Librarians Choices 2008

Librarians' Choices
Master List 2008

1. Anderson, Laurie Halse. 2008. CHAINS. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 1416905855 [Suggested Grade Levels 6-12]

2. Anderson, M.T. 2008. THE ASTONISHING LIFE OF OCTAVIAN NOTHING TRAITOR TO THE NATION; THE KINGDOM ON THE WAVES. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763729502 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

3. Appelt, Kathi. 2008. THE UNDERNEATH. Ill. by David Small. New York: Atheneum. ISBN 1416950583 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-7]

4. Beck, Carolyn. 2008. BUTTERCUP’S LOVELY DAY. Ill. by Andrea Beck. Custer, WA: Orca Book Publishers. ISBN 1554691222 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK–5]

5. Berne, Jennifer. 2008. MANFISH: A STORY OF JACQUES COUSTEAU. Ill. by Eric Puybaret. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. ISBN 9780811860635 [Suggested Grade Levels K-3]

6. Birdsall, Jeanne. 2008. PENDERWICKS ON GARDAM STREET. New York: Knopf. ISBN 9780375840906 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-6]

7. Blundell, Judy. 2008. WHAT I SAW AND HOW I LIED. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439903462 [Suggested Grade Levels 7-12]

8. Bryant, Jen. 2008. A RIVER OF WORDS: THE STORY OF WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS. Ill. by Melissa Sweet. New York: Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 0802853021 [Suggested Grade Levels 3–7]

9. Burg, Shana. 2008. A THOUSAND NEVER EVERS. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780385734707 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-8]

10. Cabot, Meg. 2008. ALLIE FINKLE’S RULES FOR GIRLS BOOK ONE: MOVING DAY. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780545039475 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-6]

11. Cammuso, Frank. 2008. KNIGHTS OF THE LUNCH TABLE: THE DODGEBALL CHRONICLES. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439903226 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-7]

12. Capaldi, Gina. 2008. A BOY NAMED BECKONING: THE TRUE STORY OF DR. CARLOS MONTEZUMA, NATIVE AMERICAN HERO. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books. ISBN 9780822576440 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-6]

13. Collins, Suzanne. 2008. THE HUNGER GAMES. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439023481 [Suggested Grade Levels 7–12]

14. Crane, E.M. SKIN DEEP. 2008. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780385734790 [Suggested Grade Levels 8-12]

15. D’Aluisio, Faith. 2008. WHAT THE WORLD EATS. Photography by Peter Menzel. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press. ISBN 1582462461 [Suggested Grade Levels 2 and up]

16. de la Peña, Matt. 2008. MEXICAN WHITE BOY. New York: Random House. ISBN 978385733106 [Suggested Grade Levels 8-12]

17. Dessen, Sarah. 2008. LOCK AND KEY. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780399251061 [Suggested Grade Levels 7-12]

18. DiPucchio, Kelly. 2008. SIPPING SPIDERS THROUGH A STRAW: CAMPFIRE SONGS FOR MONSTERS. Ill. by Gris Grimly. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439584012 [Suggested Grade Levels 2-4]

19. Doctorow, Cory. 2008. LITTLE BROTHER. New York: Macmillan. ISBN 9780765319852 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

20. Dowd, Siobhan. 2008. THE LONDON EYE MYSTERY. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375849763 [Suggested Grade Levels 4–7]

21. Dowell, Frances O’Roark. 2008. SHOOTING THE MOON. New York: Atheneum. ISBN 1416926909 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-9]

22. Dunkle, Clare B. 2008. THE SKY INSIDE. New York: Atheneum. ISBN 9781416924227 [Suggested Grade Levels 6 and up]

23. Enderle, Dotti. 2008. MAN IN THE MOON. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780385735667 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-8]

24. Engle, Margarita. 2008. THE SURRENDER TREE: POEMS OF CUBA’S STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 0805086749 [Suggested Grade Levels 5–9]

25. Fleischman, Sid. 2008. THE TROUBLE BEGINS AT 8: A LIFE OF MARK TWAIN IN THE WILD, WILD WEST. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061344312 [Suggested Grade Levels 6-10]

26. Fleming, Candace. 2008. THE LINCOLNS: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ABRAHAM AND MARY. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375836183 [Suggested Grade Levels 5 and up]

27. Freedman, Russell. 2008. WASHINGTON AT VALLEY FORGE. New York: Little, Brown. ISBN 9780823420698 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-9]

28. Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. ISBN 9780374317768 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-10]

29. Gaiman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Ill. by Dave McKean. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060530938 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-9]

30. Gardner, Sally. 2008. THE RED NECKLACE. New York: Dial. ISBN 9780803731004 [Suggested Grade Levels 6-12]

31. George, Jean Craighead. 2008. THE WOLVES ARE BACK. Ill. by Wendell Minor. New York: Dutton. ISBN 078052547945 [Suggested Grade Levels 2-7]

32. Gifford, Peggy. 2008. MOXY MAXWELL DOES NOT LOVE WRITING THANK-YOU NOTES. Ill. by Valorie Fisher. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375842702 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-7]

33. Giovanni, Nikki. 2008. HIP HOP SPEAKS TO CHILDREN: A CELEBRATION OF POETRY WITH A BEAT. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks. ISBN 1402210485 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK–6]

34. Gravett, Emily. 2008. MONKEY AND ME. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 1416954570 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-K]

35. Green, John. 2008. PAPER TOWNS. New York: Dutton. ISBN 9780525478188 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

36. Hague, Michael. 2008. IN THE SMALL. New York: Hachette Book Group. ISBN 9780316013239 [Suggested Grade Levels 7-12]

37. Hale, Shannon and Dean. 2008. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. Ill. by Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781599902883 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-10]

38. Hall, Katy and Lisa Eisenberg. 2008. SIMMS TABACK’S GREAT BIG BOOK OF SPACEY, SNAKEY, BUGGY RIDDLES. Ill. by Simms Taback. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670011216 [Suggested Grade Levels 1-6]

39. Harmon, Michael. 2008. THE LAST EXIT TO NORMAL. New York: Knopf. ISBN 0375840982 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

40. Hirahara, Naomi. 2008. 1001 CRANES. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780385735568 [Suggested Grade Levels 4–7]

41. Holbrook, Sara and Allan Wolf. 2008. MORE THAN FRIENDS: POEMS FROM HIM AND HER. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press. ISBN 9781590785874 [Suggested Grade Levels 7 and up]

42. Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2008. AMERICA AT WAR. Ill. by Stephen Alcorn. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 1416918329 [Suggested Grade Levels 4–12]

43. Horvath, Polly. 2008. MY ONE HUNDRED ADVENTURES. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375845826 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-8]

44. Howie, Betsy. 2008. THE BLOCK MESS MONSTER. Ill. by C.B. Decker. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 9780805079401 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-2]

45. Jenkins, Emily. 2008. SKUNKDOG. Ill. by Pierre Pratt. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. ISBN 9780374370091 [Suggested Grade Levels K–3]

46. Ji, Zhaohua. 2008. NO! THAT’S WRONG! Ill. by Cui Xu. La Jolla, CA: Kane/Miller. ISBN 1933605669 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-2]

47. Kehret, Peg. 2008. STOLEN CHILDREN. New York: Dutton. ISBN 9780525478355 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-8]

48. Kerby, Mona. 2008. OWNEY, THE MAIL-POUCH POOCH. Ill. by Lynne Barasch. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. ISBN 9780374356859 [Suggested Grade Levels K-3]

49. Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?: HOW ALICE ROOSEVELT BROKE THE RULES, CHARMED THE WORLD, AND DROVE HER FATHER TEDDY CRAZY! Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439922319 [Suggested Grade Levels 2-5]

50. Khan, Hena. 2008. NIGHT OF THE MOON: A MUSLIM HOLIDAY STORY. Ill. by Julie Paschkis. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. ISBN 9780811860628 [Suggested Grade Levels K-3]

51. Kibuishi, Kazu. 2008. AMULET, BOOK ONE: THE STONEKEEPER. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439846806 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-7]

52. Kimmel, Eric A. 2008. THE MYSTERIOUS GUESTS: A SUKKOT STORY. Ill. by Katya Krenina. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 9780823418930 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-7]

53. Klages, Ellen. 2008. WHITE SANDS, RED MENACE. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670062355 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-7]

54. Kluger, Steve. 2008. MY MOST EXCELLENT YEAR: A NOVEL OF LOVE, MARY POPPINS, AND FENWAY PARK. New York: Dial. ISBN 9780803732278 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

55. Korman, Gordon. 2008. SWINDLE. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439903448 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-7]

56. Kuklin, Susan. 2008. NO CHOIRBOY: MURDER, VIOLENCE, AND TEENAGERS ON DEATH ROW. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 0805079505 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

57. Lee, Ingrid. 2008. DOG LOST. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780545085786 [Suggested Grade Levels 5 and up]

58. Lee, Suzy. 2008. WAVE. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. ISBN 9780811859240 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-4]

59. Lockhart, E. 2008. THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 978078683818 [Suggested Grade Levels 7-12]

60. Look, Lenore. 2008. ALVIN HO: ALLERGIC TO GIRLS, SCHOOL, AND OTHER SCARY THINGS. Ill. by LeUyen Pham. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375839146 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-6]

61. Lowry, Lois. 2008. THE WILLOUGHBYS. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618979745 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-7]

62. Marchetta, Melina. 2008. JELLICOE ROAD. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061431838 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

63. Martin, Ann M. and Laura Godwin. 2008. THE RUNAWAY DOLLS. Ill. by Brian Selznick. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 9780786855841 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-6]

64. McKissack, Patricia C. 2008. STITCHIN’ AND PULLIN’: A GEE’S BEND QUILT. Ill. by Cozbi A. Cabrera. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375831638 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-6]

65. Myers, Walter Dean. 2008. SUNRISE OVER FALLUJAH. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439916240 [Suggested Grade Levels 7-12]

66. Nelson, Kadir. 2008. WE ARE THE SHIP: THE STORY OF NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 978078680832 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-12]

67. Nelson, Marilyn. 2008. THE FREEDOM BUSINESS. Ill. by Deborah Dancy. Asheville, NC: Front Street. ISBN 1932425578 [Suggested Grade Levels 8-12]

68. Nicholls, Sally. 2008. WAYS TO LIVE FOREVER. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780545069489 [Suggested Grade Levels 4–7]

69. Nobleman, Marc Tyler. 2008. BOYS OF STEEL: THE CREATORS OF SUPERMAN. Ill. by Ross MacDonald. New York: Knopf. ISBN 9780375828036 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-7]

70. Nye, Naomi Shihab. 2008. HONEYBEE. New York: Greenwillow. ISBN 0060853905 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-8]

71. O’Connor, Barbara. 2008. GREETINGS FROM NOWHERE. Vancouver, BC: D&M Publishers. ISBN 9780374399375 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-6]

72. Olson, Arielle North and Howard Schwartz. 2008. MORE BONES: SCARY STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. Ill. by E.M. Gist. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670063390 [Suggested Grade Levels 3 and up]

73. Palmer, Robin. 2008. CINDY ELLA. New York: Penguin. ISBN 9780142403921 [Suggested Grade Levels 6-12]

74. Pearson, Mary E. 2008. THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 0805076689 [Suggested Grade Levels 8-12]

75. Pfeffer, Susan Beth. 2008. THE DEAD AND THE GONE. New York: Harcourt. ISBN 0152063110 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

76. Raczka, Bob. 2008. THE ART OF FREEDOM: HOW ARTISTS SEE AMERICA. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner. ISBN 9780822575085 [Suggested Grade Levels 3–5]

77. Rappaport, Doreen. 2008. ABE’S HONEST WORDS: THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Ill. by Kadir Nelson. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 9781423104087 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-6]

78. Rappaport, Doreen. 2008. LADY LIBERTY: A BIOGRAPHY. Ill. by Matt Tavares. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763625306 [Suggested Grade Levels 2–5]

79. Recorvits, Helen. 2008. YOON AND THE JADE BRACELET. Ill. by Gabi Swiatkowska. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. ISBN 9780374386894 [Suggested Grade Levels K-3]

80. Reibstein, Mark. 2008. WABI SABI. Ill. by Ed Young. New York: Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316118255 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-2]

81. Reynolds, Aaron. 2008. METAL MAN. Ill. by Paul Hoppe. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. ISBN 9781580891509 [Suggested Grade Levels 1-4]

82. Rodriguez, Edel. 2008. SERGIO MAKES A SPLASH. New York: Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316066167 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-2]

83. Schulman, Janet. 2008. PALE MALE: CITIZEN HAWK OF NEW YORK CITY. Ill. by Meilo So. New York: Knopf. ISBN 9780375945588 [Suggested Grade Levels K–3]

84. Scieszka, Jon. 2008. KNUCKLEHEAD: TALL TALES AND MOSTLY TRUE STORIES ABOUT GROWING UP SCIESZKA. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670011063 [Suggested Grade Levels 3–6]

85. Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. 2008. DOG AND BEAR: TWO’S COMPANY. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 9781596432734 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-1]

86. Slater, Dashka. 2008. THE SEA SERPENT AND ME. Ill. by Catia Chien. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618723942 [Suggested Grade Levels K-3]

87. Smith, Jr. Charles R. 2008. WINNING WORDS: SPORTS STORIES AND PHOTOGRAPHS. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763614454 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-10]

88. Smith, Hope Anita. 2008. KEEPING THE NIGHT WATCH. Ill. by E.B. Lewis. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 0805072020 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-8]

89. Sutton, Sally. 2008. ROADWORK. Ill. by Brian Lovelock. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763639129 [Suggested Grade Levels K-2]

90. Swanson, Susan Marie. 2008. THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT. Ill. by Beth Krommes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618862443 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-1]

91. Thomson, Melissa. 2008. KEENA FORD AND THE SECOND GRADE MIX-UP. Ill. by Frank Morrison. New York: Dial. ISBN 0803732635 [Suggested Grade Levels K-3]

92. Venkatraman, Padma. 2008. CLIMBING THE STAIRS. New York: Putman. ISBN 0399247467 [Suggested Grade Levels 7-12]

93. Walsh, Melanie. 2008. TEN THINGS I CAN DO TO HELP MY WORLD. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9781406310863 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-2]

94. Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2008. BECOMING BILLIE HOLIDAY. Ill. by Floyd Cooper. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press. ISBN 159078507X [Suggested Grade Levels 5–10]

95. Werlin, Nancy. 2008. IMPOSSIBLE. New York: Dial. ISBN 9780803730021 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

96. Williams, Marcia. 2008. MY SECRET WAR DIARY, BY FLOSSIE ALBRIGHT: MY HISTORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-1945. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763641115 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-7]

97. Winters, Kay. 2008. COLONIAL VOICES: HEAR THEM SPEAK. Ill. by Larry Day. New York: Penguin. ISBN 978052547820 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-8]

98. Wood, Don. 2008. INTO THE VOLCANO. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 978043972719 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-8]

99. Zarr, Sara. 2008. SWEETHEARTS. New York: Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316014557 [Suggested Grade Levels 8-12]

100. Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. 2008. 42 MILES. Ill. by Elaine Clayton. New York: Clarion. ISBN 0618618678 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-8]

PARTICIPATING REVIEWERS: Jane Claes; Susie Demarest; Shirley Smith Duke; Cay Geisler; Kathlene A. Goldin; Janet Hilbun; Jane Jergensen; Kimberly C. Kinnaird; Tammy Korns; Becky Laney; Rebecca S. McKee; Suzy Parchman; Sylvia M. Vardell

42 Miles

Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. 2008. 42 MILES. Ill. by Elaine Clayton. New York: Clarion. ISBN 0618618678 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-8]

REVIEW
In this novel in verse, a very conflicted ‘tween girl describes her weekday life with her mom in the city and her weekends with dad in the country poem by poem. Her personality, desires, and friendships emerge through the strong, clear voice of each poem. In the end, she bravely tries to merge her two worlds and the identity she has adopted in each into a new, mixed whole. In addition, small illustrations by Elaine Clayton are sprinkled throughout the book suggesting a kind of scrapbook of collages. This believable and fast-moving story-poem will resonate with many young people who straddle two homes during their growing up years.

CONNECTIONS
If you feel comfortable leading a discussion about separation and divorce, invite children to talk about JoEllen’s poems and experiences with two homes and divorced parents. Or, they can focus on the school bully, Belinda James, and talk about how JoEllen is able to stand up to her. What does she say and do to defend herself and her friends?

Kids could also choose their favorite poem from the verse novel to read aloud, recopy, and then create their own piece of art to accompany it. Or they may feel inspired to research and write their own autobiographical poem as JoEllen does.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books that combine poetry and art:
Wayland, April Halprin. PLANE COMING IN FOR A LANDING. ISBN 0440419034
Wong, Janet. MINN AND JAKE. ISBN 0374349878
Wong, Janet. MINN AND JAKE’S ALMOST TERRIBLE SUMMER. ISBN 0374349770

By Sylvia M. Vardell

Sweethearts

Zarr, Sara. 2008. SWEETHEARTS. New York: Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316014557 [Suggested Grade Levels 8-12]

REVIEW
In this young adult novel, two teenagers that haven’t seen each other in years reconnect to delve into their painful past. Jenna Vaughn is a popular high school senior with a boyfriend and close circle of friends. She wasn’t always accepted by her peers, though. Before her mother remarried and moved the new family to another school district Jenna had been known as Jennifer, an overweight outcast and the object of her classmates’ cruel taunts. Her only friend was Cameron Quick, another loner that protected Jennifer from the other students and truly understood her. Together the two best friends supported each other through a painful abusive situation. When Cameron’s family mysteriously moved with no warning, Jennifer was left alone and began the process of reinventing herself. Eight years later Jenna enjoys her new persona, but is surprised to find that Jennifer won’t stay quiet after Cameron reappears in her life.

Sara Zarr presents a sensitive subject thoughtfully with kindness. As Cameron gently forces Jenna to confront their abusive encounter with his father, she finally begins to accept the pain of her past without hiding her true self.

CONNECTIONS
This book addresses a difficult subject, but would lead to thoughtful discussions about relationships. Readers might also want to talk about the painful effects of school bullying and harassment on students that don’t fit in with their peers.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books for young adults about abusive relationships or social outcasts:
Anderson, Laurie Halse. SPEAK. ISBN 9780141310886
Giles, Gail. SHATTERING GLASS. ISBN 9780689858000
Zarr, Sara. STORY OF A GIRL. ISBN 9780316014533

By Kimberly C. Kinnaird

Into the Volcano

Wood, Don. 2008. INTO THE VOLCANO. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 978043972719 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-8]

REVIEW
This “erupting” story is as fast moving as lava and as hot as magma. The father of brothers Duffy and Sumo Pugg sends them to the island because he cannot take care of them while their mother is away as he must go on a business trip. Duffy loves the adventure and the island life while Sumo does not and complains all the time. Suddenly, the kids must go with their cousin to save the family. This journey leads them all into danger and into an active volcano where they find their mother. The author uses characterization to help the reader feel compassion for the children and fantastic art to make us feel the heat of the protagonists’ surroundings.

CONNECTIONS
Along with the art that drives the story, young readers can use standard or metric measuring systems to arrange the story on a cartoon strip. They may also enjoy further research into geology and earth’s forever changing plate tectonics.

RELATED BOOKS
Other fiction books about geology:
Price Stern Sloan. WHAT HIDES BENEATH THE EARTH. ISBN 9780843132298
Verne, Jules. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. ISBN 9781402743375

Non-fiction books about volcanoes:
Gazlay, Suzy, Robert B. Trombley and, Kirk A. Janowiak. BE A VOLCANOLOGIST. ISBN 9780836889307
Lewis, G. Brad and Paul-Edouard Bernard De Lajartre. THE VOLCANOES: FACE TO FACE WITH THE MOUNTAINS OF FIRE. ISBN 9780500543405

By Kathlene A. Goldin

Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak

Winters, Kay. 2008. COLONIAL VOICES: HEAR THEM SPEAK. Ill. by Larry Day. New York: Penguin. ISBN 978052547820 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-8]

REVIEW
This handsome picture book lets readers hear what might have been said by thirteen residents of Boston in the hours leading up to the Boston Tea Party in 1773. Characters include an errand boy, printer, baker, school mistress, shoemaker, milliner, basket trader, tavern keeper, midwife, barber, blacksmith, clockmaker and a silversmith’s apprentice. Each character’s place in colonial culture and their evolving attitudes about British rule and the potential for American independence is revealed in a first-person account and in the author’s historical notes. Over-sized ink and watercolor images provide a sepia toned glimpse of colonial life: in a barbershop, men gather to talk as a customer gets a shave, wigs line the shelves, and a small boy closely inspects a bottle of leeches. Suspense builds as errand boy Ethan delivers notices about a meeting of the Sons of Liberty to each of the featured Bostonians and climaxes with Patriots tossing tea into the harbor and everyone wondering “What will happen now?” Endpapers feature a map and schedule of Ethan’s route. Young scholars will appreciate the substantial reading list and glossary.

CONNECTIONS
Discuss the significance of perspective, in history and in our everyday lives. After reviewing roles played by the book’s thirteen characters, let children take turns making up riddles and guessing the answers: I keep folks informed and publish the paper. Who am I? Answer: The Printer.

RELATED BOOKS
Other picture books focusing on the American Revolution:
Anderson, Laurie Halse. INDEPENDENT DAMES. ISBN 9780689858086
Brown, Don. LET IT BEGIN HERE: APRIL 19, 1775, THE DAY THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BEGAN. ISBN 9781596432215
Schanzer, Rosalyn. GEORGE VS. GEORGE: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AS SEEN FROM BOTH SIDES. ISBN 9780792269991

By Suzy Parchman

My Secret War Diary, by Flossie Albright: My History of the Second World War 1939-1945

Williams, Marcia. 2008. MY SECRET WAR DIARY, BY FLOSSIE ALBRIGHT: MY HISTORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-1945. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763641115 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-7]

REVIEW
World War II is looming and nine year old Flossie must grow up fast to help her family and country during these dangerous times. Flossie lives with her father, baby brother, and great uncle in the gardener’s cottage on a country estate south of London. When her father joins the army, Flossie is understandably upset at being left without a parent, especially since her mother died after Timmy was born. With the help of her great uncle and the cook at the big house, Flossie manages to take care of her brother and help with the war effort.

Flossie’s diary resembles a scrapbook, full of actual newspaper clippings and advertisements from the era. Marcia Williams includes her own family’s mementos and photographs amid Flossie’s handwritten entries and drawings, which gives the diary a sense of historical authenticity and voice. Readers can identify with this spunky and resourceful girl as she welcomes evacuees from London, knits scarves and mittens for soldiers, and longs for a letter or visit from her dad.

CONNECTIONS
This diary would be a great choice to enhance lessons about previous or current wars and the effects felt by the families waiting at home. With all the fold-outs and extra information in captions and newspaper clippings, this scrapbook would work best as an individual reading selection or literature circle discussion book.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books about children and young adults helping the World War II war effort:
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. FOR FREEDOM: THE STORY OF A FRENCH SPY. ISBN 9780385729611
Durbin, William. THE WINTER WAR. ISBN 9780385746526
Lowry, Lois. NUMBER THE STARS. ISBN 9780440227533

By Kimberly C. Kinnaird

Impossible

Werlin, Nancy. 2008. IMPOSSIBLE. New York: Dial. ISBN 9780803730021 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

REVIEW
Lucy Scarborough’s mother Miranda is a crazy street person and as Lucy nears seventeen, keeps reappearing into her life both scaring and embarrassing her. Lucy finds her mother’s journal and discovers that all the women of her mother’s family have been cursed for generations. They all become pregnant despite not being married and if they do not complete three seemingly impossible tasks before the baby is born, they become mad. Lucy tries to protect herself from pregnancy, but her prom date rapes her and she becomes pregnant. Unlike her mother, Lucy has a strong support group. Her foster parents know of the Scarborough curse and are there to support her. Her neighbor, Zach, is willing to become her husband and the baby’s father and to do what he can do to help break the curse. A strangely attractive man also inserts himself into Lucy’s foster family, blinding Lucy’s foster mother to what is really happening. Tension heightens as the birth of the baby draws near and the tasks have not yet been completed. Based on the folk song “The Elfin Night,” better known as “Scarborough Fair” or “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme,” IMPOSSIBLE brings the strange song to life in a compelling read that is hard to put down.

CONNECTIONS
Listen or read several versions of the folk song and compare the versions. If possible, look at the songs in chronological order of publication and look at the changes.

Take another folk song (Peter, Paul and Mary have some easily accessible ones that might be familiar) and use it as a writing prompt for a short story or a play.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books written by Nancy Werlin:
BLACK MIRROR. ISBN 9780142500286
DOUBLE HELIX. ISBN 9780142403273
LOCKED INSIDE. ISBN 9780142413746

By Janet Hilbun

Becoming Billie Holiday

Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2008. BECOMING BILLIE HOLIDAY. Ill. by Floyd Cooper. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press. ISBN 159078507X [Suggested Grade Levels 5–10]

REVIEW
Carole Boston Weatherford has created a “fictional verse memoir” in her new biographical work, BECOMING BILLIE HOLIDAY. She profiles the famous jazz singer from her neglected childhood to the slow blossoming of her talent. The poems channel Holiday’s love of music with each poem borrowing its title from one of her songs. We get a glimpse of Holiday’s history, as well as music history. We also see the lonely, but spunky girl grow into her own talented womanhood.

Illustrator Floyd Cooper creates heavily textured portraits and scenes in sepia tones that flow seamlessly into the verse. Subtlety is key in this marriage of poetry and pictures, and both author and artist contribute to this delicate balance.

CONNECTIONS
The author has a tremendous variety of teaching resources for this book at http://www.caroleweatherford.com with an independent Web site set up for this book alone at http://www.becomingbillieholiday.com. You’ll find a Reading Guide, Event Planning Guide, and even video book trailer (also available on YouTube). Use any of these resources to stimulate and support children’s responses.

RELATED BOOKS
Other similar poetry books about jazz and music:
Adoff, Jaime. SONG SHOOTS OUT OF MY MOUTH; A CELEBRATION OF MUSIC. ISBN 0525469494
Myers, Walter Dean. BLUES JOURNEY. ISBN 1595194282
Myers, Walter Dean. JAZZ. ISBN 0823421732
Weatherford, Carole Boston. BEFORE JOHN WAS A JAZZ GIANT: A SONG OF JOHN COLTRANE. ISBN 0805079947

By Sylvia M. Vardell

Ten Things I Can Do to Help My World

Walsh, Melanie. 2008. TEN THINGS I CAN DO TO HELP MY WORLD. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9781406310863 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-2]

REVIEW
This simple but lovely picture book is a primer for what young children can do to conserve precious resources. Some of the ideas are about conserving energy—turning of the light when leaving a room and the television when not watching and walking instead of the driving in the car. Other ideas deal concern taking care of what we have by planting seeds and feeding the birds and turning off the tap when brushing teeth and using both sides of a piece of paper. Simply told with bright child-friendly illustrations and die cut pages make it both a good read aloud for a class or for an individual child.

CONNECTIONS
Brainstorm other things that a child can do to conserve and preserve. Draw posters of the ideas and display them around the school or have a poster contest for the entire school.

Discuss what the class or the school as a whole could do to conserve and preserve. Have a contest to see who can recycle the most cans, bottles, or newspapers. Clean up the trash on the playground or around the school or in the neighborhood.

Have kids make their own books of ten things that they will do to help their world.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books about making a difference:
Graham, Bob. HOW TO HEAL A BROKEN WING. ISBN 9780763639037
Milway, Katie Smith. ONE HEN: HOW ONE SMALL LOAN MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE. ISBN 9781554530281
Winter, Jeanette. WANGARI’S TREES OF PEACE: A TRUE STORY FROM AFRICA. ISBN 9780152065454

By Jane Claes

Climbing the Stairs

Venkatraman, Padma. 2008. CLIMBING THE STAIRS. New York: Putman. ISBN 0399247467 [Suggested Grade Levels 7-12]

REVIEW
Set in India during the early years of World War II, CLIMBING THE STAIRS is narrated by a charming girl, 15, Vidya, who dreams of going to college at a time when girls are seen as future wives and mothers. When tragedy strikes and the family is forced to move to her paternal grandfather’s home, Vidya’s future becomes as uncertain as India’s political climate. The independence movement hopes to create an India free from British rule and oppression. But there is a call from the British to rise up and join their ranks on the field fighting the Axis powers. Yet many Indians believe in nonviolence no matter the situation.

Vidya makes for a compelling narrator. With everything going wrong in her life—her father’s illness, her brother being in the army, and her current living circumstances—living with strict rules about male and female roles: the men live upstairs, the women live downstairs—Vidya could have given up, but instead she finds strength and courage to hold onto hope. One of her greatest resources is her grandfather's library, a place that should be off limits since its upstairs.

CONNECTIONS
Discuss how the heroines Vidya encounters between the covers in the books she reads inspire and encourage her in her own life. Research the Indian Independence/Freedom movement. Discuss the moral and ethical dilemmas of the war as presented in the novel.

RELATED BOOKS
Other novels set in India:
Krishnaswami, Uma. NAMING MAYA. ISBN 0374354855
Perkins, Mitali. MONSOON SUMMER. ISBN 0440238404
Perkins, Mitali. SECRET KEEPER. ISBN 0385733402
Sheth, Kashmira. KEEPING CORNER. ISBN 0786838590
Staples, Suzanne Fisher. SHIVA’S FIRE. ISBN 0064409797

By Becky Laney

Keena Ford and the Second Grade Mix-Up

Thomson, Melissa. 2008. KEENA FORD AND THE SECOND GRADE MIX-UP. Ill. by Frank Morrison. New York: Dial. ISBN 0803732635 [Suggested Grade Levels K-3]

REVIEW
Keena often gets in trouble because she speaks and acts without thinking. Her mother hopes that by writing about her feelings in her journal, Keena won’t act out as much. For our entertainment, we see the action of Keena’s last days of summer and first days of the new school year in her journal entries. Keena’s parents have separated; second grade is about to start, and she finds out that she will be in a class of all girls which means her best friend won’t be with her in class. Even though Keena hopes for a fresh start and a good beginning to the school year, she runs into trouble. Keena is an extremely likeable protagonist who makes bad choices, some really embarrassing. As a read aloud, it affords children the opportunity to see and discuss the consequences of her “mix-ups.” Topics such as jealousy, dishonesty, apologies, and friendship are revealed in Keena’s journal.

Interestingly enough, Keena is an African American, but nowhere in the text is her race mentioned. Only the illustrations give us clues. The pencil drawings show an attractive child in various realistic situations in this beginning chapter book novel. Keena is an easy child for students to identify with. Her foibles make her very believable and endearingly human.

CONNECTIONS
Invite young readers to consider what it would be like to have their class made up only of same sex children. Do they think that this segregation would be good? How would it affect their lives at school?

RELATED BOOKS
Other books about schoolgirls:
Harper, Charise Mericle. JUST GRACE. ISBN 9780618646425
Pennypacker, Sara. CLEMENTINE. ISBN 9780786838820

By Cay Geisler

The House in the Night

Swanson, Susan Marie. 2008. THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT. Ill. by Beth Krommes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618862443 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-1]

REVIEW
This simple Caldecott winning bedtime story begins with a golden key placed in the hand of a small child: “Here is the key to the house.” Spare phrases on each double page spread pair with Krommes’ intricate black and white scratchboard art that fills two pages at once to depict a familiar evening ritual. In each of the otherwise darkly monochrome illustrations, touches of gold provide reassuring illumination: “In the house burns a light. In that light rests a bed. On that bed waits a book.” Words and pictures take young readers into the pages of the book, out into the starry night and eventually out into space before returning, step by step, to “the house in the night, a home full of light.” The cumulative tale comes full circle in a satisfying conclusion.

An author’s note indicates Swanson based her story on the traditional nursery rhyme that begins “This is the key to the kingdom.” This new version, set in the comforting warmth of a child’s home makes a perfect selection for bedtime. In the mold of classics like GOODNIGHT MOON, it begs to be read repeatedly.

CONNECTIONS
Explain that the technique for creating the illustrations in this book is called scratchboard. Instead of adding color to the page, artists scratch it away. Provide scratch-art paper for children to use in creating their own art.

RELATED BOOKS
Other picture books based on traditional tales with cumulative patterns:
Jackson, Alyson. I KNOW AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A PIE. ISBN 9780525456452
Kimmel, Eric. THE GINGERBREAD MAN. ISBN 9780823411375
Pinkney, Brian. HUSH LITTLE BABY. ISBN 9780060559939
Taback, Simms. THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. ISBN 9780399234880

By Suzy Parchman

Roadwor

Sutton, Sally. 2008. ROADWORK. Ill. by Brian Lovelock. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763639129 [Suggested Grade Levels K-2]

REVIEW
From the planning stage to opening day, the construction of a highway is told in rhythm, rhyme and onomatopoeia. Each spread depicts a four-line verse in a repetitive pattern, and each ends in a string of sounds. “Seal the road. Seal the road / Make it hot and squishy. / Spread the sticky tar and stones. / Sploshy! Splashy! Splishy!” The simplistic form is complemented by vivid vocabulary like “hoist” and “lug.”

Pigmented ink illustrations provide a detailed look at the road under construction, the workers, and their machinery. An illustrated glossary at the end gives an easy explanation of the purpose of each of the vehicles. Youngsters interested in building, machines, and big vehicles will appreciate that making roads is a lot of work, yet oh so much fun!

CONNECTIONS
Watch a film showing real construction work. Point out that even sophisticated equipment is made up of simple machines – pulley, lever, inclined plane. In addition to the figurative language, the text has fine examples of imperative verbs. Emphasize the meanings of these words with hand and body motions.

RELATED BOOKS
Other picture books for a construction theme:
Burton, Virginia Lee. MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL. ISBN 9780395169612
Garcia, Emma. TIP TIP DIG DIG. ISBN 9781905417582
Nevius, Carol. BUILDING WITH DAD. ISBN 9780761453123
Zimmerman, Andrea Griffing. DIG!. ISBN 9780152167851

By Rebecca S. McKee

Keeping the Night Watch

Smith, Hope Anita. 2008. KEEPING THE NIGHT WATCH. Ill. by E.B. Lewis. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 0805072020 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-8]

REVIEW
KEEPING THE NIGHT WATCH is a sequel to THE WAY A DOOR CLOSES. However, you don't have to have read the first book to enjoy and appreciate this one. Our hero and narrator is a young African-American man named C.J. who is struggling with finding his place in his family now that his father has reentered the picture and rejoined his family. C.J. grew into being 'the man' of the family. But now where does he belong? He can't go back to being a child? Can he?

Hope Anita Smith's poems are powerfully authentic as they examine the ins and outs, ups and downs of family life. This coming-of-age novel in verse is too heartfelt to be missed.

CONNECTIONS
Discuss the family dynamics at play in the novel.

Write your own family-inspired poem.

Choose a poem (or two) to perform dramatically.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books of African American poetry for young people:
Adoff, Arnold. I AM THE DARKER BROTHER. ISBN 0689808690
Giovanni, Nikki. HIP HOP SPEAKS TO CHILDREN. ISBN 1402210485
Myers, Walter Dean. IT AIN’T ALL FOR NOTHIN’ ISBN 0064473112
Smith, Hope Anita. THE WAY A DOOR CLOSES. ISBN 080506477X

By Becky Laney

Winning Words: Sports Stories and Photographs

Smith, Jr. Charles R. 2008. WINNING WORDS: SPORTS STORIES AND PHOTOGRAPHS. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763614454 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-10]

REVIEW
This is a wonderful and innovative story collection highlighted by bold and bright photography of young athletes in action. Six stories spotlight the sports in which children often participate: baseball, football, soccer, gymnastics, karate, and basketball. In each, athletes try to overcome an obstacle such as the fear of “choking,” a formidable opponent, or inadequate size. Two sports announcers describe the action at a football game where one team is trying to end a scoreless season. A young baseball player’s thoughts reveal his frustration in a game where his batting slump continues. A girl questions whether she can break a board with her fist in order to obtain her brown belt in karate. Some of the characters prevail, some do not; yet all the stories have a positive resolution.

Unusual page colors, bolded excerpts and up-close photos attract attention and reflect the action of the sport. Quotes by famous people sum up the theme of each narrative, while a two page essay on motivation rounds out the end of the book. All young people – competitors and otherwise – will enjoy this inspiring collection.

CONNECTIONS
The emotions portrayed in the stories are common to all young people. Respond to the stories by writing personal experiences of fears and frustrations. Interview community athletes about hindrances they had to conquer in order to be successful. Read biographies of famous athletes and assemble information about obstacles they may have had to overcome.

RELATED BOOKS
Other contemporary story collections with sports themes:
Lubar, David. LAY UPS AND LONG SHOTS: EIGHT SHORT STORIES. ISBN 9781581960785
Mercado, Nancy, ed.. BASEBALL CRAZY: TEN SHORT STORIES THAT COVER ALL THE BASES. ISBN 9780803731622

By Rebecca S. McKee

The Sea Serpent and Me

Slater, Dashka. 2008. THE SEA SERPENT AND ME. Ill. by Catia Chien. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618723942 [Suggested Grade Levels K-3]

REVIEW
In this first-person narrative, a little girl makes an unexpected friend when a sea serpent drops out of the faucet in her tub: “He was a very beautiful sea serpent, so small I could hold him in my hands.” The sea serpent takes up residence in the girl’s fish tank next to her bed until he outgrows it and moves to the tub. Each day the girl vows to return the serpent to the sea soon. Each day the serpent continues to grow: “Once I was as small as a drop of rain,” he says. “Soon I’ll be as big as a wave.”

Eventually the girl realizes it’s time to take her ever growing friend home. Although she has been delaying the goodbye, she finds herself calming her friend’s fears about returning to the sea. Chien’s paintings, in shades of watery green, blend both the whimsy and the poetry of Slater’s descriptions of the deep: “where manta rays swim like dancing blankets and there are crabs with antlers and fish shaped like guitars.” The girl waits patiently with her friend until he says “I’m ready to go.” Young children will identify with this picture book’s reassuring message about growing up.

CONNECTIONS
This book provides an opportunity to discuss the challenge of separating from people and things we love. Think about times when it was difficult to say goodbye to a friend or a family member. Share ideas about the importance of saying goodbye.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books dealing with separation:
Penn, Audrey. THE KISSING HAND. ISBN 9781933718002
Viorst, Judith. THE GOOD-BYE BOOK. ISBN 9780689715815
Woodson, Jacqueline. COMING ON HOME SOON. ISBN 9780399237485

By Suzy Parchman

Dog and Bear: Two's Company

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. 2008. DOG AND BEAR: TWO’S COMPANY. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 9781596432734 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-1]

REVIEW
Laura Vaccaro Seeger presents a second collection of stories about a dog and a stuffed bear. In this book Dog and Bear’s friendship continues, even as they confront some common childhood problems. When Dog becomes angry with Bear, he threatens to leave. Bear cleverly convinces him to stay with a bowl of ice cream. Dog kindly returns the favor by baking Bear a birthday cake. Unfortunately Dog eats the whole cake before his friend arrives, but Bear is just happy to see the birthday candle. The two friends even take turns caring for the other when they get sick.

Seeger’s straightforward, but moving, language evokes the true nature of friendship. Dog and Bear provide a wonderful example for young children who are still learning how to be a good friend. Her boldly painted illustrations are simple, with plenty of white space, but young readers will not have trouble identifying the characters’ emotions. This is an excellent picture book with short “chapters” for young readers.

CONNECTIONS
This would be a great choice for a lesson modeling friendship. The stories are short, so they could be read as a whole class activity. Students could also compare Dog and Bear’s friendship to that of another popular friendship, Frog and Toad.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books for young children about friendship:
Henkes, Kevin. CHESTER’S WAY. ISBN 9780688154721
Lobel, Arnold. FROG AND TOAD ARE FRIENDS. ISBN 9780064440202
Rohmann, Eric. MY FRIEND RABBIT. ISBN 9780439579308

By Kimberly C. Kinnaird

Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories About Growing Up Scieszka

Scieszka, Jon. 2008. KNUCKLEHEAD: TALL TALES AND MOSTLY TRUE STORIES ABOUT GROWING UP SCIESZKA. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670011063 [Suggested Grade Levels 3–6]

REVIEW
Although the cover leads one to believe it’s a comic book, what’s inside is a laugh-out-loud funny account of growing up with five brothers. Fans of Scieszka, especially those reluctant readers drawn in through his GUYS WRITE FOR GUYS READ, will enjoy the notion that such a cool guy was such a knucklehead growing up. This book will serve as a great read aloud for parents and children since parents of Scieszka’s era will doubtless remember the not-so-fun-but-funny experience of being squashed into the back seat with siblings, getting blamed for something someone else did, and wearing hand-me-down clothes.

He gives the straight scoop about a multitude of topics; weird books, model planes, cooking, and that letting the cat eat roadside food on a car trip will ensure a chain-reaction barf-fest. Readers will snicker as they think about similar antics they have already done and plot out new ideas to try.

The charm of this book is the underlying sentiment that family is what makes life great, and it is evident in his writing that he cherishes those memories and his five brothers. As he explains in the last chapter, the term “Knucklehead” has gone from being a bad thing “What Knucklehead put an army man in the toaster?” to something almost soft and cuddly years later “It’s been great seeing all of you Knuckleheads.”

CONNECTIONS
Have readers write about a funny family experience; a car trip, holiday with relatives, something blurted out at the dinner table, etc.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books written by Jon Scieszka:
GUYS WRITE FOR GUYS READ. ISBN 0670060070
THE STINKY CHEESE MAN AND OTHER FAIRLY STUPID TALES. ISBN 0670035696
THE TIME WARP TRIO SERIES. ISBN 9780142300589
THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. ISBN 0140544518

By Tammy Korns

Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City

Schulman, Janet. 2008. PALE MALE: CITIZEN HAWK OF NEW YORK CITY. Ill. by Meilo So. New York: Knopf. ISBN 9780375945588 [Suggested Grade Levels K–3]

REVIEW
Janet Schulman introduces readers to a red-tailed hawk that has been dubbed a citizen of New York City. When the hawk moved into Central Park, bird watchers and New Yorkers began following his every move. People were amazed when he didn’t leave, but actually found a mate and built a nest on a high rise building. Residents of 5th Avenue weren’t happy to have the hawks as neighbors and removed their nest. Protesters were relentless until the residents backed down and the hawks were allowed to return. PALE MALE is a story of determination. The protesters were determined to save Pale Male’s new habitat and he was determined to find a place to grow and survive. The watercolor illustrations are visually appealing. Done in earthy tones, most of the illustrations give the reader a bird’s eye view of the city and bring out the beauty of the bird and its surroundings.

CONNECTIONS
Map out the path that Pale Male took from New Jersey to Central Park.

Research the different species of birds that are in Central Park.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books for children about hawks:
Gilbert, Suzie. HAWK HILL. ISBN 0811808394
Winn, Marie. RED-TAILS IN LOVE. ISBN 9780679758464
Winter, Jeanette. THE TALE OF PALE MALE: A TRUE STORY. ISBN 9780152059729

By Jane Jergensen

Sergio Makes a Splash

Rodriguez, Edel. 2008. SERGIO MAKES A SPLASH. New York: Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316066167 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-2]

REVIEW
Sergio, a one-pound penguin with a curious smile, perky wings and a shaky tail, lives in Argentina. Although he loves water—for playing, relaxing in a tub, and for drinking—he harbors a fear of learning to swim. A class trip brings this problem into sharp focus but an encouraging teacher and supportive friends help Sergio overcome his fear. He takes the plunge armed with floaties, a snorkel, and a life preserver. On the way home, a tired and happy Sergio talks excitedly about the successful day. Even so, he hesitates at the idea of swimming without floaties next time. Readers will recognize change takes time.

Edel Rodriguez’s sophisticatedly simple illustrations combine digital media and woodblock prints in three ink colors: large expanses of cool turquoise become the backdrop of the ever-present sea; the penguin’s bodies and a few other details form a crisp contrast in black; and small touches of warm gold, like Sergio’s floaties and the school bus, jump off each page. An icy white, where no ink appears, also plays an important part in each page’s design. Large text makes this picture book a good fit for independent reading and the stylish illustrations make it a visually appealing read aloud.

CONNECTIONS
Discuss the fact that all people fear some things and brainstorm things that might frighten children. Allow children to share stories of times when they have faced fear. They might follow up by writing down their stories or illustrating them.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books about overcoming fear:
Blevgad, Lenore. ANNA BANANA AND ME. ISBN 9780689711145
Helakoski, Leslie. BIG CHICKENS. ISBN 9780525475750
Polacco, Patricia. THUNDER CAKE. ISBN 9780399222313
Richards, Chuck. JUNGLE GYM JITTERS. ISBN 9780802789310

By Suzy Parchman

Metal Man

Reynolds, Aaron. 2008. METAL MAN. Ill. by Paul Hoppe. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. ISBN 9781580891509 [Suggested Grade Levels 1-4]

REVIEW
What is art? Answers abound, but for young Devon art is the metal sculpture that his friend Mitch, aka Metal Man, welds out of junk. Bored in his hot city neighborhood, Devon visits Mitch often just to watch him at work. Devon’s mother scoffs at the Metal Man, saying that what he does is neither work nor art. Mitch’s sweat and determination to bring his inspirations to life convinces Devon that the sculptures are definitely worthwhile. “When I hang out with metal man, I get it right. I see what I see.” One day, Mitch encourages the reluctant Devon to put words to his own thoughts for a sculpture, and then interprets Devon’s idea into a piece of art that becomes the pride of Devon and his family.

Told from Devon’s viewpoint, the text is rich with figurative language and African-American dialect. Full-spread illustrations in subdued colors and tones mimic the movement of the lively boy and the spark-flying work of the welder. They also provide fine examples of artistic perspective. Together, story and pictures provide powerful encouragement and inspiration for all budding artists.

CONNECTIONS
Make art from recycled objects. Have children get a picture of a “recycled sculpture” in their minds. Require that they express their idea in words so that someone else can interpret what the piece will look like. Older children should be encouraged to write down their visions, making a journal that will accompany their artwork.

RELATED BOOKS
Other picture books about making art from “junk”:
Slaymaker, Melissa Eskridge. BOTTLE HOUSES: THE CREATIVE WORLD OF GRANDMA PRISBY. ISBN 9780808071313
Ward, Helen. THE TIN FOREST. ISBN 9780142501566

By Rebecca S. McKee

Wabi Sabi

Reibstein, Mark. 2008. WABI SABI. Ill. by Ed Young. New York: Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316118255 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-2]

REVIEW
The humble cat’s quest is an emotional journey of self-awareness in which he attempts and succeeds to find out what “Wabi Sabi” means and thus finds out what he truly represents. The art is breathtaking and invigorating. The cover and lay-out of this book are unique. The space given to the painstakingly chosen, brilliant text and descriptive poems is well balanced with the earthy colors of the detailed artwork.

The artistic collage and haiku that has Japanese historical references could be shared with very young children, but older elementary students will enjoy the animated adventure and the artwork too. There are several literary devices at work in this work such as figurative language, imagery, metaphors, dialogue and, certainly, rhythm.

CONNECTIONS
A wonderful extension of this book would be to have children research and discover the history of their own names and then make up a name that best describes them.

RELATED BOOKS
Other multicultural books discussing the importance of names:
Swann, Brian. TOUCHING THE DISTANCE: NATIVE AMERICAN RIDDLE-POEMS. ISBN 9780152008048
Yang-Huan. HOMES. ISBN 9780976205630

By Kathlene A. Goldin

Yoon and the Jade Bracelet

Recorvits, Helen. 2008. YOON AND THE JADE BRACELET. Ill. by Gabi Swiatkowska. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. ISBN 9780374386894 [Suggested Grade Levels K-3]

REVIEW
Yoon, a recent Korean immigrant, wants a jump rope for her birthday so that she can sing and jump with the other girls. Unfortunately her mother does not know of her wish and gives her a Korean story book and a jade bracelet that belonged to her grandmother when she was Yoon’s age. The book is a Korean folk tale about a girl and a tiger and foreshadows the events that follow. Yoon wears her bracelet to school the next day and an older girl invites her to jump rope with her and to be her friend. Yoon only gets to turn the rope, but the older girl strings her along and also asks to wear her bracelet just for this day. She does not return it. Although the action is predictable for adults, kids are mesmerized by the older girl’s manipulations and by Yoon’s conflicting emotions.

Swiatkowska’s impressionistic paintings lend a clear emotional element to Yoon’s story. The expressions on the characters’ faces are beautifully rendered by her vivid close-ups. There is little distinction between her characters and her textured backgrounds, resulting in an almost dreamlike quality which juxtaposes the reality of Yoon’s situation.

CONNECTIONS
Invite children to share times when they have been manipulated by an older child. How have they been able to resolve their problems? Have they ever felt like an outsider? What can they do to help children feel more accepted?

RELATED BOOKS
Other books written by Helen Recorvits:
MY NAME IS YOON. ISBN 978037451144
YOON AND THE CHRISTMAS MITTEN. ISBN 9780374386887

By Cay Geisler

Lady Liberty: A Biography

Rappaport, Doreen. 2008. LADY LIBERTY: A BIOGRAPHY. Ill. by Matt Tavares. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763625306 [Suggested Grade Levels 2–5]

REVIEW
In this unique look at the Statue of Liberty, each step of its design, construction and installation is chronicled. The author starts out with her grandfather’s trip from Latvia to New York and what “The Lady” meant to him – a better life in a new country after a treacherous trip across the ocean and away from his family. Readers may not know of the struggle to gain support for and raise money to build Lady Liberty.

Sidebars are paired with vivid illustrations and feature historical information from the perspective of many different people who worked together to bring the statue to New York. In France, visionary Edouard De Laboulaye sees the American constitution as a model for the world, and dreams of a gift to celebrate America’s 100 years of independence. Ten years later, Napoleon III no longer rules France and sculptor Auguste Bartholdi’s vision of a worthy statue is on its way to becoming a reality. Gustave Eiffel, the structural engineer, speaks of inspiration, “Liberté, égalité, and fraternité are in the air.”

The viewpoint moves to America, where Emma Lazarus is asked to write a poem that will be auctioned off to raise money, and publisher Joseph Pulitzer implores his readers to donate money. The personal accounts convey the passion and commitment to creating a monument that would stand forever as a symbol of freedom in America. Back matter includes written accounts from several immigrants, detailed statue dimensions, a timeline of events, notes from the author and illustrator, and an extensive source list.

CONNECTIONS
Have readers create their own Lady Liberty and compare the size to the real thing. Older readers could research relatives that immigrated to New York and saw Lady Liberty as their first step to a new life.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books written by Doreen Rappaport:
FREEDOM SHIP. ISBN 0786806451
MARTIN’S BIG WORDS. ISBN 0786807148

By Tammy Korns

Abe's Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln

Rappaport, Doreen. 2008. ABE’S HONEST WORDS: THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Ill. by Kadir Nelson. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 9781423104087 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-6]

REVIEW
This picture book biography features a dramatically wordless cover. Both title and author appear on the back jacket, allowing an instantly recognizable portrait of Lincoln to dominate the front. In the mold of previous titles—MARTIN’S BIG WORDS and JOHN’S SECRET DREAMS—ABE’S HONEST WORDS blends expository text with brief passages taken directly from the iconic president’s spoken and written words. Rappaport recounts the events of Lincoln’s remarkable life: a Kentucky boy who knows hunting, fishing, and farming but loses his mother at age nine, becomes a self-educated lawmaker, an unlikely president and, finally, a victim of an assassin’s bullet. Narrative text precedes a well-chosen quote on each two-page spread, alongside Nelson’s vivid painting which fills three quarters of the space. His luminous images give life to the well-known sequence of events. Throughout, the book focuses on Lincoln’s intellectual and moral development and his life-long opposition to slavery. A somber dark profile, reminiscent of the penny, accompanies a quotation about Lincoln’s certainty in signing the Emancipation Proclamation: “My whole soul is in it.”

A note from both author and illustrator hint at purpose and perspective. Back matter includes a timeline, list for further reading, recommended websites, source list and full text of the Gettysburg address.

CONNECTIONS
Explore Abraham Lincoln’s life through a variety of books and online databases. As a group or individually, create posters that highlight some of the important events of his life.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books for middle grade readers on Abraham Lincoln:
Bial, Raymond. WHERE LINCOLN WALKED. ISBN 9780802786265
Fradin, Dennis. THE ASSASSINATION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. ISBN 9780761421238
Landau, Elaine. THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION: WOULD YOU DO WHAT LINCOLN DID? ISBN 9780766028999

By Suzy Parchman

The Art of Freedom: How Artists See America

Raczka, Bob. 2008. THE ART OF FREEDOM: HOW ARTISTS SEE AMERICA. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner. ISBN 9780822575085 [Suggested Grade Levels 3–5]

REVIEW
Raczka uses art to elevate the idea of America as a country from a collection of states to many abstract ideas that will get readers thinking. Phrased in the terms of “America is…” many concepts are presented; an idea, farms, cities, baseball, jazz, native peoples, immigrants, black and white, a rainbow, hard work, natural wonders, man-made marvels, the open road, and Main Street. The success of this book will be getting readers to think about the different things that America is to the vast population that calls it home.

Raczka simultaneously expresses that America means different things to different people and that art can exist in many forms. The concept of country is illustrated with Jasper Johns 1961 “Map” which contrasts starkly with the concept of sacrifice shown by Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ 1897 “The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial.” The artwork illustrating America as a work in progress features Gilbert Stuart’s unfinished portrait of George Washington that readers will recognize from the dollar bill.

Large white text pops from the alternating red and blue page backgrounds and reinforces the patriotic theme. While many picture books feature America the country, Raczka focuses instead on the elements or concepts that take America beyond a collection of states to a feeling of hard work, sacrifice, immigrants, man-made marvels, and freedom. End matter includes material about each artist and detail about their work or life, leading the interested reader to more research about the different artistic styles.

CONNECTIONS
Have readers think about what America means to them and create artwork illustrating that concept.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books written by Bob Raczka:
ARTFUL READING. ISBN 9780822567547
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE. ISBN 0761327975
WHERE IN THE WORLD. ISBN 9780822563716

By Tammy Korns

The Dead and the Gone

Pfeffer, Susan Beth. 2008. THE DEAD AND THE GONE. New York: Harcourt. ISBN 0152063110 [Suggested Grade Levels 9-12]

REVIEW
THE DEAD AND THE GONE is the much-anticipated follow up novel to LIFE AS WE KNEW IT. Though the characters and setting are different--New York not Pennsylvania--the terror and uncertainty of future days is the same. Our narrator is Alex Morales, an older teen, whose world is about to be turned upside down when an asteroid collides with the moon sending Earth’s climate into chaos. With both of his parents gone—one called into work at the hospital on the fateful night and the other out of the country—Alex is on his own to provide for his two younger sisters: Briana and Julie.

Yet Alex is never completely alone. The Catholic Church (and school) are there to provide for the needs—one way or the other spiritual and physical—of the community. The novel is a fascinating but haunting examination of family and religion. With vivid imagery, it is a novel that will stay with readers long after they’ve finished.

CONNECTIONS
Discuss the role religion plays in the novel. How does this portrayal contrast with its presentation in LIFE AS WE KNEW IT?

LIFE AS WE KNEW IT is written in diary form; however, THE DEAD AND THE GONE isn’t. Choose a scene from the novel and a character to write a diary entry from his/her perspective.

RELATED BOOKS
Other dystopias you may enjoy:
Agell, Charlotte. SHIFT. ISBN 080507810X
Collins, Suzanne. THE HUNGER GAMES. ISBN 0439023483
Dunkle, Clare B. THE SKY INSIDE. ISBN 1416924221
Goodman, Allegra. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND. ISBN 1595141952
Pfeffer, Susan Beth. LIFE AS WE KNEW IT. ISBN 0152061541

By Becky Laney

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

Pearson, Mary E. 2008. THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 0805076689 [Suggested Grade Levels 8-12]

REVIEW
After waking from a year long coma following an auto accident, Jenna Fox has no recollection of who she is and why her family has recently moved. Aided by home movies, bits of memories begin to return, but Jenna feels that something about her isn’t quite right and she struggles daily to find the answer to why she seems different.

When Jenna discovers the reasons why she isn’t all her original self, she is horrified and repelled—and illegal. How she struggles to make things right after her discovery is hard for her family to understand, but Jenna is finally able to make her own choice. The final twist of the story is unexpected and poignant.

At first, the story appears to be a predictable futuristic story of medical advances. However, surprises continue to appear and take the story in a different direction from what is expected. While this book is about a girl coming to know herself, it is also a compelling tale of future scientific possibilities seen through the eyes and body of Jenna Fox.

CONNECTIONS
This book makes a case for the necessity for medical ethics and allows the reader to consider what is right, and raises the question of how far should medical science go. Pitting love for a child against illegal practices elicits questions that remain long after the book is read.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books for teens about coping with their life:
Werlin, Nancy. IMPOSSIBLE. ISBN 0803730020
Zarr, Sara. STORY OF A GIRL. ISBN 0316014532

By Shirley Smith Duke

Cindy Ella

Palmer, Robin. 2008. CINDY ELLA. New York: Penguin. ISBN 9780142403921 [Suggested Grade Levels 6-12]

REVIEW
Cindy Ella Gold lives in a big house in L.A. with her emotionally absent father, resentful stepmother, and two self-absorbed stepsisters. When the senior prom approaches, everyone at Cindy’s high school becomes obsessed with finding the perfect dress and date for the big night. After Cindy dares to write an editorial critiquing the shallow pursuit of prom perfection, she becomes a social outcast. Eventually even her two best friends, and fellow free spirits, decide to attend the big event. However, Cindy enjoys a magical non-prom evening with a mystery prince of her own.

Robin Palmer’s modern day Cinderella story works well with the hype surrounding senior proms. Cindy’s sense of humor and intelligence are apparent in her sarcastic comments and thoughtful critiques of modern American culture. Even her therapist sessions and internal dialogue are hilarious. Palmer presents an appealing heroine with a real voice. This is a character that teenage girls can relate to and enjoy.

CONNECTIONS
Palmer’s witty and timely novel would make an entertaining book club selection. While this book is an adaptation of the Cinderella story, girls that enjoy realistic fiction will also like this novel due to the modern setting and dialogue.

RELATED BOOKS
Other adapted Cinderella novels for young adults:
Cabot, Meg. THE PRINCESS DIARIES. ISBN 9780380814022
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. JUST ELLA. ISBN 9781416936497
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. PALACE OF MIRRORS. ISBN 9781416939153
Levine, Gail Carson. ELLA ENCHANTED. ISBN 9780064407052

By Kimberly C. Kinnaird

More Bones: Scary Stories from Around the World

Olson, Arielle North and Howard Schwartz. 2008. MORE BONES: SCARY STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. Ill. by E.M. Gist. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670063390 [Suggested Grade Levels 3 and up]

REVIEW
Twenty-two tales from diverse sources, many from 19th century collections make up MORE BONES: SCARY STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. Readers may be unfamiliar with many of the tales, but the themes hold true. Witches, ghosts, and other creepies that go bump in the night fill the pages of the book. E. M. Gist’s dark illustrations compliment the stories and create a more frightening mental image of the tales. This book would be perfect for campfire storytelling or for a scary sleepover. Some of the stories are not suitable for the squeamish. This book is the sequel to ASK THE BONES.

CONNECTIONS
Have a flashlight library hour where students bring their flashlights and tell ghost stories with the lights off and flashlights on.

Research local folklore and find out if there are any ghost stories in your town.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books for children about things that go bump in the night:
Rizzo, Rebecca K. CAMPFIRE THRILLERS: THE SHORT AND SCARY ONES. ISBN 1564403718
San Souci, Robert D. EVEN MORE SHORT & SHIVERY: THIRTY SPINE-TINGLING STORIES. ISBN 0385322526

By Jane Jergensen

Greetings from Nowhere

O’Connor, Barbara. 2008. GREETINGS FROM NOWHERE. Vancouver, BC: D&M Publishers. ISBN 9780374399375 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-6]

REVIEW
Four separate lives cross paths and each are transformed at a rundown motel in the Smoky Mountains. Since Aggie’s husband passed away, she struggles with upkeep of the place, accompanied only by her cat Ugly. Out of frustration, she puts an ad in the paper to sell the motel then twists of fate take place.

Willow is dealing with the pain that her mom has left. Her dad abruptly decides they are buying a place in the Smoky Mountains. Willow skeptically goes to the Sleepy Time Motel and meets defeated Kirby, who can do nothing right in the eyes of his mom, optimistic Loretta who is on an adventure with her parents in memory of her birth mother, as well as worn out Aggie. The four characters intertwine at the Sleepy Time and end up supporting each others’ dreams in simple yet heartfelt ways. Ms O’Connor weaves the stories together with brief chapters alternating characters. This is a great read aloud that’s sure to stimulate thoughtful discussion on the power an individual can have in helping another.

CONNECTIONS
Young readers can map the intersecting and parallel paths of the characters in the book for further discussion and development of empathy for others. O’Connor has a book trailer on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKj4y_-U2UE . After reading aloud GREETINGS FROM NOWHERE with the class, share the trailer and analyze and compare the two.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books demonstrating the power of individuals to make a difference in the lives of others:
Bauer, Joan. HOPE WAS HERE. ISBN 0142404241
Burningham, John. EDWARDO THE HORRIBLEST BOY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. ISBN 9780099480136
Weeks, Sarah. SO B. IT. ISBN 0066236231

By Susie Demarest

Honeybee

Nye, Naomi Shihab. 2008. HONEYBEE. New York: Greenwillow. ISBN 0060853905 [Suggested Grade Levels 4-8]

REVIEW
Naomi Shihab Nye’s amazing new anthology includes 82 poems, including many prose poems, on school, war, families, landscapes and bees… the connecting thread that buzzes through the poems with nectar and implication. There are many selections about words and books and libraries. She takes us along with her in her travels through Texas (her home state) and Egypt and childhood and airports and beehives. It’s a striking variety of vignettes and anecdotes and observations all threaded through her unique poetic voice. HONEYBEE is political, personal, and powerful.

CONNECTIONS
Nye uses both poems and paragraphs of prose to frame her discussion of memories and travels. Lead children in comparing the two ways of writing by looking at the poem, “The United States is Not the World” and the prose entry, “Gate A-4.” How does each capture details? Images? Emotions?

The honeybee and its plight in today’s ecology is a running thread throughout the book. Children may want to look up more information about bees, their habits, and habitats.

RELATED BOOKS
Other poetry books written by Naomi Shihab Nye:
A MAZE ME: POEMS FOR GIRLS. ISBN 0060581891
COME WITH ME: POEMS FOR A JOURNEY. ISBN 068815946X
NINETEEN VARIETIES OF THE GAZELLE. ISBN 0060097663
SALTING THE OCEAN: 100 POEMS BY YOUNG POETS. ISBN 0688161936
THE FLAG OF CHILDHOOD: POEMS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST. ISBN 0689851723
THIS SAME SKY: A COLLECTION OF POEMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. ISBN 0689806302


By Sylvia M. Vardell

Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman

Nobleman, Marc Tyler. 2008. BOYS OF STEEL: THE CREATORS OF SUPERMAN. Ill. by Ross MacDonald. New York: Knopf. ISBN 9780375828036 [Suggested Grade Levels 3-7]

REVIEW
Beginning with the title, this picture book biography grabs readers and draws them into the captivating story of Superman. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster met in high school and had many things in common: they were both short, wore glasses, were clueless at sports, and unable to talk to girls. Both had an intense love of superheroes. Jerry spent hours writing stories of daring adventures, while Joe would often illustrate Jerry’s tales of daring do. Jerry wonders “What if I was real terrific? What if I had something special going for me, like jumping over buildings or throwing cars around? Then maybe people would notice me.”

Nobleman grounds Jerry and Joe’s story in history. They grew up during the Great Depression and with the coming of World War II, they finally figure out how to develop the hero they’ve always dreamed of creating. The illustrations evoke the era of the 30s and 40s in style and color palate. Nobleman shows Jerry thinking through various ideas and trying to find a marketable hero. This modeling of his creative process is what really sets the book apart. Nobleman adds back material entitled “The Greatest Superhero of All Time” which tells the heart-breaking story of what happens to Jerry and Joe after they create Superman.

CONNECTIONS
Invite students to create a superhero. Use Jerry’s way of modeling his ideas to work out the details of where the hero will come from, what special things he can do, and his alter ego /secret identity.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books illustrated by Ross MacDonald featuring superheroes:
ANOTHER PERFECT DAY. ISBN 9780761315957
BAD BABY. ISBN 9781596430648

By Cay Geisler

Ways to Live Forever

Nicholls, Sally. 2008. WAYS TO LIVE FOREVER. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780545069489 [Suggested Grade Levels 4–7]

REVIEW
Written in first person narrative, WAYS TO LIVE FOREVER is the journal of 11 year old Sam’s last two months of life. Sam is an inquisitive boy that wants to know the answers to all of his questions, even the questions that nobody wants to answer like, “Why do we have to die anyway?” Sam also loves making lists. He creates a list of things he wants to do before he dies. His parents don’t want to talk about the fact that they know he is dying and his sister is jealous because of all of the attention he receives. WAYS TO LIVE FOREVER shows a family coping with the inevitable death of Sam, how they finally come to terms with it, and how they help Sam finish his last wishes. Sally Nicholls takes the sensitive subject of dying and writes a story that is filled with humor as well as the harsh realities of death.

CONNECTIONS
Participate in a local Relay For Life.

Celebrate Daffodil Days by selling bookmarks with daffodils on them and donating the money to cancer research.

Listen to the Tim McGraw song, “To Live Like You Were Dying” and discuss similarities between the song and the list of things Sam wants to do before he dies.

RELATED BOOKS
Other books about children dealing with cancer:
Koss, Amy Goldman. SIDE EFFECTS. ISBN 9781596432949
Polacco, Patricia. THE LEMONADE CLUB. ISBN 9780399245404

By Jane Jergensen

The Freedom Business

Nelson, Marilyn. 2008. THE FREEDOM BUSINESS. Ill. by Deborah Dancy. Asheville, NC: Front Street. ISBN 1932425578 [Suggested Grade Levels 8-12]

REVIEW
Like the “novel in verse,” a new trend in poetry is the biography told through a series of connected poems or poetic vignettes particularly appropriate for older children and young adults. Marilyn Nelson set the trend in motion with her award winning biographical poetry book, CARVER: A LIFE IN POEMS, a blending of fact, poetry, and images of primary source material. In this book, each poem is written in response to the true-life memoir of Broteer Furro (1729-1805), later named "Venture Smith," the first African known to document his capture and life as an American slave. Pages from his original manuscript are paired with Nelson’s original poems, illustrated with evocative collages by Deborah Dancy. Together, they chronicle his life and eventual freedom.

CONNECTIONS
These poems lend themselves to a powerful read aloud performance. Two volunteers can stand side by side (or back to back) reading the paired entries.

Teen readers and aspiring poets may want to try creating a poem biography about a favorite figure from history, creating collages to capture the person and the times alongside the poems.

RELATED BOOKS
Other YA poetry books written by Marilyn Nelson about African American history:
A WREATH FOR EMMETT TILL. ISBN 0547076363
CARVER: A LIFE IN POEMS. ISBN 1886910537
FORTUNE'S BONES: THE MANUMISSION REQUIEM. ISBN 1932425128
MISS CRANDALL’S SCHOOL FOR YOUNG LADIES AND LITTLE MISSES OF COLOR. (With Elizabeth Alexander). ISBN 1590784561

By Sylvia M. Vardell

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

Nelson, Kadir. 2008. WE ARE THE SHIP: THE STORY OF NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 978078680832 [Suggested Grade Levels 5-12]

REVIEW
Kadir Nelson’s Siebert and Coretta Scott King winning book is a delight. The narrative format is reminiscent of a grandfather telling his grandchild the story of a time long past and the words flow from the page in an almost poetic cadence. The book is divided into innings rather than chapters as the history of the Negro baseball leagues unfold. The story begins, as any good story should, with the Beginnings. Subsequent innings describe the different brand of baseball the Negro Leagues played, life in the Negro leagues, Negro league owners, the greatest of the league baseball players, Latin American players and playing in Latin America, exhibition games between Negro and White leagues, World War II and the Negro League all-star game, and Jackie Robinson. All good baseball games go into extra innings and this book is no exception. The end of the Negro Leagues is detailed and appendices list Negro Leaguers who made into the major leagues and the Baseball Hall of Fame. An author’s note, a bibliography, a filmography, and an index are included.

Nelson’s paintings of famous Negro league players and events add to the specialness of the volume. Even non-sports fans will much to love in this delightful and informative book.

CONNECTIONS
Use this book as a read aloud or as a discussion starter about discrimination. Pair it with other books about the African American experience such as Mildred Taylor’s ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY. ISBN 9780140384512. Share excerpts during baseball season in spring or the World Series in early fall.

RELATED BOOKS
Other baseball books that deal with breaking tradition:
Gratz, Allen. SAMURAI SHORTSTOP. ISBN 9780142410998
Konigsburg, E.L. ABOUT THE B’NAI BAGELS. ISBN 9781416957980
Slote, Alfred. FINDING BUCK MCHENRY. ISBN 9780064404693

By Janet Hilbun