Originally published shortly after the end of WWII, this beautifully illustrated version of the Gettysburg Address uses artistic montages to draw out the wider themes of Lincoln’s speech. The complete text of this short speech is in the front of the book, but the body of the book is dedicated to pulling apart the text phrase by phrase. The illustrations are rich and vibrant and full of symbols drawn from all eras of history, inviting the reader to ponder why different images were paired with each line of text. In the back of the book is a page-by-page explanation from the author sharing his thoughts/reasons for including specific images. The Afterword provides the historic context of the original speech. All together this book helps take one of those standard texts students are often asked to memorize and enrich it by placing it in the context in which it was originally offered, connecting it to wider issues of history, and providing illustrations to help with comprehension of big ideas.
The Impressionists
This reference begins with a definition of Impressionism and a timeline before a detailed study of four famous Impressionists: Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Cezanne. The section on each of the artists’ contains information on the world in their time, their family, finances and friends, influences, a discussion of what their paintings said, how they were made and what the critics say about them. The images are beautifully reproduced, including specifics about the paintings and close-ups of details in the paintings. It is an excellent introduction to Impressionism.
Top Stories 2010: Behind the Headlines
This reference takes the ten most significant stories of 2010 and provides in-depth coverage rather than just the headline and a sound bite. For example, the chapter on the Gulf Oil Spill includes incredible photographs, charts and graphs on government flowrate estimates and major oil leaks in the Gulf, diagrams of blowout preventers, dome pipes and lower marine riser package caps, as well as maps and a timeline of events. Each section also includes additional sources for research and exploration. Chapter title: The Afghan War: The Surge, the Taliban, and Corruption; Chilean Miners’ Rescue: A Dangerous Business; Global Economic Crisis; Gulf Oil Spill: The Business of Energy and Oily Birds; Haiti: Earthquake & Aftermath; Iran’s Nuclear Program: Energy or Weapons?; Islam in the West: Headscarves, Mosques and Cartoons; Mexico’s Drug War; Migrants, Immigrants & Refugees; and Security in the Digital Age. This could provide useful information to students doing research on one of the topics. Although all of this information can be found online, having it collected and at your fingertips is convenient. Still unless, you got this reference immediately after publication, it is unlikely to be more than an additional reference.
Game Changers
Eleven year old Ben McBain loves football and has the skill and passion to be a great quarterback. The problem – he is small. The coach is an ex-NFL player who selects his own son Shawn to be quarterback. The problem – Shawn is inconsistent, moody, and although he doesn’t want to disappoint his dad, does not want to be a quarterback. Ben exhibits more maturity than most eleven year olds but the reader is drawn into the game and relationships between friends, teammates, and family. Mike Lupica’s skill creating interesting characters incorporated with knowledge of the game results in an action packed quick read.
Ellray Jakes Walks the Plank!
Third grader Ellray Jakes seems to continually mess up. In this book, he is taking care of the class goldfish during spring break when his little sister overfeeds it and it dies. Although Ellray is worried about what his classmates and teacher will say, he takes the blame. The situations are realistic and conversations are believable. The class bully is Cynthia, who tries to look perfect while accusing Ellray of causing all sorts of problems. Ellray speaks up for himself even though he does not seem to be heard. His character is revealed in pieces throughout the book. Black and white illustrations and occasional font changes add to the interest and fast pace. This is a good beginning chapter book for both reluctant readers and those who enjoy a good story.
Bambert’s Book of Missing Stories
Reminiscent of The Chronicles of Harris Burdick, Bambert’s Book of Missing Stories is a collection of stories that has mysterious origins. A back story was created about the mysterious Mr. Bambert, a man whose deformity causes him to become a recluse. His only outlet is sitting on the roof and talking to the moon. The moon gives him ideas for stories and Bambert writes them. Finally, Bambert decides to set his stories free to find their own settings. He sends out the stories, including the last four pages of his book which are still blank in the hopes that the last story will write itself, and requests that the people who find the stories return them with the finder’s address to Bambert so he can learn each story’s proper setting. This book is the story of Bambert’s life, the collection of the stories with the places where they were found, and Bambert’s notes about each story and its setting. There are stories about princesses and court jesters, Tsars, revolutions and wax museums. The illustrations are charming. This book is fantastic; it could be used as prompts for a creative writing class, and it has a place in every library.
The Lions of Little Rock
In 1958 Little Rock, Marlee Nesbitt is painfully shy and not very unhappy. Then she meets Liz, the new girl at school, and finally Marlee has a true friend. And that friendship is put to the test when Liz leaves school abruptly and the rumors are that it is because she has been “passing.” But Marlee will not give up on her friend. The two meet in secret, which could end disastrously for both. Although it is Liz who is the outspoken, never at a loss girl at the beginning of the book, by the end it is Marlee who finally finds her voice and the courage to stand up for what she believes in. appropriate for age 10 and up.
The Book of the Gods
A wonderful, tongue-in-cheek encyclopedia of gods from all over the world by the creators of godchecker.com. The book is set up by region and provides a short biography of all of the most important gods of the area with loads of dirt, too. The Celtic goddess Sheela-Na-Gig? The goddess of fertility is “lewd, rude, nude and very crude, displaying her most intimate parts to scare away death” and there is picture of her doing just that. Not a bad reference for high school mythology students.
The Vampire Stalker
Three high school friends wait in line for the next book in their favorite vampire hunter series to come. Luisa and Kat are in love with James, the charming, kind vampire hunter who has fallen in love with a vampire. But Amy is in love with Alexander, the brooding, tireless hunter whose entire family was murdered by the vicious vampire Vigo. And then one night, Amy is attacked by Vigo and saved by Alexander. Time/space portals, literary physics and a bad ass librarian as well as a totally improbable (almost silly) plot line and love story almost certainly guarantee that teen girls who can’t get enough vampires will love this one.
The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars
This reference opens with a quotation by Jimi Hendrix, “Once you’re dead you’re made for life – you have to die before they think you’re worth anything,” followed by an introduction that details the death of Blues pioneer Robert Johnson by strychnine poisoning. This event is listed as a “timeline of death in popular music.”
The book is a true encyclopedia, divided into sections by date rather than alphabetical order by name, beginning with pre 1965, then month by month each year after that. It includes greats like Sam Cooke, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, including a key to symbols used to denote what kind of death each victim suffered. For students who just want to read about various artists to those looking for a particular star, this book should find a niche, but I doubt it will circulate a lot