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.
Monday, July 23, 2007
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.
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