 2005 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award; 2005 Newbery Honor Book
Author Credibility: Russell Freedman has written nearly 50 children's books and spends extensive amounts of time researching the topics he chooses to write about. He says he only writes about people or things that interest him because he knows he will devote more time to these subjects. For this book he includes most of the sources he used when writing this book about Marian Anderson. Most of the information came from books previously written about Marian's life and the time of the Civil Rights Movement.
Related Texts: Remember: The Journey to School Integration by: Toni Morrison; Coming On Home Soon by: Jacqueline Woodson; When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson by: Pam Munoz Ryan; Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing by: James Rumford; Rosa by: Nikki Giovanni; The Great Fire by: Jim Murphy;
Response:
I was very moved by this book. Marian Anderson was an extremely powerful woman and extremely determined. I was appalled and exhilarated at many different times during this reading. Marian’s ultimate triumph over the laws that were holding her back made the book worth the read.
Summary:
Marian Anderson was an amazing woman who fought to win the freedom to sing wherever she wanted to. This book chronicles her childhood and her rise to fame. It tells of the struggles she experience trying to sing in the United States. Freedman beautifully describes her voice and her passion for her talent. He also helps the reader understand her disappointment and feelings of failure when she still was not allowed to perform in certain areas. At the end of the book, Freedman helps the reader understand the powerful feelings of exhilaration Marian felt when she finally achieved the status she always dreamed up.
Author: Russell Freedman
Illustrator: N/A
Illustrations: Photographs of Marian Anderson through the years and some of her concerts and personal appearances.
Access Features: Table of Contents, Chapter Notes, Selected Bibliography, Selected Discography, Acknowledgments, Picture Credits, Index
Grade Level: 5-8
Book Design: Book is really basic. The cover is a photograph of Marian Anderson in concert in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The title on the cover is large at the top and get smaller as they go down the book. The end pages are a copper color perhaps to reflect the tone of Marian Anderson’s contralto voice. The pages are white with lots of text and at least one picture on every other page.
Writing Style: Freedman uses simple language and wonderful descriptions of her voice and attitude. This book would require background knowledge in order to completely understand the struggles Anderson experienced. Freedman doesn’t explain some of the terms or aspects of that particular time in American history so it would be hard to understand without some knowledge of that time period.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be a great resource to use during a study of the Civil Rights Movement.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Awards: BCCB Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award; 2005 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award; 2005 Newbery Honor Book
Author Credibility: Russell Freedman has written nearly 50 children's books and spends extensive amounts of time researching the topics he chooses to write about. He says he only writes about people or things that interest him because he knows he will devote more time to these subjects. For this book he includes most of the sources he used when writing this book about Marian Anderson. Most of the information came from books previously written about Marian's life and the time of the Civil Rights Movement.
Related Texts: Remember: The Journey to School Integration by: Toni Morrison; Coming On Home Soon by: Jacqueline Woodson; When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson by: Pam Munoz Ryan; Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing by: James Rumford; Rosa by: Nikki Giovanni; The Great Fire by: Jim Murphy;
Response:
I was very moved by this book. Marian Anderson was an extremely powerful woman and extremely determined. I was appalled and exhilarated at many different times during this reading. Marian’s ultimate triumph over the laws that were holding her back made the book worth the read.
Salaam: A Muslim American Boy's Story (bk 1) (40 pgs)
Brown, Tricia (2006). Salaam: a Muslim American boy’s story. Henry Holt and Company. New York.
Summary:
Tricia Brown tells the story of one American boy who talks about what his life is like as a Muslim in America. Brown takes the reader on a journey through Imran’s life and we see him doing every day things. The reader follows Imran through a day at school and playing with friends. The boy talks about the hardships he goes through and the ridicule he experienced from people who didn’t know him. It was really quite interesting to read about how people from other cultures live on a daily basis.
Author: Tricia Brown
Illustrator: Ken Cardwell
Illustrations: Photographs of Imran with his family and friends during everyday life.
Access Features: Glossary, 5 Pillars of Islam
Grade Level: K-3
Book Design: End pages are a light yellow with some type of Muslim symbol in a lighter color. Book pages are yellow and red. Most of the pages have photographs on them with very little text.
Writing Style: Language is simple in order to make it easy to understand and the story is told from Imran’s point of view. The text makes you feel like you are having a conversation with Imran throughout the story of his life in America
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be an excellent resource to have when studying about people from other cultures.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 1: Culture; Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity; Standard 10: Civic Ideals and Practices
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2007
Author Credibilty: Author spent time with the Muslim family and following Imran in order to write his story. She also interviewed other Muslims or people associated with Muslims
Related Texts: My Name is Bilal by: Asma Mobin-Uddin; Coming to America: A Muslim Family’s Story by: Bernard Wolf
Response:
This story was very interesting. I’ve never been around Muslims and I found it really interesting to read about this family that lives through the persecution they face daily from some people.
Summary:
Tricia Brown tells the story of one American boy who talks about what his life is like as a Muslim in America. Brown takes the reader on a journey through Imran’s life and we see him doing every day things. The reader follows Imran through a day at school and playing with friends. The boy talks about the hardships he goes through and the ridicule he experienced from people who didn’t know him. It was really quite interesting to read about how people from other cultures live on a daily basis.
Author: Tricia Brown
Illustrator: Ken Cardwell
Illustrations: Photographs of Imran with his family and friends during everyday life.
Access Features: Glossary, 5 Pillars of Islam
Grade Level: K-3
Book Design: End pages are a light yellow with some type of Muslim symbol in a lighter color. Book pages are yellow and red. Most of the pages have photographs on them with very little text.
Writing Style: Language is simple in order to make it easy to understand and the story is told from Imran’s point of view. The text makes you feel like you are having a conversation with Imran throughout the story of his life in America
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be an excellent resource to have when studying about people from other cultures.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 1: Culture; Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity; Standard 10: Civic Ideals and Practices
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2007
Author Credibilty: Author spent time with the Muslim family and following Imran in order to write his story. She also interviewed other Muslims or people associated with Muslims
Related Texts: My Name is Bilal by: Asma Mobin-Uddin; Coming to America: A Muslim Family’s Story by: Bernard Wolf
Response:
This story was very interesting. I’ve never been around Muslims and I found it really interesting to read about this family that lives through the persecution they face daily from some people.
Touching the Sky: The Flying Adventure of Wilbur and Orville Wright (bk 1) (64 pgs)
Borden, Louise and Trish Marx (2003). Touching the sky: the flying adventure of Wilbur and Orville Wright. Simon and Schuster. New York.
Summary:
Touching the Sky is a child friendly version of the story of Wilbur and Orville Wright. Borden and Marx use simply language to tell of the brother’s flight around New York and then their journey to Europe to exhibit their plane. The authors use this opportunity to tell the story of the Wright Brother’s rise to fame, telling of the route he flew on his exhibition around New York and all the people who came out to see the famous flight. They then tell of the brother’s journey to Europe and how stunned the people in that country were to see the “flying machine.” During the epilogue the author’s give a brief summary of the brother’s lives after their journey.
Author: Louis Borden and Trish Marx
Illustrator: Peter Fiore
Illustrations: The illustrations appear to be water color and they go along with the story line. Most of the illustrations appear on small sections of the pages but some of them do take up all of the two page spreads with the writing on top of the illustrations.
Access Features: Introduction, Epilogue, Maps, Aviation Time Line
Grade Level: K-3
Book Design: The book cover just contains an illustration of one of their first airplanes. The end pages are a wheat color and the pages are white with mostly text on them. The words are centered on the pages.
Writing Style: Some of the words in this book would be a little difficult for students to understand and might have to be explained. However, the story is a wonderfully simple story of the exhibitions of Wilbur and Orville Wright. The authors use very descriptive language to help paint a picture of the journey the brothers took on their first flight through New York and the exhibitions they made through Europe.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be a great resource to use when teaching the story of the Wright Brothers and the story of flight and how the airplane came to be.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society; Standard 9: Global Connections
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Authors thank the New York City Museum, The New York Historical Society, Carillon Historical Park and members of the Wright family. The members of the family, while the may not have been present, are a primary resource used to obtain the information the authors were looking for. The Historical Society probably had documented records of the legendary flight, as well as the museum.
Related Texts: Fly High! The Story of Bessie Coleman by: Louise Borden; Airborne: A Photobiography of Wilbur and Orville Wright by: Mary Collins; Wilbur and Orville Wright: The Flight to Adventure by: Louis Sabin; Wilbur and Orville Wright: Trailblazers of the Sky by: Jennifer Reed; First to Fly: How Wilbur and Orville Wright Invented the Airplane by: Peter Busby and David Craig
Response:
This book put a different look on the story of Wilbur and Orville Wright’s invention and their subsequent fame. I really enjoyed reading this child friendly version of this piece of history. I also learned a lot about the Wright brothers that I didn’t know.
Summary:
Touching the Sky is a child friendly version of the story of Wilbur and Orville Wright. Borden and Marx use simply language to tell of the brother’s flight around New York and then their journey to Europe to exhibit their plane. The authors use this opportunity to tell the story of the Wright Brother’s rise to fame, telling of the route he flew on his exhibition around New York and all the people who came out to see the famous flight. They then tell of the brother’s journey to Europe and how stunned the people in that country were to see the “flying machine.” During the epilogue the author’s give a brief summary of the brother’s lives after their journey.
Author: Louis Borden and Trish Marx
Illustrator: Peter Fiore
Illustrations: The illustrations appear to be water color and they go along with the story line. Most of the illustrations appear on small sections of the pages but some of them do take up all of the two page spreads with the writing on top of the illustrations.
Access Features: Introduction, Epilogue, Maps, Aviation Time Line
Grade Level: K-3
Book Design: The book cover just contains an illustration of one of their first airplanes. The end pages are a wheat color and the pages are white with mostly text on them. The words are centered on the pages.
Writing Style: Some of the words in this book would be a little difficult for students to understand and might have to be explained. However, the story is a wonderfully simple story of the exhibitions of Wilbur and Orville Wright. The authors use very descriptive language to help paint a picture of the journey the brothers took on their first flight through New York and the exhibitions they made through Europe.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be a great resource to use when teaching the story of the Wright Brothers and the story of flight and how the airplane came to be.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society; Standard 9: Global Connections
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Authors thank the New York City Museum, The New York Historical Society, Carillon Historical Park and members of the Wright family. The members of the family, while the may not have been present, are a primary resource used to obtain the information the authors were looking for. The Historical Society probably had documented records of the legendary flight, as well as the museum.
Related Texts: Fly High! The Story of Bessie Coleman by: Louise Borden; Airborne: A Photobiography of Wilbur and Orville Wright by: Mary Collins; Wilbur and Orville Wright: The Flight to Adventure by: Louis Sabin; Wilbur and Orville Wright: Trailblazers of the Sky by: Jennifer Reed; First to Fly: How Wilbur and Orville Wright Invented the Airplane by: Peter Busby and David Craig
Response:
This book put a different look on the story of Wilbur and Orville Wright’s invention and their subsequent fame. I really enjoyed reading this child friendly version of this piece of history. I also learned a lot about the Wright brothers that I didn’t know.
Rabble Rousers: 20 Women Who Made a Difference (bk 1) (64 pgs)
Harness, Cheryl (2003). Rabble rousers: 20 women who made a difference. Dutton Children’s Books. New York.
Summary:
This book chronicles the life of 20 very influential women in American history. Each of the women is given a two page spread on which the important aspects of her life. It is a brief description of each woman and the influence she had on America and the lives of women and African Americans.
Author: Cheryl Harness
Illustrator: Cheryl Harness
Illustrations: Are contained on both sides of two page spreads and are paintings of the women in settings they may have been found in. Pages are outlined in different colors.
Access Features: Introduction, Table of Contents, Civil Action Tips, Resources, Places to Visit, Glossary, Bibliography, Further Reading, Index
Grade Level: 3-5
Book Design: Cover is all of the women mentioned in this book marching into the book. End pages are red, perhaps to stand for the passion in these women’s lives and the passion they show for their cause. Pages are outlined in different colors and each two page spread about the woman has an illustration of her at the beginning of the first page.
Writing Style: This book is little more difficult and requires a little more background knowledge to fully understand the influence these women had on America. The author uses technical vocabulary to discuss the aspects of freedom these women fought for and the students must know what these terms mean before they can understand the full impact these women had.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: Each of these women could be used to discuss different times in American history. It would be a great resource to use as reinforcement for certain times and occurrences in history.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Harness has written many acclaimed historical picture books, and includes in her bibliography the resources she used to write this book. Those books include books about the individual women and the entire movements they were involved in.
Related Texts: Remember the Ladies: 100 Great American Women by: Cheryl Harness; Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels, (and What the Neighbors Thought) by: Kathleen Krull; Amelia to Zora: 26 Women Who Changed the World by: Cynthia Chin-Lee; Sisters in Strength: American Women Who Made a Difference by: Yona Zeldis McDonough; Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by: Catherine Thimmesh; 100 Women Who Shaped World History by: Gail Myer Rolka; A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhull by: Kathleen Krull; Girls Who Rocked the World: Heroines From Sacagawea to Sheryl Swoopes by Amelie Welden
Response:
This book was truly amazing. There were some women in this book that I had never heard of and I was very impressed by the things they fought to accomplish. I think it’s important for boys and girls alike to know how influential women have been in American history and I think this book would be a wonderful way to help reinforce that.
Summary:
This book chronicles the life of 20 very influential women in American history. Each of the women is given a two page spread on which the important aspects of her life. It is a brief description of each woman and the influence she had on America and the lives of women and African Americans.
Author: Cheryl Harness
Illustrator: Cheryl Harness
Illustrations: Are contained on both sides of two page spreads and are paintings of the women in settings they may have been found in. Pages are outlined in different colors.
Access Features: Introduction, Table of Contents, Civil Action Tips, Resources, Places to Visit, Glossary, Bibliography, Further Reading, Index
Grade Level: 3-5
Book Design: Cover is all of the women mentioned in this book marching into the book. End pages are red, perhaps to stand for the passion in these women’s lives and the passion they show for their cause. Pages are outlined in different colors and each two page spread about the woman has an illustration of her at the beginning of the first page.
Writing Style: This book is little more difficult and requires a little more background knowledge to fully understand the influence these women had on America. The author uses technical vocabulary to discuss the aspects of freedom these women fought for and the students must know what these terms mean before they can understand the full impact these women had.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: Each of these women could be used to discuss different times in American history. It would be a great resource to use as reinforcement for certain times and occurrences in history.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Harness has written many acclaimed historical picture books, and includes in her bibliography the resources she used to write this book. Those books include books about the individual women and the entire movements they were involved in.
Related Texts: Remember the Ladies: 100 Great American Women by: Cheryl Harness; Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels, (and What the Neighbors Thought) by: Kathleen Krull; Amelia to Zora: 26 Women Who Changed the World by: Cynthia Chin-Lee; Sisters in Strength: American Women Who Made a Difference by: Yona Zeldis McDonough; Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by: Catherine Thimmesh; 100 Women Who Shaped World History by: Gail Myer Rolka; A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhull by: Kathleen Krull; Girls Who Rocked the World: Heroines From Sacagawea to Sheryl Swoopes by Amelie Welden
Response:
This book was truly amazing. There were some women in this book that I had never heard of and I was very impressed by the things they fought to accomplish. I think it’s important for boys and girls alike to know how influential women have been in American history and I think this book would be a wonderful way to help reinforce that.
Friday, July 20, 2007
John Muir: America's First Environmentalist (bk 1) (48 pgs)
Lasky, Kathryn (2006). John Muir: America’s first environmentalist. Candlewick Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Summary:
John Muir is a very moving story about his trek through America’s wilderness and the wonders that he discovered on his journey. With amazingly vivid descriptions Kathryn Lasky tells the story of John Muir’s travels from childhood to death and the amazing accomplishments he gained along the way. He was always interested in nature, even as a child he would be caught wondering through the wilderness just admiring the occurrences there. As an adult he journeyed 1000 miles from Wisconsin to Florida on foot and marveled at the types of plants and animals he discovered in that strange place. Lasky goes on to tell how Muir convinced the President Roosevelt to create a bureau of forestry to protect the forests of the land.
Author: Kathryn Lasky
Illustrator: Stan Fellows
Illustrations: Illustrations are done in acrylic on paper. Fellows uses vivid colors and his paintings take up all of two page spreads with text written over the illustrations. The illustrations also follow the writing creating a beautiful image to reflect the vivid descriptors the author uses.
Access Features: Table of Contents, Epilogue, Bibliography, About the Sierra Club
Grade Level: 3-5
Book Design: The cover of the book is a beautiful illustration of a mountain range and green valley. It also has a portrait of John Muir on the cover. End pages are blue to reflect the blue of the sky. The book is oversized perhaps to reflect the size and shape of a mountain.
Writing Style: The author uses vivid adjectives to describe everything in this story. She definitely writes with the passion and her voice shines throughout the book. She reflects the passion that John Muir felt for the wilderness. Some of the words in the book might be difficult for younger children to understand especially in the context that they are presented.
Curriculum: Science
Classroom Use: This would be a wonderful book to use when talking about conservation or the forming of National Parks. Certain chapters could also be used for discussion about mountain formation i.e. the glacier chapter.
Standards: Physical Science; History and Nature of Science
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2007
Author Credibility: Author notes that most of the information in this book was obtained from Muir’s own writings in addition to some magazine articles and printed materials from National Parks. Since the information in this book came directly from Muir’s own writings it is an accurate account of the story of John Muir.
Related Texts: John Muir: My Life with Nature by: John Muir; Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by: Sy Montgomery; Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by: Isabella Hatkoff; John Muir: America’s Naturalist by: Thomas Locker; The Journey: Stories of Migration by: Cynthia Rylant; The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon by: Jacqueline Davies
Response:
This book was so wonderfully written that I could see, feel, and even hear the aspects of the wilderness the author described. The author was so passionate about this subject that she let that passion shine through her writing and vivid descriptions. I really enjoyed reading this story. I never knew about John Muir and his contributions to the National Parks system so it was interesting to read about somebody new.
Summary:
John Muir is a very moving story about his trek through America’s wilderness and the wonders that he discovered on his journey. With amazingly vivid descriptions Kathryn Lasky tells the story of John Muir’s travels from childhood to death and the amazing accomplishments he gained along the way. He was always interested in nature, even as a child he would be caught wondering through the wilderness just admiring the occurrences there. As an adult he journeyed 1000 miles from Wisconsin to Florida on foot and marveled at the types of plants and animals he discovered in that strange place. Lasky goes on to tell how Muir convinced the President Roosevelt to create a bureau of forestry to protect the forests of the land.
Author: Kathryn Lasky
Illustrator: Stan Fellows
Illustrations: Illustrations are done in acrylic on paper. Fellows uses vivid colors and his paintings take up all of two page spreads with text written over the illustrations. The illustrations also follow the writing creating a beautiful image to reflect the vivid descriptors the author uses.
Access Features: Table of Contents, Epilogue, Bibliography, About the Sierra Club
Grade Level: 3-5
Book Design: The cover of the book is a beautiful illustration of a mountain range and green valley. It also has a portrait of John Muir on the cover. End pages are blue to reflect the blue of the sky. The book is oversized perhaps to reflect the size and shape of a mountain.
Writing Style: The author uses vivid adjectives to describe everything in this story. She definitely writes with the passion and her voice shines throughout the book. She reflects the passion that John Muir felt for the wilderness. Some of the words in the book might be difficult for younger children to understand especially in the context that they are presented.
Curriculum: Science
Classroom Use: This would be a wonderful book to use when talking about conservation or the forming of National Parks. Certain chapters could also be used for discussion about mountain formation i.e. the glacier chapter.
Standards: Physical Science; History and Nature of Science
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2007
Author Credibility: Author notes that most of the information in this book was obtained from Muir’s own writings in addition to some magazine articles and printed materials from National Parks. Since the information in this book came directly from Muir’s own writings it is an accurate account of the story of John Muir.
Related Texts: John Muir: My Life with Nature by: John Muir; Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by: Sy Montgomery; Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by: Isabella Hatkoff; John Muir: America’s Naturalist by: Thomas Locker; The Journey: Stories of Migration by: Cynthia Rylant; The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon by: Jacqueline Davies
Response:
This book was so wonderfully written that I could see, feel, and even hear the aspects of the wilderness the author described. The author was so passionate about this subject that she let that passion shine through her writing and vivid descriptions. I really enjoyed reading this story. I never knew about John Muir and his contributions to the National Parks system so it was interesting to read about somebody new.
If a Dolphin Were a Fish (bk 1) (32 pgs)
Wlodarski, Loran (2006). If a dolphin were a fish. Sylvan Dell Publishing. Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
Summary:
Wlodarski creates a vivid character in Delfina the dolphin. The author follows Delfina through the ocean as she runs into other sea creatures. While Delfina is “playing” with the other sea creatures the author points out how they are different. It’s a wonderful story of the difference between most sea animals and dolphins.
Author: Loran Wlodarski
Illustrator: Laurie Allen Klein
Illustrations: Illustrations were created using colored pencil and take up most of the two page spreads. The illustrations follow the story line and give life to the story.
Access Features: Creative Minds: Dolphin Adaptation Craft
Grade Level: PreK-2
Book Design: Book is long like a dolphin and the cover is an illustration of a dolphin with a fish swimming together in the ocean. The border of the book is red and that is reflected in the red color of the end pages.
Writing Style: Wlodarski uses simple language to tell the story of Delfina the dolphin so that children will be able to understand the biology concepts being presented in the story. She also uses some technical terms but explains them well so they aren’t hard to understand.
Curriculum: Science
Classroom Use: This would be a great resource to use when talking about the different types of animals and how they adapt to their surroundings.
Standards: Life Science
Awards: Children’s Choices 2006
Author Credibility: The author is a science writer for the Education Department at SeaWorld Orlando. He has written five books and has been published in Groiler’s Encyclopedia for Children and The Marine Mammal Encyclopedia. I believe his background makes him an expert on the subject.
Related Texts: Water Beds: Sleeping in the Ocean by Gail Langer Karwoski; Octavia and her Purple Ink Cloud by: Donna Rathmell; Ocean Seasons by: Ron Hirschi; Carolina’s Story: Sea Turtles Get Sick Too! by: Donna Rathmell; A Day in the Salt Marsh by: Kevin Kurtz
Response:
This was such a fun book that is an easy way to talk about the difference between dolphins and other sea creatures. It’s a fun way to get students interested in animal biology at a young age and is so full of facts it makes it so memorable.
Summary:
Wlodarski creates a vivid character in Delfina the dolphin. The author follows Delfina through the ocean as she runs into other sea creatures. While Delfina is “playing” with the other sea creatures the author points out how they are different. It’s a wonderful story of the difference between most sea animals and dolphins.
Author: Loran Wlodarski
Illustrator: Laurie Allen Klein
Illustrations: Illustrations were created using colored pencil and take up most of the two page spreads. The illustrations follow the story line and give life to the story.
Access Features: Creative Minds: Dolphin Adaptation Craft
Grade Level: PreK-2
Book Design: Book is long like a dolphin and the cover is an illustration of a dolphin with a fish swimming together in the ocean. The border of the book is red and that is reflected in the red color of the end pages.
Writing Style: Wlodarski uses simple language to tell the story of Delfina the dolphin so that children will be able to understand the biology concepts being presented in the story. She also uses some technical terms but explains them well so they aren’t hard to understand.
Curriculum: Science
Classroom Use: This would be a great resource to use when talking about the different types of animals and how they adapt to their surroundings.
Standards: Life Science
Awards: Children’s Choices 2006
Author Credibility: The author is a science writer for the Education Department at SeaWorld Orlando. He has written five books and has been published in Groiler’s Encyclopedia for Children and The Marine Mammal Encyclopedia. I believe his background makes him an expert on the subject.
Related Texts: Water Beds: Sleeping in the Ocean by Gail Langer Karwoski; Octavia and her Purple Ink Cloud by: Donna Rathmell; Ocean Seasons by: Ron Hirschi; Carolina’s Story: Sea Turtles Get Sick Too! by: Donna Rathmell; A Day in the Salt Marsh by: Kevin Kurtz
Response:
This was such a fun book that is an easy way to talk about the difference between dolphins and other sea creatures. It’s a fun way to get students interested in animal biology at a young age and is so full of facts it makes it so memorable.
George Washington's Teeth (bk 1) (40 pgs)
Chandra, Deborah and Madeleine Comora (2003). George washington’s teeth. Farrar Straus Giroux. New York.
Summary:
George Washington’s Teeth is a rhyming story about all the trouble George Washington had with his teeth. While the entire story might not be true it adds a bit of humor to an otherwise very sad story. This witty tale starts out at the beginning of the Revolutionary War and chronicles every tooth he lost along the way. The authors tell of his embarrassment about smiling and how he came to discover the best way to fix his rotten problem.
Author: Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora
Illustrator: Brock Cole
Illustrations: The illustrations correlate directly with the text and some of them were taken from previously painted scenes of the war and George Washington. The illustrations appear to be watercolor and the colors are very muted, but the illustrations are also very whimsical.
Access Features: Important Events in George Washington’s Life Timeline
Grade Level: PreK-2
Book Design: Book is square with a portrait of George Washington surrounded by horses, flags, and soldiers on the cover. End pages are royal blue and pages with text are mostly white. The illustrations are spread throughout the pages and the text usually divides the illustrations.
Writing Style: The authors use a sing-song poem to tell the story of George Washington’s teeth. The second and fourth line in each stanza rhyme. The authors use very simple language in order to make the story easy to understand and fun to read.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be fun way to break the monotony when studying about historical figures and presents a look at George Washington that most people don’t even know about. It would also be a good inquiry project about false teeth, how they are made, and the changes the process has gone through over the years.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 3: People, Places, and Environments; Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Authors thank the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, National Portrait Gallery, and the Papers of the George Washington Project. They seem to have done their research and while they may not have written a completely factual story, they have created a fun story that will leave people laughing.
Related Texts: How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning by: Rosalyn Schanzer; Abe Lincoln’s Hat by: Martha Brenner; Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by: Doreen Rappaport; George Did It by: Suzanne Tripp Jurman; John, Paul, George, and Ben by: Lane Smith; Honest Abe by: Edith Kunhardt
Response:
I really enjoyed this book. I’ve read this before and presented it for a class. It’s a fun way to make the story of the Revolutionary War and the journey of George Washington. It’s also a memorable way to present the information in a way that children would understand and actually remember.
Summary:
George Washington’s Teeth is a rhyming story about all the trouble George Washington had with his teeth. While the entire story might not be true it adds a bit of humor to an otherwise very sad story. This witty tale starts out at the beginning of the Revolutionary War and chronicles every tooth he lost along the way. The authors tell of his embarrassment about smiling and how he came to discover the best way to fix his rotten problem.
Author: Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora
Illustrator: Brock Cole
Illustrations: The illustrations correlate directly with the text and some of them were taken from previously painted scenes of the war and George Washington. The illustrations appear to be watercolor and the colors are very muted, but the illustrations are also very whimsical.
Access Features: Important Events in George Washington’s Life Timeline
Grade Level: PreK-2
Book Design: Book is square with a portrait of George Washington surrounded by horses, flags, and soldiers on the cover. End pages are royal blue and pages with text are mostly white. The illustrations are spread throughout the pages and the text usually divides the illustrations.
Writing Style: The authors use a sing-song poem to tell the story of George Washington’s teeth. The second and fourth line in each stanza rhyme. The authors use very simple language in order to make the story easy to understand and fun to read.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be fun way to break the monotony when studying about historical figures and presents a look at George Washington that most people don’t even know about. It would also be a good inquiry project about false teeth, how they are made, and the changes the process has gone through over the years.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 3: People, Places, and Environments; Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Authors thank the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, National Portrait Gallery, and the Papers of the George Washington Project. They seem to have done their research and while they may not have written a completely factual story, they have created a fun story that will leave people laughing.
Related Texts: How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning by: Rosalyn Schanzer; Abe Lincoln’s Hat by: Martha Brenner; Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by: Doreen Rappaport; George Did It by: Suzanne Tripp Jurman; John, Paul, George, and Ben by: Lane Smith; Honest Abe by: Edith Kunhardt
Response:
I really enjoyed this book. I’ve read this before and presented it for a class. It’s a fun way to make the story of the Revolutionary War and the journey of George Washington. It’s also a memorable way to present the information in a way that children would understand and actually remember.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Pompeii: Lost and Found (bk 1) (40 pgs)
Osborne, Mary Pope (2006). Pompeii: lost and found. Random House. New York
Summary:
This book tells the fascinating story of the explosion of Mount Vesuvius that buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. With vivid description the author starts at the beginning of the day and moves throughout the entire explosion. Mary Pope Osborne takes the reader on the journey through the deaths of some 20,000 people that lived in Pompeii. Of those people, archaeologists have only unearthed 2,000 people as well as some petrified and fossilized tools and food usings by the people of Pompeii.
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Illustrator: Bonnie Christenson
Illustrations: Frescoes created by using pure pigment mixed with water painted that onto wet plaster of Paris and allowed to dry which permanently bonds the pigment painting to the wall. This gives the illustrations the aged look.
Access Features: The Making of Frescoes, Answers to the Found Items, Acknowledgements
Grade Level: 2-5
Book Design: Book is tall either to represent the height of Mt. Vesuvius of the height of walls that are used to create frescoes. End pages are frescoes in order to make them flow with the rest of the book. Illustrations are directly related to the text and take up all of the two page spread.
Writing Style: The author uses technical language throughout the book but spends time explaining what she is talking about. It is written with the expectation that children will have some background knowledge of volcanoes, how they erupt, and what the eruptions may look like. She also seems to expect the readers to know what archaeologists do. This would be a good resource after things have been taught.
Curriculum: Science, Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be a good story to read when talking about volcanoes and how they can change the lay out of land in one eruption and how they erupt. It is a really good example of one that does not necessarily emit hot lava. It would also be a good resource to use when talking about ancient Rome. Until recently not many people knew about Pompeii's existance and there are still many that don't know a lot about it.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 1: Culture; Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society; Science-Physical Science, Earth and Space Science, History and Nature of Science
Awards: Texas Bluebonnet Award
Author's Credibility: Author thanks the people at Saint Michael's College and the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica for their help with this book. The Scuola is a graphic arts school that helped with instruction on making the frescoes. Saint Michael's helped the author with her research before she began writing her book although she does not give the name of the staff that helped her. She has also written other books about ancient Rome and Pompeii.
Related Texts: The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 by: Laurence Yep; Bodies from the Ash: Life and Death in Ancient Pompeii by: James M. Deem; Ancient Rome and Pompeii by: Mary Pope Osborne
Response:
This book was very interesting and I think the illustrations really made the text come alive. Osborne uses very simple language but also expects the reader to have the background knowledge needed to understand some of the technical terms. She tells the dramatic story so well that the reader can almost see the scene of havoc as it is happening.
Summary:
This book tells the fascinating story of the explosion of Mount Vesuvius that buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. With vivid description the author starts at the beginning of the day and moves throughout the entire explosion. Mary Pope Osborne takes the reader on the journey through the deaths of some 20,000 people that lived in Pompeii. Of those people, archaeologists have only unearthed 2,000 people as well as some petrified and fossilized tools and food usings by the people of Pompeii.
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Illustrator: Bonnie Christenson
Illustrations: Frescoes created by using pure pigment mixed with water painted that onto wet plaster of Paris and allowed to dry which permanently bonds the pigment painting to the wall. This gives the illustrations the aged look.
Access Features: The Making of Frescoes, Answers to the Found Items, Acknowledgements
Grade Level: 2-5
Book Design: Book is tall either to represent the height of Mt. Vesuvius of the height of walls that are used to create frescoes. End pages are frescoes in order to make them flow with the rest of the book. Illustrations are directly related to the text and take up all of the two page spread.
Writing Style: The author uses technical language throughout the book but spends time explaining what she is talking about. It is written with the expectation that children will have some background knowledge of volcanoes, how they erupt, and what the eruptions may look like. She also seems to expect the readers to know what archaeologists do. This would be a good resource after things have been taught.
Curriculum: Science, Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be a good story to read when talking about volcanoes and how they can change the lay out of land in one eruption and how they erupt. It is a really good example of one that does not necessarily emit hot lava. It would also be a good resource to use when talking about ancient Rome. Until recently not many people knew about Pompeii's existance and there are still many that don't know a lot about it.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 1: Culture; Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society; Science-Physical Science, Earth and Space Science, History and Nature of Science
Awards: Texas Bluebonnet Award
Author's Credibility: Author thanks the people at Saint Michael's College and the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica for their help with this book. The Scuola is a graphic arts school that helped with instruction on making the frescoes. Saint Michael's helped the author with her research before she began writing her book although she does not give the name of the staff that helped her. She has also written other books about ancient Rome and Pompeii.
Related Texts: The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 by: Laurence Yep; Bodies from the Ash: Life and Death in Ancient Pompeii by: James M. Deem; Ancient Rome and Pompeii by: Mary Pope Osborne
Response:
This book was very interesting and I think the illustrations really made the text come alive. Osborne uses very simple language but also expects the reader to have the background knowledge needed to understand some of the technical terms. She tells the dramatic story so well that the reader can almost see the scene of havoc as it is happening.
How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning (bk1) (40 pgs)
Schanzer, Rosalyn (2003). How Ben Franklin stole the lightning. HarperCollins. New York.
Summary:
This is a funny little story about the inventions of Ben Franklin and the many discoveries he made that make all of our lives a little easier. Schanzer uses humor to describe certain situations during Ben Franklin's life time and then gives examples of how Franklin managed to make those situations better. She begins with Ben Franklin's life as a child and then moves chronologically through all of his inventions. Schanzer manages to make learning about Ben Franklin and all his contributions to modern life very fun and interesting.
Author: Rosalyn Schanzer
Illustrator: Rosalyn Schanzer
Illustrations: Schanzer used colored dyes and sepia pen line on Strathmore Bristol Board. Blotter paper was used on damp dye to add texture. These illustrations are also very whimsical and colorful that follows the story line with pictures of his inventions and how they benefitted society.
Access Features: Author's Note, Acknowledgments
Grade Level: 1-4
Book Design: This book is tall and slender with big storm clouds on the cover. Ben Franklin is standing on top of the title of the book holding a lightning bolt. End pages are copies of some of Franklin's original drawings from experiments and formulas. Illustrations take up most of a two page spread and follow the story line with pictures of lots of his inventions. The initial caps on the first word of every page are Caslon Antique, a version of the typeface Franklin brought to American in the 1740's.
Writing Style: This is a very whimsical book. The language is witty and light hearted making it a fun and easy read. The author uses simple language to help explain all the complex inventions Ben Franklin came up with and makes it interesting for children to read.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be wonderful to use when doing a unit on historical figures. I think it would alson be a great tool to use in a science classroom when talking about electricity.
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 8: Science, Technology and Society
Author Credibility: The books Schanzer used for content in this book are well known writings about Ben Franklin. They include: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin by the Yale University Press, Benjamin Franklins autobiography, Poor Richard's Almanack, and Benjamin Franklin: Scientist and Statesman by I. Bernard Cohen. All of these books are known for their accurate accounts of aspects of Benjamin Franklin's life.
Related Texts: Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by: Kay Winters; Who Was Ben Franklin by: Dennis Brindell Fradin; First to Fly by: Peter Busby; River Boy: Story of Mark Twain by: William Anderson; What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin by: Jean Fritz; Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by: Carole Boston Weatherford
Response:
I had so much fun reading this book. It's so easy to just get caught up in the way the author presents this book that you don't realize you're learning. I think students of all ages would love this book but it really is written for the younger grades. While I was reading this book I could really sense the author's passion and respect for Franklin. Her voice was just so exciting and the tone was very upbeat and happy. This is one of my favorite books so far.
Summary:
This is a funny little story about the inventions of Ben Franklin and the many discoveries he made that make all of our lives a little easier. Schanzer uses humor to describe certain situations during Ben Franklin's life time and then gives examples of how Franklin managed to make those situations better. She begins with Ben Franklin's life as a child and then moves chronologically through all of his inventions. Schanzer manages to make learning about Ben Franklin and all his contributions to modern life very fun and interesting.
Author: Rosalyn Schanzer
Illustrator: Rosalyn Schanzer
Illustrations: Schanzer used colored dyes and sepia pen line on Strathmore Bristol Board. Blotter paper was used on damp dye to add texture. These illustrations are also very whimsical and colorful that follows the story line with pictures of his inventions and how they benefitted society.
Access Features: Author's Note, Acknowledgments
Grade Level: 1-4
Book Design: This book is tall and slender with big storm clouds on the cover. Ben Franklin is standing on top of the title of the book holding a lightning bolt. End pages are copies of some of Franklin's original drawings from experiments and formulas. Illustrations take up most of a two page spread and follow the story line with pictures of lots of his inventions. The initial caps on the first word of every page are Caslon Antique, a version of the typeface Franklin brought to American in the 1740's.
Writing Style: This is a very whimsical book. The language is witty and light hearted making it a fun and easy read. The author uses simple language to help explain all the complex inventions Ben Franklin came up with and makes it interesting for children to read.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be wonderful to use when doing a unit on historical figures. I think it would alson be a great tool to use in a science classroom when talking about electricity.
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 8: Science, Technology and Society
Author Credibility: The books Schanzer used for content in this book are well known writings about Ben Franklin. They include: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin by the Yale University Press, Benjamin Franklins autobiography, Poor Richard's Almanack, and Benjamin Franklin: Scientist and Statesman by I. Bernard Cohen. All of these books are known for their accurate accounts of aspects of Benjamin Franklin's life.
Related Texts: Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by: Kay Winters; Who Was Ben Franklin by: Dennis Brindell Fradin; First to Fly by: Peter Busby; River Boy: Story of Mark Twain by: William Anderson; What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin by: Jean Fritz; Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by: Carole Boston Weatherford
Response:
I had so much fun reading this book. It's so easy to just get caught up in the way the author presents this book that you don't realize you're learning. I think students of all ages would love this book but it really is written for the younger grades. While I was reading this book I could really sense the author's passion and respect for Franklin. Her voice was just so exciting and the tone was very upbeat and happy. This is one of my favorite books so far.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
America's Mountains (bk 1) (48 pgs)
Staub, Frank (2003). America's mountains. Mondo. New York.
Summary:
Frank Staub uses this book to point out all the different types of mountains and the ways they are formed. In this short chapter book, Staub describes the stages of mountain life and the levels at which the various climates occur. He also discusses the plant and wildlife that exist at the different altitudes. Staub adds a few graphic representations and sidebars throughout the book for extra information to aide in the understanding of America's mountains.
Author: Frank Staub
Illustrator: Frank Staub
Illustrations: Photographs of different mountain ranges in America and the different phenomenons that occur at the different altitudes.
Access Features: Table of Contents, Glossary, Index, Introduction
Grade Level: 3-5
Book Design: This book is tall and wide to represent a mountain and has a stretch of a mountain range on the cover. End pages are light blue to represent the color of the sky at the top of the mountains. Each chapter ends with a small leaf print that signifies the end of that chapter.
Writing Style: I think Staub does a wonderful job of using all the technical terms and defining them. He also puts the pronunciation for each of those terms right after them. This seems to stress the importance of knowing the term, what it means, and how to pronounce it correctly. It's a great way for children to practice sound combinations as well. Most of the books uses easily understood language to describe the more simplistic aspects of mountains.
Curriculum: Science, Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be a wonderful resource to use to aide in comprehension of the processes in which mountains are formed and the many different habitats that exist within one mountain range.
Standards: Science-Physical Science, Earth Science; Social Studies-Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Staub thanks his consultant on the project who is a professor of Geoscience at the University of Nevada. This man is probably an expert on the subject and the author does not make not of any other sources used.
Related Texts: Wonders of the World-Grand Canyon by: P.M. Boekhoff and Stuart A. Kallen; Earth and You: A Closer View: Nature's Features by: J. Patrick Lewis and Christoper Canyon
Response:
This book was very interesting and easy to read. I really enjoyed all the pronunciation keys available throughout the book as well as the definitions of terms right with the word. It is a book that would be easy to read to a class and the class could use it to start a discussion with. I would be really interested to see how a class would respond to the sidebars and the information printed there. It is definitely one of those books that you look at and don't think you'll enjoy and it end up proving you wrong.
Summary:
Frank Staub uses this book to point out all the different types of mountains and the ways they are formed. In this short chapter book, Staub describes the stages of mountain life and the levels at which the various climates occur. He also discusses the plant and wildlife that exist at the different altitudes. Staub adds a few graphic representations and sidebars throughout the book for extra information to aide in the understanding of America's mountains.
Author: Frank Staub
Illustrator: Frank Staub
Illustrations: Photographs of different mountain ranges in America and the different phenomenons that occur at the different altitudes.
Access Features: Table of Contents, Glossary, Index, Introduction
Grade Level: 3-5
Book Design: This book is tall and wide to represent a mountain and has a stretch of a mountain range on the cover. End pages are light blue to represent the color of the sky at the top of the mountains. Each chapter ends with a small leaf print that signifies the end of that chapter.
Writing Style: I think Staub does a wonderful job of using all the technical terms and defining them. He also puts the pronunciation for each of those terms right after them. This seems to stress the importance of knowing the term, what it means, and how to pronounce it correctly. It's a great way for children to practice sound combinations as well. Most of the books uses easily understood language to describe the more simplistic aspects of mountains.
Curriculum: Science, Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be a wonderful resource to use to aide in comprehension of the processes in which mountains are formed and the many different habitats that exist within one mountain range.
Standards: Science-Physical Science, Earth Science; Social Studies-Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Author Credibility: Staub thanks his consultant on the project who is a professor of Geoscience at the University of Nevada. This man is probably an expert on the subject and the author does not make not of any other sources used.
Related Texts: Wonders of the World-Grand Canyon by: P.M. Boekhoff and Stuart A. Kallen; Earth and You: A Closer View: Nature's Features by: J. Patrick Lewis and Christoper Canyon
Response:
This book was very interesting and easy to read. I really enjoyed all the pronunciation keys available throughout the book as well as the definitions of terms right with the word. It is a book that would be easy to read to a class and the class could use it to start a discussion with. I would be really interested to see how a class would respond to the sidebars and the information printed there. It is definitely one of those books that you look at and don't think you'll enjoy and it end up proving you wrong.
The Voice That Challenged a Nation (LDG)
The end of this book was very uplifting. Russell Freedman brought everything together and had a way with his words that made everything seem alright in the end. The end of Marian's life seemed to be the easiest for her because she didn't have as much trouble getting to play in most venues. I'm sure it was still hard on her when she played in the South. My favorite part in this section of the reading was her nephew expressing his anger about the fact that he was able to do so much and come and go as he pleased when she battled for so long for the right to sing wherever she wanted. I admire Marian for her ability to forgive the DAR for not allowing her to sing in Constitution Hall. The fact that she could even go in the doors of that place after all the society had done to her was just amazing to me.
Of Numbers and Stars: The Story of Hypatia (bk 1) (32 pgs)
Love, D. Anne (2006). Of numbers and stars: the story of Hypatia. Holiday House. New York.
Summary:
Hypatia was born in the fourth century, a time when only boys were allowed to be educated. Hypatia's father was a mathematician and taught her how to read and write, grammar, arithmetic, geometry, and astrology. She became an authority on all of the subjects her father taught her and even had men sitting at her feet to hear her teach. She became an icon for women of the time and the future.
Author: D. Anne Love
Illustrator: Pam Paparone
Illustrations: Illustrations are acrylic paintings that tell the story and go along with the author's writings. They usually take up most of the two page spread with very little writing on each page.
Access Features: Author's Not, More About Math, Bibliography
Grade Level: PreK-3
Book Design: The cover is an illustration of Hypatia with mathematic formulas in the background. The end pages are blue either to represent the sky or reflect the blue of the ocean on the cover. Book is tall and rectangular and there are many ancient looking symbols throughout the book and on the cover. Font is Celestia Antiqua to reflect the ancient times discussed in the book.
Writing Style: The writing is very age appropriate. The language is simple yet eloquent letting the reader know the author is fascinated with this person. The language is very easy to understand even though she uses some technical terms in the book.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: I would use this book to talk about influential women in history.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 1: Culture; Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2007
Author Credibility: Love notes that there is not a lot of firsthand information available about Hypatia but does list some books that she used as sources. One is a textbook while the others are either about Hypatia or the town of Alexandria. Love also thanks a professor with the Mathematics Department at Monash University who did extensive research on Hypatia and shared his information with the author.
Related Texts: Black Stars: African American Women Scientist and Inventors -Otha Richard Sullivan and Jim Haskins
Response:
I really enjoyed reading this book. I had never heard of Hyaptia before so it was refreshing to read about a woman who made such a difference in that time period. It's great to see women from ancient eras finally getting the recognition they deserve.
Summary:
Hypatia was born in the fourth century, a time when only boys were allowed to be educated. Hypatia's father was a mathematician and taught her how to read and write, grammar, arithmetic, geometry, and astrology. She became an authority on all of the subjects her father taught her and even had men sitting at her feet to hear her teach. She became an icon for women of the time and the future.
Author: D. Anne Love
Illustrator: Pam Paparone
Illustrations: Illustrations are acrylic paintings that tell the story and go along with the author's writings. They usually take up most of the two page spread with very little writing on each page.
Access Features: Author's Not, More About Math, Bibliography
Grade Level: PreK-3
Book Design: The cover is an illustration of Hypatia with mathematic formulas in the background. The end pages are blue either to represent the sky or reflect the blue of the ocean on the cover. Book is tall and rectangular and there are many ancient looking symbols throughout the book and on the cover. Font is Celestia Antiqua to reflect the ancient times discussed in the book.
Writing Style: The writing is very age appropriate. The language is simple yet eloquent letting the reader know the author is fascinated with this person. The language is very easy to understand even though she uses some technical terms in the book.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: I would use this book to talk about influential women in history.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 1: Culture; Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2007
Author Credibility: Love notes that there is not a lot of firsthand information available about Hypatia but does list some books that she used as sources. One is a textbook while the others are either about Hypatia or the town of Alexandria. Love also thanks a professor with the Mathematics Department at Monash University who did extensive research on Hypatia and shared his information with the author.
Related Texts: Black Stars: African American Women Scientist and Inventors -Otha Richard Sullivan and Jim Haskins
Response:
I really enjoyed reading this book. I had never heard of Hyaptia before so it was refreshing to read about a woman who made such a difference in that time period. It's great to see women from ancient eras finally getting the recognition they deserve.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
How Sweet It Is (and was): the History of Candy (bk 1) (32 pgs)
Swain, Ruth Freeman. How sweet it is (and was): the history of candy. Holiday House. New York, 2003.
Summary:
How Sweet It Is is an amazing little book about the history of candy making and how the idea for candy even started. It starts out in the late 14th century and goes to the present to give an interesting look at what was once considered candy and the changes that have cause it to evolve into the sweets we eat today.
Author: Ruth Freeman Swain
Illustrator: John O'Brien
Illustrations: Illustrations appear to be little sugar granules that have been painted. The illustrations are whimsical and hilarious. I couldn't find any information about the medium that the author uses but it appears to be watercolor that has been manipulated to look like sugar.
Access Features: Additional Information, Acknowledgements, Candy Time Line, Recipes
Grade Level: PreK-3
Book Design: The cover of the book has a box of candy spilling it's contets out almost like an invitation to open the book and come in. The end pages are bright red with a candy wrapper appearance. The illustrations take up the entire two page spreads and the writing is over the illustrations. The illustrations present candy in whimsical situations that are open to interpretation but sometimes coincide with the writing.
Writing Style: Freeman uses very simple language to tell the history of candy and explains the more technical terms that she must use during the book. However, she continues to use the technical term after she explains it in order to make it memorable to the reader. The type face looks hand written and almost child-like.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be a fun way to talk about manufacturing and industrialization.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 7: Production, Distribution, and Consumption; Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Credibility: Freeman gives a list of the sources she used to write this book and also lists the people that helped her gather information, including the National Confectioners Association, Candy USA Organization, and the Mars and Hershey Foods Companies.
Related Texts: Sweets: A History of Candy-Tim Richardson; Chocolate: The Sweet History-Beth Kimmerle
Response:
Reading this book was so much fun. There were a lot of things about candy that I had no idea about. It would be a great way to lighten the mood when talking about an otherwise boring subject and take a look at how candy benefitted from industrialization. Freeman presents such a candid look at the history surrounding how candy came to be and the journey it has made to the present.
Summary:
How Sweet It Is is an amazing little book about the history of candy making and how the idea for candy even started. It starts out in the late 14th century and goes to the present to give an interesting look at what was once considered candy and the changes that have cause it to evolve into the sweets we eat today.
Author: Ruth Freeman Swain
Illustrator: John O'Brien
Illustrations: Illustrations appear to be little sugar granules that have been painted. The illustrations are whimsical and hilarious. I couldn't find any information about the medium that the author uses but it appears to be watercolor that has been manipulated to look like sugar.
Access Features: Additional Information, Acknowledgements, Candy Time Line, Recipes
Grade Level: PreK-3
Book Design: The cover of the book has a box of candy spilling it's contets out almost like an invitation to open the book and come in. The end pages are bright red with a candy wrapper appearance. The illustrations take up the entire two page spreads and the writing is over the illustrations. The illustrations present candy in whimsical situations that are open to interpretation but sometimes coincide with the writing.
Writing Style: Freeman uses very simple language to tell the history of candy and explains the more technical terms that she must use during the book. However, she continues to use the technical term after she explains it in order to make it memorable to the reader. The type face looks hand written and almost child-like.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be a fun way to talk about manufacturing and industrialization.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 7: Production, Distribution, and Consumption; Standard 8: Science, Technology, and Society
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Credibility: Freeman gives a list of the sources she used to write this book and also lists the people that helped her gather information, including the National Confectioners Association, Candy USA Organization, and the Mars and Hershey Foods Companies.
Related Texts: Sweets: A History of Candy-Tim Richardson; Chocolate: The Sweet History-Beth Kimmerle
Response:
Reading this book was so much fun. There were a lot of things about candy that I had no idea about. It would be a great way to lighten the mood when talking about an otherwise boring subject and take a look at how candy benefitted from industrialization. Freeman presents such a candid look at the history surrounding how candy came to be and the journey it has made to the present.
Stars and Stripes: The Story of the American Flag (bk 1) (32 pgs)
Thomson, Sarah L. Stars and stripes: the story of the American flag. Harper Collins. New York 2003.
Summary:
Sarah Thomson gives a look into the history of the American flag and the changes that it underwent over the years. This book takes a brief look into American history as well in order to explain the birth of the flag and the reason that this symbol was so important to the American people.
Author: Sarah L. Thomson
Illustrator: Bob Dacey and Debra Bandelin
Illustrations: Illustrations appear to be acrylics or oils. No information found about the medium the artists use.
Access Features: Notes on the flags, What about Betsy Ross?
Grade Level: PreK-3
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be a wonderful resource to use in a unit about national symbols.
Book Design: Cover is a long rectangle like the flag and has an illustration of the flag that appears to be waving. The end pages are bright red like the red on the flag and all the pages have a blue outline with stars at the top of the page with the writing on it. The red, white, and blue are much brighter than the other colors in the illustrations to make these colors stand out more.
Writing Style: This bok is very simple and is written using easily understood language. It is definitely written for children and Thomson uses very few terms that she has to explain. However, she does give an accurate account of the history of the flag and the changes that it underwent over the years.
Credibilty: In her acknowledgements, Thomson thanks a man at the Flag Research Center for his time and review. It appears that he is an expert on the subject of the flag and he helped Thomson with the facts she used while writing this book.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 1: Culture; Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change
Related Texts: The Flage we Love-Pam Munoz Ryan; Stars and Stripes Forever: The History, Stories, and Memories of our American Flag-Richard H. Schneider; F is for Flag-Wendy Cheyette Lewison; Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag-Kit Hinnichs
Response:
This book is such a great read. It is an amazingly accurate account of the history of the flag and all the changes that the flag went through before it came to it's present state. It is a short and simple read that would be wonderful to read aloud. It also addresses the issue of Betsy Ross and the role that she played (or did not play) in the creation of the American flag. I reallyenjoyed reading about the controversy that surround the flag and the time it took to decide how the flag would look and the uniform laws that govern it.
Summary:
Sarah Thomson gives a look into the history of the American flag and the changes that it underwent over the years. This book takes a brief look into American history as well in order to explain the birth of the flag and the reason that this symbol was so important to the American people.
Author: Sarah L. Thomson
Illustrator: Bob Dacey and Debra Bandelin
Illustrations: Illustrations appear to be acrylics or oils. No information found about the medium the artists use.
Access Features: Notes on the flags, What about Betsy Ross?
Grade Level: PreK-3
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be a wonderful resource to use in a unit about national symbols.
Book Design: Cover is a long rectangle like the flag and has an illustration of the flag that appears to be waving. The end pages are bright red like the red on the flag and all the pages have a blue outline with stars at the top of the page with the writing on it. The red, white, and blue are much brighter than the other colors in the illustrations to make these colors stand out more.
Writing Style: This bok is very simple and is written using easily understood language. It is definitely written for children and Thomson uses very few terms that she has to explain. However, she does give an accurate account of the history of the flag and the changes that it underwent over the years.
Credibilty: In her acknowledgements, Thomson thanks a man at the Flag Research Center for his time and review. It appears that he is an expert on the subject of the flag and he helped Thomson with the facts she used while writing this book.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 1: Culture; Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change
Related Texts: The Flage we Love-Pam Munoz Ryan; Stars and Stripes Forever: The History, Stories, and Memories of our American Flag-Richard H. Schneider; F is for Flag-Wendy Cheyette Lewison; Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag-Kit Hinnichs
Response:
This book is such a great read. It is an amazingly accurate account of the history of the flag and all the changes that the flag went through before it came to it's present state. It is a short and simple read that would be wonderful to read aloud. It also addresses the issue of Betsy Ross and the role that she played (or did not play) in the creation of the American flag. I reallyenjoyed reading about the controversy that surround the flag and the time it took to decide how the flag would look and the uniform laws that govern it.
Coming to America: A Muslim Family's Story (bk1) (45 pgs.)
Wolf, Bernard. Coming to America: a Muslim family's story. Lee and Low Books Inc. New York, 2003.
Summary:
Coming to America is a simple story about how one Muslim family came to live in America. This book takes you through a typical day with this family and also tells a little about it's Muslim tradition. The reader is taken on a journey through the lives of a family that spent four long years trying to get to America and the struggles that they face with finances, language, and homesickness now that they are here.
Author: Bernard Wolf
Illustrator: Bernard Wolf
Illustrations: Photographs of the family throughout their daily rituals.
Access Features: Afterword
Grade Level: 3-5
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book could be used as a resource for studying cultures and different customs of those cultures.
Credibility: There is no mention of the research Wolf did for this book but he does tell about the weeks he spent with the Muslim family in order to photograph them and tell the story of their lives and faith. He has also written 20 photo documentaries for children that emphasize issues in social studies.
Book Design: The book is a long rectangle with a picture of the family on the front of the book. The end pages are yellow (perhaps to resemble sunshine and hope) and the book is full of photographs. Sometimes the photographs take up a whole page and sometimes they take up two pages and there is very little writing. The photographs correpsond with what is written in the text. When Wolf starts a new section of his documentary it is set off by a larger, red capital letter in the first word of the first sentence.
Writing Style: Wolf uses very simple language to help make the book easier for younger audiences and also explains many of the terms he uses that may be confusing. He writes on a child's level in order to attract children to the book.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 1: Culture; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Related Texts: My Name is Yoon-Helen Recorvits; Goodbye 382 Shin Dang Dong-Frances Park; My Name is Bilal-Asma Mobbin-Uddin
Response:
This is a really easy read and would be a very fast book to read aloud. I enjoyed reading it because it was interesting to see the struggles that immigrants go through when they move to the United States. The family has a very strong bond and Wolf does a wonderful job of expressing just how close the family is. The book was a touching tribute to the families that come over and struggle to make ends meet but survive so hopefully their families will have better lives in the future. Wolf tells all about the hardships this family faces but also tells of the plan that the father has to give his family an easier life. He offers hope for many immigrant families by showing that they can survive if they have the drive and desire.
Summary:
Coming to America is a simple story about how one Muslim family came to live in America. This book takes you through a typical day with this family and also tells a little about it's Muslim tradition. The reader is taken on a journey through the lives of a family that spent four long years trying to get to America and the struggles that they face with finances, language, and homesickness now that they are here.
Author: Bernard Wolf
Illustrator: Bernard Wolf
Illustrations: Photographs of the family throughout their daily rituals.
Access Features: Afterword
Grade Level: 3-5
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book could be used as a resource for studying cultures and different customs of those cultures.
Credibility: There is no mention of the research Wolf did for this book but he does tell about the weeks he spent with the Muslim family in order to photograph them and tell the story of their lives and faith. He has also written 20 photo documentaries for children that emphasize issues in social studies.
Book Design: The book is a long rectangle with a picture of the family on the front of the book. The end pages are yellow (perhaps to resemble sunshine and hope) and the book is full of photographs. Sometimes the photographs take up a whole page and sometimes they take up two pages and there is very little writing. The photographs correpsond with what is written in the text. When Wolf starts a new section of his documentary it is set off by a larger, red capital letter in the first word of the first sentence.
Writing Style: Wolf uses very simple language to help make the book easier for younger audiences and also explains many of the terms he uses that may be confusing. He writes on a child's level in order to attract children to the book.
Standards: Social Studies-Standard 1: Culture; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Related Texts: My Name is Yoon-Helen Recorvits; Goodbye 382 Shin Dang Dong-Frances Park; My Name is Bilal-Asma Mobbin-Uddin
Response:
This is a really easy read and would be a very fast book to read aloud. I enjoyed reading it because it was interesting to see the struggles that immigrants go through when they move to the United States. The family has a very strong bond and Wolf does a wonderful job of expressing just how close the family is. The book was a touching tribute to the families that come over and struggle to make ends meet but survive so hopefully their families will have better lives in the future. Wolf tells all about the hardships this family faces but also tells of the plan that the father has to give his family an easier life. He offers hope for many immigrant families by showing that they can survive if they have the drive and desire.
The Voice That Challenged a Nation (LDG)
Marian Anderson has to be one of the bravest people I have heard of. For her to be able to just go to Europe and trust the people there so explicitly is just amazing to me. The fact that she reaches such an esteemed status in Europe and was still not allowed to sing where she wanted to in America was such a tragedy. She obviously had an amazing voice and she was being censored simply because of the color of her skin. I was especially appalled by the decision of the Daughters of the American Revolution when they said she couldn't sing at Constitution Hall. She was easily one of the most famous performers of her time yet they would not let her sing because she was black. Eleanor Roosevelt needs to be applauded for her decision to stand behind Marian and withdraw her membership from the DAR. It really is a shame it didn't make them see the huge mistake they were making. The concert at the Lincoln Memorial just amazed me. I couldn't believe there were really 75,000 people there. Most of those people probably couldn't even see her, just hear her voice. What do you think about the decision of Eleanor Roosevelt? I think she took a big risk especially at that point in American history.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
It's Back To School We Go! First Day Stories from Around the World (bk 1) (32 pgs)
Jackson, Ellen. It’s back to school we go! first day stories from around the world. Millbrook Press. Minneapolis, 2003.
Summary:
This book tells a story about a child’s first day of school in selected countries. It outlines the different traditions exercised in each country and compares them to each other. While the children in the story are fictional they are based upon actual children. The facts on each page about the traditions on the first days of school are also factual.
Author: Ellen Jackson
Illustrator: Jan Davey Ellis
Access Features: Author’s Note, Map, Bibliography, Web Resources, About the Author, About the Illustrator
Illustrations: The mechanics were not mentioned in the book but the illustrator traditionally uses oil, watercolor, pencil, or a combination of all.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: This would be a good resource to use when discussing different cultures and societies.
Book Design: This book is very tall, rectangular shaped. Each two-page spread contains the story of the child’s first day of school on one page while the other page has the facts about school days in that country. The end pages are orange and each two-page spread is outlined with an image of something that is significant to that area of the world, such as bamboo or snow flakes.
Writing Style: The writing in the book introduces some of the language in those parts of the world and translates them for the reader. Jackson uses very simple language to make the book easy to understand.
Credibility of Author: Jackson has written more than 50 books for children and has many award winning books to her credit. She lists all her bibliographic information which includes many books about the different regions presented as well as web resources including the National Geographic website.
Grade Level: PreK-3
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 3: People, Places, and Environments; Standard 4: Individuality and Individual Development; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Related Texts: A Fine, Fine School –Sharon Creech
Response:
It was really interesting to read about the different ways school is handled in different countries. I really had no idea that it was so different. I also enjoyed reading about the different subjects that are studied in all the countries in the book.
Summary:
This book tells a story about a child’s first day of school in selected countries. It outlines the different traditions exercised in each country and compares them to each other. While the children in the story are fictional they are based upon actual children. The facts on each page about the traditions on the first days of school are also factual.
Author: Ellen Jackson
Illustrator: Jan Davey Ellis
Access Features: Author’s Note, Map, Bibliography, Web Resources, About the Author, About the Illustrator
Illustrations: The mechanics were not mentioned in the book but the illustrator traditionally uses oil, watercolor, pencil, or a combination of all.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: This would be a good resource to use when discussing different cultures and societies.
Book Design: This book is very tall, rectangular shaped. Each two-page spread contains the story of the child’s first day of school on one page while the other page has the facts about school days in that country. The end pages are orange and each two-page spread is outlined with an image of something that is significant to that area of the world, such as bamboo or snow flakes.
Writing Style: The writing in the book introduces some of the language in those parts of the world and translates them for the reader. Jackson uses very simple language to make the book easy to understand.
Credibility of Author: Jackson has written more than 50 books for children and has many award winning books to her credit. She lists all her bibliographic information which includes many books about the different regions presented as well as web resources including the National Geographic website.
Grade Level: PreK-3
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 3: People, Places, and Environments; Standard 4: Individuality and Individual Development; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Related Texts: A Fine, Fine School –Sharon Creech
Response:
It was really interesting to read about the different ways school is handled in different countries. I really had no idea that it was so different. I also enjoyed reading about the different subjects that are studied in all the countries in the book.
Everybody Works (bk 1) (32 pgs)
Rotner, Shelly and Ken Kreisler. Everybody works. Millbrook Press. Brookfield, Connecticut, 2003.
Summary:
Everybody Works is a very short and quick read. The pages are filled with pictures of people doing work and the actual writing is only a sentence or two for each two page spread. It outlines the different types of work and gives examples of what work might be using the pictures.
Author: Shelley Rotner and Ken Kreisler
Illustrator: Photographs by Shelley Rotner
Access Features: No access features
Illustrations: Illustrations are pictures of people at work
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: This would be a good resource to use when discussing society and the different roles of people within society.
Book Design: This is a very small book and is really very basic. The end pages are red and every page in the book is a different color. Usually that color is just an outline for the pictures and enhances the color in the pictures. The writing is large and block style for easy reading for younger students.
Writing Style: Very elementary. Sentences are short and precise. Easy language that describes the pictures in general.
Credibility of Author: Shelly Rotner is a former elementary school teacher and has written over 20 award-winning children’s books.
Grade Level: PreK-1
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 4: Individuality and Individual Development; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Related Texts: Send It! -Don Carter; What Color is Nature? -Steven R. Swinburne; Why Do Kittens Purr? -Marion Dane Bauer
Response:
I really enjoyed the pictures in this book. They are very colorful and using color outline for the pictures is very helpful in making those pictures stand out. I also really liked the big writing that makes it easy to see and the short simplistic language that makes it easy for younger students to read and understand. Rotner does a wonderful job of explaining that work is many different things, not just a job.
Summary:
Everybody Works is a very short and quick read. The pages are filled with pictures of people doing work and the actual writing is only a sentence or two for each two page spread. It outlines the different types of work and gives examples of what work might be using the pictures.
Author: Shelley Rotner and Ken Kreisler
Illustrator: Photographs by Shelley Rotner
Access Features: No access features
Illustrations: Illustrations are pictures of people at work
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: This would be a good resource to use when discussing society and the different roles of people within society.
Book Design: This is a very small book and is really very basic. The end pages are red and every page in the book is a different color. Usually that color is just an outline for the pictures and enhances the color in the pictures. The writing is large and block style for easy reading for younger students.
Writing Style: Very elementary. Sentences are short and precise. Easy language that describes the pictures in general.
Credibility of Author: Shelly Rotner is a former elementary school teacher and has written over 20 award-winning children’s books.
Grade Level: PreK-1
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 4: Individuality and Individual Development; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Related Texts: Send It! -Don Carter; What Color is Nature? -Steven R. Swinburne; Why Do Kittens Purr? -Marion Dane Bauer
Response:
I really enjoyed the pictures in this book. They are very colorful and using color outline for the pictures is very helpful in making those pictures stand out. I also really liked the big writing that makes it easy to see and the short simplistic language that makes it easy for younger students to read and understand. Rotner does a wonderful job of explaining that work is many different things, not just a job.
A Sweet Year: A Taste of the Jewish Holidays (bk1) (32 pgs)
Podwal, Mark. A sweet year: a taste of the jewish holidays. Random House. New York, 2003.
Summary:
Mark Podwal visits the Jewish faith with this small book that outlines all the Jewish holidays that involve food. This short read goes through the year explaining the significance of the food eaten for that holiday and even has a section at the end that gives further explanation of the holiday itself.
Author: Mark Podwal
Illustrator: Mark Podwal
Access Features: Section that explains the holidays, Bibliography, Author’s Note
Illustrations: Illustrations are gouache and acrylic paintings that illustrate the important role food plays in Jewish traditions
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: This would be a great resource to use in a discussion of the different holidays associated with different types of people and cultures.
Book Design: This is a very small book and is really very basic. The end pages are white and the pages in the book are white with the writing on one side of a two page spread and the illustration on the other. The only design element that I saw was the first letter of every page is larger than the rest and is a color out of the painting on the opposite page, usually a major color in the painting.
Writing Style: Podwal uses very simple language making the book easy to understand. He also uses the Jewish names for the holidays and food but translates and explains what they are.
Credibility of Author: In the author’s note, Mark Podwal explains that he was asked to create an exhibit for a library for this specific purpose. He includes his bibliography with the sources he used to write the book. All of these were books written about Jewish foods or the holidays.
Grade Level: PreK-3
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 1: Culture; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Related Texts: Apples and Honey: A Rosh Hashanah Story -Jonny Zucker: The Sounds of my Jewish Year -Marji Gold-Vukson; The Shapes of my Jewish Year -Marji Gold-Vukson
Response:
A Sweet Year is a very short book, but it is also very interesting. I had no idea that food played such an important role in the Jewish faith. It is very educational and will definitely hold interest because it’s not a subject that many people know much about. The illustrations are also very interesting. They depict the words in the story but not exactly. Podwal incorporates the foods into the paintings in some very unique ways.
Summary:
Mark Podwal visits the Jewish faith with this small book that outlines all the Jewish holidays that involve food. This short read goes through the year explaining the significance of the food eaten for that holiday and even has a section at the end that gives further explanation of the holiday itself.
Author: Mark Podwal
Illustrator: Mark Podwal
Access Features: Section that explains the holidays, Bibliography, Author’s Note
Illustrations: Illustrations are gouache and acrylic paintings that illustrate the important role food plays in Jewish traditions
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: This would be a great resource to use in a discussion of the different holidays associated with different types of people and cultures.
Book Design: This is a very small book and is really very basic. The end pages are white and the pages in the book are white with the writing on one side of a two page spread and the illustration on the other. The only design element that I saw was the first letter of every page is larger than the rest and is a color out of the painting on the opposite page, usually a major color in the painting.
Writing Style: Podwal uses very simple language making the book easy to understand. He also uses the Jewish names for the holidays and food but translates and explains what they are.
Credibility of Author: In the author’s note, Mark Podwal explains that he was asked to create an exhibit for a library for this specific purpose. He includes his bibliography with the sources he used to write the book. All of these were books written about Jewish foods or the holidays.
Grade Level: PreK-3
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book 2004
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 1: Culture; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Related Texts: Apples and Honey: A Rosh Hashanah Story -Jonny Zucker: The Sounds of my Jewish Year -Marji Gold-Vukson; The Shapes of my Jewish Year -Marji Gold-Vukson
Response:
A Sweet Year is a very short book, but it is also very interesting. I had no idea that food played such an important role in the Jewish faith. It is very educational and will definitely hold interest because it’s not a subject that many people know much about. The illustrations are also very interesting. They depict the words in the story but not exactly. Podwal incorporates the foods into the paintings in some very unique ways.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
The Voice That Challenged a Nation (LDG)
I was really impressed with the perseverance of Marian Anderson in the first few chapters of this book. It's also very disturbing how the North and South could be so different with the segregation of race. Another aspect that really impressed me was the fact that she shared all of her earnings with her family. It wasn't that she had to but she did so they could be a little more comfortable because of her. What do you think about that? Russell Freedman gives such vivid description of her voice and the conditions in which she had to travel during her tours in the South. I think she had to be a quite a strong person to handle all the challenges she faced after living in Philadelphia.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
The Forest in the Clouds (bk 1) (32 pgs)
Collard, Sneed B. The forest in the clouds. Charlesbridge Publishing; Watertown, MA. 2000.
Summary:
The Forest in the Clouds takes readers on a journey through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Sneed B. Collard uses figurative language throughout the book to give readers a vivid glance into the life of the cloud forest. The Forest in the Clouds introduces the reader to the animals and distinct plant life that thrive in the forest. This book is an adventure in learning that moves so fluidly you don't realize you're learning.
Grades: K-3
Author: Sneed B. Collard
Illustrator: Michael Rothman
Illustrations: Acrylic paintings on 3-ply Strathmore plate Bristol paper
Access Features: Additional Information, Map, Glossary
Organization: Collard seems to move up the cloud forest in this book. He starts with the animal and plant life on the forest floor and moves up into the clouds talking about the animal and plant life that live in each section. He also uses a narrative structure like he is telling a story about the forest.
Book Design: The book is long like a cloud that stretches out over the forest. The end papers are green to flow with the rest of the pages and feel like part of the forest. The cover is an illustration of the forest with the clouds just beginning to lead you into the book. This particular copy has a library binding. The illustrations take up most of a two-page spread on most pages and the pages are glossy to make the book seem alive. The type is Barcelona and looks almost like a ancient, wild type to flow with the wild animals in the book.
Writing Style: Collard uses lots of figurative language. This book has many similes and metaphors to help enhance meaning. He also uses vivid adjectives to describe the scenes taking place in the forest. He uses new terms repetitively throughout the book in order to make the words more meaningful and help them "stick" with the reader.
Curriculum: Science
Classroom Use: This book could be used as a great resource for teaching about the rainforest, ecology, endangered species, the food chain, etc. It is full of information that would be a wonderful asset to any classroom.
Author Credibility: Collard does not list a bibliography or tell specifically where he got his information. He does acknowledge the people who helped him and lists so websites for information.
Standards: Science: Standard C-Life Science; Standard F-Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Related Texts: Rain, Rain, Rain Forest by: Brenda Z. Guiberson; Nature's Green Umbrella by: Gail Gibbons
Response:
I was very intrigued by this book. The author uses such vivid language and detail that it just made me want to keep reading. He uses the most colorful verbs and adjectives to describe the animals and the forest that it brings the illustrations to life. The book flows so well that you really don't know you're learning. What I really enjoyed about this book is the way the author emphasizes certain terms. He italicizes terms most children wouldn't know and then repeats them throughout the book to help them remember the terms and what they mean. It is a very good learning experience and helps children realize that learning can be interesting.
Summary:
The Forest in the Clouds takes readers on a journey through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Sneed B. Collard uses figurative language throughout the book to give readers a vivid glance into the life of the cloud forest. The Forest in the Clouds introduces the reader to the animals and distinct plant life that thrive in the forest. This book is an adventure in learning that moves so fluidly you don't realize you're learning.
Grades: K-3
Author: Sneed B. Collard
Illustrator: Michael Rothman
Illustrations: Acrylic paintings on 3-ply Strathmore plate Bristol paper
Access Features: Additional Information, Map, Glossary
Organization: Collard seems to move up the cloud forest in this book. He starts with the animal and plant life on the forest floor and moves up into the clouds talking about the animal and plant life that live in each section. He also uses a narrative structure like he is telling a story about the forest.
Book Design: The book is long like a cloud that stretches out over the forest. The end papers are green to flow with the rest of the pages and feel like part of the forest. The cover is an illustration of the forest with the clouds just beginning to lead you into the book. This particular copy has a library binding. The illustrations take up most of a two-page spread on most pages and the pages are glossy to make the book seem alive. The type is Barcelona and looks almost like a ancient, wild type to flow with the wild animals in the book.
Writing Style: Collard uses lots of figurative language. This book has many similes and metaphors to help enhance meaning. He also uses vivid adjectives to describe the scenes taking place in the forest. He uses new terms repetitively throughout the book in order to make the words more meaningful and help them "stick" with the reader.
Curriculum: Science
Classroom Use: This book could be used as a great resource for teaching about the rainforest, ecology, endangered species, the food chain, etc. It is full of information that would be a wonderful asset to any classroom.
Author Credibility: Collard does not list a bibliography or tell specifically where he got his information. He does acknowledge the people who helped him and lists so websites for information.
Standards: Science: Standard C-Life Science; Standard F-Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Related Texts: Rain, Rain, Rain Forest by: Brenda Z. Guiberson; Nature's Green Umbrella by: Gail Gibbons
Response:
I was very intrigued by this book. The author uses such vivid language and detail that it just made me want to keep reading. He uses the most colorful verbs and adjectives to describe the animals and the forest that it brings the illustrations to life. The book flows so well that you really don't know you're learning. What I really enjoyed about this book is the way the author emphasizes certain terms. He italicizes terms most children wouldn't know and then repeats them throughout the book to help them remember the terms and what they mean. It is a very good learning experience and helps children realize that learning can be interesting.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Hitler's Youth (bk 3) (176 pgs)
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler's youth: growing up in Hitler's shadow. Scholastic: New York 2005.
Summary:
Hitler's Youth: Growing up in Hitler's Shadow examines the influence of Nazi propaganda on Germany's youth in the events leading up to WWII. this book chronicles Hitler's Youth from its early stages at the beginning of Hitler's power to Germany's fall at the end of WWII. Adolf Hitler believed that Germany's youth encompassed the power to create a new Germany of wealth and prosperity and children were easily influenced to believe that they could make a difference. This is a disturbingly true story of the ways in which Hitler convinced these youth to fight for him.
Author: Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Illustrations: Media-pictures taken during Hitler's reign
Access Features: Table of Contents, Foreword, Epilogue, Time Line, Author's Note, Photo Credits, Quote Sources, Bibliography, Acknowledgments, Index
Organization: Chronological
Book Design: The book is large and and square and the whole book is dark or very neutral. The cover is brown, the end pages are brown, and the pages that encompass the text are a neutral color. Perhaps Bartoletti chose these colors because it was such a dark and desolate time for Germany. The pages are mostly text because there is a lot of information to encompass with one or two pictures on each page. The text looks like Times New Roman. I don't think there is anything signifcant about that.
Writing Style: This book is structured in a way that moves throught the beginnings of Hitler's reign, through WWII, to the end of his reign. Each chapter begins with a chapter title that hooks the reader and the chapter starts a new day in Hitler's rise of power. The first few chapters of the book give us an overview of the youth in particular that are in the book. After that the book goes throught the organization of those youth and their work during WWII. Bartoletti presents the information in a neutral tone but still uses lots of imagery and descriptive language to describe the horrors during WWII. There was some use of German words throughout the book but Bartoletti translated them into English to help with comprehension. She does not express a personal opinion and at times the book reads like a textbook or a documentary. She does let her voice come through in some areas but usually presents the information as what actually happened.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be an excellent resource to use excerpts from to lead discussions about World War II and the Holocaust.
Credibility: Bartoletti acknowledges all the people who helped her in writing this book and also includes a bibliography to include all of her sources. She has written many children's nonfiction books and has won many awards for her writing.
Awards: BCCB Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award
Standards: Social Studies: Standard 2- Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 5-Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Standard 6-Power, Authority, and Governance
Related Texts: Children of the Slaughter: Young People of the Holocaust by: Tedd Gottfried and Stephen Alcorn; Kinderlauger: An Oral History of Young Holocaust Survivors by: Milton J. Nieuwsma
Response:
This book was so hard for me to put down. Hitler's Youth is a disturbingly accurate account of the means to which Hitler would go to get what he wanted. I was very disturbed by some of the material in the book but it was also mesmerizing to the point that I stayed up almost all night reading it. It would be a great way to introduce WWII and the Holocaust just using sections of the book.
Summary:
Hitler's Youth: Growing up in Hitler's Shadow examines the influence of Nazi propaganda on Germany's youth in the events leading up to WWII. this book chronicles Hitler's Youth from its early stages at the beginning of Hitler's power to Germany's fall at the end of WWII. Adolf Hitler believed that Germany's youth encompassed the power to create a new Germany of wealth and prosperity and children were easily influenced to believe that they could make a difference. This is a disturbingly true story of the ways in which Hitler convinced these youth to fight for him.
Author: Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Illustrations: Media-pictures taken during Hitler's reign
Access Features: Table of Contents, Foreword, Epilogue, Time Line, Author's Note, Photo Credits, Quote Sources, Bibliography, Acknowledgments, Index
Organization: Chronological
Book Design: The book is large and and square and the whole book is dark or very neutral. The cover is brown, the end pages are brown, and the pages that encompass the text are a neutral color. Perhaps Bartoletti chose these colors because it was such a dark and desolate time for Germany. The pages are mostly text because there is a lot of information to encompass with one or two pictures on each page. The text looks like Times New Roman. I don't think there is anything signifcant about that.
Writing Style: This book is structured in a way that moves throught the beginnings of Hitler's reign, through WWII, to the end of his reign. Each chapter begins with a chapter title that hooks the reader and the chapter starts a new day in Hitler's rise of power. The first few chapters of the book give us an overview of the youth in particular that are in the book. After that the book goes throught the organization of those youth and their work during WWII. Bartoletti presents the information in a neutral tone but still uses lots of imagery and descriptive language to describe the horrors during WWII. There was some use of German words throughout the book but Bartoletti translated them into English to help with comprehension. She does not express a personal opinion and at times the book reads like a textbook or a documentary. She does let her voice come through in some areas but usually presents the information as what actually happened.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This would be an excellent resource to use excerpts from to lead discussions about World War II and the Holocaust.
Credibility: Bartoletti acknowledges all the people who helped her in writing this book and also includes a bibliography to include all of her sources. She has written many children's nonfiction books and has won many awards for her writing.
Awards: BCCB Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award
Standards: Social Studies: Standard 2- Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 5-Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Standard 6-Power, Authority, and Governance
Related Texts: Children of the Slaughter: Young People of the Holocaust by: Tedd Gottfried and Stephen Alcorn; Kinderlauger: An Oral History of Young Holocaust Survivors by: Milton J. Nieuwsma
Response:
This book was so hard for me to put down. Hitler's Youth is a disturbingly accurate account of the means to which Hitler would go to get what he wanted. I was very disturbed by some of the material in the book but it was also mesmerizing to the point that I stayed up almost all night reading it. It would be a great way to introduce WWII and the Holocaust just using sections of the book.
Empire State Building (bk 1) (48 pgs)
Mann, Elizabeth. Empire state building. Mikaya Press: New York 2003.
Summary:
Elizabeth Mann gives an accurate account of the building of the Empire State Building. Through a very easy to read story line she describes how the dream of building the tallest building in New York came about. She revisits the days of the steel industry and the complications that came with trying to build a structure of that size. She uses diagrams and pictures to describe the way the building was constructed and even how that construction proved to be the safest and most advanced of its time.
Grades: 4-8
Author: Elizabeth Mann
Illustrator: Alan Witschonke
Illustrations: Media-pictures taken from the building of the Empire State Building, paintings using oil paints
Access Features: Index, Bibliography, Credits, Glossary, Facts, Side bars
Curriculum: Social Studies, Science
Classroom Use: This book could be used during a lesson about the Industrial Revolution and the boom of the Steel Industry. It could also be used to discuss the physics of how the building was constructed.
Credibility: Mann has written nine of the Wonder of the World books. This is an award-winning nonfiction series. She writes books that she has researched and gives a bibliography to prove her research and writings.
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 2004
Standards: Social Studies: Standard 2-Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 8-Science, Technology, and Society; Science: Content Standard E-Abilities of technological design; Content Standard F-Science and Technology in Society
Related Text: The Brooklyn Bridge by: Lynn Curlee; The Brooklyn Bridge by: Elizabeth Mann; Hover Dam by: Elizabeth Mann; Panama Canal by: Elizabeth Mann; Roman Colosseum by: Elizabeth Mann
Response:
I really enjoyed this book because I learned quite a bit from it. There was a lot of information about the construction of the Empire State Building and the rivalry that went with the plans. I never knew what the structure on top of the building was for until this book. It is a fast read and I learned things I had never thought about until this book.
Summary:
Elizabeth Mann gives an accurate account of the building of the Empire State Building. Through a very easy to read story line she describes how the dream of building the tallest building in New York came about. She revisits the days of the steel industry and the complications that came with trying to build a structure of that size. She uses diagrams and pictures to describe the way the building was constructed and even how that construction proved to be the safest and most advanced of its time.
Grades: 4-8
Author: Elizabeth Mann
Illustrator: Alan Witschonke
Illustrations: Media-pictures taken from the building of the Empire State Building, paintings using oil paints
Access Features: Index, Bibliography, Credits, Glossary, Facts, Side bars
Curriculum: Social Studies, Science
Classroom Use: This book could be used during a lesson about the Industrial Revolution and the boom of the Steel Industry. It could also be used to discuss the physics of how the building was constructed.
Credibility: Mann has written nine of the Wonder of the World books. This is an award-winning nonfiction series. She writes books that she has researched and gives a bibliography to prove her research and writings.
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 2004
Standards: Social Studies: Standard 2-Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 8-Science, Technology, and Society; Science: Content Standard E-Abilities of technological design; Content Standard F-Science and Technology in Society
Related Text: The Brooklyn Bridge by: Lynn Curlee; The Brooklyn Bridge by: Elizabeth Mann; Hover Dam by: Elizabeth Mann; Panama Canal by: Elizabeth Mann; Roman Colosseum by: Elizabeth Mann
Response:
I really enjoyed this book because I learned quite a bit from it. There was a lot of information about the construction of the Empire State Building and the rivalry that went with the plans. I never knew what the structure on top of the building was for until this book. It is a fast read and I learned things I had never thought about until this book.
Onward (bk 1) (64 pgs)
Onward by: Dolores Johnson
Johnson, Dolores. Onward. National Geographic Society: Washington D.C. 2006.
Summary:
Onward recounts the true story of Matthew Henson, the first African-Amercian to reach the North Pole. In vived detail, Dolores Johnson gives credit that is overdue to the one man who helped explore the North Pole. Henson risked his life in the late 1800s and early 1900s and his story is just getting told. Johnson tells of the hardships the men faced, the relationships they developed with the Inuit people, and the elation that melted into devastation with their return to the States.
Grades: 4-8
Author: Dolores Johnson
Illustrations: Media-pictures taken from the trips to the North Pole
Access Features: Acknowledgments, Foreward, Timeline, Bibliography, Index
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book could be used during a discussion about exploration, geography of the Arctic, or historical figures, especially during Black History Month to celebrate those African-Americans that aren't in the history books.
Credibility: The author has a bibliography outlining all of her sources and she has also written many children's books. However, this is her first for National Geographic. She also acknowledges those who helped her throughout her research and reviewed the book for her.
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2007
Standards: Social Studies: Standard 3-People, Places, and Environments; Standard 8-Science, Technology, and Society
Related Text: Into the Ice: the Story of Arctic Exploration by: Lynn Curlee
Response:
This book is an accurate account of the expeditions forged to the North Pole but it is not all that interesting. I enjoyed reading the book but it seems like it would not be an easy, interesting read for young students. They could understand the language used, but I don't believe it is something they would just pick out to read. I know I wouldn't pick it up off the shelf and think it looked interesting after glancing through the pages.
Johnson, Dolores. Onward. National Geographic Society: Washington D.C. 2006.
Summary:
Onward recounts the true story of Matthew Henson, the first African-Amercian to reach the North Pole. In vived detail, Dolores Johnson gives credit that is overdue to the one man who helped explore the North Pole. Henson risked his life in the late 1800s and early 1900s and his story is just getting told. Johnson tells of the hardships the men faced, the relationships they developed with the Inuit people, and the elation that melted into devastation with their return to the States.
Grades: 4-8
Author: Dolores Johnson
Illustrations: Media-pictures taken from the trips to the North Pole
Access Features: Acknowledgments, Foreward, Timeline, Bibliography, Index
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book could be used during a discussion about exploration, geography of the Arctic, or historical figures, especially during Black History Month to celebrate those African-Americans that aren't in the history books.
Credibility: The author has a bibliography outlining all of her sources and she has also written many children's books. However, this is her first for National Geographic. She also acknowledges those who helped her throughout her research and reviewed the book for her.
Awards: Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2007
Standards: Social Studies: Standard 3-People, Places, and Environments; Standard 8-Science, Technology, and Society
Related Text: Into the Ice: the Story of Arctic Exploration by: Lynn Curlee
Response:
This book is an accurate account of the expeditions forged to the North Pole but it is not all that interesting. I enjoyed reading the book but it seems like it would not be an easy, interesting read for young students. They could understand the language used, but I don't believe it is something they would just pick out to read. I know I wouldn't pick it up off the shelf and think it looked interesting after glancing through the pages.
Through My Eyes (bk 1) (64 pgs)
Through My Eyes by: Ruby Bridges
Bridges, Ruby. Through my eyes. Scholastic: New York, 1999.
Summary:
Through My Eyes is Ruby Bridges' account of the school integration process. She shows readers the turmoil and hatred through the innocent eys of a first graders who really just wants to go to school. She doesn't care where that school is. Bridges does not realize the important role she played in this struggle until later in her life when she begins to write this book.
Grades: 3-6
Author: Ruby Bridges
Illustrations: Media-photographs taken during the school integration process
Access Features: "Dear Reader", preface, photo credits
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be used to emphasize the destruction of racisom and as a resource during the study of the Civil Rights Movement and school integration.
Author Credibility: This is the story of this time in Ruby Bridges' life so it would be hard to determine what she actually remembers and what she has been told. She does a wonderful job of pointing out what she is unsure about or what she was told but there is still some question as to what is actual memories of the time.
Awards: NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, NCSS Carter G. Woodson Book Award, Parent's Choice Gold Award
Standards: Social Studies: Standard 2-Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 4-Individual Development, and Individuality; Standard 6-Power, Authority, and Governance
Related Texts: Remember: the Journey to School Integration by Toni Morrison; The School is Not White by Doreen Rappaport
Response:
This book was an easy read. The writing was simplistic, almost childlike. The hardest element of this book was the pictures and seeing what it was like for the children during this time. The phrase "a picture's worth a thousand words" is defined by this book. This heartwrenching story shoud be a must read in every classroom.
Bridges, Ruby. Through my eyes. Scholastic: New York, 1999.
Summary:
Through My Eyes is Ruby Bridges' account of the school integration process. She shows readers the turmoil and hatred through the innocent eys of a first graders who really just wants to go to school. She doesn't care where that school is. Bridges does not realize the important role she played in this struggle until later in her life when she begins to write this book.
Grades: 3-6
Author: Ruby Bridges
Illustrations: Media-photographs taken during the school integration process
Access Features: "Dear Reader", preface, photo credits
Curriculum: Social Studies
Classroom Use: This book would be used to emphasize the destruction of racisom and as a resource during the study of the Civil Rights Movement and school integration.
Author Credibility: This is the story of this time in Ruby Bridges' life so it would be hard to determine what she actually remembers and what she has been told. She does a wonderful job of pointing out what she is unsure about or what she was told but there is still some question as to what is actual memories of the time.
Awards: NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, NCSS Carter G. Woodson Book Award, Parent's Choice Gold Award
Standards: Social Studies: Standard 2-Time, Continuity, and Change; Standard 4-Individual Development, and Individuality; Standard 6-Power, Authority, and Governance
Related Texts: Remember: the Journey to School Integration by Toni Morrison; The School is Not White by Doreen Rappaport
Response:
This book was an easy read. The writing was simplistic, almost childlike. The hardest element of this book was the pictures and seeing what it was like for the children during this time. The phrase "a picture's worth a thousand words" is defined by this book. This heartwrenching story shoud be a must read in every classroom.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Remember: the Journey to School Integration (bk 1) (80 pgs)
Morrison, Toni (2004). Remember: the journey to school integration. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston, MA.
Summary:
Toni Morrison uses pictures to paint a picture of one the most controversial times in
American history. When the Supreme Court decided that separate facilities were not equal it sent a shock through the entire American population. The pictures in this book represent the fear and jubilation of the African-American population. Morrison also uses them to show the ignorance, intolerance, and fear of the white population after the Supreme Court decision was made.
Author: Toni Morrison
Illustrator: N/A
Access Features: Introduction, Civil Rights and School Integration Timeline,
Photo Notes
Illustrations: Historical before and after pictures of integration
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: This book would be a great resource to use with children to discuss the Civil Rights Movement and the Brown v. Board of Education decision. I would use it to show the inherent differences that were called “separate but equal” facilities and to have evidence of why this decision was so important.
Credibility of Author: Morrison tells the reader in the introduction that she imagined the thoughts that she added as text for some of the pictures. However, she has her dates correct and gives credit for that in the back of the book. She also has a listing of photo credits
Grade Level: Grades 3-12
Awards: Coretta Scott King Author Award
Parent’s Choice Foundation Gold Award
BCCB Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Related Texts: Through My Eyes by: Ruby Bridges-look at school integration through the eyes of Ruby Bridges as a first grader; Warriors Don’t Cry by: Melba Pettilo Beals-story of the Little Rock Nine and their fight for school segregation; The Power of One: Daisy Bates and the Little Rock Nine by: Dennis Brindell Fradin-story of Daisy Bates and her part in the Little Rock Nine fight for school segregation; The School is Not White! A True Story of the Civil Rights Movement by: Doreen Rappaport
Response:
This book is very emotional. It is hard to read it without feeling the fear and the indignation on the people’s faces. What makes it even more touching and revealing is that it is true. I think that is also what makes it so personal especially for those of us who grew up in the south. The book really brings to light the hardships and the inequalities that African Americans in the South grew up with before integration. It also brings to light the fact that the region known for its hospitality was, at one time, not so hospitable.
Summary:
Toni Morrison uses pictures to paint a picture of one the most controversial times in
American history. When the Supreme Court decided that separate facilities were not equal it sent a shock through the entire American population. The pictures in this book represent the fear and jubilation of the African-American population. Morrison also uses them to show the ignorance, intolerance, and fear of the white population after the Supreme Court decision was made.
Author: Toni Morrison
Illustrator: N/A
Access Features: Introduction, Civil Rights and School Integration Timeline,
Photo Notes
Illustrations: Historical before and after pictures of integration
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: This book would be a great resource to use with children to discuss the Civil Rights Movement and the Brown v. Board of Education decision. I would use it to show the inherent differences that were called “separate but equal” facilities and to have evidence of why this decision was so important.
Credibility of Author: Morrison tells the reader in the introduction that she imagined the thoughts that she added as text for some of the pictures. However, she has her dates correct and gives credit for that in the back of the book. She also has a listing of photo credits
Grade Level: Grades 3-12
Awards: Coretta Scott King Author Award
Parent’s Choice Foundation Gold Award
BCCB Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Related Texts: Through My Eyes by: Ruby Bridges-look at school integration through the eyes of Ruby Bridges as a first grader; Warriors Don’t Cry by: Melba Pettilo Beals-story of the Little Rock Nine and their fight for school segregation; The Power of One: Daisy Bates and the Little Rock Nine by: Dennis Brindell Fradin-story of Daisy Bates and her part in the Little Rock Nine fight for school segregation; The School is Not White! A True Story of the Civil Rights Movement by: Doreen Rappaport
Response:
This book is very emotional. It is hard to read it without feeling the fear and the indignation on the people’s faces. What makes it even more touching and revealing is that it is true. I think that is also what makes it so personal especially for those of us who grew up in the south. The book really brings to light the hardships and the inequalities that African Americans in the South grew up with before integration. It also brings to light the fact that the region known for its hospitality was, at one time, not so hospitable.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Days of Jubilee: the End of Slavery in the United States (bk 2) (144 pgs)
McKissack, Patricia C. and Frederick L (2003). Days of jubilee: the end of slavery in the United States. Scholastic, New York.
Summary:
Days of Jubilee is an account of the Civil War and the slaves’ fight for freedom. Using diary entries, actual slave interviews, and accounts from former slaves and freedmen alike the authors paint a vivid picture of the slaves’ journey to freedom. They also explain why there is not just one day of jubilee, but many.
Author: Patricia C. McKissack and Frederick L. McKissack
Illustrator: N/A
Access Features: Table of Contents, Introduction, Time Line, Bibliography, Index
Illustrations: Pictures prominent figures in the book taken from various historical societies.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: This book would be a wonderful resource to use to study the causes and effects of the Civil War and how slavery came to be abolished.
Credibility of Author: The authors make note of all the references they used to write this book. They have a bibliography in the back of the book and also label all quotes and pictures throughout
Grade Level: Grades 5-12
Awards: Coretta Scott King Author Award
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Related Texts: From Slave Ship to Freedom Road by: Julius Lester-journey through the slave experience; Fleeing to Freedom on the Underground Railroad by: Elaine Landau-history of slavery and the Underground Railroad; Solomon Northrup’s Twelve Years a Slave by: Sue Eakin-describes the life of a free black man who was kidnapped and forced into slavery in Louisiana for twelve years.
Response:
I learned a lot reading this book. It seems that there is a lot of information about the Civil War and the emancipation of the slaves that is never taught in school. The husband and wife team do a wonderful job of making little known truths evident. The diary entries and actual accounts place a lot of emphasis on the plight of the slaves and adds credibility to the account of the Civil War the authors are trying to present.
Summary:
Days of Jubilee is an account of the Civil War and the slaves’ fight for freedom. Using diary entries, actual slave interviews, and accounts from former slaves and freedmen alike the authors paint a vivid picture of the slaves’ journey to freedom. They also explain why there is not just one day of jubilee, but many.
Author: Patricia C. McKissack and Frederick L. McKissack
Illustrator: N/A
Access Features: Table of Contents, Introduction, Time Line, Bibliography, Index
Illustrations: Pictures prominent figures in the book taken from various historical societies.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: This book would be a wonderful resource to use to study the causes and effects of the Civil War and how slavery came to be abolished.
Credibility of Author: The authors make note of all the references they used to write this book. They have a bibliography in the back of the book and also label all quotes and pictures throughout
Grade Level: Grades 5-12
Awards: Coretta Scott King Author Award
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity; Standard 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Related Texts: From Slave Ship to Freedom Road by: Julius Lester-journey through the slave experience; Fleeing to Freedom on the Underground Railroad by: Elaine Landau-history of slavery and the Underground Railroad; Solomon Northrup’s Twelve Years a Slave by: Sue Eakin-describes the life of a free black man who was kidnapped and forced into slavery in Louisiana for twelve years.
Response:
I learned a lot reading this book. It seems that there is a lot of information about the Civil War and the emancipation of the slaves that is never taught in school. The husband and wife team do a wonderful job of making little known truths evident. The diary entries and actual accounts place a lot of emphasis on the plight of the slaves and adds credibility to the account of the Civil War the authors are trying to present.
A Library for Juana: the World of Sor Juana Ines (bk 1) (40 pgs)
Mora, Pat (2002). Illus. Beatriz Vidal. A library for juana: the world of Sor Juana Ines. Alfred A. Knopf. New York, NY.
Summary:
A Library for Juana tells the story of a young woman who fought to get the education she felt she deserved. This book chronicles her life from birth to the point where she becomes a nun and builds one of the biggest libraries in the Americas. It is a powerful story of what one person can do when they decide that is what they want. Juana wanted to learn to read and become educated so she did whatever she could to get what she wanted.
Author: Pat Mora
Illustrator: Beatriz Vidal
Access Features: Glossary, Author’s Note
Illustrations: Illustrations appear to have been created using colored pencils. They are very vibrant and colorful. They are large and take up a full page even spilling onto neighboring pages. The illustrations follow the story and create the imagery for the reader.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: I would use this book to introduce diversity and talk about hardships that people of other cultures or countries face. I would also talk about all of Juana’s hard work to get to where she wanted to be in life. It would also be a great tool to talk about the educational culture of other countries
Credibility of Author: Mora thanks the scholars of Sor Juana at the beginning of the book but there is no mention of how she went about researching Juana Ines’s life.
Grade Level: Grades 1-4
Awards: Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children’s Book Award
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 1: Culture; Standard 3: People, Places, and Environment; Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity
Related Texts: Tomas and the Library Lady by: Pat Mora-tells the story of the librarian that influenced Tomas Rivera and his love for books.
Response:
I really enjoyed reading this book. I fell that this tells a wonderful story of a woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. She was told time and time again that her dreams could never be realized but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. It is a wonderful story of what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it.
Summary:
A Library for Juana tells the story of a young woman who fought to get the education she felt she deserved. This book chronicles her life from birth to the point where she becomes a nun and builds one of the biggest libraries in the Americas. It is a powerful story of what one person can do when they decide that is what they want. Juana wanted to learn to read and become educated so she did whatever she could to get what she wanted.
Author: Pat Mora
Illustrator: Beatriz Vidal
Access Features: Glossary, Author’s Note
Illustrations: Illustrations appear to have been created using colored pencils. They are very vibrant and colorful. They are large and take up a full page even spilling onto neighboring pages. The illustrations follow the story and create the imagery for the reader.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: I would use this book to introduce diversity and talk about hardships that people of other cultures or countries face. I would also talk about all of Juana’s hard work to get to where she wanted to be in life. It would also be a great tool to talk about the educational culture of other countries
Credibility of Author: Mora thanks the scholars of Sor Juana at the beginning of the book but there is no mention of how she went about researching Juana Ines’s life.
Grade Level: Grades 1-4
Awards: Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children’s Book Award
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 1: Culture; Standard 3: People, Places, and Environment; Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity
Related Texts: Tomas and the Library Lady by: Pat Mora-tells the story of the librarian that influenced Tomas Rivera and his love for books.
Response:
I really enjoyed reading this book. I fell that this tells a wonderful story of a woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. She was told time and time again that her dreams could never be realized but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. It is a wonderful story of what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it.
Jose'! Born to Dance (bk 1) (32 pgs)
Reich, Susanna. (2005). Illus. Raul Colon. Jose’! born to dance. Simon & Schuster. New York, NY.
Summary:
Jose’! Born to Dance paints the picture of Jose’ Limon’s dreams to become an artist. It describes the hardships faced by he and his family and tells of his journey to New York City and his discouragement with himself as an artist. This book describes his work ethic and his passion for dancing and paints a picture of his life and his dancing career.
Author: Susanna Reich
Illustrator: Raul Colon
Access Features: Glossary, Historical Note, Bibliography
Illustrations: Water color and colored pencil used to create movement in the illustrations. You can almost see the pictures moving through the brush strokes.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: I would use this book to introduce diversity and talk about hardships that people of other cultures or countries face. I would also talk about the part where his family comes to America to escape the rebellion going on in his country and the use of America as a type of “safe house.”
Credibility of Author: Author lists all of the bibliographic information she used while writing this book
Grade Level: K-4
Awards: Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children's Book Award
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 3: People, Places, and Environment; Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity
Related Texts: Alvin Ailey by: Andrea Davis Pinkney-biography of the dancer and choreographer; Ella Fitzgerald: the Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa by: Andrea Davis Pinkney-biography of the singer; Duke Ellington: the Piano Prince and his Orchestra by: Andrea Davis Pinkney-biography of the musician; If I Only Had a Horn: Young Louis Armstrong by: Roxanne Orgill-Musicians early life and hardships while obtaining his musical beginnings.
Response:
This book is extremely visual. The illustrations take up full pages and I can almost feel the movement within them. Susanna Reich does a wonderful job of telling the story of Jose’ Limon. She paints vivid pictures with her words and really makes the reader understand Jose’s passion for dancing and art. Reich tells the story of Limon’s life while also incorporating some of the history of Mexico. I really enjoyed reading this book and would love to use it with my students.
Summary:
Jose’! Born to Dance paints the picture of Jose’ Limon’s dreams to become an artist. It describes the hardships faced by he and his family and tells of his journey to New York City and his discouragement with himself as an artist. This book describes his work ethic and his passion for dancing and paints a picture of his life and his dancing career.
Author: Susanna Reich
Illustrator: Raul Colon
Access Features: Glossary, Historical Note, Bibliography
Illustrations: Water color and colored pencil used to create movement in the illustrations. You can almost see the pictures moving through the brush strokes.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: I would use this book to introduce diversity and talk about hardships that people of other cultures or countries face. I would also talk about the part where his family comes to America to escape the rebellion going on in his country and the use of America as a type of “safe house.”
Credibility of Author: Author lists all of the bibliographic information she used while writing this book
Grade Level: K-4
Awards: Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children's Book Award
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 3: People, Places, and Environment; Standard 4: Individual Development and Identity
Related Texts: Alvin Ailey by: Andrea Davis Pinkney-biography of the dancer and choreographer; Ella Fitzgerald: the Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa by: Andrea Davis Pinkney-biography of the singer; Duke Ellington: the Piano Prince and his Orchestra by: Andrea Davis Pinkney-biography of the musician; If I Only Had a Horn: Young Louis Armstrong by: Roxanne Orgill-Musicians early life and hardships while obtaining his musical beginnings.
Response:
This book is extremely visual. The illustrations take up full pages and I can almost feel the movement within them. Susanna Reich does a wonderful job of telling the story of Jose’ Limon. She paints vivid pictures with her words and really makes the reader understand Jose’s passion for dancing and art. Reich tells the story of Limon’s life while also incorporating some of the history of Mexico. I really enjoyed reading this book and would love to use it with my students.
Martin's Big Words (bk 1) (40 pgs)
Rappaport, Doreen (2002). Illus. Bryan Collier. Martin’s big words. New York, NY. Scholastic, Inc.
Summary:
Martin’s Big Words describes the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as seen through the eyes of a participant in the Civil Rights Movement. This book chronicles the life of Dr. King as well as the major events of the Civil Rights Movement. At a young age Dr. King says his father, a minister, has big words and states that one day he too will have big words. Martin’s Big Words describes how he goes about finding those big words within himself. It also describes the steps taken by Dr. King to rally support for the movement as well as the danger he placed himself in by doing so. The author also talks about Rosa Parks and other major figures of the movement and explains their role in Dr. King’s life and dream.
Author: Doreen Rappaport
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Access Features: Author’s Note, Illustrator’s Note, Important Dates
Illustrations: Water color and cut paper collage used to depict scenes of the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: I would use this book as possibly an introduction to a discussion of the Civil Rights Movement or a discussion about Martin Luther King, Jr. It could be used as a resource in a unit on historical figures.
Credibility of Author: In the author’s note, Doreen Rappaport states her experience in marching and protesting during the Civil Rights Movement and gives examples of her readings of Dr. King’s biographies and writings.
Grade Level: K-3
Awards: Jane Addams Children's Book Award
Orbis Pictus Honor Book
Caldecott Honor Book
Coretta Scott King Honor Book
ALA Notable Children's Book
New York Public Library 100 Best Books
Child Magazine, Best Children’s Book Award
New York Times Notable Book of the Year
Best Illustrated Books of the Year Blue Ribbon list, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Children’s Books of Distinction, Riverbank Review
Children's Choice, Children's Book Council in conjunction with the IRA
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 5: Individuals, Groups and Institutions; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Response:
This book is extremely visual. The illustrations take up most of the pages and are very moving and symbolic. The writing is simplistic in order to keep it within the understanding of younger students, but her words are powerful. She uses Dr. King’s quotes in strategic places in the book to add emphasis to her own words. She paints a powerful picture of the Civil Rights Movement and the people involved. It is a very moving children’s book that would be beneficial in a classroom at any level.
Summary:
Martin’s Big Words describes the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as seen through the eyes of a participant in the Civil Rights Movement. This book chronicles the life of Dr. King as well as the major events of the Civil Rights Movement. At a young age Dr. King says his father, a minister, has big words and states that one day he too will have big words. Martin’s Big Words describes how he goes about finding those big words within himself. It also describes the steps taken by Dr. King to rally support for the movement as well as the danger he placed himself in by doing so. The author also talks about Rosa Parks and other major figures of the movement and explains their role in Dr. King’s life and dream.
Author: Doreen Rappaport
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Access Features: Author’s Note, Illustrator’s Note, Important Dates
Illustrations: Water color and cut paper collage used to depict scenes of the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life.
Curriculum: Social Studies
Use of book in Classroom: I would use this book as possibly an introduction to a discussion of the Civil Rights Movement or a discussion about Martin Luther King, Jr. It could be used as a resource in a unit on historical figures.
Credibility of Author: In the author’s note, Doreen Rappaport states her experience in marching and protesting during the Civil Rights Movement and gives examples of her readings of Dr. King’s biographies and writings.
Grade Level: K-3
Awards: Jane Addams Children's Book Award
Orbis Pictus Honor Book
Caldecott Honor Book
Coretta Scott King Honor Book
ALA Notable Children's Book
New York Public Library 100 Best Books
Child Magazine, Best Children’s Book Award
New York Times Notable Book of the Year
Best Illustrated Books of the Year Blue Ribbon list, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Children’s Books of Distinction, Riverbank Review
Children's Choice, Children's Book Council in conjunction with the IRA
National Standards: Social Studies: Standard 5: Individuals, Groups and Institutions; Standard 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
Response:
This book is extremely visual. The illustrations take up most of the pages and are very moving and symbolic. The writing is simplistic in order to keep it within the understanding of younger students, but her words are powerful. She uses Dr. King’s quotes in strategic places in the book to add emphasis to her own words. She paints a powerful picture of the Civil Rights Movement and the people involved. It is a very moving children’s book that would be beneficial in a classroom at any level.
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