Knit Your Bit: A World War I Story

During WWI, when fathers went off to war, those remaining at home plan on knitting hats, socks, and scarves to help keep servicemen warm.  Mikey resists, saying knitting is for girls.  When challenged to enter a contest by the girls, Mikey rashly accepts without knowing what he is volunteering his friends to do.  Mikey and his friends are the only boys in the 3-day event.  Mikey knits one perfect sock and is on his way to finishing his second when he notices a dropped stitch back at the beginning.  As he considers the whole contest, a soldier with only one leg approaches him and encourages Mikey to continue doing what he can to support the men overseas.  At the end of the contest everyone has something to contribute.  Mikey gives his one perfect sock to the soldier.  Although his friends never knit again, Mikey finally finishes a pair to send to his father.  An author’s note tells of knitting clubs and bees for men and women whose sole purpose was to do projects for supporting the troops.  Illustrations are very simple and reminiscent of days gone by.  End pages show photographs of boys and girls knitting items for military forces.

Mary Wrightly, So Politely

Mary Wrightly is a quiet, polite girl who has such a small, soft voice, she often has to repeat herself.  When Mary and her mother go to a toy store to buy a birthday gift for her young brother, they find the store quite crowded.  As people keep bumping into Mary, she quietly apologizes.  When someone takes the toy for which she was reaching, she apologizes.  She knows it is not polite to sulk, but over and over again, her hopes for finding the perfect gift are dashed.  At last, she finds a perfect small, blue elephant and again someone takes it.  This time asserting herself, Mary exclaims in a loud voice that she wants to give that toy to her baby brother.  This time the other person apologizes!  As Mary carries the soft elephant home, many people admire it.  Mary again uses her good manners and responds politely.  Charming illustrations in jewel-toned pastels are digitally retouched.  They portray expressions and emotions of Mary and others quite well.

George Brown, Class Clown: Three Burps and You’re Out!

When George Brown moves to his new school, he is determined to turn over a new leaf and no longer be a class clown.  However, he has recurring super burp that takes over his body and causes him to say and do crazy things.  George’s baseball team, the Sea Monkeys, are about to play a championship game with their rivals, the Klockermeister Elementary Kangaroos.  George is worried the burp-curse will ruin everything.  Black and white illustrations are on almost every page.  Every page also has some words in bold font.  They are not necessarily words important to the story, but oddly enough, add interest.  Action moves at a good pace and George’s super-burp antics are sure to attract readers.

Women Heroes of World War II

Atwood tells the stories of heroic women from eight different countries, women who served as couriers, spies, rescuer, and correspondents. She includes the stories of many famous women, like Corrie ten Boom and Marlene Dietrich, and many unsung heroes, like Hannie Schaft, the Dutch woman with “the red hair.”  The book is very text-dense; a few photos and sidebars are included but not many. At the end of each bio there is a short list of books by or about the hero. I found the stories fascinating and inspiring, how each of the women decided to help the cause and their reasons for risking their lives to help others. I was aware of Josephine Baker’s career as a singer, dancer and actress. But I had no idea that she also served as a spy for the French government. Students could easily use this book as the first step in research on the Resistance during WWII, on the lives of specific women, or on heroes in general. The book does not have to be read cover to cover and does include a glossary at the end.

Forest Animals and Wildlife

Beginning with the basic shapes of circles, ovals, and triangles, pictorial directions for 20 forest animals and wildlife are shown.  In five or six steps, sketches can go from simple cartoon shapes to a recognizable animal.  Brief information is given about each animal, including a “Fun Fact” in a box with a photograph of the animal.  There are no written instructions however the diagrams are numbered so the progression is obvious.  The first tools and materials used are paper, pencils, a sharpener, and eraser.  Then colored pencils, felt markers, or paints and brush can be used for the finishing touches.  This is one of fifteen books in the Learn to Draw series.

A Very, Very Noisy Tractor

A uniquely, self-assured woman drives her extremely noisy tractor down the road.  As she passes different people, they each notice a feature in her appearance: a beehive hairdo, thick glasses, blue raincoat, rubber boots, red purse, and remark that she should not be driving a tractor.  The tractor chugs so loudly she cannot hear a word.  As she turns off the road into a pretty village, a young boy happily greets her and they have a very pleasant conversation.  He learns her husband is the cook and stays home with their daughter.  This untraditional family is extremely happy.  When the daughter tells her mother she wants to grow up to be a farmer too, her mom encourages her to follow her heart, but to be sure the tractor is deafeningly loud so she cannot hear the silly things grown ups say.  Large, colorful, interesting illustrations add fun details to this tale that encourages individuality and turning a deaf ear to disapproval and narrow-mindedness.  Translated from Spanish by Jon Brokenbrow.

There Once Was a Cowpoke Who Swallowed an Ant

A southern cowpoke has taken “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” to Texas.  After consuming a fire ant,”Yippie-ti-yay! My stomach’s on fire!”, our gritty hero ingests one southwest critter after another: spider, roadrunner, horned lizard, armadillo, rattlesnake, boar, and longhorn.  Finally, he swallows his horse, rope, and eventually himself.  “If I want it done right, I’ll do it myself.”  The clever cowboy starts a stampede and drives everything out.  Will Terry’s large, warm-toned illustrations place this story solidly in the desert with plenty of cacti, sand, and rock formations.  An unexpected ending is entirely fitting for this ol’ cowpoke!  A great read, or sing, aloud for all to enjoy.

Wherever You Go

Holly, the girl from the poor side of town, is still grieving after her rich boyfriend Rob dies in a car accident. To make things worse, Rob’s friends blame her for the accident, her mother is working a second job to make ends meet and now in addition to watching her nine year old sister, her grandfather who is suffering from dementia moves in and she must care for him as well. Grandpa Aldo’s Alzheimer’s seems to be getting worse; he has started talking to a “ghost” named Roberto. Grandpa’s ghost is actually Rob, who for some reason can not move on after death. The story is told in three voices: Holly, Rob and Rob’s best friend Jason who is falling for Holly.

The best part of the book is Holly’s relationship with her younger sister and her grandfather. She is kind and caring with both; her insistence in communicating directly with her grandfather and including him in everyday decisions is particularly endearing.  Her grief for her boyfriend is realistic but not explored in any depth, which is disappointing. Many of the characters are dealing with some kind of grief: the loss of a friend, a son, a marriage, the memories of a lifetime. Again, none are explored in any depth and most are tied up a little too neatly. Many teen girls will find the heartbreak and burgeoning romance appealing. Another plus – the story is set in Seattle with references to lots of local landmarks.

Storm Chasing

Storm chasers can be amateurs or professionals, on the ground or in the air, have equipment to gather information or just observe wild weather.  All need to know how to be safe.  Vehicles, maps, and technology help storm chasers relate updates to each other and to report to radio and TV stations.  New equipment is continually developed to monitor and record storms.  Text on each page is brief but descriptive.  Photographs show equipment, tornados, hurricanes, thunderstorms, and the aftermath.  Captions accompany photos and “xtreme fact” boxes offer more details.  Daring would-be storm chasers see the variety of tasks and equipment involved in this dangerous and exciting venture.

Elephant Seal

Interesting, informative text show a fascinating side of these elusive mammals.  Spending most of their time underwater, they are only easily observed for about a month when they come to land to breed and molt.  Being the largest of the pinnipeds, they are named for their massive bodies and trunk-like nose.  The layout is pleasing and information is plentiful.  Large, colorful photographs are well-matched with text.  Terms to know are in bold, colored words and well defined in the glossary.  Additional facts are found in orange circular areas on many pages.  Other recommended books are written at a similar reading level and a factsurfer website offers extra specifics as well as a live-cam site.  This is a great resource for learning about this amazing, somewhat strange looking animal, or for reports.

The Anatomy of a Dragon

Small, bordered boxes contain text about the myth of dragons.  Highlighted words are defined on the page.  The glossary also contains these words and adds pronunciation clues.  Myths are stories that have been around for so long many people like to believe they are true.  Dragon Fact boxes reinforce that belief with invented information that makes these imaginary creatures seem believable.  Large, colorful illustrations show various features of these majestic beasts.  This book will definitely appeal to dragon lovers of any age.

The Split History of the Battle of Gettysburg

The 1863 Civil War Battle of Gettysburg is told from the viewpoints of both the Union and Confederacy.  Each skirmish, confrontation, or battle is accurately portrayed including names of leaders and their corps, division, brigade, etc.  The area around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is precisely described.  The Union section contains a small map but labels are too small to read.  A map in the Confederate segment indicate both North and South paths as different forces advance toward Gettysburg.  Following the descriptions of events would be much easier to understand if a basic map of the area with labeled landmarks had been included.  Both sections have photos and paintings to illustrate attacks.  Text is small.  Both partitions include a glossary, index, bibliography, resources and share a timeline.

Largemouth Bass

The largemouth bass is a popular freshwater sport fish.  It is a fast swimmer, has good vision and can see colors, and will eat almost anything.  They will not eat dead food so lures must move or look alive.  Bass prefer the calm, fresh water of lakes, ponds, or streams that provide good hiding places.  When caught, they are active fighters.  Most largemouth bass anglers practice the “catch and release” method.  Suggestions of techniques, ways to record the catch, equipment, safety, and responsibility are offered.  Colorful photographs are captioned.  Many pages contain a “Wild Facts!” box.  Glossary, index and resources included.  After reading about the largemouth bass, it is hard to resist grabbing a rod and reel and rushing off to that fishing hole!

Mermaids

The topic of mermaids has been an enigma for thousands of years.  The premise of this book is to explain these sightings using the scientific method.  Multiple stories are reported including dates, places, and names of the observer.  Speculations include everything from alien or supernatural events to weather to intentional pranks.  The scientific method is explained but not efficiently used.  A final page, “Summing Up the Science” lists a few hypotheses however there is no test or scientific evidence (fossils, for example) that can substantiate the supposition.  Many illustrations, photographs, reproductions, and maps supplement the text.  A timeline of reported sightings or descriptions is included.  The reader is essentially left with interesting tales with which they can choose to believe or not.  Nothing is actually solved with science.

War Dogs: Churchill and Rufus

War dogs refer to one-time prime minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill, known as “the British Bulldog”, and his pet Rufus, a brown miniature poodle.  Readers learn about Churchill’s role during WWII and get a glimpse of his personal life through a focus on Rufus.  Rufus was with Churchill in the underground bunker, addressing the House of Commons, and the bombing of London.  He guards the door while Churchill plans the invasion of Normandy with Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin.  Acrylic and collage paintings in neutral tones show Rufus keeping Churchill company during the stressful years of guiding a country through a world war and the aftermath of rebuilding.  Quotations from speeches are “tacked” onto several pages.  Details of this turbulent time are accurate but brief enough for young readers to get a general understanding of the great man and the difficult war years.  A timeline of highlights from September 1939 to September 1945 is at the end along with a page about Churchill and his poodles and a page of other personal information.  An extensive bibliography, other books about Churchill and WWII related websites accompany the sources for each quote.

Will You Still Love Me If…?

Little Bear is worried his mom will not love him any more when he tears his jacket.  Mom reassures him she will always love him.  As she works on the repair, Little Bear presents her with other more and more outlandish scenarios: what if he was really bad, did poorly in school, or was ugly and green.  Mom says she may be disappointed or sad by his actions, but she will still love him.  As Little Bear put his jacket on to leave with a friend, he comes to realize that nothing will change that.  Young ones are often concerned about security in a family.  This book asks many of those same questions and the answers reinforce confidence.

Sea Otters

Sea Otters is one of many titles in this nonfiction series on animals.  Each spread contains two sentences describing different characteristics of the otter with an endearing photograph to illustrate that feature.  Simple text is in large print.  Words to know are in bold font and are defined in the glossary.  Recommended books for further reading are written at a similar level.  Index and website included.  There are 38 titles in this series, all written at a similar reading level.  A great resource for young readers.

50 Successful University of California Application Essays

This reference focuses on how to write the scholarship application essay that will get you into one of the branches of the University of California. Not quite as easily accessible as other guides by the Tanabes, this is very definitely aimed at a different audience. The book begins with a chapter called “25 Essay Mistakes that Guarantee Failure,” followed by a question and answer chapter that has UC admissions officers responding to questions. The next 15 or so chapters include essays about different topics, such as literature, family, challenges, and more. Each essay is followed by an analysis which offers an excellent critique and pointers on what to do and not do. The last two chapters are full of advice on topics and writing from University of California students. Traditionally, there have not been many students in my building applying to UC schools, but the lessons in this guide should apply to any four year university.

The Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda triangle is an area in and over the Atlantic Ocean from Florida, east to Bermuda, south to Puerto Rico and back to Florida.  Mysterious disappearances without satisfactory explanations have occurred in this section for over a hundred years.  Some of the more memorable events are mentioned.  Possible explanations range from stormy weather to aliens.  McClellan does not emphasize any proposed answer.  Basic information presented in simple text with large font.  Many pages include short additional fact boxes.  Photographs are interesting and the layout is pleasing.  Six famous disappearances are listed in the back with the glossary, index, and website.  Recommended books are written at a higher reading level but may still offer appropriate additional information.  Although this book does not include a wealth of details, it does offer enough examples to pique curiosity and encourage further reading.

You Wouldn’t Want to be a Civil War Soldier!

Facts about the Civil War are presented in a cartoon format.  The reader assumes the character of a Connecticut farmer who decides to enlist in the Union Army in 1861.  Chapters tell of daily life as a soldier and during battles, differences between Union and Confederate soldiers, weaponry, field hospitals, and battles.  Handy Hint boxes on each spread give suggestions on how to handle specific situations.  A timeline of the war and map of major battles begin on the inside front cover.  A glossary, index, and a list of 10 bloody battles end the book.  Just the thing for reluctant readers who are interested in the Civil War but don’t want to wade through a lot of text.

Cannons at Dawn: The Second Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart

Twelve year old Abigail Stewart continues her tale where she left off in The Winter of the Red Snow.  Abby’s father had joined the Continental Army.  Left homeless in Valley Forge by a house fire, Abby, her mother, seven year old sister, and one year old brother decide to follow the army with other families of the soldiers.  Through her diary, she tells of the hardships endured by George Washington’s army for three years from 1779 to 1781.  The day-to-day aspects of surviving cruel winters, starvation, lack of suitable clothing, and the constant moving bring history to life.  The lives of people they meet and events witnessed are realistic and not idealized.  An epilogue brings Abby’s story to an end.  A historical note add details about life in America during the Revolutionary War.  It is followed with illustrations of people and places from the 1770s which are reproduced with permission.  Books in the Dear America series are a great way to experience life as it was in the early days of our country.

Toads on Toast

Fox is bored with his daily diet of big, fat toad.  Consulting recipe books, he discovers they all recommend fresh, young toads.  Returning after an exhausting night of capturing small toads, he is considering which recipe to use when Mamma toad hops in.  As Mamma tries to dissuade Fox from using her babies, little toadlets are everywhere getting into everything.  Mamma suggests the recipe Toad-in-the-Hole and tells Fox how to make it.  Suspicious because the ingredients do not include toads, he reluctantly takes a nibble.  Delicious!  And, it requires no late night trips to catch more toads!  Digital artwork is colorful and humorous.  Mamma Toad includes her secret Toad-in-the-Hole recipe for the rest of us.

Carter’s Christmas

Young Carter tells of the traditions his family follow during the Christmas holidays.  He works on making a gift for Grandma, they shop for others, buy and decorate a tree, bake cookies, go to church to hear the story of Jesus, decorate the house, and prepare for Santa.  On every spread is a nonfiction fact box that add details about each tradition.  Bright, colorful, cartoon-like illustrations are a combination of collage, paint, and ink and add to the festivity of the season.  Directions for making an ornament are included with the glossary, index, and other resources for the holiday.

Story of a Cockroach

Anastasia is a cockroach.  Fairy Brunhilda took pity on her when she overheard her complaining about looking for food in the garbage and turned her into a princess.  Life as a princess was not as pleasant, or as easy, as one would think.  Word got back to Brunhilda that Anastasia was not happy as a princess.  In a rage, Brunhilda cast another spell.  Happily back to being a carefree cockroach, Anastasia’s new home was in a humble house with delightful people.  When she watches confused Grandma Paula sprinkle ant poison instead of salt into the stew, she dove in head first.  The family was saved when Grandma saw the floating cockroach and threw the stew down the toilet.  Brunhilda appears again to give Anastasia a new life as a princess, which Anastasia emphatically declines.  Anastasia loves the untroubled life as a household cockroach, helping humans who need it.  After reading about Anastasia, one is certainly to see cockroaches in a different light!  The illustrations are whimsical, large, colorful, and fun.  The text includes many challenging, high-level words which may require having a dictionary close by (seneschals, doyenne, tristesse, octogenarian, repugnant, ingrate…) but the story is appealing none-the-less.

The Jamestown Colony

The Jamestown Colony, founded in 1607, was the first British settlement in North America.  Author Peter Benoit incorporates primary and secondary sources to share the challenges (sickness, starvation, and relationships with native people, specifically the Powhatan) as the colony grew.  Three ships carried 144 men and boys on the original voyage.  Some were landowners, some religious leaders, and some were soldiers.  A few of the influential people were Bartholomew Gosnold, organizer of the expedition, Christopher Newport, privateer and seaman, John Rolfe, grower who introduced Orinoco tobacco to Jamestown and England, John Smith, soldier and explorer, Pocahontas, daughter of Powhatan chief and married John Rolfe, and Wahunsenacawh, Powhatan chief.  Differences of opinions caused dissention which added to the challenges.  The struggle to survive and grow in chronicled from 1606 to 1699.  Illustrations are captioned.  Spotlight boxes provide additional information about people, places, or events.  Readers are encouraged to view primary and secondary sources provided on a scholastic website.  A timeline, glossary, and extensive index are included with a short paragraph about the author.