Mission: Addition #36
Loreen Leedy
Leedy, Loreen. (1997). Mission: Addition. New York: Scholistic.
Grade Level: 2-6
Content Area: Math
Author’s Credibility:
Access Features: Contents, chapters, answer page.
Summary: Mrs. Prime teachers her animal students how to solve addition problems by letting them become detective. She used a survey of the students’ pets. The students used addition to find out the total of animals. Mrs. Prime let them create their own word problems.
Standards: Math (addition facts, word problems, and vocabulary)
Response: I know the students will enjoy this book. It was presented in a comic strip format with animals pretending to be students. But, I thought that it was too busy for me. It had too much on a page—illustrations, format, animals. I would use it as read aloud. Then place it at the center.
Tone: Conversational
Other Books:
Domino Addition, Lynette Long
One Hundred Hungry Ants, Elinor J. Princzes
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom #34
Carole Boston Weatherford
Kadir Nelson, Illustrator
Weatherford, Carole Boston. (2006). Moses: When Harriet Tubman led her people to freedom. New York: Hyperion.
Awards: Caldecott Honor
Coretta Scott King Award
Grade Level: 1-4
Genre: Historical Fiction
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Determine how democratic principles and values were established and exemplified by people, events, and symbols. (History, Civics)
Author’s Credibility: Carole has written over a dozen children’s books, which have won many awards. Her books include: The Sound That Jazz Makes won the Carter G. Woodson National Council of Social Studies and Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People won the Juvenile Literature Award.
Access Features: Foreword gives background about slavery. Author’s note gives background about Harriet Tubman’s life.
Summary: Harriet has had about all she can take of slavery. She does not want to be a slave any longer. She decides to run away from slavery. She is not sure of her decision and relies solely upon God for his guidance and strength. When she makes it to freedom, she knows that it was only through God's help that she made it. In her appreciation for his guidance, promise to help bring more people to freedom.
Illustrations: Big, bold, and dark to emphasize the threats of slavery. Full-page illustrations capture the strength and humbleness of Harriet.
Voice: Strong, poetic
Tone: Conversational
Text Structure: Problem/Solution
Response: I love it! The illustrations are so powerful and the conversation with God is too much. I wonder where did she get the courage to free, not only herself, but also all the others. I am definitely going to use this book with my soon after school begins. I want them to her story about not giving up and hopeful they want give up.
Other Books:
Gone Wind, David McLiman
Hattie Big Sky, Kirby Larson
Carole Boston Weatherford
Kadir Nelson, Illustrator
Weatherford, Carole Boston. (2006). Moses: When Harriet Tubman led her people to freedom. New York: Hyperion.
Awards: Caldecott Honor
Coretta Scott King Award
Grade Level: 1-4
Genre: Historical Fiction
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Determine how democratic principles and values were established and exemplified by people, events, and symbols. (History, Civics)
Author’s Credibility: Carole has written over a dozen children’s books, which have won many awards. Her books include: The Sound That Jazz Makes won the Carter G. Woodson National Council of Social Studies and Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People won the Juvenile Literature Award.
Access Features: Foreword gives background about slavery. Author’s note gives background about Harriet Tubman’s life.
Summary: Harriet has had about all she can take of slavery. She does not want to be a slave any longer. She decides to run away from slavery. She is not sure of her decision and relies solely upon God for his guidance and strength. When she makes it to freedom, she knows that it was only through God's help that she made it. In her appreciation for his guidance, promise to help bring more people to freedom.
Illustrations: Big, bold, and dark to emphasize the threats of slavery. Full-page illustrations capture the strength and humbleness of Harriet.
Voice: Strong, poetic
Tone: Conversational
Text Structure: Problem/Solution
Response: I love it! The illustrations are so powerful and the conversation with God is too much. I wonder where did she get the courage to free, not only herself, but also all the others. I am definitely going to use this book with my soon after school begins. I want them to her story about not giving up and hopeful they want give up.
Other Books:
Gone Wind, David McLiman
Hattie Big Sky, Kirby Larson
Clara Barton: Spirit of the American Red Cross #33
Patricia Larkin
Simon Sullivan, Illustrator
Larkin, Patricia. (2004). Clara Barton: Spirit of the american red cross. New York:
Aladdin.
Awards:
Grade Level: 1-4
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Social Studies: History, Civics, and Economics (Explain why certain civic responsibilities are important for studying historical figures.)
Author’s Credibility: The author’s main source of information was Elizabeth Brown Pryor’s Clara Barton: Professional Angel.
Summary: A short biography of Clara Barton, the lady who started the chapter of the Red Cross in the United States in 1881. Even though the Red Cross had been organized in Switzerland in 1863, the United States was not a part of it. Clara worked hard to get the U.S. to become a part of that organization. At that time, the Red Cross only helped war victims. Clara added, “and for victims of natural disasters”.
Access Features: Chapters, timeline of Clara’s life
Illustrations: Watercolors
Text Structure: Chronological
Response: I would use this book with civil rights for women. Clara was denied a job as a teacher because was a woman. I enjoyed reading about Clara Barton because she got up the courage to work where she saw the need. How many times we see someone in need and we do nothing? Reading all these different books have made me think about too much philosophical things.
Other Books:
Clara Barton: Founder of the American Red Cross, Augusta Stevenson
Susan B. Anthony: Fighter for Women's Rights, Deborah Hopkinson
Patricia Larkin
Simon Sullivan, Illustrator
Larkin, Patricia. (2004). Clara Barton: Spirit of the american red cross. New York:
Aladdin.
Awards:
Grade Level: 1-4
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Social Studies: History, Civics, and Economics (Explain why certain civic responsibilities are important for studying historical figures.)
Author’s Credibility: The author’s main source of information was Elizabeth Brown Pryor’s Clara Barton: Professional Angel.
Summary: A short biography of Clara Barton, the lady who started the chapter of the Red Cross in the United States in 1881. Even though the Red Cross had been organized in Switzerland in 1863, the United States was not a part of it. Clara worked hard to get the U.S. to become a part of that organization. At that time, the Red Cross only helped war victims. Clara added, “and for victims of natural disasters”.
Access Features: Chapters, timeline of Clara’s life
Illustrations: Watercolors
Text Structure: Chronological
Response: I would use this book with civil rights for women. Clara was denied a job as a teacher because was a woman. I enjoyed reading about Clara Barton because she got up the courage to work where she saw the need. How many times we see someone in need and we do nothing? Reading all these different books have made me think about too much philosophical things.
Other Books:
Clara Barton: Founder of the American Red Cross, Augusta Stevenson
Susan B. Anthony: Fighter for Women's Rights, Deborah Hopkinson
Ducks! #32
Gail Gibbons
Gibbons, Gail. (2001). Ducks! New York: Holiday House.
Awards:
Grade Level: 2-5
Content Area: Life Science
Standards: Life Science (Classifying, environment, ecology, habitats)
Author’s Credibility: She makes special trips to all the different places before she writes a book. She gives special thanks to Wildlife Resource Center in Delmar, New York.
Access Features: Front jacket cover provides an overview of the book. Back cover lists other books by Gibbons. There is a page with additional facts on it.
Summary: An informative book about the different kinds of ducks and how they survive in the environment. Ducks live everywhere, except in Antarctica. They are put into two groups, dabbling and diving basically because of eating habits. Many ducks are losing their habitats because of building new homes, highways, and factories. There are conservations groups working to saving their homes.
Illustrations: Watercolors
Text Structure: Descriptive
Tone: conversational
Response: I like it when I find out new stuff. I found out that there are over 150 different kinds of ducks and they are divided into to groups. The drake (male) does not stick around to help raise the young ducklings. Isn’t that just like a man? (smile)
Science Processes: Classify, observing, predicting, and inferring.
Related Books:
Gail Gibbons
Gibbons, Gail. (2001). Ducks! New York: Holiday House.
Awards:
Grade Level: 2-5
Content Area: Life Science
Standards: Life Science (Classifying, environment, ecology, habitats)
Author’s Credibility: She makes special trips to all the different places before she writes a book. She gives special thanks to Wildlife Resource Center in Delmar, New York.
Access Features: Front jacket cover provides an overview of the book. Back cover lists other books by Gibbons. There is a page with additional facts on it.
Summary: An informative book about the different kinds of ducks and how they survive in the environment. Ducks live everywhere, except in Antarctica. They are put into two groups, dabbling and diving basically because of eating habits. Many ducks are losing their habitats because of building new homes, highways, and factories. There are conservations groups working to saving their homes.
Illustrations: Watercolors
Text Structure: Descriptive
Tone: conversational
Response: I like it when I find out new stuff. I found out that there are over 150 different kinds of ducks and they are divided into to groups. The drake (male) does not stick around to help raise the young ducklings. Isn’t that just like a man? (smile)
Science Processes: Classify, observing, predicting, and inferring.
Related Books:
Great Black Heroes: Five Brilliant Scientists #31
Lynda Jones
Ron Garnett, Illustrator
Jones, Lynda. (2002). Great black heroes: Five brilliant scientists. New York:
Scholastic.
Awards: I was not able to find any awards.
Grade Level: 2-3
Standards: Life and Physical Science (Botany, Medicine, Marine Biology, and Chemistry)
Author’s Credibility: Jones acknowledgments Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, NYPL, Long Island Historical Society, and many others that provided their services.
Summary: A short biography of five African Americans who did not quit in spite of their obstacles. The book describes their early lives and their notable achievements made by these five black scientists: Susan McKinney Stewart (MD), George Washington Carver (Agricultural), Ernest Everett Just (Marine), Percy Lavon Julian (Chemist, glaucoma), and Shirley Ann Jackson (Nuclear Physicist).
Access Features: A note to the parents that provide strategies for before, during, and after reading.
Illustrations: Photographs, oil on canvas, and paintings.
Genre: Biography
Text: Chronological
Use: I would this in an independent center because the text is short and simple enough for independent reading.
Response: You can relate to diseases or other situations when you know about them. You hear about events or situations all the time, but you don’t react to them. When I read that Percy Julian discovered glaucoma, it was like I know him because now I can associate glaucoma with him. I hear that word all the time when I go for eye examinations.
Related Books:
Five Brave Explorers and Five Notable Inventors, Lynda Jones.
Lynda Jones
Ron Garnett, Illustrator
Jones, Lynda. (2002). Great black heroes: Five brilliant scientists. New York:
Scholastic.
Awards: I was not able to find any awards.
Grade Level: 2-3
Standards: Life and Physical Science (Botany, Medicine, Marine Biology, and Chemistry)
Author’s Credibility: Jones acknowledgments Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, NYPL, Long Island Historical Society, and many others that provided their services.
Summary: A short biography of five African Americans who did not quit in spite of their obstacles. The book describes their early lives and their notable achievements made by these five black scientists: Susan McKinney Stewart (MD), George Washington Carver (Agricultural), Ernest Everett Just (Marine), Percy Lavon Julian (Chemist, glaucoma), and Shirley Ann Jackson (Nuclear Physicist).
Access Features: A note to the parents that provide strategies for before, during, and after reading.
Illustrations: Photographs, oil on canvas, and paintings.
Genre: Biography
Text: Chronological
Use: I would this in an independent center because the text is short and simple enough for independent reading.
Response: You can relate to diseases or other situations when you know about them. You hear about events or situations all the time, but you don’t react to them. When I read that Percy Julian discovered glaucoma, it was like I know him because now I can associate glaucoma with him. I hear that word all the time when I go for eye examinations.
Related Books:
Five Brave Explorers and Five Notable Inventors, Lynda Jones.
Bog Mummies: Preserved in Peat #30
Charlotte Wilcox
Wilcox, Charlotte. (2003). Bog mummies: Preserved in peat. Mankato: Capstone.
Awards: Science Trade Book
Grade Level: 3-6
Genre: Informational
Standards: Science As Inquiry (History and Nature of Science, Anthropology, Archaeology, and Paleontology)
Author’s Credibility: Credits were given to National Museum of Denmark, Silkeborg Museum, Denmark, Hulton Archive by Getty Images and others.
Access Features: Contents, index, words to know, places of interests, Internet sites, map sidebars, and suggested books.
Summary: Describes how bog mummies are found and how they are preserved. Most of the mummies have been found in Europe, Denmark, and Germany. Scientists believe peat and sphagnum moss have helped slow down the decaying of the bodies. The hands were the most preserved part of the body. Scientists also believe most bog mummies were victims of human sacrifice.
Illustrations: Photographs
Text: Descriptive
Use: This book is not appropriate for my second grade students, but I would use it as a resource when we do our dinosaur digs.
Response: These bog mummies have been buried for thousands of years. It is amazing how the bodies are still intact. It was an interesting book. Some of the photographs were a little too vivid for me, but you know that’s what kids like. That “gross stuff”. It reminded me of the Pompeii book.
Science Processes: Observing, classifying, inferring, experimenting, predicting, measuring
Related Books:
Bog Bodies, Janet Buell
Bodies From the Bog, James Deem
Mummies, Bones, and Body Parts, Charlotte Wilcox
Charlotte Wilcox
Wilcox, Charlotte. (2003). Bog mummies: Preserved in peat. Mankato: Capstone.
Awards: Science Trade Book
Grade Level: 3-6
Genre: Informational
Standards: Science As Inquiry (History and Nature of Science, Anthropology, Archaeology, and Paleontology)
Author’s Credibility: Credits were given to National Museum of Denmark, Silkeborg Museum, Denmark, Hulton Archive by Getty Images and others.
Access Features: Contents, index, words to know, places of interests, Internet sites, map sidebars, and suggested books.
Summary: Describes how bog mummies are found and how they are preserved. Most of the mummies have been found in Europe, Denmark, and Germany. Scientists believe peat and sphagnum moss have helped slow down the decaying of the bodies. The hands were the most preserved part of the body. Scientists also believe most bog mummies were victims of human sacrifice.
Illustrations: Photographs
Text: Descriptive
Use: This book is not appropriate for my second grade students, but I would use it as a resource when we do our dinosaur digs.
Response: These bog mummies have been buried for thousands of years. It is amazing how the bodies are still intact. It was an interesting book. Some of the photographs were a little too vivid for me, but you know that’s what kids like. That “gross stuff”. It reminded me of the Pompeii book.
Science Processes: Observing, classifying, inferring, experimenting, predicting, measuring
Related Books:
Bog Bodies, Janet Buell
Bodies From the Bog, James Deem
Mummies, Bones, and Body Parts, Charlotte Wilcox
Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till #29
Chris Crowe
Crowe, Chris. (2003). Getting away with murder: The true story of the Emmett Till
case. New York: Dial.
Awards: Jane Addams Honor Book
Grade Level: 4-8
Standards: Social Studies: Discover how democratic values were established and have been exemplified by people, events, and symbols. (History, Civil Rights)
Author Credibility: Crowe interviewed Till’s mother and also did extensive research on this topic.
Summary: This is a great book about the story of Emmett Till. Emmett Till, a young naive boy from Chicago, visits his family in Mississippi and never returns home again. This book chronologically discusses the events that happened before and after his death including the court case.
Illustrations: Archival black and white photographs that will put you right there on the scene. The most memorable one is the photograph of Emmett’s mother when the casket arrived in Chicago. I could really feel her pain as I examined that photograph.
Access Features: The front cover contains a photograph of Till with lines drawn to the title and the house where he stayed in Mississippi. The book has a table of contents with titles for all the chapters. Text is written under the photographs.
Response: When I was reading this book, I made a connection with another reading class where the group did a report on Emmett Till. When Emmett’s mother had to identify his body. She said that was the hardest thing that she had to do because his body was so badly mutilated. That was the hardest part for me to read. I cried during the whole book.
Use. This book would be appropriate for grades 4-8, but I would use it in collaboration with teaching students about the struggles that blacks had to endure just because of their race.
Related Text:
Mississippi Burning Trial by Bill Scheppler
Chris Crowe
Crowe, Chris. (2003). Getting away with murder: The true story of the Emmett Till
case. New York: Dial.
Awards: Jane Addams Honor Book
Grade Level: 4-8
Standards: Social Studies: Discover how democratic values were established and have been exemplified by people, events, and symbols. (History, Civil Rights)
Author Credibility: Crowe interviewed Till’s mother and also did extensive research on this topic.
Summary: This is a great book about the story of Emmett Till. Emmett Till, a young naive boy from Chicago, visits his family in Mississippi and never returns home again. This book chronologically discusses the events that happened before and after his death including the court case.
Illustrations: Archival black and white photographs that will put you right there on the scene. The most memorable one is the photograph of Emmett’s mother when the casket arrived in Chicago. I could really feel her pain as I examined that photograph.
Access Features: The front cover contains a photograph of Till with lines drawn to the title and the house where he stayed in Mississippi. The book has a table of contents with titles for all the chapters. Text is written under the photographs.
Response: When I was reading this book, I made a connection with another reading class where the group did a report on Emmett Till. When Emmett’s mother had to identify his body. She said that was the hardest thing that she had to do because his body was so badly mutilated. That was the hardest part for me to read. I cried during the whole book.
Use. This book would be appropriate for grades 4-8, but I would use it in collaboration with teaching students about the struggles that blacks had to endure just because of their race.
Related Text:
Mississippi Burning Trial by Bill Scheppler
Into the Words: John James Audubon Lives His Dream #28
Robert Burleigh
Wendell Minor, Illustrator
Burleigh, Robert. (2003). Into the woods: John James Audubon lives his dream. New York: Atheneum.
Awards: CBC/NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
Grade Level: 3-6
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Explain the importance of supporting certain beliefs, values, and principles.
(History, Civics, Economics)
Summary: This extraordinary biography is about the life of John James Audubon. It is about an imaginary letter written to his father explaining why he has chosen his way of living. His father thinks that he does not know which life path to choose, so he is always telling him what he should do. Audubon always knew what he wanted to do, which was to be in the woods. He wanted to explore, record, and to paint all species of birds that he could find. The topic of living your dream is an excellent one to use for this book.
Author’s Credibility: Quotations in script were taken from Audubon’s journal, which further emphasize the profound worldview of this remarkable man. Burleigh was fascinated with Audubon's life.
Illustrations: Watercolors. Each one captures a very special moment for Audubon. The illustrations invite you to look at them first, before you read the text. Some of them showed very up-close images of the wildlife that Audubon painted.
Access Features: The author’s note in the front gives an brief overview of the story. There is also a brief biography about Audubon in the back.
Response: This book is appropriate for independent reading in grades 3-6. It is a wonderful read aloud for grades K-2.
This book reminded me of Barbara Kerley’s biography about Walt Whitman. Both books are about stories of great men who followed their dreams. This book also reminded me that Whitman and Audubon both took pride in their work. Watercolors were also used in both books.
Text Structure: I liked the way the text was written. It was very easy to read. The cursive text gave very vivid details about Audubon’s journey. Some of the text was written in a style like poetry. The different styles of texts grabbbed your attention and made you want to read on without stopping. That's what I want for all children!
Robert Burleigh
Wendell Minor, Illustrator
Burleigh, Robert. (2003). Into the woods: John James Audubon lives his dream. New York: Atheneum.
Awards: CBC/NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
Grade Level: 3-6
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Explain the importance of supporting certain beliefs, values, and principles.
(History, Civics, Economics)
Summary: This extraordinary biography is about the life of John James Audubon. It is about an imaginary letter written to his father explaining why he has chosen his way of living. His father thinks that he does not know which life path to choose, so he is always telling him what he should do. Audubon always knew what he wanted to do, which was to be in the woods. He wanted to explore, record, and to paint all species of birds that he could find. The topic of living your dream is an excellent one to use for this book.
Author’s Credibility: Quotations in script were taken from Audubon’s journal, which further emphasize the profound worldview of this remarkable man. Burleigh was fascinated with Audubon's life.
Illustrations: Watercolors. Each one captures a very special moment for Audubon. The illustrations invite you to look at them first, before you read the text. Some of them showed very up-close images of the wildlife that Audubon painted.
Access Features: The author’s note in the front gives an brief overview of the story. There is also a brief biography about Audubon in the back.
Response: This book is appropriate for independent reading in grades 3-6. It is a wonderful read aloud for grades K-2.
This book reminded me of Barbara Kerley’s biography about Walt Whitman. Both books are about stories of great men who followed their dreams. This book also reminded me that Whitman and Audubon both took pride in their work. Watercolors were also used in both books.
Text Structure: I liked the way the text was written. It was very easy to read. The cursive text gave very vivid details about Audubon’s journey. Some of the text was written in a style like poetry. The different styles of texts grabbbed your attention and made you want to read on without stopping. That's what I want for all children!
Monday, July 23, 2007
The Mississippi Burning Trial: A Primary Source Account #27
Bill Scheppler
Scheppler, Bill. (2004). The mississippi burning trial: A primary source account.
New York: Rosen Publishing.
Grade Level: 4-8
Awards:
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Acquire the characteristics to be a responsible citizen (voting process)
History, Civics, Economics
Author Credibility: Scheppler used actual photographs and documents to do his research.
Summary: This book talked about the continuous struggle for equal rights for African Americans. Three strangers on the same mission were murdered in cold blood for what they believed in.
Illustrations: The illustrations were actual photographs from the court case. They also included other important people during that time period. All were in black and white except the ones with the plaque dedicated to those brave men.
Access Features: There are various maps that go along with the text as it is written. There is a diagram of the interior of the Neshoba County Jail that aids in the understanding of how they were treated.
Text Structure: Descriptive
Tone: Partisan
Response: I was very interested in this book after hearing about it. I never really knew the full story behind what happened and why. I just knew three civil rights activists were killed in Mississippi. It just goes to show you how hard it was for all people. I only became interested after reading the story about Emmett Till. It made me want to learn more about my history as an African American.
Related Text: Getting Away With Murder by Chris
Bill Scheppler
Scheppler, Bill. (2004). The mississippi burning trial: A primary source account.
New York: Rosen Publishing.
Grade Level: 4-8
Awards:
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Acquire the characteristics to be a responsible citizen (voting process)
History, Civics, Economics
Author Credibility: Scheppler used actual photographs and documents to do his research.
Summary: This book talked about the continuous struggle for equal rights for African Americans. Three strangers on the same mission were murdered in cold blood for what they believed in.
Illustrations: The illustrations were actual photographs from the court case. They also included other important people during that time period. All were in black and white except the ones with the plaque dedicated to those brave men.
Access Features: There are various maps that go along with the text as it is written. There is a diagram of the interior of the Neshoba County Jail that aids in the understanding of how they were treated.
Text Structure: Descriptive
Tone: Partisan
Response: I was very interested in this book after hearing about it. I never really knew the full story behind what happened and why. I just knew three civil rights activists were killed in Mississippi. It just goes to show you how hard it was for all people. I only became interested after reading the story about Emmett Till. It made me want to learn more about my history as an African American.
Related Text: Getting Away With Murder by Chris
Blue Sky Bluebird #26
Rick Chrustowski
Chrustowski: Rick. (2004). Blue sky bluebird. New York: Henry Holt.
Awards: Wisconsin Winter’s Essay Award
Grade Level 2-4
Genre: Informational
Content Area: Science
Standards: Life Science (Birds, habitats, growth development)
Access Features: Bluebird News, a page that gives more background information about blue birds.
Author’s Credibility: Rick loves to learn about nature, and while he was making this book he spent lots of time studying a family of blue birds that live in a nest box he made for them.
Illustrations: The artist used up to forty layers of colored pencil over watercolor wash on 140 pounds of watercolor paper to create the illustrations for this book.
Summary: The book discusses a family of bluebirds and how quickly they grow and become independent. When the fledglings (babies) are old enough to collect their food, the parents renew their mating bond and the process starts all over again.
Tone: Conversational
Text: Descriptive
Response: This book reminded me of the Ducks’ book by Gail Gibbons. Ducks develop quickly also.
Related books:
Bright Beetle, Rick Chrustowski; Army Ant Parada, April Pulley
Rick Chrustowski
Chrustowski: Rick. (2004). Blue sky bluebird. New York: Henry Holt.
Awards: Wisconsin Winter’s Essay Award
Grade Level 2-4
Genre: Informational
Content Area: Science
Standards: Life Science (Birds, habitats, growth development)
Access Features: Bluebird News, a page that gives more background information about blue birds.
Author’s Credibility: Rick loves to learn about nature, and while he was making this book he spent lots of time studying a family of blue birds that live in a nest box he made for them.
Illustrations: The artist used up to forty layers of colored pencil over watercolor wash on 140 pounds of watercolor paper to create the illustrations for this book.
Summary: The book discusses a family of bluebirds and how quickly they grow and become independent. When the fledglings (babies) are old enough to collect their food, the parents renew their mating bond and the process starts all over again.
Tone: Conversational
Text: Descriptive
Response: This book reminded me of the Ducks’ book by Gail Gibbons. Ducks develop quickly also.
Related books:
Bright Beetle, Rick Chrustowski; Army Ant Parada, April Pulley
Clarence Thomas: Fighting with Words #25
David R. Collins
Rosalie M. Shepherd, Illustrated
Collins, D. (2003). Clarence Thomas: Fighting with words. Gretna: Pelican
Awards: Coretta Scott King
Grade Level: K-3
Genre: Biography
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Social Studies (Explain the importance of American sharing history and supporting certain values principals and beliefs of historical figures.)
Access Features: None
Author’s Credibility: The late David R. Collins published over sixty books for young readers during his lifetime. He was an admired and respected educator. This was his last book.
Illustrators: Oils, acrylics, charcoal, and watercolors
Summary: Clarence Thomas knew all about being poor and growing up in a segregated town. But he remembered his grandfather words, “God rewards a hard worker.” His hard work paid off for him when he was appointed the 106th justice of the United States Supreme Court in 1991.
Tone: Conversational
Voice: Calming
Text Structure: Chronological
Use: Black History unit and Supreme Court Judges
Response: This book takes a look at the past and the present. It will encourage readers not to give up on their dreams.
David R. Collins
Rosalie M. Shepherd, Illustrated
Collins, D. (2003). Clarence Thomas: Fighting with words. Gretna: Pelican
Awards: Coretta Scott King
Grade Level: K-3
Genre: Biography
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Social Studies (Explain the importance of American sharing history and supporting certain values principals and beliefs of historical figures.)
Access Features: None
Author’s Credibility: The late David R. Collins published over sixty books for young readers during his lifetime. He was an admired and respected educator. This was his last book.
Illustrators: Oils, acrylics, charcoal, and watercolors
Summary: Clarence Thomas knew all about being poor and growing up in a segregated town. But he remembered his grandfather words, “God rewards a hard worker.” His hard work paid off for him when he was appointed the 106th justice of the United States Supreme Court in 1991.
Tone: Conversational
Voice: Calming
Text Structure: Chronological
Use: Black History unit and Supreme Court Judges
Response: This book takes a look at the past and the present. It will encourage readers not to give up on their dreams.
Play, Mozart, Play #24
Peter Sis
Sis, Peter. (2006). Play, mozart, play! Greenwillow
Grade Level: K-2
Awards: New York Time Best Illustrated Book; Bologna-Ragazzi Award
Genre: Biography
Content Area: Music
Standards: Social Studies: Integrate, connect, and apply social studies into other subject areas in everyday life. (Composers)
Access Features: Biography page
Illustrations: Black line and watercolors were used to prepare the full-color art.
Author’s Credibility: There was no information about the author in the book.
Tone: Partisan
Voice:
Text Structure: Simple and easy to read text; not much text on a page
Summary: Mozart never attended school because his father did not let him go. Since his father was a well-respected musician, he taught Mozart and his sister music at home. Mozart began playing the piano at five. He did not get a chance to play with other children because he had to practice, practice, and play!
Use: I would use this book to point out the different places in the book and talk about them. Let the children find the places on the map.
Response: This is a simple book to introduce children to music. I do think music is important, but not so much to the point that a person is deprived of his childhood. Play is important for children.
Peter Sis
Sis, Peter. (2006). Play, mozart, play! Greenwillow
Grade Level: K-2
Awards: New York Time Best Illustrated Book; Bologna-Ragazzi Award
Genre: Biography
Content Area: Music
Standards: Social Studies: Integrate, connect, and apply social studies into other subject areas in everyday life. (Composers)
Access Features: Biography page
Illustrations: Black line and watercolors were used to prepare the full-color art.
Author’s Credibility: There was no information about the author in the book.
Tone: Partisan
Voice:
Text Structure: Simple and easy to read text; not much text on a page
Summary: Mozart never attended school because his father did not let him go. Since his father was a well-respected musician, he taught Mozart and his sister music at home. Mozart began playing the piano at five. He did not get a chance to play with other children because he had to practice, practice, and play!
Use: I would use this book to point out the different places in the book and talk about them. Let the children find the places on the map.
Response: This is a simple book to introduce children to music. I do think music is important, but not so much to the point that a person is deprived of his childhood. Play is important for children.
Langston’s Train Ride #23
Robert Burleigh
Leonard Jenkins, Illustrated
Burleigh, R. (2004). Langston’s train ride. New York: Orchard
Awards: Best Children’s Book of the Year
Grade Level: 1-4
Genre: Picture Book
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: History and Social Studies
Access Features: Author’s note, afterword
Author’s Credibility: Robert is the acclaimed author of several books for young people, including Into the Woods; Earth From Above for Young Readers; Flight: The Journey of Charles Lindbergh; and Home Run. He is also a painter.
Illustrations: Bold colorful chalk illustrations
Text Structure: Descriptive
Voice: Doubt
Tone: Conversational
Summary: Langston is having trouble believing that he can be a poet as good as all the other poets that he knows. On the long train ride to visit his father, Langston comes up with some words that sound good to them. He writes the words on an envelope (father’s letter) so that he would not forget the words. This would become his first famous poet: The Negro Speaks of Rivers.
Use: I would use this book with poets and with art. The book has some beautiful illustrations. I like for my students to try their hands at drawing and sketching.
Response: This book reminded me of Francis Scott Key. When the words to the Star Spangled Banner came to his mind, Francis wrote them on an envelope just like Langston wrote his poem on an envelope.
Related Books: It’s Funny Where Ben’s Train Takes Him – Robert Burleigh
Into the Woods – Robert Burleigh
Robert Burleigh
Leonard Jenkins, Illustrated
Burleigh, R. (2004). Langston’s train ride. New York: Orchard
Awards: Best Children’s Book of the Year
Grade Level: 1-4
Genre: Picture Book
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: History and Social Studies
Access Features: Author’s note, afterword
Author’s Credibility: Robert is the acclaimed author of several books for young people, including Into the Woods; Earth From Above for Young Readers; Flight: The Journey of Charles Lindbergh; and Home Run. He is also a painter.
Illustrations: Bold colorful chalk illustrations
Text Structure: Descriptive
Voice: Doubt
Tone: Conversational
Summary: Langston is having trouble believing that he can be a poet as good as all the other poets that he knows. On the long train ride to visit his father, Langston comes up with some words that sound good to them. He writes the words on an envelope (father’s letter) so that he would not forget the words. This would become his first famous poet: The Negro Speaks of Rivers.
Use: I would use this book with poets and with art. The book has some beautiful illustrations. I like for my students to try their hands at drawing and sketching.
Response: This book reminded me of Francis Scott Key. When the words to the Star Spangled Banner came to his mind, Francis wrote them on an envelope just like Langston wrote his poem on an envelope.
Related Books: It’s Funny Where Ben’s Train Takes Him – Robert Burleigh
Into the Woods – Robert Burleigh
George Washington’s Teeth #22
Deborah Chandra & Madeline Comora
Brock Cole, Illustrator
Chandra, D. & Comora, M. (2003). George Washington’s teeth. New York: Farrar Straus
Giroux.
Awards: Parent's Choice; Creative Collaboration in Nonfiction
Grade Level: 1-3
Genre: Narrative
Standards: Social studies: Explains the importance of Americans sharing history of certain values, principles, and belief of historical figures (History Economies)
Science: Health
Content Area: Social Studies; Science
Access Features: Time line of events in George Washington’s life; Time line sources, and acknowledgments
Author’s Credibility: The authors wish to acknowledge the following for their help: Mount Vernon Ladies Association, Mount Vernon National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian, The Papers of George Washington Project, and the University of Virginia.
Illustrations: Photographs, oil on canvas, pastel on paper, and oil on panel
Summary: George Washington had a problem with his teeth most of his life. By age twenty-two, he had lost two and almost every year after that he would lose a tooth. He eventually lost all his teeth and the dentist had to make him a set of false teeth.
Tone: Narrative
Voice: Poetic, rhyming
Text Structure: Problem/Solution
Response: This was such a funny book! I enjoyed it. I did not know that George had problems with his teeth. This is the first time I heard of it. I would use this book with my class when we honor George Washington on President’s Day. They would love this book because they could relate to teeth because of their teeth.
Deborah Chandra & Madeline Comora
Brock Cole, Illustrator
Chandra, D. & Comora, M. (2003). George Washington’s teeth. New York: Farrar Straus
Giroux.
Awards: Parent's Choice; Creative Collaboration in Nonfiction
Grade Level: 1-3
Genre: Narrative
Standards: Social studies: Explains the importance of Americans sharing history of certain values, principles, and belief of historical figures (History Economies)
Science: Health
Content Area: Social Studies; Science
Access Features: Time line of events in George Washington’s life; Time line sources, and acknowledgments
Author’s Credibility: The authors wish to acknowledge the following for their help: Mount Vernon Ladies Association, Mount Vernon National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian, The Papers of George Washington Project, and the University of Virginia.
Illustrations: Photographs, oil on canvas, pastel on paper, and oil on panel
Summary: George Washington had a problem with his teeth most of his life. By age twenty-two, he had lost two and almost every year after that he would lose a tooth. He eventually lost all his teeth and the dentist had to make him a set of false teeth.
Tone: Narrative
Voice: Poetic, rhyming
Text Structure: Problem/Solution
Response: This was such a funny book! I enjoyed it. I did not know that George had problems with his teeth. This is the first time I heard of it. I would use this book with my class when we honor George Washington on President’s Day. They would love this book because they could relate to teeth because of their teeth.
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? #21
Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Jenkins, S. & Page, R. (2003). What do you do with a tail like this? New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Awards: Caldecott Honor Award
Grade Level: K-4
Genre: Informational
Illustrations: water-colored and cut-paper college
Content Area: Science
Standards: Science: sense organs, animal physiology
Access features: Glossary of all the animals in the story, more detailed information was given about the animals.
Author’s Credibility: Steven Jenkins has won awards such as ALA Notable, Boston Globe Horn Book and School Library Journal Best Book. He has also illustrated books for other authors.
Summary: In a beautiful created picture book, Jenkins uses six animal parts (nose, ears, eyes, tail, mouth, and legs) to tell how each animal uses its body part.
Tone: Conversational
Voice: Pleasant
Text structure: Descriptive
Use: I would use it with the science unit on animals. I would have the students to predict what the answer to the next question. On each page, a question is asked, “What do you do with ears like these?”
Response: This book reminded me of the book, Stars Stars! I liked this book for the illustrations
Related Books: By Steve Jenkins
Slap, Squeak, and Scatter: How animals Communicate; Animals in Flight; What Do You Do When Something Wants to Eat You?
Science Processes: Observing, classifying
Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Jenkins, S. & Page, R. (2003). What do you do with a tail like this? New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Awards: Caldecott Honor Award
Grade Level: K-4
Genre: Informational
Illustrations: water-colored and cut-paper college
Content Area: Science
Standards: Science: sense organs, animal physiology
Access features: Glossary of all the animals in the story, more detailed information was given about the animals.
Author’s Credibility: Steven Jenkins has won awards such as ALA Notable, Boston Globe Horn Book and School Library Journal Best Book. He has also illustrated books for other authors.
Summary: In a beautiful created picture book, Jenkins uses six animal parts (nose, ears, eyes, tail, mouth, and legs) to tell how each animal uses its body part.
Tone: Conversational
Voice: Pleasant
Text structure: Descriptive
Use: I would use it with the science unit on animals. I would have the students to predict what the answer to the next question. On each page, a question is asked, “What do you do with ears like these?”
Response: This book reminded me of the book, Stars Stars! I liked this book for the illustrations
Related Books: By Steve Jenkins
Slap, Squeak, and Scatter: How animals Communicate; Animals in Flight; What Do You Do When Something Wants to Eat You?
Science Processes: Observing, classifying
Sunday, July 22, 2007
A Seed Is Sleepy #20
Dianne Hutts Aston
Aston, Dianne Hutts. (2007). A seed is sleepy. San Francisco: Chronicle.
Awards: School Library Book
Grade Level: K-3
Content Area: Science
Standards: Life Science (classify, environment, ecology)
Author’s Credibility: Dianne does a lot of investigation in her backyard with her children. Dianne and Sylvia have won several awards on books that they worked on together. Sylvia says that her love for animals and the outdoors inspire her to include them her in paintings.
Summary: An information book that introduces children to the many kinds of seeds and plant facts. The author uses beautiful illustrations to describe how seeds grow and move through the environment. The text is written in a soft and poetic tone. It is very descriptive showing other seeds, diagrams, and charts on an oversized page. Sometimes the illustrations are a two-page spread because they are so big.
Access Features: Endpapers are covered with all kinds of seeds and their names. On the jacket cover, there is information about the author and illustrator.
Illustrations: Ink and watercolors
Tone: Conversational, soft
Classroom Use: I would use with plants, but also with language to identify verbs and adjectives.
Response: This book is by the same author (Aston) of An Egg Is Quiet that Debbie read last week. When I began to read the book, I could not hear myself reading. I could only hear Debbie’s voice coming through reading softly and quietly. I could even see her face. Isn’t that something?
I also liked the way the author used personification in the book. She acted like the seed was a person going somewhere.
Science Processes: Classifying, inferring, predicting, observing
Dianne Hutts Aston
Aston, Dianne Hutts. (2007). A seed is sleepy. San Francisco: Chronicle.
Awards: School Library Book
Grade Level: K-3
Content Area: Science
Standards: Life Science (classify, environment, ecology)
Author’s Credibility: Dianne does a lot of investigation in her backyard with her children. Dianne and Sylvia have won several awards on books that they worked on together. Sylvia says that her love for animals and the outdoors inspire her to include them her in paintings.
Summary: An information book that introduces children to the many kinds of seeds and plant facts. The author uses beautiful illustrations to describe how seeds grow and move through the environment. The text is written in a soft and poetic tone. It is very descriptive showing other seeds, diagrams, and charts on an oversized page. Sometimes the illustrations are a two-page spread because they are so big.
Access Features: Endpapers are covered with all kinds of seeds and their names. On the jacket cover, there is information about the author and illustrator.
Illustrations: Ink and watercolors
Tone: Conversational, soft
Classroom Use: I would use with plants, but also with language to identify verbs and adjectives.
Response: This book is by the same author (Aston) of An Egg Is Quiet that Debbie read last week. When I began to read the book, I could not hear myself reading. I could only hear Debbie’s voice coming through reading softly and quietly. I could even see her face. Isn’t that something?
I also liked the way the author used personification in the book. She acted like the seed was a person going somewhere.
Science Processes: Classifying, inferring, predicting, observing
Let’s Talk about Racism #19
Bruce Sanders
Sanders, Bruce. (2006). Let’s talk about racism. Mankato: Stargazer.
Awards: I was not able to find any awards.
Genre: Informational
Grade Level: 2-5
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Social Studies: Discover the relationship among people, places, and environments (history, civics, geography, economics)
Author’s Credibility: The author acknowledges the credit of Johnson Space Centre/NASA, Digital Vision, Marie-Helene Bradley, and Brand X Pictures, but there was not anything about him.
Summary: The author gives some important reasons why racism and prejudices occur in the world. He and the students would talk about and discuss the issue. In sidebars, there would be some real-life accounts from students on how they were affected by racism. The book also offers some suggestions on how students can handle racism through positive reinforcements.
Access Features: Contents, index, related books, contact information, sidebars, and photo credits.
Illustrations: Photographs have been reproduced from models or photographic agencies.
Tone: Partisan
Response: I see the need for such a book in my classroom. Students can be so cruel to each other. They seem to find whatever weakness another person may have and tease them about it. Since my school district is predominately black, I am not bother with the race issue, but some many other stereotype issues. I would use this book to discuss how racism and prejudices can hurt and harm children. I can also talk how and why we are different and that makes us special and interesting.
Related Books:
How Do I Feel about Dealing with Racism? Jen Green
Let’s Talk about Bullying, Bruce Sanders
Bruce Sanders
Sanders, Bruce. (2006). Let’s talk about racism. Mankato: Stargazer.
Awards: I was not able to find any awards.
Genre: Informational
Grade Level: 2-5
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: Social Studies: Discover the relationship among people, places, and environments (history, civics, geography, economics)
Author’s Credibility: The author acknowledges the credit of Johnson Space Centre/NASA, Digital Vision, Marie-Helene Bradley, and Brand X Pictures, but there was not anything about him.
Summary: The author gives some important reasons why racism and prejudices occur in the world. He and the students would talk about and discuss the issue. In sidebars, there would be some real-life accounts from students on how they were affected by racism. The book also offers some suggestions on how students can handle racism through positive reinforcements.
Access Features: Contents, index, related books, contact information, sidebars, and photo credits.
Illustrations: Photographs have been reproduced from models or photographic agencies.
Tone: Partisan
Response: I see the need for such a book in my classroom. Students can be so cruel to each other. They seem to find whatever weakness another person may have and tease them about it. Since my school district is predominately black, I am not bother with the race issue, but some many other stereotype issues. I would use this book to discuss how racism and prejudices can hurt and harm children. I can also talk how and why we are different and that makes us special and interesting.
Related Books:
How Do I Feel about Dealing with Racism? Jen Green
Let’s Talk about Bullying, Bruce Sanders
Plants Grow From Seeds #18
Rachel Mann
Mann, Rachel. (2004). Plants grow from seeds. Minneapolis: Compass Point.
Awards: I could not find any awards.
Grade Level: Prek-2
Genre: Informational
Content Area: Science
Author’s Credibility: There was nothing on the author in the book.
Illustrations: Photographs
Summary: It has easy to read text for young readers. It explains how plants begin as seeds. It takes the reader through the process of planting a seed and watches how it grows. The book is from a series of informational books called Compass Point Phonics Readers. It has phonic instructions as one of its focus.
Access Features: Contents, note to parents, nursery rhyme, word list, concentration game, read more, index and an experiment.
Standards: Science: Life cycle of plants
Response: Although this is a simple book, it has some great ideas and teaching strategies. The phonic instruction is taught through the nursery rhyme. The concentration game reinforces the words from the word list. There is an experiment about growing a plant that is simple enough for the children to do at home. I would use all these ideas with my plant study. Students could identify the science processes as they conduct the experiment.
Science Processes: Observing, predicting, measuring, experimenting
Further Readings:
Plant Packages: A Book about Seeds, Susan Blackaby
Life Cycle of a Bean, Angela Royston
Seeds: Growing Flowers Series, Gail Saunders-Smith
Plants: Simply Science Series, Melissa Stewart
Rachel Mann
Mann, Rachel. (2004). Plants grow from seeds. Minneapolis: Compass Point.
Awards: I could not find any awards.
Grade Level: Prek-2
Genre: Informational
Content Area: Science
Author’s Credibility: There was nothing on the author in the book.
Illustrations: Photographs
Summary: It has easy to read text for young readers. It explains how plants begin as seeds. It takes the reader through the process of planting a seed and watches how it grows. The book is from a series of informational books called Compass Point Phonics Readers. It has phonic instructions as one of its focus.
Access Features: Contents, note to parents, nursery rhyme, word list, concentration game, read more, index and an experiment.
Standards: Science: Life cycle of plants
Response: Although this is a simple book, it has some great ideas and teaching strategies. The phonic instruction is taught through the nursery rhyme. The concentration game reinforces the words from the word list. There is an experiment about growing a plant that is simple enough for the children to do at home. I would use all these ideas with my plant study. Students could identify the science processes as they conduct the experiment.
Science Processes: Observing, predicting, measuring, experimenting
Further Readings:
Plant Packages: A Book about Seeds, Susan Blackaby
Life Cycle of a Bean, Angela Royston
Seeds: Growing Flowers Series, Gail Saunders-Smith
Plants: Simply Science Series, Melissa Stewart
American Symbols: Ellis Island #17
Terri Degezelle
Degezelle, Terri. (2004). American symbols: ellis island. Minnesota: Capstone.
Grade Level: Prek-2
Awards: I was not able to find any awards.
Genre: Informational
Content Area: Social Studies
Author’s Credibility: The author visited the Ellis Island Museum.
Summary: In very simple terms, Degezelle explains how the United States acquired the island. Ellis Island became known as the “stopping off” place for immigrants coming into the United States.
Standards: Identify state and national symbols (History, Civics, Geography, Economics)
Access Features: Contents, map, timeline, hands-on activity, words to know, facts about Ellis Island, further readings, index, and Internet sites.
Illustrations: Modern and archival photographs, maps, and illustrations.
Text Structure: Descriptive
Use in Classroom: I would use with my study on American Symbols
Response: I am glad that I picked up this book. I have never thought of Ellis Island as belonging to anyone except the United States. It was named Samuel Ellis and it belonged to his family from 1770-1808. The United States bought the island from the Ellis' family in 1808.
Further Readings:
Ellis Island, Cynthia Klingel
Ellis Island: We the People, Lucia Roatman
Terri Degezelle
Degezelle, Terri. (2004). American symbols: ellis island. Minnesota: Capstone.
Grade Level: Prek-2
Awards: I was not able to find any awards.
Genre: Informational
Content Area: Social Studies
Author’s Credibility: The author visited the Ellis Island Museum.
Summary: In very simple terms, Degezelle explains how the United States acquired the island. Ellis Island became known as the “stopping off” place for immigrants coming into the United States.
Standards: Identify state and national symbols (History, Civics, Geography, Economics)
Access Features: Contents, map, timeline, hands-on activity, words to know, facts about Ellis Island, further readings, index, and Internet sites.
Illustrations: Modern and archival photographs, maps, and illustrations.
Text Structure: Descriptive
Use in Classroom: I would use with my study on American Symbols
Response: I am glad that I picked up this book. I have never thought of Ellis Island as belonging to anyone except the United States. It was named Samuel Ellis and it belonged to his family from 1770-1808. The United States bought the island from the Ellis' family in 1808.
Further Readings:
Ellis Island, Cynthia Klingel
Ellis Island: We the People, Lucia Roatman
Body Language #16
Rebecca Weber
Weber, Rebecca. (2005). Body language. Minneapolis: Compass Point.
Awards: Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award
Grade Level: Pre-2
Standards: Social Studies: Various cultures enjoy different styles of language communications.
(History, Social Studies)
Author’s Credibility: Rebecca travels to new places to learn about people and their daily lives. She acknowledges all credits for the photographs used in the book.
Access Features: Contents, index, author’s note, glossary, other books, and a chart of hand signs.
Summary: A simple book that tells how different body language can tell what people are thinking and feeling in other cultures. For example, people lean forward and smile to greet you when they are happy to see you. In Asian cultures, people bow to each other to greet you. But, please be reminded that looks can deceive you sometimes.
Illustrations: Photographs
Tone: Conversational; humorous
Voice: Enjoyment
Science Processes: Inferring, predicting, observing, classifying
Response: This is a good introductory book for the parts of the body. In the book, the children are doing things with their body parts such as waving their hands, bowing their heads, and shaking hands with each other. This is also a good time to talk about inappropriate touching.
Related Books: Body Language, Hossell Price; Body Language, Pam Robson
Rebecca Weber
Weber, Rebecca. (2005). Body language. Minneapolis: Compass Point.
Awards: Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award
Grade Level: Pre-2
Standards: Social Studies: Various cultures enjoy different styles of language communications.
(History, Social Studies)
Author’s Credibility: Rebecca travels to new places to learn about people and their daily lives. She acknowledges all credits for the photographs used in the book.
Access Features: Contents, index, author’s note, glossary, other books, and a chart of hand signs.
Summary: A simple book that tells how different body language can tell what people are thinking and feeling in other cultures. For example, people lean forward and smile to greet you when they are happy to see you. In Asian cultures, people bow to each other to greet you. But, please be reminded that looks can deceive you sometimes.
Illustrations: Photographs
Tone: Conversational; humorous
Voice: Enjoyment
Science Processes: Inferring, predicting, observing, classifying
Response: This is a good introductory book for the parts of the body. In the book, the children are doing things with their body parts such as waving their hands, bowing their heads, and shaking hands with each other. This is also a good time to talk about inappropriate touching.
Related Books: Body Language, Hossell Price; Body Language, Pam Robson
Stars! Stars! Stars! #15
Bob Barner
Barner, Bob. (2002). Stars! stars! stars! California: Chronicle.
Awards: ALA Notable Award
Grade Level: Pre-K -2
Content Area: Science
Genre: Informational
Author’s Credibility: Bob is the author and illustrator of several award-winning non-fiction picture books for children. Bob has a series of science books that follows this same format.
Access Features: The book only has two access features: Meet the Planets and Meet the Universe. Both of these features give more detailed information about the planets and other objects in the universe, similar to a glossary.
Summary: This would be a nice book to introduce the planets and stars to the students. The author uses rhyming words in a poetic tone to help the children understand the concepts. The text is simple and easy for young readers to follow because there is very little text.
Standards: Science (Planets, Stars)
Illustrations: He works with pin, ink, watercolor, and torn and cut paper to come up with his illustrations.
Text Structure: Descriptive
Use: I would use this book at the center for an independent reading. I could also use it to talk about proper nouns and capitalization since the planets are written in bigger text than the other words.
Response: The book has a lot of colorful designs and patterns that the children would enjoy looking at and try to draw. Even drawing the patterns, the children could practice their counting and identify the different shapes of the other objects. Although, the book does not have a lot of text, it has many other concepts that I can use in the classroom.
Science Processes: Observing, predicting, classifying
Related Books: There’s No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System, Tish Rabe
What’s Out There?: A Book About Space, Lynn Wilson
Bob Barner
Barner, Bob. (2002). Stars! stars! stars! California: Chronicle.
Awards: ALA Notable Award
Grade Level: Pre-K -2
Content Area: Science
Genre: Informational
Author’s Credibility: Bob is the author and illustrator of several award-winning non-fiction picture books for children. Bob has a series of science books that follows this same format.
Access Features: The book only has two access features: Meet the Planets and Meet the Universe. Both of these features give more detailed information about the planets and other objects in the universe, similar to a glossary.
Summary: This would be a nice book to introduce the planets and stars to the students. The author uses rhyming words in a poetic tone to help the children understand the concepts. The text is simple and easy for young readers to follow because there is very little text.
Standards: Science (Planets, Stars)
Illustrations: He works with pin, ink, watercolor, and torn and cut paper to come up with his illustrations.
Text Structure: Descriptive
Use: I would use this book at the center for an independent reading. I could also use it to talk about proper nouns and capitalization since the planets are written in bigger text than the other words.
Response: The book has a lot of colorful designs and patterns that the children would enjoy looking at and try to draw. Even drawing the patterns, the children could practice their counting and identify the different shapes of the other objects. Although, the book does not have a lot of text, it has many other concepts that I can use in the classroom.
Science Processes: Observing, predicting, classifying
Related Books: There’s No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System, Tish Rabe
What’s Out There?: A Book About Space, Lynn Wilson
Saturday, July 21, 2007
In Voices of Poetry: Maya Angelou #14
Patricia Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick, Patrick. (2004). In voices of poetry: Maya angelou. Mankato: Creative Education.
Grade Level: 4-8
Awards: McKnight Loft Award in Poetry; Boston Globe-Horn Book Award; Minnesota Book Award Nominee
Standards: Social Studies: History (recognize varieties of family life and cultures; describe diversity in the U. S. and identify its benefits)
Author’s Credibility: Kirkpatrick has published several books for young readers. She has won several awards. In the acknowledgments, she gives credit to all the organizations that helped her for using the photographs and poetry selections in the book.
Summary: This is a biography of the African American poet Maya Angelou. It begins chronologically with her birth in Stamps, Arkansas and covers her Broadway debut, her poem for the President’s Inauguration, and her settling down in North Caroline. She was born Marguerite Johnson, but changed her name after she married Tosh Angelous. The marriage does not work, so she keeps part of his name as her career name. Despite three failed marries, racial barriers, and raped; Maya has achieved many awards including the Pulitzer Prize and the respect of the world.
Illustrations: Illustrations and photographs are used in the book. John Thompson has won several gold and silver awards from the Society of Illustrators. He was also honored with a one-man show at the Museum of American Illustration in New York. He was a 2000 Coretta Scott King Award Finalist for his work in Creative Edition’s Freedom Like Sunlight, a collection of poetry celebrating the achievements of notable black Americans.
Access Features: Headings, acknowledgments, selected works by Maya Angelou, and index
Tone: Conversational
Response: I like reading about Maya. She makes the simplest “stuff” seem so profound. I was surprise when I saw some of the same illustrations and photographs in this book that I had also seen in Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters (McKissacks). Then, I realized that John Thompson illustrated both books. I can use this book with my poetry unit and with Black History unit. I can talk about the contributions that famous black women have made to society.
Suggested Books: Life Doesn’t Frighten Me; My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken, and Me; Kofi and His Magic (all by Maya Angelou)
Patricia Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick, Patrick. (2004). In voices of poetry: Maya angelou. Mankato: Creative Education.
Grade Level: 4-8
Awards: McKnight Loft Award in Poetry; Boston Globe-Horn Book Award; Minnesota Book Award Nominee
Standards: Social Studies: History (recognize varieties of family life and cultures; describe diversity in the U. S. and identify its benefits)
Author’s Credibility: Kirkpatrick has published several books for young readers. She has won several awards. In the acknowledgments, she gives credit to all the organizations that helped her for using the photographs and poetry selections in the book.
Summary: This is a biography of the African American poet Maya Angelou. It begins chronologically with her birth in Stamps, Arkansas and covers her Broadway debut, her poem for the President’s Inauguration, and her settling down in North Caroline. She was born Marguerite Johnson, but changed her name after she married Tosh Angelous. The marriage does not work, so she keeps part of his name as her career name. Despite three failed marries, racial barriers, and raped; Maya has achieved many awards including the Pulitzer Prize and the respect of the world.
Illustrations: Illustrations and photographs are used in the book. John Thompson has won several gold and silver awards from the Society of Illustrators. He was also honored with a one-man show at the Museum of American Illustration in New York. He was a 2000 Coretta Scott King Award Finalist for his work in Creative Edition’s Freedom Like Sunlight, a collection of poetry celebrating the achievements of notable black Americans.
Access Features: Headings, acknowledgments, selected works by Maya Angelou, and index
Tone: Conversational
Response: I like reading about Maya. She makes the simplest “stuff” seem so profound. I was surprise when I saw some of the same illustrations and photographs in this book that I had also seen in Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters (McKissacks). Then, I realized that John Thompson illustrated both books. I can use this book with my poetry unit and with Black History unit. I can talk about the contributions that famous black women have made to society.
Suggested Books: Life Doesn’t Frighten Me; My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken, and Me; Kofi and His Magic (all by Maya Angelou)
Friday, July 20, 2007
York’s Adventures with Lewis and Clark: An African American’s Part in the Great Expedition
Rhoda Blumberg #13
Blumberg, Rhoda. (2004). York adventures with Lewis and Cark: An african american's part in the great expedition. New York: HarperCollins.
Grade Level: 4-8
Awards: ALA Notable Book; Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction; School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year; Orbus Pictus Award
Genre: Biography
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: History: Civics, History, Economics (Describe diversity in the United States and identify its benefits—e.g. cultural traditions and practices, variety of viewpoints)
Access Features: Contents, index, introduction, chapters, endnotes (background information), introduction, illustration credits
Author’s Credibility: Rhoda’s work as an extensive researcher has won her several awards such as the Newbery Honor Book, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, and all ALA Notable Books. She uses the primary documents from the journal entries of Clark’s when he wrote to his brother, Jonathan Clark. James Holmberg, editor of Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark writes the introduction to the book. The story is written in chronological order using a conservational tone. Blumberg enjoyed writing this book and you could hear it in her voice throughout the story.
Rhoda Blumberg selected the illustrations--Reproductions of paintings, photographs, artifacts, prints, and documents. She acknowledges the National Park Service, New York Public Library, American Museum of National History, and several others for their help. The cover page is courtesy of Ed Hamilton, the African American sculptor who built the statue. There is a full picture of York’s statue on the title page.
Summary: This is a partial biography of York, Clark’s personal slave, who went on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Since York was a slave, he did not get any credit for his part in the expedition. He helped to build shelters, carry the equipment, and make friends with the Indians, but his name did not get put on the official report as a member of the Corps of Discovery (the Lewis and Clark expedition group). When the Corps did not have food, York visited the Indians for food. The Indians thought of him as a powerful warrior so they would give him plenty of food. All the other men received land and horses, but York received nothing.
Tone: Conversational, partisan
Text Structure: Chronological
Response: I was so excited about this book. I knew about Sacagawea helping Lewis and Clark on the expedition, but I did not know about York. Clark was so nice and kind to York when they were growing up that it was hard to believe that they were master and slave. After the expedition, York was quickly reminded that he was a slave. For his service on the expedition, he received nothing. Out of his selfishness, Clark allowed York to die a broke and lonely man without any recognition or honor for his part in the Lewis and Clark expedition. In this book, Blumberg gave York the honor and credit he so much deserved. I could use this book to talk about the treatment of slaves, kinds of transportation, and the contribution that York made to the expedition.
Related Books: The Incredible Journey of Lewis and Clark, Rhoda Blumberg; Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark, James Holmberg
Rhoda Blumberg #13
Blumberg, Rhoda. (2004). York adventures with Lewis and Cark: An african american's part in the great expedition. New York: HarperCollins.
Grade Level: 4-8
Awards: ALA Notable Book; Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction; School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year; Orbus Pictus Award
Genre: Biography
Content Area: Social Studies
Standards: History: Civics, History, Economics (Describe diversity in the United States and identify its benefits—e.g. cultural traditions and practices, variety of viewpoints)
Access Features: Contents, index, introduction, chapters, endnotes (background information), introduction, illustration credits
Author’s Credibility: Rhoda’s work as an extensive researcher has won her several awards such as the Newbery Honor Book, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, and all ALA Notable Books. She uses the primary documents from the journal entries of Clark’s when he wrote to his brother, Jonathan Clark. James Holmberg, editor of Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark writes the introduction to the book. The story is written in chronological order using a conservational tone. Blumberg enjoyed writing this book and you could hear it in her voice throughout the story.
Rhoda Blumberg selected the illustrations--Reproductions of paintings, photographs, artifacts, prints, and documents. She acknowledges the National Park Service, New York Public Library, American Museum of National History, and several others for their help. The cover page is courtesy of Ed Hamilton, the African American sculptor who built the statue. There is a full picture of York’s statue on the title page.
Summary: This is a partial biography of York, Clark’s personal slave, who went on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Since York was a slave, he did not get any credit for his part in the expedition. He helped to build shelters, carry the equipment, and make friends with the Indians, but his name did not get put on the official report as a member of the Corps of Discovery (the Lewis and Clark expedition group). When the Corps did not have food, York visited the Indians for food. The Indians thought of him as a powerful warrior so they would give him plenty of food. All the other men received land and horses, but York received nothing.
Tone: Conversational, partisan
Text Structure: Chronological
Response: I was so excited about this book. I knew about Sacagawea helping Lewis and Clark on the expedition, but I did not know about York. Clark was so nice and kind to York when they were growing up that it was hard to believe that they were master and slave. After the expedition, York was quickly reminded that he was a slave. For his service on the expedition, he received nothing. Out of his selfishness, Clark allowed York to die a broke and lonely man without any recognition or honor for his part in the Lewis and Clark expedition. In this book, Blumberg gave York the honor and credit he so much deserved. I could use this book to talk about the treatment of slaves, kinds of transportation, and the contribution that York made to the expedition.
Related Books: The Incredible Journey of Lewis and Clark, Rhoda Blumberg; Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark, James Holmberg
And So They Build #12
Bert Kitchen
Kitchen, Bert. (1993). And so they build. Cambridge: Candlewick.
Grade Level: 2-6
Awards: Young Readers Choice Award; Caldecott Award; A Child Magazine Best Holiday Gift Book; An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists
Standards: Life Science (animals, habitats, behavior, habits, plants)
Content Area: Science
Genre: Informational
Author’s Credibility: Bert has written many children books that have won several awards. He has been fascinated with animals and how they build their homes since he was a child. He is also the illustrator of the book and has been illustrating children books since 1993.
Illustrations: He used watercolor and gouache for the illustrations.
Access Features: Notes to parents and teachers; author’s note
Summary: This book is one in a series of two that Bert Kitchen has written. In this one, he writes about animals and how they build their habitats. He discusses how twelve animals such as birds, wasps, spiders and caddis flies build their homes instinctly.
Writing Style: The text is very clear and organized, in that it basically follows the same format for each page. He puts the text about the animal’s lifestyle and how it builds its home on the left side of the book. On the opposite page, there is a full-page illustration of the animal and its habitat. Bert leads the children into the book by beginning each page with big and bold text of a sentence about why the animal builds his habitat. The rest of the page is done in smaller text.
Response: This is a good lead-in book on animals and their habitats. The text is big enough for young readers to enjoy and not get tire. The illustrations are nice, big, and colorful, which make for easy viewing as a read-aloud. Because some children are so timid about drawing their own pictures, this would be a good book to use for tracing. I would use this book with my science unit on animals’ habitats. I could also use it with math unit on shapes since the book is talking about architectural designs.
Science Processes: Observing, classifying, inferring, and predicting.
Related Books: Somewhere Today and When Hunger Calls, Bert Kitchens.
Bert Kitchen
Kitchen, Bert. (1993). And so they build. Cambridge: Candlewick.
Grade Level: 2-6
Awards: Young Readers Choice Award; Caldecott Award; A Child Magazine Best Holiday Gift Book; An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists
Standards: Life Science (animals, habitats, behavior, habits, plants)
Content Area: Science
Genre: Informational
Author’s Credibility: Bert has written many children books that have won several awards. He has been fascinated with animals and how they build their homes since he was a child. He is also the illustrator of the book and has been illustrating children books since 1993.
Illustrations: He used watercolor and gouache for the illustrations.
Access Features: Notes to parents and teachers; author’s note
Summary: This book is one in a series of two that Bert Kitchen has written. In this one, he writes about animals and how they build their habitats. He discusses how twelve animals such as birds, wasps, spiders and caddis flies build their homes instinctly.
Writing Style: The text is very clear and organized, in that it basically follows the same format for each page. He puts the text about the animal’s lifestyle and how it builds its home on the left side of the book. On the opposite page, there is a full-page illustration of the animal and its habitat. Bert leads the children into the book by beginning each page with big and bold text of a sentence about why the animal builds his habitat. The rest of the page is done in smaller text.
Response: This is a good lead-in book on animals and their habitats. The text is big enough for young readers to enjoy and not get tire. The illustrations are nice, big, and colorful, which make for easy viewing as a read-aloud. Because some children are so timid about drawing their own pictures, this would be a good book to use for tracing. I would use this book with my science unit on animals’ habitats. I could also use it with math unit on shapes since the book is talking about architectural designs.
Science Processes: Observing, classifying, inferring, and predicting.
Related Books: Somewhere Today and When Hunger Calls, Bert Kitchens.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
On the Trail of Sacagawea #11
By Peter Lourie
Lourie, Peter. ( ). On the trail of sacagawea.
Awards: Young Reader’s Choice Award; IRA Children’s Book Award; Outstanding Books for Children; History Book of the Year.
Grade Level: 2-6
Author’s Credibility: The author visited The Three Affiliated Tribes Museum, Fort Berthold Reservation, Idaho Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Fountain, and the Fort Clatsop National Memorial to collect data for this book.
Peter was also the illustrator for this book.
Illustrations: He used colorful photographs that he did and also used paintings and archival photographs.
Access Features: Maps, contents, prologue, epilogue, and notes.
Standards: History (Exploration and discovery, Ethnics, Native Americans, travel and location. Science (foods, animals, weather, classifying)
Summary: This was a book about the Indian guide, Sacagawea, which helped Lewis and Clark on their expedition to the Pacific. The author traveled and visited the places that the Corps (the name that Lewis and Clark called the group) would have visited during their journey. Lourie wanted to compare the places today with the places that the Corps would have two centuries ago to see how they had changed. He also wanted to hear the Native American’s side of what happen with Sacagawea during this expedition.
Writing Style: The author offered coherence through addition background information in the epilogue and in the additional notes. He also admitted some gaps because there were different versions about what happened to Sacagawea. The text was a nice size and children would not get tire of reading it. The photographs and headings followed the text which made the flow of the story easy to understand.
Voice: Passion; enjoyment
Tone: Conversational; humorous
Additional Books: They Call Me Sacagawea, Joyce Badgley Hunsaker; Sacagawea’s Son: The Life of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, Marion Tinling; A Picture Book of Sacagawea, David Adler.
Response: I enjoyed reading this book probably because I like to read about Lewis and Clark. I was reading a similar book, York for my literature group. It had some beautiful photographs. They make a good read together. It had some to the same facts and stories in it as the book York did. But, it never mentioned York, Clark’s slave that also went on the expedition. I thought that was a smart way to kill to birds in one, the way the author used these trips as his vacation. So his family had a vacation as well as learned about history. I could also make some connections. My church took our youths on a trip to Cherokee, North Caroline to visit an Indian reservation and I have also visited the reservation in Philadelphia, MS. I would use this book to discuss the different tribes and customs in the Native American families. I would discuss with my students how they could make their vacations become an expedition by writing and recording all the events that take place on their vacation.
Science Skills:
Classifying: Different classes of Indian tribes.
Inferring: Who was Sacagawea?
Predicting: Weather
Communicating: Translating the different languages
By Peter Lourie
Lourie, Peter. ( ). On the trail of sacagawea.
Awards: Young Reader’s Choice Award; IRA Children’s Book Award; Outstanding Books for Children; History Book of the Year.
Grade Level: 2-6
Author’s Credibility: The author visited The Three Affiliated Tribes Museum, Fort Berthold Reservation, Idaho Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Fountain, and the Fort Clatsop National Memorial to collect data for this book.
Peter was also the illustrator for this book.
Illustrations: He used colorful photographs that he did and also used paintings and archival photographs.
Access Features: Maps, contents, prologue, epilogue, and notes.
Standards: History (Exploration and discovery, Ethnics, Native Americans, travel and location. Science (foods, animals, weather, classifying)
Summary: This was a book about the Indian guide, Sacagawea, which helped Lewis and Clark on their expedition to the Pacific. The author traveled and visited the places that the Corps (the name that Lewis and Clark called the group) would have visited during their journey. Lourie wanted to compare the places today with the places that the Corps would have two centuries ago to see how they had changed. He also wanted to hear the Native American’s side of what happen with Sacagawea during this expedition.
Writing Style: The author offered coherence through addition background information in the epilogue and in the additional notes. He also admitted some gaps because there were different versions about what happened to Sacagawea. The text was a nice size and children would not get tire of reading it. The photographs and headings followed the text which made the flow of the story easy to understand.
Voice: Passion; enjoyment
Tone: Conversational; humorous
Additional Books: They Call Me Sacagawea, Joyce Badgley Hunsaker; Sacagawea’s Son: The Life of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, Marion Tinling; A Picture Book of Sacagawea, David Adler.
Response: I enjoyed reading this book probably because I like to read about Lewis and Clark. I was reading a similar book, York for my literature group. It had some beautiful photographs. They make a good read together. It had some to the same facts and stories in it as the book York did. But, it never mentioned York, Clark’s slave that also went on the expedition. I thought that was a smart way to kill to birds in one, the way the author used these trips as his vacation. So his family had a vacation as well as learned about history. I could also make some connections. My church took our youths on a trip to Cherokee, North Caroline to visit an Indian reservation and I have also visited the reservation in Philadelphia, MS. I would use this book to discuss the different tribes and customs in the Native American families. I would discuss with my students how they could make their vacations become an expedition by writing and recording all the events that take place on their vacation.
Science Skills:
Classifying: Different classes of Indian tribes.
Inferring: Who was Sacagawea?
Predicting: Weather
Communicating: Translating the different languages
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Jazz A-B-Z: An A to Z Collection of Jazz Portraits (1 BK) #10
Author: Wynton Marsalis
Illustrator: Paul Rogers
Marsalis, Wynton. ( ). Jazz a-b-z: An a to z collection of jazz portraits.
Grade Level: 7-Up
Awards: NCTE Notable Children Book in Language Arts; IRA Notable Children’s Book Award for Young Adult Nonfiction; ALA Best Books for Young Adult Nominee; Louisiana Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee
Author’s Credibility: Wynton Marsalis is an outstanding jazz artist and composer. He is the director of the renowned Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. In the author’s note, Marsalis said that the diversity in the styles of jazz paintings that Roger used inspired him to write the poems for the jazz players. He also received help on this book from his road manager and photographer.
Illustrator: Roger has more than twenty-five years of experience as an illustrator and artist. In this book, Roger decided to make a portrait of each musician that reflected his or her style during that period of time. He used poster-like portraits in shades of black, yellow, and white. Roger’s paintings were done in acrylic and ink.
Summary: This was a book that has an alphabet organizational design. Marsalis selected to write about twenty-six jazz players. When it wrote about, he placed them in the book in ABC order by their names. Marsalis used different forms of poetry to tell about the lives of these jazz players. The poem was designed to tell about the person and his some of his/her accomplishments.
Access Features: Contents, biographical sketches, notes on the poetic forms, author and illustrator’ notes, and acknowledgments.
Standards: Social Studies: Integrate, connect, and apply social studies in other subject areas and everyday life. (various cultures enjoy different styles of music, art, dress, food, and language.
Design: The end page was designed like the old 78 LP record cover. He used a different colored letter for each musician and related it to the musician’s style of playing. Poems range in styles from haiku to the more complex forms of alliterative. A list of each kind of poem was placed in the book with background information about that poem. Biographical sketches of each jazz player were also placed in the book.
Response: I liked the format with all the different kinds of poems and the way he begin each poem with an alphabet in a different letter style. I also liked the colored- illustrations for the time period of the singer, or player. The book gave the names of some poems that I did not know about and some were hard to understand. This book would be too hard for elementary children. I probably would not use this book except to show the illustrations.
Other Books: This Jazz Man, Karen Ehrhardt; A Blue So Blue, Francis Durmont; To a Young Jazz Musician: Letters From the Road, Wynton Marsalis
Author: Wynton Marsalis
Illustrator: Paul Rogers
Marsalis, Wynton. ( ). Jazz a-b-z: An a to z collection of jazz portraits.
Grade Level: 7-Up
Awards: NCTE Notable Children Book in Language Arts; IRA Notable Children’s Book Award for Young Adult Nonfiction; ALA Best Books for Young Adult Nominee; Louisiana Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee
Author’s Credibility: Wynton Marsalis is an outstanding jazz artist and composer. He is the director of the renowned Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. In the author’s note, Marsalis said that the diversity in the styles of jazz paintings that Roger used inspired him to write the poems for the jazz players. He also received help on this book from his road manager and photographer.
Illustrator: Roger has more than twenty-five years of experience as an illustrator and artist. In this book, Roger decided to make a portrait of each musician that reflected his or her style during that period of time. He used poster-like portraits in shades of black, yellow, and white. Roger’s paintings were done in acrylic and ink.
Summary: This was a book that has an alphabet organizational design. Marsalis selected to write about twenty-six jazz players. When it wrote about, he placed them in the book in ABC order by their names. Marsalis used different forms of poetry to tell about the lives of these jazz players. The poem was designed to tell about the person and his some of his/her accomplishments.
Access Features: Contents, biographical sketches, notes on the poetic forms, author and illustrator’ notes, and acknowledgments.
Standards: Social Studies: Integrate, connect, and apply social studies in other subject areas and everyday life. (various cultures enjoy different styles of music, art, dress, food, and language.
Design: The end page was designed like the old 78 LP record cover. He used a different colored letter for each musician and related it to the musician’s style of playing. Poems range in styles from haiku to the more complex forms of alliterative. A list of each kind of poem was placed in the book with background information about that poem. Biographical sketches of each jazz player were also placed in the book.
Response: I liked the format with all the different kinds of poems and the way he begin each poem with an alphabet in a different letter style. I also liked the colored- illustrations for the time period of the singer, or player. The book gave the names of some poems that I did not know about and some were hard to understand. This book would be too hard for elementary children. I probably would not use this book except to show the illustrations.
Other Books: This Jazz Man, Karen Ehrhardt; A Blue So Blue, Francis Durmont; To a Young Jazz Musician: Letters From the Road, Wynton Marsalis
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez (1BK) #9
Author: Kathleen Krull
Illustrator: Yuyi Morales
Krull, Kathleen. ( ). The story of cesar chavez.
Awards: Christopher Award, Jane Adams Children’s Book
Grade Level: 2-6
Author’s Credibility: On the jacket, it said that Krull is known for her innovative biographies for young readers.
Illustrations: Morales visited the fields where Cesar lived and worked and he also traveled along the route of his 1965 march. He used beautiful acrylic pictures opposite a page of text.
Standards: Social Studies (Civics, History, Economics) Describe diversity in the United States and identify its benefits (cultural traditions and practices, variety of viewpoints, new ideas, etc)
Summary: A biography of Cesar Chavez and his work with the improving the working conditions for migrant workers. Cesar and his family enjoyed living in Arizona until a drought came and dried up everything in their neighborhood. Without money and with no other means to get money, Cesar’s family was forced to join the other migrant families in California to work on someone else’s farms. The landowners made the migrant families work long hours in unsafe environments. Times were hard for them until Cesar finally demanded better working conditions by leading a 340-mile peaceful march through California.
Design: Jacket cover had a glossy finish to it. The end pages was in earth tones probably because the illustrator like using those colors. The book has some Spanish words and author puts the English meaning right besides it. The book had easy to read text that focused on one major character.
Access Features: This book did not have many access features, just Acknowledgment and Author’s Note. In the author’s note, Krull gave some good background information on Cesar Chavez.
Related Books: Cesar Chavez: A Hero for Everyone, Gary Soto; Voices From the Fields: Children of Migrant Farm Workers Tell Their Stories, Beth Atkin
Response: I liked this book because Cesar Chavez reminded me of Dr. King when he decided to fight the landowners through nonviolence. He also organized a peaceful march through California, which made me also think of the march Dr. King and others tried to cross over that bridge in Alabama. I would use this book to compare and contrast how Dr. King and Cesar Chavez fought for civil rights.
Author: Kathleen Krull
Illustrator: Yuyi Morales
Krull, Kathleen. ( ). The story of cesar chavez.
Awards: Christopher Award, Jane Adams Children’s Book
Grade Level: 2-6
Author’s Credibility: On the jacket, it said that Krull is known for her innovative biographies for young readers.
Illustrations: Morales visited the fields where Cesar lived and worked and he also traveled along the route of his 1965 march. He used beautiful acrylic pictures opposite a page of text.
Standards: Social Studies (Civics, History, Economics) Describe diversity in the United States and identify its benefits (cultural traditions and practices, variety of viewpoints, new ideas, etc)
Summary: A biography of Cesar Chavez and his work with the improving the working conditions for migrant workers. Cesar and his family enjoyed living in Arizona until a drought came and dried up everything in their neighborhood. Without money and with no other means to get money, Cesar’s family was forced to join the other migrant families in California to work on someone else’s farms. The landowners made the migrant families work long hours in unsafe environments. Times were hard for them until Cesar finally demanded better working conditions by leading a 340-mile peaceful march through California.
Design: Jacket cover had a glossy finish to it. The end pages was in earth tones probably because the illustrator like using those colors. The book has some Spanish words and author puts the English meaning right besides it. The book had easy to read text that focused on one major character.
Access Features: This book did not have many access features, just Acknowledgment and Author’s Note. In the author’s note, Krull gave some good background information on Cesar Chavez.
Related Books: Cesar Chavez: A Hero for Everyone, Gary Soto; Voices From the Fields: Children of Migrant Farm Workers Tell Their Stories, Beth Atkin
Response: I liked this book because Cesar Chavez reminded me of Dr. King when he decided to fight the landowners through nonviolence. He also organized a peaceful march through California, which made me also think of the march Dr. King and others tried to cross over that bridge in Alabama. I would use this book to compare and contrast how Dr. King and Cesar Chavez fought for civil rights.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
When Marian Sang By Pam Munoz Ryan #8
Illustrated By Brian Selznick
Ryan, Pam Munoz. ( ). When marian sang.
Grade Level: K-4
Awards: Robert F. Sibert Honor Book; Orbis Pictus, ALA Notable, NCTE Notable Children Award in Language Arts; William Allen White Children Book Award
Standards: Social Studies (Civics, History, Economics) Acquire the characteristics to be a responsible citizen (2a. Explain the importance of Americans sharing history and supporting certain values, principles, and beliefs)
Author’s Credibility: In the author and illustrator’s notes, Ryan and Selznick discussed how and why they decided to write the book. Ryan loved spirituals, gospel music, musicals, and opera. They began their research on the book after they heard Selznick’s uncle speak of meeting Marian Anderson and Eleanor Roosevelt. They visited the archives at Metropolitan Opera and the Marian Anderson Historical Society. In researching further, Selznick found out that his uncle did not meet these ladies. Selznick used photographs and pictures to illustrate the story.
Access Features: Notable Dates in Marian Anderson’s Life (timeline), Selected Discography, author and illustrator’s notes.
Summary: This is a picture book biography of Marian Anderson. Marian began her singing career in her local church when she was a little girl. At age eighteen, Marian went to apply to music school, but was ignored and finally told her, “We don’t take colored”. Marian was heartbroken, but persistence. It appeared that Marian was welcomed in every country except her own country. When President Roosevelt finally intervened, Marian was invited to sing at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday.
Her famous debut came when she was invited to perform at the Metropolitan Opera when she was 57 years old. Her dream, which once seemed too far to ever reach, finally became true. She became the first African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera.
Other Books: The Voice That Challenged A Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggles for Equal Rights, Russell Freedom; My Lord, What a Morning!, Marian Anderson; Marian Anderson: A Singer’s Journey, Allan Keiler; Marian Anderson: A Great Singer, Patricia McKissack.
Response: I loved this book and all the vivid descriptions and details used. I loved the big and colorful illustrations Selznick used to bring the reader into the moment. On some pages, there were no pictures, just words or songs. Ryan provided sufficient background information for clarity. Although Brian questioned the reliability of his uncle story, he included him in the book. I would use this book with my black history study, civil rights, values and beliefs.
Illustrated By Brian Selznick
Ryan, Pam Munoz. ( ). When marian sang.
Grade Level: K-4
Awards: Robert F. Sibert Honor Book; Orbis Pictus, ALA Notable, NCTE Notable Children Award in Language Arts; William Allen White Children Book Award
Standards: Social Studies (Civics, History, Economics) Acquire the characteristics to be a responsible citizen (2a. Explain the importance of Americans sharing history and supporting certain values, principles, and beliefs)
Author’s Credibility: In the author and illustrator’s notes, Ryan and Selznick discussed how and why they decided to write the book. Ryan loved spirituals, gospel music, musicals, and opera. They began their research on the book after they heard Selznick’s uncle speak of meeting Marian Anderson and Eleanor Roosevelt. They visited the archives at Metropolitan Opera and the Marian Anderson Historical Society. In researching further, Selznick found out that his uncle did not meet these ladies. Selznick used photographs and pictures to illustrate the story.
Access Features: Notable Dates in Marian Anderson’s Life (timeline), Selected Discography, author and illustrator’s notes.
Summary: This is a picture book biography of Marian Anderson. Marian began her singing career in her local church when she was a little girl. At age eighteen, Marian went to apply to music school, but was ignored and finally told her, “We don’t take colored”. Marian was heartbroken, but persistence. It appeared that Marian was welcomed in every country except her own country. When President Roosevelt finally intervened, Marian was invited to sing at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday.
Her famous debut came when she was invited to perform at the Metropolitan Opera when she was 57 years old. Her dream, which once seemed too far to ever reach, finally became true. She became the first African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera.
Other Books: The Voice That Challenged A Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggles for Equal Rights, Russell Freedom; My Lord, What a Morning!, Marian Anderson; Marian Anderson: A Singer’s Journey, Allan Keiler; Marian Anderson: A Great Singer, Patricia McKissack.
Response: I loved this book and all the vivid descriptions and details used. I loved the big and colorful illustrations Selznick used to bring the reader into the moment. On some pages, there were no pictures, just words or songs. Ryan provided sufficient background information for clarity. Although Brian questioned the reliability of his uncle story, he included him in the book. I would use this book with my black history study, civil rights, values and beliefs.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Shutting Out the Sky: #6 and #7
Life in the Tenements of New York 1880-1924
By Deborah Hopkinson
(2 books)
Hopkinson, Deborah. ( ). Shutting out the sky: Life in the tenements of new york 1880-1924.
Grade Level: 5-8
Awards: International Reading Association Children’s Book Award, NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Honor Book, NYPL Book for Teen Age, Notable Social Studies Trade Book
Standards: Social Studies: (History, Geography) Examine the historical developments in U.S. Examine the various groups who migrated to U.S. and causes of this migration.
Illustrations: Tinted archival photographs, in black and white. She received many photo credits from New York Historical Society, Lower East Side Tenement Museum in New York, and various other museums.
Author’s Credibility: Hopkinson spent three years writing this book. She made several trips to New York to select photographs, listen to oral tapes, and visit the Lower East Side. In the acknowledgments, she also recognized all the people and organizations that helped her with the book.
Summary: Through the lives of five immigrants, Hopkinson described their struggles, hardships, prejudices, and their victories while living in America. They came to America looking for a better life, but found despair and heartache before they became successful citizens of the United States. Hopkinson also used primary sources, individual stories, and excerpts from autobiography to tell about their ordeals.
Access Features: Contents, index, acknowledgments, forward and after word, timeline, notes, further readings, text permission, and voices in the book.
Writing Styles: Hopkinson used chronological and descriptive organization that offered coherence through background information, people speaking, and author’s presence.
Related Readings: Tenement: Immigrant Life on the Lower East Side, Raymond Bial; Immigrant Kid, Russell Freedman; 97 Orchard Street, New York: Stories of Immigrant Life, Linda Granfield; How the Other Half Lives, Jacob Riis; Kids on Strike, Susan Bartoletti
Response: This book reminded me of some of the same issues and hardships that the African American women had in Let It Shine, Andrea Pinkey. It discussed their hardships, but it also gave the reader hope because each one of the five persons in the book finally made their dreams come true. I would use this book as a read-aloud to my students when we discussed immigration to the new world. Because Hopkinson gave additional background information in her notes, it would be a good resource book for extended studies.
Life in the Tenements of New York 1880-1924
By Deborah Hopkinson
(2 books)
Hopkinson, Deborah. ( ). Shutting out the sky: Life in the tenements of new york 1880-1924.
Grade Level: 5-8
Awards: International Reading Association Children’s Book Award, NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Honor Book, NYPL Book for Teen Age, Notable Social Studies Trade Book
Standards: Social Studies: (History, Geography) Examine the historical developments in U.S. Examine the various groups who migrated to U.S. and causes of this migration.
Illustrations: Tinted archival photographs, in black and white. She received many photo credits from New York Historical Society, Lower East Side Tenement Museum in New York, and various other museums.
Author’s Credibility: Hopkinson spent three years writing this book. She made several trips to New York to select photographs, listen to oral tapes, and visit the Lower East Side. In the acknowledgments, she also recognized all the people and organizations that helped her with the book.
Summary: Through the lives of five immigrants, Hopkinson described their struggles, hardships, prejudices, and their victories while living in America. They came to America looking for a better life, but found despair and heartache before they became successful citizens of the United States. Hopkinson also used primary sources, individual stories, and excerpts from autobiography to tell about their ordeals.
Access Features: Contents, index, acknowledgments, forward and after word, timeline, notes, further readings, text permission, and voices in the book.
Writing Styles: Hopkinson used chronological and descriptive organization that offered coherence through background information, people speaking, and author’s presence.
Related Readings: Tenement: Immigrant Life on the Lower East Side, Raymond Bial; Immigrant Kid, Russell Freedman; 97 Orchard Street, New York: Stories of Immigrant Life, Linda Granfield; How the Other Half Lives, Jacob Riis; Kids on Strike, Susan Bartoletti
Response: This book reminded me of some of the same issues and hardships that the African American women had in Let It Shine, Andrea Pinkey. It discussed their hardships, but it also gave the reader hope because each one of the five persons in the book finally made their dreams come true. I would use this book as a read-aloud to my students when we discussed immigration to the new world. Because Hopkinson gave additional background information in her notes, it would be a good resource book for extended studies.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters by Patrick and Fredrick McKissack
Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters #5
Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack
Illustrated by John Thompson
McKissack, Patricia C., and Fredrick L. ( ). Christmas in the big house, Christmas in the quarters.
Grade Level: 4-6
Awards: Coretta Scott King and Orbic Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
Author’s Credibility: The McKissacks have written over twenty books that have won several awards. In the acknowledgment, the McKissacks give thanks to the plantations’ site administrators, owners, curators, event managers, and Giles County Historical Society for all their help and support for this book. They also give a lot of details in the Author’s note about the research during their visits to the many plantations in Virginia.
Summary: The McKissacks used vivid descriptions, historical events, customs, and traditions to compare and contrast how the slaves’ owners celebrated Christmas in the Big House from the slaves in the Quarters in 1859. Each harvest before Christmas both families (slave owners and slaves) would prepare their homes or quarters, for the happy times that the Christmas season would bring. Christmas was the only time that the slaves had enough food and time off to enjoy the food.
Illustrations: This was Thompson’s first full-color children’s picture book. He used acrylic pictures that showed the characters playing, working, singing, and dancing. Thompson visited the James River Plantation as part of his research.
Standards: Social Studies: Integrate, connect, and apply social studies into other subject areas and everyday life (cultures, customs, U.S. history, Civil War, geography)
Access Features: Table of Contents, chapters that were about the titles, acknowledgment, author’s note, looking back feature (author talked about events that would happen in the future), and notes. In the back where the notes session, McKissacks gave many details about unfamiliar vocabulary words and other important events that happened during that time.
Response: I know my students will enjoy the beautiful illustrated pictures because they are big, have lots of details, and are easy to see. This book will work well as a read-aloud with my class. I will use it to compare and contrast the customs and traditions living conditions of the 19th century with our present-day times. I liked how the author used foreshadowing to lead you in the future thinking of both families. The slave owner still believes slavery will be around when he tells his daughter that in ten years she could have her own slave. But, the slave mother knows things are about to change when she tells her son not to runaway, just wait for freedom.
Related Books: Daily Life in a Southern Plantation, Paul Erickson. Life on a Plantation, Bobbie Kalman. Within the Plantation Household: Black and White Women of the Old South, Elizabeth Fox.
Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack
Illustrated by John Thompson
McKissack, Patricia C., and Fredrick L. ( ). Christmas in the big house, Christmas in the quarters.
Grade Level: 4-6
Awards: Coretta Scott King and Orbic Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
Author’s Credibility: The McKissacks have written over twenty books that have won several awards. In the acknowledgment, the McKissacks give thanks to the plantations’ site administrators, owners, curators, event managers, and Giles County Historical Society for all their help and support for this book. They also give a lot of details in the Author’s note about the research during their visits to the many plantations in Virginia.
Summary: The McKissacks used vivid descriptions, historical events, customs, and traditions to compare and contrast how the slaves’ owners celebrated Christmas in the Big House from the slaves in the Quarters in 1859. Each harvest before Christmas both families (slave owners and slaves) would prepare their homes or quarters, for the happy times that the Christmas season would bring. Christmas was the only time that the slaves had enough food and time off to enjoy the food.
Illustrations: This was Thompson’s first full-color children’s picture book. He used acrylic pictures that showed the characters playing, working, singing, and dancing. Thompson visited the James River Plantation as part of his research.
Standards: Social Studies: Integrate, connect, and apply social studies into other subject areas and everyday life (cultures, customs, U.S. history, Civil War, geography)
Access Features: Table of Contents, chapters that were about the titles, acknowledgment, author’s note, looking back feature (author talked about events that would happen in the future), and notes. In the back where the notes session, McKissacks gave many details about unfamiliar vocabulary words and other important events that happened during that time.
Response: I know my students will enjoy the beautiful illustrated pictures because they are big, have lots of details, and are easy to see. This book will work well as a read-aloud with my class. I will use it to compare and contrast the customs and traditions living conditions of the 19th century with our present-day times. I liked how the author used foreshadowing to lead you in the future thinking of both families. The slave owner still believes slavery will be around when he tells his daughter that in ten years she could have her own slave. But, the slave mother knows things are about to change when she tells her son not to runaway, just wait for freedom.
Related Books: Daily Life in a Southern Plantation, Paul Erickson. Life on a Plantation, Bobbie Kalman. Within the Plantation Household: Black and White Women of the Old South, Elizabeth Fox.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Let It Shine #4 and #5
Pinkney, Andrea D. (2000). Let it shine. New York: Harcourt.
Grade Level: 4-8
Awards: Coretta Scott King Honor Award
Author’s Credibility: In the introduction, Andrea discussed how and why she wrote the book. She talked about all the hours of reading and research she did for the book. She also talked with her editor (Liz Van Doren) and her parents, who were participants of the civil right movement.
Summary: It is a collection of biographies and autobiographies of ten African Americans that helped improve the conditions during the civil rights struggles. Pinkney called these women “our freedom fighters” because they all were persistence in their fight for justice, even when their safety was threatened. Although there were many other African American women who fought these same issues of injustices, Pinkney wrote about these ten because they compelled her the most. The ten women were Sojourner Truth, Biddy Mason (born in MS) Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells-Barnett (born in MS. Father worked at Shaw Univ. in Holly Springs, MS. School would later be named Rust College), Mary Bethune, Ella Josephine Baker, Dorothy Height (headed National Youth Movement, one of Roosevelt’s New Deal Programs), Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer (born in MS), and Chisholm. Within each story, Pinkney tells the events in chorological order.
Illustrations: Stephen Alcorn is an acclaimed painter and printmaker whose works are in many private and permanent collections around the world. He used oil on canvas to paint the allegorical portraits of these women.
Design: Hardcover has the same design as the dust jacket. It is an oversized, rectangular-shaped book that has the portrait of the woman and some of her accomplishments on one side and the text on the opposite page. The book is printed on totally chlorine-free Nymolla Matte Art paper.
Access Features: Introduction (This Little Light of Mine), table of contents, further readings, and some information about the author and illustrator on the inside of dust jacket.
Writing Style: Vivid language
Voice: Conversational/storytelling
Great lead-in: Quotes from spotlights in person’s life at the beginner of story
Tone: partisan
Standards: Civics, History, Economics
Usage in Classroom: Black History Unit
My Response: I liked this book. I was glad to find out that some of these women were from MS. That made me really proud. The print was a good size so students would enjoy reading it. Some interesting facts that I found out: Biddy Mason--Native Americans, one of the first to buy a house for $250. Ella Baker—President of NAACP (1954), worked with Dr. King, spearheaded the Greensboro’s Sit-ins. Dorothy Height—Earned BS and MS both as the same time, escorted Eleanor Roosevelt, speaker for a meeting for Mary Bethune, worked for a statue of Mary Bethune in Washington, D.C. Public Park. Fannie Lou Hamer—When she went to vote, they gave her the 16th section of the Constitution of MS to read.
Related Books:
Sojourner Truth: Ain't I A Woman?, Patricia and Fredrick McKissack
Ida Wells-Barnett, Steve Klots
Mary McLeod Bethune, Eloise Greenfield
Pinkney, Andrea D. (2000). Let it shine. New York: Harcourt.
Grade Level: 4-8
Awards: Coretta Scott King Honor Award
Author’s Credibility: In the introduction, Andrea discussed how and why she wrote the book. She talked about all the hours of reading and research she did for the book. She also talked with her editor (Liz Van Doren) and her parents, who were participants of the civil right movement.
Summary: It is a collection of biographies and autobiographies of ten African Americans that helped improve the conditions during the civil rights struggles. Pinkney called these women “our freedom fighters” because they all were persistence in their fight for justice, even when their safety was threatened. Although there were many other African American women who fought these same issues of injustices, Pinkney wrote about these ten because they compelled her the most. The ten women were Sojourner Truth, Biddy Mason (born in MS) Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells-Barnett (born in MS. Father worked at Shaw Univ. in Holly Springs, MS. School would later be named Rust College), Mary Bethune, Ella Josephine Baker, Dorothy Height (headed National Youth Movement, one of Roosevelt’s New Deal Programs), Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer (born in MS), and Chisholm. Within each story, Pinkney tells the events in chorological order.
Illustrations: Stephen Alcorn is an acclaimed painter and printmaker whose works are in many private and permanent collections around the world. He used oil on canvas to paint the allegorical portraits of these women.
Design: Hardcover has the same design as the dust jacket. It is an oversized, rectangular-shaped book that has the portrait of the woman and some of her accomplishments on one side and the text on the opposite page. The book is printed on totally chlorine-free Nymolla Matte Art paper.
Access Features: Introduction (This Little Light of Mine), table of contents, further readings, and some information about the author and illustrator on the inside of dust jacket.
Writing Style: Vivid language
Voice: Conversational/storytelling
Great lead-in: Quotes from spotlights in person’s life at the beginner of story
Tone: partisan
Standards: Civics, History, Economics
Usage in Classroom: Black History Unit
My Response: I liked this book. I was glad to find out that some of these women were from MS. That made me really proud. The print was a good size so students would enjoy reading it. Some interesting facts that I found out: Biddy Mason--Native Americans, one of the first to buy a house for $250. Ella Baker—President of NAACP (1954), worked with Dr. King, spearheaded the Greensboro’s Sit-ins. Dorothy Height—Earned BS and MS both as the same time, escorted Eleanor Roosevelt, speaker for a meeting for Mary Bethune, worked for a statue of Mary Bethune in Washington, D.C. Public Park. Fannie Lou Hamer—When she went to vote, they gave her the 16th section of the Constitution of MS to read.
Related Books:
Sojourner Truth: Ain't I A Woman?, Patricia and Fredrick McKissack
Ida Wells-Barnett, Steve Klots
Mary McLeod Bethune, Eloise Greenfield
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Walt Whitman by Barbara Kerley
Walt Whitman #3
By Barbara Kerley
Illustrated by Brian Selznick
Kerley, Barbara. (2004). Walt whitman: Words for america. New York: Scholastic.
Grade Level: 2-6
Awards: Sibert Honor Book for Nonfiction, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Caldecott Award, and New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award
Author’s Credibility: In the author’s note, Kerley described how she began working on this book. She began writing this book after Brian Selznick, illustrator, sent her a medallion of Walt Whitman with a butterfly on his finger. She began extensive research on Walt’s life and wanted his experiences with the Civil War to be the focus of this book. Kerley did not give a lot of background about Walt in the book, but she did in the author’s note. She gave background information about his birth, Abraham Lincoln, Civil War, and his poetry.
Summary: In Walt Whitman: Words for America, Kerley gave a partial biography of Walt Whitman’s life. The story began with Whitman’s life at twelve years old when he was working as a printer’s apprentice. He was a fast learner and by the time he was nineteen he had his own newspaper. Through his working with letters, Whitman fell in love with words and began reading all kinds of books. He enjoyed experimenting with words. He wrote many of his thoughts down in a little notebook that he made and carried with him everywhere he went.
Kerley also discussed Walt’s love for people and how he enjoyed walking the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan just to see how lived. On many occasions, he would see the president, Abraham Lincoln, on his walks. Walt admired President Lincoln and was saddened when he heard about his assassination. Walt wrote several of his poems about Lincoln trying to help ease the country’s grief.
Kerley and Selznick wanted the focus of the book to be about Walt’s life during the Civil War, his love for the soldiers, and how the war divided the country’s feelings. Walt wanted to be a soldier, but he was too old when the Civil War started. He wanted to do something so he became like a nurse where he helped and took care of the wounded soldiers. It did not matter whether the soldiers were Union or Confederate, black or white, Walt stayed beside them until they regained their strength. Over looking his own health, Walt stayed with the soldiers until he became ill. He went to live with his brother to recuperate.
Although Whitman was gay, Kerley did not discuss this issue in the book. Selznick showed a picture of him in his younger days running naked at the beach. This picture could have been an indication of Whitman’s free spirit through his lifestyle and his poetry.
Standards: Social Studies (World History and Civics)
Illustrations: Selznick used big, bold, and colorful pictures on oversized pages to bring the reader into the book. He used the actual photographs of daguerreotypes of soldiers. Listed in the back of the book is the illustrator’s note. In his note, Selznick talked about his visit to Walt’s birth home and the Brooklyn Public Library. At the library, he saw photos, held Walt’s homemade notebooks, and read his entries in the notebooks.
He also visited the Museum of Printing History in Texas where he was showed how to use a nineteenth-century printing press that Walt used. Capital letters were placed on upper shelves and other letters on lower shelves where the terms, “uppercase and lowercase” letters came from in our writing.
Access Features: Illustrations, photographs, author’s note, illustrator’s note, note about the poems, poems, sources of quotes, acknowledgement of other authors, libraries, museums, and copyright (in back of book).
Usage in Classroom: I could use this book with our Black History unit when we talk about slavery and how it influenced the Civil War. I could also use it to talk about President Abraham Lincoln.
My Response: I liked that Walt was not afraid to experiment with writing. He wrote poems that the people were not used to, but he won them over to his writing.
I also liked this book because it showed that Walt understood that taking care of a soldier, letting him know that someone cared (whether black or white) was the quickest way to get him back to being a healthy soldier.
Even though my students call each other “gay” all the time, I have not discussed the issue in details. I am glad that the book did not discuss the issue of homosexuality because I am not comfortable discussing it with my students.
Related Books:
Whitman, Walt (1990). Memoranda During the War.
Library of Congress’s Web site: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/wwhtml/wwhome.html.
By Barbara Kerley
Illustrated by Brian Selznick
Kerley, Barbara. (2004). Walt whitman: Words for america. New York: Scholastic.
Grade Level: 2-6
Awards: Sibert Honor Book for Nonfiction, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Caldecott Award, and New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award
Author’s Credibility: In the author’s note, Kerley described how she began working on this book. She began writing this book after Brian Selznick, illustrator, sent her a medallion of Walt Whitman with a butterfly on his finger. She began extensive research on Walt’s life and wanted his experiences with the Civil War to be the focus of this book. Kerley did not give a lot of background about Walt in the book, but she did in the author’s note. She gave background information about his birth, Abraham Lincoln, Civil War, and his poetry.
Summary: In Walt Whitman: Words for America, Kerley gave a partial biography of Walt Whitman’s life. The story began with Whitman’s life at twelve years old when he was working as a printer’s apprentice. He was a fast learner and by the time he was nineteen he had his own newspaper. Through his working with letters, Whitman fell in love with words and began reading all kinds of books. He enjoyed experimenting with words. He wrote many of his thoughts down in a little notebook that he made and carried with him everywhere he went.
Kerley also discussed Walt’s love for people and how he enjoyed walking the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan just to see how lived. On many occasions, he would see the president, Abraham Lincoln, on his walks. Walt admired President Lincoln and was saddened when he heard about his assassination. Walt wrote several of his poems about Lincoln trying to help ease the country’s grief.
Kerley and Selznick wanted the focus of the book to be about Walt’s life during the Civil War, his love for the soldiers, and how the war divided the country’s feelings. Walt wanted to be a soldier, but he was too old when the Civil War started. He wanted to do something so he became like a nurse where he helped and took care of the wounded soldiers. It did not matter whether the soldiers were Union or Confederate, black or white, Walt stayed beside them until they regained their strength. Over looking his own health, Walt stayed with the soldiers until he became ill. He went to live with his brother to recuperate.
Although Whitman was gay, Kerley did not discuss this issue in the book. Selznick showed a picture of him in his younger days running naked at the beach. This picture could have been an indication of Whitman’s free spirit through his lifestyle and his poetry.
Standards: Social Studies (World History and Civics)
Illustrations: Selznick used big, bold, and colorful pictures on oversized pages to bring the reader into the book. He used the actual photographs of daguerreotypes of soldiers. Listed in the back of the book is the illustrator’s note. In his note, Selznick talked about his visit to Walt’s birth home and the Brooklyn Public Library. At the library, he saw photos, held Walt’s homemade notebooks, and read his entries in the notebooks.
He also visited the Museum of Printing History in Texas where he was showed how to use a nineteenth-century printing press that Walt used. Capital letters were placed on upper shelves and other letters on lower shelves where the terms, “uppercase and lowercase” letters came from in our writing.
Access Features: Illustrations, photographs, author’s note, illustrator’s note, note about the poems, poems, sources of quotes, acknowledgement of other authors, libraries, museums, and copyright (in back of book).
Usage in Classroom: I could use this book with our Black History unit when we talk about slavery and how it influenced the Civil War. I could also use it to talk about President Abraham Lincoln.
My Response: I liked that Walt was not afraid to experiment with writing. He wrote poems that the people were not used to, but he won them over to his writing.
I also liked this book because it showed that Walt understood that taking care of a soldier, letting him know that someone cared (whether black or white) was the quickest way to get him back to being a healthy soldier.
Even though my students call each other “gay” all the time, I have not discussed the issue in details. I am glad that the book did not discuss the issue of homosexuality because I am not comfortable discussing it with my students.
Related Books:
Whitman, Walt (1990). Memoranda During the War.
Library of Congress’s Web site: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/wwhtml/wwhome.html.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Russell Freedman
Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Russell Freedman (2 BK) #1 and #2
Freedman, Russell. (1990). Franklin delano roosevelt. New York: Clarion.
Grade Level: High School
Author’s Credibility: Russell Freedman is a well-known author who has written many children’s books. He has won many notable awards for this book (ALA, YASD, NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, Golden Kite Honor, Notable Children’s Trade Book in Social Studies, Horn Book). He is a non-fictional writer who likes to write events in history.
Summary: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a book about one of the presidents of the United States. It discussed the life of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt from his birth, through his political life, and his death. It began with Franklin being born to parents that were already very rich and how all the privileges of being rich can put you in the right places at the right time.
Franklin’s parents loved him and he loved being with his parents. Franklin’s father loved him so much that he had problems disciplining him. His mother became the dominating and disciplinarian person in his life, which she eventually would use during his married life.
Freedman easily moved the reader into Roosevelt’s school and college life, where he was a fast and energetic learner. He loved writing, studying about boats and ships, and studying law. In college, he met his fifth cousin, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, who later became his wife. Eleanor was too kind for Franklin’s family and he and his mother took advantage of her kindness and pushed her into the background of his personal and political career. Eventually, she would become a strong independent woman and Franklin began valuing her opinions.
Freedman also demonstrated how quickly Roosevelt’s political live evolved and how abruptly it ended. Roosevelt did not linger around when it came to making decisions. If he thought it would work, he made a decision. He started so many programs (New Deal) during his administration that people began to believe that he did not know what he was doing. He developed bank regulations, insurance, social, security, and other programs that would benefit the poor people. Franklin, being rich, did not understand the struggles of the poor man until he was stricken with polio. Then, he understood how people depended upon each other.
Franklin’s life ended in Warm Springs (1945) where he enjoyed spending most of his time and doing what he loved doing: working for the people of the United States.
Standards: American and World History (presidents, Great Depression, WWII, Pearl Harbor, Big Three)
Illustrations: Freedman used pictures and photographs to make the text more meaningful. He used large, black and white photographs that showed a clear picture of special events during his life. There was text under each picture that made it easy for young readers to read and understand. The pictures and photographs were from Bettmann Archive, Library of Congress, National Archives, and Wide World Photos. The photographs were also given acknowledgement in the back of the book.
Access Features: Access features are used to help the reader easily understand the ideas and concepts in the book. The access features used in this book were illustrations, photographs, table of contents, index, acknowledgment and picture credits, suggested books, FDR photo album, and places to visit.
Use in Classroom: This would be a good supplementary resource for American and World History class for middle or high school. It is too high for my second grade students. I would use it with the unit on presidents.
My Response: I am glad that I read this book because I found out a couple of things about FDR that I did not know. I have always thought that he could not walk because of the polio. But, he could with the help of braces.
I did not know that he was elected for a fourth term. I thought that presidents could only be elected for two terms. I found out that the law was changed after his administration.
I hated that Eleanor let Franklin’s mother rule everything. I wanted Eleanor to tell his mother where she could go! She just let her ruled too much: hiring the nannies, telling her to quit her job, and connecting their homes. I guess, “money rules”.
One question: After the affair with Lucy, did Eleanor and Franklin ever become lovers again? Or did she just play the “wife beside her husband” deal?
Suggested Books: Here is a partial listing of some of the books included in the back of book:
Devine, Robert A. Roosevelt and World War II
Freidel, Frank B. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Leuchtenburg, William E. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal
Miller, Nathan. FDR: An Intimate History
Morgan, Ted. FDR: A Biography
Ward, Geoffrey C. Before the Trumpet: Young Franklin Roosevelt
Freedman, Russell. (1990). Franklin delano roosevelt. New York: Clarion.
Grade Level: High School
Author’s Credibility: Russell Freedman is a well-known author who has written many children’s books. He has won many notable awards for this book (ALA, YASD, NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, Golden Kite Honor, Notable Children’s Trade Book in Social Studies, Horn Book). He is a non-fictional writer who likes to write events in history.
Summary: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a book about one of the presidents of the United States. It discussed the life of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt from his birth, through his political life, and his death. It began with Franklin being born to parents that were already very rich and how all the privileges of being rich can put you in the right places at the right time.
Franklin’s parents loved him and he loved being with his parents. Franklin’s father loved him so much that he had problems disciplining him. His mother became the dominating and disciplinarian person in his life, which she eventually would use during his married life.
Freedman easily moved the reader into Roosevelt’s school and college life, where he was a fast and energetic learner. He loved writing, studying about boats and ships, and studying law. In college, he met his fifth cousin, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, who later became his wife. Eleanor was too kind for Franklin’s family and he and his mother took advantage of her kindness and pushed her into the background of his personal and political career. Eventually, she would become a strong independent woman and Franklin began valuing her opinions.
Freedman also demonstrated how quickly Roosevelt’s political live evolved and how abruptly it ended. Roosevelt did not linger around when it came to making decisions. If he thought it would work, he made a decision. He started so many programs (New Deal) during his administration that people began to believe that he did not know what he was doing. He developed bank regulations, insurance, social, security, and other programs that would benefit the poor people. Franklin, being rich, did not understand the struggles of the poor man until he was stricken with polio. Then, he understood how people depended upon each other.
Franklin’s life ended in Warm Springs (1945) where he enjoyed spending most of his time and doing what he loved doing: working for the people of the United States.
Standards: American and World History (presidents, Great Depression, WWII, Pearl Harbor, Big Three)
Illustrations: Freedman used pictures and photographs to make the text more meaningful. He used large, black and white photographs that showed a clear picture of special events during his life. There was text under each picture that made it easy for young readers to read and understand. The pictures and photographs were from Bettmann Archive, Library of Congress, National Archives, and Wide World Photos. The photographs were also given acknowledgement in the back of the book.
Access Features: Access features are used to help the reader easily understand the ideas and concepts in the book. The access features used in this book were illustrations, photographs, table of contents, index, acknowledgment and picture credits, suggested books, FDR photo album, and places to visit.
Use in Classroom: This would be a good supplementary resource for American and World History class for middle or high school. It is too high for my second grade students. I would use it with the unit on presidents.
My Response: I am glad that I read this book because I found out a couple of things about FDR that I did not know. I have always thought that he could not walk because of the polio. But, he could with the help of braces.
I did not know that he was elected for a fourth term. I thought that presidents could only be elected for two terms. I found out that the law was changed after his administration.
I hated that Eleanor let Franklin’s mother rule everything. I wanted Eleanor to tell his mother where she could go! She just let her ruled too much: hiring the nannies, telling her to quit her job, and connecting their homes. I guess, “money rules”.
One question: After the affair with Lucy, did Eleanor and Franklin ever become lovers again? Or did she just play the “wife beside her husband” deal?
Suggested Books: Here is a partial listing of some of the books included in the back of book:
Devine, Robert A. Roosevelt and World War II
Freidel, Frank B. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Leuchtenburg, William E. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal
Miller, Nathan. FDR: An Intimate History
Morgan, Ted. FDR: A Biography
Ward, Geoffrey C. Before the Trumpet: Young Franklin Roosevelt
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