Nonfiction and Biography #4

Nonfiction and Biography

Book Review #4

QUEST FOR THE TREE KANGAROO

AN EXPEDITION TO THE CLOUD FOREST OF NEW GUINEA

TEXT BY SY MONTGOMERY

PHOTOGRAPHS BY NIC BISHOP

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Montgomery, Sy. 2006. QUEST FOR THE TREE KANGAROO; AN EXPEDITION TO THE CLOUD FOREST OF NEW GUINEA. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618496419

PLOT SUMMARY

"It feels like we've walked into a living fairy tale" is what scientist Lisa Dabek describes when she enters the cloud forest of Papua New Guinea.  This book discusses the adventurous trip to find the amazing Matschie's tree kangaroo.  Scientist Lisa Dabek, author Sy Montgomery, photographer Nic Bishop, and a whole crew of explorers hope to find, capture, and release as many Matschie's as possible.  Well documented are the trials and tribulations associated with the capture, testing, tracking, and releasing of the tree kangaroo.  Dabek's team goes to extreme measures-hiking nine hours in one day, flying at dangerously high altitudes-to learn about these creatures and try to learn as much as possible to help them survive.  This book also provides information about other interesting animals in New Guinea and the fascinating culture there.  Their adventure to find these animals is written perfectly and described with beautiful photographs to take the reader to that magical place .  This is a must read for people who love nature and are curious about undiscovered territory.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Sy Montgomery tells the story of this amazing experience with vivid details about the scenery and the life of the natives of Papau.  She uses her knowledge and experiences as a naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and radio commentator to the retell the expedition of these scientists as accurately as possible on their quest to find this rare kangaroo.  As she follows these scientist Sy describes with great detail what Lisa sees, feels, and experiences during this adventure.  Difficult situations are described which makes the reader more interested and emphatic to the difficult situations these scientist experience all for a common goal, to try to add as much information as possible to the study of Matschie's. 

Nic Bishop does a wonderful job capturing the essence of their journey with his amazing photographs.  His photographs do not require captions, "the pictures tell a thousand words." His photographs offer such an insight into the physical surroundings that the reader is able to relate to the emotions of the people going through clouds and captures every detail which engages the reader even more.  Bishop's creative style and colorful pictures invites you to continue reading the whole book.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL STARRED REVIEW: "Debek's pursuit of  her interest in animals despite problems with asthma and her suggestions about exploring the natural world should encourage young scientist.  The book's fascinating glimpses into a little-explored region will hold the attention of anyone interested in unusual creatures and the efforts to study them."

BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW: "Montgomery gives an unusually strong, visceral sense of the work and cooperation fieldwork entails and the scope and uniqueness of this particular mission...As usual, Bishop's color photographs are exemplary and extend the excitement in stunning close-ups of creatures and of the team at work."

CONNECTIONS

*Invite children to think of an animal they would like to know more about and research it, they can use this book to generate questions to learn about their animal.

*Invite students to do an author study on Sy Montgomery and read other books written by her.

*Invite students t0 read other books with photographs by Nic Bishop and compare his style of pictures in each book.

*Other books written and photographed by Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop:

THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST. ISBN 9780618915774
CHASING CHEETAHS: THE RACE TO SAVE AFRICA'S FASTEST CAT. ISBN 9780547815497

Nonfiction and Biography #3

 Nonfiction and Biography

Book Review #3

 

BECOMING BEN FRANKLIN

How a Candle-Maker's Son Helped Light
the Flame of Liberty 

by Russell Freedman

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Freedman, Russell. 2013. BECOMING BEN FRANKLIN; HOW A CANDLE-MAKER'S SON HELPED LIGHT THE FLAME OF LIBERTY. Johor Bahru, Johor, Malasia. Holiday House. 9780823423743

 PLOT SUMMARY

This book tells the story of a great man, Benjamin Franklin. He was distinguished statesman, renowned author, and world-famous scientist.  "This is a riveting story of how a rebellious apprentice became an American icon through hard work and an endless supply of innovative ideas." All of his life experiences are retold in this wonderful book.  It traces his life chronologically, it all begins in 1793 when Ben Franklin runs away from home and arrives in Philadelphia at the age of seventeen, he has no money and no friends.  He has a great desire to work and works different jobs and travels to different places.  Ben Franklin was a very curious man who created many useful things, he was the inventor of items such as the lightning rod, the Franklin stove, and bifocal glasses.

 The struggles and joys of Franklin's personal life are also highlighted in the book.  He was a man who had an eye for the ladies and this book highlights his personal relationships and speaks of his daughter named Sarah Franklin Bache known as Sally.  He was a personable and persuasive man, however he could also be prideful and resentful.

His most important role was a founding father of this great country.  He was involved in the composition of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

 CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Freedman does an amazing job engaging the reader as he tells the story of Benjamin Franklin's life.  He does a masterful job intertwining Franklin's personal story with historical events and observations as others during his time.  The lay out of the book is kid friendly, nearly every page has a photograph illustrating a person or event from the narrative.  The pictures break up the text, making the pages and chapters less overwhelming for the reader. The pictures also provide essential visuals for the reader, especially the younger reader.  The reader gets a sense of what life was like and what life looked like 200 years ago-from the way they dressed, to the wigs, and to the quill pens that were an important tool when writing so many important documents in our country.  Overall, the book engages the young and mature reader with its bold content and engaging text.

 REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW: "Writing about a man whose long life included such varied interests and accomplishments must involve hard choices of what to leave out, but Freedman clearly enjoys the challenge.  In chapters with titles such as Dr. Fatsides in the Mother Country, he writes perceptively about every stage of Franklin's life, weaving in lively anecdotes as well as quotes from his Autobiography and other writings.  The well-chose color illustrations include period paintings, prints, and documents.  Handsomely designed, solidly researched, and beautifully written, this is the go-to biography of Franklin for young people."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: 

"Biographers make decisions about what to leave out as much as what to put in, but Freedman is consistent in connecting his discussion to primary sources.  The result is an account that examines the whole of Franklin's remarkable life but does not overwhelm readers."

 CONNECTIONS

*Invite children to compare Ben Franklin to another current political figure or 'hero", write about their similarities and differences.
*Invite children to research other founding fathers and choose one to compare to Ben Franklin, write similarities and differences.
*Invite children to read other books about Ben Franklin:
Rogers, Sam. WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT Benjamin FRANKLIN? A BIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN JUST FOR KIDS!. 1495308162
Lawson, Robert. BEN AND ME: AN ASTONISHING LIFE OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BY HIS GOOD MOUSE AMOS. ISBN 0316517305

Nonfiction and Biography #2

Nonfiction and Biography

Book Review #2

The Great Fire

by Jim Murphy

BIBLIOGRAPHY Murphy, Jim. 1995. THE GREAT FIRE. New, York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 090472674

PLOT SUMMARY

Chicago which is known as "The Windy City" had a very destructive fire in 1871, this fire was fueled by the winds that destroyed the city.  The Great Fire of 1871 was one of the most massive and horrific disasters in American history.  On October 8, 1871, a fire began on Koven Street which consumed a large portion of Chicago and became known as The Great Fire.  This fire was fueled by the winds and engulfed everything it encountered.  The city of Chicago was almost completely destroyed by this massive fire and the people in the city were in a complete panic.  THE GREAT FIRE retells the events of this horrible disaster, it is told from the stories of actual survivors who braved the flames of this massive fire on that windy night.  It documents what is known about the fire from its origins to the aftermath where nearly 100,000 people were homeless and searching through the burnt rubble for their families.  It goes on to describe how the people of Chicago overcame this disaster and found the courage to rebuild their city.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Jim Murphy does an amazing job retelling the events that happened that terrible night and how the city overcame this disaster.  His book is very well organized and detailed with a wide variety of drawings, photographs, and captions that engage the reader and helps them make mental images of the events that happened that horrific night.  Not only do these drawings and pictures talk about that night, but also about the events that came after when the city of Chicago was left with a complete "mess so massive that twenty years after the fire there were still burned-out buildings scattered around the city."  Many of these illustrations and photographs were from the Chicago newspapers in the days and weeks that followed this horrible tragedy.  Murphy's bibliography cites direct quotes and statistics throughout the book which shows the accuracy of the events.  The Great Fire captures the reader’s attention and brings to life the information in the book with the eyewitness accounts.  As the reader turns each page, they are interested to know what else happened, how did the people rebuild and survive this terrible disaster.

Also included is a lengthy index which allows the readers to skip directly to the topic they are interested in reading about and a table of contents that shows the chronological chapters of the book.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

 BOOKLIST REVIEW: "Photographs and illustrations of the conflagration and the damage it left behind only add fuel to the author's dramatic text, a riveting narrative that combines the details of the fire itself with personal anecdotes gleaned from the newspaper accounts and books written during and immediately after the fire. The Great Fire will automatically draw readers with its fiery cover and illustrations of disaster, but the text will keep them reading."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "This is excellent social history as well as suspenseful storytelling.  The diversity and multitude of personal accounts is presented in both text and voice so that there is no sense of frustration in the changes of viewpoints, but rather a better appreciation of the event as a dynamic experience from which we still have much to learn."

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "This volume, beautifully printed in sepia tones, contains historic pictures, engravings and newspaper clippings on nearly every page.  Especially helpful are maps placed at intervals throughout the book that represent the progress of the fire."

CONNECTIONS

*Invite children to write about how things have changed and why this disaster would not probably not happen in today's world.
*Invite children to read other books that have caused great destruction.
* Invite children to read book by Jim Murphy:
AN AMERICAN PLAGUE: THE TRUE AND TERRIFYING STORY OF THE YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC OF 1793. ISBN 0395776082
BLIZZARD! THE STORM THAT CHANGED AMERICA. ISBN 0590673106
INVINCIBLE MICROBE: TUBERCULOSIS AND THE NEVER-ENDING SEARCH FOR A CURE. ISBN 0618535748

Nonfiction and Biography #1

 Nonfiction & Biography

Book Review #1

What To Do About Alice?

By Barbara Kerley

Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? Ill. Edwin Fotheringham. New York, New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439922313

PLOT SUMMARY

What To Do About Alice? is truly a delightful book about the daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt.  Her full name was Alice Lee Roosevelt and she was as the book stated "hungry to go places, meet people, and do things.'" Alice was always turning every one of her experiences into an adventure, her father called it "RUNNING RIOT" and Alice called it "eating up the world." This book takes the reader on Alice Roosevelt's adventures with her one of a kind personality.  She lived a wonderful life always doing what she pleased even after she married. Teddy Roosevelt was one of the country's most popular politicians who had a problem that he never solved "What to do about Alice?"

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Barbara Kerley does an outstanding job with the biography of Alice Lee Roosevelt.  She keeps the reader engaged throughout the whole book with her wonderful writing style.  It is a completely different type of biography that is very refreshing and appealing to children.  From the time Alice was a child she always had a desire to do as she pleased and Barbara Kerley tells the story of Alice from the time she was a young girl to the time she becomes a wonderful woman loved by all.  

Edwin Fotheringham helps engage the reader with his outstanding illustrations with the use of beautiful colors, making the reader enjoy the book even more.  His way of illustrating Alice's expressions throughout the entire book the reader knows exactly what Alice is feeling.  The cartoon-like pictures is great for young kids to make inferences of what Alice is feeling throughout each one of her adventures.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: "Kerley's text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject's antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship's swimming pool..."Fotheringham's digitally rendered, retro-style illustrations are a superb match for the text. The energy in his pictures is palpable as when Alice is turned loose in her father's library and five Alice's dart about followed by lines that trace her frenetic path as she reads eclectically and voraciously. The illustrations not only enhance but are frequently the source of humor."

BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW: "Kerley's text has the same rambunctious spirit as its subject, grabbing readers from the first line: Theodore Roosevelt has a small problem. Children will be impressed with the way Alice took control of her life..."

The large format gives Fotheringham in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art, which includes use of digital media. In almost every picture, Alice is running, motoring, racing."

CONNECTIONS

*Read book to children and discuss the Biography genre and create a graphic organizer sequencing the events of Alice Roosevelt's life.

*Invite children to read book about Alice Roosevelt's life and compare books:

Kimmelman, Leslie. MIND YOUR MANNERS, ALICE ROOSEVELT! ISBN 1561454923

Book Review Poetry #4

 The Surrender Tree

Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom

By Margarita Engle

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Engle, Margarita. 2008. THE SURRENDER TREE POEMS OF CUBA'S STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM. New York, New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 139780805086744

PLOT SUMMARY

The Surrender Tree is a verse novel where we follow the life of Rosario Castellanos from 1850-1899, the story of the fight for Cuban independence is told through poems from the point of view of a slave hunter's child.  Rosa, a child slave, who some people call her a child-witch because she learned to use flowers and roots to cure the sick.  Her story is told as she bravely heals wounded Cubans and Spanish people while hiding in the caves of Cuba.  Rosa turns hidden caves into hospitals for those that know how to find her.  She falls in love and marries Jose who also becomes a nurse, together they serve as nurses healing the wounds of slavery and war.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Margarita Engle, the author of The Surrender Tree, wrote this powerful novel that teaches children about Cuba's war history and also transmits feeling of hope for humanity through its main character Rosa.  The poems in this book represent the thoughts of each one of the characters, the stanzas do not rhyme and some are longer than others, it is obvious that each word has been chosen carefully to make each poem a perfectly thought of each one of the characters.   Engle does an amazing making each one of the poems feel like genuine thoughts that transports the reader to that historical era.  

This book contains authentic and meaningful language which create feelings of sorrow and despair caused by death and the destruction of war.  Engle includes many metaphors, "Rosa as a bee with no stinger," and when she states that the Spanish think she is dangerous, but she really just wants to provide relief just as the bees on the mountainside only provide honey and do not sting.  The use of meaningful language in the poems create vivid images that aids in creating mental images to older children and they can better relate and feel the pain felt throughout the story.  

REVIEW EXCERPTS

 Newbery Honor Award 2009

 Pura Belpre Award 2009 

Claudia Lewis Award 2009

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "THE SURRENDER TREE is hauntingly beautiful, revealing pieces of Cuba's troubled past through the poetry of hidden moments such as the glimpse of a woman shuttling children through a cave roof for Rosa's care or the snapshot of runaway Chinese slaves catching a crocodile to eat."

Starred review in BOOKLIST: "Many readers will be caught by the compelling narrative voices and want to pursue the historical accounts in Engle's bibliography."

CONNECTIONS

*Lead a discussion about the destruction of war, create a chart of the feelings brought upon by war.

*Have the children write about putting themselves in one of the characters shoes and what is something they would do differently if they were that character.

*Read other books by Margarita Engle and compare to THE SURRENDER TREE:

Engle, Margarita. SILVER PEOPLE: VOICES FROM THE PANAMA CANAL. ISBN 9780544668706

Engle, Margarita. THE LIGHTNING DREAMER: CUBA'S GREATEST ABOLITIONISTS. ISBN 9780547807430

Book Review Poetry #3

 DANITRA BROWN LEAVES TOWN

By Nikki Grimes

Illustrated by Floyd Cooper

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grimes, Nikki. 2002. DANITRA BROWN LEAVES TOWN. Ill. by Floyd Cooper. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0688131557

PLOT SUMMARY

In this book, DANITRA BROWN LEAVES TOWN, Grimes writes about two young girls who are best friends that end up being apart during the summer.  As Danitra leaves town her friend Zuri says some hurtful things because she is sad that she will be spending the whole summer by herself without her best friend.  To Zuri's surprise she finds someone to play with, she now has a neighborhood friend.  She soon receives a letter from Danitra saying she misses her friend, throughout the whole summer they write each other letters about their summer adventures.  By the end of the summer both girls reunite with more confidence in themselves and a stronger friendship.  Grimes writes about these girls' summer experiences through thirteen spirited poems.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Nikki Grimes does amazing job grabbing the readers attentions through thirteen wonderful poems, poems that tell a beautiful story about friendship.  Children of any age can relate and understand the emotions that these girls feel when they have to experience summer without each other.  Feelings of anger, jealousy, happiness, and excitement are described throughout the book in the different poems.  Every child can relate to these different emotions, which provides great discussion about experiences that cause these emotions, children can make these connections.  What is so unique about this book that each page has a title, the title to the poems telling the story of the summer experiences these girls have.  These poems are weaved together to create an innocent story about friendship.  

Floyd Cooper does an outstanding job bringing these girls' experiences to life with his beautiful paintings.  Each illustration brings the emotions the girls are feeling to life and makes the book easy to understand and appealing to children of any age.  

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "All in all, however, Cooper's photo-realist artwork in soft hues against glowing backdrops is a lovely complement to the girls' many moods."

Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "Floyd Cooper's luminescent pastels chronicle the long days and Zuri's many moods."

CONNECTIONS

*Read other books about Danitra Brown:

Grimes, Nikki. MEET DANITRA BROWN. ISBN 9780688154714

Grimes, Nikki. DANITRA BROWN CLASS CLOWN. 9780688172909

*Have students write a letter to their best friend about their favorite summer activity.

Book Review Poetry #2

 Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold

By Joyce Sidman & Rick Allen

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sidman, Joyce.  WINTER BEES & OTHER POEMS OF THE COLD.  Ill. by Rick Allen.  New York: HMH. 2014. ISBN 9780547906508

PLOT SUMMARY

This poem book contains a collection of twelve poems that transport the reader outdoors to the cold, snowy scenes of winter.  Each poem is easy to locate with the use of the table of contents.  There are poems about different types of creatures, each creature tells their own story of how they survive in the harsh winter.   Beautiful language is used in each poem to engage the reader, a perfect example of this beautiful language is in the poem "Winter Bees"  where it says: "We scaled a million blooms to reap the summer's glow. Now, in the merciless cold, we share each morsel of heat, each honeyed crumb. "Not only does Joyce Sidman tell the story through poems of how animals survive in the harsh winter, but she also provides the reader with facts about the different animals and how exactly they survive in the winter.  A glossary is also provided at the end of the book for unfamiliar words.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Joyce Sidman uses simple, but yet very descriptive language that transports the reader to the harsh winter each one of these creatures experiences in these poems.  The reader can create clear mental images of what each creature is experiencing and when the reader thinks they are done Sidman provides factual information about each creature, providing the reader with more information which will not only provide enjoyment, but also information.  Not only are these poems providing enjoyment, Sidman's purpose is also to provide information which is a great tool for teachers, librarians, parents, or anyone who is reading these poems to children. Descriptive language abounds on every page, Sidman describes the snow in the poem "Vole in Winter"  vividly, it says  "and snow-crust ceiling...how it bakes in the winter sun like a crumbly white cake studded with delectable: crunchy roots, savory seeds, and tender bark of trees..."

Allen's illustrations allows the reader to experience and visualize the snow and what creatures look like trying to survive in the snow.  He uses "stunning linoleum print illustrations" which celebrates nature's beauty and power. Allen's illustrations keep the reader engaged and wanting to see more. This collection of poems is a must have for the classroom.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Starred review in BOOKLIST: "Concluded with a glossary of big but fascinating words, this is equally suited to curricular units and cozy reads in front of a fire."

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Winter Bees distinguishes itself with a focus on the science of animal survival, coupled with superlative illustrations. Readers young and old will enjoy this winter journey and marvel at the wonders of nature."

CONNECTIONS

*These poems can be used in a classroom when learning about the winter season, a venn diagram can be used to compare two of their favorite animals from the story and discuss their similarities and differences.

*Students can think of another animal they have background knowledge about and create their own poem.  They can research facts about that animal to help create their poem and write facts as well.

*Expose children to other wonderful poem books written by Joyce Sidman & illustrated by Rick Allen:

DARK EMPEROR AND OTHER POEMS OF THE NIGHT. ISBN 9780547152288

Book Review Poetry #1

 BOOKSPEAK! POEMS ABOUT BOOKS

By: Laura Purdie Salas 

Illustrated By: Josee Bisaillon

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Salas, Laura Purdie. 2011. BOOKSPEAK! BOOKS ABOUT POEMS.  Ill. by Josee Bisaillon. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780547223001

PLOT SUMMARY

Laura Purdie Salas writes many poems in this book that give us an insight to the ones who don't speak, the books.  She uses unique points of views to show the reader how different parts of the book would show and express their thoughts through  pleas and desires.  An example of this is in the poem "I've Got This Covered", this poem is my favorite poem in the book, this poem talks about the attempt the cover of the book makes to draw the reader in to stop and look at it, read it.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

All the poems in this book are beautifully written to engage the reader throughout every single poem, wanting to know more about the feelings and voice of every part of this book.  She begins with a wonderful poem title "Calling All Readers' which tell us what to do and describes exactly what a book will do for us, the reader.  Here is a bit of what it says that engages us and tells the reader what a book exactly does:

"I promise adventure,

Come on, take a look!

On a day like today,

That poem tells us in simple, but well said what the book will create for us.  All the poems are plain, simple, and fun to read with a thought and lesson we can learn about each part of the book.

Josee Bisaillon, the illustrator does an amazing job of creating beautiful illustrations that go hand and hand with the poems.  All the illustrations in BookSpeak! have rich, beautiful colors that are very attractive and appealing to the reader.  These illustrations definitely make the poems come alive with its action and charm.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Minnesota Book Award

Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "Salas polished verse demonstrates a deep love for  all aspects of books, from their content to their creators, and she's not above using a touch of guilt to get her audience invested."

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Well crafted and clever, covering a variety of aspects of books and reading."

CONNECTIONS

*Invite children to choose their favorite part of the book (the cover, the ending, the index, the cliffhanger, etc.) and write a poem, if they were that part of the book what would they tell the reader. Display poems in the library along with the poem book BookSpeak!

*Expose children to other books by Laura Purdie Salas:

STAMPEDE! ISBN 9780547223001