Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!
Never Insult a Killer Zucchini! Authors: Elana Azose and Brandon Amancio
Illustrator: David Clark
Published February 9th, 2016 by Charlesbridge
Goodreads Summary: This is one science fair you’ll never forget!
When Mr. Farnsworth, the science-fair judge, declares that he loves zucchinis, the Killer Zucchini is smitten. As the judge makes his way through the exhibits alphabetically—A (antimatter), B (bionic limb), C (cloning)—the Killer Zucchini tries to show his affection. But when Mr. F gets to K and admits he likes to eat zucchini with ranch dressing, the Killer Zucchini gets steamed and attempts to exact his revenge on the snack-loving judge using the other science-fair projects as his means to an end.
Hilarious havoc ensues as the entire science fair is destroyed by his wrath.
Engaging backmatter provides the science behind the science fair entries created by the characters in the story.
Review: My favorite part of this book isn’t even the Killer Zucchini found in the title but all of the supporting science fair experiments. While they all seem like mad science, in the back of the book, the authors have back matter explaining how each of the science fair experiments are based on real science. For example, even though Killer Zucchinis aren’t real, carnivorous plants are, a laser that erased ink was invented in 1968, and Florida’s Mag Lab can shrink a quarter!
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: What a great STEM resource! This text will be a perfect read aloud and science text before starting science fair experiments. It can get the brain turning and even give some ideas (though some are quite extreme science!). Hopefully your science fair will not end up anything like this one though!
You could also have students choose one of the experiments to learn more about instead of reading the back matter. It would be a good science/language arts cross curricular research assignment. (The book is also in alphabetical order!)
Discussion Questions: Which of the experiments is the most dangerous?; Why does the girl win the fair?; Which of the experiments would you like to learn more about?
Flagged Passages:
Read This If You Loved: Science texts and picture books
Recommended For:
**Thank you to Elana for providing a copy of the text for review!**
Happy book birthday to We Found a Hat by Jon Klassen!
We Found a Hat
Published October 11, 2016 by Candlewick Press
I Want My Hat Back Published September 27th, 2011 by Candlewick Press
This Is Not My Hat
Published October 9th, 2012 by Candlewick Press
The first two books of The Hat Trilogy have enthralled readers for years. They have been read in many classrooms and in many bedrooms delighting millions of children (and adults!). Today we get to celebrate the final installment of the trilogy.
Summary of We Found a Hat: Two turtles find one hat – and it happens to look great on both of them.
Q&A With Jon Klassen:
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation and Discussion Questions:
I am happy to share the teaching guide for the books that I had the honor of writing!
Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!
Blood Brothers: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights Author: Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace
Published September 13th, 2016 by Calkins Creek
Goodreads Summary: Jonathan Daniels, a white seminary student from New Hampshire, traveled to Selma, Alabama, in 1965 to help with voter registration of black residents. After the voting rights marches, he remained in Alabama, in the area known as “Bloody Lowndes,” an extremely dangerous area for white freedom fighters, to assist civil rights workers. Five months later, Jonathan Daniels was shot and killed while saving the life of Ruby Sales, a black teenager. Through Daniels’s poignant letters, papers, photographs, and taped interviews, authors Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace explore what led Daniels to the moment of his death, the trial of his murderer, and how these events helped reshape both the legal and political climate of Lowndes County and the nation.
Blood Brother has received two starred reviews so far from Kirkus and Booklist, and a very strong review from School Library Journal:
*”This powerful biography of a little-known figure underscores the fact that civil rights workers in the 1960s South knowingly put their lives on the line for the cause…. The authors deftly convey Daniels’ complex personality, drawing from letters and interviews, including 18 they conducted. Numerous photographs, relatively large print, and an open design invite readers in… An unusually inspiring story skillfully told.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
*”Outside of his hometown (Keene, New Hampshire), the name Jonathan Daniels isn’t well known, but it should be… a thoroughly researched, meticulously documented biography, which is interesting from the start, but increasingly absorbing… The many well-chosen photos show up beautifully on the large, glossy pages. The riveting story of one individual among the many working for Civil Rights during the 1960s.”—Booklist, starred review
“In a masterly demonstration of scholarly research and nonfiction writing, the Wallaces have crafted a powerful biographical narrative of civil rights activist Jonathan Daniels…. careful annotations and thorough indexing help readers keep track of the many players and scenes in this true-life drama. The authors have created a biography that brings to light the life and legacy of a lesser-known civil rights activist… this visually stunning and morally significant history is highly recommended…” —School Library Journal
About the Authors: Sandra Neil Wallace had a lengthy career as a news anchor and ESPN sportscaster before writing realistic fiction and nonfiction for young readers. A pioneer in the journalism field, she was the first woman to cover the National Hockey League on network TV. Selected as a promising new voice in children’s literature by The Horn Book, Wallace’s titles have been named to state and national awards lists including Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Book of the Year, ALA-YALSA Quick Picks, and Booklist’s Top 10 Sports Books for Youth. Visit sandraneilwallace.com.
Rich has been writing since he was a little boy, when he wrote and illustrated his own comic books. He has since published more than 25 novels for kids and teenagers. Many of those books have been award winners. Rich has an extensive background as a writer and editor, having served for many years as a senior editor at Highlights for Children magazine. He still writes the monthly “Timbertoes” feature for that venerable publication. Writing about sports and athletes comes naturally to him, as he has competed in athletics his entire life. He was a champion runner in high school and college, and still competes in Masters track and field. He’s also played a lot of basketball and soccer. For several years he was a newspaper sportswriter.
These days, Rich continues to pen a wide range of novels in addition to writing about human nutrition and other health issues for the adult market. Rich and his wife Sandra recently moved to New England with their dog Lucy. He is the father of two sons.
Review:This book is not just an important book for young adults to read, it is an important book PERIOD. The story of Jonathan Daniels and his impact within the Civil Rights Movement shows how rights for equality is a fight for all people, not just those who are being discriminated against. Daniels had the guts to stand up for what he believed in. The connection between Jonathan Daniels’s story and the current racial tension is scary yet hopeful because it shows how differences can be made by those who believe in equity, equality, kindness, and love.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This is a text that needs to be in social studies and language arts classrooms in middle and high school. It needs to be shared. View the publisher’s Educator’s Guide, Blood Brother Educator’s Guide, to view some suggestions on how to use the text in your classroom.
Discussion Questions: How does the Civil Rights Movement compare to the Black Lives Matter movement?; Jonathan Daniels did what he knew was right even though there were dangers. What does this tell you about Daniels?; What did Daniels sacrifice for the Civil Rights Movement?; How did the structure of the text impact the central idea and theme of the text?
Book Trailer:
Read This If You Love: Learning about the Civil Rights Movement
Recommended For:
**Thank you to Kerry at Boyds Mills Press for having me be part of the blog tour!**
A Child of Books Authors: Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston
Published by September 6th, 2016
Summary: New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers and fine artist Sam Winston deliver a lyrical picture book inspiring readers of all ages to create, to question, to explore, and to imagine.
A little girl sails her raft across a sea of words, arriving at the house of a small boy and calling him away on an adventure. Through forests of fairy tales and across mountains of make-believe, the two travel together on a fantastical journey that unlocks the boy’s imagination. Now a lifetime of magic and adventure lies ahead of him . . . but who will be next?
Combining elegant images by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston’s typographical landscapes shaped from excerpts of children’s classics and lullabies, A Child of Books is a stunning prose poem on the rewards of reading and sharing stories—an immersive and unforgettable reading experience that readers will want to pass on to others.
Review: Oliver Jeffers has a way of writing such thought-provoking books with beautiful artwork that are just a bit weird yet so brilliant that you can’t help but reading it over and over. I know that sounds like such a fan girl review, but if you’ve read any of his books, you know exactly what I am talking about. Jeffers’s newest book is no exception. This book is about how stories can carry you wherever your imagination can imagine. The brilliance of actually using words from classic books to carry the main character on her journey shows how all of these books have carried so many readers on adventures that only an author’s imagination mixed with the reader’s imagination could take them on.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Allusion and theme are where my mind automatically goes to when reading this book. First, you can look at the words that are used as the setting to look at why the authors chose these specific allusions. For example, during the sea scenes, they use Gulliver’s Travels, The Adventure of Pinocchio, The Swiss Family Robinson, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Robinson Crusoe, The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle, and more. Why would these books specifically be chosen for those scenes? What other pieces of literature are used throughout the book and why? I also think the theme is very clear, but it will spark a really great conversation.
Discussion Questions: What is theme of the book?; Why did the author chose specific texts for different settings?
Flagged Passages:
“I have sailed across a sea of words to ask if you will come away with me.”
Emma G. Loves Boyz: A True Love Journal Volume 1 Author: Taro Meyer
Published November 24th, 2015 by Red Sky Presents
Summary: Emma G. Loves Boyz: A True Love Journal is the first book in the new Tween Girl Series by Taro Meyer – the exuberant journal of a star-struck fan who vows to stop at nothing – not even doing chores! – for a chance to see her favorite boy band perform live…
Emma G. is CRAZY about Aaron, lead singer of Boyz3000. Of course, she doesn’t actually know him, but so what? Feelings are feelings. That is until Josh appears… and he’s soooooo CUTE. Navigating her two crushes and her middle school life, especially with eighth-grade hater Renee around, is a challenge. And oh yeah, she’s got to earn money for an AWESOME trip to the Bahamas to see the band of her dreams. Hello???? How much can one thirteen-year-old take???
Review: Oh man! This book brought flash backs to every boy band obsessed student I have taught over the last 10 years! Emma’s love for Boyz3000 can represent any middle school fangirl/boy who is so in love with the band, their music, and one of their members so blindly that they feel that the love is the most real thing they’ve ever felt! (And this is coming from a girl who cried when she saw Hanson live for the first time, so I know this emotion!) In addition to the story about Emma’s love of Boyz, Emma also has to learn responsibility to earn money to go see them in concert as well as some mean girl issues in middle school all told in a journal format which I think middle schoolers will find true to their voice.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This is a perfect book for a middle school library/classroom library! So many of my students are always looking for a romance book that is appropriate for them, and this is perfect!
Another aspect of Emma’s journal is that she writes poetry, so her story could be a perfect inspiration for students who are interested in writing poetry or need to find an outlet for emotions.
Discussion Questions: How does Emma’s want to go see Boyz make her become a bit more responsible?; How does Josh change Emma’s perception on life?; Why do you think Renee is so mean?; How does the structure of the text affect the way the story is told?
Flagged Passages: “Oh my God. I just woke up completely happy, thinking I HAD FINALLY GOTTEN A TICKET TO A BOYZ3000 CONCERT and would meet Aaron, their lead singer. I’ve entered at least five contests and haven’t won any yet. 🙁
But sadly, I’d only fallen asleep in front of my computer and it was just a dream, and I still had to write a make-up essay for Language Arts because of the stupid D I got today!
I cannot believe I got a D in Language Arts! I plan on being a writer, and really, what kind of writer gets a D on an essay?
Dear Dragon Author: Josh Funk
Illustrator: Rodolfo Montalvo
Anticipated Publication: September 6, 2016 by Viking Books for Young Readers
Goodreads Summary: A sweet and clever friendship story in rhyme, about looking past physical differences to appreciate the person (or dragon) underneath.
George and Blaise are pen pals, and they write letters to each other about everything: their pets, birthdays, favorite sports, and science fair projects. There’s just one thing that the two friends don’t know: George is a human, while Blaise is a dragon! What will happen when these pen pals finally meet face-to-face?
Ricki’s Review: I simply adored this book. It was quite clever and imaginative! I imagine it took a lot of thought to try to show how different George and Blaise’s lives might be and how they might misinterpret the descriptions of simple daily life events. I am a huge fan of Josh Funk’s writing and recommend all of his books. They all are witty and humorous, and my son and I always giggle while we read them. Each of his books teaches a life lesson that has been very useful for me as a mom, and I know they are equally useful for elementary school teachers. For Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, I have been able to constantly refer to the variety of foods in the text in order to help my son with his picky eating habits. With this book, Dear Dragon, I have been able to talk with my son about differences and how we might work to understand how others might lead different daily lives than ours. I am really looking forward to Josh’s next book, Pirasaurs!. Based on his other books, I know it will be a good one!
Kellee’s Review:The books I find myself gravitating towards and recommending the most are the books that I not only love as a mother but can also definitely see the application of the book in all levels of classrooms. Dear Dragon fits into this category because it is such an amusing and fun book that is just a blast to read and discuss; however, it also has so many ways that I can see myself and other teachers using it in the classroom: for a mentor text, for a pen pal unit, for a read aloud. Dear Dragon also is an amazing set up to discuss first impressions and differences between people in safe place (since, you know, Blaise is a dragon). I also loved the quirky, colorful, detailed illustrations that accompany George and Blaise’s letters. The silly conversations just from these will make for a wonderful conversation.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Ricki fondly remembers her elementary school experiences with pen pals. Her fourth class wrote to a class in Germany. It was so interesting to learn about all of the differences between our lives. This book would make for a great jumpstart to a pen pal project. It would be neat to connect to a class in another country or even across our own country. Students would learn a lot about how we are both similar and different from others—and how this is a good thing, indeed!
In addition to being a ton of fun, Dear Dragon will also be a perfect mentor text for a variety of reading skills and standards. The letters are a perfect opportunity to discuss point of view, voice, letter writing, and rhyming. The book also has a wonderful theme, the illustrations and letters could be compared/contrasted, and the entire text structure could be analyzed.
Discussion Questions: What are the similarities and differences between George and Blaise? How do they build their friendship across letters?; How do they each misinterpret the other’s letters in ways that are funny and enlightening? How do the illustrations reflect these misinterpretations?; This book is a fantasy, but how might you compare this book to real life?
Flagged Spread:
Read This If You Loved: Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk; Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw; Whose Story is This, Anyway?by Mike Flaherty; Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin; Have You Seen my Dragon? by Steve Light; Tony Baloney: Pen Pal by Pam Muñoz Ryan; Dear Mrs. Larue series by Mark Teague
Bea Garcia: My Life in Pictures Author and Illustrator: Deborah Zemke
Published March 8th, 2016 by Dial Books
Summary: Bea Garcia is an artist. She draws anywhere and everywhere—but mostly in her own notebook. When Bea’s first and only best friend Yvonne moves to Australia, not even drawing makes Bea feel better. And things only get worse when a loud, rambunctious boy moves in next door. He’s nothing at all like Yvonne! But with a little imagination and a whole lot of doodles, Bea Garcia might just make a new friend.
This first book in a brand-new chapter book series is a must-read for doodlers everywhere.
Review: I am loving learning more about early middle grade books, and Bea Garcia is going to be a protagonist that will be welcomed in this group of books. Bea will join forces with so many strong girls that 4th through 6th graders can read about. What I love about Bea’s story is that it is one that so many readers will relate to. She deals with losing a best friend and a bully moving into her classroom and neighborhood. She also has a supportive and real family that will reflect many families out there. Also, I loved Deborah Zemke’s illustrations throughout. They really brought Bea’s personality, dreams, and thoughts.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Bea’s story will be one that can be used to start so many discussions while being read aloud. It is a perfect story to discuss different types of people, bullying, friendship, school, etc. Also, I think it would be interesting to discuss the addition of illustrations and even voice with students. One idea would be to read aloud part of the story without showing the illustrations and discuss how the illustrations help the story and how Bea’s voice is crafted.
Discussion Questions: Bea uses drawing to think through her emotions. What do you use to help think through your emotions?; What would have been a different way that Bea could have dealt with Bert?; Is there a time that you lost a best friend? How did you deal with it?; How would Bea’s story have been different without illustrations?
Flagged Passages: “We played together at recess and after school, on weekends and vacations, running back and forth in the backyards from my house to her house.
One winter day, we rolled a snowball from her yard to mine and back a hundred times until it was the biggest snowball in the world. Then we turned the snowball into a giant Snow Kitty.
I don’t think Sophie liked Snow Kitty.
When it was warm, we played in the crabapple tree that was just the right size for us to climb.
It was a magic tree.” (p. 20-21)
Read This If You Loved: Amelia’s Notebook series by Marissa Moss, Popularity Papers series by Amy Ignatow, Mackenzie Blue series by Tina Wells, Middle School series by Jenni L. Holm
Recommended For:
**Thank you to Deborah for providing the book for review!**
