Category Archives: Reviewer’s Library Type

Recentering the Universe: The Radical Theories of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton

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This book explains the history of the theories of the universe. Miller provides a short segment on Egyptian and Babylonian cosmology before exploring the Greek theories that eventually formed the basis for Christian thinking on the geocentric view of the universe. These views became so fixed in church doctrine that anyone questioning the theories was deemed a radical and an enemy of the church.

Miller does an excellent job explaining the theories of the scientists who have considered the nature of the universe over time: Anaximander, Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, Brahe, Galileo, and Newton among others. The information is accessible even for those who are not well-versed in science. His emphasis, however, is on the courage the scientists of the Renaissance and later displayed in the face of condemnation by the church for their pursuit of knowledge. While many people are aware of Galileo’s trial, not as many know Copernicus, who died in 1543, was buried in an unmarked grave and the Catholic Church banned his book. His remains were not discovered until 2005 and he was finally given an honorable burial in 2010. Photographs, sidebars, a glossary and a list of additional resources provide even more information on the topic. This book was surprisingly interesting and would make a excellent addition to a school library’s nonfiction section.

A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return

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This stark graphic novel tells the story of the residents of one building on a bombed out street in Beirut during the civil war in Lebanon. Two children are waiting at home for their parents to return from a visit to their grandmother’s house and when they don’t return, all of the residents of the building come down, one by one, to care for the children.  They tell stories, look at wedding photos, make dinner – distract the children as best they can until their parents come home or there is news.

The book is illustrated in black and white, with angular characters and occasional photos or maps in the background. The events take place in the course of one night, although the reader sees the course of many events of the war through the stories of the inhabitants. Inspired by the story of the author’s family, this novel is compelling; I read it through quickly the first time to learn the fate of the residents. Then I went back and reread it, examining the drawings for the incredible details. I think the form and style will attract readers, who might otherwise never learn much about life in war-torn Beirut.

50 Successful University of California Application Essays

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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.

Zen and Xander Undone

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Zen (Athena) and Xander (Alexandria) are trying to deal with the death of their mother, with no help from their father who has withdrawn from his family and the world. Zen buries herself in her karate training and instruction; Xander, who has always been somewhat of a wild child, is now on a path of total destruction. One day, the girls receive a letter from their mother, which promises that there will be more letters and packages to come. What also arrives is a mystery. The girls find out that their mother had a secret, and since she isn’t there to ask, they decide to find out on their own. However, the closer they get to an answer, the less certain they are that they want to know.

The sisters are realistic and believable; their struggle to deal with their grief rings true. The supporting characters are interesting; it is a shame that their father is so crippled with grief that he is just a side character. There is some language and quite a bit of objectionable behavior; however, it is not gratuitous. It is Xander’s way of dealing with her grief and quite understandable, if misguided.

Definitely for grades 9+.

The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees: A Scientific Mystery

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What is killing all the bees?  In 2006, beekeepers were horrified to discover that high percentages of their honeybee populations were dying out.  Here, Markle discusses the many theories about what could be killing the bees, and along the way, readers learn much about the beekeeping industry, the importance of bees in the larger ecosystem, and life inside a bee’s colony.  The informative text is laid out on large pages, accompanied by close-up photos of bees and other relevant images.  Although the presentation of the information is accessible enough for elementary school students, the complexity of the problem of the bee disappearance is plain.  Markle is a master at communicating information in a clear and engaging way.  This is an important, well-presented introduction to the problem of bee depletion – one which will educate future adults about the high stakes of this looming danger.

Scare Scape

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The Gristle Grunt, the Ink Blight, the Two-Headed Mutant Rodent, the Shark Hound – these are just a few of the monstrous creatures featured in Morton’s story.  It begins innocently enough – a family finds a statue which grants three wishes.  Dark magic and the blind former owner of their new home are at the root of the trouble.  Fisher’s story feels like a slightly more sophisticated heir to the Goosebumps series.  At the center of the bound volume are pages printed with information about and images of creatures from “The Monster Deck.”  This title will appeal to kids looking for adventures and monster goodness – although they may be sorry that they must look at the website for the book to see the monsters in color.  Each of the three siblings involved in the story have their own character arcs, as they each cope with personal tragedy and supernatural happenings in different ways.  At nearly 300 pages, this title is hefty, and will be a fun challenge for monster-obsessed readers.

Code

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Tory and her friends have mutated animal DNA which gives them special powers and a “pack” mentality. They will need all these powers to survive the “Game,” a challenge they found in a geocache. It is only as they solve first one challenge and then the next that they realize that the “Gamemaster” is not a fellow geocacher, and the game is anything but a game. The Gamemaster has planted a bomb that will go off if the four friends cannot solve the clues.

I have not read the first two books in the series, but I was able to follow  the storyline although I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had had more background. The pack is a lot like Maximum Ride’s flock, but there is more suspense than science fiction in the story. The plot moves quickly in spots, less quickly in others. There is one ongoing subplot that is impossible to make sense of without having read the first two books, but I still enjoyed this one. Fans of Maximum Ride and Alex Rider should enjoy this series.

Pro Stock

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Pro Stock motorcycles are custom built for racing.  They are similar to street bikes but have more powerful engines, light weight tubular steel frames, and an aerodynamic chassis.  Bikes reach upwards of 195 mph and races end is less than 7 seconds.  The front wheel is for steering, the rear one is larger (10″ wide) to provide maximum grip on the track.  A “wheelie” bar prevents the bike from flipping.  Riders wear padded leather suits, gloves, boots, and a helmet for protection.  Xtreme Fact boxes state additional facts such as the tires only last about 8 drag strip runs and that acceleration force is similar to the lift off of the space shuttle!  Several racers are mentioned with their statistics.  A glossary is in the back but the words are not indicated within the text.  An index is also included.  Photographs show details on the bikes as well as action during a race.  Those attracted to sport bikes will be drawn to this series.

Indy Car Racing

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Indy cars are wide, flat, use the latest technology, and can reach speeds upwards of 200 mph.  They run on ethanol, a biofuel made from corn and sugar cane.  High speeds cause the tires to get extremely hot which helps hold them to the track.  Drivers must wear fire-resistant protective suits which cover them from head to foot.  Races are held around the world on speedways or street courses.  The race positions for the 33 drivers are determined by the highest qualifying speeds.  These are just some of the facts presented in this book of these amazing cars.  The famous Indianapolis 500, first run in 1911, will take two days and cover 500 miles (200 laps).  Fans will recognize names of a few drivers mentioned.  A labeled photo shows specific parts of a race car.  Photos are well chosen to support the large text.  Highlighted text is defined on the page as well as in the glossary.  Fast Fact boxes provide additional interesting facts.  A glossary, books for further reading, an index, and an internet site are included in the back.  The publisher website also provides additional games and projects.  Those attracted to race cars will be drawn to this series.

The Kurds

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This reference presents essays that discuss not only the historical background of the Kurds, but also the actions against Kurds in modern Turkey and Iraq. The first chapter provides the background information, including information on the Turkish Settlement Law and the actions of Saddam Hussein against Kurds. Chapter two presents essays about several controversies, such as whether Hussein’s actions constituted genocide, whether the Kurds should be granted an independent state, whether Turkish actions against Kurds constitute genocide and more. The third chapter recounts personal experiences, such as a Turkish American Kurd who was tortured in Turkey, a Kurdish politician’s first impressions of Hussein in his early days of power, and others who experienced atrocities at the hands of Hussein and his forces. I don’t think many of our students know about the persecution of Kurds, and I think fewer understand the root of the problems; this book does a good job explaining it. There are exercises at the start of each chapter, including analysis of data and political cartoons, writing prompts and group activities. The reference includes a timeline, maps, and lists of websites and books for further information.  I see this as an excellent addition to a high school library, both for students looking for more information on genocide or teachers interested in developing a lesson/unit on the topic, particularly one supported by primary source documents.