Save the Crash Test Dummies Written by Jennifer Swanson

Save the Crash Test Dummies 

Written by Jennifer Swanson; Illustrated by Temika Grooms

Peachtree. 2019

Grades 3-8

Coming out in October, 2019

The cars we drive today have a lot of safety features, such as bumpers, seat belts, and air bags. Just how did we come up with them? This entertaining informational book traces the failures (a cowcatcher that scooped up humans) and successes (seat belts) of the auto safety inventions that have been developed throughout history and how crash-test dummies made it all possible.

The writing is entertaining, a mixture of history and science. The narrative is peppered with black & white photographs, diagrams, and little side bars with more detailed information. 

I found it interesting that before 1949, scientists used cadavers to obtain crash data. “While it might seem a little gruesome, cadavers provided valuable information to car manufacturers.” As technology improved after World War II, scientists then invented the first crash-test dummy, anthropomorphic test devices (ATD). The new model had a more fully formed body that helped provide the data needed for new safety features. 

The book explores the newer technology like the rearview camera, perfect for when you are backing up and how scientists are working hard to perfect self-driving cars. All in the hopes of reducing or eliminating traffic accidents.

Back matter includes notes, photo credits, and index.

A fun read. Perfect for students interested in cars.

I used an Advanced Readers Copy of this book sent to me by the publisher to write this review.

Imogen: the mother of three boys by Amy Novesky

Imogen: the mother of three boys

by Amy Novesky; Illustrated by Lisa Congdon

Cameron & Company. 2019

ISBN: 9781937359324

Ages 5 up

Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976) is considered one of the finest photographers of the twentieth century. Born in Portland, Oregon, Imogen was named after a princess in a Shakespeare play, Cymbeline, but she didn’t expect life to be smooth and easy and beautiful.

Novesky’s picture book biography offers readers a glimpse into the life of Cunningham, who at 18 decided she wanted to be a photographer. She went to college where she studied chemistry and botany. (Chemistry was useful to know when developing your own photos). She read poetry. She was the only one in her family to graduate from a university.”

Imogen opened a shop in Seattle, made a name for herself as a portrait photographer, then married an etcher. In her author’s note, Novesky explains that women at the turn of the twentieth century were not expected to have a career. Their primary role was to focus on children and the home. “Imogen focused on her children and her home.” Called, "the mother of modernism and three boys, she photographed her three sons, and every afternoon, while they napped, Imogen photographed her flowers.  

Embellishing this enchanting book are drawings of Cunningham's photos by Lisa Congdon.

The only back matter is an author’s note and one photo taken by Cunningham. A self-portrait that includes her three sons. 

To learn more about Imogen Cunningham, click here.

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

Top 18 Nonfiction Book Bloggers

We are proud to share The Nonfiction Detectives blog has been named one of the top nonfiction blogs by Talk + Tell. See the entire list here.

The Magnificent Migration: on Safari with Africa’s last great herds by Sy Montgomery

The Magnificent Migration: on Safari with Africa’s last great herds

by Sy Montgomery; with photos by Roger and Logan Wood

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2019

The mystery and wonder of migration, from the wildebeest to the monarch butterfly, is at the heart of Montgomery’s latest science book. Traveling in Africa with Dr. Richard Despard Estes, the world’s top expert on wildebeests, Montgomery witnesses the greatest land migration on Earth: the wildebeest crossing of the Serengeti. 

Balancing details of the wildebeests trek across the Serengeti, alternating chapters illuminate how human interference has negatively impacted other species that depend on migration for survival. (like the arctic tern, Christmas island red crabs, and monarch butterflies). 

Montgomery emphasizes the wonder and beauty of the Serengeti ecosystem with the inevitable warning that humans, a recent species to Earth, holds the fate of this beautiful landscape, as we do everywhere on Earth, in our hands. Her powerful narrative reminds readers of just how interconnected every living thing is to life on Earth. Destroying one ecosystem, in this case the Serengeti, can mean the death of a species which, in turn, will impact another and another. For the Monarch butterfly, genetically engineered crops made to withstand applications of an herbicide, Roundup, has allowed farmers to wipe out virtually every single milkweed plant on their land which, in turn, threatens  the existence of the Monarch.

The book is loaded with beautiful color photographs by father and son team, Roger and Logan Wood, that perfectly highlight what is being discussed in the text. 

Back matter includes an epilogue, selected bibliography, ways to get involved to save the Serengeti, and index.

After reading The Magnificent Migration, there is no question, hands down, that Sy Montgomery is able to take any topic and make it a page-turner. She is one of my favorite writers of nonfiction. 

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

New Nonfiction- August 2019

Check out these new titles that hit shelves in this month.

Heroism Begins With Her 

by Winifred Conkling and Julia Kuo

All In a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhook Discovered an Invisible World

by Lori Alexander and Vivien Mildenberger

Summer Green to Autumn Gold: Uncovering Leaves' Hidden Colors

by Mia Posada

Rise!: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou

by Bethany Hegedus and Tonya Engel

At Home with the Beaver: The Story of a Keystone Species

by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island

by Jennifer Thermes

Maker Comics: Create a Costume

by Sara Myer

Bringing Down a President: The Watergate Scandal

by Andrea Balis, Elizabeth Levy and Tim Foley

Troublemaker for Justice: The Story of Barnard Rustin, 

the Man Behind the March on Washington

by Jacqueline Houtman, Walter Naegle, and Michael G. Long

Todos Iguales/ All Equal

by Christy Hale

The Very Short, Entirely True History of Unicorns

by Sarah Laskow

The Secret Life of the Skunk

by Laurence Pringle and Kate Garchinsky

Billie Jean!: How Tennis Star Billie Jean King Changed Women's Sports

by Mara Rockliff and Elizabeth Baddeley

Saving the Tasmanian Devil

by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

NaNoWriMo Presents: Brave the Page: A Young Writer's Guide to Telling Epic Stories

by Rebecca Stern and Grant Faulkner

Introduction by Jason Reynolds

Birth of the Cool by Kathleen Cornell Berman

Birth of the Cool: how jazz great Miles Davis found his sound

by Kathleen Cornell Berman; Illustrated by Keith Henry Brown

Page Street Kids. 2019

All ages

Sixty years ago, on August 17, 1959, Miles Davis' ground breaking jazz album, Kind of Blue was released. Deemed the most influential album of all time. I am listening to it right now as I write this review. It truly is amazing. Have you ever listened to it? If not, stop reading, find it, and listen. Can you feel how different the sound is? 

Okay. Now read the review.

Berman and Brown introduce readers to jazz great Miles Davis in this stunning poetic tribute. 

Miles Davis (1926-1991) grew up in St. Louis. As a child, he would sit as close to the radio as he could get. 

“Louis Armstrong’s 

soaring trumpet, 

Duke Ellington’s 

sensational big band

dazzle Miles imagination.”

Miles listened to the sounds around him. Whether he was visiting his grandpa in Arkansas or hearing the melodies drift up from the river boats playing up and down the Mississippi River, it was all music to him. The struggle was taking all those sounds and making music of his own.

“He practices long tones

over and over and over.

Struggles to erase brassy notes

and create that round

sound he loves.” 

Each poems is surrounded by Brown’s vibrant art done in pen, ink, and watercolor. The large double-page illustrations reflect visually what is being explained in the poem. 

Miles did face racism. A gifted musician, his playing would stand out yet all the prizes went to white kids.

“Miles burns with humiliation.

Anger fuels his passion

to move forward,

to play harder,

to be undeniably

better than everyone else.

He blows those feelings 

into something beautiful.”

His big break came when he played at the Newport Jazz Festival. 

“The audience goes wild,

stands on their feet,

electrified and satisfied

with the unforgettable

Miles Davis trumpet sound…”

Quotes by Davis are placed in a different font throughout the book. 

Back matter includes a note from trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, an author’s note, illustrator’s note, selected discography, and bibliography. A timeline of dates would have been helpful in giving a context as to when Miles Davis lived. 

Share this book with all ages, especially high school students who might not be familiar with Miles Davis' work. (it’s possible!) 

The author’s encourage readers to listen like Miles. “Get lost in the rhythms of environments and see the birth of the cool” as Miles found his voice and changed jazz forever.

I borrowed this book (and the CD of Kind of Blue) from my local public library to write this review.

The Lost Forest by Phyllis Root;

The Lost Forest

by Phyllis Root; Illustrations by Betsy Brown

University of Minnesota Press. 2019

All ages

Resembling a well-loved journal, brown with age, Root and Brown tell the story of a 144 acre old growth forest that stayed hidden from 1882 to 1958. Seventy-six years. 

“In 1785 the Continental Congress passed a law to survey all the land in the new nation. Native people had lived and hunted, harvested and fished on the land for thousands of years. The land took care of them, and they took care of the land. But the government of the United States wanted their land, wanted that land to own and sell.” 

Josiah R. King, with his three-man crew, were hired in 1882 to survey three townships in Minnesota. Working in Township 150. Range 27. Section 34 on a cold November day, King marked Coddington Lake about a half a mile farther north than it really was. Were they in a hurry to get home?  

“There is no Pine Timber in the township.” As forests were destroyed all around, along with animals, bugs, insects, orchids and birds that nested in the trees, for seventy-six years no one ventured into Township 150. Range 27. Section 34. 

Those red and white pine trees just grew taller and taller. Happily, now that 114 acres of forest is part of a National Forest. Hopefully, protected forever.

Root expertly weaves into the narrative a lesson in history and environmental science. Brown’s lush illustrations, in hues of brown and greens, are beautiful. 

Back matter includes information on what an old growth forest is, where to see one in Minnesota, and a list of some species one might find in Lost Forty. An explanation on how land is measured, a glossary of surveyor words, and what a surveyor wears rounds out this interesting informational title.

The Lost Forest is a reminder to all that the natural world is more important left alone than paved into a parking lot. 

Plenty to love in this book.

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

Whoo-Ku Haiku Cover Reveal

We are thrilled to reveal the cover for Whoo-Ku Haiku: A Great Horned Owl Story, an upcoming informational picture book written by Maria Gianferrari and illustrated by Jonathan D. Voss. Look for Whoo-Ku Haiku on shelves in the spring of 2020.

WHOO’s Maria Gianferrari? She’s a self-proclaimed bird nerd with a special fondness for raptors. Her love affair with birds began in 7^th grade science class when her teacher, Mr. Lefebvre, initiated a bird count. While walking her rescue dog, Becca, Maria’s always on the look-out for all kinds of birds, and she loves searching winter tree tops for nests in her neighborhood in northern Virginia where she lives with her German-scientist husband and German speaking daughter. This is her first book with GP Putnam’s Sons. She’s also the author of another bird book, Hawk Rising. To learn more about Maria, please visit her website: mariagianferrari.com.

In April we had the opportunity to interview Maria for the blog. Read our interview with Maria here. 

Jonathan D. Voss writes and illustrates stories for children. Growing up, he was never far from a pencil or paintbrush, and began working as a portrait artist right out of high school. Jonathan is the author and illustrator of Brave Enough for Two and the illustrator of Sally Walker’s Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. Jonathan lives in North Carolina with his wife and two kids. Visit his website at jonathandvoss.com.

All In A Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek discovered an invisible world by Lori Alexander

All In A Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek discovered an invisible world

by Lori Alexander; Illustrated by Viven Mildenberger

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2019

Grades 3 up

In 1632, people were unaware of microbes, those invisible organisms that live in soil, foods we eat, water, oceans, air, even in our bodies. It was Antony van Leeuwenhoek (1632 -1723), a Dutch draper, using a microscope he designed, discovered that unknown living world and presented his findings to the Royal Society in London. 

All In A Drop conveys the life of a simple tradesman who did not got to college, “or speak English or Latin, and how his curiosity changed everyone’s mind.”  

Mildenberger’s cartoon-style illustrations, created using pastel, colored pencil and watercolor, complement the conversational tone of the narrative. Side bars are placed throughout giving more information on specific topics.

Back matter includes an author’s note, a timeline, source notes, bibliography, and index.

A solid introduction to an interesting man whose curious mind made a remarkable discovery.

The author sent me a copy of this book to write this review.

Dinosaurs by the Numbers

Dinosaurs by the Numbers    
by Steve Jenkins
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019
Grades 2-5

Dinosaurs books tend to fly off the shelves in elementary school and public libraries. Now there is a new nonfiction book that is sure to be a hit with dinosaur aficionados between the ages of 5-10. Dinosaurs by the Numbers contains interesting facts about the pre-historic creatures, and the information is presents visually in the form of illustrations, time lines, graphs, charts and maps. Readers will learn about the speed, size, and locations of dinosaurs as they pore over the infographics. Jenkins uses his signature, cut and torn paper collage to create the illustrations. The infographics are cut-paper silhouettes and digital art. The book's small trim is perfect for young children to hold and read on their own. It's sure to be book that readers return to again and again.

Earth by the Numbers by Steve Jenkins is also available this summer. The Solar System by the Numbers and Insects by the Numbers are coming soon!

The Crayon Man

The Crayon Man: The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons  
by Natascha Biebow
illustrated by Steven Salerno
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019
Grades K-6

The Crayon Man is a high interest, picture book biography that details the invention of Crayola Crayons by Edwin Binney. Using both expository and narrative writing styles, Biebow transports readers to the turn of the 19th century when children wrote with chalk. After inventing a black wax crayon, Binney was encouraged by his wife, Alice, to create a crayon that was colorful, non-toxic and was designed not to crumble.

Children with an interest in science will be keen on the pages showing how Binney experimented with different minerals to make a variety of pigments for the new colorful crayons. The bold illustrations capture the excitement of experimenting and invention while also giving readers a glimpse into life in the early 1900s. Biebow highlights the partnership between Edwin and Alice as they worked together to create Crayola Crayons. Harold Smith, Edwin's cousin and business partner, also gets credit for marketing and selling the crayons. The back matter is quite impressive and includes a list of primary sources, a page containing more information about Edwin Binney and a two-page spread using photos and captions to show the process of making crayons.

The Crayon Man is a recommended purchase for public libraries, school libraries and elementary classrooms. It would make an excellent read aloud in a STEM program or class.

Just Like Beverly: a biography of Beverly Cleary by Vicki Conrad

Just  Like Beverly: a biography of Beverly Cleary

by Vicki Conrad; Illustrated by David Hohn

little bigfoot. 2019

Grades 3 up

A enchanting picture book biography that tells the story of beloved author, Beverly Cleary, a struggling reader who grew to be a popular children’s book author.

Beverly Bunn was born April 12, 1916 in McMinnville, Oregon. She grew up on a farm in Yamhill, Oregon. “She had no siblings and there were no other children nearby, so her playmates were farm animals. She fed baby birds, climbed trees, and followed horses around the fields.” Learning to read was a challenge for young Beverly, but once she learned how she fell in love with books. She loved books so much that she became a Librarian!

Beverly dreamed of writing stories for children. Her first book was a funny story about a boy and his dog riding the street car. Do you know the title? Henry Huggins and his dog, Ribsy.

Back matter includes a lengthy author’s note, and a timeline of Cleary’s life.

As of this writing, Cleary is still alive at 103 years young!

A perfect introduction for fans of all Beverly Cleary’s books. 

Two books on the Stonewall Riots

Stonewall: A building. An uprising. A revolution

Written by Rob Sanders; Illustrated by Jamey Christoph
Random House. 2019
Grades 4 up

In this informational picture book, Sanders tells the story of the powerful uprising of what would become the LGTQ+ movement. 

The Stonewall Inn narrates how it went from a horse stable in 1840, to a restaurant called Bonne's Stone Wall in 1930. The Village became a creative center for New York City. "Leading up to the 1960's, our neighborhood welcomed gays and lesbians - men who loved men, and women who loved women. We were a home for people who were told they didn't fit in or belong."

The book is a celebration of the Stonewall Riots and the changes to laws that allow, "two men who love each other, or two women who love each other, can marry."

Back matter includes a history of the Stonewall Inn, and an interview with Martin Boyce, a Stonewall uprising Participant and LGBTQ+ Activiist.

Christoph's full-page color illustrations perfectly reflect the text.

The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets

by Gayle E. Pitman

Abrams Books for Young Readers. 2019

Grades 6 and up

Pitman traces the history of the LGBTQ+ movement in America and the event that would propel gay politics into mainstream media. The Stonewall Riot happened on June 28, 1969 at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar, in Greenwich Village, New York City. 

Pitman, a professor of psychology and women and gender studies at Sacramento City College, is meticulous in her research. She expertly weaves into the narrative the unjust discrimination against homosexuals and how everything came to a head that fateful night. As a way to humiliate gays and lesbians, police would routinely raid gay bars. The names of those arrested would be placed in the local newspaper insuring the victims would face further humiliation in their communities. 

The book includes sidebars with added information and black & white photos. 

Back matter includes a timeline, source notes, a bibliography, and index. 

The perspective in which Pitman explains events leading up to the Stonewall Riots makes this book an important addition to libraries, yet be aware there are a few minor flaws. There is a lack of captions on photos, and sometimes those photos are placed before they are discussed in the text, thus causing some confusion. Another major blunder is on the inside jacket flap; the date listed for the riots is June 28, 1968. Oops! 

It’s the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riot. This book will offer another perspective of the history of the LGBTQ+ movement. 

I borrowed copies of these books from my local public library to write this review.

New Nonfiction- July 2019

Check out these titles with July publication dates.

Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson

by Katherine Johnson

Look Again: Secrets of Animal Camouflage

by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

From an Idea to Google: How Innovation at Google Changed the World

by Lowey Bundy Sichol and C.S. Jennings

Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic (A Young Adult Adaptation)

by Sam Quinones

Dinosaurs: By the Numbers

by Steve Jenkins

Deadly Aim: The Civil War Story of Michigan's Anishinaabe Sharpshooters

by Sally M. Walker

A Dream of Flight: Alberto Santos-Dumont's Race Around the Eiffel Tower

by Jeff Polivka and Rob Polivka

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People

by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, adapted by Debbie Reese and Jean Mendoza

Epic Athletes: Alex Morgan

Epic Athletes: Alex Morgan  
by Dan Wetzel
illustrations by Cory Thomas
Henry Holt and Company, 2019
Grades 3-7

The US women's national soccer team has been dominating the World Cup in in France this month. A new series of sports nonfiction has been released just in time for kids who want to learn more about the life of soccer player, Alex Morgan.

The Epic Athletes series combines exciting narrative with comic book-style illustrations. Readers will discover how Morgan became interested in playing soccer and what her middle school and high school years were like on the field and at home. Dan Wetzel also uses quotes and Tweets from Morgan to enhance the story. Morgan went on to play soccer for UCal Berkley before earning a spot on the national team. There are many examples of Morgan overcoming injury and adversity. The book also describes Morgan's involvement in the movement demanding equal pay for female athletes. Wetzel succeeds at keeping the play-by-play soccer game parts of the book interesting and exciting. Epic Athletes: Alex Morgan will appeal to many middle grade readers including soccer fans and readers who enjoy inspirational stories.

Visit the publisher's site to read a passage from the book.

Be sure to check out other books in the Epic Athletes series including Stephen Curry, Serena Williams and Tom Brady.