Week 7: Martin's Big Words

• Week: 7
• Book Title:  Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier
• Book Cover Image:

Copyright 2001, Hyperion Books for Children

• Book Summary:  This is a very basic view on Martin Luther King Jr.'s life from when he was a little boy in Atlanta to when he was shot in Memphis.  There are a timeline, bibliography, and websites for further information.  The illustrations are a collage of powerful images that symbolize many of the things from MLK's life.  
• APA Reference:  Rappaport, D.  (2001).  Martin's big words.  New York, NY:  Hyperion Books for Children.
• My Impressions:  It is a shame that I have never read this book before.  I think it should be a part of each elementary school teacher's personal library to share with their class on Martin Luther King's Day every year.  The powerful images of church and family combined with the historical pictures and quotes bring the man to life.  The message of love and peace is one all people should hear.  That message clashes with MLK's actual life . . . his life was full of turmoil and violence.  This is a poignant story children should hear and read every year. Martin's Big Words is a powerful telling of an icon's life.
• Professional Review:

Booklist ( October 01, 2001; 9780786825912 )

Ages 4-9. "Remember if I am stopped, this movement will not be stopped, because God is with this movement." Weaving in Dr. King's own "big words," this inspiring picture-book biography celebrates the great leader as preacher and politician. Rappaport's spare narrative captures the essentials of the man, the movement he led, and his policy of nonviolence. Only in the case of Rosa Parks is the glimpse too simplistic, presenting her as an individual who refused to give up her seat on the bus, rather than as the political activist she was. Collier's collage art is glorious. Combining cut-paper, photographs, and watercolor he expresses his own Christian faith and King's power "to make many different things one." Stained glass windows are the dominant images, not only in the many church scenes, but also in the play of shape, light, and color in the realistic views of the city. With powerful art and pulsing words ("He walked with them and talked with them and sang with them and prayed with them"), this is a fine book to share and read aloud many times. --Hazel Rochman

From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission Rochman, H.  (2001, October 1).  [Review of the book Martin's big words, by D. Rappaport].  Booklist. Retrieved from Bowker booksinprint.com.

• Library Uses:  For all of Black History Month, and especially on Martin Luther King's birthday, I would display and read Martin's Big Words.  A bulletin board with a poster of MLK and Rosa Parks surrounded with student writing from all grade levels would be the focal point in the library that month.  Each class and grade level can write with the prompt, "I have a dream . . ." and they can be displayed all together. 

Week 7: Shep: Our Most Loyal Dog

• Week: 7
• Book Title:  Shep:  Our Most Loyal Dog by Sneed B. Collard III, illustrated by Joanna Yardley
• Book Cover Image:

Copyright 2006, Thomson Corporation

• Book Summary:  Shep, a Montana sheepdog, became a beloved of the world when he kept watch for his owner who died.  Shep's devotion became a inspiration to the people of Fort Benton, Montana, the United States, and around the world.  His grave stands now as a reminder of steadfastness and the true meaning of loyalty.
• APA Reference:  Collard, S.  (2006).  Shep:  our most loyal dog.  Chelsea, MI:  Sleeping Bear Press, Thomson Corporation.
• My Impressions: I picked this book to read and review because Fort Benton is close to where I live.  In Montana terms, Fort Benton is the next town over.  My family and I have gone to Fort Benton and seen the statue and plaque honoring Shep.  It is truly an amazing story.  Dogs surprise us as humans when they show such devotion.  It reminds me of the stories of animals traveling hundreds and thousands of miles to get back to their homes when lost on a family vacation.  Luckily for Shep, Fort Benton is a small town that takes care of their own.  He found a surrogate family to look after him and enjoyed a long life at the train station.  The next time I visit Fort Benton, I will walk up the hill to see Shep's final resting place.  Interestingly enough, a week after reading this story there was a story in the Great Falls Tribune about the man who took Shep in at the train station.  He just recently passed away.
• Professional Review:

School Library Journal ( August 01, 2006; )

Gr 2-4-This picture book celebrates the bond between a sheep dog and his owner. During the Depression, in north central Montana, a sheepherder passed away. Shep watched the man's coffin being loaded onto a train to be returned to his family back east. From that day forward, the loyal canine met every passenger train that arrived at the Fort Benton depot. The station manager and many townspeople noticed him and slowly discovered the details of his life. The people adopted him, feeding him and loving him, until the day he died. News of the dog's death spread throughout the country and his story was featured in Reader's Digest, Lady's Circle, and other major publications. An author's note gives additional background information. Yardley's watercolor paintings, reminiscent of Susan Jeffers's work, are warm, detailed, and textured. Dog lovers will appreciate the reverential tone of the story. A good addition for larger collections.-Linda Zeilstra Sawyer, Skokie Public Library, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Sawyer, L.  (2010).  [Review of the book Shep:  Our Most Loyal Dog, by Sneed B. Collard III].  Library Journals LLC.  Retrieved from Bowker booksinprint.com.

• Library Uses:  Because Sneed Collard is a local Montana writer, I would invite him to our library for a book talk, reading, and signing.  Our Govenor Schweitzer has a dog similar Shep named Jag.  It would be cool if I could get him to come and read their book First Dog: Unleashed in the Montana Capitol in the library, also.

Week 6: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

• Week: 6
• Book Title: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
• Book Cover Image:

Copyright 2009, Square Fish

• Book Summary:  Calpurnia is a girl growing up at the turn of the century, in 1899.  She is the only girl in the family and has six brothers to contend with.  To her mother's dismay, she is very much a tomboy, spending her days catching bugs and frogs with her grandfather.  Her mother decides to do something about this because as a daughter, Calpurnia has to uphold certain family expectations.  This is the story of how Calpurnia tries to evade those expectations.
• APA Reference:  Kelly, J. (2009). The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate.  New York, NY:  Square Fish.
• My Impressions:  I loved this book!  The hysterical situations Calpurnia finds herself in made me laugh out loud at times.  I kept imagining my grandmother, who grew up at around the same time with 11 brothers and sisters, going through the same type of antics.  I loved the fact that Calpurnia got the way the temperature was printed in the newspaper from degrees in the sun to degrees in the shade (because who stands out in the hot sun?).  The fact that she and her grandfather found a new plant in the name of science is fascinating, as are all of the references to Charles Darwin.  Calpurnia's interactions with her mother and the cook during her "training" bring to light the changes in culture for women in the last 100 years.  I can't imagine being given a book called "The Science of Housewifery," although I'm sure there were such things out there at that time.  Calpurnia's emotions shine through within Kelly's writing, making this a captivating and excellent read.
• Professional Review:

Voice of Youth Advocates ( April 01, 2009; 9780805088410 )

Texas in the summer months is almost unbearable for Calpurnia Tate. There is no such thing as air conditioning in 1899, and the heat is oppressive even in the shade. In the afternoon, however, Calpurnia sneaks to the nearby river to cool off. She finds the outdoors a fascinating place with its variety of plants and insect and animal life. Before long, Calpurnia is recording her observations in a notebook and conferring with her amateur naturalist grandfather. When they discover a new species of plant, Calpurnia and her grandfather send their report and notes to the Smithsonian and anxiously await verification of their discovery. The culture and social life of the early twentieth century is reflected in the lives of Calpurnia and her family and community. What is central always to this novel, though, is the close relationship shared by Calpurnia and her grandfather, who are brought together through their interest in observing nature. Grandfather encourages Calpurnia not only to be scientific in her approach to studies but also underscores the importance of learning the other skills she deems useless, such as learning how to cook. Each chapter opens with an excerpt from Darwin's Origin of Species, offering a quote that mirrors what is also occurring in Calpurnia's life. Science teachers might use portions of this story to discuss the scientific method. Tie it to Deborah Heligman's Charles and Emma, the biography of the Darwins (Henry Holt, 2009/VOYA December 2008), for an interesting text pairing.-Teri S. Lesesne.

Lesesne, T.  (2009, April 1).  [Review of the book The evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by J. Kelly].  Voice of Youth Advocates.  Retrieved from Bowker booksinprint.com.

• Library Uses:  Portions of this book could be read for many different classes and grade levels.  First graders at our school study plants, and the information regarding the finding, care, and patenting of the vetch would be pertinent.  The scientific method used in the book could be compared to what we do in science classes now.  The very important fact that Calpurnia and her grandfather kept journals may increase interest in the writing journals that students have to keep today.  Fourth and fifth grade students studying US History can use this book as a bridge between Western Expansion and more recent happenings.  In the library, I would add this book to my displays of insect books and materials to interest older readers in entomology.

Week 6: Pink and Say

• Week: 6
• Book Title: Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
• Book Cover Image:

Copyright 1994, Philomel Books

• Book Summary: This is the story of two young boys in the Civil War.  They are both fighting for the North, although Pink is black and Say is white.  An injured Pink finds Say unconscious in a field and drags him home to his mother.  They are in danger from marauders no matter where they go.  They put Moe Moe Bay in mortal danger by staying in her home.  When they are captured, Pink is hanged and Say suffers in prison camp.  This story is told by Say's descendants.
• APA Reference:  Polacco, P. (1994).  Pink and Say.  New York, NY:  Scholastic, Inc.
• My Impressions:  This is a compelling story of horrific events suffered by two young boys.  It is painful that kids had to suffer and survive like this during the Civil War, or any war. The ending made me cry.  I find it amazing that the story was passed down from generation to generation to Patricia Polacco.  I imagine that there were thousands of similar stories from the Civil War that are now lost.  I like the fact that Polacco puts the "facts" in the very beginning of the book and at the very end as well.  Although Abraham Lincoln is not a character in the book, his importance to the people fighting for his beliefs shines through.  To touch the hand of a person who touched the hand of a person who shook hands with the great man is amazing.  It makes me wonder what stories are in my family that I should hear and perhaps write down.
• Professional Review:

School Library Journal ( May 01, 1997; 9780804568357 )

K-Gr 5‘Pink and Say is Patricia Polacco's history-rich, emotion-laden story (Putnam, 1994) about the friendship between two boys who meet while fighting for the Union in the Civil War. Pinky, a black boy, finds Say, a wounded white boy, and brings him home. Pink's mother nurses Say, and just as the boys prepare to return to war, marauders come to the cabin, killing Pink's mother. The boys are captured several days later by Confederate troops. Say (Polacco's great-grandfather) survives‘Pink does not. The scenes cut seamlessly between her lavish illustrations. These are bonuses to an already wonderful story, and show how author/illustrator Polacco melds her life into her craft. More than just a book Pink and Say introduces readers to the author, to storytelling in its finest face-to-face tradition, and to an accounting useful as a literature link to the Civil War, slavery, or Black History Month. School and public libraries would find this a worthy addition to their collections.-Marilyn Hersh, Hillside Elementary School, Farmington Hills, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Reference:  Hersh, M.  (2010).  [Review of the book Pink and Say, by Patricia Polacco].  Library Journals LLC.  Retrieved from Bowker booksinprint.com.

• Library Uses:  I would read this to the sixth grade classes right before they start their Civil War unit.  Then I would have them go to the Library of Congress website to look up original documents like letters from Civil War soldiers, and documents from the Andersonville Prison Camp. 

Week 5: The City of Ember

• Week: 5
• Book Title: The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
• Book Cover Image:

Copyright (2003).  Random House Children's Books.

• Book Summary: Ember was built when humans feared no one on the planet's surface would survive.  Lina and Doon live underground in a dark place where electricity often fails.  There is little food, and some of the people in charge are corrupt.  When kids turn twelve they choose jobs out of a jar.  Lina wants to be a messenger but draws Pipeworks laborer.  Doon draws messenger and asks Lina to trade.  Doon wants to try his ideas for fixing the generator underground.  As their friendship grows so does their adventure.
• APA Reference: DuPrau, J. (2003). The city of Ember. New York, NY:  Random House Children's Books.
• My Impressions:  This is a dark, post-Apocalypse story that gives me the creeps.  I hate the idea of being trapped underground without light.  Even though pitch blackness makes me panic, I couldn't put the book down.  All of the little details that come with living underground come alive with DuPrau's writing style.  Damp rock outcroppings, climbing through tunnels, darkness, uncertainty, all come through the writing loud and clear.  The problems that come with a corrupt government add more spice to the storyline.  There are so many interesting characters, too.  The greenhouse worker, Clary, and the neighbor, Mrs. Murdo, give Lina the courage she needs.  Doon is calm and rational, solving problems and helping Lina find her way.  The ending brought tears to my eyes. The warmth and light, the dog and flowers; all signs of hope for their future.
• Professional Review:

Booklist ( April 15, 2003; 9780375922749 )

Gr. 5^-7. Ember, a 241-year-old, ruined domed city surrounded by a dark unknown, was built to ensure that humans would continue to exist on Earth, and the instructions for getting out have been lost and forgotten. On Assignment Day, 12-year-olds leave school and receive their lifetime job assignments. Lina Mayfleet becomes a messenger, and her friend Doon Harrow ends up in the Pipeworks beneath the city, where the failing electric generator has been ineffectually patched together. Both Lina and Doon are convinced that their survival means finding a way out of the city, and after Lina discovers pieces of the instructions, she and Doon work together to interpret the fragmented document. Life in this postholocaust city is well limned--the frequent blackouts, the food shortage, the public panic, the search for answers, and the actions of the powerful, who are taking selfish advantage of the situation. Readers will relate to Lina and Doon's resourcefulness and courage in the face of ominous odds. --Sally Estes

From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Estes, S.  (2003, April 15).  [Review of the book The City of Ember, by J. DuPrau].  Booklist, American Library Association.  Retrieved from Bowker booksinprint.com.

• Library Uses:  Around Halloween I would set aside time to do a post-Apocalypse themed display.  I would have students make posters of their favorite fantasy/sci-fi books for hanging.  This would fit right in with the zombies, vampires, and witches of Halloween.

Week 5: Artemis Fowl

• Week: 5
• Book Title: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
• Book Cover Image:

Copyright (2001), Scholastic, Inc.

• Book Summary:  A boy genius, Artemis Fowl sets out to redeem his family's reputation.  He needs money and he needs it fast.  He's heard rumors of a fairy motherlode and makes plans to steal it.  His adventures take him all over the world and the plot takes twists and turns that are unexpected.  In the end he gets what he wants. Or does he?
• APA Reference:  Colfer, E. (2001).  Artemis Fowl.  New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.
• My Impressions:  At first I thought, "How can a criminal be a good character or role model for the kid's reading this book?"  But, as the book continues, I tuned into some of the back story that makes Artemis do the things he does.  As a 12 year old, he has a truly amazing capability for planning and thinking things through. Holly is an excellent buffer and adds a quirkiness to the storyline.  Butler is the stuff of children's fantasies . . . who doesn't want a bodyguard/servant/friend/father figure hanging around waiting to do anything you want to do?   This book has me hooked enough to read the rest of the series.  From the worn-out shape of the copy I found, I would say that many kids feel the same way.
• Professional Review:

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8–Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl (Hyperion, 2001) is twelve-year-old and heir to the Fowl Empire worth millions, albeit earned through not-so-conventional means. He is a genius and undoubtedly one of the craftiest, most cynical and criminal masterminds the world has ever known. This first book in the series begins with his discovery of the existence of "The People"–fairies, leprechauns, and trolls–and their abundance of gold. Artemis learns that each fairy has a tiny magical book and he'll do whatever it takes to get one, including blackmailing an old, drunken fairy. After decoding the secrets held in the book, he sets his plan into motion to kidnap a fairy and hold her for ransom. With the help of his bodyguard, Artemis successfully captures feisty Captain Holly Short, a LEPrecon–a soldier from an elite branch of the Lower Elements Police. His mission is thwarted when Short's senior officer implements a strategic rescue team resulting in a wisecracking ensemble of dwarfs, trolls, and fairies. The result is a magical adventure replete with a perfect blend of fantasy, folklore, and funky high-tech gadgets. Colfer has created alcoholic, gaunt fairies, dwarfs who unhinge their jaws to ingest earth, and fairies who use profanity. Colfer's anti-hero, techno fantasy is cleverly written and filled to the brim with action, suspense, and humor.  A wonderful choice for readers of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling.–Cheryl Preisendorfer, Twinsburg City Schools, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Preisendorfer, C. (2010). [Review of the book Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer].  Library Journals LLC. Retrieved from Bowker booksinprint.com.

• Library Uses:  I am envisioning a bulletin board with covers from all of Colfer's books to encourage students to get into the series.  Short Animoto videos promoting the books would be a great project for older elementary students.

Week 4: Ninth Ward

• Week: 4
• Book Title: Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
• Book Cover Image:

Copyright (2010) Hatchette Book Group

• Book Summary: A young girl who has been orphaned, is living with her mother's midwife in the 9th Ward of New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina.  Lanesha and Mama Ya-Ya both see ghosts and have intuitive feelings.  When the hurricane hits they plan for the best and Lanesha makes it through using her wits.
• APA Reference:  Rhodes, J. P. (2010).  Ninth Ward.  New York, NY: Hatchette Book Group.
• My Impressions:  Although this is considered realistic fiction, I felt a lot of fantasy elements in it.  Lanesha sees and talks to ghosts.  Mama Ya-Ya "sees" the future.  The whole book has a kind-of mystical feel to it.  It is an excellent book, however.  Lanesha's voice is strong even when she is afraid.  She is the kind of character people want to know and be like.  The hurricane is truly frightening and to think of the families and children that went through that horrific event brings chills.  These 10 days that the book covers are filled with nightmarish details that the author covers in a matter-of-fact way.  Her writing lets the reader know that these things were "real" and happened, but extreme graphic details are left out so the reader uses their imagination.  I laughed. I cried. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. 
• Professional Review:

Publishers Weekly ( August 02, 2010; 9780316043076 )

With a mix of magical and gritty realism, Rhodes's (Voodoo Dreams) first novel for young readers imagines Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding through the eyes of resourceful 12-year-old Lanesha. Lanesha lives with Mama Ya-Ya, an 82-year-old seer and midwife who delivered Lanesha and has cared for her since her teenage mother died in childbirth. Living in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Lanesha is viewed as an unusual child (she was born with a caul and is able to see ghosts) and is ostracized at school. Lanesha finds strength in Mama Ya-Ya's constant love and axioms of affection and reassurance ("When the time's right... the universe shines down love"). The story becomes gripping as the waters rise and Lanesha, with help from a young neighbor and her mother's ghostly presence, finds a way to keep body and soul together. The spare but vivid prose, lilting dialogue, and skilled storytelling brings this tragedy to life; the powerful sense of community Rhodes evokes in the Ninth Ward prior to the storm makes the devastation and the hardships Lanesha endures all the more powerful. Ages 10-up. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Review.  (2010, August 2).  [Review of the book Ninth Ward, by J.P. Rhodes]  Publishers Weekly, LLC.  Retrieved from Bowkers booksinprint.com.

• Library Uses:  This could be used as a support for a classroom unit on natural disasters.  Reading the novel, using Google Earth to show the area of distruction, conducting a fund raiser to support ongoing reconstruction, showing Youtube videos of kids helping in the area, there are so many places to take this book!

Gregor the Overlander

Make your own slideshow with music at Animoto.

This book promo for Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins was produced using Animoto.com. The Animoto style used was Earth. The Animoto music used was A Night in the Park by John Kelley. The Animoto images used were the city and sunset. The cockroach and bat were found through the copyright free Flickr Commons.

The Golden Compass

Make your own slideshow at Animoto.

This video book promo is for The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. It was made through Animoto.com and the style is Animoto Air. The Animoto music is Kill Me Quickly (or not at all) by His Boy Elroy. The Animoto images used are the monkey and leopard. The alethiometer (Chinese compass), and balloon are from Flickr.com the Commons which is copyright free.

Savvy

Make your own slideshow at Animoto.

This Animoto video is a book promo for Savvy by Ingrid Law. Animoto.com is a free video producing site which includes: the style used; Animoto Original, the music used; Beautiful Being Lord Running Clam Mix by Eastern Sun, and the images birthday cake and clouds. The images of the bus and lightening are from flickr.com The Commons-copyright free images. The angel image is a copyright free one from photobucket.com.