Social Studies

How Kate Warne Saved President Lincoln by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk, pictures by Valentina Belloni

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Albert Whitman and Company

 

Summary:  When Kate Warne walked into the Pinkerton Detective Agency in 1856, Allan Pinkerton had never considered hiring a woman to be a detective.  But Warne convinced him that women could go undercover in a variety of ways that men could not, and soon she was a valuable member of the world’s first detective agency.  She successfully worked on a number of cases, but her most famous was helping to thwart an assassination plot against Abraham Lincoln as Lincoln traveled from Illinois to Washington, D.C. to begin his term as President.  Kate infiltrated the group that was planning to kill the President, and learned that they had vowed to not let him leave Baltimore alive.  She and other detectives from the agency worked all night to make sure Lincoln got safely through the city, onto Philadelphia, and finally to Washington.  An author’s note tells a bit more about Kate Warne’s life, although little is known; a brief bibliography is also included.  32 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  Kate’s escapades make interesting and exciting reading, particularly given how difficult it was for women to have successful careers in her time.  The bright cartoon-like illustrations are appealing.  See last year’s The Detective’s Assistant by Kate Hannigan for an entertaining fictional account of Warne’s life.

Cons:  It’s frustrating that Kate Warne’s early life is a complete unknown.

Dorothea’s Eyes by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Gerard DuBois

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Published by Calkins Creek 

Summary:  Young Dorothea was a keen observer, often feeling like an outsider after a childhood bout of polio left her with a limp.  At the age of 18 she decided to become a photographer, even though she had never handled a camera.  She worked in a number of studios, first in New York, then in California, where she learned the art of taking pictures, eventually setting up her own portrait studio in San Francisco.  But she felt unfulfilled taking photos of wealthy people.  In the midst of the Great Depression, she took to the streets, photographing the poor and neglected, traveling across the country, and waking people up to the poverty that was sweeping the nation.  Although she was plagued with ill health for many years, Dorothea continued to be a crusader with her camera, both in the United States and abroad.  End matter includes several of Lange’s photographs, an author’s note, a timeline, and resources for further research.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  An interesting biography of an inspiring woman who followed her heart to do work that made a difference.  The unique illustrations have an appropriately vintage feel to them.

Cons:  I really liked Dorothea Lange’s quote on the bibliography page.  Too bad it couldn’t have been worked into the text.

Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Philippe Cousteau and Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Meilo So

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Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Viv is new in town, and unsure how she feels about her new home.  On her first day of school, her new teacher encourages the class to look for a problem in their community that the kids can work to solve.  Walking on the beach, Viv learns that sea turtles nest there, and that the babies often get disoriented by beach house lights and can’t find their way to the ocean.  Her own difficulties finding her way in a new place makes Viv sympathetic for the turtles.  Soon her whole class is involved in researching the turtles’ plight and spreading the word to turn out lights and close curtains at night.  Their hard work pays off, and on a night patrol, Viv gets to see a line of loggerhead turtles heading for the sea.  Back matter includes a letter to young activists, a note to parents and teachers on how to help kids make a difference in their communities, and additional information about sea turtles.  48 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  Environmental activist Cousteau (grandson of Jacques) and award-winning write Hopkinson join forces for an inspiring tale about young kids making a difference, backed up with information readers can use themselves.

Cons:  I was hoping this was based on a true story, but it seems to be fictional.

America’s Tea Parties: Not One But Four! Boston, Charleston, New York, Philadelphia by Marissa Moss

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Published by Abrams 

Summary:  Everyone knows about the Boston Tea Party, but it turns out that event was just the beginning.  After word got around to the other colonies, Sons of Liberty groups in Charleston, New York, and Philadelphia had their own tea parties to prevent British tea from getting into colonial shops and to protest the hated tax on tea.  The four tea parties are put into context with a thorough look at the events leading up to them, as well as the various players in each colony.  Plentiful illustrations and sidebars add even more information.  End matter includes a six-page author’s note, a timeline covering events from fall of 1773 to the end of 1774, an extensive bibliography, and an index.  48 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  Middle grade social studies curricula will be given a boost with this well-written history of the period leading up to the American Revolution.  Thorough research, an engaging writing style, and plenty of illustrations make this an excellent nonfiction choice.

Cons:  There’s a lot of information here for the average fifth or sixth grader to wade through.

Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass by Dean Robbins, illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Orchard Books 

Summary:  Imagine Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, both civil rights activists who lived in Rochester, New York, sitting down to tea and cake together.  That’s the starting point of Two Friends, which then takes a look back at the early life of both Anthony and Douglass and how they became involved in the struggles to end slavery and give women the right to vote.  An author’s note gives a bit more information, as well as dates when both goals were achieved in the United States.  32 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  An interesting introduction to two important 19th century activists whose civil rights struggles are still relevant today.  The colorful folk-artsy illustrations nicely portray Anthony, Douglass, and their homes in Rochester.

Cons:  A pretty brief introduction with only a little biographical information.

The Hole Story of the Doughnut by Pat Miller, illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 

Summary:  Hanson Gregory left his family’s farm for a life at sea in 1844 at the age of 13.  He quickly rose from cook’s assistant to become captain of a clipper ship.  By all accounts, he became an excellent commander, even receiving a medal for heroism from the queen of Spain after rescuing seven Spanish sailors.  But what Hanson Gregory is remembered for today is inventing the doughnut.  As cook’s assistant, he was charged with making breakfast cakes of fried dough.  Because the centers of these cakes remained raw and heavy, they were called sinkers.  One day Gregory had the brilliant idea to cut out the centers with the top of the pepper shaker.  The rest is baking history.  Over the years, legends arose about the genesis of the doughnut, and others even claimed to have invented it, but this book lays these rumors to rest once and for all.  An author’s note gives a bit more information about Gregory.  A timeline and bibliography are also included.  32 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  An excellent introduction to the invention of ordinary items, told with plenty of humor in both the text and the illustrations.

Cons:  Does not really address the question, Dunkin’ or Krispy Kreme?

 

We Came to America by Faith Ringgold

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Alfred A. Knopf 

Summary:  An illustrated poem celebrating immigration.  Ringgold starts with the lines, “We came to America/Every color, race, and religion/From every country in the world” then repeats them several times through the book.  In between, she mentions those who were here already, those who came in chains, those who came to escape from a dangerous situation, and other ways immigrants came to America.  She celebrates the contributions each culture made to American culture.  All the people are depicted with simple, brightly colored illustrations.  The entire poem is printed on the last page.  32 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  A perfect introduction to immigration for the primary grades (although a little context would be needed before reading).  The illustrations are eye-catching, and the repeating text invites kids to chant along.

Cons:  Every time I saw this book sitting on my desk, Neil Diamond’s “Coming to America” got stuck in my head.

Diana’s White House Garden by Elisa Carbone, illustrated by Jen Hill

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Published by Viking 

Summary:  World War II is raging, and Diana Hopkins, the 10-year-old daughter of Presidential advisor Harry Hopkins wants to do her part.  Spying and trying to scare off enemies by sticking pins in the couch don’t work out too well, but she’s delighted when she overhears her father and Franklin Roosevelt talking about a new plan to encourage Americans to grow victory gardens.  The first demonstration garden is to be planted right on the White House lawn.  Diana teams up with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to create it.  Before long, Diana is outside watering and weeding almost every day, and even gets her picture in the paper, standing in front of her thriving Victory Garden.  On the last page, the Hopkinses and the Roosevelts sit down to a feast that includes beans, carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes from the new garden.  Notes from both the author and illustrator give a bit more information about Diana Hopkins and Victory Gardens, and the research that went into the creation of the book.  44 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  A nice bit of World War II historical fiction.  Diana is a likeable character, with both a mischievous side and an admirable desire to contribute to the war effort.  My mother, just a bit younger than Diana in 1940, would love this book.

Cons:  Diana’s life looks like it was a lot sadder than portrayed in this book…her mother died before this story takes place and her father, just a few years after.

 

Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay by Susan Hood, illustrated by Sally Ward Comport

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Ada lived in one of the poorest places on earth, Cateura, Paraguay, home of the garbage dump for the capital city of Asuncion.  Most adults there survive by picking through trash, finding items they can recycle and resell to make a bare subsistence living.  Ada and her classmates appeared to be heading for the same lives as their parents, until a man named Favio Chavez came to town and offered music lessons.  The problem was, he only has a few instruments, and they were so valuable that the kids were afraid to carry them home.  So Chavez got to work making instruments from objects he found in the trash.  Before long, there were enough kids playing to form an orchestra.  Ada loved music and worked so hard that she became first violin.  The orchestra has traveled all over the world, and even opened for a Metallica concert.  Back matter includes an author’s note, sources, and photos of the orchestra and some of their instruments.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  An inspiring story of how one man has made an amazing difference in the lives of an entire community. The illustrations do a great job of capturing the designs of the different instruments, as well as the emotions of their players.

Cons:  I wanted to hear the music!  Fortunately, YouTube helped me out.  Just search for “Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay” to learn more and to see and hear these amazing instruments in action.

The Mummy Makers of Egypt written and illustrated by Tamara Bower

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Published by Seven Stories Press 

Summary:  Paneb is the head of a family of embalmers; his young son Ipy is being trained to follow in his footsteps.  When Yuya, father of Queen Tiye, dies, Paneb and Ipy oversee a lengthy process of embalming and burial.  Each step is important in preserving the body for the afterlife, and there are many rituals that go with each part of the process.  The Egyptian religion is described, with beliefs about what happened to people after they died.  There’s also a section on the embalming process, with pictures of the tools and the people performing their jobs drawn in ancient Egyptian style.  A lengthy endnote describes the discovery of Yuya’s tomb in the early 20th century; there are also a few photos and drawings of items found in the tomb.  40 pages; grades 3-8.

Pros:  Written and illustrated by an expert on ancient Egypt, this book is clearly a labor of love designed to impart a great deal of information about many aspects of Egyptian culture, both through the text and the illustrations.  The end note, three pages of small type, is a bit daunting, but very interesting and informative.

Cons:  The section on the embalming process (e.g., brain removal through the nose) may not be everyone’s cup of tea.