Nonfiction

If You Were a Princess: True Stories of Brave Leaders from Around the World by Hillary Homzie, illustrated by Udayana Lugo

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Aladdin

Summary:  If you were a princess, what would you do?  These real-life princesses are smart and brave, standing up for human and animal rights, competing in sports, and earning advanced degrees in various arts and sciences.  Since ancient times, princesses have studied the stars, led others into battle, and made important discoveries and inventions.  You may not be a princess, but you can be inspired by royalty to stand up for yourself and others and to dazzle the world. Includes a paragraph of additional information about each princess and a list of works cited.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Cinderella, step aside to make way for these amazing real-life princesses from all over the world.  I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had requests for princess books, and I can’t wait to have this one on hand to teach kids some unexpected princess facts.

Cons:  Forced me to rethink my anti-royalist tendencies.

Digestion: The Musical by Adam Rex, illustrated by Laura Park

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Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Digestion: The Musical unfolds in three acts, featuring Your Body, L’il Candy, Gum, and the Baby Carrot Singers.  Starting from the moment the brain gets the signal to open the mouth and let in L’il Candy, the story continues down the esophagus and into the stomach, where Candy meets up with Gum (has he really been stuck there for years? “Nah, that’s a myth.”).  She’s consistently dismissed as junk food by the heart, lungs, gallbladder, and even the seemingly useless appendix.  But Candy persists and is eventually shown to have a nutritional core that can be used by the body.  The final number [two], “Let’s Get This Potty Started”, will leave audiences with a smile on their faces.  Includes a glossary and a literal appendix, which it turns out, is actually useful for storing good bacteria. 76 pages; grades 2-6.

Pros:  I laughed, I cried, I gasped aloud at this fascinating and hilarious mix of fiction and nonfiction that’s presented in both horizontal and vertical spreads.  You’ll probably want to supplement this with other material, but the basic facts are here and likely to stick in kids’ heads due to the high entertainment factor of the presentation.

Cons:  It’s tough to let yourself get too attached to a protagonist that you know is about to be pulverized by the digestive system.

The First Notes: The Story of Do, Re, Mi by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton, illustrated by Chiara Fedele

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  It’s hard to imagine music without written notes, but that was the world Guido d’Arezzo lived in at the beginning of the eleventh century.  He loved the music of his monastery, but the monks had to laboriously practice long hours to master each piece.  One day, Guido realized that the songs were made up of just five tones.  He named them from the first two letters of each line of a favorite song: ut, re, mi, fa, sol, and la (ut became do and ti was added many years later).  The other monks were unimpressed, but Guido later found a more receptive audience at a cathedral where he led the choir, and eventually with Pope John XIX.  Do-re-mi spread, eventually leading to the famous song from The Sound of Music, an illustrated version of which is included at the end of the book.  Also includes a glossary and additional information about Guido d’Arezzo and the song “Do-Re-Mi”.  48 pages, ages 4-8.

Pros:  Aww, a book about do-re-mi by Julie Andrews and her daughter!  It’s a pretty fascinating and well-told tale about something that many of us take for granted.  The illustrations made me want to go live in a medieval Benedictine monastery, no easy feat.

Cons:  Look closely at the cover or you might think, as I did at first, that it’s Maria von Trapp, not Brother Guido, singing and dancing his way through the mountains.

A Life of Service: The Story of Senator Tammy Duckworth by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Dow Phumiruk

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Tammy Duckworth’s father worked for the UN, and she grew up all over southeast Asia.  She knew she was American, though, and dreamed of a life of service to her country.  After graduating from college, she joined the Illinois Army National Guard as a unit commander.  Her three-year commitment was up when the US declared war on Iraq.  Although Tammy opposed the war, she didn’t want to leave her unit, so she got permission to extend her service and went to Iraq.  While flying a helicopter there, she was hit by a grenade and lost both of her legs.  Her military career was over, but she wanted to continue to serve, particularly her fellow veterans.  In 2012, she was elected to the House of Representatives, and in 2016, to the Senate.  She became the first Thai American woman and the first female amputee in Congress, as well as the first Senator to give birth while in office.  And I’m happy to report that just a few days ago she became the first Illinois woman to be reelected to the Senate.  Includes a timeline, a list of projects Senator Duckworth has worked on, and additional resources.  48 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  In her fourth book this year, Christina Soontornvat relates the story of fellow Thai American Tammy Duckworth’s inspiring life of service.  The appealing illustrations help tell the story, and the back matter makes this an excellent book for research.

Cons:  I wish I had read this just a day early to get it on the blog for Veteran’s Day.

A Book, Too, Can Be a Star: The Story of Madeleine L’Engle and the Making of A Wrinkle In Time by Charlotte Jones Voiklis and Jennifer Adams, illustrated by Adelina Lirius

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Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Summary:  Madeleine L’Engle grew up with a writer father and musician mother who encouraged her sense of wonder.  There were often artists at their New York City home, where Madeleine wrote stories from a young age.  She was shy, though, and school was difficult until she used her powers of imagination to make friends.  After college, she worked in the theater, where she met her husband.  They moved to the country and had three children while Madeleine continued her writing, most of which was rejected by publishers.  On a cross-country camping trip, she found inspiration in the Painted Desert and began working on the manuscript that would eventually become A Wrinkle in Time.  As her fame grew, she received many letters from children and always answered, encouraging them to find ways to tell their own stories.  Includes several pages of back matter including a list of Madeleine’s books for young readers, further reading, and a timeline.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  I loved the somewhat whimsical illustrations of this picture book biography co-written by one of Madeleine L’Engle’s grandchildren. It’s a great introduction to Madeleine’s life and would be a perfect lead-in to reading A Wrinkle in Time.  

Cons:  I wasn’t crazy about the timeline being on the back cover, although it is printed so it’s not covered by the back flap.

Symphony for a Broken Orchestra by Amy Ignatow, illustrated by Gwen Millward

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Published by Walker Books US

Summary:  Kids love to play music, but what happens if their instruments break and families can’t afford to fix them?  Unfortunately, they often get locked away, and the students have to put their music education on hold.  Robert Blackson, the artistic director of Philadelphia’s Temple Contemporary, discovered some of these broken instruments in a closed city school.  He had the idea to get musicians to see what kind of music they could create with them, and the Symphony for a Broken Orchestra was born, using the money raised from the performance to buy new instruments for kids.  Includes an author’s note with additional information and a link to hear the performance as well as a note from Robert Blackson.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  This true-life story provides plenty of inspiration and humor (the kids torturing those around them trying to play their broken instruments) with cute and colorful illustrations.  The performance is worth a listen. 

Cons:  Those not familiar with Philly’s Mummer’s Parade may not understand the reference made to the boy playing a broken drum.

A Leopard Diary: My Journey Into the Hidden World of a Mother and Her Cubs by Suzi Eszterhas

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Published by Owlkids

Summary:  When Suzi Eszterhas hears about a pregnant female leopard living in Botswana, she decides to travel there to photograph her and her cubs.  The leopard, named Camp Female, is more relaxed around humans than most leopards, making opportunities for photographing more likely.  This book is written like a diary, from Suzi’s arrival on April 19 when the cubs are just a few weeks old, until February two years later, when those two are grown and living on their own, and Camp Female has a new baby.  Suzi makes several trips during that time, capturing the leopards on film as the play, hunt, and rest.  She also records other animals she sees on her trips, like elephants, giraffes, and baboons.  The narrative ends when the newest cub is still a baby, but Suzi promises she’ll be back to continue her work.  Includes an interview with Kambango, her guide and friend, and a glossary.  40 pages; grades 3-5.

Pros:  I’m always thrilled to see a new book by Suzi Eszterhas, because they’re so popular with kids.  And why not?  High quality photos of adorable animals and stories written engagingly for elementary students make a winning combination that is continued in her most recent work.

Cons:  Camp Female seemed like a pretty dreary name for a leopard, with not much improvement when she was renamed “Mom”. 

Play Like a Girl: A Graphic Memoir by Misty Wilson, illustrated by David Wilson

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Published by Balzer + Bray

Summary:  Misty’s always loved competing with the boys, so when they tell her football’s not for girls, she decides to prove them wrong. It’s the summer before seventh grade, and she convinces her best friend Bree to sign up for seventh grade football with her.  Practices in the August heat are grueling, and the girls have to learn new skills like tackling and learning how to wear football pads.  It proves to be too much for Bree, but Misty sticks with it and becomes an important part of the team.  Most of the boys eventually accept her as a teammate, but a couple never do, which results in some uncomfortable situations.  In between practices and games, Misty deals with friendship issues, a crush on a teammate, and being part of a large blended family.  In the end, she learns the importance of being herself and surrounding herself with people who believe in her.  Includes an author’s note with some additional information about her football career.  272 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  This husband-and-wife team has produced an excellent graphic memoir that will inspire kids to try something outside of their comfort zones.  Sure to appeal to the many fans of the ever-growing middle school graphic novel genre.

Cons:  I was bummed that Misty quit football after seventh grade.

Wild Horses by Melissa Marr

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Published by Nancy Paulsen Books

Summary:  Photographs and action words show the Salt River wild horses of Tonto National Forest in Arizona who quickly appear and disappear from the sight of humans.  In between, they are seen eating, drinking, playing or fighting (not sure which, and the text doesn’t make it clear), running, splashing, and standing with their families.  An author’s note tells a little bit about her personal contact with these horses and urges readers to preserve nature for these and all animals.  32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  There really aren’t enough horse books in the world, and this one has striking photos that will appeal to the youngest equine fans.

Cons:  No additional resources or specific suggestions for preserving nature.

Concrete: From the Ground Up by Larissa Theule, illustrated by Steve Light

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  We may not think much about concrete (I know I don’t), but it’s an amazing material that has allowed engineers to design some pretty spectacular structures beginning with the Roman Colosseum and Pantheon.  The technology was lost for centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, but an engineer named John Smeaton rediscovered it to construct a lighthouse in 1757.  Since then, engineers have learned how to reinforce concrete with steel that has allowed them to build bridges, dams, and skyscrapers.  The final page asks the question of what may come next for concrete as the needs of humans and the planet change in the future.  48 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Answers the question “How could concrete possibly be interesting?” with engaging stories of different structures around the world and incredibly detailed drawings that feature various characters making funny comments about their circumstances and inventions.  Fans of David Macaulay books will enjoy poring over the details.  Amazon has this listed as part of a series called Material Marvels, so I am hoping there will be more books to come.

Cons:  Many readers may see the cover and think, “How could concrete possibly be interesting?”