Background Knowledge – Page 15

Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie

June 2, 2016June 2, 2016 by Ricki

Thunder Boy Jr.
Author: Sherman Alexie; Illustrator: Yuyi Morales
Published: May 10, 2016 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: Thunder Boy Jr. is named after his dad, but he wants a name that’s all his own. Just because people call his dad Big Thunder doesn’t mean he wants to be Little Thunder. He wants a name that celebrates something cool he’s done, like Touch the Clouds, Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth, or Full of Wonder.

But just when Thunder Boy Jr. thinks all hope is lost, he and his dad pick the perfect name…a name that is sure to light up the sky.

National Book Award-winner Sherman Alexie’s lyrical text and Caldecott Honor-winner Yuyi Morales’s striking and beautiful illustrations celebrate the special relationship between father and son.

My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I should start by admitting that I have a mildly unhealthy obsession with Sherman Alexie’s work. Ever since I discovered his greatness in college, I can’t get enough of him! So I broke one of my rules and pre-ordered this book. It surely didn’t disappoint! His writing and Yuyi Morales’ illustrations makes for a masterful text. As you can see from the flagged passage (a spread) below, the writing and illustrations pop, and readers will be captivated by the text. My two-year-old son loved reading it with me.

One of the critiques I’ve read about this book is that it should come with a teacher’s guide for Native American naming traditions. I fully understand this critique can understand where it is coming from. While I think an author’s note would have been helpful, as a fellow Native American, I wonder if this really should be a critique of the text. Why must Sherman Alexie (and other Native Americans) feel the need to always justify and explain their stories? I imagine that Alexie would cringe at a teacher’s (well-intentioned) attempt to follow up a reading of this text with their own naming ceremonies/activities. That said, I don’t believe this is necessarily his job. A little bit of background research will surely produce a wealth of materials about the sacredness of these rituals. I believe it seems to normalize Whiteness when we constantly request authors of color to provide teaching materials for texts. Like others, while I’d love for some aspect of the paratext to include this extra material, I don’t believe that this is a flaw of the text.

Discussion Questions: Why does Thunder Boy Jr. want a different name from his father? How does the author build the story in order to share more about Thunder Boy Jr.’s feelings?; What qualities do you share with other family members? How are you different from your family members? Do we all feel a yearning to be unique or different? In what ways are you unique?

Flagged Passage:

Spread from: http://www.slj.com/2016/03/diversity/how-a-library-raised-yuyi-morales-the-award-winning-illustrator-on-sherman-alexies-thunder-boy-jr-and-more/#_

Read This If You Loved: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle, Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith, My Abuelita by Tony Jonston (Illustrated by Yuyi Morales), The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie

Recommended For:

Blog Tour with Review!: Mastermind by National Geographic

June 1, 2016 by Kellee

Nonfiction Wednesday

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!

Mastermind: Over 100 Games, Tests, and Puzzles to Unleash Your Inner Genius
Author: Stephanie Warren Drimmer
Puzzles by: Julie K. Cohen
Published May 10th, 2016 by National Geographic Children’s Books

Welcome to Stop #7 on the National Geographic Kids Mastermind Blog Tour!

This summer, National Geographic Kids Books is inviting kids to “Unleash Their Inner Genius” with the release of Mastermind (May 2016, ages 8-12). In this fun, interactive book, kids learn what type of thinker they are and are given the chance to exercise different parts of their brains with games, tests and puzzles.

Each stop on the National Geographic Kids Mastermind Blog Tour brings you one step closer to becoming a Certified Mastermind. Be sure to stop by each stop on the tour and challenge yourself to unleash your inner genius with fun quizzes, optical illusions, and brain teasers, and learn tips and tricks for improving brainpower and explanations for the science behind navigating your mental map.

Are you ready to put your genius to the test with some word puzzles? Check out below and tweet your answers using #Mastermind!

Goodreads Summary: Ready to exercise your brain? Let zany superbraniac Ima Genius be your guide in this interactive book full of fascinating brain facts, puzzles, games, and challenges. Learn what type of thinker you are and the geniuses that share your special type of intellect. Discover why your brain does what it does, and how that affects vision, hearing, touch, smell, taste, spatial reasoning, language, memory, and problem solving. Each chapter is filled not only with fun and games, but also famous historical cases, crazy quizzes, exciting experiments, and a glossary of Genius Jargon, invented for advanced brain-related vocabulary.

The cheeky narrator and self-proclaimed “Mastermind” Ima Genius and her talking dog, Atom, guide the reader through short and snappy explanations of the science behind why the brain does what it does and how it affects the senses, spatial reasoning, language, memory and problem solving. As kids work their way through the book completing experiments, brain teasers, mazes, quizzes and games, their efforts (and smarts!) are rewarded with a Certificate of Mental Achievement declaring them as a Certified Mastermind. Or, in the words of Ima Genius:

“When I’m finished with you, your brain will be so huge that your average-size neck will no longer be able to support your massive noggin. Ha! I kid. That’s only happened once.”

Kellee’s Review: I love the variety of puzzles and games found within this book! They are quite clever and are definitely brain exercises. I also always love National Geographic books because of the quality of not only the text inside but also because of the photographs. Mixed in with all the puzzles are perfect animal photos and other science-y photos. For example, even the maze within the book is finding your way through a maze within a spine! Although the puzzles definitely are fun, I think my favorite things within the book are the “Atom’s Brain Breaks,” “Myths: Busted,” “Fun Facts,” tests, and other fun knowledge that was shared within.

Ricki’s Review: This would be the perfect road trip book. There are so many puzzles and games, and they are all quite different. I am tempted to save this for my son for when he is a bit older, but I know my neighbors would love it. It’s a great book to share with others because it will appeal to kids of all interest levels. As with most of the National Geographic books we’ve reviewed here on Unleashing Readers, this book is jam-packed with awesome facts about animals, science, etc. This book will last a long time—there is so much to learn and do! The narrator (Ima Genius) is a perfect guide, and she made me smile.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Although this book may seem like an individual book, it would definitely be fun as a whole-class bell work activity. It is almost exactly one page per school day if you did one each day. It would be a fun way to mix literacy and science!

Discussion Questions: What myths were busted that you thought were true?; What’s the difference between how dogs and humans see the world?; How do the different parts of your body work and work together?; What fun facts did you learn that you didn’t know before?

We Flagged: See above!

Read This If You Loved: Interactive books with puzzles, brain teasers, tests, or other games

Recommended For:

Thank you for stopping by and being a part of the National Geographic Kids Mastermind Blog Tour! Did you master all of the quizzes, puzzles and brain teasers? If so, congratulations Mastermind! Here is your Certificate of Mental Achievement!

If you missed one or two, visit these stops and become a Certified Mastermind!

Blog Tour Schedule:

5/23 – Reading is Better With Cupcakes

5/24 – Mother Daughter Book Reviews

5/25 – Geo Librarian

5/26 – Mrs. Mommy Book Nerd’s Book Reviews

5/27 – Always In The Middle

5/31 – Mundie Kids

6/1 – Unleashing Readers

and

**Thank you to Karen at Media Masters Publicity for providing copies for review!!**

Boyds Mills Press Nonfiction Picture Books: Fearless Flyer by Heather Lang, Dorothea’s Eyes by Barb Rosenstock, and Fresh Delicious by Irene Latham

May 25, 2016May 25, 2016 by Kellee

Nonfiction Wednesday

Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and Her Flying Machine
Author: Heather Lang
Illustrator: Raúl Colón
Published March 1st, 2016 by Calkins Creek

Goodreads Summary: On November 19, 1916, at 8:25 a.m., Ruth Law took off on a flight that aviation experts thought was doomed. She set off to fly nonstop from Chicago to New York City. Sitting at the controls of her small bi-plane, exposed to the elements, Law battled fierce winds and numbing cold. When her engine ran out of fuel, she glided for two miles and landed at Hornell, New York. Even though she fell short of her goal, she had broken the existing cross-country distance record. And with her plane refueled, she got back in the air and headed for New York City where crowds waited to greet her. In this well-researched, action-packed picture book, Heather Lang and Raúl Colón recreate a thrilling moment in aviation history. Includes an afterword with archival photographs.

My Thoughts: I love Ruth. She just doesn’t care if anyone tells her she cannot do something. She just goes about it her own way. Law is definitely a woman who should be taught about in schools because she really embodies someone that is not going to let lower expectations for women get in her way of doing exactly what she wants to do. And even next to flying, Law goes against everything that is stereotypical about women because she is also mechanical. (Also, interestingly enough, there is a flying book called Flying Solo which is about another Ruth pilot.) Ruth Law will definitely be added to my “Biographical Picture Books about Strong Women” update post when I do it.

Dorothea’s Eyes
Author: Barb Rosenstock
Illustrator: Gérard DuBois
Published March 1st, 2016 by Calkins Creek

Goodreads Summary: After a childhood bout of polio left her with a limp, all Dorothea Lange wanted to do was disappear. But this desire not to be seen helped her learn how to blend into the background and observe others acutely. With a passion for the artistic life, and in spite of her family’s disapproval, Dorothea pursued her dream to become a photographer and focused her lens on the previously unseen victims of the Great Depression. This poetic biography tells the emotional story of Lange’s evolution as one of the founders of documentary photography. It includes a gallery of Lange’s photographs, and an author’s note, timeline, and bibliography.

My Thoughts: Friends and family of mine know that art is dear to me because my father is an art museum director, and photography is especially dear to me because my mom is a photographer. Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother is one of the most famous photographs ever taken but not Dorothea Lange herself isn’t often talked about. Her life is fascinating, and I love the messages that she focused on in her artwork. I definitely would love to team this book up with Photos Framed because it is the biography behind the photo.

Fresh Delicious: Poems from the Farmers’ Market
Author: Irene Latham
Illustrator: Mique Moriuchi
Published March 8th, 2016 by Wordsong

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: I love poetry anthologies that make poetry accessible yet is still well written, and Fresh Delicious definitely fits this bill. Latham has done a very nice job at making each food’s poems unique and fit the topic. I love that it also brings personality to vegetables. As a mom to a son that doesn’t eat them, maybe seeing them in this light will make him want to try them again. Many of the poems also include figurative elements that can be taught through the poems. such as alliteration in “Blueberries:” flavor-filled fireworks, teeth and tongue, and best thing about blueberries, and similes in “Tomato:” smooth like a balloon and red like a fire truck.

All Recommended For:

Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Review: Bubonic Panic: When Plague Invaded America by Gail Jarrow

May 18, 2016May 18, 2016 by Ricki

Nonfiction Wednesday

Bubonic Panic: When Plague Invaded America
Author: Gail Jarrow
Published: May 10, 2016 by Calkins Creek

GoodReads Summary: In March 1900, San Francisco’s health department investigated a strange and horrible death in Chinatown. A man had died of bubonic plague, one of the world’s deadliest diseases. But how could that be possible? Bubonic Panic tells the true story of America’s first plague epidemic—the public health doctors who desperately fought to end it, the political leaders who tried to keep it hidden, and the brave scientists who uncovered the plague’s secrets. Once again, acclaimed author and scientific expert Gail Jarrow brings the history of a medical mystery to life in vivid and exciting detail for young readers. This title includes photographs and drawings, a glossary, a timeline, further resources, an author’s note, and source notes.

Review: I have read about the medieval plague, but I haven’t read much about the plague epidemic of the twentieth century. It was fascinating (and sad) to learn about this time period. Gail Jarrow has an incredible ability to make nonfiction material very accessible to readers. This book is a page-turner, and I had difficulty putting it down! The information is very easy to follow, yet it is complex and made me think! I will read any book by Jarrow because she really makes me think. Her texts go beyond medical information. There are themes, for example, about racism and prejudice that made me want to use this book in the classroom!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: As with Gail Jarrow’s Fatal Fever, I think it would be wise for teachers to explore other diseases and epidemics while teaching this book. It would be particularly interesting to make connections between this book and Jarrow’s Red Madness and Fatal Fever. Students could participate in literature circles and discuss their learning. I also found the prejudice and scapegoating included in the text to be very interesting and think this would make for very worthy classroom discussions.

Discussion Questions: What role does fear play in the text? How does fear evolve? Is it often validated or invalidated? What negative consequences come with fear?; Are there any heroes in this book? Why or why not?; How can we connect the text to the modern anti-vaccination movement?

Flagged Passage:

Read This If You Loved: Fatal Fever: Tracking Down Typhoid Mary by Gail Jarrow; Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat by Gail Jarrow; Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-Ending Search for a Cure by Jim Murphy and Alison Blank

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Recommended For:

Check out the other stops on the blog tour!:

Monday, May 16

The Nonfiction Detectives

www.nonfictiondetectives.com

Tuesday, May 17

KidLit Frenzy

www.kidlitfrenzy.com

Wednesday, May 18

Unleashing Readers

www.unleashingreaders.com

Thursday, May 19

Teach Mentor Texts

www.teachmentortexts.com

Friday, May 20

Sally’s Bookshelf

www.sallysbookshelf.blogspot.com

*Thank you to Kerry at Boyds Mills Press for sending this book for review!*

From Kellee’s (Huge) Library Pile Part Eleven: Nonfiction Picture Books | Pink is for Blobfish by Jess Keating, Hillary Rodham Clinton by Michelle Markel, Two Friends by Dean Robbins, Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford, & The Great Monkey Rescue by Sandra Markle

September 4, 2016May 4, 2016 by Kellee

Nonfiction Wednesday

Because of It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? posts, I find myself often with huge piles of picture books from the library that were highly recommended by fellow bloggers. I celebrate many of the nonfiction pictures books on Wednesdays, but I want to share some of the fiction picture books I have enjoyed. So, I decided to start series here on UR where I can pass on the love for these books sporadically as I read them. Here is a list of some great pictures books that I’ve read recently from my huge library pile (part 11!).

Pink is for Blobfish: Discovering the World’s Perfectly Pink Animals
Author: Jess Keating
Illustrator: David Degrand
Published February 2nd, 2016

Goodreads Summary: Pinkalicious meets National Geographic in this nonfiction picture book introducing the weirdest, wildest, pinkest critters in the animal kingdom!

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.

My Thoughts: I loved how Keating set up the book. The information that was included was fascinating, there were many text features that added interesting tidbits throughout, and there was some hilarity thrown in. Such a great read! I also was told that it is going to be a series, and that is such great news!

Hillary Rodham Clinton: Some Girls Are Born to Lead
Author: Michelle Markel
Illustrator: LeUyen Pham
Published January 5th, 2016 by Balzer + Bay

Goodreads Summary: In the spirit of Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope andAmelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride comes an inspiring portrait of Hillary Rodham Clinton: a girl who fought to make a difference—and paved the way for women everywhere—from Michelle Markel and LeUyen Pham.

In the 1950s, it was a man’s world. Girls weren’t supposed to act smart, tough, or ambitious. Even though, deep inside, they may have felt that way. And then along came Hillary. Brave, brilliant, and unstoppable, she was out to change the world.

They said a woman couldn’t be a mother and a lawyer. Hillary was both. They said a woman shouldn’t be too strong or too smart. Hillary was fearlessly herself.

It didn’t matter what people said—she was born to lead.

With illustrations packed full of historical figures and details, this gorgeous and informative picture book biography is perfect for every budding leader. Includes a timeline, artist’s note, and bibliography.

My Thoughts: Alyson Beecher shared with me that Pham did a tremendous amount of research for this book though she had no issues researching because Hillary is so fact-checked. I think the idea of how much research LeUyen did for this book is fascinating and is also evident in the book. I am also a huge fan of Pham’s illustrations (she does Princess in Black also), and it was so much fun to see Hillary being represented so brightly. I loved learning about Hillary’s journey to the current presidential race. Right now so much is focused on negativity, it is nice to see why she is such an inspirational woman.

Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass
Author: Dean Robbins
Illustrator: Sean Qualls and Selina Alko
Published January 5th, 2016 by Orchard Books

Goodreads Summary: Some people had rights, while others had none.
Why shouldn’t they have them, too?

Two friends, Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, get together for tea and conversation. They recount their similar stories fighting to win rights for women and African Americans. The premise of this particular exchange between the two is based on a statue in their hometown of Rochester, New York, which shows the two friends having tea.

My Thoughts: I loved learning about this friendship! I am a great admirer of both Anthony and Douglass; however, I did not know anything about the relationship they had. I love that they were both visionaries within two a civil rights movement though they also realized how their goals were connected, so they fought the prejudice together. Although I really would have loved this story to be longer to learn more about how they worked together, learning about their histories and imagining their tea party was a perfect way to introduce the friendship. I am also a huge fan of Qualls’s artwork, and I loved how this book incorporated his work with the written words of both reformers.

Freedom in Congo Square
Author: Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrator: R. Gregory Christie
Published January 5th, 2016 by little bee books

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.

My Thoughts: I found this book to be touching and beautiful and sad. Books about slavery always make me so ashamed of our past, so they are hard to read yet so important. I think Weatherford’s story really captures the brutal conditions of slavery in the South but also the freedom that was felt on the one free day in Louisiana. Also, I personally like rhyming couplets, so I thought it had a great sing-songy quality. And let’s not forget the illustrations. They are pieces of art. They could each be framed and put in a museum.

The Great Monkey Rescue: Saving the Golden Lion Tamarins
Author: Sandra Markle
Published October 1st, 2015 by Lerner Publishing Group

Goodreads Summary: Golden lion tamarins are found only in Brazilian forests. These small, remarkable monkeys once had plenty of space to roam and claim family territories. But years of deforestation caused their numbers to shrink. They were in serious danger of becoming extinct.

To help, scientists studied the animals in zoo settings. But they faced several mysteries. Why weren’t golden lion tamarins reproducing in zoos? If scientists reintroduced zoo-raised tamarins to the wild, would those monkeys survive? And how could scientists give tamarins enough forest area for the population to grow? Find out how scientists and concerned citizens worked together to give golden lion tamarins a hopeful future.

My Thoughts: It is always sad to learn about an endangered animal I didn’t know about before, this story was inspiring because it showed how a team working together could, and hopefully will continue, reverse the loss of a species. This book is so hopeful in that if we all work together to help save species that are struggling to survive. I really want to read more of Markle’s work now because she really is quite brilliant about turning information into narrative nonfiction.

All Recommended For:

Want to see Part One? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Two? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Three? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Four? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Five: We Need Diverse Books (NF)? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Six: We Need Diverse Books (F)? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Seven? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Eight: 2015 Nonfiction Titles? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Nine: 2015 Nonfiction Titles? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Ten: 2015 Fiction Titles? You can view it HERE.

Earth Day Recommended Reads: Gaia Warriors by Nicola Davies & 31 Ways to Change the World by 4,386 Children, We Are What We Do, and YOU!

April 20, 2016 by Kellee

Nonfiction Wednesday

Gaia Warriors
Nicola Davies
Published March 22nd, 2011 by Candlewick Press

Goodreads Summary: A book on global warming like no other, merging key concepts with firsthand accounts from people of all ages who have found ways to help.

Inspired by the work of outstanding scientist and thinker James Lovelock and written by acclaimed author Nicola Davies, here is a book that takes a clear look at how and why Earth’s climate is changing and the ways we can deal with it. Its style is simple and its explanations are compelling, illuminating not only hard facts but also the opinions and potential solutions of scientists all over the world. But there are other voices too, those of people young and old — lawyers, food producers, fashion designers, scientists, rock stars, architects, conservationists, kids, campaigners, and more — who are trying to change the way they (and we) live on the planet. At once comprehensive and accessible, this galvanizing call to arms includes web links and resources that make it easy to join the cause.

My Thoughts: This is a text that takes the narratives of some global warming books and the information of others and combines them. I did not know what Gaia Theory was before this text, but now I know that it is the idea that we need to take care of our Mother Earth. “The Gaia Paradigm describes a productive confluence between scientific understandings of Earth as a living system with cultural understandings (ancient and new) of human society as a seamless continuum of that system.” Gaia Warriors is a text that shares why this idea makes sense, why it is up to us to make changes, and stories of those who have. I appreciated how it was set up with the climate change basics in Section One then the people stories in Section Two. It makes it even more inspiring because Davies makes sure you have all the facts before hitting us with emotional appeal.

Discussion Questions: Which of the Gaia Warriors inspires you the most?; How could you live differently to help climate change?; What could you do to become a Gaia Warrior?

And the chapter titles: What is climate change?; How do we know that climate change is happening?; What’s causing climate change? Is climate change our fault?

We Flagged:

31 Ways to Change the World
Author: 4,386 Children, We Are What We Do©, and YOU!
Published March 9th, 2010 by Candlewick Press

Goodreads Summary: Children have lots of ideas for changing the world — and here are thirty-one fun and simple ways to get started.

Small actions multiplied by lots of people equals big change! That’s the driving belief behind the social change movement We Are What We Do — and it infuses this lively, motivating book packed with action steps for younger readers. Incorporating the suggestions of thousands of children, tips range from stirring (stand up for something) to silly (walk your dad); from earth-friendly (don’t charge your phone overnight) to eye-opening (where is that Waldo?); from social (teach your granny to text) to downright surprising (speak soccer!). These thirty-one creative, original ideas are contributed by kids for kids — and each is guaranteed to have a clear and positive impact. Of course, the book would not be complete without a final question to the reader: what’s the one thing you would do to change the world?

My Thoughts: What I really liked about this book vs. other “change the world” books was that there are so many different options and something that everyone could do. It would be so easy to go through and do most of these. Although this book doesn’t focus completely on global warming/climate change, I think it fits perfectly on Earth Day because one way to make our Earth better is to make humans nicer.

Discussion Questions: Which of these activities have you done?; Which of these activities could you do and help others do as well?; What other activities could you do to help our Earth, your school, your friends, your family, etc.?

We Flagged:

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I think talking about climate change and changing our ways to help is so important with our youth. These books, along with other Earth Day friendly books, can help kids understand the importance of our decisions every day.

Read These Books If You Loved: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming by Laurie David and Cambria Gordon, An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore

Both Recommended For:

**Thank you to Candlewick Press for providing copies for review!**

National Parks Week (April 16th-24th) Recommended Reads: A Weird and Wild Beauty by Erin Peabody and National Geographic’s National Parks Guide U.S.A.

April 13, 2016 by Kellee

Nonfiction Wednesday

National Parks Guide USA Centennial Edition: The Most Amazing Sights, Scenes, and Cool Activities from Coast to Coast!
National Geographic Kids
Published February 9th, 2016 by National Geographic Children’s Books

Goodreads Summary: Happy 100th Birthday, National Parks! Join the centennial celebration by reading all about these greatest of American treasures — from Acadia to Zion — in preparation for a parks visit sometime soon. Filled with color photos, information on animals, fascinating lists, fun facts, maps, cool things to do, conservation tips, and much more — think of this book as your trusted guide to these most majestic of places.

My Thoughts: This book makes me want to go on a road trip! As you all know, I am a huge fan of National Geographic books because of their brilliant graphics, text features, easy-to-follow text structure, and interesting information. This text is no different. Like the title states, it goes through many of the USA National Parks from the east to the west and gives the reader not only history about the national park but also beautiful photos, fun facts, visiting tips, a map, excursions within the park, and must-do activities. This text will be a great companion to any trip to these amazing parks.

Discussion Questions: Which national park do you want to visit?; What activity looks like the most fun to you at that park?; What national parks are near you?

We Flagged:

Giveaway and National Parks Video by National Geographic

Celebrate the beauty and wonder of America’s national parks during this centennial year with an amazing outdoor adventure! Climb mountains, hike trails, see wildlife, explore the country, and plan it now with National Geographic books as your inspiration and guide. Be sure to enter for the chance to win a National Geographic Expeditions family trip for four to Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion National Parks at nationalparkssweeps.com.

A Weird and Wild Beauty: The Story of Yellowstone, the World’s First National Park
Author: Erin Peabody
Published February 2nd, 2016 by Sky Pony Press

Goodreads Summary: The summer of 1871, a team of thirty-two men set out on the first scientific expedition across Yellowstone. Through uncharted territory, some of the day’s most renowned scientists and artists explored, sampled, sketched, and photographed the region’s breathtaking wonders—from its white-capped mountain vistas and thundering falls to its burping mud pots and cauldrons of molten magma. At the end of their adventure, the survey packed up their specimens and boarded trains headed east, determined to convince Congress that the country needed to preserve the land from commercial development. They returned with “stories of wonder hardly short of fairy tales,” to quote the New York Times.

With the support of conservationists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Frederick Law Olmsted, and John Muir, the importance of a national park was secured. On March 1, 1872, Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone Park Bill into law. It set aside over two million acres of one-of-a-kind wilderness as “a great national park for the benefit and enjoyment of people.” This important and fascinating book will introduce young adults to the astonishing adventure that led to “the best idea America ever had.” Today over 130 countries have copied the Yellowstone model, and billions of acres of critical habitat and spectacular scenery are being preserved for all of us to enjoy.

This book has a wonderful ecological and historical message for readers ages 12 and up. No book about Yellowstone’s founding has been written for this age group before, yet Yellowstone National Park is a major destination for many families, so many readers will likely have heard of Yellowstone or even have visited there. This is a great book for any school library or for history or science classrooms in middle and high school, where information can be used for research projects.

My Thoughts: Many of us take advantage of the national parks that have been preserved throughout the United States without knowing the history of the National Park Program or realizing how important it is to preserve these parks. This book will help middle grade and teen readers learn about this history and the beautify of a park they’ve probably heard of or been to but may not know everything about. Peabody does a good job making the history readable and interesting.

Discussion Questions: Why did President Grant pass the Yellowstone Park Bill? How did this bill change the direction of parks in the U.S.? If you went to Yellowstone, what would you most be looking forward to?

We Flagged: “J.G. Holland sat at his desk, staring wide-eyed at the pages spread before him. Holland was an editor at Scribner’s Monthly, a popular magazine and source of news for Americans in the mid- to late 1800s.

Holland had just received the most bizarre-sounding account. It spoke of a strange land where the ground gurgled and hissed. A land where scalding waters blew from craters and vats of steaming pink mud threatened to swallow a man whole. The place, according to the man who’d recently traveled through the region, abounded with ‘boiling springs,’ ‘mud volcanoes,’ and ‘huge mountains of sulphur.’

Incredulous, Holland tried to absorb the dazzling imagery. The author, clearly spellbound by what he saw, gushed about the brilliant turquoise pools and hot-water fountains. The mud volcano, the man wrote, erupted with the force of thundering cannons. Its boiling broth scalded trees hundreds of yards away.

This world of absurdities, the traveler informed Holland, was not some far-off land. It belonged to the United States.” (Prologue)

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The National Geographic book gives such a wonderful overview of all of the major national parks and would be a great introduction to these parks. Then, the students could choose to learn more about a specific national park. Erin Peabody’s book would be a fabulous resource for the students who choose Yellowstone. It is so thorough and it, combined with the National Geographic book, would give a detailed overview of Yellowstone.

Both Recommended For:

**Thank you to Karen at Media Masters Publicity and Cheryl at Skyhorse Publishing for providing copies for review!**