Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America’s Doctor by Kate Messner, Illustrated by Alexandra Bye

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Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America’s Doctor
Author: Kate Messner
Illustrator: Alexandra Bye
Published June 29th 2021 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary: The definitive picture book biography of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and one of the most crucial figures in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before he was Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci was a curious boy in Brooklyn, delivering prescriptions from his father’s pharmacy on his blue Schwinn bicycle. His father and immigrant grandfather taught Anthony to ask questions, consider all the data, and never give up—and Anthony’s ability to stay curious and to communicate with people would serve him his entire life.

This engaging narrative, which draws from interviews the author did with Dr. Fauci himself, follows Anthony from his Brooklyn beginnings through medical school and his challenging role working with seven US presidents to tackle some of the biggest public health challenges of the past fifty years, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Extensive backmatter rounds out Dr. Fauci’s story with a timeline, recommended reading, a full spread of facts about vaccines and how they work, and Dr. Fauci’s own tips for future scientists.

Review: Dr. Fauci has been a face on our TV for over 15 months now, but I know that my son only knows that he is the “COVID Doctor.” What Kate Messner does in her picture book of Dr. Fauci is bring him to life for any who read it. The book shows his humanity behind the glasses and doctor’s coat we see on TV. The book explores what makes Dr. Fauci the inquisitive, kind, brilliant man he is today.

I loved learning about his past: his kindness from a young age, his father’s advice to keep his mind thinking, and his “just watch me” moment from construction to doctor all leading to becoming the expert he is today. Kids, and adults alike, will love Kate’s narrative of Dr. Fauci’s life filled with anecdotes and accolades, and all of it is brought to life with colorful and realistic illustrations by Alexandra Bye which ties it all together.

This is a book that will find a place in homes, schools, and libraries!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I would have “Dr. Fauci’s FIVE TIPS for Future Scientists” be norms during my science lessons! They are such important reminders from a contemporary scientist:

  1. Keep an open mind.
  2. Don’t be afraid to fail.
  3. Get excited about discovery.
  4. Remember that science is self-correcting.
  5. Keep learning.

Also, use the publisher-provided educator’s guide for use in the classroom!

Video of Kate Messner’s interview with Dr. Fauci:

Discussion Questions: 

  • What did you learn about Dr. Fauci?
  • How did learning about Dr. Fauci affect how you feel about the COVID-19 pandemic?
  • How do vaccines work? Are vaccines safe?
  • How did Dr. Fauci’s father’s words drive Dr. Fauci?
  • Why do guidelines about viruses change from time to time?
  • How did Dr. Fauci deal with criticism during the AIDS epidemic? What does this tell you about him?
  • How does the author turn the biography into a story?
  • Although Anthony wasn’t the tallest or best on his basketball team, he ended up being team captain. Why?
  • How does Dr. Fauci inspire you?
  • Why do you think the author chose to write a book about Dr. Fauci now?

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Read This If You Love: Picture book biographies, science, medicine, inspirational books

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Simon and Schuster for providing a copy for review!**

Secondhand Dogs by Carolyn Crimi

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Secondhand Dogs
Author: Carolyn Crimi
Illustrator: Melissa Manwill
Published July 6th, 2021 by Balzer + Bray

Summary: Miss Lottie’s home was for second chances.

When she adopted Gus, Roo, Tank, and Moon Pie, Miss Lottie rescued each member of the pack—including herself, her helper, Quinn, and her reclusive cat, Ghost—and turned them into a family. But when a new dog, Decker, arrives and tries to hoard Miss Lottie’s heart and home for himself, the pack’s future is threatened.

At first, Gus, the insecure pack leader, only notices little things, like tiny Moon Pie being kicked out of the bed and Ghost acting spooked (then again…Ghost is a cat). But things soon go from bad to worse as Decker’s presence causes disharmony in the group.

When Decker convinces Moon Pie to embark on an impossible journey, it’s up to Gus to gather his courage, rally his splintered pack, and bring Moon Pie home. And with coyotes and cars on the loose, the pack must push through obstacles and dangers to reunite with Moon Pie before he can get hurt—or nearly as bad, get his heart broken.

A heartwarming—and heart-tugging—middle grade novel about love, loyalty, and what to means to be part of a family, featuring a motley pack of rescue dogs—from author Carolyn Crimi, with adorable illustrations by Melissa Manwill. Perfect for fans of A Dog’s Life and Because of Winn-Dixie.

Praise: “Pervading themes of bullying, leadership, loyalty, and family—among humans and canines alike—raise important issues while the comic-style illustrations feature character cameos and highlight key scenes. A sensitive, satisfying, and intriguing canine tale” –Kirkus Reviews

About the Author: Carolyn Crimi received her MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College in 2000. She has published over 15 books, including Dear Tabby, Don’t Need Friends, Boris and Bella, Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies, Where’s My Mummy?, and I Am the Boss of this Chair. Her book, There Might Be Lobsters, won The Golden Kite Award in 2018 for Best Picture Book Text, and her middle grade debut, Weird Little Robots, was named a BEA Book Buzz pick. Carolyn has received over thirty state awards and award nominations and was given The Prairie State Award in 2012 for her body of work. You can visit Carolyn at carolyncrimi.com.

Facebook: Carolyn Crimi
Twitter: @crims10

Review: First, I must say: kids are going to love this book. Seriously. Go pick it up for the kid(s) in your life.

I always go hesitantly into dog books because, as I am sure it is with all of you, the emotions when it comes to animal books are on high alert! And please know that your emotions are going to be going on a roller coaster of emotions in this one! 

The first emotion you are going to feel is love. As soon as you hear Gus’s voice, you know that he is a dog you can trust. Then as you meet each of the pack, they automatically go into your heart. Crimi does an amazing job telling the current narrative while also flashing back to show the dogs’ (and Miss Lottie’s, Quinn’s, and Ghost the cat’s) past. This allows you to jump into the story while also learning about how the pack gets together.

The next emotion you are going to feel is anger. Decker is a challenger to the pack. The way he manipulates and bullies, specifically Moon Pie, is devastating. It is true manipulation. You will definitely feel anger. Also, you learn more about Quinn’s life which will definitely make you feel angry.

Then comes the feelings of suspense, sadness, happiness, pride, and more! I can’t get more into the story because I don’t want to spoil! It is a good ride, I promise!

Teachers’ Tools for Instruction: First, this book is going to make an awesome read aloud!! Great topics and themes will lead to wonderful conversations.

But I think a huge asset for this book in the classroom is the different point of views that the author tackles. It is a wonderful mentor text for looking at voice. Each dog, cat, and person, although in 3rd person, had a different distinct tone and voice. It would be a great activity to have your students write a story from a certain POV then rewrite it from a different. Then they can even change 1st person to 3rd or vice versa. 

There is also a publisher-provided curriculum guide that is an awesome resource:

Discussion Questions: 

  • Why did the pack lie to Moon Pie and was it okay?
  • Why was Dexter the way he was?
  • Why did Roo originally side with Dexter?
  • Each of the dogs had a special skill: What would your special skill be?
  • What are some times during the book that shows you Quinn is special?
  • How does Quinn finally stand up to his brother?
  • What does Gus’s choice about what he did with the coyote tell you about him?
  • Why is the book titled Secondhand Dogs?
  • What is the differences between Dexter and Gus as the pack leader?
  • What does Miss Lottie’s choice about what she did with Dexter tell you about her?
  • How did the ending make you rethink Dexter’s character?
  • Who do you think was the hero of the book?

Flagged Passages: “Gus: The new dog walked calmly next to Miss Lottie. His ears and his tail were both up. Alert, but not alarmed.

He wasn’t nervous. Not like the other dogs had been when they first approached the pack.

He was sizing them up, Gus decided. Gus didn’t know what to think about that. Usually new dogs pulled back a bit, or wiggled a little too much, or stood their ground and barked.

Not this dog.

Gus sniffed the air again. The scent that wafted off the new dog was bright and cold, like the metal water bowl in Miss Lottie’s kitchen.

Gus had always hated that bowl.” (Chapter 2)

Read a sample: https://preview.aer.io/Secondhand_Dogs-Mzk3MzU1?social=0&retail=0&emailcap=0

Read This If You Love: The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate, Good Dog by Dan Gemeinhart, Granted by John David Anderson

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 7/5/21

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop co-hosted by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts which focuses on sharing books marketed for children and young adults. It offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Tuesday: Kellee’s #MustReadin2021 Summer Update!

Thursday: The Caiman by María Eugenia Manrique, Illustrated by Ramón París

Saturday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Sunday: Student Voices: “BookTok” by Angelina Dong, Rising 10th Grader

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

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Kellee

I’m excited to review Secondhand Dogs for you this week! Don’t miss out on the review!

The newest Upside-Down Magic, Night Owl, is just as good as the rest of the series. I love the audiobooks–can’t wait for the next one!

To learn more about any of these books, check out my 2021 Goodreads Challenge page  or my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This week, I read Bloom by Kevin Panetta (Author) and Savanna Ganucheau (Illustrator). This is a beautiful book about a boy, Ari, who feels trapped by his family business (a bakery). He seeks to hire someone in the bakery and meets Hector, who is in culinary school and loves baking. This story has so much heart, and I am so glad I read it.

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Kellee

Reading: Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

On Deck: Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon

Listening: Whatever After: Good as Gold by Sarah Mlynowski

Ricki

I am still listening to (and loving) Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian. I have a lot of YA books open, and I don’t like to be locked down, so I’ll probably dabble with them all this week.

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Tuesday: Secondhand Dogs by Carolyn Crimi

Thursday: Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America’s Doctor by Kate Messner, Illustrated by Alexandra Bye

Sunday: Student Voices: “10 Books with Muslim Representation” by Basma Heda, Senior in College

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Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

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Student Voices: “BookTok” by Angelina Dong, Rising 10th Grader

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“BookTok”
by Angelina Dong, Rising 10th Grader & Kellee’s Student 2017-2020

Welcome to BookTok, a virtually available community of passionate readers that is always at your service, with good books to recommend especially when you’re in a slump. #BookTok was created on the well-known platform, TikTok. At first glance it might seem like a collection of your average videos that you’ll swipe and never see again; however, to readers and authors, it has become an interesting and essential way to communicate. Many authors were able to get recognition for their work because creators on the platform give their honest reviews which naturally attracts their followers.

One example of an author on TikTok is Victoria Aveyard. Even though she is well-known for writing the Red Queen series, she is able to share her experience writing the books and help young writers with her content. John Green, the #1 best selling author for The Fault In Our Stars, likes to share what new books he is working on and occasionally collaborates with his brother Hank Green. He has a new book out called The Anthropocene Reviewed. The author of We Hunt the Flame, Hafsah Faizal, is also on TikTok. She likes to share her journey and perseverance towards becoming a writer. She can be seen as an inspiration to young writers and readers who hope to pursue their own career path in literature.

Books recommended from BookTok have become such a topic that bookstores, such as Barnes and Nobles, have created a table just to display them. Some books you might see on that table are: The Song of Achilles, These Violent Delights, They Both Die At The End, Six of Crows, From Blood and Ash, Dance of Thieves, A Court of Thorn and Roses, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. These are only some of the recommended books you’ll find trending on Book Tok!

The book community on Tiktok has certainly grown since it was first started, amassing over 11.2 billion views. If you want to find more books you can also hop over to Goodreads and search BookTok for more recommendations!

Here are some BookTok pages/videos that I’ve enjoyed:

Thank you so much, Angelina, for introducing us to BookTok and sharing some favorite recommendations!

Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

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Sofia is a 9-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. On select Saturdays, Sofia shares her favorite books with kids! She is one of the most well-read elementary schoolers that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role!

Dear readers,

Introducing the best book ever: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart! This is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it! This is a very adventurous and funny book. The writer has a wonderful writing style but some of the words are difficult to understand, and you need an advanced vocabulary to follow this book. I had to look up a few words in my dictionary while reading this. This book is recommended for ages 9-12.

Reynie is an orphan. He gets a tutor for school because he has already finished all of the orphanage’s high school curriculum. Reynie likes to read the newspaper. One day an ad in the newspaper calls for gifted children searching for special opportunities. It is a weird ad because it sounds like it is being written directly to children. Reynie thinks this is odd because almost no children read newspapers. To get the special opportunities Reynie has to take a test. There are many time slots available on the weekend so Reynie and his tutor, Miss Perumal, sign him up for the first session of the test. After Reynie arrives the next morning he only has to wait a few minutes. Just after he finishes the first test the test administrator tells him the test is over. When the test administrator calls the names of the people who passed the test Reynie is startled that he is the only one in that room who did. On his way to the second test he sees a girl who drops her pencil into a sewer grate. He thinks it is weird and when he helps her she offers him the answer key. Reynie declines and passes the test without her help. Much to his surprise the girl with the answer key does NOT pass! On his way to the third test he meets another kid named Sticky. He is a super fast reader and everything that he reads sticks in his head. They talk while they wait for the test and Sticky says someone in his test ALSO dropped her pencil! They are very surprised and become even more scared when a third kid enters the room and also had a kid drop her pencil and offer her the answer key. The girl who just entered is called Kate. She is very tall and always carries a bucket with her.

When they finally pass the third and fourth test they eat. They meet a new girl whose name is Constance, she is really small. Then they meet a mysterious man called Mr. Benedict. He tells them about mysterious messages that are being sent to confuse people’s minds. Mr. Benedict tells them that a man named Ledroptha Curtain is behind the messages. He also tells them that Mr. Curtain runs an institute and that he will send them there to go undercover so they can stop the messages. Follow Reynie on the rest of his exciting journey and help him save the world! Also, figure out if Mr. Benedict is to be trusted!

The many laughs this book gave me was only one of the amazing things about this book. This book was very fun to read and as more awkward characters joined the story it became even more hilarious! I do not know if I would consider this book realistic fiction even though I am pretty sure this could happen in real life. The characters are very clever, they even used Morse code to save the day! This is one of the best books I have ever read for sure, and I highly recommend it!

 

 

Review and Giveaway: The Caiman by María Eugenia Manrique, Illustrated by Ramón París, Translated by Amy Brill

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The Caiman
Author: María Eugenia Manrique
Illustrator: Ramón París
Translator: Amy Brill
Published: July 1, 2021 by Amazon Crossing Kids

Summary: The unforgettable story of a man and his alligator.

When Faoro the clockmaker adopts a baby alligator, he has no idea that someday their story will travel far and wide. But the town of San Fernando de Apure would never forget this kind young man and his adoring alligator, who played with the neighborhood children, took part in Faoro’s wedding, and, eventually, mourned his loss. Now their story is being shared with the world.

In this delightful picture book first published in Venezuela, the author brings us back to her own childhood in Venezuela, as one of the children who used to visit this famous caiman, to tell the story of a man who loved animals and how his friendship with his alligator sparked a lasting legacy.

A New York Times Globetrotting Pick!

★“The striking illustrations…have a wild and whimsical feel about them, featuring lush foliage and expressive characters, including the eventually enormous caiman. It’s a memorable and unexpected demonstration of the universality of love, grief, and kindness.” —Booklist (starred review)

María Eugenia Manrique is one of the girls portrayed in this story. She rode the caiman when she visited her family in San Fernando de Apure. She was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and currently lives in Barcelona, Spain. She studied fine art in Mexico City, specializing in xylography and engraving; Eastern painting at Nankín University, China; and sumi-e and calligraphy at the Nihon Shuji Kyoiku Zaidan Foundation in Japan. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world. The Caiman is her first children’s book. For more information, visit her website: https://mariaeugeniamanrique.wordpress.com/.

Instagram: @mem.manrique

Ramón París was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and as a child lived in Barinas, a plains state like Apure, where he also heard the story of the caiman. He currently lives in Barcelona, Spain. Hismost recent book for children, Duermevela, was selected for the Bologna Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition. His books have been recognized with honors including Los Mejores del Banco del Libro and  the IBBY Honor List, among others, and they have been translated into numerous languages. Visit him at: ramon.paris.

Instagram: @ramon_paris_ilustrador

Amy Brill’s fiction and nonfiction have appeared in numerous publications including the Washington Post, Medium, Real Simple, Oprah.com, and One Story. Her first novel, The Movement of Stars, was published by Riverhead Books. A native New Yorker, Amy lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.

Ricki’s Review: It’s NONFICTION. I read this book and couldn’t believe that the story was true, and it made me love it even more! The author beautifully tells the story of Jose Faoro, who adopts a baby alligator when it is just days old. My children have always dreamed of adopting a large animal such as this, so it offered a wonderfully intriguing read. Although, I might add that they now think that we can take in an alligator in our house (ha!). This is the story of a great man who loved animals and loved those around him. I absolutely adored the gentle telling, and it felt like a book that would be translated because children all over the world would be captivated by this story. The illustrations stand out to me because they are timeless. They feel contemporary to my boys, but they also filled my heart with a softness because they reminded me of the classic illustrations of the stories I read and loved as a child. Ahhh, I just adore this book.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book is accessible to all levels, but I’d love to see it in elementary school classrooms, where teachers ask their students to research examples of other people who did something out of the ordinary. They could write their own picture books.

Discussion Questions: 

  • How do the words and illustrations work together to form a cohesive story?
  • Does Faoro’s story surprise you? Why or why not?
  • What does Faoro’s life tell you about him?
  • What did you learn from the story?

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Read This If You Love: Nonfiction Picture Books; Timeless Stories; Books about Animals

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Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for Providing a Copy for Review!**

Kellee’s #MustReadIn2021 Summer Update!

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In January, I shared about the #MustReadin2021 challenge and my plans. In April, I updated you all and today I am happy to update my progress!

I chose 42 novels for my #MustReadin2021 challenge, and thus far, as of April I had read 13 of them and now I am up to 20 of them! I have linked each title to the IMWAYR post where I shared my thoughts on the book.

I also finished the Spring #BitAboutBooks Challenge!

I also challenged myself to read all of the 2021-2022 Sunshine State Young Readers Award titles for grades 6-8, and my recovery was perfect time to tackle it. 

And finally, I have started the Summer #BitAboutBooks Challenge!

  • Book on Your Shelf: Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, & Nicola Yoon
  • Sunset/Sunrise/Nature Picture: ????
  • Nonfiction Book: ????
  • Share a Summer Recipe: ????
  • Book Highlighting a Summer Activity: ????
  • Share a MG Blog or Twitter: ????
  • Book Related to Gardening: Bloom by Kenneth Oppel
  • Book Purchased: Hatched by Kenneth Oppel
  • Favourite Summer Treat: ????
  • Different Format: The Promised Neverland Volume 20 by Kaiu Shirai, Illustrated by Posuka Demizu
  • Book Cover You Love: King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
  • Different Genre: ????
  • Book of Your Choice: Thrive by Kenneth Oppel
  • Summer Activity You Enjoy: ????
  • Place You Read in the Summer: ????
  • Book You Want to Buy: ????
  • Backlist Book: ????
  • Recommended Book: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
  • Picture of a Colour You See in Summer: ????
  • A Favourite: ????
  • Adult: ????
  • Favourite Drink in the Summer: ????
  • Book with a Summer Setting: ????
  • Book from the Library: ????

I’m having so much fun doing these challenges!!
What are you reading?