Biography/Autobiography/Memoir – Page 12

Women Who Broke the Rules: Sacajawea, Judy Blume, Sonia Sotomayor, and Dolley Madison by Kathleen Krull

November 4, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book 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!

Women Who Broke the Rules series
Sacajawea: Lewis and Clark Would Be Lost without Me
Judy Blume: Are You There, Reader? It’s Me, Judy!
Sonia Sotomayor: I’ll Be the Judge of That!
Dolley Madison: Parties Can Be Patriotic
Author: Kathleen Krull
Illustrators: Various
Published 2015 by Bloomsbury

Publisher’s Summary: Many awe-inspiring women have changed the course of history. From fighting for social justice and women’s rights to discovering and shaping our amazing country, women have left an indelible mark on our past, present, and future. But it’s not easy to affect change, and these women didn’t always play by the rules to make a difference! Kathleen Krull blends history and humor in this accessible young biography series.

My Review: I was first introduced to this series at Kid Lit Frenzy in June when Alyson shared these four biographies with us (along with an informative Q&A and a fun quiz), and as soon as I read her posts, I knew I had to get my hands on them. I am a huge fan of well-done biographies because I think they are an essential part of spreading history into a new generation’s memory. I am an even bigger fan of well-done biographies of strong women. While there has been a good chunk of biographical picture books lately about women, I am very happy to see that students will have longer biographies to explore strong women from history. I also really like that Krull’s series has a mix of contemporary and historical figures and is filled with diversity. Next Krull will be sharing Coretta Scott King and Mary Todd Lincoln’s life.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: There are so many ways these books will be used and loved in the classroom. First, add them to your classroom libraries! Krull’s biographies will be a wonderful rung above picture book biographies and below the “big head biographies” on a reading ladder. Also, they would a perfect addition to a unit on women in history and could definitely be used in inquiry lit circles where each group became an expert of a different female leader to share with the class.

Discussion Questions: In what way did ____ play a part in history?; Why was ____ included in the Women Who Broke the Rules series? What rules did she break? How did it change her part in history?

We Flagged: “Like most little kids, Judy Blume had a lot of questions. Okay, maybe more than most kids. What she didn’t have were answers. She grew up in a stifling time, when the rules stopped people from being honest and real.” (p. 7, Judy Blume)

“Was Sacajawea skittish about traveling into the unknown with an infant strapped to her back on a cradle board? Was she scared to be the only woman in a large group of men? We don’t know. The men seemed to treat her with respect, calling her ‘a good creature, of a mild and gentle disposition.'” (p. 13, Sacajawea)

“A girl grows up in a tough neighborhood. Her poor immigrant parents don’t speak English and don’t get along. She tackles a serious illness. . . and rises, rises, rises to become one of the country’s guiding lights.” (p. 7, Sonia Sotomayor)

“Dolley Payne was born with extra zip. And she was going to need as much energy as she could muster.” (p. 7, Dolley Madison)

Check out Kid Lit Frenzy’s post for interior artwork.

Read These If You Loved: Biographies

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Linette at Bloomsbury for providing copies for review!**

Jump Back, Paul: The Life and Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar by Sally Derby

October 24, 2015October 7, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Jump Back, Paul: The Life and Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar
Author: Sally Derby
Illustrator: Sean Qualls
Published September 22nd, 2015 by Candlewick Pres

Goodreads Summary: Discover the breadth and depth of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poetry—and learn how it reflects his singular life as a late-nineteenth-century black man.

Did you know that Paul Laurence Dunbar originated such famous lines as “I know why the caged bird sings” and “We wear the mask that grins and lies”? From his childhood in poverty and his early promise as a poet to his immense fame and his untimely death, Dunbar’s story is one of triumph and tragedy. But his legacy remains in his much-beloved poetry—told in both Standard English and in dialect—which continues to delight and inspire readers today. More than two dozen of Dunbar’s poems are woven throughout this volume, illuminating the phases of his life and serving as examples of dialect, imagery, and tone. Narrating in a voice full of admiration and respect, Sally Derby introduces Paul Laurence Dunbar’s life and poetry to readers young and old, aided by Sean Qualls’s striking black-and-white illustrations.

My Review: I came into this book not knowing much about Paul Laurence Dunbar aside from knowing that the line “I know why the caged bird sings” was written by him which inspired Maya Angelou’s autobiography’s title; however, I didn’t know much else about his life or his poetry. Derby’s book does a fantastic job remedying that. Not only are you exposed to more than 20 of Dunbar’s poems, you are exposed to them in very specific ways as Derby tells Dunbar’s life story. Each poem’s inclusion is purposeful and perfectly timed. When finished, I wanted to read more of Dunbar’s poems and actually hear some of them being performed (his dialect poems are screaming to be read aloud). Qualls also does a brilliant job, as always, illustrating the tone of the text in beautiful black-and-white drawings.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book not only can be used to share information about Paul Laurence Dunbar’s life and his poetry, but it also includes fascinating information about what it was like to live after the Emancipation Proclamation then after Plessy v. Ferguson.

First, in an English classroom, this text truly puts Dunbar’s poems in a perspective which will allow more depth when analyzing. The way Derby set up the narrative of Dunbar’s life around his poems helps the reader understand the underlying meaning of his poetry even better than they would with a cold read.

Also, cross-curricularly while studying Dunbar’s poems, during history, a tie-in to this tumultuous time period would be easy and effective. The time period that Dunbar lived in is not often discussed as it is a time after slavery but before segregation that many students may not know about.

Discussion Questions: Who do you think had the biggest influence on Dunbar becoming a poet?; Do you think Dunbar’s father’s absence affected how he was as a husband to Alice?; How do you think Frederick Douglass influence Dunbar?; How was the voice that told the story chosen by Derby? Do you think the way she structured and told the story was helpful in understanding Dunbar’s life and poetry?

We Flagged: “You never heard of the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar? Child, where’ve you been? I got to have a word with you. Why, back in the day, you’d have whole families sitting around listening while one of them performed “When Malindy Sings” or “Little Brown Baby” or “A Negro Love Song” (which folks most always call “Jump Back, Honey”).”

Read This If You Loved: Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poetry, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Henry Aaron’s Dream by Matt Tavares, The Underground Abductor by Nathan Hale

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Candlewick for providing a copy for review!!**

Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash

September 16, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Honor Girl
Author and Illustrator: Maggie Thrash
Published September 8th, 2015 by Candlewick Press

Goodreads Summary: All-girl camp. First love. First heartbreak. At once romantic and devastating, brutally honest and full of humor, this graphic-novel memoir is a debut of the rarest sort.

Maggie Thrash has spent basically every summer of her fifteen-year-old life at the one-hundred-year-old Camp Bellflower for Girls, set deep in the heart of Appalachia. She’s from Atlanta, she’s never kissed a guy, she’s into Backstreet Boys in a really deep way, and her long summer days are full of a pleasant, peaceful nothing . . . until one confounding moment. A split-second of innocent physical contact pulls Maggie into a gut-twisting love for an older, wiser, and most surprising of all (at least to Maggie), female counselor named Erin. But Camp Bellflower is an impossible place for a girl to fall in love with another girl, and Maggie’s savant-like proficiency at the camp’s rifle range is the only thing keeping her heart from exploding. When it seems as if Erin maybe feels the same way about Maggie, it’s too much for both Maggie and Camp Bellflower to handle, let alone to understand.

My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book is a book of truth. Maggie has put her heart and soul onto paper and shared it with all of us. I adored the honesty of her story and the slow unraveling and realization of her feelings for Erin. The romance in this felt so much more real (well, it is real!) than other YA books out there. Maggie’s feelings over this specific summer will resonate with so many readers because it is how real people fall in love and/or confirm their sexuality. I also was surprised that I liked the art. At first I found it hard to follow, but then it felt just as real as the story. This is a book that will be important to many readers out there, so it needs to be available to teens.

Discussion Questions: How hard did you think it was for Maggie to feel so opposite of what was expected of her by the camp and her parents?; Why do you think that Erin and Maggie’s relationship didn’t work out? Were you surprised that they were so uncomfortable when they reconnected a year later?; How did Maggie’s friends play a role in how she felt at camp?

Book Trailer:

Read This If You Loved: Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg, Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan, Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Recommended For:

Liberty’s Voice: The Story of Emma Lazarus by Erica Silverman

September 9, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Liberty’s Voice: The Story of Emma Lazarus
Author: Erica Silverman
Illustrator: Stacey Schuett
Published February 3rd, 2011 by Dutton Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: Emma Lazarus overcame the barriers of her day to become one of the leading poets of the nineteenth century. She used her celebrity to help the poor and impoverished immigrants of Eastern Europe. When the statue Liberty Enlightening the World came to the United States as a gift from France, it was Emma’s poem “The New Colossus” that became forever connected with this American icon. Emma’s words have served as a rallying call to generations of immigrants. In breathtaking color, veteran artist Stacey Schuett brings life to Erica Silverman’s story of one of the great women of America.

My Review: I am always looking for biographies of strong women, and this is one I’d definitely add to my list. Emma Lazarus is a poet who everyone knows, but may not know her name, and that should change. She did so much not only with poetry, but with her editorials and articles speaking out against the oppressed, specifically the Russian Jewish immigrants. Emma Lazarus was lucky enough to have a dad that supported women getting education and helped her become a published poet and meet her mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Without her dad supporting her in a time where society would not have, we wouldn’t have her beautiful poetry and much of the oppression being faced on Ward’s Island would not have been known by the public.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This text is a wonderful introduction to Lazarus, but also to the plight that Jews faced in Russia because of pogroms in the late 1800s. It would be a great cross curricular read aloud to start discussions about poetry in reading/English as well as the history of Russia during this time.

Discussion Questions: How could Emma’s life have been different if she’d been poor or had a father who didn’t support her poetry?; Why were so many Russian Jews immigrating to America in the 1880s?; What is the meaning behind “The New Colossus,” and what does imply about America’s acceptance of immigrants?

We Flagged: “Emma thought about the immigrants she had met on Ward’s Island. They had known so much fear and suffering. They needed to be held, welcomed, comforted. If this statue was to have a name, it should be . . .

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.“

Read This If You Loved: A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jennifer Fisher Bryant, The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan, The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus by Jennifer Fisher Bryant

Recommended For:

Blog Tour and Review!: Fab Four Friends: The Boys Who Became the Beatles by Susanna Reich

August 19, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Fab Four Friends: The Boys Who Became the Beatles
Author: Susanna Reich
Illustrator: Adam Gustavson
Published August 18th, 2015 by Henry Holt and Co.

Goodreads Summary: In 1957 in Liverpool, England, a young lad named John Lennon and his band played music at a local church fair. In the audience was Paul McCartney, who liked what he heard and soon joined the group. Paul’s friend George Harrison kept showing up at rehearsals until the older boys finally let him in. Eventually they found the perfect drummer, Ringo Starr, and the perfect name: The Beatles.

Told through a lyrical text and stunning paintings, this book spotlights four ordinary boys growing up amid the rubble of postwar England who found music to be a powerful, even life-saving, force.

My Review: I adore The Beatles. I think they, along with other artists like Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Bob Dylan, really changed the direction of music and opened up a whole new world of music that truly made modern rock and roll possible. Because of that, and how much I love their music, I have always enjoyed learning about them. This middle grade picture book biography really gives us a wonderful look into the childhood and the creation of the band. In addition to really giving us insight into each boys’ lives and how The Beatles began, Susanna Reich did a beautiful job combining fact, primary sources, and lyrical writing. In addition to the beautiful writing, the art that accompanies it is stunning. They are truly paintings as the summary states.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I really hope that kids read this book! I want the story of The Beatles to continue because of their importance within music history.

I think one really interesting analysis of the book that the students could partake in is a visual analysis. Students would first read the text completely. They would then go back and reread a single page then look at the full page illustrations. They should discuss or write about why the artist chose the specific scene/person/activity to illustrate. What else could they have chosen to illustrate? Which do you think makes a bigger impact?

Discussion Questions: Which Beatle is the creator of the band?; What vocabulary in the text are obsolete in modern times?; How would The Beatles rise to fame be different if it was the 21st century when they formed?; What traits do each of the members have?

We Flagged: “John attacked the guitar, strumming as fast as he could. He didn’t give a fig about wrong notes.”

http://us.macmillan.com/fabfourfriends/susannareich

Read This If You Loved: Any books about The Beatles including The Beatles Were Fab by Kathleen Krull and John’s Secret Dreams by Doreen Rappaport, Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown, When Bob Met Woody by Gary Golio, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Recommended For:

Make sure to visit other stops on the blog tour!

Monday, August 17 Booktalking
Nonfiction Monday

Tuesday, August 18 Shelf-Employed
Review plus Susanna reveals her favorite Beatles song

Wednesday, August 19 UnleashingReaders.com

Thursday, August 20 Elizabeth Dulemba
Susanna & Adam interview each other

Friday, August 21 Maurice on Books

Tuesday, August 25 Kidsbiographer’s Blog
Susanna writes about choosing subjects for kid’s biographies

Wednesday, August 26 Gail Gauthier

Thursday, August 27 Tales from the Rushmore Kid

Friday, August 28 Alphabet Soup
Interview with Susanna

**Thank you to Susanna for providing a copy for review!!**

I Am Lucille Ball by Brad Meltzer

August 3, 2015July 29, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

I Am Lucille Ball
Author: Brad Meltzer
Illustrator: Christopher Eliopoulos
Published July 14th, 2015

Goodreads Summary: “Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography—for his own kids, and for yours. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Lucille Ball could make any situation funny. By making people around the world laugh, she proved that humor can take on anything.

This engaging series is the perfect way to bring American history to life for young children, providing them with the right role models, supplementing Common Core learning in the classroom, and best of all, inspiring them to strive and dream.

My Review: The first “Ordinary People Change the World” book I read was I am Jackie Robinson, and I immediately loved the way the book was set up. I am Lucille Ball is the same way. Like I stated in my review of Jackie Robinson, I love that it is in first person which sucks the reader into Lucy’s life. The series is also a picture book/graphic novel mix which not only adds to the engagement aspect of the book, I think it really makes you feel like you know the subject more. It also is where Meltzer puts some of his funniest parts of the story.

The reason why I knew I had to review this book, though, was because of the subject matter. All of the other subjects of the books in the series (Lincoln, Parks, Einstein, Earhart, and Robinson) are pretty well-known amazing people although they did all start out with quite ordinary lives. Lucille Ball deserves to be talked about along with them though many do not know that she does. I love that Meltzer decided to tackle a story about someone that not everyone may understand why he chose her. Brad Meltzer addressed this on his Facebook page:

“To my surprise, some have asked: Why Lucy? So let me explain: I wrote this book because I wanted my daughter to finally have a female entertainment hero who wasn’t famous just because she was thin and known only for her looks. Lucy is different than everyone else. She’s funny, driven, and the first woman to run a major movie studio (producing Star Trek and Mission: Impossible). Her success came from her drive — and because she so perfectly wasn’t like everyone else. Plus she taught me, throughout my own childhood, that humor can take on anything. I wanted my daughter to learn that.

But in terms of Lucy and Ethel crazy ideas, here’s my most Lucy and Ethel-ish. Share this book with someone who’s different. Share it with little girls and boys, as well as big girls and boys. Show them that it’s not just okay to be different…it’s SPECTACULAR to be different.”

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The “Ordinary People” books definitely need to be in classrooms. They are going to be loved by students. However, I think Meltzer’s subjects are definitely worth looking at. I see them being used in a lit circle where each group gets a different one of Meltzer’s books then after reading and discussing the books, they share what they learned about their Ordinary Person.

It would also be so much fun to use Meltzer’s books as a mentor text to writing their own Ordinary People picture book. A fun twist on a research project!

More information on I am Lucille Ball can be found here.

Discussion Questions: What made Lucille Ball a standout in the entertainment industry?; How did Lucille Ball pave the way for comediennes like Melissa McCarthy and others? How does Meltzer’s mix of picture book/graphic novel help make the book more enjoyable to read yet still informative?

We Flagged:

look_ball1 — From http://ordinarypeoplechangetheworld.com/lucille_ball.php

Interview with Brad Meltzer about I am Lucille Ball: https://youtu.be/OHK5uOiRBto

Read This If You Loved: “Ordinary People Change the World” (series) by Brad Meltzer, “Who Was…” (biography series) by various

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Penguin for providing a copy for review!!**

X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon

June 18, 2015 by Ricki

X
Authors: Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon
Published: January 6, 2015 by Candlewick Press

GoodReads Summary: Cowritten by Malcolm X’s daughter, this riveting and revealing novel follows the formative years of the man whose words and actions shook the world.

I am Malcolm.
I am my father’s son. But to be my father’s son means that they will always come for me.
They will always come for me, and I will always succumb.

Malcolm Little’s parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that’s nothing but a pack of lies—after all, his father’s been murdered, his mother’s been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There’s no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer.

But Malcolm’s efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory when what starts as some small-time hustling quickly spins out of control. Deep down, he knows that the freedom he’s found is only an illusion—and that he can’t run forever.

X follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age twenty, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today.

Review: If you’ve been reading the blog the past few weeks, my love for this book may feel repetitive (and I am not sorry!). Some books just stick to our bones and X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon will remain with me forever. It kept me awake late at night, and I was floored by the captivating writing. This is a very special book and well worth the hype it has received. I plan to use it in my future Methods classes because there are so many themes and topics for discussion. Most texts are written about Malcolm Little’s later life, but this book encapsulates his early years—this restless young man is dissatisfied with his circumstances and attempts to make a name for himself. He does not always make the best choices, but he learns from his many mistakes, and his spirit will inspire readers. I highly recommend this book for all readers. Malcolm has a lot to teach us.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book made me want to sign out Malcolm X’s autobiography from the library. I wondered what else I could learn about him. Teachers might ask students to research Malcolm X’s life. They might explore the ways Malcolm inspired troubled youth and why he made connections with them. Based on this text and others, it seems that many of Malcolm X’s actions may be misrepresented, so it might be wise for teachers to discuss his life, mission, and actions with students. This would allow students to form their own understandings of his later life.

Discussion Questions: If you could change one decision Malcolm made, what would it be? What do you think he should have done differently?; Malcolm may inspire us, but who inspired Malcolm?; How is Malcolm different from his family members? How does this impact him?

We Flagged: “I did what I had to. Didn’t see anything wrong with it. Not a thing” (p. 36).

Read This If You Loved: The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon; How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon; Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles; Audacity by Melanie Crowder; The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds

Recommended For: