Nonfiction

Pura’s Cuentos: How Pura Belpré Reshaped Libraries with Her Stories by Annette Bay Pimentel, illustrated by Magaly Morales

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Pura's Cuentos: How Pura Belpré Reshaped Libraries with Her Stories - Kindle edition by Pimentel, Annette Bay, Morales, Magaly. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Pura's Cuentos: How Pura Belpré Reshaped Libraries with Her Stories: Pimentel, Annette Bay: 9781419749414: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Pura Belpré grew up in Puerto Rico, surrounded by a family of storytellers.  When she moved to New York City, she missed those cuentos and visited her branch of the New York Public Library to discover the stories there.  The librarian noticed her interacting with others in both Spanish and English and offered her a job.  Pura loved reading to kids but couldn’t find any books with the Puerto Rican folktales she grew up with.  She broke with protocol by telling a story instead of reading it during an evaluation with library administrators.  They were so impressed that they gave her special permission to use her storytelling skills (instead of reading a book) during library story hours.  She was a pioneer of bilingual story hours, making the library more inviting to Spanish speakers.  In her retirement, she worked on writing down some of the stories, making her beloved cuentos available in published books.  Includes an author’s note, a list of Pura Belpré’s books, and other sources.  40 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  I almost passed by this book, thinking that everything I needed to know about Pura Belpré I learned from 2019’s Planting Stories by Anika Aldamuy Denise.  I’m glad I didn’t, as I found it charming and engaging, telling the story of this fascinating woman with slightly dreamy illustrations that incorporate a lot of Spanish words.  Planting Stories won a Belpré honor, and this book is worthy of one as well.

Cons:  Seems like it would be in keeping with Pura’s spirit to have a Spanish version of this book, but I couldn’t find one.

Art Is Everywhere: A Book About Andy Warhol by Jeff Mack

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Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Art Is Everywhere
Art Is Everywhere

Summary:  Andy Warhol narrates his story, starting with his job drawing shoes.  “All day long it was shoe, shoe, shoe, shoe, shoe, shoe, shoe.  I felt like a robot in a factory.  It was so cool.”  Soon he was drawing other everyday objects as art like Campbell’s soup cans (“Do you like soup? We all like soup”) and boxes of Brillo pads.  He made an eight-hour movie of the Empire State Building and prints of Marilyn Monroe (“Did I make her famous? Or did she make me famous?”).  He started a magazine and made a TV show.  At the end, he predicts the future of media where there will be things to watch, things to follow, and things to share.  Astute readers will realize that that future is already here.  Includes an author’s note with additional information that speculates on how Andy Warhol might be making art if he were still alive today.  48 pages; grades 2-5.  

Pros:  This unique biography really captures Andy Warhol’s art and voice, and would serve as an excellent introduction to use in an art class.  There’s humor and some interesting questions for readers to ponder, as well as references to Warhol’s accessible pop art that will undoubtedly pique kids’ curiosity to learn more.

Cons:  Since there’s not a lot of biographical information, a list of additional resources would have been helpful.

If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving by Chris Newell, illustrated by Winona Nelson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Scholastic

If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving: Newell, Chris, Nelson, Winona: 9781338726374: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Those of us who grew up reading Scholastic’s books like If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 or If Your Name Was Changed At Ellis Island will recognize the question-and-answer format of this book that traces the history and culture of the Wampanoag people, the Europeans who sailed on the Mayflower, and what happened when their paths crossed.  This story does not end with the 1621 harvest feast that these groups shared, but continues on to what happened in the years afterward as Europeans increasingly moved onto indigenous lands and killed many of the people with wars and disease.  It also tells how Thanksgiving came to be a national holiday, more than 200 years after the event it purports to celebrate, and concludes with a discussion of American holidays  (or the lack of them) that recognize indigenous people.  Includes a glossary.  96 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  I enjoyed these books as a kid, and this one provides a much-needed correction to the traditional Thanksgiving story, with a greater emphasis on the Wampanoag history and culture, and a look at some of the history after 1621.  Definitely a resource that should be added to elementary school classrooms and libraries where Thanksgiving is part of the curriculum.

Cons:  Given the many, many questions around the traditional telling of the history of Thanksgiving, I was disappointed that this book didn’t include source notes, additional reading lists, or any information about the author. 

Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear by Trang Nguyen, illustrated by Jeet Zdung

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Published by Dial Books

Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear: Nguyen, Trang, Zdung, Jeet, Zdung, Jeet: 9780593353639: Amazon.com: Books
Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear: Nguyen, Trang, Zdung, Jeet, Zdung, Jeet: 9780593353639: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  The author based this story on her life, portraying herself as a young girl named Chang who commits to becoming a wildlife conservationist after witnessing people extracting bear bile on a bear farm.  As she grows up, she’s given little encouragement due to her gender and age, but she persists in her goal, and eventually is accepted as a volunteer for an organization called Free the Bears.  There she meets a sun bear cub named Sorya and takes on the task of reintroducing her to the wild.  This proves to be a long process, since Sorya is shy and becomes attached to Chang.  Again, Chang’s persistence pays off, and after many months, Sorya gradually goes back to the wild.  Chang misses her friend, but is happy that Sorya is where she belongs.  128 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  This unusual graphic story features gorgeous artwork showing the forests of Vietnam and an inspiring story about a determined young woman who is able to make a difference with her conservation work.

Cons:  The scene at the bear farm is a bit disturbing.

The Message: The Extraordinary Journey of an Ordinary Text Message by Michael Emberley

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Published by Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

The Message | Book by Michael Emberley | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster
The Message: The Extraordinary Journey of an Ordinary Text Message: Emberley, Michael, Emberley, Michael: 9781534452909: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Michael Emberley traces the journey of a text message from one phone to another, starting with the formation of the message in the brain, then traveling through the fingers to the phone’s glass.  Next, the signal travels to a cell tower, then on through underground cables that travel deep into the ocean.  Eventually (I’m skipping over a few steps here) the message arrives at the recipient’s phone and is received by her eyes and brain.  Although emotions can’t travel via text, the message can trigger an emotion, in this case love as a mother and child exchange messages when the mom is away on a trip.  Includes additional information and resources (which are printed on the back endpapers…grrr!).  48 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  Kudos to Michael Embereley for taking an incredibly complex process that most of us take for granted and making it interesting and understandable.  Both kids and adults will learn a lot from this introduction and the back matter adds much more.

Cons:  I definitely didn’t follow the whole process. My mind is still blown, though.

Nina: A Story of Nina Simone by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Christian Robinson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books

Nina: A Story of Nina Simone: Todd, Traci N., Robinson, Christian: 9781524737283: Amazon.com: Books
Nina: A Story of Nina Simone: Todd, Traci N., Robinson, Christian: 9781524737283: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Eunice Waymon was a precocious musical talent, playing at her mother’s church from the age of 3.  Her daddy taught her some jazz, she learned gospel at church, and her piano teacher taught her classical.  After studying at Julliard, Eunice was rejected by Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music, a disappointment that she suspected was because she was Black and female.  She almost gave up on music, but heard about a job performing in an Atlantic City club.  Not wanting her religious mother to find out what she was doing, Eunice Waymon became Nina Simone.  Her fame was growing during the years of the civil rights movement, and Nina began adding words to her music to express the anger, frustration, and fear she felt.  “And when she sang of Black children–you lovely, precious dreams–her voice sounded like hope.”  Includes additional information about Nina Simone and a bibliography.  56 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  This well-written biography is sure to be considered for a Caldecott or Coretta Scott King award.  Christian Robinson’s acrylic and collage illustrations cleverly incorporate scenes from the civil rights movement into illustrations of Nina’s performances.

Cons:  The ending felt a bit abrupt.

The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Eugene Yelchin

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Candlewick Press

The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain: Yelchin, Eugene, Yelchin, Eugene: 9781536215526: Amazon.com: Books
The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain: Yelchin, Eugene, Yelchin, Eugene: 9781536215526: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Eugene Yelchin tells the story of his early years in 1960’s Leningrad, living with his mother, father, older brother, and grandmother in a single room with a communal kitchen and bathroom.  His brother is a figure skating star, but Yevgeny’s talents prove elusive until his father discovers his sketches on the underside of their big table.  He’s declared an artistic genius and begins taking art lessons.  As Yevgeny matures, he slowly starts to learn the truth about why his mother was never able to have the ballet career she dreamed of, why his grandfather has been cut out of all the family photos, and why his family is often the target of anti-Semitic slurs.  Despite a family tragedy, the end of the story finds Yevgeny feeling optimistic about the future, leaving the reader with a sense that there may be a sequel in the future.  208 pages grades 4-8.

Pros:  There’s plenty of humor in both the text and the many illustrations of this memoir, but the fear and poverty of Cold War Soviet life is seamlessly woven into the story.  Definitely a Newbery contender.

Cons:  Many readers will be unfamiliar with the setting and may need some help in understanding what’s going on in Yevgeny’s life.

The People Remember by Ibi Zoboi, illustrated by Loveis Wise

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Balzer + Bray

The People Remember: Zoboi, Ibi, Wise, Loveis: 9780062915641: Amazon.com: Books
The People Remember: Zoboi, Ibi, Wise, Loveis: 9780062915641: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  This illustrated poem recounts the history of African Americans, beginning with their capture in Africa and continuing through enslavement, emancipation, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Power movement, the Hip-Hop era, the election of Barack Obama, and the Black Lives Matter movement.  There are mentions and depictions of many famous Black writers, entrepreneurs, musicians, and artists.  Each section embodies one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa and concludes by naming it.  Includes a two-page author’s note with additional information about Kwanzaa and her connection to it, a four-page timeline with additional information about the events in the book, and a list for further reading.  64 pages; grades 1 and up.

Pros:  This amazing book traces the history of African Americans with concise but beautiful language that will inspire readers to dig more deeply into the events and people named.  The vibrant illustrations portray what’s going on in the text realistically but with a touch of imaginative fantasy.  There aren’t nearly enough Kwanzaa books, and this one would make an excellent resource; it could be read all at once or spread out over the seven days of the holiday.

Cons:  Some reviewers recommended this for ages 4-8.  It’s a long book with lots of information, which I think would be more appreciated by older readers of any age.

Sprouting Wings: The True Story of James Herman Banning, the First African American Pilot to Fly Across the United States by Louisa Jaggar and Shari Becker, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

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Published by Crown Books

Sprouting Wings: The True Story of James Herman Banning, the First African American Pilot to Fly Across the United States: Jaggar, Louisa, Becker, Shari, Cooper, Floyd: 9781984847621: Amazon.com: Books
Sprouting Wings: The True Story of James Herman Banning, the First African American Pilot to Fly Across the United States: Jaggar, Louisa, Becker, Shari, Cooper, Floyd: 9781984847621: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  From the time he was a child, James Banning dreamed about flying, pursuing that dream during trips to the library and on a visit to see a real flying machine in 1911.  As an adult, he became a car mechanic, but was always looking for an opportunity to learn to fly.  He finally got a pilot’s license, then set his sights on becoming the first Black person to fly across the United States.  Teaming up with mechanic Thomas Cox Allen, he set off in a dilapidated plane with a 14-year-old engine.  That engine died quite a few times along the way, but on October 9, 1932, the two men flew their plane around the Statue of Liberty.  That night they celebrated with some of the stars of Harlem, having become stars themselves with their achievement.  Includes an author’s note and a list of sources.  48 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  A little-known aviation pioneer gets his due in this beautifully illustrated book that celebrates James Banning’s life and accomplishments.  Although Floyd Cooper passed away in July, his work continues to inspire and will hopefully receive some award recognition.

Cons:  It’s a long book if you’re planning to read it out loud.  Also, I was wondering why the British spelling “aeroplane” was used throughout the book.

A Little Round Panda on the Big Blue Earth by Tory Christie, illustrated by Luciana Navarro Powell

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Amicus Ink

A A Little Round Panda on the Big Blue Earth: Christie, Tory, Powell, Luciana Navarro: 9781681526546: Amazon.com: Books
A Little Round Panda on the Big Blue Earth - J. Appleseed

Summary:  In this follow-up to A Tiny Brown Monkey on the Big Blue Earth, a little round panda munches bamboo on a hill covered with mist.  A path leads from the hill to a river where people board a boat and travel down the river to a big city.  Lights blink from tall buildings that shine into the sky of the big blue earth.  Endpapers show the panda sitting in the Sichuan Province of China at the center of a map with the Yangtzee River, Indian Ocean, country of China, and continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa all labeled. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  We’ve seen books before that start at a certain geographic point and slowly move out into space.  This one starts with a cute panda and moves to different locations in China with beautiful illustrations that warrant close examination.  This would be a great introduction to maps for younger kids.

Cons:  Except for the endpapers there was no back matter.