Text Features – Page 12 – Unleashing Readers

Normal Norman Written by Tara Lazar, Illustrated by S.britt

October 8, 2017March 3, 2016 by Ricki

Normal Norman
Author: Tara Lazar; Illustrator: S. britt
Published March 1, 2016 by Sterling Children’s Books

GoodReads Summary: What is “normal?” That’s the question an eager young scientist, narrating her very first book, hopes to answer. Unfortunately, her exceedingly “normal” subject—an orangutan named Norman—turns out to be exceptionally strange. He speaks English, sleeps in a bed, loves his stuffed toy, goes bananas over pizza, and even deep-sea dives! Oh, no: what’s a “normal” scientist to do?

Ricki’s Review: Norman is one of those great literary characters that will stick with readers for a long time. The book is quite humorous, and my son was giggling as we read it together. Norman is anything but normal, yet the young scientist makes strong efforts to prove that he is normal. She becomes very frustrated, and then Norman teaches her an important lesson. I enjoyed this book because it was a fresh take on the idea of: What does it mean to be normal? I also enjoyed the layout of each page. The quote bubbles from the characters added another layer to the text that would be great to discuss in the classroom with a close reading. This will be a favorite in classrooms, and I recommend it highly.

Kellee’s Review: I love everything that this book stands for. It shows that normal is whatever you make it, that everyone should be accepted for what they are, and normal isn’t always what it seems. Norman helps mold the young scientist’s mind which will hopefully lead readers to also rethink what they think normal is. I am definitely going to use this book as one of our “precepts” in the future because I really think it’ll make students think.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Teachers might consider using this text to teach broad conceptions of normalcy. Often, young students conceive of normalcy as anything similar to them. A teacher might introduce different groups, customs, and cultures to allow students to understand that normal is a socially constructed concept, and people can be different yet still normal. Or perhaps, students might determine that there is no such thing as being “normal.”

Discussion Questions: What does it mean to be normal? Is anyone normal? How might we conceive of normalcy more broadly?; What lessons does the scientist learn? How does she learn them?

We Flagged: “Allow me to introduce Norman. He will help me demonstrate the word normal. You see, Norman is EXCEEDINGLY normal.”

Read This If You Loved: You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang, Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae, Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea, The Magic of Maxwell and His Tail by Maureen Stolar Kanefield

Recommended For:

Check Out Normal Norman at the other stops on the tour!:

and

**Thank you to Josh from Sterling books for providing copies for review!!**

National Geographic Kids Early Reader Biographies: George Washington Carver & Sonia Sotomayor

March 2, 2016March 2, 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!

George Washington Carver
Author: Kitson Jazynka
Published January 12th, 2016 by National Geographic Children’s Books

Summary: Take a bite into the fascinating history of peanut butter and the man who invented it. Through leveled text and engaging photos, kids meet George Washington Carver and learn about his important work with peanuts and other plants. This Level 1 reader is carefully leveled for an early independent reading or read aloud experience, perfect to encourage the scientists and explorers of tomorrow!

Discussion Questions: Why did Carver have to move when he was 13?; What events in Carver’s life helped him become the first black student at Iowa State and eventually a professor?; What inventions did Carver discover?

We Flagged: “In Carver’s time, life was hard for many black people in the United States. They did not have the same rights as white people.

Carver felt that this was wrong. He used his ideas about farming to help change people’s lives.” (p. 7)

Sonia Sotomayor
Author: Barbara Kramer
Published January 12th, 2016 by National Geographic Children’s Books

Summary: Explore one of the most recognized names in modern America with this biography of Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor. Kids will learn about her rise to be the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice and the trials she faced along the way. The level 3 text provides accessible, yet wide-ranging, information for independent readers.

Discussion Questions: What traits does Sotomayor have that helped her succeed in education to eventually become a Supreme Court justice?; Sotomayor has not forgotten where she comes from. In what ways does she give to her childhood community?; What did Sotomayor do that was so extraordinary?

We Flagged: “In August 2009, Sonia Sotomayor became a Super Court justice. It is a special job. Sotomayor is the 111th person ever to receive that honor. She is the third woman and the first Hispanic justice to serve on that court.” (p. 4)

My Review: These texts are such a wonderful way to introduce readers to some very important people in history. The books don’t back down from hard subjects like racism and poverty, but instead teach the reader about it in an easy to understand way. And to help the reader even more, throughout the books, any tough words are defined, sidebars are filled with additional information, and text features such as illustrations, graphs, and timelines elaborate on the story.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: These books could be used in many different ways including guided reading during a teacher-led small group or as biography lit circles.

Read These If You Love: Biographies

Recommended For:

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

Review and Author Interview!: Ebola: Fears and Facts by Patricia Newman

September 30, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Ebola: Fears and Facts
Author: Patricia Newman
Expected Published October 28th, 2015 by Lerner Publishing Group

Goodreads Summary: Ebola is a deadly contagious disease. From 1975 to 2013, it killed about 1,500 people. But a 2014 epidemic killed more than six times that number. At first the outbreak was contained to one country. But soon it spread to two others―the virus was on the move, and people were scared. When two American healthcare workers became infected and were sent to the United States for treatment, many people feared a pandemic―an outbreak that would spread all over the world. Could it happen?

Ebola: Fears and Facts takes you behind the sensational headlines to address questions and concerns about the virus. Learn about the history of the disease, its symptoms, and how it spreads. Find out how the 2014 epidemic compares to past Ebola outbreaks, as well as to outbreaks of other infectious diseases. With a question-and-answer section and reference maps, Ebola: Fears and Facts will help you to better understand this most-feared disease.

My Review: The Ebola epidemic of 2014 caused pure panic around the world. Because of the 24-hour news coverage of the disease as it entered the U.S, Ebola became a hot topic; however, there was so much misconception about the disease. As a teacher during the epidemic, I saw how scared students were of the disease and how little they knew about it. The text is a wonderful resource to help kids learn about the disease.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Patricia Newman’s middle grade nonfiction texts are a necessity for middle school classrooms. They teach the reader so much about the topic though do so in an interesting way to keep the readers’ attention. They are also about important topics that kids can make a difference by learning about. Her books, including Ebola, need to be available to students.

I really like how the book is set up. It begins with the history then goes into the way Ebola works and finally looks at the 2014 outbreak and how Ebola could possibly be conquered. It allows readers to navigate to the section they want or build up their knowledge from beginning to end.

Discussion Questions: What did you learn about Ebola that you didn’t know before reading?; What is the difference between Ebola and diseases like the measles?; How did the Ebola virus begin?; How is the Ebola virus a threat to apes in Africa?

“Truth or Hype?…The next time you come across a story about Ebola–or any topic–ask yourself the following questions. 1. What does the storyteller want us to remember? 2. How might different people understand the story? 3. Does the storyteller present facts or opinions? How do we know? What words are used? Does the storyteller quote scientific or eyewitness sources? 4. What action does the storyteller want us to take? 5. Do our emotions influence the way we evaluate the story?” (p. 35)

Author Interview: Thank you to Patricia for answering some of my questions!

What research did you do when writing Ebola?

I visited East Africa several years ago, so I had a general sense of the landscape, the bush, the people, the cadence of their speech. But the crowded cities and steamy jungles of West Africa are different than the wide open savannas of the east. Of course, I needed to learn about the physiology of the disease, but I also wanted to know where in the jungle it came from and how it affected all aspects of peoples’ lives.

I interviewed a CDC epidemiologist who’d just returned from Liberia; read books by David Quammen and Peter Piot; deciphered scientific studies in journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases; scoured the CDC, WHO and MSF websites for case counts and anecdotal information; and read every news story (or watched every video) I could get my hands on. I also interviewed a nurse at a Sacramento hospital near my home who specializes in speaking to children about serious illnesses. Her compassion and common sense were tremendously helpful. A small fraction of my sources are listed in the back of the book.

My nurse-source also gave me a full set of Ebola protective gear. I share it with students at school visits and talk to them about how health-care professionals put it on and take it off.

Why did you decide to research and write about Ebola?

My editor, Carol Hinz, came to me in November 2014 with the idea. Millbrook Press wanted to publish a book about the 2014 epidemic, and thought I was the person to do it. I was flattered by their faith in me and overjoyed with the way they handled Plastic, Ahoy! Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, so I said yes. Carol and I learned a lot from this book. Because the deadline was so tight (my final manuscript was due February 1, 2015) we developed the outline together. Before we went to press, we revised or otherwise massaged every line in the book, always working to stay abreast of current reports. At one point I added several hundred words because of planned vaccine trials and Ebola survivors. Thank goodness Millbrook paid for a fact checker because the editing process became more and more chaotic. For example at one point in April, I gave an all-day writing workshop to a group of conservation scientists interested in writing their research for children. During my lunch break I had to edit Ebola one final time before it went to press!

What is the biggest misconception you have found about Ebola?

I think there are two frequent misconceptions. The first is that Ebola is airborne like measles or the common cold. It is not, nor is it every likely to be. Ebola is spread by contact with bodily fluids (saliva, vomit, stool, sweat, blood, semen). Generally one person infected with an airborne disease spreads the disease to more people than one person infected with Ebola. For instance, one Ebola patient infects between 1.5 and 2 people. In comparison, one measles patient infects 18 others (assuming those people have not been vaccinated). NPR wrote an interesting article about this concept.

The second misconception is that Ebola is deadly no matter what we do. Based on our success treating Ebola patients in the U.S., and the successes in some of the vaccine trials, Ebola need not be a death sentence. Two factors that contributed to the high death rate in West Africa were the lack of education about communicable diseases and the lack of high-quality medical care.

As information about the disease changes rapidly, what would be the best resources for people who want to continue learning about the disease?

News from the front lines altered the manuscript even as my editor and I were preparing it for printing, and I worried about how my readers will stay informed as our understanding of Ebola develops. I decided to include a sidebar in the last chapter of the book, Conquering Ebola, to help readers stay informed by sharing the Ebola pages for WHO, CDC, USAid, and Doctors Without Borders. For students writing Ebola reports, many of these sites have RSS feeds that will deliver information straight to their inbox.

What is the topic of your next book?

I have a book proposal under consideration at Millbrook—hopefully the editorial team will decide to take it—so for now the topic is a secret. But I can tell you to expect more science.

We Flagged: “Ebola. The word calls up images of sick people in Africa and doctors wearing space-suit-like protective gear. Before 1976, however, Ebola was simply the name of a winding river in central Africa.” (p. 5)

Read This If You Loved: Plastics Ahoy! by Patricia Newman

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Patricia and Lerner for providing a copy for review and specifically to Patricia for the Q&A!!**

Flying Cars: The True Story by Andrew Glass

August 26, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Flying Cars: The True Story
Author: Andrew Glass
Various Photographers
Published August 25th, 2015 by Clarion Books

Goodreads Summary: Humans have always wanted to fly. As soon as there were planes and cars, many people saw a combination as the next step for personal transportation, and visionary engineers and inventors did their best to make the flying car (or the roadable plane) a reality. This book is a breezy account of hybrid vehicles and their creators, and of the intense drive that kept bringing inventors back to the drawing board despite repeated failures and the dictates of common sense. Illustrated with archival photos, this entertaining survey takes readers back as far as Icarus and forward into the present day, with a look toward the future. Includes author’s note, source notes, bibliography, index.

Kellee’s Review: What an odd, interesting part of history! I had no idea I even wanted to learn about this, but I am glad that I was exposed to it. I think Andrew Glass did a good job mixing history of aviation in general and the idea of a flying car. It was a good combination of informational and literary nonfiction, so it will hold readers’ attention throughout. It was also fascinating to see all of the photographs of the prototypes made over time. What innovation! I think the photos will draw the reader in then the history and stories will keep them there.

Ricki’s Review: The minute I pulled this book out of the mailer, my son had his hands all over it. He is much younger than the intended audience (middle or high school), but it made me chuckle. This shows how excited students will be about this concept! Like Kellee, I had no idea that flying cars existed. I asked my husband, “Did this really exist?” He launched into a full history lesson about the development about flying cars and said they were very interesting to him as a teenager. This is yet more proof that this book would be a great resource for classrooms. I liked learning about all of the different attempts of flying cars and think this book would inspire students to be innovative in their thinking, particularly in the context of design and engineering. The prototypes made me feel a bit wistful that I had more of an engineering brain!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The trend of readable and interesting middle grade nonfiction that students will find accessible is really increasing the likelihood of students reading nonfiction text, and this text fits that bill. We think students will find the topic interesting and, thus, pick up the book. Teachers could use it to talk about text features and the importance of captions, photographs, and chapter titles as well as look at how the book is structured and discuss why the author decided to set it up the way it is. The book could also be a resource for an inquiry mini-project (see Discussion Questions below).

Discussion Questions: How would flying cars make our lives easier?; Why aren’t flying cars a reality?; What do you think the benefits of flying cars are and what are the struggles?; After watching some of the archival videos, which of the flying cars interests you the most? Use Flying Cars and other resources to learn more about it.

We Flagged: “Cars fly every day–in fantasy. They soar by pure magic, like the Wesley family car in the Harry Potter series, or by sprouting wings, like Chitty Chitty Ban Bang. Some use high-tech gadgetry, allowing well-equipped heroes like James Bond and Batman to make incredible cliffhanger escapes.

But visionary engineers and inventors haven’t just imagine flying cars. Some actually built them. . . and then drove them up into the sky” (p. 1).

Read This If You Loved: Nonfiction books about aviation or automobiles including Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming

Recommended For:

and

**Thank you to Barbara for providing copies for review!**

Children Growing Up with War by Jenny Matthews

August 13, 2015August 12, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Children Growing Up with War
Author and Photographer: Jenny Matthews
Published October 14th, 2014 by Candlewick Press

Goodreads Summary: Through personal narrative and candid photographs, a photojournalist chronicles young lives upended by violence and strife.

The right to adequate nutrition and medical care.
The right to free education.
The right to a name and nationality.
The right to affection, love, and understanding.

In conflict zones around the world, children are denied these and other basic rights. Follow photographer Jenny Matthews into refugee camps, overcrowded cities, damaged villages, clinics, and support centers where children and their families live, work, play, learn, heal, and try to survive the devastating impact of war. This moving book depicts the resilience and resourcefulness of young people who, though heavily impacted by the ravages of war, search for a better future for themselves, their families, and their cultures.

Kellee’s Review: This was a very tough book to read. I thought I’d be able to sit and read it all in one sitting, but I couldn’t. As a mother and a teacher, I love children, and it truly saddened me to see the situations that these children are in.

Fortunately, as an American, very few wars touch our lives. Unfortunately, our news doesn’t focus on many of the tumultuous conflicts that are active throughout the world, so we have become detached from reality. Our students are even more detached. That is why this book is important. It puts it all into perspective and really makes me feel and think. We rarely look at the humans that are being affected by the wars, we always focus on getting the bad guy. This book puts faces to the people, specifically the children, being affected every day. I found it very interesting how the author set up the book. You can tell she is a photojournalist because it is set up to give information in the most impactful way.

Ricki’s Review: When I was teaching high school, one of my main goals was to provide my students with a more global perspective. I wish I had had this incredible text available at the time because it evoked powerful emotions in me. I know it would do the same for my students. The balance of photography and words is very well done, and I will admit that I took many breaks because these images and words hit me to my core. This is an important book that belongs in classrooms. It is a good length that teachers will easily be able to use it as a pairing with other texts about war and genocide. It is important to learn about our past, but it is just as important to understand the wars that persist today—which is foundational to this book. I wish I could meet this author to thank her for writing a text that moved me so deeply.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book presents many different discussion opportunities (e.g., the affects of war on children throughout the world, different active wars,Rights of the Child, importance of journalism). It would be fascinating to read with students and hear their perspective on the very tough topics and perspectives shared in the book.

Also, the book sets up nicely for a jigsaw discussion. The author set up the book to look at the different ways lives are affected: home & displacement, family, health, work, and school & play. Within each of these sections, she also looks at different places in the world such as Tunisia, Jordan, Afghanistan, Uganda, Rwanda, Gaza, and Kurdistan. She also includes different Rights of the Child throughout the book. The teacher could jigsaw either with the topic, the places, or the Rights and have students dig deeper.

Another way to look at this book is from a journalistic/photography point of view. I [Kellee] teach journalism, and I already plan on using Photos Framed as part of my photography unit, and I think this book will add an even deeper look into the importance of photography/journalism and with a topic (children’s lives) that my students can connect with.

Discussion Questions: How does Jenny Matthews’s photos, books, and stories help children who are growing up with war?; Why would Jenny Matthews choose to go into such dangerous situations?; If you had to choose one single photo to sum up Children Growing Up with War, which of these would you choose? (p. 42); Which of the UN’s Rights of the Child are affected when war is involved?; In what different way does war affect the children growing up in the conflict area?

We Flagged: “How would you feel if you lost your home and had to flee from your own country? Imagine losing some or all of your family, either as a direct result of fighting or indirectly through illness or disease. You might have to work to support your family or fight and kill other people just to survive. And how can you go to school if it’s being used as an army command outpost and all the books have been destroyed?

This is the reality for too many children and their families in the world. Today, children are still growing up with war—the consequences of which they’ll live with for the rest of their lives” (p. 3).

Read This If You Loved: Photos Framed: A Fresh Look at the World’s Most Memorable Photographs by Ruth Thomson
This would be an excellent nonfiction companion to: Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick, Endangered by Eliot Schrefer, Caminar by Skila Brown, The Other Side of the Wall by Simon Schwartz, The Milk of Birds by Sylvia Whitman, or Son of a Gun by Anne de Graaf.

Recommended For:

and

Young Jane Austen: Becoming a Writer by Lisa Pliscou

July 27, 2015May 7, 2015 by Ricki

Young Jane Austen: Becoming a Writer
Author: Lisa Pliscou
Illustrator: Massimo Mongiardo
Published: April 20, 2015 by Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing

GoodReads Summary: What was Jane Austen like as a child? What were her formative influences and experiences, her challenges and obstacles, that together set her on the path toward becoming a writer?

Drawing upon a wide array of sources, including Austen’s own books and correspondence, Lisa Pliscou has created a “speculative biography” that, along with 20 charming black-and-white illustrations, offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of young Jane Austen. Also included is a richly detailed, annotated version of the narrative and an overview of Austen’s life, legacy, and the era in which she lived, as well as a timeline of her key childhood events.

Young Jane Austen is sure to intrigue anyone interested in Jane Austen, in writing and the creative process, and in the triumph of the artistic spirit.

Review: I enjoy the way this book is formatted. The first half (or so) tells the story of Jane Austen as she grows up—before she became a writer. It gives a strong historical background of the expectations (or lack of expectations) for women at the time. While much isn’t known about Jane’s early life, the author does an excellent job creatively interpreting events with what we do know. The next section is an annotated version that reveals the author’s decisions for the text, and the last portion discusses Jane Austen’s later life as a writer. Readers will be inspired to take on some of Austen’s novels after reading this book. The beautiful paper and illustrations of this book made me wish that more books were creatively printed. I felt as if I was reading a text from the time period of Austen’s life, which made me feel warm and fuzzy.

Please note: I tagged this book as historical nonfiction and narrative nonfiction because it bridges both genres. It is a creative nonfiction, and the later portions of the book are more informational. These kinds of books make genre-sorting seem a bit silly.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This text begs for readers to conduct research. They could delve into Jane’s novels to connect her life details with her works. They might also research more about the time period or another favorite author’s early life. The annotated section is particularly interesting to me. I would love to have my students annotate a text looking for the author’s purpose.

Discussion Questions: How was your life different from Jane Austen’s life? How do the expectations for females impact Jane?; What adjectives would you use to describe Jane? Why?; How does the format of the book enhance your reading? Do you know any other books like this?

We Flagged:

I couldn’t help but share how beautiful the inside of this book is. Image taken from: www.goodreads.com.

Recommended For:

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman and Rick Allen

April 15, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold
Author: Joyce Sidman
Illustrator: Rick Allen
Published November 4th, 2014 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: In this outstanding picture book collection of poems by Newbery Honor-winning poet, Joyce Sidman (Song of the Water Boatman, Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night), discover how animals stay alive in the wintertime and learn about their secret lives happening under the snow. Paired with stunning linoleum print illustrations by Rick Allen, that celebrate nature’s beauty and power.

My Review: Alyson and Carrie both nominated this book for our Mock Sibert Award, so I knew it was a book I had to read. After requesting that my library purchase it, I was so happy to finally receive the book. This book is beautiful. Each aspect of the book can stand alone: the poetry is full of imagery and figurative language, the informational aspects are interesting and fact-based, and the illustrations are exceptional and bring the animals to life.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: First, this book can be used as a mentor text for poetry. Many different types of poetry are represented and each poem is different. Second, I think this book can be a great jumping off point for an inquiry-based project where students research an animal, write a poem about it, and also write an informational piece of text to accompany the poem. This book is also a great companion to Kate Messner’s Over and Under Snow and other animal survival books which would cause for a great unit as well.

Discussion Questions: Which of the winter animals has the best plan for survival?; What fact in Winter Bees surprised you the most about how an animal survives during the winter?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Firefly July by Paul Janeczko, Feathers by Melissa Stewart, Born in the Wild by Lita Judge, Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Over and Under Snow by Kate Messner

Recommended For: