Nonfiction

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?”

Killer Underwear Invasion! How to Spot Fake News, Disinformation & Conspiracy Theories by Elise Gravel

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Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  In six chapters, Elise Gravel covers the bases of information literacy: fake news, disinformation, how social media spread such things, confirmation bias, and how to check for accuracy.  Her drawings and examples are funny, with cute monsters talking to each other about why doctors are bad, pollution is okay, and how drinking shampoo will make you healthy, but underwear might kill you.  The final chapter gives ten tips for telling real news from fake.  No back matter, alas.  104 pages; grades 2-6.

Pros:  This would make a great text to use for an information literacy class, using the humorous examples to springboard to real-life ones.  Kids will definitely be entertained, and there’s plenty of great information.

Cons:  Feels like librarians have been teaching this stuff for my whole twenty-plus-years-long career, yet the spread of disinformation is worse than ever.

Caves by Nell Cross Beckerman, illustrated by Kalen Chock

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Orchard Books

Summary:  Addressing the reader in the second person (“You want to go in…do you dare?”), the book introduces different features of caves, then shows unusual examples of each one in seven caves around the world.  There’s the Cueva de Los Cristales in Mexico, filled with 39-foot crystals that had to be pumped dry for people to explore. And the Bracken Cave in Texas, summer home to twenty million bats.  The realistic illustrations convey the magnitude of the caves, often showing how small the human explorers are in comparison.  Includes notes from the author and illustrator, lists of cave rules and spelunking equipment, and more fun facts about three of the caves.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  The poetic text and gorgeous illustrations combine to make a nonfiction book that invites readers on an adventure, in the spirit of Candace Fleming’s Giant Squid or Jason Chin’s Grand Canyon.  I’d love to see this get some Siebert Award recognition.

Cons:  I wish that there were more fun facts about all of the caves mentioned in the book, not just three.

The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs by Chana Stiefel, illustrated by Susan Gal

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  Yaffa Eliach had a happy childhood in the Jewish town (shtetl) of Eishyshok, playing with her friends and older brother and helping her grandmother in her photography studio.  But when Yaffa was six years old, German tanks rolled in and the village, along with most of its inhabitants, was destroyed.  Yaffa’s family managed to flee and lived in hiding for the next several years.  They left their possessions behind except for a few photographs Yaffa hid in her shoe.  After the war, Yaffa moved first to Israel, and then to the United States, where she became a history professor specializing in the Holocaust.  When the Holocaust Museum was built in Washington, DC, President Jimmy Carter asked Yaffa to create an exhibit to show the lives of people who were lost.  Yaffa searched all over the world for photographs of people who had lived in Eishyshok.  Over the course of 17 years, she traveled to six continents to collect over 1,000 photos that were turned into the “Tower of Life” exhibit at the Holocaust Museum.  Includes a timeline of Yaffa’s life, a bibliography, and a brief author’s note.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  An inspiring story of an amazing woman who emerged from tragedy to create a beautiful tribute that celebrates the lives of those who died in the Holocaust.  The illustrations capture those lives as well, incorporating photos into the paintings.

Cons:  I would have liked more information about Yaffa in the back matter.