Bibliographic Information:
Wormell, C. Teeth, Tails, and Tentacles: An Animal Counting Book. New York: Scholastic.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
K – 2nd
Author Credibility:
The author has written and illustrated several children’s books. Since this is a counting book, there is no need for credibility.
Summary of the Book:
This is a picture book that teaches you how to count. It begins counting at one and goes all the way up to twenty. It is very good for younger children because there isn’t much text on the page.
Illustrations:
It does not specify what median was used when making the illustrations for this book.
Features:
At the end of the book, there is a section about the specific animals mentioned in this book. There is about a paragraph on each animal mentioned.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would use this as a read aloud to younger children. They could come up and count and point to the number of objects on the page.
Response:
I thought this was a very good book! It is excellent for younger readers!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Team Moon: How 400.000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the moon by Catherine Thimmesh (1 book) (80 pages)
Bibliographic Information:
Thimmesh. C. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
6th – 8th
Author Credibility:
The author interviewed numerous people who were both directly and indirectly involved in the Apollo 11 mission.
Summary of the Book:
This book tells the story of Apollo 11 landing on the moon. However, the story isn’t told from the perspective of someone who was there or saw it. Instead, it’s told from the little man’s point of view. These “little men” are people like the seamstresses who sewed the layers upon layers of fabric to make the space suits. It brings out things that the normal person never would have thought about like lunar boots. When most people thing about Apollo 11, they usually don’t think about lunar boots.
Illustrations:
This book was illustrated with photographs taken from the mission.
Features:
This book has captions under the pictures and some headings on some pages. There is an author’s note, sources section, chapter notes, additional sources, acknowledgments, photo credits, glossary, and an index. There is also a section that can be used for further exploration.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would use this book when talking about space travel.
Response:
I thought this book was very interesting. I never thought about how many “little people” it would take to make that mission possible.
Thimmesh. C. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
6th – 8th
Author Credibility:
The author interviewed numerous people who were both directly and indirectly involved in the Apollo 11 mission.
Summary of the Book:
This book tells the story of Apollo 11 landing on the moon. However, the story isn’t told from the perspective of someone who was there or saw it. Instead, it’s told from the little man’s point of view. These “little men” are people like the seamstresses who sewed the layers upon layers of fabric to make the space suits. It brings out things that the normal person never would have thought about like lunar boots. When most people thing about Apollo 11, they usually don’t think about lunar boots.
Illustrations:
This book was illustrated with photographs taken from the mission.
Features:
This book has captions under the pictures and some headings on some pages. There is an author’s note, sources section, chapter notes, additional sources, acknowledgments, photo credits, glossary, and an index. There is also a section that can be used for further exploration.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would use this book when talking about space travel.
Response:
I thought this book was very interesting. I never thought about how many “little people” it would take to make that mission possible.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
You Wouldn't Want to Be A Roman Soldier! by David Stewart (1 book) (32 pages)
Bibliographic Information:
Stewart, D. You Wouldn’t Want To Be a Roman Soldier!. New York: Scholastic.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
3rd – 6th
Author Credibility:
The author consulted with someone who is the author of several books on Roman archaeology.
Summary of the Book:
This book tracks the life of a Roman soldier. It talks about the battles and what they had to do at sea. It tells of how they lived in camps and forts. They also told about what they did to treat medical problems.
Illustrations:
This book was illustrated by David Antram. They did not specify what median was used to create the illustrations.
Features:
This book has a table of contents, introduction, glossary, and index.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would use this book as a “fun” book for the students to read during down time.
Response:
I loved this book. It almost made the characters seem fictional, but still presented the facts.
Stewart, D. You Wouldn’t Want To Be a Roman Soldier!. New York: Scholastic.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
3rd – 6th
Author Credibility:
The author consulted with someone who is the author of several books on Roman archaeology.
Summary of the Book:
This book tracks the life of a Roman soldier. It talks about the battles and what they had to do at sea. It tells of how they lived in camps and forts. They also told about what they did to treat medical problems.
Illustrations:
This book was illustrated by David Antram. They did not specify what median was used to create the illustrations.
Features:
This book has a table of contents, introduction, glossary, and index.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would use this book as a “fun” book for the students to read during down time.
Response:
I loved this book. It almost made the characters seem fictional, but still presented the facts.
You Wouldn't Want to Work on the Great Wall of China! by Jacqueline Morely (1 book) (32 pages)
Bibliographic Information:
Morley. J. You Wouldn’t Want to Work on the Great Wall of China! New York: Scholastic.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
3rd – 6th
Author Credibility:
The author has taught history in the past and is now a freelance writer. I could not find who she worked with to get her information for this book.
Summary of the Book:
This book goes through the history of life in China. It talks about the rules the emperor put on the people of China. It talks about new laws he enforced and how he treated the people. He took some of the people prisoner and made them help build the Great Wall of China.
Illustrations:
This book was illustrated by David Antram. They did not specify what median was used to create the illustrations.
Features:
This book has a table of contents, introduction, glossary, and index.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would use this book as a “fun” book for the students to read during down time.
Response:
I loved this book. It almost made the characters seem fictional, but still presented the facts.
Morley. J. You Wouldn’t Want to Work on the Great Wall of China! New York: Scholastic.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
3rd – 6th
Author Credibility:
The author has taught history in the past and is now a freelance writer. I could not find who she worked with to get her information for this book.
Summary of the Book:
This book goes through the history of life in China. It talks about the rules the emperor put on the people of China. It talks about new laws he enforced and how he treated the people. He took some of the people prisoner and made them help build the Great Wall of China.
Illustrations:
This book was illustrated by David Antram. They did not specify what median was used to create the illustrations.
Features:
This book has a table of contents, introduction, glossary, and index.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would use this book as a “fun” book for the students to read during down time.
Response:
I loved this book. It almost made the characters seem fictional, but still presented the facts.
Fortune's Bones: The Manumission Requiem by Marilyn Nelson (1 book) (32 pages)
Bibliographic Information:
Nelson, M. Fortune’s Bones: The Manumission Requiem. Asheville: Front Street.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
6th – 8th
Author Credibility:
The author worked with the Connecticut Commission on the Arts and the Mattatuck Museum of Waterbury, Connecticut to do the research for this book.
Summary of the Book:
This book is written as a tribute to Fortune, a slave who was freed. The book is written as a poem. The author wanted it to be sad in the fact that we mourn the loss of Fortune but that we also celebrate his life. It tells of his wife and when he died. It tells of how Dr. Porter preserved the slave’s body to examine the human anatomy. The end tells of how Fortune wasn’t just bones and skin and body parts; he had a soul and was a real person.
Illustrations:
The author uses primary source documents and photographs to illustrate this book.
Features:
The book is divided into parts, but they aren’t labeled as chapters. There is author’s note, preface, and afterward. There is a section for notes and sources at the end of the book.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would probably use this book as a part of a lesson on slavery.
Response:
This was a good book, but it wasn’t what I had hoped it would be. I don’t know what I had thought it would be, but this wasn’t it.
Nelson, M. Fortune’s Bones: The Manumission Requiem. Asheville: Front Street.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
6th – 8th
Author Credibility:
The author worked with the Connecticut Commission on the Arts and the Mattatuck Museum of Waterbury, Connecticut to do the research for this book.
Summary of the Book:
This book is written as a tribute to Fortune, a slave who was freed. The book is written as a poem. The author wanted it to be sad in the fact that we mourn the loss of Fortune but that we also celebrate his life. It tells of his wife and when he died. It tells of how Dr. Porter preserved the slave’s body to examine the human anatomy. The end tells of how Fortune wasn’t just bones and skin and body parts; he had a soul and was a real person.
Illustrations:
The author uses primary source documents and photographs to illustrate this book.
Features:
The book is divided into parts, but they aren’t labeled as chapters. There is author’s note, preface, and afterward. There is a section for notes and sources at the end of the book.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would probably use this book as a part of a lesson on slavery.
Response:
This was a good book, but it wasn’t what I had hoped it would be. I don’t know what I had thought it would be, but this wasn’t it.
The Voice That Challenged A Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights by Russell Freedman (2 books) (114 pages)
Bibliographic Information:
Freedman, R. The Voice That Challenged A Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights. New York: Clarion Books.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
6th – 8th
Author Credibility:
Russell Freedman worked together with faculty at University of Pennsylvania to gather the research and photographs for this book.
Summary of the Book:
This book is about the life of Marian Anderson. She was an African American who was a young adult during the time of the Civil Rights movement. She was a wonderful singer; however, she was not allowed to sing in certain places because of the color of her skin. She faced many hardships because of her race. However, in every situation, she did not get discouraged. She kept trying and never lost sight of her goal: to be accepted and respected as a singer in America.
Illustrations:
This book was illustrated with photographs taken at the time.
Features:
This book is divided into chapters. At the end of the book, there are chapter notes for each chapter. There is a selected bibliography and discography. There are picture credits and an index.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
This is another book I would use either during black history month or during a study on civil rights. I would possibly use this book in a literature group in older grades.
Response:
This is another book that really touched me. There were points when I wanted to cry an my heart broke for her. I felt so proud of her by the end of the book.
Related Text:
Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
Freedom Riders by Ann Bausum
Freedman, R. The Voice That Challenged A Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights. New York: Clarion Books.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
6th – 8th
Author Credibility:
Russell Freedman worked together with faculty at University of Pennsylvania to gather the research and photographs for this book.
Summary of the Book:
This book is about the life of Marian Anderson. She was an African American who was a young adult during the time of the Civil Rights movement. She was a wonderful singer; however, she was not allowed to sing in certain places because of the color of her skin. She faced many hardships because of her race. However, in every situation, she did not get discouraged. She kept trying and never lost sight of her goal: to be accepted and respected as a singer in America.
Illustrations:
This book was illustrated with photographs taken at the time.
Features:
This book is divided into chapters. At the end of the book, there are chapter notes for each chapter. There is a selected bibliography and discography. There are picture credits and an index.
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
This is another book I would use either during black history month or during a study on civil rights. I would possibly use this book in a literature group in older grades.
Response:
This is another book that really touched me. There were points when I wanted to cry an my heart broke for her. I felt so proud of her by the end of the book.
Related Text:
Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
Freedom Riders by Ann Bausum
Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement by Ann Bausum (1 book) (79 pages)
Bibliographic Information:
Bausum, A. Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
6th – 8th
Author Credibility:
The author worked with several researchers to get the facts for this book. She was part of a team that wrote this book.
Summary of the Book:
This book tells the story of two young males who rode the bus from the north to the south during the time of integration. This book followed two young men, one white and one black. When they reached Alabama, they were both brutally beaten for the simple fact that they had ridden on the bus together. They rode the bus knowing they would face this kind of opposition when they arrived in the south. However, they did not care. They were fighting for a cause that they both believed in: equality for all races. This book captured the Civil Rights from both sides.
Illustrations:
This book is illustrated with photographs from the time.
Features:
At the end of the book, there is a partial roster of the riders on the freedom bus. It provides pictures for some of them. There is also timeline of major events in the Civil Rights movement. The author provides a research guide and research notes and acknowledgements. There is a section on the citations used in the book. The author provides a bibliography and illustration credits. There is also an index
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would use this book during Black History Month or while studying the Civil Rights.
Response:
I really liked this book. I’ve been really interested in book about the Civil Rights movement.
Related Text:
Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice by Raymond Arsenault
Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
Bausum, A. Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic.
Grade Level Appropriateness:
6th – 8th
Author Credibility:
The author worked with several researchers to get the facts for this book. She was part of a team that wrote this book.
Summary of the Book:
This book tells the story of two young males who rode the bus from the north to the south during the time of integration. This book followed two young men, one white and one black. When they reached Alabama, they were both brutally beaten for the simple fact that they had ridden on the bus together. They rode the bus knowing they would face this kind of opposition when they arrived in the south. However, they did not care. They were fighting for a cause that they both believed in: equality for all races. This book captured the Civil Rights from both sides.
Illustrations:
This book is illustrated with photographs from the time.
Features:
At the end of the book, there is a partial roster of the riders on the freedom bus. It provides pictures for some of them. There is also timeline of major events in the Civil Rights movement. The author provides a research guide and research notes and acknowledgements. There is a section on the citations used in the book. The author provides a bibliography and illustration credits. There is also an index
How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:
I would use this book during Black History Month or while studying the Civil Rights.
Response:
I really liked this book. I’ve been really interested in book about the Civil Rights movement.
Related Text:
Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice by Raymond Arsenault
Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)