Social Studies

Be A King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and You by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by James Ransome

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Bloomsbury

Summary:  “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve….You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.”  Martin Luther King Jr.’s words speak to children in this book showing how anyone can “be a King.”  Illustrations portraying scenes from King’s life are interspersed with others in a different style showing kids working together to paint an MLK mural.  Ideas for how to be a King include standing for peace, having a dream, and doing your very best at whatever you do.  The last page shows the kids gathered around the mural with the advice, “You can be a King.  Set your sights on the mountaintop.  Climb a little higher every day.”  An author’s note gives biographical information.  40 pages; ages 4-9.

Pros:  I liked how this book connected the sometimes abstract concepts of King’s work and speeches with concrete actions that kids can take to make the world a better place.  This would be an excellent book to use in conjunction with the day of service aspect of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.  There is a lot to look at in the illustrations, with two stories interwoven.

Cons:  Having biographical information on the pages with the pictures of King–even just a sentence or two–would have made this even more useful in helping kids understand his life.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  The Pinkneys relate the story of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, beginning with a “Henny Penny Prelude”, in which the fairy tale hen tries to warn of the bitter events ahead.  The remaining poems are in three sections: “Daylight”, “Darkness”, and “Dawn”, in which King’s work is described, particularly the sanitation workers’ strike that brought him to Memphis, Tennessee in March and April of 1968.  The assassination occurs part way through “Darkness”, and includes poems about Coretta Scott King, the Kings’ four children, and James Earl Ray.  “Dawn” is made up of just three poems, concluding with “Rejoice the Legacy” which celebrates MLK’s legacy, including the holiday celebrating his birth.  Back matter includes author’s and artist’s reflections, four pages of text describing the events from the poems called “Now Is the Time” (with several photographs), a timeline, and sources.  128 pages; grades 4-8.

Pros:  Both the poetry and the illustrations are majestic and give the reader much to think about.  The author’s note suggests that the poems could be performed with the “Now Is the Time” section as narration and adding poems to the appropriate parts of the story.

Cons:  The Henny Penny motif was a bit confusing to me.

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The Underground Railroad (American Girl: Real Stories from My Time series) by Bonnie Bader, with Addy stories by Connie Porter; illustrated by Kelley McMorris

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Scholastic

Summary:  The story of the Underground Railroad and slavery in America is told in this chapter book that includes sections on these two topics as well as abolitionists, slave catchers, and the Emancipation Proclamation.  Each chapter ends with two pages told by Addy Walker, the American Girl whose story includes an escape from slavery.  Her narrative is in her voice, drawing from the original American Girl books.  Black and white illustrations and photographs appear every two or three pages.  Includes a note about Addy’s dialect, a glossary, a map of free and slave states and territories in 1856, a timeline, and source notes.  112 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  What could have been a simple marketing tool for Addy is actually a very informative, engagingly written nonfiction book.  Other topics in the series will include the Boston Tea Party, the Titanic, and Pearl Harbor.  I will leave it to you to match the topic with the American Girl.

Cons:  On page 25, Quakers are described as “a Christian group who believe that people should shake and tremble at the word of the Lord.”  Having been part of a variety of Quaker meetings for the last fifteen years, I can safely say I have yet to meet a Quaker who fits this description.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson; illustrated by Frank Morrison

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

The majority of books I have read in 2018 have been about African-Americans and the Civil Rights Movement.  I will be sharing reviews of these for the next week, beginning today.

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Summary:  A girl tells about her participation in the Birmingham Children’s March of 1963, starting with a family trip to church to hear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  When he urges the congregation to march, many of the adults are afraid of losing jobs, so young people offer to go.  On May 2, she and other children and teens begin their protest, only to be met with dogs, fire hoses, and arrest.  On the third day, she is sent to jail.  When their story is broadcast around the world, changes begin to happen, and within two months, the girl is playing on a playground she’s never been allowed to use before.  Back matter includes an afterword, an artist’s statement, a bibliography, and three photos from the march.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  A compelling story, made even more so by the first-person narration and the large, realistic oil paintings.  The message that one person can make a difference is inspiring.

Cons:  The desegregation process seemed overly simplified.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Raid of No Return: A World War II Tale of the Doolittle Raid by Nathan Hale

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Amulet Books

Summary:  In 1942, at a time when the Japanese empire seemed invulnerable, the U.S. government came up with a plan to bomb Tokyo.  Famed aviator James “Jimmy” Doolittle was chosen to lead the raid.  The men who were chosen to join him prepared without knowing anything about the top-secret mission they would be going on.  On April 18, 1942, sixteen bombers, each with a five-man crew, flew off an aircraft carrier, dropped bombs on their targets, then attempted to fly to China.  Fifteen made it, but crashed short of their destinations; the sixteenth landed in Russia.  Most of the men survived, although some were taken prisoner by the Japanese, and three of them were executed.  Although the mission didn’t do much damage, it was an important morale-booster for the United States that led to more military successes in the Pacific.  128 pages; grades 4-8.

Pros:  It’s difficult for me to find superlatives to express how much I love Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.  For those who dismiss graphic works as “trash”, I would invite them to peruse this book and see how the graphics enhance the information.  Pages 20-24 show an aerial view of Pearl Harbor before and after Japan’s attack, demonstrating how devastating that was to America in a way words alone couldn’t do.  I love all the books; this particular one tells an exciting adventure story placed in the context of the early days of World War II.  There is plenty of humor without any disrespect to the heroic men whose stories are told.

Cons:  There were a lot of characters and planes (80 men and 16 bombers) to keep track of.

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Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero by Patricia McCormick, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Balzer + Bray

Summary:  When a group of U.S. Marines was looking for a pack animal to haul ammunition in the Korean War, they ended up buying a scrawny abandoned horse from a nearby racetrack.  She was given a military rank, and became known as Private Reckless.  The men trained her to duck incoming fire and to retreat, using her insatiable appetite for just about any kind of food to get her to do what they needed.  She learned to stay calm in battle, carrying heavy loads of ammunition on her back.  In one day-long battle, she made 51 trips, totaling 35 miles up and down hills, to carry 9,000 pounds of ammunition.  That earned her a promotion to sergeant, and her Marine friends started a campaign to send her to the United States.  They were successful, and she was able to retire with full military honors and two Purple Hearts, the only animal to ever hold military rank.  An author’s note tells more of Reckless’s story, including a photo and a brief bibliography.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  Animal lovers and military history buffs will enjoy this story about a unique horse who won the hearts of the U.S. Marines with her humor, hard work, and bravery.

Cons:  Reckless’s diet of coffee, Coca-Cola, and chocolate.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai, illustrated by Kerascoet

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Malala Yousafzai describes how she used to watch a TV show about a boy who had a magic pencil that could create whatever he drew.  She wished she could have one so she could draw a lock on her bedroom door, new dresses for her mother, and a soccer ball for her brothers.  As she grew older, her dreams grew too, and soon she wished she could use her magic pencil to erase the poverty she saw around her.  She worked hard at school, and when “powerful and dangerous men” took over her country, she started speaking out about the importance of letting girls attend school.  With white letters on a black page, Malala states, “My voice became so powerful that the dangerous men tried to silence me. But they failed.”  The accompanying illustration shows her looking out a hospital window.  The last few pages show her continuing her work today, writing, demonstrating, and speaking at the United Nations.  Back matter includes a letter from Malala, a page of biographical information, and three photos of her at different stages of her life.  48 pages; ages 5-8.

Pros:  A moving introduction to Malala Yousafzai’s courageous story, beautifully illustrated with ink and watercolor drawings.  Kids looking for more information can move on to the young reader’s edition of I Am Malala.

Cons:  You didn’t really think I was going to write something negative about a book by Malala on Thanksgiving Day, did you?

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Before She Was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Holiday House

Summary:  Harriet Tubman’s story is told in reverse, beginning when she is “an old woman/tired and worn/her legs stiff/her back achy”.  Before that, she was a suffragist, and before that, a Union spy.  The narrative continues back in time, showing Harriet as Moses, conducting slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad, and finally, all the way back to a child named Araminta, “who dreamed/of living long enough/to one day/be old/stiff and achy/tired and worn and wrinkled/and free”.  32 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros: A brief, poetic look at Harriet Tubman’s life and many achievements, beautifully illustrated by Coretta Scott King medalist James Ransome.

Cons:  I was disappointed that there was no back matter giving more biographical information.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Think you know about the Statue of Liberty?  Chances are, you will learn something new if you read this book.  It starts in France, where the Statue herself started, and describes the creation and construction of it, first in France and then again in the United States.  It was brown for about 35 years until the copper turned its current shade of green.  The author relates some quirky details about different parts of the statue, then focuses on one specific part: her right foot, which is lifted as though she is walking away.  Where is she going?  He concludes that she is an immigrant, like all the other immigrants she has welcomed over the years.  Immigrants don’t stand still.  They are always moving forward, and like them, the Statue of Liberty is moving toward the ocean to greet the people who continue to come to the United States.  Includes a page of sources for further reading.  104 pages; grades 2-6.

Pros:  A quirky, moving book that is part history and part celebration of immigration, told in a conversational tone and beautifully illuminated with unique cut-paper illustrations.

Cons:  Nonfiction? 104-page picture books?  About the Statue of Liberty?  Or immigration?  It’s hard to know how to categorize this 104-page picture book that jumps from one topic to the next.

If you’d like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

The Red Bandanna (Young Readers Adaptation) by Tom Rinaldi

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Viking

Summary:  On September 11, 2001, as people were struggling to evacuate the Twin Towers, some were led out by a young man with a strong, clear voice and a red bandanna over his face.  Although he helped many people to safety, he himself did not survive.  This book tells the story of Welles Crowther, a 24-year-old Wall Street trader who had worked as a volunteer firefighter, and was considering a career change to FDNY.  From a young age, Welles was fascinated with firefighting, and was a compassionate and exuberant boy who often helped his friends.  He always carried that red bandanna, and it later helped identify him, allowing the survivors he helped to connect with his family.  A feature on ESPN spread his story around the world, and continues to remind others to follow Welles Crowther’s inspiration to help.  176 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  Keep the tissues handy for this moving story of a young man whose brief life has touched many, many others around the world.

Cons:  “Bandanna” just looks wrong, but apparently “bandana” and “bandanna” are both correct.

If you’d like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.