How the World Was

HOW THE WORD WAS by Emmanuel Guibert. First Second, 2014.

A simpler time? Or
Was it really? Nothing is
As it seems to be.

Port Chicago 50

THE PORT CHICAGO 50 by Steve Sheinkin. Roaring Brook Press, 2014.

Fifty stand accused
Though none is guilty. The trial
though may just be rigged.

Peter Spier reprints

WE THE PEOPLE by Peter Spier. Random House, 2014.

TEH STAR-SPANGLED BANNER by Peter Spier. Random House, 2014.


These two books are reissues. If you are unfamiliar with the work of Spier, now is the time to remedy that and to share his incredible artwork with your students. Perfect for a history or an art class.

Shocked

STAY WHERE YOU ARE AND THEN LEAVE by John Boyne. Macmillan Audio, 2014.


Alfie is only 5 when WWI breaks out. His father heads off to enlist; his mother begins to work outside of the house to make ends meet. And Alfie becomes a shoe shine boy, trying his best to help out, too. When the letters from his father suddenly stop coming, Alfie is concerned about the fate of his father. Eventually, Alfie learns that his father is in a local veteran's hospital suffering from shell shock. The "ordinary" horrors of war from the perspective of a young boy bring to life what day to day like was like for those affected by the fighting.

Tie this to Boyne's THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS and to other stories of children during way such as Anita Lobe;s NO PRETTY PICTURES: A CHILD OF WAR by Anita Lobel. I read this one with my ears. he narrator struck a perfect "pitch" with his reading of the novel.

Potpourri of Picture Books

PRESIDENT TAFT IS STUCK IN THE BATH by Mac Barnett with illustrations by Chris Van Dusen. Candlewick Press, 2014.

The President's stuck
In the tub. Who should we call?
How will he get out?

STONE SOUP WITH MATZOH BALLS: A PASSOVER TALE FROM CHELM by Linda Glaser with illustrations by Maryam Tabatabaei. Albert Whitman, 2014.

All we need for soup
Is a stone, some water, and
Generous people.

PLEASE, LOUISE by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison with illustrations by Shadra Strickland. Simon & Schuster, 2014.

All Louise will need
Is at the library just
Just waiting for her there.

A CATFISH TALE by Whitney Stewart with illustrations by Gerald Guerlais. Albert Whitman, 2014.

His wife wants it all
A magic catfish can help
But how much's too much?

THE SHORT GIRAFFE by Neil Flory with illustrations by Mark Cleary. Albert Whitman, 2014.

He doesn't show up
In any photo. How can
We solve the problem?

Courage Has No Color

COURAGE HAS NO COLOR: THE STORY OF THE TRIPLE NICKELS AMERICA'S FIRST BLACK PARATROOPERS by Tanya Lee Stone. Candlewick, 2013.

Stone dives into a little known piece of history with her nonfiction book about the first African American paratroopers, the Triple Nickels as they were known at the time. Though the paratroopers made history, their story has not been told in such incredible detail. Lots of archival photos, newspaper clipping, and other primary resources disclose what it was like for these history makers to achieve the status of being the "first" and yet not being utilized by the military which still had de facto segregation when it came to African American soldiers. History teachers will find this an invaluable book to share with students.

The Boy on the Wooden Box

THE BOY ON THE WOODEN BOX: HOW THE IMPOSSIBLE BECAME POSSIBLE ON SCHINDLER'S LIST by Leon Leyson with Marilyn Harran and Elizabeth Leyson. Atheneum, 2013.


Leon Leyson was one of them: one of the many saved by the generosity of Oskar Schindler. This memoir takes readers back to the time of the Holocaust, a tme when simply being Jewish could mean death. Leon and his family certainly faced extermination without the assistance of Schindler and others who put their lives at risk to save others. Leyson's first person account makes this read immediate and powerful.

Benny and Teddy

BENNY GOODMAN AND TEDDY WILSON: TAKING THE STAGE AS THE FIRST BLACK AND WHITE JAZZ BAND IN HISTORY by Lesa Cline-Ransome with illustrations by James E. Ransome. Holiday House, 2014.

Benny and Teddy
Played jazz together
Making history.

Passover

THE STORY OF PASSOVER by David A. Adler with illustrations by Jill Weber. Holiday House, 2014.

Passover's story
Of Moses and Israel
Shared here for children.

Dust

THE GREAT AMERICAN DUST BOWL by Don Brown. Houghton Mifflin, 2013.

The Dust Bowl era in America, in the 1930s, is described in exquisite detail in this nonfiction graphic format. The ecological and environmental causes, the economic tolls, the sheer desperation is conveyed in the ink drawings, spare text, and brown tones that comprise this work. Have students study this GN before diving into Steinbeck's novel. Offer this to reluctant readers who will become absorbed in the illustrations. Share this with kids.

Stunning Combination

FROM NORVELT TO NOWHERE by Jack Gantos. FSG, 2013.

This sequel to the Newbery winning, DEAD END IN NORVELT will not disappoint. Once again, Gantos has managed to find the funny as he and Miss Volker take the craziest road trip imaginable in hot pursuit of the person who murdered all of the elderly female residents of Norvelt save one. But who exactly IS the murderer? Spizz, the prime suspect fled Norvelt but has recently been spotted at the scene of yet another murder. ut there are some who think Miss Volker herself could be the culprit. Gantos effortlessly combines a mystery, quite a bit of history, some philosophizing, lots of humor and knock out scenes that will make readers (like me) always wanting more.

Evocative

THE CART THAT CARRIED MARTIN by Eve Bunting with illustrations by Don Tate. Charlesbridge, 2013.

Spare language and illustrations that zoom in and out at various points in the narrative combine to make this a picture book that will evoke many emotions and responses. A plain cart and two mules carry the body of slain Civil Right leader Martin Luther King, Jr. from Ebenezer Baptist Church to Morehouse College. Simple and plain: the way Martin wanted it. And yet the vast reaction of those assembled makes it clear that though the cart and mules were simple, the man they carried was great.

Here is an inside look at the remarkable art work.

Math, history, and other stories

FISH FOR JIMMY: INSPIRED BY ONE FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE IN A JAPANESE AMERICAN INTERNMENT CAMP by Katie Yamasaki. Holiday House 2013.


After the bombing of Pearl Harbor during WW II, people of Japanese ancestry were rounded up and taken to relocation/internment centers. Often families were separated with me in one camp and women and children in others. Such is the case for Jimmy and his family. When father is sent off and the remainder of the family sent to another center, Jimmy refuses to eat. Hos older brother Taro manages to escape several times a week to catch fresh fish for his brother to eat. <721>

THE KINDHEARTED CROCODILE by Lucia Panzieri with illustrations by AntonGionata Ferrari. Holiday House, 2013.

A kindhearted crocodile has a tough time making friends. And so he sneaks into a house and begins to do nice things for the inhabitants: washing dishes, tidying toys, and more. By morning, the crocodile has slipped in between the pages of a book so as not to alarm them. One night, the family waits to see how all the chores are being accomplished. <722>

THE RABBIT AND THE NOT-SO-BIG-BAD WOLF by Michael Escoffer with illustrations by Kris DiGianco. Holiday House, 2013.

Rabbit warns readers of the approach of the Wolf. As he describes the creature approaching, it is apparent that the "Wolf" is not so big and bad. Might be a good companion to Maurice Sendak, especially WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. <723>

THE WING WING BROTHERS: CARNIVAL DE MATH by Ethan Long. Holiday House, 2013.

Need to teach kids about numbers: here are the Wing Wing Brothers at a carnival playing with numbers: adding, subtracting and the like by tens to and from 100. <724>

Narrative Nonfiction: Biography and History

WHO SAYS WOMEN CAN'T BE DOCTORS: THE STORY OF ELIZABETH BLACKWELL by Tanya Lee Stone with illustrations by Marjorie Priceman. Holt 2013.

A perfect picture book to share with kids about the determination of one woman to become the first female doctor. This slice of life biography takes Blackwell from childhood to her graduation from medical school. Contemporary students need to see examples of those who came before and fought for rights. Here is a good place to start. <708>

HENRY AND THE CANNONS by Don Brown. Roaring Brook Press, 2013.

After the British occupied Boston, Washington knew that he needed some heavy artillery to force them out again. He wished he could have the cannons at hand. Thanks to the planning and dedication of Henry Knox, the cannons were transported to Boston where they caused the British to flee. The work of ordinary citizens during the Revolution shows how there were many people who played important roles in the battle for freedom. <709>

Wheels of Change

WHEELS OF CHANGE by Sue macy. National Geographic, 2011.

Macy explores not only the evolution of the bicycle but also how their evolution paralleled the increase in freedom for women. Archival photographs, newspaper clippings, and more primary resources make this not only an informational but an entertaining examination of how the bicycle changed the landscape. With the demand of narrative nonfiction, teachers and librarians should be familiar with this and other works by veteran author Sue Macy. <476>

matchless

THE MATCHBOX DIARY by Paul Flesichman with illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline. Candlewick Press, 2012.

Matchbox history
Each one containing treasure
Passed down through the years.

<466>

Grave Business

GRAVE MERCY by Robin LeFevers(Houghton Mifflin 2012) combines romance, intrigue, and assassination in an action packed romp through 15th century Brittany. Ismae is sold to a pig farmer by her father. However, when the pig farmer sees that Ismae was poisoned in the womb by her own mother, he throws her into the cellar. Ismae escapes and flees to the convent of St. Mortain, a convent dedicated to service to St. Mortain, Death. There Ismae is trained in the wiles of seduction and in the many ways of assassination. Her first mission sends her the court of Anne who is supposed to be crowned as Duchess of Brittany. However, there is some opposition to this move. Betrayal, love, war: all will entrance readers of paranormal romance. <317>

Nonfiction Picture Books

WRITE ON MERCY: THE SECRET LIFE OF MERCY OTIS WARREN by Gretchen Woelfle with illustrations by Alexandra Wallner (Calkins Creek 2012) is a must have picture book to fill in gaps in textbooks, especially gaps about the contributions of women and other underrepresented populations in terms of contributions to history, science, and the arts. Mercy Otis Warren wrote about politics but did so mostly in secret. In the 1700s, women were not permitted to have a clarion voice. Warren's family and friends knew her as a published author, but it was some time before her identity was known to the general public. <229>



SILENT STAR: THE STORY OF DEAF MAJOR LEAGUER WILLIAM HOY by Bill Wise with illustrations by Adam Gustavson (Lee and Low 2012) tells the story of how William Hoy managed to rise from back lots to the major leagues despite a childhood illness that caused him to lose his hearing. As a matter of fact, because of Hoy's deafness, coaches began to use the now commonplace hand signals for batters. <230>




Connie Nordheim Wooldridge's JUST FINE THE WAY THEY ARE with illustrations by Richard Walz (Calkins Creek 2011) is subtitled FROM DIRT ROADS TO RAIL ROADS TO INTERSTATES. It presents information in a bouncy narrative about how transportation has progressed over time as well as how some folks were happy with things the way they were. Pair this with Gail Gibbons' NEW ROAD. <231>




I, GALILEO by Bonnie Christensen (Knopf 2012) tells the story of Galileo as if it were an autobiography. Galileo tells of his discoveries and how he was castigated by the church for daring to contradict their teachings despite his scientific observations to the contrary. Tie this one to Peter Sis' STARRY MESSENGER. <232>




BON APETIT: THE DELICIOUS LIFE OF JULIA CHILD by Jessie Harland (Schwartz and Wade 2012) tells of the life of one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. From her childhood to her adolescence and finally her adulthood, Hartland presents the story of Childs' life and her eventual passion with French cuisine and with writing cookbooks. Recipes, maps, and all manner of information crowd around illustrations giving readers plenty to chew on. <233>





If A BLACK HOLE IS NOT A HOLE (Charlesbridge 2012), then what is it exactly? Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano answers this central question in clear language with plenty of illustrative examples (courtesy of illustrator Michael Carroll) served with a healthy dollop of humor as well. Despite the rather complex science behind black holes, this text will be accessible to many readers. Science teachers will want to add this to their collections. <234>

Raise a Joyful Noise

FREEDOM SONG: THE STORY OF HENRY "BOX" BROWN by Sally M. Walker with illustrations by Sean Qualls (Harper 2012)is based on the story of Henry Brown who literally mailed himself to freedom. Walker tells of Henry's love of song, from the songs he sang in the fields where he was a slave to the love songs he sang to his wife to the songs he shared with his family. When his family is taken from him and sold, Henry ships himself to Pennsylvania and freedom. Walker's rhythmic language and Qualls' collage paintings combine to make this a terrific read aloud experience. <77>

Freedom!

FREEDOM'S A CALLIN ME by Ntozake Shange with illustrations by Rod Brown (Amistad 2012) is a collection of poems Shange wrote in response to Brown's paintings. They tell the story of slaves who are longing for freedom, for escape from the harsh reality of their lives. The poems begin in the fields and move slowly along the Underground Railroad and, ultimately, to freedom. Beatings, being hunted by dogs, running away, losing family: Shange and Brown do not shy away from the difficult truths. <76>