By Bryn Barnard http://www.brynbarnard.com/Site_2/Home.html
Crown Publishers New York, 2005
ISBN 0-375-92986-X
Acrylic paintings
Annotation
A history book witch connects to many Social Studies State Standards, but gives a different perspective of the times, pointing out how some outbreaks were for the better.
Personal Reaction
An appealing book by its cover art, a skeleton in a wooden table crouched over a microscope with magnified germs circling it. This could be a frightening book for anyone, especially during a time when a new flu virus is threatening an outbreak. However history is our best defense and this book gives fantastic details of historical outbreaks and reactions to them. Interesting recounts of historical outbreaks connected to their effect on history are bone chilling. The chapter, How Yellow Fever Stopped Slavery, is one example. The book points out to readers that human beings have lived on Africa for longer than another continent, therefore its occupants have had a longer time to develop immunity. Because the white slave traders had not been exposed to Yellow Fever, many died. New World and the Caribbean slave plantations were devastated for decades due to the Yellow Fever. The history behind hand washing and urban sanitation is fascinating and directly relates to students lives. This book will fascinate all ages, written in a simple factual academic style using facts to keep interest.
Social Studies
History
Disease, outbreak
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
The Arrival
2009 Best List
By Shaun Tan http://www.shauntan.net/
Published Imprint Scholastic Inc, New York, 2006
ISBN 978-0-439-89529-3
Annotation
A wordless story told in graphic panels depicts a families travel through immigration. The representation of immigration done through imaginative and strange whimsical illustrations.
Personal Reaction
Shaun Tan depicts emotion through whimsical spirals and encroaching dark shadows. The father must leave his family and rides a ship with many other immigrants to what looks like an Alice in Wonderland New York City. All of the possibilities are seen there, hope, friendship new connections. However, he is stamped, labeled, prodded and shuffled along. His fear is evident in the confusing shapes around him, the world is truly alien with flying ships and strange creatures. He finds someone he can talk with and she tells of her terrible job shoveling coal in a compartment. He finds a unfamiliar creature and it becomes his pet. He meets a friendly man and is welcome to dinner with his new friend's family. They laugh and eat and he is happy and at ease. He misses his wife and child and sends them money. An exquisite visual book which although abstract depict perfectly what it feels like to immigrate. The lack of words allows readers to understand through their own feelings the immigrant experience. This book forces readers to look at every picture or scene for meaning. The confusion of the reader in trying to figure out this novel's story mirrors the confusion of an immigrant in an unfamiliar land. It is not a historical piece or cultural, the characters seem to not have a certain country or race. This book is a must have in a multicultural community or a school or neighborhood with many immigrant families.
By Shaun Tan http://www.shauntan.net/
Published Imprint Scholastic Inc, New York, 2006
ISBN 978-0-439-89529-3
Annotation
A wordless story told in graphic panels depicts a families travel through immigration. The representation of immigration done through imaginative and strange whimsical illustrations.
Personal Reaction
Shaun Tan depicts emotion through whimsical spirals and encroaching dark shadows. The father must leave his family and rides a ship with many other immigrants to what looks like an Alice in Wonderland New York City. All of the possibilities are seen there, hope, friendship new connections. However, he is stamped, labeled, prodded and shuffled along. His fear is evident in the confusing shapes around him, the world is truly alien with flying ships and strange creatures. He finds someone he can talk with and she tells of her terrible job shoveling coal in a compartment. He finds a unfamiliar creature and it becomes his pet. He meets a friendly man and is welcome to dinner with his new friend's family. They laugh and eat and he is happy and at ease. He misses his wife and child and sends them money. An exquisite visual book which although abstract depict perfectly what it feels like to immigrate. The lack of words allows readers to understand through their own feelings the immigrant experience. This book forces readers to look at every picture or scene for meaning. The confusion of the reader in trying to figure out this novel's story mirrors the confusion of an immigrant in an unfamiliar land. It is not a historical piece or cultural, the characters seem to not have a certain country or race. This book is a must have in a multicultural community or a school or neighborhood with many immigrant families.
**Personification:Illustrations show the feeling of immigration through abstract scenes, the use of a unreadable made up language is illustrating the feeling of not knowing anything when moving to a new country.
Starred reviews:
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award special citation (2008)
Kirkus Reviews (September 1, 2007)
Publishers Weekly (July 16, 2007)
Booklist (September 1, 2007)
Kliatt (September, 2007)
School Library Journal (September, 2007)
Horn Book (November/December, 2007)
Horn Book Guide (Spring, 2008)
Starred reviews:
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award special citation (2008)
Kirkus Reviews (September 1, 2007)
Publishers Weekly (July 16, 2007)
Booklist (September 1, 2007)
Kliatt (September, 2007)
School Library Journal (September, 2007)
Horn Book (November/December, 2007)
Horn Book Guide (Spring, 2008)
Artemis Fowl the graphic novel
By Eoin Colfer http://www.eoincolfer.com/
Andrew Donkin http://www.andrewdonkin.com/
Published Hyperjon Books, New York, 2007
ISBN 978-078684881-2
Annotation
Artemis Fowl is a 12-year-old genius that is never without his bodyguard Butler. He tricks a street fairy into giving him her fairy bible and deciphers it meanings. With the knowledge from this bible Artemis knows all the fairy secrets.
Personal Reaction
He devises a plan to trick the Leprechaun fairies out of gold. He traps a LEP “polize” officer, Holly, and uses her for leverage with the LEP department. The fairy “polize” are very technical, using computers and radiation as defense, they all carry weapons and their wings are actually mechanical, worn on backpacks. The fairies and other creatures have been forced far under the earths crust due to human inhabitant and disturbances, such as mineral mining. The city they live in looks very industrial, not at all natural or magical. The few things that do seem to hold the traditional idea of fairy magic being of the earth is when Holly was trying to get her powers and does so by planting a nut in the ground. This seems out of place with these rule abiding militant fairies. The Police have a hierarchy with commanders and generals, in fact Holly is the first female officer. This was an entertaining fast read and definitely perfect for the tween reader. The trick Artemis pulls on the LEPs will intrigue readers to get to the end.
Children's Core Collection
**Graphic Novel
Fantasy
Andrew Donkin http://www.andrewdonkin.com/
Published Hyperjon Books, New York, 2007
ISBN 978-078684881-2
Annotation
Artemis Fowl is a 12-year-old genius that is never without his bodyguard Butler. He tricks a street fairy into giving him her fairy bible and deciphers it meanings. With the knowledge from this bible Artemis knows all the fairy secrets.
Personal Reaction
He devises a plan to trick the Leprechaun fairies out of gold. He traps a LEP “polize” officer, Holly, and uses her for leverage with the LEP department. The fairy “polize” are very technical, using computers and radiation as defense, they all carry weapons and their wings are actually mechanical, worn on backpacks. The fairies and other creatures have been forced far under the earths crust due to human inhabitant and disturbances, such as mineral mining. The city they live in looks very industrial, not at all natural or magical. The few things that do seem to hold the traditional idea of fairy magic being of the earth is when Holly was trying to get her powers and does so by planting a nut in the ground. This seems out of place with these rule abiding militant fairies. The Police have a hierarchy with commanders and generals, in fact Holly is the first female officer. This was an entertaining fast read and definitely perfect for the tween reader. The trick Artemis pulls on the LEPs will intrigue readers to get to the end.
Children's Core Collection
**Graphic Novel
Fantasy
The man who walked between the towers
Mordicai Gerstein http://www.mordicaigerstein.com/
Roaring Brook Press, New York, 2003
ISBN 0-7613-1791-0
Ink and Oil panels
Annotation
Caldecott award winning nonfiction tale of Philippe Petit, French tight rope walker who walking between the New York twin towers in 1974.
Personal Reaction
Details weave his story into an edge of your chair journey while full color dramatic illustrations bring life to the reader’s imagination. With New York City below and the wind in his hair Petite steps onto the rope and the pages unfold in a three page spread of the scene drawn from above and showing the bay and tiny cars in the busy New York street below. This is a beautiful and celebratory book to read to 4th, and 5th graders during 9/11 remembrance. This is also a perfect book to begin lessons on Caldecott award winners. It can be accompanied by the adult book Man on a Wire written by Philippe Petit or the documentary of the same name. By showing these alternatives at the same time in a library or classroom the brilliance of the illustrations will truly shine next to the photos of the actual event.
Caldecott Award winner 2004
9/11
Twin Towers
Caldecott Award
Roaring Brook Press, New York, 2003
ISBN 0-7613-1791-0
Ink and Oil panels
Annotation
Caldecott award winning nonfiction tale of Philippe Petit, French tight rope walker who walking between the New York twin towers in 1974.
Personal Reaction
Details weave his story into an edge of your chair journey while full color dramatic illustrations bring life to the reader’s imagination. With New York City below and the wind in his hair Petite steps onto the rope and the pages unfold in a three page spread of the scene drawn from above and showing the bay and tiny cars in the busy New York street below. This is a beautiful and celebratory book to read to 4th, and 5th graders during 9/11 remembrance. This is also a perfect book to begin lessons on Caldecott award winners. It can be accompanied by the adult book Man on a Wire written by Philippe Petit or the documentary of the same name. By showing these alternatives at the same time in a library or classroom the brilliance of the illustrations will truly shine next to the photos of the actual event.
Caldecott Award winner 2004
9/11
Twin Towers
Caldecott Award
Amazing pop-up pull-out mummy book
By David Hawcock
Author Illustrated Claire Bampton
Dorling Kindersley Book, London, 2000
ISBN 9780789465078
Photographs, Acrylic
Annotation
A pop up book about Egyptian mummification with fold out three dimensional pictures with informational accompaniment.
Personal Reaction
Seeing a small mummy in a picture is OK, but imagine unfolding a 5-foot realistic illustration of Tutankhamen! This is what students will be able to do with this fabulous fold out pop-up book fit for older students. Perfect for supplementing 6th grade social studies this book gives students an exciting larger than textbook view of this abstract curriculum. The first page shows real photographs of mummies, folding this page out it shows sections including "Mummies of the world", "Beliefs and rituals", and "Tombs, Graves and caves" and two others. The "Natural Mummies" section educates the student on what a mummy is and how the dead can become mummified both purposefully and naturally. The center of the book is where the large mummy is laying regally in his golden 3 dimensional mask. Down the side of him there are photos and illustrations of different Egyptian artifacts and where and why they would be found in the tomb. The top of the page can be turned to view underneath the golden mask, a shocking but fascinating scene. This book can also be hung on the wall during a class lesson.
Egyptian civilizations are directly apart of the following California State Standards for the 6th grade:
6.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Kush.
6.2.2 Trace the development of agricultural techniques that permitted the production of economic surplus and the emergence of cities as centers of culture and power.
6.2.3 Understand the relationship between religion and the social and political order in Mesopotamia and Egypt.
6.2.5 Discuss the main features of Egyptian art and architecture.
6.2.6 Describe the role of Egyptian trade in the eastern Mediterranean and Nile valley.
6.2.8 Identify the location of the Kush civilization and describe its political, commercial, and cultural relations with Egypt
Author Illustrated Claire Bampton
Dorling Kindersley Book, London, 2000
ISBN 9780789465078
Photographs, Acrylic
Annotation
A pop up book about Egyptian mummification with fold out three dimensional pictures with informational accompaniment.
Personal Reaction
Seeing a small mummy in a picture is OK, but imagine unfolding a 5-foot realistic illustration of Tutankhamen! This is what students will be able to do with this fabulous fold out pop-up book fit for older students. Perfect for supplementing 6th grade social studies this book gives students an exciting larger than textbook view of this abstract curriculum. The first page shows real photographs of mummies, folding this page out it shows sections including "Mummies of the world", "Beliefs and rituals", and "Tombs, Graves and caves" and two others. The "Natural Mummies" section educates the student on what a mummy is and how the dead can become mummified both purposefully and naturally. The center of the book is where the large mummy is laying regally in his golden 3 dimensional mask. Down the side of him there are photos and illustrations of different Egyptian artifacts and where and why they would be found in the tomb. The top of the page can be turned to view underneath the golden mask, a shocking but fascinating scene. This book can also be hung on the wall during a class lesson.
Egyptian civilizations are directly apart of the following California State Standards for the 6th grade:
6.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Kush.
6.2.2 Trace the development of agricultural techniques that permitted the production of economic surplus and the emergence of cities as centers of culture and power.
6.2.3 Understand the relationship between religion and the social and political order in Mesopotamia and Egypt.
6.2.5 Discuss the main features of Egyptian art and architecture.
6.2.6 Describe the role of Egyptian trade in the eastern Mediterranean and Nile valley.
6.2.8 Identify the location of the Kush civilization and describe its political, commercial, and cultural relations with Egypt
The dog breed handbook
By Joan Palmer (N/A website)
Grange Books, London, 2005
ISBN 9780785825586
Annotation
An encyclopedia of pure bred dog breeds.
Personal Reaction
Dog breed guides are a favorite with many students. The jewel in this one is that all the breeds are in one medium sized glossy well-bound book. A small book in size but not in content, this dog breed book list the different breeds under sections such as non-sporting breeds, herding dog, working dog, terrier, hound, toy and gun dogs. The introduction goes over different physical characteristic and terminology, a brief history of showing dogs with a map of different Kennel Club regions. Each breed has it’s own beautiful glossy page with one or two variations of the breed if there are any. The book has in mind that the reader is looking at breeds to purchase so a little guide to care requirements gives each dog a 1 through 4 rating on exercise, food, space, and grooming. Each page also includes a brief history of the breed and a little more detail on the special care needed and any other little positive things, such as good with kids, great watchdog, loyal. This book is a good addition to the pets’ section where often libraries have many books on individual breeds and not many with a collection of breeds. It could be displayed with other pet books for a unique display of high interest nonfiction. Although it is recommended for adults it’s reading level is very low and the pictures and information is high interest for the dog obsessed.
Grange Books, London, 2005
ISBN 9780785825586
Annotation
An encyclopedia of pure bred dog breeds.
Personal Reaction
Dog breed guides are a favorite with many students. The jewel in this one is that all the breeds are in one medium sized glossy well-bound book. A small book in size but not in content, this dog breed book list the different breeds under sections such as non-sporting breeds, herding dog, working dog, terrier, hound, toy and gun dogs. The introduction goes over different physical characteristic and terminology, a brief history of showing dogs with a map of different Kennel Club regions. Each breed has it’s own beautiful glossy page with one or two variations of the breed if there are any. The book has in mind that the reader is looking at breeds to purchase so a little guide to care requirements gives each dog a 1 through 4 rating on exercise, food, space, and grooming. Each page also includes a brief history of the breed and a little more detail on the special care needed and any other little positive things, such as good with kids, great watchdog, loyal. This book is a good addition to the pets’ section where often libraries have many books on individual breeds and not many with a collection of breeds. It could be displayed with other pet books for a unique display of high interest nonfiction. Although it is recommended for adults it’s reading level is very low and the pictures and information is high interest for the dog obsessed.
Ripley's Special Edition 2009
Author and Publisher Scholastic, New York edition 2009
ISBN ISBN 0-545-10320-7
Photographs
Annotation
Ripley’s does it again with another engrossing and gross book full of incredible and unbelievable facts. The traditionally strange covers of these books will tempt students.
Gross isn’t the only intrigue found in this nonfiction book. Readers won’t be able to resist sharing the short descriptive pieces of strange facts out loud to whoever is closest. As soon as a student starts talking about the star with a diamond core discovered above Australia they will have over the shoulder readers of every age, including the teacher! However the book does include stomach churning, yet grotesquely fascinating believe it or not events as well. A man berried in worms and eating them for an hour, on a sweeter note a dog nurses lion babies, a zebra and a horse make a baby horse, a duckling with 4 legs, and a giant bunny and tiny human baby. Real photographs are connected to each crazy fact and pages are colorful. The stories are categorized into a few different chapters such as animal antics a body oddity. This is a truly fun agelessly entertaining read and could provide students with many interesting conversation pieces. Libraries should buy the most current issue every year because students will look for the most current production.
ISBN ISBN 0-545-10320-7
Photographs
Annotation
Ripley’s does it again with another engrossing and gross book full of incredible and unbelievable facts. The traditionally strange covers of these books will tempt students.
Gross isn’t the only intrigue found in this nonfiction book. Readers won’t be able to resist sharing the short descriptive pieces of strange facts out loud to whoever is closest. As soon as a student starts talking about the star with a diamond core discovered above Australia they will have over the shoulder readers of every age, including the teacher! However the book does include stomach churning, yet grotesquely fascinating believe it or not events as well. A man berried in worms and eating them for an hour, on a sweeter note a dog nurses lion babies, a zebra and a horse make a baby horse, a duckling with 4 legs, and a giant bunny and tiny human baby. Real photographs are connected to each crazy fact and pages are colorful. The stories are categorized into a few different chapters such as animal antics a body oddity. This is a truly fun agelessly entertaining read and could provide students with many interesting conversation pieces. Libraries should buy the most current issue every year because students will look for the most current production.
The invention of Hugo Cabret : a novel in words and pictures
By Brian Selznick
Published Scholastic Press, New York, 2007
ISBN 978-0-439-81378-5
Annotation
Hugo is abandoned in the train station where his father worked and they lived, while keeping the clocks working and trying to uncover the mystery behind his fathers notebook and the atomaton his father has left.
Personal Reaction
At first you might think you are just reading another worthy Caldecott winner, beautiful illustrations depicting the story clearly. As you read The Invention of Hugo Cabret further, the feeling you have entered into a silent film from the early 1900’s will begin to take hold. This entire book is designed with the style of old film which is extenuated by it’s internal celebration of 1920’s French film and the modest presence of 20th century film maker, Georges Méliès. About a boy orphaned in a train station, but embodying so much more, this book opens a historical art realm sadly under celebrated; the automaton of this era and early science fiction films. By the shear ascetic quality of this book readers will be driven to learn more about old French silent films and the magic of automaton figures.
**Allusion: Illustrations refer indirectly (allude) to old silent films
Awarded the Caldecott Medal, 2008
Starred Reviews
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (April, 2007)
Horn Book Guide (Fall, 2007)
Kirkus Reviews (January 15, 2007)
Horn Book (March/April, 2007)
School Library Journal (March, 2007)
Published Scholastic Press, New York, 2007
ISBN 978-0-439-81378-5
Annotation
Hugo is abandoned in the train station where his father worked and they lived, while keeping the clocks working and trying to uncover the mystery behind his fathers notebook and the atomaton his father has left.
Personal Reaction
At first you might think you are just reading another worthy Caldecott winner, beautiful illustrations depicting the story clearly. As you read The Invention of Hugo Cabret further, the feeling you have entered into a silent film from the early 1900’s will begin to take hold. This entire book is designed with the style of old film which is extenuated by it’s internal celebration of 1920’s French film and the modest presence of 20th century film maker, Georges Méliès. About a boy orphaned in a train station, but embodying so much more, this book opens a historical art realm sadly under celebrated; the automaton of this era and early science fiction films. By the shear ascetic quality of this book readers will be driven to learn more about old French silent films and the magic of automaton figures.
**Allusion: Illustrations refer indirectly (allude) to old silent films
Awarded the Caldecott Medal, 2008
Starred Reviews
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (April, 2007)
Horn Book Guide (Fall, 2007)
Kirkus Reviews (January 15, 2007)
Horn Book (March/April, 2007)
School Library Journal (March, 2007)
Unexplained: an encyclopedia of curious phenomena strange superstitions and ancient mysteries
By Judy Allen
Published Kingfisher, Boston, 2006
ISBN 0-7534-5950-7
Photographs, pen and ink, watercolor
Annotation
The book Unexplained is an encyclopedia of strange mysteries and unexplained events and phenomena.
Personal Reaction
Unexplained has a complete and thorough investigation and history of any strange phenomena a student has or has not heard of or imagined. Like The Unexplained by Jim Pipe it has large full-page pictures and illustrations, however the content in this book is more detailed with far more factual accounts and historical information. This book is accessible to both low level readers who will enjoy the photos and captions while sustaining the interest of higher readers with the detailed historical paragraphs. I chose this book due to its popularity in many libraries in the SFUSD schools. In my own libraries it is always checked out or on hold which is an indication of its appeal to many reading levels. The subjects or questions will open students to possibilities even their imaginations could not provide. An especially interesting feature in this book is the list of unexplained events by area in the back of the book. This will allow students to discover where certain strange happenings have occurred and could motivate further research on that area or that event.
Published Kingfisher, Boston, 2006
ISBN 0-7534-5950-7
Photographs, pen and ink, watercolor
Annotation
The book Unexplained is an encyclopedia of strange mysteries and unexplained events and phenomena.
Personal Reaction
Unexplained has a complete and thorough investigation and history of any strange phenomena a student has or has not heard of or imagined. Like The Unexplained by Jim Pipe it has large full-page pictures and illustrations, however the content in this book is more detailed with far more factual accounts and historical information. This book is accessible to both low level readers who will enjoy the photos and captions while sustaining the interest of higher readers with the detailed historical paragraphs. I chose this book due to its popularity in many libraries in the SFUSD schools. In my own libraries it is always checked out or on hold which is an indication of its appeal to many reading levels. The subjects or questions will open students to possibilities even their imaginations could not provide. An especially interesting feature in this book is the list of unexplained events by area in the back of the book. This will allow students to discover where certain strange happenings have occurred and could motivate further research on that area or that event.
The gruesome guide to world monsters
By Judy Sierra http://www.judysierra.net/
Author Henrik Drescher http://www.hdrescher.com/
Published Candlestick, Massachusetts, 2005
ISBN 978-0763617271
Mixed Media
Annotation
Brief introductions to monsters and folklore creatures accompanied by beautiful mixed media interpretations.
Personal Reaction
The Cannibal Baby sucks the skin and blood from kind strangers, The Abiku enters children and eat the food parents feed them, these are a few of the gruesome and scary creatures in cataloged in this book. Each creature has is cataloged with a rough messy illustration, the location of origin, a gruesome rating of 1 to 5, a brief detailed description and a helpful survival tip if said monster is encountered. This is a fun and disturbing book. I found, while reading it that I could have encountered a few of these monsters without knowing it. I think I might have been victim to the Scottish Spunkie who appears as a light shining at night confusing any sense of space and distance. This book will appeal to the younger tween age groups but will also be a good choice for low reading level older tweens and will create a definite cause some commotion when students start reading the disturbing descriptions out loud, which is great because social reading is really fun for students in this age group.
Folklore
Reluctant readers
Author Henrik Drescher http://www.hdrescher.com/
Published Candlestick, Massachusetts, 2005
ISBN 978-0763617271
Mixed Media
Annotation
Brief introductions to monsters and folklore creatures accompanied by beautiful mixed media interpretations.
Personal Reaction
The Cannibal Baby sucks the skin and blood from kind strangers, The Abiku enters children and eat the food parents feed them, these are a few of the gruesome and scary creatures in cataloged in this book. Each creature has is cataloged with a rough messy illustration, the location of origin, a gruesome rating of 1 to 5, a brief detailed description and a helpful survival tip if said monster is encountered. This is a fun and disturbing book. I found, while reading it that I could have encountered a few of these monsters without knowing it. I think I might have been victim to the Scottish Spunkie who appears as a light shining at night confusing any sense of space and distance. This book will appeal to the younger tween age groups but will also be a good choice for low reading level older tweens and will create a definite cause some commotion when students start reading the disturbing descriptions out loud, which is great because social reading is really fun for students in this age group.
Folklore
Reluctant readers
Are you afraid yet? The science behind scary stuff
By Stephen James Omeara http://www.wro.org/omeara.htm
Illustrator Jeremy Kaposy http://www.jeremykaposy.com/
Published Kids Can Press, New York, 2009
ISBN 978-1554532940
Pen Ink, Acrylic Paint
Annotation
Are You Afraid Yet gives hard facts and logic on things such as Vampires, Werewolves, and invisibility.
Personal Reaction
Sometimes science is just more interesting than the myth surrounding it. The same old subject matter in this book takes on a new perspective with the enhancement of science. Unlike the other books I found this book does not give the readers any maybe to wonder about. Written in a comic book style Author Stephen James O’Meara takes popular books and movie characters, such as the vampire family in Twilight, the Cullens, and H.G Wells book The Invisible Man, and points out the true hard facts around such things as Vampire beauty and Invisibility. This book is current and up to date on new investigations that have been made by mainstream science and universities. It does an excellent job in informing while entertaining. I will definitely be adding this book to my library this spring due to its up to date information and fun to read graphic novel, comic book format.
Garden State Teen Book Award, New Jersey
Graphic Novel
Nonfiction
Illustrator Jeremy Kaposy http://www.jeremykaposy.com/
Published Kids Can Press, New York, 2009
ISBN 978-1554532940
Pen Ink, Acrylic Paint
Annotation
Are You Afraid Yet gives hard facts and logic on things such as Vampires, Werewolves, and invisibility.
Personal Reaction
Sometimes science is just more interesting than the myth surrounding it. The same old subject matter in this book takes on a new perspective with the enhancement of science. Unlike the other books I found this book does not give the readers any maybe to wonder about. Written in a comic book style Author Stephen James O’Meara takes popular books and movie characters, such as the vampire family in Twilight, the Cullens, and H.G Wells book The Invisible Man, and points out the true hard facts around such things as Vampire beauty and Invisibility. This book is current and up to date on new investigations that have been made by mainstream science and universities. It does an excellent job in informing while entertaining. I will definitely be adding this book to my library this spring due to its up to date information and fun to read graphic novel, comic book format.
Garden State Teen Book Award, New Jersey
Graphic Novel
Nonfiction
Encyclopedia Horrifica
By Joshua Gee http://www.joshuagee.com/Home_Page/web-content/index.html
Published Scholastic Inc. New York, 2007
ISBN 978-0-439-922-55-5
Photographs
Annotations
Real accounts of ghostly first hand experiences, photos and historical tales of mystery and myth. Readers guess which are real and which are a hoax and look in the back for the answer and history behind the photos.
Personal Reaction
Legends and misleads are brought to light in this book through logic and science as well as carried on in mystery. One Norwegian myth covered is the deathly Kracken, brought to recent popularity by the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. The book reveals the Kracken, spotted and feared by early sailors, was just a case of mistaken identity and was in fact the recently discovered Giant Ocean Squid. The pages are glossy with attention getting photos and illustrations. The text is structured so you can read any clip on the page in any order and understand the content, which is appealing in a nonfiction book.
International Reading Children's Choice Award 2008
Published Scholastic Inc. New York, 2007
ISBN 978-0-439-922-55-5
Photographs
Annotations
Real accounts of ghostly first hand experiences, photos and historical tales of mystery and myth. Readers guess which are real and which are a hoax and look in the back for the answer and history behind the photos.
Personal Reaction
Legends and misleads are brought to light in this book through logic and science as well as carried on in mystery. One Norwegian myth covered is the deathly Kracken, brought to recent popularity by the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. The book reveals the Kracken, spotted and feared by early sailors, was just a case of mistaken identity and was in fact the recently discovered Giant Ocean Squid. The pages are glossy with attention getting photos and illustrations. The text is structured so you can read any clip on the page in any order and understand the content, which is appealing in a nonfiction book.
International Reading Children's Choice Award 2008
The Cat: or How I Lost Eternity
By Jutta Richter http://www.juttarichter.de/
Illustrator Rotraut Susanne Berner http://www.zelles.net/websites-und-kunden/detail/site/rotraut-susanne-berner.html
Translator Anna Brailovsky
Published Milkweed edition, 2007,Germany, New York
ISBN 978-1571316760
Annotation
8-year-old Christine stops to talk to a white cat every morning on her way to school making her endlessly late. Christine is in her own world of thought and observation and finds she sharing these thoughts with the willful opinionated alley cat.
Personal Reaction
There is more to Jutta Richter’s short story than just a girl talking to a cat, but each reader will see something different in it’s reflective, artistic narrative. Each chapter of this book holds a new reflective situation for the young girl with comments, opinions and wisdom from the cat. The chapters are separated by simple black, yellow and white pencil drawings of the pointy yellow-eyed cat in her life. Each illustration is connected to the upcoming situation in an interesting way. Such as the cat holding a sponge in front of a chalkboard with a maze drawn on it. This page is followed by an incident at school where Christine is told to write 200 lines stating there are no talking cats and she will be on time, she chooses to leave out the word “no” in her lines, which sparks the cats commentary about teachers, “Their job is to make disorderly children into orderly students…they always believe they’re wiser than our kind. But teachers only think in school years. They have no idea about eternity…we learn things in life…in life what counts is mice you actually eat”. This book is so thought provoking it would be excellent in a book club or literature group. The philosophical statements of the cat in each chapter would be hot conversation starters. Some questions for reading circles are:
What does the cat mean when she speaks of eternity?
What does Christine think eternity is?
Is the cat real? Could the cat be Christine’s subconscious?
Do you strongly agree with something the cat says? Why?
Do you strongly disagree with something the cat says? Why?
What does Christine mean when she refers to her first half on page 48?
What is your interpretation of Christine’s phrase in the cow field “eternity became small and hunchbacked, and I stamped my foot.”?
**Sophisticated language: "eternity became small and hunchbacked, and I stamped my foot.”
Illustrator Rotraut Susanne Berner http://www.zelles.net/websites-und-kunden/detail/site/rotraut-susanne-berner.html
Translator Anna Brailovsky
Published Milkweed edition, 2007,Germany, New York
ISBN 978-1571316760
Annotation
8-year-old Christine stops to talk to a white cat every morning on her way to school making her endlessly late. Christine is in her own world of thought and observation and finds she sharing these thoughts with the willful opinionated alley cat.
Personal Reaction
There is more to Jutta Richter’s short story than just a girl talking to a cat, but each reader will see something different in it’s reflective, artistic narrative. Each chapter of this book holds a new reflective situation for the young girl with comments, opinions and wisdom from the cat. The chapters are separated by simple black, yellow and white pencil drawings of the pointy yellow-eyed cat in her life. Each illustration is connected to the upcoming situation in an interesting way. Such as the cat holding a sponge in front of a chalkboard with a maze drawn on it. This page is followed by an incident at school where Christine is told to write 200 lines stating there are no talking cats and she will be on time, she chooses to leave out the word “no” in her lines, which sparks the cats commentary about teachers, “Their job is to make disorderly children into orderly students…they always believe they’re wiser than our kind. But teachers only think in school years. They have no idea about eternity…we learn things in life…in life what counts is mice you actually eat”. This book is so thought provoking it would be excellent in a book club or literature group. The philosophical statements of the cat in each chapter would be hot conversation starters. Some questions for reading circles are:
What does the cat mean when she speaks of eternity?
What does Christine think eternity is?
Is the cat real? Could the cat be Christine’s subconscious?
Do you strongly agree with something the cat says? Why?
Do you strongly disagree with something the cat says? Why?
What does Christine mean when she refers to her first half on page 48?
What is your interpretation of Christine’s phrase in the cow field “eternity became small and hunchbacked, and I stamped my foot.”?
**Sophisticated language: "eternity became small and hunchbacked, and I stamped my foot.”
The Buffalo Storm
By Katherine Applegate http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Katherine-Applegate/4063
Illustrated by Jan Ormerod http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Jan-Ormerod/707595
Published Clarion Books, New York, 2007
ISBN 978-0-618-53597-2
watercolor
**Simile"Like a bread loaf ready for the oven" & "like beads slowly stringing"
Annotation
A young girl must leave her beloved grandmother and join the wagon train heading west to Oregon for a better life. She faces storms and her fears of change.
Personal Reaction
This is a heartwarming tale of a girl leaving her life and grandmother to start a new better life in the west with her father and pregnant mother. The way the story takes a depth to it, but stays simple gives evidence that the author is an experienced novel writer. During this young girls travel on the Oregon trail, small things tell of the wear and tear of the trip, such as worn out shoes, and a tattered dress, the seasons changing and the dramatic storms. The young girl's encounter with a mother buffalo and its baby during the worst storm is almost a homage to Native American stories that use nature as a metaphor or messenger for strength through hardship. A beautiful book to be added to curriculum focused on the pioneering wagon train movement west around the 1850's.
Starred Review:Horn Book Guide (Spring, 2008)
5th grade
Historical Fiction
Westward expansion and Oregon Trail
Pioneers
Illustrated by Jan Ormerod http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Jan-Ormerod/707595
Published Clarion Books, New York, 2007
ISBN 978-0-618-53597-2
watercolor
**Simile"Like a bread loaf ready for the oven" & "like beads slowly stringing"
Annotation
A young girl must leave her beloved grandmother and join the wagon train heading west to Oregon for a better life. She faces storms and her fears of change.
Personal Reaction
This is a heartwarming tale of a girl leaving her life and grandmother to start a new better life in the west with her father and pregnant mother. The way the story takes a depth to it, but stays simple gives evidence that the author is an experienced novel writer. During this young girls travel on the Oregon trail, small things tell of the wear and tear of the trip, such as worn out shoes, and a tattered dress, the seasons changing and the dramatic storms. The young girl's encounter with a mother buffalo and its baby during the worst storm is almost a homage to Native American stories that use nature as a metaphor or messenger for strength through hardship. A beautiful book to be added to curriculum focused on the pioneering wagon train movement west around the 1850's.
Starred Review:Horn Book Guide (Spring, 2008)
5th grade
Historical Fiction
Westward expansion and Oregon Trail
Pioneers
Incredible Cross Sections
By Richard Platt (N/A website)
Illustrated by Stephen Biesty http://www.stephenbiesty.co.uk/
Published Dorling Kindersley, London, 1992
ISBN 0-679-81411-6
Pen and ink, watercolor
Annotation
A book full of large cross sectional illustrations accompanied by detailed descriptions, and a pinpointed tour. Many different large artifacts are included such as Tank, Castle, Opera House etc.
Personal Reaction
Students of all ages love this series. You can really sit for hours looking at this book. Each sectional is accompanied by guides pointing to parts of the structure. We are introduced to the detailed inner workings of each subject in a full page, many of the pages are four page fold out illustrations. I'm a big fan of all these sectional nonfiction books for every grade. I think there is something here for everyone from Kindergarten to adult readers, which is pretty rare to be able to write a nonfiction book that broad.This series is a must have for every library.
Transportation
History
Social Studies
Nonfiction
Illustrated by Stephen Biesty http://www.stephenbiesty.co.uk/
Published Dorling Kindersley, London, 1992
ISBN 0-679-81411-6
Pen and ink, watercolor
Annotation
A book full of large cross sectional illustrations accompanied by detailed descriptions, and a pinpointed tour. Many different large artifacts are included such as Tank, Castle, Opera House etc.
Personal Reaction
Students of all ages love this series. You can really sit for hours looking at this book. Each sectional is accompanied by guides pointing to parts of the structure. We are introduced to the detailed inner workings of each subject in a full page, many of the pages are four page fold out illustrations. I'm a big fan of all these sectional nonfiction books for every grade. I think there is something here for everyone from Kindergarten to adult readers, which is pretty rare to be able to write a nonfiction book that broad.This series is a must have for every library.
Transportation
History
Social Studies
Nonfiction
Cross Sections Man-of-War
By Richard Platt (N/A website)
Illustrated by Stephen Biesty http://www.stephenbiesty.co.uk/
Published Dorling Kindersley, London, 1993
1-56458-321-x
Pen ink, watercolor
The 1800's British navy "Man of War" ships, home to a crew of 800, are depicted in large cross sectionals and written fact paragraphs.
Personal Reaction
Students of all ages love this series. You can really sit for hours looking at this book. Each sectional is accompanied by guides pointing to parts of the ship and guiding us through the ship. We see where the wine is stowed, the theater, the galley, even a school. I'm a big fan of all these sectional nonfiction books for every grade. I think there is something here for everyone from Kindergarten to adult readers, which is pretty rare to be able to write a nonfiction book that broad.
Social Studies
History
Nonfiction
Illustrated by Stephen Biesty http://www.stephenbiesty.co.uk/
Published Dorling Kindersley, London, 1993
1-56458-321-x
Pen ink, watercolor
The 1800's British navy "Man of War" ships, home to a crew of 800, are depicted in large cross sectionals and written fact paragraphs.
Personal Reaction
Students of all ages love this series. You can really sit for hours looking at this book. Each sectional is accompanied by guides pointing to parts of the ship and guiding us through the ship. We see where the wine is stowed, the theater, the galley, even a school. I'm a big fan of all these sectional nonfiction books for every grade. I think there is something here for everyone from Kindergarten to adult readers, which is pretty rare to be able to write a nonfiction book that broad.
Social Studies
History
Nonfiction
Satchel Page Striking Out Jim Crow
By James Sturm http://www.cartoonstudies.org/index.php/tag/james-sturm/
& Rich Tommaso http://richtommaso.com/
Published by Jump at the Sun Hyperion, New York, 2007
ISBN 978-078683900-1
Paint, pen ink
**Sophisticated and thought provoking language::
"How do men so small get so large? Who made it so?
You live under their ruling for so long you soon forget who you are"
Annotation
A story told by an ex-baseball player of Satchel Page and the Negro Baseball League and the influence of hope he gave to blacks living under the burden of the Jim Crow south.
Personal Reaction
Satchel Page was one of the most famous pitchers in the league and played baseball well into his 60's. The perspective given in this book is from a cotton farmer who went to play in the Negro League at 18 and only played one game because of an injury he acquired trying to hit Satchel Pages famous pitches. There are two stories running here, one of this farmer and the other of Satchel Pages influence and success. The intimate element of the book is this farmers story. He is living in the south and dealing with horrid segregation and dangerous racism while farming his land and raising his family. His young boy gets beat several times by the neighboring white farmers, until he is unable to run around the town freely, fetch chickens from the neighbor or fish in the river, freedom is completely robbed from his childhood due to fear. However, when they go to see Satchel play in the town for a rare game, the joy is enlivened. Satchel beats the white team, and he does it with an intensity that feels like all the Jim Crow south is being squashed like a bug. This book reels you into that feeling. When the young boy is hopping excitedly down the lane with his father after the game, pretending he is Page, your heart beams right along with them.
**Graphic Novel: nonfiction
African American History
Jim Crow
Segregation
Baseball/Negro American League
& Rich Tommaso http://richtommaso.com/
Published by Jump at the Sun Hyperion, New York, 2007
ISBN 978-078683900-1
Paint, pen ink
**Sophisticated and thought provoking language::
"How do men so small get so large? Who made it so?
You live under their ruling for so long you soon forget who you are"
Annotation
A story told by an ex-baseball player of Satchel Page and the Negro Baseball League and the influence of hope he gave to blacks living under the burden of the Jim Crow south.
Personal Reaction
Satchel Page was one of the most famous pitchers in the league and played baseball well into his 60's. The perspective given in this book is from a cotton farmer who went to play in the Negro League at 18 and only played one game because of an injury he acquired trying to hit Satchel Pages famous pitches. There are two stories running here, one of this farmer and the other of Satchel Pages influence and success. The intimate element of the book is this farmers story. He is living in the south and dealing with horrid segregation and dangerous racism while farming his land and raising his family. His young boy gets beat several times by the neighboring white farmers, until he is unable to run around the town freely, fetch chickens from the neighbor or fish in the river, freedom is completely robbed from his childhood due to fear. However, when they go to see Satchel play in the town for a rare game, the joy is enlivened. Satchel beats the white team, and he does it with an intensity that feels like all the Jim Crow south is being squashed like a bug. This book reels you into that feeling. When the young boy is hopping excitedly down the lane with his father after the game, pretending he is Page, your heart beams right along with them.
**Graphic Novel: nonfiction
African American History
Jim Crow
Segregation
Baseball/Negro American League
Monday, August 8, 2011
Howls Moving Castle 4
By Dyanna Wynnne Jones http://www.leemac.freeserve.co.uk/
Written and Directed by Hayao Miyazaki http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/
Published Tokuma Shoten, Japan, 2004
ISBN 978-1-4215-0092-8
Paint, ink, digital
Annotation
Sophie is a cleaning lady in the magician, Howls, castle. She lives in Howls castle with the many secrets. War around her rages as she struggles to save herself and new friends, and figure out Howls mysterious secrets.
Personal Reaction
This book is as hot as the vampires in Eclipse. Teens are going to crush out on Howl, I know I did! He is so mysterious and confused, dark and broody, all the while just worried about protecting sweet Sophie, sigh...The difference between the Eclipse character...Bella and Howls castle star, Sophie is that Sophie is proactive, and really she is the one that saves everyone in the story! She is strong, smart and dealing with her own problems, not making others deal with them for her. I love this romantic, strange, psychedelic book. It is also one of the few books that you want to reread, even after you have seen the identical movie. It's amazing, like an investment in entertainment.
Core Collection
**Graphic Novel: Manga
**onomatopoeia ugh, hmm, and other Japanese writing depicting the sounds of the castle moving around
Written and Directed by Hayao Miyazaki http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/
Published Tokuma Shoten, Japan, 2004
ISBN 978-1-4215-0092-8
Paint, ink, digital
Annotation
Sophie is a cleaning lady in the magician, Howls, castle. She lives in Howls castle with the many secrets. War around her rages as she struggles to save herself and new friends, and figure out Howls mysterious secrets.
Personal Reaction
This book is as hot as the vampires in Eclipse. Teens are going to crush out on Howl, I know I did! He is so mysterious and confused, dark and broody, all the while just worried about protecting sweet Sophie, sigh...The difference between the Eclipse character...Bella and Howls castle star, Sophie is that Sophie is proactive, and really she is the one that saves everyone in the story! She is strong, smart and dealing with her own problems, not making others deal with them for her. I love this romantic, strange, psychedelic book. It is also one of the few books that you want to reread, even after you have seen the identical movie. It's amazing, like an investment in entertainment.
Core Collection
**Graphic Novel: Manga
**onomatopoeia ugh, hmm, and other Japanese writing depicting the sounds of the castle moving around
Silent Movie
By Avi http://www.avi-writer.com/
Illustrations C.B Mordan http://cbmordan.com/
Publisher:Atheneum Bks. for Young Readers,New York, 2002
Ink on Clayboard
Annotation
An imigrant family comes to America only to find theycan not find there husband/father who has sent for them. Dreams of America quickly turn into a nightmare until the youg boy is cast in the popular silent films of the times.
Personal Reaction
This is a beautiful book done by one of my all time favorite authors, Avi. The illustrations really carry it along and make it a special book for older youth too. The ink on clayboard is done to mimic the black and white dramatic close ups of the early1900 silent films. This book reminds me of both Brian Selznicks' black and white era drawings in The invention of Hugo Cabret and the immigrant theme of The Arrival by Shaun Tan. It's so old that I have actually put off reading it at both of my libraries, even though I was certain it was excellent. I'm glad I finally got to it.
Illustrations C.B Mordan http://cbmordan.com/
Publisher:Atheneum Bks. for Young Readers,New York, 2002
Ink on Clayboard
Annotation
An imigrant family comes to America only to find theycan not find there husband/father who has sent for them. Dreams of America quickly turn into a nightmare until the youg boy is cast in the popular silent films of the times.
Personal Reaction
This is a beautiful book done by one of my all time favorite authors, Avi. The illustrations really carry it along and make it a special book for older youth too. The ink on clayboard is done to mimic the black and white dramatic close ups of the early1900 silent films. This book reminds me of both Brian Selznicks' black and white era drawings in The invention of Hugo Cabret and the immigrant theme of The Arrival by Shaun Tan. It's so old that I have actually put off reading it at both of my libraries, even though I was certain it was excellent. I'm glad I finally got to it.
Korgi Book 1 and 2
By Christian Slade http://www.christianslade.com/
Published by Top Shelf Productions, Georgia, 2008
Book 1 ISBN978-1-891830-90-7
Book 2 ISBN978-1-60309010-0
Pen and Ink, pencil, black white
Annotation
A village of woodland people live with little Korgi dogs believing them to have magical powers. Ivy and her young Korgi "cub" wander out of the village and find an underground tribe of evil monsters.
Personal Reaction
This is a wordless book, which I found slightly relaxing. The illustrations are black and white pencil or ink and full of rich details. I prefer the second book over the first for a couple of reasons. It is more mature in its illustrations, the monsters seem more thought out and the plot has more action. I especially like the scene in book 2 when Ivy the fairy and her Korgi go into the alien spaceship and find tiny robots on shelves lining all the walls. Later, they come to life and attack! Surely a book about Korgis and fairy nome people isn't a real winner for older students in mass, but the ease of reading it and the richness of the illustrations and charicters might win the fans of fantasy, animal fiction and graphic novels. It might be a good choice for large populations of English learners and other special learning populations.
Children's Core Collection
Graphic Novel
Wordless book
Animal Fiction
Fantasy
Published by Top Shelf Productions, Georgia, 2008
Book 1 ISBN978-1-891830-90-7
Book 2 ISBN978-1-60309010-0
Pen and Ink, pencil, black white
Annotation
A village of woodland people live with little Korgi dogs believing them to have magical powers. Ivy and her young Korgi "cub" wander out of the village and find an underground tribe of evil monsters.
Personal Reaction
This is a wordless book, which I found slightly relaxing. The illustrations are black and white pencil or ink and full of rich details. I prefer the second book over the first for a couple of reasons. It is more mature in its illustrations, the monsters seem more thought out and the plot has more action. I especially like the scene in book 2 when Ivy the fairy and her Korgi go into the alien spaceship and find tiny robots on shelves lining all the walls. Later, they come to life and attack! Surely a book about Korgis and fairy nome people isn't a real winner for older students in mass, but the ease of reading it and the richness of the illustrations and charicters might win the fans of fantasy, animal fiction and graphic novels. It might be a good choice for large populations of English learners and other special learning populations.
Children's Core Collection
Graphic Novel
Wordless book
Animal Fiction
Fantasy
Friday, August 5, 2011
The Buck Stops Here The Presidents of the United States
By Alice Provensen http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/birthbios/brthpage/08aug/8-14aproven.html
Published Penguin Group New York, 2010
ISBN 978-0670-01252-7
Watercolor, pen ink
Annotation
Large illustrations depicting the life and service of each of the 44 presidents.
Personal Reaction
I learned just enough about each president in this picture book to keep my attention. Each page has the president in numbered order as they served, with a large one page illustration giving hints to what it was they did during their time in office and a small little italic rhyme-ish type of blurb cleverly summarizing their rein, I mean term. Some, such as Abraham Lincoln, take up two pages, you know...he was the Great Emancipator. The information is interesting and easy, number 13, Millard Fillmore, who opened trade to Japan, or Andrew Johnson's failed veto of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, tsk tsk. The way this book is put together is really clever, and makes it easy to become interested in the random, yet important and socially changing facts of each president. Read this same content in a textbook, retain nothing and care even less.
Curricular connections
5th and 8th grade California curriculum, constitution and government
Social Studies
Politics
Presidents
History
Nonfiction
Published Penguin Group New York, 2010
ISBN 978-0670-01252-7
Watercolor, pen ink
Annotation
Large illustrations depicting the life and service of each of the 44 presidents.
Personal Reaction
I learned just enough about each president in this picture book to keep my attention. Each page has the president in numbered order as they served, with a large one page illustration giving hints to what it was they did during their time in office and a small little italic rhyme-ish type of blurb cleverly summarizing their rein, I mean term. Some, such as Abraham Lincoln, take up two pages, you know...he was the Great Emancipator. The information is interesting and easy, number 13, Millard Fillmore, who opened trade to Japan, or Andrew Johnson's failed veto of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, tsk tsk. The way this book is put together is really clever, and makes it easy to become interested in the random, yet important and socially changing facts of each president. Read this same content in a textbook, retain nothing and care even less.
Curricular connections
5th and 8th grade California curriculum, constitution and government
Social Studies
Politics
Presidents
History
Nonfiction
City I Love
By Lee Bennett Hopkins http://www.leebennetthopkins.com/
Illustrated by Marcellus Hall http://www.marcellushall.com/
Published HNA inc., New York, 2009
Brush Ink watercolor on paper
Individual simple poems about living in large cities around the world.
Personal Reaction
Sometimes it is just fun to memorize and read poetry out loud. These poems are not only geographically centered they are fun and have the rhyming nature that motivates newer poetry readers, or should we call them reluctant poetry readers. I would say older students, such as middle schoolers (ugh), are harder to bring into the poetry world, and maybe the world of geography as well. This book could be used to capture some of them, especially in urban schools. The books cover page and inside binding has a map showing the cities the poems depict. The illustrations for each poem are a little immature most accompanied by a dog in a back pack, but aside from that they show an interesting perspective, sometimes coming from the bottom, sometimes from the top of a skyscraper, fitting for Marcellus, a New Yorker artist.
Curricular connections
5th grade poetry unit
Geography
**Poetry
City Life
**Rhyme
Illustrated by Marcellus Hall http://www.marcellushall.com/
Published HNA inc., New York, 2009
Brush Ink watercolor on paper
People always on the go
Racing, running, rushing people
People I will never know
Rhyme
Annotation Individual simple poems about living in large cities around the world.
Personal Reaction
Sometimes it is just fun to memorize and read poetry out loud. These poems are not only geographically centered they are fun and have the rhyming nature that motivates newer poetry readers, or should we call them reluctant poetry readers. I would say older students, such as middle schoolers (ugh), are harder to bring into the poetry world, and maybe the world of geography as well. This book could be used to capture some of them, especially in urban schools. The books cover page and inside binding has a map showing the cities the poems depict. The illustrations for each poem are a little immature most accompanied by a dog in a back pack, but aside from that they show an interesting perspective, sometimes coming from the bottom, sometimes from the top of a skyscraper, fitting for Marcellus, a New Yorker artist.
Curricular connections
5th grade poetry unit
Geography
**Poetry
City Life
**Rhyme
Shadow
By Suzy Lee http://www.suzyleebooks.com/
Published Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 2010
ISBN 978-0-8118-72805
Charcoal pencil, spray paint, watercolor, digital manipulation
Annotation
A seemingly childish book loaded with internal meaning, a little girl plays in the garage, while one page shows her playing by herself, the shadow page shows what she is feeling and seeing while playing.
Personal Reaction
Sometimes, in the city, you can look down on the sidewalk and see a spray painted stencils, or a path of this unsanctioned art. (You can see an example here http://daviswiki.org/Urban_Art#head-8457dca6ffa64014ccedff1ab57555ca2fb0df94). Shadow reminds me of this art medium, Suzy Lee created a book around spray painted shadows of her innocent pencil and ink drawings. Each page is mirrored by a darker image, at times monsters creep out of the shadowed side and run onto the more innocent childlike page. I think sidewalk stencil art is interesting and I think Lee has captured an essence of it in this book, the stencils often are a wake up call, sometimes political, often poignant. This book is subtle, but it conveys a feeling of innocence on the edge, or both sides of a perspective, the real and the imagined.
Curricular connections
Art
**Use of Symbol or Symbolism
Published Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 2010
ISBN 978-0-8118-72805
Charcoal pencil, spray paint, watercolor, digital manipulation
Annotation
A seemingly childish book loaded with internal meaning, a little girl plays in the garage, while one page shows her playing by herself, the shadow page shows what she is feeling and seeing while playing.
Personal Reaction
Sometimes, in the city, you can look down on the sidewalk and see a spray painted stencils, or a path of this unsanctioned art. (You can see an example here http://daviswiki.org/Urban_Art#head-8457dca6ffa64014ccedff1ab57555ca2fb0df94). Shadow reminds me of this art medium, Suzy Lee created a book around spray painted shadows of her innocent pencil and ink drawings. Each page is mirrored by a darker image, at times monsters creep out of the shadowed side and run onto the more innocent childlike page. I think sidewalk stencil art is interesting and I think Lee has captured an essence of it in this book, the stencils often are a wake up call, sometimes political, often poignant. This book is subtle, but it conveys a feeling of innocence on the edge, or both sides of a perspective, the real and the imagined.
Curricular connections
Art
**Use of Symbol or Symbolism
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Wonder Horse the True Story of the World's Smartest Horse
By Emily Arnold Mccully http://www.emilyarnoldmccully.com/
Published Henry Holt and Company, New York 2010
ISBN 978-0-8050-8793-2
Historical fiction based on the story of Doc Key, a freed slave who became a veterinarian after the Emancipation Proclamation. He traveled with his horse Jim Keys, who he had trained to read write and do other extraordinary things in the late 1800's.
Personal Reactions
Another touching story of African American succeeding immensely after being freed from slavery, hallelujah. There is something so touching about a man and his horse traveling around trying to teach others about kindness to animals, especially after being a owned person for so long. He endured so much racism and craziness, yet he loved his horse and animals and truly believed in spreading the word of kindness towards animals, sigh. So incredibly sweet. This book has so much to give to academia. The authors note at the end is an integral part of this book. It tells the real story of Jim and Doc Keys, which isn't far from the picture book. After feeling heat in my cheeks and a touched sting in my eye at the end of this story, I was pleased to read the historical accuracy of their story at the end.
Children's Core Collection
African American Historical Fiction
Animal Rights
History of Animal Rights
Published Henry Holt and Company, New York 2010
ISBN 978-0-8050-8793-2
Historical fiction based on the story of Doc Key, a freed slave who became a veterinarian after the Emancipation Proclamation. He traveled with his horse Jim Keys, who he had trained to read write and do other extraordinary things in the late 1800's.
Personal Reactions
Another touching story of African American succeeding immensely after being freed from slavery, hallelujah. There is something so touching about a man and his horse traveling around trying to teach others about kindness to animals, especially after being a owned person for so long. He endured so much racism and craziness, yet he loved his horse and animals and truly believed in spreading the word of kindness towards animals, sigh. So incredibly sweet. This book has so much to give to academia. The authors note at the end is an integral part of this book. It tells the real story of Jim and Doc Keys, which isn't far from the picture book. After feeling heat in my cheeks and a touched sting in my eye at the end of this story, I was pleased to read the historical accuracy of their story at the end.
Children's Core Collection
African American Historical Fiction
Animal Rights
History of Animal Rights
She Loved Baseball
By Audrey Vernick http://www.audreyvernick.com/
Illustrated by Don Tate http://devast.blogspot.com/ (blog)
Published by Harper Collins, New York, 2010
Oil Paint
Annotation
Effa Manley was an essential part of not only creating the Negro Legue, but helping baseball intrigue, and eventually inducting Negro League players into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Personal Reaction
This book brought tears to my eyes. Effa was such a tireless organizer for equal rights. She organized her Harlem community to fight for blacks to be hired by the white owned businesses. She co-owned the Negro Leagues Newark Eagles, and worked tirelessly for equality and fairness for her players. This is a story I knew nothing about. I felt so proud and enthusiastic about her strength as a black women in a white male world. This book celebrates the struggle and the positive change one person can make by simply standing up and saying things need to change. The illustrations really feel like they are from the 1930's, with a perspective that closes in on our main character while panning the surrounding area with a panoramic view.
Starred review
Curricular connections
African American History
American History
Negro Baseball League
National Baseball Hall of Fame
Harlem Renaissance
Equal Rights, Integration
Illustrated by Don Tate http://devast.blogspot.com/ (blog)
Published by Harper Collins, New York, 2010
Oil Paint
Annotation
Effa Manley was an essential part of not only creating the Negro Legue, but helping baseball intrigue, and eventually inducting Negro League players into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Personal Reaction
This book brought tears to my eyes. Effa was such a tireless organizer for equal rights. She organized her Harlem community to fight for blacks to be hired by the white owned businesses. She co-owned the Negro Leagues Newark Eagles, and worked tirelessly for equality and fairness for her players. This is a story I knew nothing about. I felt so proud and enthusiastic about her strength as a black women in a white male world. This book celebrates the struggle and the positive change one person can make by simply standing up and saying things need to change. The illustrations really feel like they are from the 1930's, with a perspective that closes in on our main character while panning the surrounding area with a panoramic view.
Starred review
Curricular connections
African American History
American History
Negro Baseball League
National Baseball Hall of Fame
Harlem Renaissance
Equal Rights, Integration
My Chinatown One Year in Poems
By Kam Mak
Harper Collins Publisher New York 2002
ISBN 0-06-029191-5
Digitally enhanced paintings
Annotation
We travel through an immigrant boys first two years in New York away from Hong Kong. His experience changes slightly through each poem depicting the season in New York's Chinatown. The boys memories are celebrated and eventually his new experiences are celebrated.
Personal Reaction
Each poem takes us through the immigrant experience and the trepidation and homesickness the boy feels. As the year wains the poems become more excepting and we feel him switch from longing for his old country to celebrating his culture in his new one. The poems are accompanied by an opposite full page illustration, so realistic that the reader will feel the memory of Hong Kong. The illustrations bright and full of perspective of light as if it is a photograph.
Simile "English words taste like metal in my mouth"
Single book-length poem, because each poem is connected to the themed story of this boys experience of immigration and depicts the change in his attitude.
Immigration
Poetry: Connected through the entire book
Harper Collins Publisher New York 2002
ISBN 0-06-029191-5
Digitally enhanced paintings
Annotation
We travel through an immigrant boys first two years in New York away from Hong Kong. His experience changes slightly through each poem depicting the season in New York's Chinatown. The boys memories are celebrated and eventually his new experiences are celebrated.
Personal Reaction
Each poem takes us through the immigrant experience and the trepidation and homesickness the boy feels. As the year wains the poems become more excepting and we feel him switch from longing for his old country to celebrating his culture in his new one. The poems are accompanied by an opposite full page illustration, so realistic that the reader will feel the memory of Hong Kong. The illustrations bright and full of perspective of light as if it is a photograph.
Simile "English words taste like metal in my mouth"
Single book-length poem, because each poem is connected to the themed story of this boys experience of immigration and depicts the change in his attitude.
Immigration
Poetry: Connected through the entire book
The Boy Who Invented TV the Story of Philo Farnsworth
By Kathleen Krull
Illustrated by Greg Crouch
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Mixed Media Acrylic
Annotation
Philo Farnesworth invented the television as a young poor teenager in the corn fields of 1906. However he never recieved credit for it due to patent wars with RCA's very powerful lawyers. This book tells the truth of young brilliants that changed the world.
Personal Reaction
Isn't it just how it goes that the brilliant inventors are not usually good business men? Philo's big expense was literally buying long pants so he could grow out of his youthful shorts only younger kids wore. He dreamed of creating a radio with pictures, he obsessed over it and eventually befriended other men who could help him make it happen by helping him fund his idea. However, the brutal fight against RCA robbed him of any credit due to his invention, an extreme shame. I like this book because he was so ordinary in many ways. He was resilliant and kept his dream alive and it actualized. It is also nice when the real truth comes out, especially with such a culturally important electronic device as the TV.
School Library Journal Best Books of 2009
Children's Core Collection
Curricular connections
Invention
Nonfiction
Television
Illustrated by Greg Crouch
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Mixed Media Acrylic
Annotation
Philo Farnesworth invented the television as a young poor teenager in the corn fields of 1906. However he never recieved credit for it due to patent wars with RCA's very powerful lawyers. This book tells the truth of young brilliants that changed the world.
Personal Reaction
Isn't it just how it goes that the brilliant inventors are not usually good business men? Philo's big expense was literally buying long pants so he could grow out of his youthful shorts only younger kids wore. He dreamed of creating a radio with pictures, he obsessed over it and eventually befriended other men who could help him make it happen by helping him fund his idea. However, the brutal fight against RCA robbed him of any credit due to his invention, an extreme shame. I like this book because he was so ordinary in many ways. He was resilliant and kept his dream alive and it actualized. It is also nice when the real truth comes out, especially with such a culturally important electronic device as the TV.
School Library Journal Best Books of 2009
Children's Core Collection
Curricular connections
Invention
Nonfiction
Television
Nicolaus Copernicus: Father of Modern Astronomy
Pub. Date: January 2005
Pub: Capstone Pr Inc.
Series: Signature Lives Series
ISBN-13: 9780756508128
ISBN: 0756508126
Annotation
Robinson and Garratt do a fine job instructing readers about Decartes complex ideas and theories by using a comic-book art style, where the main ideas are focused. An excellent idea since the pictures are sure to draw the student’s eye.
Personal Reaction
This is a well-written and structured bio on Coperinus, from his birth to his revolutionary theories and findings. But, Chapter 8 in particular incorporates his life story with an overview of the Scientific Revolution, including the fact that contact with the Far and Middle East helped to spur new Western European thought and thus, invention - the Gutenberg printing press as much as the Protestant Reformation and problems scientists encountered with the Catholic Church. It also goes into the lives of scientists (Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, etc.) who admired Copernicus and built their work on his foundation.
Curricular connections
7th grade California Standards
Annotation by Lori Harris Group 7 project
Pub: Capstone Pr Inc.
Series: Signature Lives Series
ISBN-13: 9780756508128
ISBN: 0756508126
Annotation
Robinson and Garratt do a fine job instructing readers about Decartes complex ideas and theories by using a comic-book art style, where the main ideas are focused. An excellent idea since the pictures are sure to draw the student’s eye.
Personal Reaction
This is a well-written and structured bio on Coperinus, from his birth to his revolutionary theories and findings. But, Chapter 8 in particular incorporates his life story with an overview of the Scientific Revolution, including the fact that contact with the Far and Middle East helped to spur new Western European thought and thus, invention - the Gutenberg printing press as much as the Protestant Reformation and problems scientists encountered with the Catholic Church. It also goes into the lives of scientists (Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, etc.) who admired Copernicus and built their work on his foundation.
Curricular connections
7th grade California Standards
Annotation by Lori Harris Group 7 project
To Dance a ballerina's graphic novel
By Siena Cherson Siegel (N/A website)
Illustrated By Mark Siegel (N/A website)
Published Simon & Schuster, Atheneum Books for Young Readers New York, 2006
Watercolor and Ink
Annotation
The memoir of Siena Cherson Siegel life growing up as a ballerina practicing with the New York City Ballet.
Personal Reaction
I like the honesty of this memoir. A common story of a young girl infatuated with the ballet and the ultimate feminine ritual of being a pointy towed willowy dancer with one of the most prestigious dance companies in the world. By the end of her hard working youthfully motivated passion, she finds happiness in family, and adulthood in a way she did not see happening as a young dancer. Many girls and women growing up in this world will be able to relate, outsiders will appreciate the passion and elegance of the world of hardcore ballerina dance, save the black swan drama.
Graphic Novel: Nonfiction
Curricular connections
Dance/Art
Biography, memoir
Puerto Rican
Illustrated By Mark Siegel (N/A website)
Published Simon & Schuster, Atheneum Books for Young Readers New York, 2006
Watercolor and Ink
Annotation
The memoir of Siena Cherson Siegel life growing up as a ballerina practicing with the New York City Ballet.
Personal Reaction
I like the honesty of this memoir. A common story of a young girl infatuated with the ballet and the ultimate feminine ritual of being a pointy towed willowy dancer with one of the most prestigious dance companies in the world. By the end of her hard working youthfully motivated passion, she finds happiness in family, and adulthood in a way she did not see happening as a young dancer. Many girls and women growing up in this world will be able to relate, outsiders will appreciate the passion and elegance of the world of hardcore ballerina dance, save the black swan drama.
Graphic Novel: Nonfiction
Curricular connections
Dance/Art
Biography, memoir
Puerto Rican
Albert
By Donna Jo Napoli http://www.donnajonapoli.com/
Illustrated by Jim LaMarche (N/A website)
Published Silver Whistle Harcourt Inc, New York 2001
Colored Pencils on watercolor paper
Annotation
The weather is never quite right for Albert to leave the house. One day a bird makes a nest on his hand, and his entire life changes.
Personal Reaction
For me this entire book is one enormous metaphor for life, I guess. I have to be honest here, I'm not a deep thinking see meaning in everything I read kind of person. But I just love how Albert is this vulnerable man, sensitive to the happy and upsetting noises in the world, looking at the weather to validate his fear of the outside negative "bad sounds". Albert is essentially a shut in, until one day as he was checking the weather through the bars on the window, as he did everyday before he decided not to go out, a bird makes a nest on his hand. Albert sits there, holding the nest watching the process of life, stuck with his arm outside of the metal bars. He watches the process of life, eggs, hatching, feeding, the young birds try and fail to fly, he felt apart of the process, and through this intimate experience, he was able to also fly, and try. Oh it is so lovely, haven't we all felt like Albert before.
Metaphor: The entire book is a metaphor for life, step out the door and you will fly, be open to experiences and you will be happy and ok.
Illustrated by Jim LaMarche (N/A website)
Published Silver Whistle Harcourt Inc, New York 2001
Colored Pencils on watercolor paper
Annotation
The weather is never quite right for Albert to leave the house. One day a bird makes a nest on his hand, and his entire life changes.
Personal Reaction
For me this entire book is one enormous metaphor for life, I guess. I have to be honest here, I'm not a deep thinking see meaning in everything I read kind of person. But I just love how Albert is this vulnerable man, sensitive to the happy and upsetting noises in the world, looking at the weather to validate his fear of the outside negative "bad sounds". Albert is essentially a shut in, until one day as he was checking the weather through the bars on the window, as he did everyday before he decided not to go out, a bird makes a nest on his hand. Albert sits there, holding the nest watching the process of life, stuck with his arm outside of the metal bars. He watches the process of life, eggs, hatching, feeding, the young birds try and fail to fly, he felt apart of the process, and through this intimate experience, he was able to also fly, and try. Oh it is so lovely, haven't we all felt like Albert before.
Metaphor: The entire book is a metaphor for life, step out the door and you will fly, be open to experiences and you will be happy and ok.
Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride
By Andrea Davis Pinkney (N/A website)
Illustrated Brian Pinkney http://www.brianpinkney.net/
Published: Jump at the Sun Books, Disney, New York, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7868-0767-3
Watercolor
Annotation:
This bright book describes the larger than life freedom fighter, Sojourner Truth. She escaped from slavery and paved the way for many after her, she continued to fight for the rights of all people her entire life.
Personal Reaction:
The Pinkney husband and wife team meet up again for another exceptionally beautiful book. Everything about this book is as bright as the streams of the sun beaming from a sunflower in a southern garden, yellow, yellow, yellow. Joyous parents illustrate Sojourners birth, while rhythmic text pup you along for the trip of an amazing woman. Her life was hard, she was sold at 9, away from those loving parents. The book emphasizes her strength, both physically and emotionally. The focus is that she always knew what was right and wrong, and she was determined to project that into the world. Sojourner Truth, strong, independent, large, black, proud, articulate. She must be talked about to the youth, and this book is just beautiful enough to give her justice.
Illustrated Brian Pinkney http://www.brianpinkney.net/
Published: Jump at the Sun Books, Disney, New York, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7868-0767-3
Watercolor
Annotation:
This bright book describes the larger than life freedom fighter, Sojourner Truth. She escaped from slavery and paved the way for many after her, she continued to fight for the rights of all people her entire life.
Personal Reaction:
The Pinkney husband and wife team meet up again for another exceptionally beautiful book. Everything about this book is as bright as the streams of the sun beaming from a sunflower in a southern garden, yellow, yellow, yellow. Joyous parents illustrate Sojourners birth, while rhythmic text pup you along for the trip of an amazing woman. Her life was hard, she was sold at 9, away from those loving parents. The book emphasizes her strength, both physically and emotionally. The focus is that she always knew what was right and wrong, and she was determined to project that into the world. Sojourner Truth, strong, independent, large, black, proud, articulate. She must be talked about to the youth, and this book is just beautiful enough to give her justice.
**Lesson Plan https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0BzBMSRW54LduYjhlODI4MmYtZGFiYS00YjFiLWIyZjYtNWFlYzZiNjliODIz&hl=en_US
**Alliteration: "Big.Black.Beautiful", "Step-Stomp Stride"
**Metaphor: Soujorners' parent called her Belle "Seems her newborn's cry was ringing in the good news"
Children's Core Collection
School Library Journal's Best Books 2009
Children's Core Collection
School Library Journal's Best Books 2009
African American History
American HistoryFlight volume six
Compiled and edited by Kazu Kibuishi
Stories by
JP Ahonen
Graham Annable
Bannister
Phil Craven
Mike Dutton
Michel Gagné
Cory Godbey
Rodolphe Guenoden
Steve Hamaker
Kazu Kibuishi
Andrea Offermann
Richard Pose
Justin Ridge
Rad Sechrist
Kean Soo
Published by Villard, New York, 2009
ISBN 978-0345505903
Annotation
A compilation of 15 different graphic comic stories by many different artists. Each story is very different than the other. This is the sixth volume in the compilation series edited by Amulet author, Kazu Kibuishi.
Personal Reaction
This is an amazing series. Kazu Kibuishi did an outstanding job choosing artists for each book. He placed them together in a smooth manner that celebrates the unique style of each creator, while not making the book feel like a chopped up schizophrenic laundry list of stories. I bought this series for my K-5 schools, even though they are recommended for adults. I chose this particular book from the series because it was challenged by a parent, and rightfully so. In the disturbing and dark Dead at Noon story, an African American woman in a cowboy old west town is killed by a large white angry man. It is hinted through the illustrations that she is also raped. It is an intense moment in a book that starts off with frolicking foxes having an alien love afair. Needless to say this is not a good book for K-5, but it is perfect for high school and possibly middle school as well. The art is imaginative, and of extremely high caliber. The stories are engrained in the illustrations, and have a depth sometimes hard to find in graphic novels. Some have no written words at all, beautiful, breathtaking, this book is essential for an older student library collection, the series will be devoured by the students, and you.
Mixed art, different paint media, digital, pen and ink
*Graphic Novel
Curricular connections
Art
Stories by
JP Ahonen
Graham Annable
Bannister
Phil Craven
Mike Dutton
Michel Gagné
Cory Godbey
Rodolphe Guenoden
Steve Hamaker
Kazu Kibuishi
Andrea Offermann
Richard Pose
Justin Ridge
Rad Sechrist
Kean Soo
Published by Villard, New York, 2009
ISBN 978-0345505903
Annotation
A compilation of 15 different graphic comic stories by many different artists. Each story is very different than the other. This is the sixth volume in the compilation series edited by Amulet author, Kazu Kibuishi.
Personal Reaction
This is an amazing series. Kazu Kibuishi did an outstanding job choosing artists for each book. He placed them together in a smooth manner that celebrates the unique style of each creator, while not making the book feel like a chopped up schizophrenic laundry list of stories. I bought this series for my K-5 schools, even though they are recommended for adults. I chose this particular book from the series because it was challenged by a parent, and rightfully so. In the disturbing and dark Dead at Noon story, an African American woman in a cowboy old west town is killed by a large white angry man. It is hinted through the illustrations that she is also raped. It is an intense moment in a book that starts off with frolicking foxes having an alien love afair. Needless to say this is not a good book for K-5, but it is perfect for high school and possibly middle school as well. The art is imaginative, and of extremely high caliber. The stories are engrained in the illustrations, and have a depth sometimes hard to find in graphic novels. Some have no written words at all, beautiful, breathtaking, this book is essential for an older student library collection, the series will be devoured by the students, and you.
Mixed art, different paint media, digital, pen and ink
*Graphic Novel
Curricular connections
Art
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Bad News for Outlaws: The remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S Marshal
By Vaunda Micheaux Nelson http://www.adamsliterary.com/clients/nelson/nelson.html
Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie http://www.gas-art.com/
Carolrhoda Books Minneapolis, New York 2009
Oil Paint
Annotation
Bass Reeves was an African American U.S Marshal who patrolled Indian territories in the "Wild West". Born into slavery, Bass fought along with his slave owner in the Civil War, but eventually escaped into Indian Territory and lived there staking a claim.
Personal Reaction
This is a celebratory book discussing African American history in a way text books tend to ignore. The wild west is rich with African American history, especially the black cowboys who were the most skilled in horsemanship after the Emancipation Proclamation was passed. This book, with its detailed and rich oil paintings, is a perfect culturally relevant book for groups of students in need of books depicting their own historical story. Bass Reeves tells a little known story of escaped slaves living in Indian territory before slavery was illegal. The cover illustration of Reeves in dark shady brown, black and white is striking, almost eerie in front of the white back ground. The font print of the title feels like an old west cowboy poster, maybe a wanted poster. The book follows his life in short chapter like categories portraying him as a smart free thinking and fair deputy.
Lesson Plan https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0BzBMSRW54LduNWZhYTIzODYtYjUyNC00MWZjLWFmYjUtMjljYTA2MzJlMGY0&hl=en_US
Curricular connections
African American
Indian Territory
Wild West (1875-1900)
Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie http://www.gas-art.com/
Carolrhoda Books Minneapolis, New York 2009
Oil Paint
Annotation
Bass Reeves was an African American U.S Marshal who patrolled Indian territories in the "Wild West". Born into slavery, Bass fought along with his slave owner in the Civil War, but eventually escaped into Indian Territory and lived there staking a claim.
Personal Reaction
This is a celebratory book discussing African American history in a way text books tend to ignore. The wild west is rich with African American history, especially the black cowboys who were the most skilled in horsemanship after the Emancipation Proclamation was passed. This book, with its detailed and rich oil paintings, is a perfect culturally relevant book for groups of students in need of books depicting their own historical story. Bass Reeves tells a little known story of escaped slaves living in Indian territory before slavery was illegal. The cover illustration of Reeves in dark shady brown, black and white is striking, almost eerie in front of the white back ground. The font print of the title feels like an old west cowboy poster, maybe a wanted poster. The book follows his life in short chapter like categories portraying him as a smart free thinking and fair deputy.
Lesson Plan https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0BzBMSRW54LduNWZhYTIzODYtYjUyNC00MWZjLWFmYjUtMjljYTA2MzJlMGY0&hl=en_US
Curricular connections
African American
Indian Territory
Wild West (1875-1900)
Isaac Newton and the Laws of Motion
Isaac Newton and the Laws of Motion, by Andrea Ianopoulos, illustrated by Phi, Miller and Charles Barnett III, Minnesota; Capstone Press, 2007 (ISBN 978-0-7368-6847-1)
Annotation:
This story features the musings of Isaac Newton that led to him making momentous discoveries. The main discoveries featured in this graphic novel are basic gravity laws, and the moon’s affect on the earth’s tides.
Personal Reaction:
This book was not nearly as enjoyable as some of the others I have read for this class. However, the format, at least, will certainly appeal to older readers. It is done in classic graphic novel style, with thought bubbles over the character’s heads. I did not enjoy the pictures very much, but the point did get across and older readers will at least be initially drawn to the book. People who love graphic novels will likely enjoy this book more than I did.
Curricular connections 7th grade Social Studies
Curricular connections 7th grade Social Studies
Group Project annotation Lori Murray
Starry Messenger: A book depicting the life of a famous scientist, mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, physicist Galileo Galilei
Starry Messenger: A book depicting the life of a famous scientist, mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, physicist Galileo Galilei, by Peter Sis, New York: Frances Foster Books, 1996 (ISBN 9780374371913)
Annotation:
This book tells the story of Galileo and how he managed to discover that the earth was not the center of the universe. Peter Sis describes, through pictures and words, the process Galileo went through to document his observations in the night sky.
Personal Reaction:
The pictures in this book are very reflective of the Galileo’s time period and do a great job setting the mood of the story. One thing I like about this book is that there are two levels to the story. One level is the very simply worded summary of Galileo’s life, and the other level is snippets of actual text from Galileo’s journals. This allows older readers to get a feel for Galileo’s work without actually having to sit down and interpret the original journals.
Curricular connections7th grade Social Studies
Group Project annotation Lori Murray
Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin
Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin, by Gene Barretta, New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2006 (ISBN 9780805079173)
Annotation:
A clever play on the common phrase “now and then,” this book tells of the modern technology that was invented by Benjamin Franklin. Entertaining illustrations liven up the historical invention lesson in a way that will appeal to older readers.
Personal Reaction:
I learned many new things from reading this book, and was entertained while I learned! The illustrations were bright and colorful, and were done in a classic cartoon style, thus keeping my attention (and I usually have a very limited attention span when it comes to educational books). I really enjoyed the fact that the book related Ben Franklin’s inventions to present day. This made it so I was able to better appreciate everything he did. After reading this book, I am amazed at everything one man was able to invent.
Curricular connections 7th grade Social Studies
Curricular connections 7th grade Social Studies
Annotation group project Lori Murray
The Genius of Leonardo
The Genius of Leonardo, Written by Guido Visconti and Illustrated by Bimba Landmann, 2000, New York: Barefoot Books. 9781841483016.
Age Range: 7-11 years.
Illustrator Website: http://www.bimbalandmann.com/
Awards: Utah: Children's Informational Book Award Nominees: 2002.
Annotation: Learn about Da Vinci’s inventions and dreams through the eyes of his assistant Giacomo.
Personal Reaction: This book gives insight into what Leonardo Da Vinci life was like during his older years. It is written from the point of view of his young assistant Giacomo who came to live with Da Vinci when he was ten years old. Leonardo knew that Giacomo was trouble from the start, but he never gave up on him.
Through Giacomo, reader’s will get a look into Da Vinci the artist, inventor, and the overall important man of his time. While this book is not incredibly in depth into the life of Leonardo Da Vinci, it does cover large topics about not only his life, but the time that he was living in as well.
The book also incorporates da Vinci’s own words and sketches throughout giving the reader’s a first-hand account of the great Leonardo da Vinci.
I would recommend using the book Leonardo Da Vinci by Diane Stanley as a basis of facts about Da Vinci’s life, and this as follow up to better understand large concepts about Da Vinci’s life and achievements. The two books together make a great match.
Curricular connections
Curricular Connection: Seventh Grade: 7.10 Students analyze the historical developments of the Scientific Revolution and its lasting effect on religious, political, and cultural institutions.
Age Range: 7-11 years.
Illustrator Website: http://www.bimbalandmann.com/
Awards: Utah: Children's Informational Book Award Nominees: 2002.
Annotation: Learn about Da Vinci’s inventions and dreams through the eyes of his assistant Giacomo.
Personal Reaction: This book gives insight into what Leonardo Da Vinci life was like during his older years. It is written from the point of view of his young assistant Giacomo who came to live with Da Vinci when he was ten years old. Leonardo knew that Giacomo was trouble from the start, but he never gave up on him.
Through Giacomo, reader’s will get a look into Da Vinci the artist, inventor, and the overall important man of his time. While this book is not incredibly in depth into the life of Leonardo Da Vinci, it does cover large topics about not only his life, but the time that he was living in as well.
The book also incorporates da Vinci’s own words and sketches throughout giving the reader’s a first-hand account of the great Leonardo da Vinci.
I would recommend using the book Leonardo Da Vinci by Diane Stanley as a basis of facts about Da Vinci’s life, and this as follow up to better understand large concepts about Da Vinci’s life and achievements. The two books together make a great match.
Curricular connections
Curricular Connection: Seventh Grade: 7.10 Students analyze the historical developments of the Scientific Revolution and its lasting effect on religious, political, and cultural institutions.
1. Discuss the roots of the Scientific Revolution (e.g., Greek rationalism; Jewish, Chris
tian, and Muslim science; Renaissance humanism; new knowledge from global explo
ration).
tian, and Muslim science; Renaissance humanism; new knowledge from global explo
ration).
2. Understand the significance of the new scientific theories (e.g., those of Copernicus,
Galileo, Kepler, Newton) and the significance of new inventions (e.g., the telescope,
microscope, thermometer, barometer).
Galileo, Kepler, Newton) and the significance of new inventions (e.g., the telescope,
microscope, thermometer, barometer).
Annotation by Loryn Amon, group project
Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo Da Vinci, Written and Illustrated by Diane Stanley, 1996, New York: Harper Collins. 9780688104375.
Age Range: 5-8 years of age. (according to BWI)
Author Webiste: http://dianestanley.com/
Annotation: Follow the life of the great Leonardo Da Vinci learning about his art, inventions, and travel.
Personal Reaction: This is an incredibly informative book. It starts at Leonardo’s birth, and continues all the way until his death. His life was not one of ease that is for sure. His father was a wealthy man, but his mother was only a peasant and the two were never married. Eventually, Leonardo was accepted by his father and taken into his home.
He eventually apprenticed to a famous artist and he soon blossomed in this field. He was sought after by many, but it was not his only passion. Leonardo also had a passion for inventing. Some inventions included a machine to make metal screws, ski-like shoes for walking on water, an automatic roasting pit, a submarine, a self-closing toilet lid, and a clock that measured minutes as well as hours. Leonardo lived a life full of traveling and even had a feud with Michelangelo.
This book is filled with fantastic drawings to accompany the life story of Leonardo Da Vinci. It appears that at the top of various pages, one can see actual pages from Da Vinci’s personal notebooks. This is not only an informative read, but one that will challenge and entertain too.
Use of Advanced Language: “But because he was illegitimate, the guild of magistrates and notaries would not accept him.”
“It is hard to imagine the fastidious Leonardo doing such work.”
Curricular connections
Curricular Connection: Seventh Grade: 7.10 Students analyze the historical developments of the Scientific Revolution and its lasting effect on religious, political, and cultural institutions.
2. Understand the significance of the new scientific theories (e.g., those of Copernicus,
Galileo, Kepler, Newton) and the significance of new inventions (e.g., the telescope,
microscope, thermometer, barometer).
Anotation by Loryn Amon, group project
Age Range: 5-8 years of age. (according to BWI)
Author Webiste: http://dianestanley.com/
Annotation: Follow the life of the great Leonardo Da Vinci learning about his art, inventions, and travel.
Personal Reaction: This is an incredibly informative book. It starts at Leonardo’s birth, and continues all the way until his death. His life was not one of ease that is for sure. His father was a wealthy man, but his mother was only a peasant and the two were never married. Eventually, Leonardo was accepted by his father and taken into his home.
He eventually apprenticed to a famous artist and he soon blossomed in this field. He was sought after by many, but it was not his only passion. Leonardo also had a passion for inventing. Some inventions included a machine to make metal screws, ski-like shoes for walking on water, an automatic roasting pit, a submarine, a self-closing toilet lid, and a clock that measured minutes as well as hours. Leonardo lived a life full of traveling and even had a feud with Michelangelo.
This book is filled with fantastic drawings to accompany the life story of Leonardo Da Vinci. It appears that at the top of various pages, one can see actual pages from Da Vinci’s personal notebooks. This is not only an informative read, but one that will challenge and entertain too.
Use of Advanced Language: “But because he was illegitimate, the guild of magistrates and notaries would not accept him.”
“It is hard to imagine the fastidious Leonardo doing such work.”
Curricular connections
Curricular Connection: Seventh Grade: 7.10 Students analyze the historical developments of the Scientific Revolution and its lasting effect on religious, political, and cultural institutions.
2. Understand the significance of the new scientific theories (e.g., those of Copernicus,
Galileo, Kepler, Newton) and the significance of new inventions (e.g., the telescope,
microscope, thermometer, barometer).
Anotation by Loryn Amon, group project
Galileo’s Journal
Galileo’s Journal,
Written by Jeanne K. Pettenati
Illustrated by Paolo Rui, 31 p.
2006, Massachusetts: Charlesbridge.
9781570918797.
Age Range: 8-12 years of age.
Annotation: Travel back to 1609 and read what Galileo’s journal may have sounded like during a time when he makes amazing discoveries.
Personal Reaction: While this is a fictional account of Galileo’s journal, it is still informative as well as enlightening to what life may have been like for him during a time of scientific discovery. The book starts out with Galileo discovering how to make a telescope by combining two lenses, one concave and one convex together. He calls this his “spyglass”. It continues to show how Galileo discovered that the moon is not perfectly round and smooth as believed, but filled with mountains, valleys, and craters.
Challenging what those have assumed to be true for thousands of years proved to be troublesome for Galileo. He had many people doubt him and call him a liar. Despite this, he refused to give up.
Jupiter’s moons were his next discovery. By using his spyglass, Galileo was able to observe that what he assumed to be stars are always moving around Jupiter, each night in a different place. This all leads him to the monumental idea and discovery that the Earth is not the center of the universe, but rather the sun.
This is a fantastic book to help understand not only Galileo, but to shed light on the scientific revolution as a whole. Pettenati does a fantastic job of mixing mostly factual information with her own fictional thoughts and dialog, but the she insists that the science and settings are in fact true.
At the end of the book, readers will also find a small biography of Galileo. This adds to the book and reiterates the story told. By mixing facts with beautiful illustrations, young readers will most certainly benefit and thrive.
Group project annotation Loryn Amon
7th grade Social Studies Standard
Written by Jeanne K. Pettenati
Illustrated by Paolo Rui, 31 p.
2006, Massachusetts: Charlesbridge.
9781570918797.
Age Range: 8-12 years of age.
Annotation: Travel back to 1609 and read what Galileo’s journal may have sounded like during a time when he makes amazing discoveries.
Personal Reaction: While this is a fictional account of Galileo’s journal, it is still informative as well as enlightening to what life may have been like for him during a time of scientific discovery. The book starts out with Galileo discovering how to make a telescope by combining two lenses, one concave and one convex together. He calls this his “spyglass”. It continues to show how Galileo discovered that the moon is not perfectly round and smooth as believed, but filled with mountains, valleys, and craters.
Challenging what those have assumed to be true for thousands of years proved to be troublesome for Galileo. He had many people doubt him and call him a liar. Despite this, he refused to give up.
Jupiter’s moons were his next discovery. By using his spyglass, Galileo was able to observe that what he assumed to be stars are always moving around Jupiter, each night in a different place. This all leads him to the monumental idea and discovery that the Earth is not the center of the universe, but rather the sun.
This is a fantastic book to help understand not only Galileo, but to shed light on the scientific revolution as a whole. Pettenati does a fantastic job of mixing mostly factual information with her own fictional thoughts and dialog, but the she insists that the science and settings are in fact true.
At the end of the book, readers will also find a small biography of Galileo. This adds to the book and reiterates the story told. By mixing facts with beautiful illustrations, young readers will most certainly benefit and thrive.
Group project annotation Loryn Amon
7th grade Social Studies Standard
Charles Dawin's Origin of Species:Graphic Adaptation
Author: Michael Keller, (no web page)
Illustrated: Nicolle Rager Fuller http://www.sayo-art.com/index.php
Published: Rodale Books New York, 2007
ISBN 978-1605296975
digital, with traditional media (acrylic, watercolor, pencil)
Annotation:
A graphic rendition of Charles Darwin's world renown publication and theories. This version opens with a biography of Dawin’s life and discoveries and brief introduction of his struggle to publicize his work over a 13 year period.
Personal Reaction:
The illustrations are purposefully scientific and technical, done in Sayo style, similar to Audobon’s scientific illustrations of birds. The introduction gives an insight to Darwin’s life as a young struggling scientist while dedicating his life to creating theories which contradicted common thoughts. This illustrated version is original text of Darwin’s publications mixed with current data, and dialog in Dawin’s voice.The Origins adaptation is followed by a graphic telling of the political aftermath of its publication also in his voice. Challenged by the religious establishment 7 months after publication and continuing to modern day, the detailed illustrations give new breath to both Dawin’s written thoughts his life story and current theories being established.
Students will find many similarities between Darwin’s intense obsession with his discoveries and other important scientists. Darwin’s struggle to challenge the mainstream nonscientific beliefs of the religious establishment of the times is a common theme with historical scientific revolution and change. Copernicus, like Darwin and many others, also studied Greek scientists while building life long theories that threatened common religious endocrine and belief. This book goes well with the study of revolutionary scientists challenging religious, non science based beliefs.
**Potentially Challenged Book
There is great controversy in teaching Darwin's theory of evolution in school systems across the nation. Mostly by those who believe that Intelligent design, or creationism should be taught. Intelligent design and creationism believe the world is too complex to evolve over time and that a higher power must have been planning everything out. The Discovery Institute (a conservative group in Seattle) believes the controversy between the two drastically different theories should be taught while teaching both theories. In 2004 Pennsylvania's Dover school district adopted to teach only intelligent design and to drop Darwin's theories. If this book was fund in a school system that either has adopted to teach intelligent design or that the parent body wanting no creation taught in the school system because they believe in creationism and teach it at home. Having a graphic novel that is so easy to read depicting Darwin's theories and writings would be extremely offensive to this group.
Curricular connections
7th grade State Standards
7.10 Students analyze the historical developments of the Scientific Revolution and
its lasting effect on religious, political, and cultural institutions.
1. Discuss the roots of the Scientific Revolution (e.g., Greek rationalism; Jewish, Chris
tian, and Muslim science; Renaissance humanism; new knowledge from global explo
ration).
2. Understand the significance of the new scientific theories (e.g., those of Copernicus,
Galileo, Kepler, Newton) and the significance of new inventions (e.g., the telescope,
microscope, thermometer, barometer).
3. Understand the scientific method advanced by Bacon and Descartes, the influence of
new scientific rationalism on the growth of democratic ideas, and the coexistence of
science with traditional religious beliefs.
Illustrated: Nicolle Rager Fuller http://www.sayo-art.com/index.php
Published: Rodale Books New York, 2007
ISBN 978-1605296975
digital, with traditional media (acrylic, watercolor, pencil)
Annotation:
A graphic rendition of Charles Darwin's world renown publication and theories. This version opens with a biography of Dawin’s life and discoveries and brief introduction of his struggle to publicize his work over a 13 year period.
Personal Reaction:
The illustrations are purposefully scientific and technical, done in Sayo style, similar to Audobon’s scientific illustrations of birds. The introduction gives an insight to Darwin’s life as a young struggling scientist while dedicating his life to creating theories which contradicted common thoughts. This illustrated version is original text of Darwin’s publications mixed with current data, and dialog in Dawin’s voice.The Origins adaptation is followed by a graphic telling of the political aftermath of its publication also in his voice. Challenged by the religious establishment 7 months after publication and continuing to modern day, the detailed illustrations give new breath to both Dawin’s written thoughts his life story and current theories being established.
Students will find many similarities between Darwin’s intense obsession with his discoveries and other important scientists. Darwin’s struggle to challenge the mainstream nonscientific beliefs of the religious establishment of the times is a common theme with historical scientific revolution and change. Copernicus, like Darwin and many others, also studied Greek scientists while building life long theories that threatened common religious endocrine and belief. This book goes well with the study of revolutionary scientists challenging religious, non science based beliefs.
**Potentially Challenged Book
There is great controversy in teaching Darwin's theory of evolution in school systems across the nation. Mostly by those who believe that Intelligent design, or creationism should be taught. Intelligent design and creationism believe the world is too complex to evolve over time and that a higher power must have been planning everything out. The Discovery Institute (a conservative group in Seattle) believes the controversy between the two drastically different theories should be taught while teaching both theories. In 2004 Pennsylvania's Dover school district adopted to teach only intelligent design and to drop Darwin's theories. If this book was fund in a school system that either has adopted to teach intelligent design or that the parent body wanting no creation taught in the school system because they believe in creationism and teach it at home. Having a graphic novel that is so easy to read depicting Darwin's theories and writings would be extremely offensive to this group.
Curricular connections
7th grade State Standards
7.10 Students analyze the historical developments of the Scientific Revolution and
its lasting effect on religious, political, and cultural institutions.
1. Discuss the roots of the Scientific Revolution (e.g., Greek rationalism; Jewish, Chris
tian, and Muslim science; Renaissance humanism; new knowledge from global explo
ration).
2. Understand the significance of the new scientific theories (e.g., those of Copernicus,
Galileo, Kepler, Newton) and the significance of new inventions (e.g., the telescope,
microscope, thermometer, barometer).
3. Understand the scientific method advanced by Bacon and Descartes, the influence of
new scientific rationalism on the growth of democratic ideas, and the coexistence of
science with traditional religious beliefs.
Nicolaus Copernicus: the earth is a planet
Author: Dennis Brindell Fradin (N/A website)
illustrated by Cynthia von Buhler http://www.cynthiavonbuhler.com/
Publisher: Mondo Publication New York, 2003
ISBN:1-59336-006-1
Oil paint on gesso
Nicolaus Copernicus studied to be a clergyman and and worked as a physician his entire life. In his free time he studied the heavens and wrote one of the most important books in history.
Personal Opinion:
Besides giving a great introduction to Nicolaus Copernicus, this biography brings up a few mind bending conversational pieces for the 7th grade revolutionary science curriculum. Imagine studying something, on your own, and coming to the conclusion that the common idea, in this case that the Earth is the center of everything, is wrong. Imagine fearing your life if your idea is revealed. The small detail that Nicolaus Copernicus almost didn't publish his book, and that he died hours after it was published is ominous and will be the inspiration students need to discuss where science would be if discoveries like Copernicus' were not made. Can an organization, bureaucratic or faith based, control socital ideas and discovery? Does that or could that happen now?
The brilliant oil paintings reflect the richness of this era, taking up the entire page with strokes painted on gesso. Illustrating the small details of his obsession with the skies.
7th grade State Standards
7.10 Students analyze the historical developments of the Scientific Revolution and
its lasting effect on religious, political, and cultural institutions.
2. Understand the significance of the new scientific theories (e.g., those of Copernicus,
Galileo, Kepler, Newton) and the significance of new inventions (e.g., the telescope,
microscope, thermometer, barometer).
illustrated by Cynthia von Buhler http://www.cynthiavonbuhler.com/
Publisher: Mondo Publication New York, 2003
ISBN:1-59336-006-1
Oil paint on gesso
Nicolaus Copernicus studied to be a clergyman and and worked as a physician his entire life. In his free time he studied the heavens and wrote one of the most important books in history.
Personal Opinion:
Besides giving a great introduction to Nicolaus Copernicus, this biography brings up a few mind bending conversational pieces for the 7th grade revolutionary science curriculum. Imagine studying something, on your own, and coming to the conclusion that the common idea, in this case that the Earth is the center of everything, is wrong. Imagine fearing your life if your idea is revealed. The small detail that Nicolaus Copernicus almost didn't publish his book, and that he died hours after it was published is ominous and will be the inspiration students need to discuss where science would be if discoveries like Copernicus' were not made. Can an organization, bureaucratic or faith based, control socital ideas and discovery? Does that or could that happen now?
The brilliant oil paintings reflect the richness of this era, taking up the entire page with strokes painted on gesso. Illustrating the small details of his obsession with the skies.
7th grade State Standards
7.10 Students analyze the historical developments of the Scientific Revolution and
its lasting effect on religious, political, and cultural institutions.
2. Understand the significance of the new scientific theories (e.g., those of Copernicus,
Galileo, Kepler, Newton) and the significance of new inventions (e.g., the telescope,
microscope, thermometer, barometer).
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)