Fur, Fins, and Feathers: Abraham Dee Bartlett and the Invention of the Modern Zoo by Cassandre Maxwell

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Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers 

Summary: When Abraham Dee Bartlett was growing up in the early 1800’s, there were no zoos. The closest thing was menageries where animals were kept in small cages for people to come and see. Abraham loved animals and read all that he could about them as a boy and a young man. His vast knowledge of wild animals eventually caught the attention of the London Zoological Society, and he was appointed superintendent of the new London Zoo. During his 38-year tenure there, he revolutionized the care of wild animals. He built larger enclosures for animals, learned how to feed them a healthy diet, and made labels so visitors could learn more about what they were seeing. By empathizing with the wild animals in his charge, he learned to keep them healthy and happy, and developed animal care methods that are used by zoos and veterinarians today. A timeline, author’s note, and brief bibliography are included. Grades 1-4.

Pros: Not only is this an interesting and inspiring story of a little-known man, but the cut paper collage illustrations are gorgeous. Readers will want to take their time with this book, enjoying both the text and the richly detailed pictures.

Cons: The final Doctor Dolittle-like illustration of Abraham surrounded by smiling animals is probably not entirely realistic.

The House That Jane Built: A Story about Jane Addams by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Kathryn Brown

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Published by Henry Holt and Company 

Summary: Growing up in a wealthy Illinois family, Jane Addams felt strongly that she wanted to help poor people. As a young woman, she visited Toynbee Hall in London. It was called a settlement house because wealthy people “settled” or lived among the poor. Upon returning home, Jane decided to start a settlement house in Chicago, Hull House. She devoted the rest of her life to Hull House, providing services and teaching skills to help people have better lives. Her model helped shape modern community centers. An author’s note tells more about Addams’ work for peace that included membership on the boards of the NAACP and the ACLU, and which was recognized with a Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. Grades 1-5.

Pros: An inspiring story of a woman who was one of the most famous American women of her time, but who is little known today.

Cons: Reading about Jane Addams on Wikipedia, I realized how much this brief picture book had to cut out of her rich and interesting life story.

I See A Pattern Here by Bruce Goldstone

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Published by Henry Holt and Co. 

Summary: Patterns can be made in many different ways. This book looks at some of them, such as sliding, rotating, flipping, squishing, and stretching. Photos show examples of different types of patterns occurring both in nature and works of art from around the world. “MathSpeak” boxes give mathematical terms for the different ways patterns are created. The last two pages show ways to create patterns of your own. Grades K-3.

Pros: An excellent introduction to patterns that could be used for both math and art. The pages are appealing with plenty of white space and colorful photos.

Cons: Although patterns seem cool and fun, I never really understood why they were emphasized quite so much in the elementary math curriculum.

Wrap-Up Wednesday: Fifth Grade Favorites

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During these first few weeks of school, I’ve tried some “book tastings” with fifth graders.  I put out a lot of the new books and have them sample three different books for a couple minutes each.  I’ve supplemented this with some book talks.  After doing this in seven fifth grades, I’ve gotten a sense of what are some favorites this year:

The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John, illustrated by Kevin Cornell, published by Harry N. Abrams.

Wimpy kid fans have been checking out this book about two battling pranksters who unite to create the ultimate prank against their principal.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.  Published by Nancy Paulsen Books.

Sixth-grader Ally has moved so frequently that her dyslexia has gone undiagnosed.  She feels like an outsider at school until substitute extraordinaire Mr. Daniels gets her some help.  Definitely the sleeper of the new school year, with quite a few fifth-grade girls clamoring for this title.

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson.  Published by Dial Books.

No surprise here.  Astrid’s story about joining the roller derby has been popular with my Raina Telgemeier fans, and I expect word-of-mouth to play a large role as the school year progresses.

How to Speak Dolphin by Ginny Rorby.  Published by Scholastic.

Any book with a dolphin on the cover is sure to generate some interest.  The story is compelling, too, with Lily forced to make a difficult choice when she suspects the dolphin who is helping her autistic brother is being mistreated.

Ava and Taco Cat by Carol Weston.  Published by Sourcebook Jabberwocky.

I’ve been surprised at the interest in this book.  One reader has already finished it and asked me for the sequel, Ava and Pip (fortunately, I had it).  Ava’s story about her new cat is told in diary format, with some of the wordplay her entire family enjoys.

HiLo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick

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Published by Random House

Summary: At the beginning of this graphic novel, D.J. hears a loud boom and sees a huge flash of light. Rushing to investigate, he discovers a boy wearing silver underpants who remembers nothing about himself.  He’s pretty cheerful about his situation, though, and quickly acclimates by absorbing all of D.J.’s vocabulary when they touch hands. As the story unfolds, the boy, who eventually remembers his name is HiLo, turns out to have fallen to earth from another planet and has a powerful enemy chasing him. Subplots involve D.J. feeling like an underachiever in a family of superstars and his reunion with his old friend Gina who has moved back to town after a three-year absence. D.J., HiLo, and Gina manage to save the planet…for now. Grades 3-6.

Pros: A funny, action-packed first entry in a new series. The cliffhanger ending promises more installments to come. A good choice for reluctant readers.

Cons: A few too many suspenseful situations were resolved with the appearance of a new superpower HiLo didn’t know he had.

Nerdy Birdy by Aaron Reynolds, pictures by Matt Davies

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Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary: Nerdy Birdy has big glasses, small wings, and is allergic to birdseed. He’s good at reading, playing video games, and reading about video games. He really wants to hang out with the cool birds, Eagle, Cardinal, and Robin. One day, he happens upon a bunch of other nerdy birds on a wire who convince him to join them. They point out there are more of them than the cool birds, and that the cool birds are actually so busy being cool that they don’t have any friends. Pretty soon, Nerdy Birdy has a whole gang of friends. Then along comes Vulture, who’s sort of, well, goth. The rest of the gang doesn’t like him, but Nerdy Birdy’s motto is, “There’s always room for another.” So he goes against the group, and before long, he’s made yet another friend. Ages 4-8.

Pros: A very funny look at kids’ friendships with a positive message for those who might not feel “cool”. The illustrations add a great deal to the humor.

Cons: The nerdy birds were just a tad stereotypical.

Funny Bones: Posada and his Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh

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Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers 

Summary: In late nineteenth century Mexico, Jose Guadalupe Posada (Lupe) was a prolific artist who owned his own print shop. He became well-known, first for his satirical political illustrations, and later for his prints of Calaveras, or skeletons, that were extremely popular around Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations. This book tells the story of Posada’s life, and also details the steps of his various printmaking techniques and looks at possible meanings behind some of his more enigmatic works. Back matter includes a lengthy author’s note about Posada and the history of Dia de los Muertos celebrations; a glossary and bibliography; and a list of U.S. locations where Posada’s works can be viewed. Grades 1-5.

Pros: This book could be used for many subjects: history, art, and Mexican culture. The illustrations are done in a Mexican folk art style and include several of Posada’s works.

Cons: Some may find the Calaveras a bit creepy.

How to Swallow a Pig: Step-by-Step Advice from the Animal Kingdom by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

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Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

Summary: Each page gives an illustrated how-to guide for different animals and the unusual things they do: how to trap fish like a humpback whale, how to crack a nut like a crow, how to woo a ewe like a mountain sheep. There are 4-6 steps for each process, all featuring lots of interesting animal information with a touch of humor. The last three pages include thumbnail pictures and further information on each animal, plus a bibliography. Grades 1-4.

Pros: Steve Jenkins and Robin Page team up yet again for another fascinating look at the animal kingdom. Lots of gross, funny, and interesting facts are illustrated with the usual detailed cut paper illustrations. This would make a good mentor text for teaching procedural writing.

Cons: The format of this book makes it a bit difficult to read cover to cover. Unlike the pig of the title, it is probably best digested in small chunks.

The Trouble with Ants (The Nora Notebooks, Book 1) by Claudia Mills, illustrated by Katie Kath

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Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers 

Summary: Nora’s parents and two older siblings are all scientists, and Nora knows that she is going to grow up to be a scientist, too. Her field of study is ants, and she keeps careful notes on her ant farm. Some of her friends think ants are gross, but this doesn’t deter Nora from continuing her studies. One of her experiments proves so interesting that she decides to write up her results and send them to Nature. A few weeks later, she gets a kindly rejection letter, which makes her consider giving up on her ants forever. Fortunately, a school assignment results in her writing a persuasive essay about girls studying science, her teacher sends it to the local paper, and Nora becomes a published author at last. Grades 2-4.

Pros: It’s refreshing to find a girl protagonist who is passionate about science, while at the same time enjoying basketball and a large group of friends. Fans of Judy Blume or Megan McDonald will want to get acquainted with Nora.

Cons: This is one of those books that you know kids would enjoy, but that lacks a flashy hook to get them to pick it up.

Wrap-Up Wednesday: Celebrating reading and writing

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As September turns into October and the real work of the school year begins, these books can help remind kids that there actually is joy and fun in reading and writing:

Rufus the Writer by Elizabeth Bram, illustrated by Chuck Grosnink.  Published by Schwartz and Wade.

Instead of a lemonade stand, Rufus sets up a story stand, and writes custom-made stories for all of his friends.  The writing process is fun, but the best part is sharing his gifts at the end of the day.

Billy’s Booger: A memoir (sorta)  by William Joyce and his younger self.  Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Okay, I acknowledge the title might be off-putting if you’re over the age of nine, but this is actually a good story about young William Joyce’s first writing attempt.  His story didn’t win the library writing contest, but it was the book all the other kids wanted to read.  And that felt almost as good as winning.

A Poem in Your Pocket by Margaret McNamara, illustrated by G. Brian Karas.  Published by Schwartz and Wade.

While the other kids are having fun experimenting with poetic forms, Elinor is stressing about writing the perfect poem.  When a poet comes to school, only Elinor has nothing to share.  The poet gets her on stage, and together they write a poem that shows Elinor there’s no such thing as perfection in writing.

How to Read a Story by Kate Messner, illustrated by Mark Siegel.  Published by Chronicle Books.These ten steps for how to read a story will make you want to grab a book and a friend and try them right out.