Nonfiction

The Sky Is Not the Limit by Jérémie Decalf

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

Summary:  The space probe Voyager 2 narrates its journey from assembly to rocket launch to outer space.  It flies by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, with pages of black, starry space to show the distance and time between planets.  Finally, it heads for interstellar space, where our sun is just another star.  Both Voyager 2 and its twin Voyager 1 carry a Golden Record filled with photographs and recordings from Earth.  Includes a page and a half of additional information, the NASA website where updates and photos can be seen, and a map of the solar system on both sets of endpapers. Translated from French. 64 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  The simple, lyrical text and incredible illustrations that beautifully capture the vastness and wonder of space.  

Cons:  Readers will no doubt be left with plenty of questions about this amazing journey, so it would have been nice to have more additional resources.

Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter by Aida Salazar, illustrated by Molly Mendoza

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  Jovita wanted to wear pants, but girls growing up in 1910’s rural Mexico were expected to wear dresses.  She played with her brothers every chance she got, learning about the countryside: how to find food and water, where dangerous animals lived, and how to read the weather.  When revolution came to her village, her father and brothers joined the fight, but Jovita wasn’t allowed to.  War brought one tragedy after another, as her house was burned down, she was captured and held hostage for a time, and her father and brothers were killed.  After their deaths, Jovita cut her hair, put on pants, and joined the revolution as a soldier named Juan.  Her knowledge of the countryside made her a natural leader, and she fought for six years before finally agreeing to a truce with the government.  The President of Mexico was so impressed with her fighting skills that he invited her to a meeting.  She went on her own terms, still wearing the pants she loved.  Includes five pages of additional information with photos, plus notes from the author and illustrator.  48 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  Badass doesn’t begin to describe Jovita Valdovinos, whose legendary feats make for inspiring Women’s History Month reading.  The colorful illustrations capture her energy, and the additional information makes for some very interesting reading.

Cons:  Despite her heroics, Jovita’s early life sounds pretty terrible.

Dear Yesteryear by Kimberly Annece Henderson, hand lettering by Ciara LeRoy

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Published by Dial Books

Summary:  “Dearest yesteryear, tell me your life’s story.”  Kimberly Annece Henderson, a historical researcher who specializes in genealogy and Black American lineages, directly addresses the people in the black-and-white photographs shown in the book.  Her poetic text asks them about their lives:  did they finish school?  Find love?  Achieve success?  She asks for their help and guidance in persevering, concluding, “I’ll walk within your shadow, until memory calls me home.  With love, Today.”  Includes an author’s note with additional information about her family and the work that she does, as well as thumbnails of each photo with a citation.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  With the look of an old photo album, this unique book contains photos and text that are sure to be thought-provoking and discussion-inducing. The pictures would make great writing prompts and could lead readers to explore their own genealogies.

Cons:  The cover may not catch the eye of many kids. 

The Indestructible Tom Crean: Heroic Explorer of the Antarctic by Jennifer Thermes

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Viking Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Tom Crean grew up on the coast of Ireland and went to sea like most of the other young men around him.  But his fate took an unusual turn when he volunteered to be a last-minute replacement on board Robert Scott’s ship Discovery sailing for Antarctica.  This was the first of three trips Tom took to Antarctica: he was also part of Captain Scott’s attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole and was on board the ill-fated Endurance with Ernest Shackleton.  In fact, Tom was one of three men responsible for the rescue for the rest of the Endurance crew.  Shackleton tried to convince Tom to go on one more Antarctic exploration, but by then Tom had settled down in Ireland, opening the South Pole Pub (still operating today) with his wife, and raising three children.  Includes an afterword with additional information, a timeline, and a list of sources.  56 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  I love Jennifer Thermes’ illustrations, especially her maps, and am delighted to see on Amazon that she has a book about the history of America coming out this summer.  The illustrations are delightful, and the story is riveting, with plenty of back matter to make it a pretty complete biography.

Cons: Made Antarctica seem unappealing as a travel destination.

A Take-Charge Girl Blazes a Trail to Congress: The Story of Jeannette Rankin by Gretchen Woelfle, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Calkins Creek

Summary:  Jeannette Rankin was a take-charge girl from the start, helping out on her Montana ranch wherever she could.  Traditional female roles didn’t appeal to her, but social justice did, and she moved from working at a settlement house to campaigning for women’s suffrage.  After a victory for the cause in Montana, Jeannette decided to expand her influence by running for Congress.  On November 7, 1916, Jeannette won the election, becoming the first U.S. Congresswoman.  Five months later, she took her seat in the House of Representatives as a representative from Montana, declaring, “I may be the first woman member of Congress, but I won’t be the last.”  40 pages; grades 1-5.  Includes additional information about Jeannette Rankin, a timeline of her life, and additional resources.

Pros:  I’ve been working on a picture book biography of Jeannette Rankin off and on for the last few years, and this book is far better than anything I’ve been able to come up with.  The writing and illustrations are lively and capture Jeannette’s can-do spirit.

Cons:  To me, one of the most interesting things about Jeannette is that she voted against both World War I and World War II (the only member of Congress to do so for WWII), which was political suicide but supported her pacifist beliefs.  This part of her career is relegated to the back matter.

Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport by Caren Stelson, illustrated by Selina Alko

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Carolrhoda Books

Summary:  Beginning in Czechoslovakia in 1938, the story follows five children from a peaceful happy life to a period of increasing restrictions and hardships for Jews.  When Germany occupies Czechoslovakia in March 1939, the children’s parents have a difficult decision to make. The kids are only vaguely aware of the man who’s offering them the chance to escape to safety. Before long, the families are at the Prague railway station, saying good-bye to their children as they board trains that will take them to England.  The children soon learn that the man has made arrangements with British families to take them in.  As the years pass, they grow more comfortable in their new homes, but worry as they hear news of Czechoslovakia.  Their fears are confirmed at the end of the war when most learn that their parents have not survived.  Fifty years later, they finally learn the identity of the man who saved them–Nicholas Winton, the British man who rescued 669 children.  Includes a timeline and extensive information on the Kindertransport Movement, Nicholas Winton, the five children, and The Children’s Memorial in Jerusalem, as well as additional resources, and notes from the author and illustrator.  40 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  The beautiful illustrations, riveting story, and extensive back matter make this a compelling nonfiction book that anyone with an interest in World War II or the Holocaust will want to get their hands on.  

Cons:  This story is told from the children’s perspective, so Nicholas Winton is simply a mysterious man, as he would have been to them.  His story is so interesting, though, that it seems a shame to relegate him to the back matter.  For a different perspective, be sure to check out Peter Sis’s Nicky and Vera.

Moon’s Ramadan by Natasha Khan Kazi

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Versify

Summary:  Moon travels around the world during the month of Ramadan, as the part of her visible to Earth changes from the tiny crescent that signifies the beginning of the month to a full circle, and back to the sliver that heralds the end of the month and the Eid celebration.  She watches Muslims in countries around the world fasting, worshiping, and practicing kindness and charity.  As night falls on the Eid celebration, “a billion faces smile up at Moon.  Moon sees a world of love and kindness, and she glows with gratitude.”  Includes a brief author’s note with additional information about Ramadan, information about the lunar cycle with pictures of the phases of the moon, and a Ramadan glossary.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This is a much-needed introduction to Ramadan with beautiful illustrations that show Muslims from all around the world.  I love that it’s told from the perspective of the moon and includes some scientific information…check out the phases of the moon on the endpapers.

Cons:  The labels identifying the different countries were in a smallish font that didn’t show up well; it took me a few pages to notice them.

Black Beach: A Community, an Oil Spill, and the Origin of Earth Day by Shaunna and John Stith, illustrated by Maribel Lechuga

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by little bee books

Summary:  Sam is in class drawing a picture of her favorite Santa Barbara beach when the principal walks in and whispers something to her teacher.  She finds out the news at home when her parents tell her about the oil spill that’s polluting her beloved beach.  As the oil starts to wash ashore, Sam feels sad, then angry, as she watches her parents and other volunteers try to clean up the damage.  She and her friends fill bottles with the oil and mail them to politicians.  News coverage increases, and several months later, U.S Senator and environmental activist Gaylord Nelson visits the beach, inspiring him to organize the first Earth Day.  On April 22, 1970, people around the world celebrated, protested, and taught about the environment, beginning a movement that continues today.  Includes an authors’ note, a bibliography, a timeline, additional information about Earth Day, and a list of ten ways to become an environmental activist.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  An excellent read-aloud for Earth Day.  The perspective of the fictional Sam brings this true story to life for kids, and the additional information gives them concrete actions to take for the environment.

Cons:  Showing the damage wrought by the oil company, then urging kids to take shorter showers and turn off the lights feels like misplaced responsibility.

All Rise: The Story of Ketanji Brown Jackson by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Ashley Evans

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Crown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Our newest Supreme Court Justice gets her own picture book biography with the repeating refrain of “she rose.”  Ketanji rose from a childhood filled with the love and support of parents and grandparents who took pride in their heritage and valued education.  She rose to overcome teachers who made fun of her name and discouraged her from applying to Harvard to follow her dream of becoming a lawyer and then a judge.  And ultimately, she rose to the challenge of four days of tough questions by the Senate Judiciary Committee to become the first Black woman Supreme Court justice.  Includes a letter from the author to her granddaughter and “all our daughters” and a timeline of Ketanji Brown Jackson’s life.  40 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  This inspiring biography will help kids get to know Ketanji Brown Jackson.  Her own quotes are sprinkled throughout the text, adding her voice to her story. 

Cons:  No photos.

We Go Way Back: A Book About Life on Earth and How It All Began by Idan Ben-Barak, illustrated by Philip Bunting

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Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  Idan Ben-Barak and Philip Bunting have created a picture book about life on Earth and how it started.  Going back to a time when “there was a lot going on” on Earth (erupting volcanoes, raining meteors, lightning strikes), they explain how elements in Earth’s seas joined together to form molecules.  The molecules turned into bubbles until one day, a “special bubble” formed that could make copies of itself, each one just a little bit different.  From this process, all sorts of life forms began to evolve.  The final page is a three-part vertical gatefold that opens up to show the many branches on the tree of life.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  This deceptively simple book takes on some enormously complex scientific concepts and manages to clearly explain them with the help of some pretty adorable illustrations.

Cons:  I would like to sit down and have a serious conversation with the editor who decided there was no need for back matter in this book.