Three books by Maxwell Eaton III

The Truth About Bears: Seriously Funny Facts About your Favorite Animals

Written and Illustrated by Maxwell Eaton III

A Neal Porter Book; Roaring Brook Press. 2018

ISBN: 9781626726673

The Truth About Dolphins: Seriously Funny Facts About your Favorite Animals

Written and Illustrated by Maxwell Eaton III

A Neal Porter Book; Roaring Brook Press. 2018

ISBN: 9781626726680

The Truth About Hippos: Seriously Funny Facts About your Favorite Animals

Written and Illustrated by Maxwell Eaton III

A Neal Porter Book; Roaring Brook Press. 2018

ISBN: 9781626726673

Preschool to Grade 5

 

If you have students/children who love animals, are fans of Captain Underpants and other humorous tales, then these titles are a perfect gateway book to facts about Bears, Dolphins, and Hippos. 

• Did you know that bears can be found everywhere except Antarctica, Africa, and Australia?
• And adult bear can weigh as much as a small car?
• That dolphins are playful, excellent communicators, and are one of the few animals on earth that use echolocation?
• That when a hippo goes to the bathroom, it flicks its tail back and forth, splattering everything that comes out?

These facts and more are found in these engaging, fact-filled books. Eaton’s full page illustrations, created using pen and ink with digital coloring, include facts along with colorful sidebars that offer a bit more details. The characters, both animal and human, have word bubbles that offer a bit of comic relief. 

Each book moves from introducing each animal (Dolphins look like fish. But they aren’t. Dolphins are actually mammals, like humans, bears, and cats. They breathe air” and ends with the threats each animal suffers from the hands of humans. “Hippos have big teeth, but that doesn’t keep them completely safe. Common hippos are threatened by hunting. And pygmy hippos are losing their quiet forests.”  Eaton states the importance of learning more about these interesting, incredible animals and sharing that knowledge with friends. Raising awareness might be the only way to save them.

Back matter includes facts on each animal presented as if held in a file folder. Complete with footprint, size, territory, and other interesting facts. A listing of books for further research is also included.

A fun way to engage a large crowd or draw in reluctant readers.

Click here to visit Eaton's website for a peek at these books. 

To write this review, I borrowed copies of the books from my local public library.

Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor by Patricia Valdez

Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: the Woman Who Love d Reptiles

Patricia Valdez; Illustrated by Felicita Sala

Knopf. 2018

ISBN: 9780399557255

Joan Proctor (1897-1931), loved reptiles: lizards, snakes, and crocodiles.  In Valdez’s picture book biography, readers follow Procter’s interesting life. She was hired as curator at London’s Natural History Museum and became director of the Reptile House at the London Zoo. While at the Zoo, Procter was instrumental in upgrading the outdated Reptile House. “She cared for each and every creature in the Reptile House. From daily health checks to delicate surgeries, her dedication and talent could not be matched.”

Sala’s brightly colored illustrations are beautiful and are a perfect complement to Valdez narrative.

Back matter includes a lengthy author’s note and bibliography.

The other day, while at one of the primary schools promoting summer reading, Joan Proctor, Dragon Doctor was on display in one of the classrooms. When asked, the class of First Graders gave the book high fives.

“Love the pictures.”

“She was an interesting woman.”

“I’d like a Komodo dragon as a pet too.”

I used a copy from the my local public library to write this review

The Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow by Jan Thornhill

The Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow

by Jan Thornhill

Groundwood Books: House of Anansi Press. 2018

ISBN: 9781773060064

All ages

Thornhill takes readers on a marvelous journey through history to trace the origin of the House Sparrow. This “perky little bird” lives on every continent except Antarctica. Her engaging narrative explains how, in prehistoric times, the sparrow lived in the Middle East. It nested in the wild and migrated. “Then, around twelve thousand years ago, something in the neighborhood changed. The mammal that walked upright stopped roaming around and - wonder of wonders! - it started growing the sparrow’s favorite food. Grain.”  With that, the sparrow changed its habits. With food so plentiful, the sparrow no longer needed to migrate. It could build nests in buildings or on the edge of grain fields. Quite quickly, it lost the knack for traveling long distance and became…the House Sparrow.

Here are just a few facts I learned from this book.

• The House Sparrow was brought to the United States in 1852, because people who immigrated from European countries missed their cheerful chirps.
• Because they multiply so quickly (up to five broods of five eggs per year), compete with humans for grain, and have a reputation for driving away native birds, some call it “a villian, a cuss, a disreputable character, a glutton, and a parasite.”
• Since 1970, the numbers of House Sparrows have declined. “In some places in the world, its populations dropped by a quarter, then a third, then a half.” 

What has changed? What are we doing differently that is affecting the House Sparrow? Well, think about it. We have changed our homes; they are more air-tight with less nooks and crannies for nests. We’ve changed the landscape of our neighborhoods. Trees are chopped down, hedges removed, and, to control unwanted insects, we spray lots and lots of pesticides and herbicides in neighborhoods and fields. Thornhill suggests that it’s possible radiation from cellphone towers might also be affecting the House Sparrow’s ability to navigate and catch food. No one knows for sure because no alarm has been sounded. No one seems to care since “many people believe the House Sparrow should never have been brought to North America.” 

Hopefully, their ability to adapt may be what saves them. 

This book is well-researched using articles, books, and websites. Thornhill’s illustrations, created digitally, are beautiful and enhance all that is being explained in the text.

Back matter includes a map with the origin and distribution of the House Sparrow; a brief description of its life cycle, and glossary. An interesting addition is a brief section that highlights other animals worldwide who have adapted to living among humans.

As you share this book with all ages, ask why this is called a Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow, when these birds are in decline? Thornhill might be referencing the fact that for over ten thousand years, this little bird is considered the most adaptable creature on earth.  

To write this review, I borrowed the book from my local public library.

Dog Days of History

Dog Days of History: The Incredible Story of Our Best Friends
by Sarah Albee
National Geographic, 2018
Grades 3 and up
ISBN: 978-1-4263-2971-5

The reviewer received a copy of the book from the publisher.

Louise and I are fans of Sarah Albee's nonfiction books for children and teens. Albee's descriptive writing style has just the right amount of humor and a conversational tone that hooks readers while teaching them about history and science.

Albee's latest book, Dog Days of History, delves into the history of domesticated dogs. The survey-style book is organized chronologically and is packed full of information about everything dog. Readers will learn about Ancient Egyptian dogs that pulled carts and hunted with their owners, dogs from the Middle Ages that were resistant to the bubonic plague and Puritan dogs that kept their owners' feet warm during church services. There are also sections about military dogs, explorer dogs, political dogs, service dogs and celebrity dogs. Photographs and artwork are effectively placed throughout the chapters and illustrate the different breeds as well as historical periods and events.

As with her other nonfiction texts, Albee's research is impeccable. The bibliography spans three full pages in addition to a page of source notes. An author's note, a list of recommended websites and a note about research are also included in the back matter. Dog Days of History is a recommended purchase for school and public libraries, classroom collections and as a gift for dog-lovers of all ages.

Don't miss these other books by Sarah Albee:
Why'd They Wear That?: Fashion as the Mirror of History
Bugged: How Insects Changed History
Poop Happened: A History of the World from the Bottom Up

Nonfiction Books for Memorial Day

Here are some nonfiction titles to read with children and young adults in honor of Memorial Day.

Courage Has No Color by Tanya Lee Stone

In the Fields and the Trenches by Kerrie Logan Hollihan

A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet

Vietnam: A History of the War by Russel Freedman

What Was Pearl Harbor? by Patricia Brennan Demuth

Women Heroes of World War I by Kathryn J. Atwood

You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen by Carole Boston Weatherford 

Libba: the Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten by Laura Veirs

Libba: the Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten

by Laura Veirs; Illustrated by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh

Chronicle Books. 2018

ISBN: 9781452148571

This picture book biography is a loving tribute to one our greatest folk musicians, Elizabeth Cotten. Veirs states, “I hope readers will explore the life and music of Libba Cotten, a beautiful tributary of the great river that is American folk music.”

Born around 1893 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten heard music everywhere. She taught herself how to play the guitar using her brother’s instrument. Only thing is that Libba was left-handed. She had to re-string the guitar “upside-down and played it backwards. Kind of like brushing your teeth with your foot.” 

She played all the time, then stopped at around age sixteen. She put the guitar away while she raised her child. In her forties, Libba became housekeeper to American folk music specialist, Ruth Crawford Seeger. (Ruth was the mother of Mike and Peggy Seeger, stepmother to Pete Seeger) While working at the Seeger’s, the house was filled with music day and night. And, once again, Libba heard music.

When the Seeger family and friends heard Libba sing, “it was like a thousand songbirds singing.” 

For the rest of her life, Libba never stopped singing. She died in 1987 at age 94,  Her most famous folk song, 'Freight Train', was recorded by Peter, Paul, and Mary, Bob Dylan, and even The Grateful Dead, to name a few!

The book is enhanced by the illustrations of artist Tatyana Fzalaizadeh. Rendered in graphite and digital color, the artwork uses muted tones that bring the narrative alive. 

Back matter includes an extensive author’s note and a bibliography of works cited. 

Share this book with students of all ages. Round out their experience by playing some of Cotten's cds you've checked out from your local public library. Her voice is so graceful, engaging, and you will agree that she does sound like a thousand songbirds singing.

Click here to hear Libba Cotten perform a song written with the help of the four generations of children and grandchildren she took care of...'Shake Sugaree'.

Click on this link to hear the author, Laura Veirs, who is a singer-songwriter, performing Freight Train.

I borrowed a copy of this book from my local public library to write this review.

Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and her Secret School by Janet Halfmann

Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and her Secret School

by Janet Halfmann; Illustrated by London Ladd

Lee & Low. 2018

ISBN: 9781620141632

I used a copy of the book sent by the publisher to write this review

The power of reading and how it can transform lives is the subject of this informational picture book biography about Lilly Ann Granderson. Born into slavery around 1821 in Petersburg, Virginia, Lilly Ann was taught how to read and write by the master’s children.  As she grew and her reading improved, Lilly Ann read everything she could get her hands on. She even read the newspapers found lying around. “That is how she learned of places in the North where slavery had been abolished.” 

The better she got at reading, the more Lilly Ann wanted to share her knowledge with others. Though it was not illegal for slaves to read and write in Kentucky, it was strongly discouraged. Sundays were the perfect opportunity for teaching while the master’s family went to church and visited friends. Lilly Ann found a hidden spot in the nearby woods where she gathered other enslaved children and began teaching them the alphabet. She did this for years, until her master died and she was sold to a planation in Natchez, Mississippi. 

In Mississippi, it was illegal for enslaved people to read and write. “Landowners feared that if the enslaved could read, they would discover that some northerners wanted slavery abolished. this might lead to rebellion agains the owners.” Another fear was that If a slave could write, they might forge a travel pass and escape to the north. Yet, Lilly Ann found a way, despite the risk to her life.

The engaging narrative is enhanced by the illustrations, done primarily in acrylic paint in a painterly style, by artist, London Ladd. Click here to learn more about Ladd. 

Lilly Ann changed the lives of many children. She continued to teach until late in life. “Lilly Ann Granderson’s inspiration lives on today through all the generations changed forever by her dedication to helping others gain freedom and improve their lives through education.”

The lengthy author’s note gives more detailed information about Granderson. Back matter also includes selected references, and quotation sources.

Geology Is a Piece of Cake

Geology is a Piece of Cake  
by Katie Coppens
Tumblehome Learning, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943431-28-1
Grades 4-8

The reviewer borrowed a copy of the book from her school library.

I am fortunate to work with the talented middle school teacher, Katie Coppens. Katie teaches science and English Language Arts to sixth grade students. She often weaves the arts (music, creative writing, art and movement) into science lessons. In addition to being a gifted teacher, Katie is also an author of books for kids and educators.

Science teachers should take note of Katie's new geology book, Geology Is a Piece of Cake. The picture book is cross between an expository nonfiction book and a cookbook. The text covers an array of geology topics including the rock cycle, weathering, plate tectonics, and fossils. Each page poses questions which are followed by clearly written answers. What is a Metamporphic Rock? How Does This Relate to Cake? 

Throughout the book, cake is used as a "model to help you understand various concepts in geology." The cake comparisons are an effective way to help kids visualize and comprehend complex science concepts. Recipes for various types of cakes are included in the book including "Igneous Rock" Carrot Cake and Extrusive Molten Lava Cake. My favorite section uses cake pops to show readers how the Earth orbits around the sun. In addition to cake photographs, the book includes diagrams and photographs of rocks, fossils, and plates.

Pick up a copy of Geology Is a Piece of Cake to use in an elementary or middle school earth science class, for science programming in the public library or as a gift for the budding geologist in your life.