Nonfiction

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.

The In-Between: A Memoir in Verse by Katie Van Heidrich

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Aladdin

Summary:  In this debut memoir in verse, Katie Van Heidrich writes about a six-week period when she lived with her mother and two younger siblings in a motel room.  It’s an “in-between” time when her mom is between jobs and unable to keep their apartment.  As Katie tries to adjust to her circumstances while pretending everything is normal to her seventh-grade classmates and teachers, she reflects on the past and her relationship with the members of her family.  Her Black mother and white father have always worked to be in her life, even after they divorced, and she recognizes how her dad has provided structure while her mom has allowed her to dream.  The kids spend weekends with their dad, who’s recently remarried and living in the suburbs, but Katie slowly learns the reasons why they can’t live there all the time.  By the time a tenuous happy ending arrives, Katie’s learned that she can’t always please her parents and that her voice is an important part of the family.  Includes seven pages of photos.  304 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  Katie Van Heidrich has a masterful debut with verse that is both expressive and concise and beautiful pacing that slowly reveals each family member’s personality and how the past has brought them to the present moment.

Cons:  While there’s nothing in this book that makes it inappropriate for upper elementary, the emotions are so pitch-perfect for middle schoolers that it might be better appreciated by older readers.

The Gentle Genius of Trees by Philip Bunting

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Published by Crown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  This friendly introduction to trees starts out with the ways humans benefit from them (wood, paper, food, shade), then moves on to the many amazing things trees can do.  Their roots sink deep into the earth, allowing trees to connect with and even communicate with each other.  The genius of trees extends to their growth, allowing them to optimize the location of branches and leaves for making food through photosynthesis.  The book ends with some lessons humans can learn from trees: be flexible, branch out (but look for the things that give you the most energy), look out for those around you, and grow slow to grow strong.  32 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  There’s a surprising amount of information about trees here, all presented with clear explanations, gentle humor, and cute yet informative illustrations. 

Cons:  No back matter.

Cut! How Lotte Reiniger and a Pair of Scissors Revolutionized Animation by C. E. Winters, illustrated by Matt Schu

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Greenwillow Books

Summary:  Who created the first full-length animated film, inventing the multiplane camera and storyboarding in the process?  If you answered Walt Disney, it’s time for you to pick up this book and learn about Lotte Reiniger, a German artist who developed a love of shadow puppetry as a child and became renowned for her creations.  After studying filmmaking and stop-motion animation with director Paul Wegener, she started making short animated films but didn’t think any audience would be interested in a feature-length one.  A friend convinced her to try, though, and she spent the next three years creating The Adventures of Prince Achmed. When it was finally completed in 1926, she had trouble finding a theater that would show it, but it eventually became a big success.  Lotte went on to make approximately sixty films, including one in a basement during the bombing of Berlin before she emigrated to England.  Includes a timeline, a list of sources, and an author’s note with additional information about Lotte.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  Don’t forget, March is Women’s History Month, and this would make a fascinating read-aloud, maybe shown with the Prince Achmed trailer.  The story is well-told, and the illustrations capture the feel of Lotte’s work with film and silhouettes.

Cons:  The thought of making a film like this makes me want to lose my mind.  Lotte must have had incredible patience.