Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge 2017

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction.

Last month I was part of a class through Earth Partnership called Indigenous Arts and Sciences. I wrote about it here.  An important focus of that class was restoration of land and water so I was really excited to come across the book Creekfinding: A True Story written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrated by Claudia McGehee. Creekfinding is the true story of Michael Osterholm and his restoration of Brook Creek in the middle of Iowa farmland. He purchased a farm and found out where the creek used to be. He then had a dream to restore the land to what it had once been. In the note at the end his words are recorded, "I hope kids will remember from this story that we can change the world by acting on our dreams."

The illustrations are beautiful woodcut prints and really support the story well. They help it feel close to nature. Also, sometimes the text is woven into the illustrations for readers to find.

I love that the book starts with an excavator. That will really pull in readers who like big machinery. The first page says, "Sometimes excavators help find lost creeks. How do they do that?" The text often encourages readers to wonder about things. The content is awesome, but the way it is delivered makes the book really powerful. The book really pushes readers to think about what happened and how it happened. I don't think readers can remain passive while reading this story.

I'm excited to share Creekfinding with students and teachers. I have been planning to teach about ecological restoration this year and this book is pretty much perfect for that. It will pair well with a few other books I had in mind also.

Over and Under the Pond 

Written by Kate Messner

Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal

Plant a Pocket of Prairie

Written by Phyllis Root

Illustrated by Betsy Bowen

On Meadowview Street

by Henry Cole

Beyond picture books, I've found a few adult texts. I really love Kimmerer's memoir. It's a fabulous look at restoring the human relationship with the natural world. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is a must read for anyone interested in this work. I'm recommending it to all the adults I come into contact with lately. It's lovely and all kinds of educational.

Braiding Sweetgrass

Written by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Another text that is highly relevant is an essay in the book below about race in Minnesota. In it Diane Wilson writes, "We are responsible for teaching our children that plants and animals are co-creating this world with us, and the lessons they offer can help us reverse the harms that humans have inflicted." By the way, the rest of the book is fabulous even though the other essays aren't about gardening.

A Good Time for the Truth
edited by Sun Yung Shin
"Seeds for Seven Generations" an essay by Diane Wilson

For more nonfiction and fiction titles relating to outdoor education, visit my Goodreads shelf here. 

*Post edited to add additional resources on May 13, 2018

Review: Can an Aardvark Bark?

Title: Can an Aardvark Bark?
Author: Melissa Stewart
Illustrator: Steve Jenkins
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Review copy: Final copy from publisher
Availability: On shelves now


Summary: From award-winning author Melissa Stewart and Caldecott honoree Steve Jenkins comes a noisy nonfiction exploration of the many sounds animals make.

Can an aardvark bark? No, but it can grunt. Lots of other animals grunt too... 

Barks, grunts, squeals--animals make all kinds of sounds to communicate and express themselves. With a growling salamander and a whining porcupine, bellowing giraffes and laughing gorillas, this boisterous book is chock-full of fun and interesting facts and is sure to be a favorite of even the youngest animal enthusiasts.

Review: 
Children are sure to squeel, grunt, growl and make all manner of wild sounds when reading this entertaining bit of nonfiction. The book is in a question and answer format and is accompanied by Steve Jenkins' wonderful illustrations. Throughout the book, readers find out about animals that do and do not make various sounds. There are also other facts about the animals included in captions. These captions add a lot to the text and will be gobbled up by animal fans.

The illustrations fascinate me as a lover of paper art and collage. The porcupine is fabulous with its amazing quills. The texture of the boar is also fabulous. I think this, like many of the books Steve Jenkins has illustrated, would be a natural jumping off point for creating animal art.

This is definitely a book I am eager to share with students. Animals are intriguing to most children and this look at ways to communicate easily ties into our own ways to communicate.

Recommendation: If you are looking for engaging nonfiction picture books, Can an Aardvark Bark? is one you will want to purchase. It's sure to be a hit with children and adults. 

Extras:
Interview on Mr. Schu's Watch. Connect. Read.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge - Are You an Echo?

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year. So far I've read 84.

Today I want to highlight an incredible new book. Betsy Bird wrote a very thorough review that led me to purchase the book.  I am so glad she wrote that review so I could get to know this book and Misuzu Kaneko. I hope her review also convinces you.

Are You an Echo? The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko is a fascinating book that had me reeling. It's beautiful in both illustration and in the narrative and poetry. It's also unique. It's part biography and part poetry anthology. The first part of the book is a picture book biography, but when the narrative author David Jacobson describes Misuzu Kaneko he uses her own poetry to help tell about her. He knows Japanese, but there were two translators, Sally Ito and Michiko Tsuboi, who also worked to make Kaneko's poems accessible to readers who would need the poetry to be in English. I don't know if the translations are accurate, but the poems spoke clearly and beautifully to me.

The biography portion of the book is moving and powerful as readers get to know Kaneko and then learn about the difficulties she faced in her married life. Suicide is not something that is dealt with often in picture books, but Jacobson told about this aspect of her life. We often seek to protect children from the ugliness and pain in the world, but Jacobson has included this in a way that honors the truth without making the book become focused on that one aspect of her life.

The illustrations of Toshikado Hajiri are warm and inviting. There are moments when I see glimpses of manga type facial features, but there are also more traditional nature scenes that are simply gorgeous. 

To see some of the interior pages and to learn more about Kaneko, visit the website for the book.

Here's Janet Wong's interview with the narrative author David Jacobson and one of the translators, Sally Ito.

Here's Julie Danielson's Q&A with David Jacobson.

Here are some of Kaneko's poems included in the book.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge - Watch out for Water!

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year. So far, I've read 69 this year.

Both of the books I read this week were reviewed and recommended by Nonfiction Picture Book reviewers so I knew they were going to be good.

Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions 

by Chris Barton/illustrated by Don Tate

Summary from author's site: A cool idea with a big splash! You know the Super Soaker. It's one of the top twenty toys of all time. And it was an accidental discovery that brought it into being. Trying to create a new cooling system for refrigerators and air conditioners, inventor Lonnie Johnson instead created the mechanics for the iconic toy. A love for rockets, robots, inventions, and a mind for creativity were present in Lonnie Johnson's early life. Growing up in a house full of siblings, Lonnie demonstrated persistence and a passion for problem solving that became the cornerstone of his career as an engineer and his work with NASA. But it is Lonnie's invention of the Super Soaker water gun that has made the most memorable splash in popular culture.

My thoughts: This book is a celebration of creativity. It's also a challenge to our typical idea of what a scientist looks like. First off, we don't see many African Americans in young non-fiction relating to science. We also don't necessarily see them carrying around toys. This is sure to intrigue young readers. Scientists are often seen as old white men in lab coats in labs and may not look too exciting. This book lets readers know there is more than one kind of scientist out there. Readers get to see the young Lonnie Johnson already learning, experimenting and imagining his future. I loved this one and can't wait to see how students respond to this great book.

Crossing Niagara: The Death-Defying Tightrope Adventures of the Great Blondin

by Matt Tavares

Summary from author's website: When the Great Blondin announced that he was going to walk from America to Canada across the Niagara River on a rope more than eleven hundred feet long and just three inches wide, hanging one hundred and sixty feet above the raging waters, people came from everywhere. Some came to watch him cross. Some came to watch him fall. Some thought he wouldn't show up at all.

But he did show up. And he did walk across the river. And then he did something amazing- he did it again! And again. And again.

Matt Tavares's gorgeous, riveting account of one of the daredevils of Niagara Falls is sure to be as enthralling to readers as the original feat must have been to those spectators on the cliffs more than one hundred and fifty years ago

My thoughts: I've been to Niagara Falls twice and am incredibly impressed by the power of the water and the intensity of the place. I am amazed that anyone would be so confident in their skills at tightrope walking that they would attempt a crossing. One fall will be almost certain death. This is a story that had me at the edge of my seat wondering if the Great Blondin would make it across. It has tension and would be a fabulous read aloud.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge - Biographies

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year. So far, I've read 73 this year.

Today, I'm highlighting two picture book biographies of women. In both cases, WWII had a huge impact on their lives. Because of the war, women had job opportunities that were usually only open to men. These two women stepped forward and went after their dream jobs in spite of other people's ideas about what was appropriate for women.

 

Sky High: The True Story of Maggie Gee by Marissa Moss

illustrated by Carl Angel

Goodreads summary: When I was little, something special happened every Sunday. Other families went to baseball games or the movies, but not mine . . . We went to watch the airplanes. . . . 

Maggie dreamed of flying--just like her favorite pilot, Amelia Earhart. She told her brothers and sisters stories of flying across oceans and deserts, and all around the world. But in the 1920s and 1930s, few girls took to the sky.

Then, when Maggie grew up, her whole world changed overnight: the United States entered World War II, and everyone in her family was affected. Maggie knew that this was the time to support her country--and it was her chance to fly. Young Maggie Gee became one of only two Chinese American Women Airforce Service Pilots to serve in WWII.

Based on the true adventures of a girl not bound by gravity, Marissa Moss's stirring story and Carl Angel's brilliant illustrations depict what determination, bravery, and boundless possibilities look like when dreams are allowed to soar sky high

My thoughts: When I was a young girl, I also wanted to fly and when I was older, I took my children to the local naval air station to watch planes take off and land on Saturday mornings. There were many ways that I connected with this book. Maggie Gee was a determined young woman and I love that we can get to know about her life. I hadn't heard of her before this. She wasn't only breaking a gender barrier though, she was Chinese American and there was only one other Chinese American pilot as part of the American Women Airforce Services.

Miss Mary Reporting by Sue Macy

illustrated by C.F. Payne

Goodreads summary: While sitting in the bleachers of a Soap Box Derby in the 1950s, Mary Garber overheard two African-American boys in the following exchange: “See that lady down there?” asked one boy. “That’s Mary Garber. She doesn’t care who you are, but if you do something good, she’ll write about you.”

Mary Garber was a pioneering sports journalist in a time where women were rarely a part of the newspaper business. Women weren’t even allowed to sit in the press boxes at sporting events, so Mary was forced to sit with the coaches’ wives. But that didn’t stop her.

In a time when African-American sports were not routinely covered, Mary went to the games and wrote about them. Garber was a sportswriter for fifty-six years and was the first woman to receive the Associated Press Sports Editors’ Red Smith Award, presented for major contributions in sports journalism. And now, every year the Association of Women in Sports Media presents the Mary Garber Pioneer Award in her honor to a role model for women in sports media.

Sure to inspire future journalists, athletes, and any child who has a dream, this illustrated biography of Mary Garber captures her feisty and determined spirit and brings her story to life

My thoughts: I loved this look into the life of Mary Garber. She is an awesome role model. I appreciated learning about her respect for others and herself. She seems to have been someone who treated others with dignity and worked to have a positive impact on others in addition to doing a great job.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge - Jazz Day

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year. So far, I've read 69 this year.

Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph

by Roxane Orgill, illustrated by Francis Vallejo

Goodreads summary: When Esquire magazine planned an issue to salute the American jazz scene in 1958, graphic designer Art Kane pitched a crazy idea: how about gathering a group of beloved jazz musicians and photographing them? He didn’t own a good camera, didn’t know if any musicians would show up, and insisted on setting up the shoot in front of a Harlem brownstone. Could he pull it off? In a captivating collection of poems, Roxane Orgill steps into the frame of Harlem 1958, bringing to life the musicians’ mischief and quirks, their memorable style, and the vivacious atmosphere of a Harlem block full of kids on a hot summer’s day. Francis Vallejo’s vibrant, detailed, and wonderfully expressive paintings do loving justice to the larger-than-life quality of jazz musicians of the era. Includes bios of several of the fifty-seven musicians, an author’s note, sources, a bibliography, and a foldout of Art Kane’s famous photograph.

My thoughts: Without question, my favorite part of the book was the foldout photograph. I hadn't been reading long before I began to flip furiously through the book to see if the picture was actually there.

This is a fantastic view into that one day when so many jazz musicians gathered together. The magazine Esquire was going to have an issue about American jazz and this photo would help showcase many people at once.

The text is written in many separate poems that highlight a handful of people involved in the story. At the end, there are brief biographical sketches about each of those highlighted. There is also an author's note that includes a map an outline that numbers and then labels each of the participants in the picture.

The source notes, bibliography, and other backmatter are thorough. I also really enjoyed seeing the page that listed and explained the many other ways that picture has been referenced such as the creation of a documentary about the day, a character in the movie The Terminal carrying autographs of the photograph participants, and copycat or "homage" photographs.

I really enjoyed some of the poems like How to Make a Porkpie Hat, What to Wear (from A to Z) The Musicians, and At the Window: A Girl. I appreciated the poems, but I especially loved the illustrations. They are done in acrylics and pastel and have a realistic feel. They are done in a way that makes the book seem as if we are really looking back through time.

This would be a book that would work well in a music class, but would also work in a regular classroom though I am not sure if I would read it straight through. It might be a good one to take bit by bit.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year. So far, I've read 67 this year.

Goodreads summary: It was 1904 and St. Louis was proud to host the World’s Fair and America’s First Olympics. Hundreds of thousands of people came by car, by train, by boat. Part of the Olympics was a wild, wacky marathon. Forty-two racers registered, thirty-two showed up, and of the three racers vying for the finish line: one drove part way, one was helped by his trainers over the line, and one was a postman who travelled from Cuba and ran in street clothes that he cut off to look like shorts. How they ran and who won is a story of twists and turns that wouldn’t be believed if it weren’t true! And it is! Find out who won in this picture book all about the historic Olympic Marathon of 1904.

My thoughts: I'm so excited to read a book about running. It isn't a very common topic in fiction or nonfiction picture books. McCarthy sure found a wonderful race to highlight. There are so many quirky things that happened in that Olympic race. For young runners, they may be amazed to see what the conditions were. Sometimes we even have a water stop in a race as short as 5K and these marathoners only had two water stops in the whole 24.85 miles. As someone who has raced in marathons, I found it fascinating. It also made me appreciate the conveniences we have now with people directing traffic away from us, fabulous GPS watches, nutrition and water support, and the list goes on.

This would be fun to pair with Marathon Mouse by Amy Dixon and illustrated by Sam Denlinger. That's the only other picture book I've read involving marathons.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge

 

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year. So far, I've read 58 this year.

Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America's Sproutings by Pat Mora
illustrated by Rafael López

Summary from author's page: 

Smear nutty butter,
then jelly. Gooey party,
my sandwich and me.

Peanuts, blueberries, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and more-here is a luscious collection of haiku celebrating foods native to the Americas. Brimming with imagination and fun, these poems capture the tasty essence of foods that have delighted, united, and enriched our lives for centuries. Exuberant illustrations bring to life the delicious spirit of the haiku, making Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America's Sproutings an eye-popping, mouth-watering treat. Open it and dig in!

An interview with Pat Mora about this book in particular and the need for diverse books.

My thoughts: This is a beautiful book combining two things I really enjoy - food and poety. The haiku are fun and I really appreciated learning the history of these indigenous foods. The artwork is vibrant and gorgeous. I look forward to sharing this with students.

 

Fresh Delicious: Poems from the Farmers' Market by Irene Latham

illustrated by Mique Moriuchi

Goodreads summary: In these vivid poems, blueberries are “flavor-filled fireworks,” cucumbers are “a fleet of green submarines in a wicker sea,” lettuce tastes like “butter and pepper and salt,” but sometimes “I crunch into a leaf the very same flavor as rain.” The unexpected, ingenious imagery and enticing artwork in this collection will inspire the imaginations of young readers, and show how poetry can be as fresh and delicious as the farmers’ market produce it celebrates.

My thoughts:  Fresh delicious is another wonderful pairing of food and poetry. The poems and illustrations are playful and full of life. The addition of adorable animals is also a plus. I think this book is a great way to get young readers excited about fruits and veggies. I appreciated the inclusion of recipes.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge

 

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year.

Trapped! A Whale's Rescue by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Wendell Minor

Goodreads summary: In the icy waters of the Pacific, a massive humpback whale unexpectedly finds herself tangled in a net abandoned by fishermen. When a rescue boat and a convoy of divers arrive to help the struggling humpback, a realistic and moving encounter bridges the human and aquatic worlds.

My thoughts: The story was compelling. I was amazed at the size and strength of this creature and the courage of those people attempting to help save the whale. Working so closely with such an enormous wild animal has to be intimidating. I appreciated the very thorough collection of online and print resources. This is a beautiful book packed with more information than I anticipated.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge - Poetry

 

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year.

Slickety Quick: Poems About Sharks by Skila Brown

Illustrated by Bob Kolar

Publisher's summary: Fourteen shark species, from the utterly terrifying to the surprisingly docile, glide through the pages of this vibrantly illustrated, poetic picture book.

From the enormous whale shark to the legendary great white to the enigmatic goblin shark to the small cookie-cutter shark, Slickety Quick is a delightful frenzy of shark mayhem. Mysterious species such as the camouflaged wobbegong and the elusive frilled shark share the waters with better-known blue and nurse sharks, each commemorated in a poem by Skila Brown and illustrated by Bob Kolar. Sneaky shark facts ripple through each spread to further inform the brave and curious young reader intrigued by the power — and danger — of these amazing creatures.

My Thoughts: Poetry paired with interesting facts is a wonderful combination - particularly when the illustrations are pretty fabulous. The poems are in fun shapes, often the shape of the shark being described. Unfortunately, I left the book at school this afternoon, so I can't refer to it, but it's definitely a book students are going to love. There are plenty of sharp teeth and they showcase several extremely bizarre looking creatures. It's sure to be a hit.

Extras: Skila Brown has a teacher's guide posted on her blog and has a section of her website  devoted to posts about shark facts that include photos and video for readers seeking more information.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge

 

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more nonfiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year.

This week, I'm highlighting all of the nonfiction picture books I've read so far this year that have earned five stars in my eyes.

 

Out of the Woods: A True Story of an Unforgettable Event by Rebecca Bond

Goodreads summary: Inspired by the author's grandfather's experiences living in a lodge in the woods, a story of how people and animals survive a forest fire in a small Canadian town.

Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Goodreads summary: This poetic, nonfiction story about a little-known piece of African American history captures a human’s capacity to find hope and joy in difficult circumstances and demonstrates how New Orleans' Congo Square was truly freedom’s heart.

Mondays, there were hogs to slop, 

mules to train, and logs to chop. 

Slavery was no ways fair. 

Six more days to Congo Square. 

As slaves relentlessly toiled in an unjust system in 19th century Louisiana, they all counted down the days until Sunday, when at least for half a day they were briefly able to congregate in Congo Square in New Orleans. Here they were free to set up an open market, sing, dance, and play music. They were free to forget their cares, their struggles, and their oppression. This story chronicles slaves' duties each day, from chopping logs on Mondays to baking bread on Wednesdays to plucking hens on Saturday, and builds to the freedom of Sundays and the special experience of an afternoon spent in Congo Square. This book will have a forward from Freddi Williams Evans (freddievans.com), a historian and Congo Square expert, as well as a glossary of terms with pronunciations and definitions

Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries Who Shaped Our History...and Our Future! by Kate Schatz and illustrated by Miriam Klein Stahl

Goodreads summary: Like all A-Z books, this one illustrates the alphabet—but instead of "A is for Apple", A is for Angela—as in Angela Davis, the iconic political activist. B is for Billie Jean King, who shattered the glass ceiling of sports; C is for Carol Burnett, who defied assumptions about women in comedy; D is for Dolores Huerta, who organized farmworkers; and E is for Ella Baker, who mentored Dr. Martin Luther King and helped shape the Civil Rights Movement.

And the list of great women continues, spanning several centuries, multiple professions, and 26 diverse individuals. There are artists and abolitionists, scientists and suffragettes, rock stars and rabble-rousers, and agents of change of all kinds.

The book includes an introduction that discusses what it means to be "rad" and "radical," an afterword with 26 suggestions for how you can be "rad," and a Resource Guide with ideas for further learning and reading.

American history was made by countless rad—and often radical—women. By offering a fresh and diverse array of female role models, we can remind readers that there are many places to find inspiration, and that being smart and strong and brave is rad.

Pink is for Blobfish: Discovering the World's Perfectly Pink Animals by Jess Keating

Goodreads summary: Some people think pink is a pretty color. A fluffy, sparkly, princess-y color. But it's so much more. Sure, pink is the color of princesses and bubblegum, but it's also the color of monster slugs and poisonous insects. Not to mention ultra-intelligent dolphins, naked mole rats and bizarre, bloated blobfish.

Isn't it about time to rethink pink?

Slip on your rose-colored glasses and take a walk on the wild side with zoologist Jess Keating, author of How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied, and cartoonist David DeGrand

Ada Lovelace and the Thinking Machine by Laurie Wallmark and illustrated by April Chu

Goodreads summary:  Ada Lovelace, the daughter of the famous romantic poet, Lord Byron, develops her creativity through science and math. When she meets Charles Babbage, the inventor of the first mechanical computer, Ada understands the machine better than anyone else and writes the world's first computer program in order to demonstrate its capabilities.

Olinguito, de La A a la Z!/Olinguito, from A to Z! by Lulu Delacre

Goodreads summary:  With text in both Spanish and English, travel to the magical world of a cloud forest in the Andes of Ecuador. Discover the bounty of plants, animals, and other organisms that live there as we help a zoologist look for the elusive olinguito, the first new mammal species identified in the Americas since 1978.

The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch by Chris Barton and illustrated by Don Tate

Goodreads summary: John Roy Lynch spent most of his childhood as a slave in Mississippi, but all of that changed with the Emancipation Proclamation. Suddenly people like John Roy could have paying jobs and attend school. While many people in the South were unhappy with the social change, John Roy thrived in the new era. He was appointed to serve as justice of the peace and was eventually elected into the United States Congress.This biography, with its informative backmatter and splendid illustrations, gives readers an in-depth look at the Reconstruction period through the life of one of the first African-American congressmen.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge - Juan Felipe Herrera

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more non-fiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year.

Calling the Doves/El canto de las palomas by Juan Felipe Herrera/Illustrated by Elly Simmons

Goodreads summary: Calling the Doves is poet Juan Felipe Herrera's story of his migrant farmworker childhood. In delightful and lyrical language, he recreates the joy of eating breakfast under the open sky, listening to Mexican songs in the little trailer house his father built, and celebrating with other families at a fiesta in the mountains. He remembers his mother s songs and poetry, and his father's stories and his calling the doves. For Juan Felipe, the farmworker road was also the beginning of his personal road to becoming a writer.

My thoughts: Juan Felipe Herrera is the United States Poet Laureate so this was a great book to read for poetry month. In Calling the Doves/El canto de las palomas, Herrera shares about his childhood with a lyrical voice. Readers find out about the beauty of the land he lived in and the care and nurture he had from his parents. His parents loved the open sky and the tender earth. They taught him "that inside every word there can be kindness." His parents were migrant farmworkers and life was not easy. Herrera makes it clear though, that he appreciated many aspects of his childhood. His parents were storytellers and they filled the air with poetry, songs and stories. Juan Felipe Herrera shows the many ways in which his childhood was rich and how this shaped him and led him to poetry.

Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes by Juan Felipe Herrera/Illustrated by Raúl Colón

Another book of his that I enjoyed was Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes. 

Goodreads summary: An inspiring tribute to Hispanic Americans who have made a positive impact on the world This visually stunning book showcases twenty Hispanic and Latino American men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the arts, politics, science, humanitarianism, and athletics. Gorgeous portraits complement sparkling biographies of Cesar Chavez, Sonia Sotomayor, Ellen Ochoa, Roberto Clemente, and many more. Complete with timelines and famous quotes, this tome is a magnificent homage to those who have shaped our nation.

In this volume: Adelina Otero-Warren, Bernardo de Galvez, Cesar Chavez, David Farragut, Dennis Chavez, Desi Arnaz, Dolores Huerta, Ellen Ochoa, Helen Rodríguez Trías, Hero Street USA, Ignacio Lozano, Jaime Escalante, Joan Baez, Judy Baca, Julia de Burgos, Luis Alvarez, Rita Moreno, Roberte Clemente, Sonia Sotomayor, and Tomas Rivera.

The Upside Down Boy/El niño de cabeza by Juan Felipe Herrera/Illustrated by Elizabeth Gómez

I haven't had a chance to read this one yet, but I have it at school and am eager to read it soon.

Goodreads summary:

Juan Felipe Herrera's playful language and the colorful, magical art of Elizabeth Gomez capture the universal experience of entering a new school and feeling like a stranger in a world that seems upside down.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more non-fiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year.

 

The Amazing Discoveries of Ibn Sina 

by Fatima Sharafeddine 

illustrated by Intelaq Mohammed Ali

Summary: Born in Persia more than a thousand years ago, Ibn Sina was one of the greatest thinkers of his time — a philosopher, scientist and physician who made significant discoveries, especially in the field of medicine, and wrote more than one hundred books.

As a child, Ibn Sina was extremely bright, a voracious reader who loved to learn and was fortunate to have the best teachers. He memorized the Qur’an by the age of ten and completed his medical studies at sixteen. He spent his life traveling, treating the sick, seeking knowledge through research, and writing about his discoveries. He came up with new theories in the fields of physics, chemistry, astronomy and education. His most famous work is The Canon of Medicine, a collection of books that were used for teaching in universities across the Islamic world and Europe for centuries.

Ibn Sina’s story, told in the first person and beautifully illustrated, provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of the great intellects of the past.

Manuscript of Qanun [Fil-Tibb] (Cannon [of Medicine]) by Ibn Sina

Aga Khan Museum, Toronto

Review: As I was reading this story I thought something about it seemed familiar. When I got to the author's note, I was sent running to my photos from visiting Toronto this summer. I had looked at Ibn Sina's most famous work earlier this year. I love it when I have connections to books like this.

In this picture book biography, readers come to know about the life of Ibn Sina. He was incredibly intelligent and loved learning about medicine. He became incredibly knowledgeable about medicine and wrote about the things he had learned and discovered. I am happy that my students can learn about this man and his contributions through an easy to read picture book. I do wish the author had included a bibliography. There is a brief author's note, but it doesn't include more resources only why she wrote the book and where his manuscripts are kept. There are maps embedded in some of the illustrations, but a more detailed map would have been nice too.

The illustrations are colorful and attractive. I especially liked the use of a frame around the edges of most of the pages.

Though the Astounding ABC from the Aga Khan Museum, is a board book designed for a younger audience, I would likely pair these together. They would complement each other well as the ABC book shares artifacts from Islamic history and readers could make connections between the pieces there and the illustrations.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more non-fiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year.

¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z! Descubriendo el bosque nublado

Olinguito, from A to Z! Unveiling the Cloud Forest

by Lulu Delacre

Summary: With lyrical text in both Spanish and English, we travel to the magical world of a cloud forest in the Andes of Ecuador. We discover the bounty of plants, animals, and other organisms that live there as we help a zoologist look for the elusive olinguito, the first new mammal species identified in the Americas since 1978. Not your usual ABC book, the alphabet works as an organizing feature and provides children with a vehicle to encounter rich vocabulary as they learn about a unique environment. Thoroughly researched and exquisitely illustrated with colorful, realistic images, the book is a visual delight while it provides a wealth of information. Backmatter includes articles about cloud forests and the discovery of the olinguito in 2013, and an extensive glossary with the scientific names of the species pictured. This is truly a unique book to treasure on many levels.

My Thoughts: The illustrations in this text are simply gorgeous. Delacre created scenes of the cloud forest using paintings and layers of mixed media. In the end notes, she explains that the "collage elements recreated the natural layers that define the forest." 

Speaking of the end notes, Delacre provided extensive notes about her research and her illustrations. She also provided more information about the cloud forest and the discovery of the olinguito. In addition, there is a glossary with images and a thorough accounting of the author's sources. I really appreciate having so much information provided beyond the text.

The text itself is rather wonderful too. Alphabet books can be marvelous and they can also feel forced and awful. Here the text is still lyrical and has substance even though she is trying to fit it into the format of the alphabet which can be quite tricky. 

This is a fantastic bilingual nonfiction text and I'm happy to add it to our collection.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Hoops to Hippos

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more non-fiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year.

While the National Geographic Kids Chapters series books are not precisely picture books, they are definitely nonfiction and have plenty of pictures, so I thought they might fit here.

Title: Hoops to Hippos
Author: Boris Diaw with Kitson Jazynka
Publisher: National Geographic
Pages: 111
Availability: On shelves now
Review copy: Final copy from publisher

Summary:  NBA star Boris Diaw of the San Antonio spurs takes young readers on safari as he explores his off-court passion: wildlife photography! Join Diaw as he escapes from stampeding wildebeests, comes face-to-face with lions, and discovers why you should never come between a hippo and its watery home. Through engaging stories and photos by Diaw, readers will discover a whole new side to this basketball champ.

National Geographic Kids Chapter books pick up where the best-selling National Geographic Readers series leaves off, offering young animal lovers who are ready for short chapters lively, exciting, full-color true stories -- just right to carry in backpacks, share with friends, and read under the covers at night.

My Thoughts: As with many of the National Geographic publications, the illustrations were a big draw for me. It helps that this also includes NBA player Boris Diaw. When I showed the book to my students, his name was one some recognized. This book has a unique twist since it blends sports with animals. I appreciated that readers see how photography can be an exciting hobby.

The book is written in a conversational tone and is a quick and easy read for upper elementary students though is probably a challenge for primary readers. Something that annoyed me a bit was the practice of including the pronunciation of words in parenthesis in this way, "Hi, my name is Boris Diaw (sounds like DEE-ow)." I was irritated by the words "sounds like" being repeated every single time. I felt the pronunciation could have stood alone. That was a small thing though. Overall, I found the book quite engaging.

I picked up a few others in the series, Ape Escapes!  and Animal Superstars. They are also very eye-catching and seem like excellent chapter books to hand to nonfiction lovers. Here's a video so you can meet the author:

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge - Sitting Bull

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more non-fiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year.

This week the American Indian Youth Literature Award winners were announced. We have the age appropriate titles in our library, but I still hadn't read Sitting Bull.

Sitting Bull: Lakota Warrior and Defender of His People by S.D. Nelson

Goodreads summary: Sitting Bull (c. 1831–1890) was one of the greatest Lakota/Sioux warriors and chiefs who ever lived. From Sitting Bull’s childhood—killing his first buffalo at age 10—to being named war chief to leading his people against the U.S. Army, Sitting Bull: Lakota Warrior and Defender of His People brings the story of the great chief to light. Sitting Bull was instrumental in the war against the invasive wasichus (white men) and was at the forefront of the combat, including the Battles of Killdeer Mountain and the Little Bighorn. He and Crazy Horse were the last Lakota/Sioux to surrender their people to the U.S. government and resort to living on a reservation.

The book includes an extensive author’s note and timeline, historical photographs, a map, a bibliography, endnotes, and an index.

My Thoughts: S.D. Nelson does a phenomenal job of showing Sitting Bull as a human being and not simply a legend. The story is told in the voice of Sitting Bull. We see him from childhood as he learns and grows. The Lakota way of life changed drastically during his lifetime. This would be a fantastic book to use when teaching about history in upper elementary and middle school. It could add a personal dimension and fill in many of the gaps in textbooks. It would also offer a perspective that is often absent in the books and curriculum.

The book appears to be very well researched. [Though on closer inspection it appears that his sources were not the best - see update below] The author provides an excellent timeline and thorough author notes. In addition, the book is illustrated with a combination of archival images and Nelson's gorgeous artwork. He has a unique art style that combines traditional Lakota imagery with his own modern twist. I really appreciated the addition of ledger art on the back endpaper. He included a brief explanation of this work. During incarceration, some Native people were given used ledger books and they created works of art in them on top of the used pages.

There is so much to admire about this book. I hope that many people, young and old, have the opportunity to experience it.

Update:  I did not realize that this book had problematic content when I read it. Beverly Slapin very thoroughly reviewed the book at Debbie Reese's blog American Indians in Children's Literature a few months after I posted this review. She ended the review with this comment, "But, given the accolades this book has received, it will probably be widely read by youngsters and their teachers, who will think that they’re reading real history. They are not." So, yes, I did think I was reading real history, but after reading her review, I can see that I certainly didn't look closely enough. I appreciate that both Debbie Reese and Beverly Slapin continue to share information with readers because I  obviously still fail to notice when things are inaccurate.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge - A look at some Caldecott Honor Books

Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more non-fiction. My plan is to read at least 100 nonfiction picture books this year.

I'm working on reading the Caldecott winners and honor books. Today I read two nonfiction titles.

 Song of the Water Boatman & Other Pond Poems

written by Joyce Sidman & illustrated by Beckie Prange

Goodreads Summary: From spring’s first thaw to autumn’s chill, the world of the pond is a dramatic place. Though seemingly quiet, ponds are teeming with life and full of surprises. Their denizens—from peepers to painted turtles, duckweed to diving beetles—lead secret and fascinating lives. A unique blend of whimsy, science, poetry, and hand-colored woodcuts, this Caldecott Honor-winning collection invites us to take a closer look at our hidden ponds and wetlands. Here is a celebration of their beauty and their mystery.

My thoughts:  The illustrations here are gorgeous. I loved how Prange brought us up close and personal with even some of the tiniest of the critters. I went into it just thinking this was a poetry book. I didn't realize that there was a nonfiction blurb to go with each of the poems. This in addition to the fact that many of the poems were fact filled also. The poetry was nice, but the addition of the information about the scenes really made this book more appealing to me. People looking for poetry could just read that part, but I liked them together.

Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet

by David McLimans

Goodreads Summary: Feast your eyes on these amazing creatures before they disappear. This stampede of wild animals, from Chinese Alligator to Grevy's Zebra, are so rare, they're all endangered. David McLiman's bold and playful illustrations transform each letter into a work of art, graphically rendered with animal characteristics. Scales, horns, even insect wings transform the alphabet into animated life.

Once you take this eye-opening safari, you'll never look at letters or animals with the same way again. A striking work of art and a zoological adventure, Gone Wild is sure to be loved by children and adults alike.

My Thoughts: The illustrations are once again fabulous. I loved the creativity of the author/illustrator. He sought out not just endangered animals that would fit the alphabet, but also those with shapes that fit the letters in the animal's name. That had to be quite a bit of research. 

The text on the pages of the main body were not terribly interesting, but I did enjoy the collection of information at the end. Each animal has a blurb. The main part of the text was basically a chart that listed a few of the same facts for each animal. The end had more variety to it.