I and I Bob Marley
January 25, 2010 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments
Cover of I and I Bob Marley by Tony Medina
Tony Medina writes an interesting introductory note in I and I Bob Marley
“Bob Marley’s music is known throughout the world. On classroom visits, when I mention his name, some children are unfamiliar with it. But when I start singing the lyrics “Don’t worry about a thing,” they suddenly come alive with recognition and happily sing along…It shows how we are connected by the universal compassion of Bob Marley’s timeless message of hope.”
I think it’s amazing how widespread Bob Marley’s music is–it’s even been used as a vignette on Nick Jr., which is partly why preschoolers will recognize the song. But it’s important to teach young readers about the people who have left their mark on music and have spread their heartfelt messages through song. Bob Marley is one of those people, born in the Jamaican countryside in 1945 and who seemed special from birth. Marley emerged from the rural farmland of Nine Miles and the government yard shantytowns of Trenchtown to become one of the most important musicians the world has ever known.
Medina’s tribute to Marley is unique in that it consists of poems that follow Marley’s journey from boy to icon. Not only is this book a wonderful introduction to Bob Marley, I think it’s also a great resource to teach children about poetry. After reading each poem, the reader can flip to the back of the book, which includes a notes section that explains each poem and gives a little history on Marley. This will aid young readers in interpreting each poem and its meaning. The illustrations in this book are also beautiful and will transplant you right to the heart of Jamaica where you’ll feel as though the sun is burning down on you.
Read BookTalk with Tony Medina and Jesse Joshua Watson at Lee & Low Books
Watch the Book Trailer:
Additional Information:
Author: Tony Medina
Illustrator: Jesse Joshua Watson
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Lee & Low Books (April 30, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600602576
ISBN-13: 978-1600602573
Source of review copy: Publisher
Nonfiction Monday takes place at various wonderful blogs throughout the Kidlitosphere! Today, you can check out the Roundup at Playing By the Book. If you’d like to see the schedule for Nonfiction Monday, please visit Anastasia Suen’s Picture Book of the Day.
Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!
Up the Learning Tree
January 12, 2010 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments
Cover of Up the Learning Tree by Marcia Vaughan
Many know the importance of an education, however many take it for granted.
Up the Learning Tree
Up the Learning Tree is narrated by Henry Bell, a slave in the pre-Civil War South. Henry’s never been to school and isn’t even allowed to touch a book. But he sees his opportunity when he’s told to escort the master’s son to school every day. Henry knows there must be something powerful in books and he’s determined to know what it is.
After walking Simon to school everyday, Henry finishes his jobs quickly, so he can get back to the schoolhouse early. Henry hides in a sycamore tree and listens to the teacher as she reads from a book and teaches the children how to spell and read. Since Henry doesn’t have a slate, he uses the sycamore tree as his notepad.
Henry is excited about learning, but must hide it from everyone–especially since his master says he’ll take an ax to the finger of any slave who touches a book. One day when Henry arrives at the schoolhouse to pick up Simon’s work, he spots a torn book in the trash. He hides it under his shirt, but the teacher catches on and asks Henry what he plans on doing with the book. Henry explains his desire to learn and the teacher explains that she doesn’t believe in slavery and keeping people ignorant. The teacher takes Henry under her wing and introduces books and maps to Henry. The teacher, Miss Hattie is truly impressed when Henry shows her the sycamore tree.
But when their secret is exposed, Miss Hattie is forced to leave town, so what does Henry do? He breaks off a branch of the sycamore tree and gives it as a gift to Miss Hattie. He promises her that he’ll keep on learning and he does just that.
Marcia Vaughan was inspired to write Up the Learning Tree after reading Civil War-era oral histories of former enslaved people, many of whom risked their lives to learn to read and write. This is a warm story of determination and the will to learn that stresses the importance of freedom–a must for any classroom.
Read Booktalk with Marcia Vaughan
Additional Information:
Author: Marcia Vaughan
Illustrator: Derek Blanks
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Lee & Low Books (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600604455
ISBN-13: 978-1600604454
Source of review copy: Publisher
Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!
What's a Tofu Quilt?
January 4, 2010 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments
Cover of Tofu Quilt
Poetry books such as The Tree that Time Built, and Poetry Speaks make wonderful collections to read through at once or to pick up at a whim for inspiration. Add Tofu Quilt
This collection of free verse poems tells the story of Yeung Ying, a young girl in Hong Kong in the 1960s who, against the conventions of society and family members, aspires to become a writer. In the 1960s, Ying was tired of hearing how important boys were. She knew she could write letters and recite poems even better than her boy cousins.
It was fascinating to read the story of Ying in poetry format that reads much like a diary. Young readers will find Ying endearing and enjoy hearing how Ying spent a summer living with her uncle and cousins before she started kindergarten, how her mother used what little money the family had to send Ying to a private school, and how Ying fell in love with books and writing.
As a book lover, I have to admit, I was partial to the poem my books where Yeung Russell talks about books being her world and companions. Even though her friends tease her, she loves them because their stories make her cry and she dreams that someday she will read her own book.
Fortunately that dream came to fruition with the publication of Tofu Quilt- an inspiring collection for any poetry lover.
It’s not often that you can read the colorful experiences of daily life in another country, but in Tofu Quilt, you can step into the creativity of a young girl determined to succeed. And what’s a Tofu Quilt you might ask? You’ll just have to read the book to find out.
To learn more about Ching Yeung Russell, please visit her official website.
Find discussion questions for the book at Lee & Low’s website.
Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 136 pages
Publisher: Lee & Low Books (October 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600604234
ISBN-13: 978-1600604232
Source of review copy: Publisher
Nonfiction Monday takes place at various wonderful blogs throughout the Kidlitosphere! Today, you can check out the Roundup at Picture Book of the Day. If you’d like to see the schedule for Nonfiction Monday, please visit Anastasia Suen’s Picture Book of the Day.
Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!
There are many things to be thankful for
December 30, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments
Cover of Gracias Thanks
With the holidays behind us and toys abound, it’s a good time to teach young readers there are so many things to be thankful for.
In a series of poetic sentences, Pat Mora has crafted a wonderful children’s book that will do just that. Gracias / Thanks (English and Spanish Edition)
For example, “the sun that wakes me up so I don’t sleep for years and years,” a flying ladybug, “foamy ocean waves that chase my sister and me and sometimes dash after us with a fast Splash,” and for Abuelita, “who always winks and gives me a dollar when nobody’s looking.”
From sunrise to sunset, we learn of all the things this little boy is thankful for and it gives each of us the opportunity to chat about the large and small pleasures in our own lives.
Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Lee & Low Books; Bilingual edition (October 20, 2009)
Language: English, Spanish
ISBN-10: 1600602584
ISBN-13: 978-1600602580
Source of review copy: Publisher
Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!
In Her Hands: The Story of Sculptor Augusta Savage
November 30, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments
Cover of In Her Hands The Story of Sculptor Augusta Savage by Alan Schroeder
Augusta Savage is hardly known today, which is why In Her Hands: The Story of Sculptor Augusta Savage
As a young girl in Florida in the 1890s, Augusta enjoyed nothing more than playing in an open pit behind her house filled with clay. Every afternoon, she sat barefoot at the edge of the pit, sculpting little clay figures. Although her mama didn’t mind, her preacher father disapproved–even going so far as stepping on one of Augusta’s creations.
When her family moved, Augusta missed the clay pits and for nearly a year didn’t make a single clay figure. However, one day, when she was riding in a wagon with her school principal, she saw a sign that read “Chase Pottery.” Augusta knew that meant clay and ordered the wagon to stop. She ran inside, dipped her fingers into a bucket of clay and was happy once again. The potter gave her three buckets of clay to bring home, but when her father found them, he threatened to throw them away. Augusta’s mother talked him out of it and from then on, Augusta began to pursue her dream.
Augusta traveled to New York without much money, and discovered that the trick to art was “sculpting what you know.” She was accepted into the Cooper Union School of Art where she was able to hone her craft.
This picture biography is an inspiration to anyone who dreams of being an artist, but the underlying themes of not giving up on your dreams and perseverance ring true in any profession. Hopefully, through this biography, more young readers will become aware of Savage’s contribution as the “guiding light of the Harlem Renaissance.”
Additional Information:
Author: Alan Schroeder
Illustrator: JaeMe Bereal
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Lee & Low Books (October 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600603327
ISBN-13: 978-1600603327
Source of review copy: Publisher
Nonfiction Monday takes place at various wonderful blogs throughout the Kidlitosphere! Today, you can check out the Roundup at The Book Nosher. If you’d like to see the schedule for Nonfiction Monday, please visit Anastasia Suen’s Picture Book of the Day.
Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!
Louis Sockalexis Native American Baseball Pioneer
November 9, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments
Cover of Louis Sockalexis: Native American Baseball Pioneer
Chances are if you ask anyone who the first African American baseball player was to play in the major league and break the color barrier, they’d say Jackie Robinson. However if you asked that same person who the first Native American baseball player was to play in the major league, they probably would have a blank stare.
Louis Sockalexis: Native American Baseball Pioneer
Growing up, Sockalexis faced difficult times. Native Americans did not have the same rights as white Americans and were forced to live on reservations. He often worked alongside his father, but dreamed of becoming a major league baseball player. In the spring of 1897, Louis packed his suitcase and boarded a train to Cleveland after being offered a role in the majors. But just like Robinson, life in the major leagues was difficult. Just as Robinson would trot on the field to calls and boos, Sockalexis trotted to the field amongst Indian war cries.
Louis knew he was not only playing for himself, but all of his Penobscot people. When he smacked a homer against the Giants in 1897, Louis had won the fans’ respect.
An afterword goes on to explain that Louis was one of the most versatile players in baseball. Being the first Native American to play in the major leagues, Louis paved the way for other Native American and minority players. The story of Louis Sockalexis is one of dignity and grace –a man who fought back to show that it doesn’t matter if you’re black, white, hispanic or Native American, the love of baseball stretches far beyond race.
Additional Information:
Author: Bill Wise
Illustrator: Bill Farnsworth
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Lee & Low Books (May 30, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600604285
ISBN-13: 978-1600604287
Source of book: Publisher
Nonfiction Monday takes place at various wonderful blogs throughout the Kidlitosphere! Today, you can check out the Roundup at Abby the Librarian. If you’d like to see the schedule for Nonfiction Monday, please visit Anastasia Suen’s Picture Book of the Day.
Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!
How We Are Smart
November 2, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments
Cover of How We Are Smart by W. Nikola-Lisa
Have you ever compared yourself to others? Perhaps you’ve wondered, “Why is he good at sports and I’m not?” or “Why is she such a great ballet dancer and I’m not?”
How we are Smart
The book starts off with a letter from Nikola-Lisa and Qualls, asking the reader to think about all the people they know. “Are some really good at sports? Do others excel in art? Can some play musical instruments well?” Then they introduce readers to the eight basic ways people can be smart: body, logic, music, nature, people, picture, self, and word smart.
Then Nikola-Lisa and Qualls go on to highlight twelve fascinating people who come from many different backgrounds, and whose gifts range from physics to ballet to politics. Each person is given a full-page spread that includes a quote, short bio, illustration, and a poem that wraps up each person’s accomplishments. After each poem, Nikola-Lisa asks, “Are you smart like them?”
The back of the book gets young readers thinking about multiple intelligences and how there are different ways to express each intelligence. It includes activities, so readers can learn more about the people in the book and discover new and exciting things about themselves. This book is a gem in that it teaches the importance of self-expression, how everyone has something different to offer, and how everyone is unique. What a wonderful message to send in a world that’s so competitive.
Additional Information:
Author: W. Nikola-Lisa
Illustrator: Sean Qualls
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Lee & Low Books (May 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1584302542
ISBN-13: 978-1584302544
Source of book: Publisher
Nonfiction Monday takes place at various wonderful blogs throughout the Kidlitosphere! Today, you can check out the Roundup at the Books Together blog. If you’d like to see the schedule for Nonfiction Monday, please visit Anastasia Suen’s Picture Book of the Day.
Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!
Children's book honors an American hero
October 26, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments
Cover of Quiet Hero: The Ira Hayes Story by S.D. Nelson
We often see books highlighting celebrities and historical figures, but rarely do you see a book highlighting a true hero–somebody who served his country and fought for freedom. S.D. Nelson brings us an inspiring tale in Quiet Hero: The Ira Hayes Story
For those who have heard of Ira Hayes or those who have not, both will find the book enlightening to say the least. Ira Hayes was a Pima Indian who grew up a quiet, shy boy who loved riding a horse bareback and twirling his younger brothers around in an old tire swing. Ira would eventually move from his remote reservation in the Sonoran Desert to a government-run boarding school for Native Americans. While he was there, the Second World War was being fought in Europe and Asia. Ira followed the war reports with growing interest and wanted to carry on the Pima tradition of being an honorable warrior.
So Ira enlisted and set out across the Pacific Ocean in March 1943. He did his best to be an honorable warrior, and became one of the brave soldiers who planted an American flag on top of Mount Suribachi in Japan. The moment was captured by photographer, Joe Rosenthal and would become an image forever implanted in Americans’ minds.
Although Ira died a lonely man, his courage would be forever etched in one of Washington’s premiere landmarks–an immense bronze statue that depicts six marines hoisting an American flag on the island of Iwo Jima. The landmark has become a cultural symbolism of patriotism and honors all of the servicemen and servicewomen who have fought for the United States.
Nelson’s story will bring chills to your arms as you learn about a man who fought for the U.S. in World War II. It’s refreshing to see America’s true heroes highlighted and a famous statue brought to life.
Additional Information:
Author: S.D. Nelson
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Lee & Low Books (May 30, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600604277
ISBN-13: 978-1600604270
Source of book: Publisher
Nonfiction Monday takes place at various wonderful blogs throughout the Kidlitosphere! Today, you can check out the Roundup at Wrapped in Foil. If you’d like to see the schedule for Nonfiction Monday, please visit Anastasia Suen’s Picture Book of the Day.
Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!
Rent Party Jazz
February 19, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments
Author: William Miller
Illustrator: Charlotte Riley-Webb
Publisher: Lee & Low Books, June 2008
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
How could this bright, colorful book not grab your attention? The illustrations are amazing and fun, and truly capture the allure of New Orleans Jazz. But what it also offers is a look into Rent Parties. Rent Parties started out as fund-raising events, but they also played a major role in the development of jazz and blues music.
Even though the illustrations are what drew me to this book, the story is a powerful one with people coming together to help others in a time of need. In New Orleans in the 1930s, young Sonny Comeaux has to work before school to help his mother make ends meet. When Mama loses her job, Sonny is worried. Rent day is coming soon, and if they miss paying by just one day, the landlord will put them out on the street and sell off their belongings.
Sonny wanders sadly through Jackson Square after school one day. His attention is caught by Smilin’ Jack, a popular jazz musician. Sonny returns day after day, and soon finds himself explaining his problem to Smilin’ Jack. What Smilin’ Jack offers Sonny then—how to raise money for the rent while having the world’s best party—changes both their lives forever.
The afterword of the book explains how rent parties originated and that they were common in African American neighborhoods during the 1920s and 1930s. I thought it was interesting how Miller explains that national events like Farm Aid are contemporary versions of the rent party on a much larger scale. This is a fun and educational read that would be a wonderful way to celebrate Black History month!
Check out the Classroom Guide for Rent Party Jazz and read BookTalk with William Miller at Lee & Low Books’ website.
Honda: The Boy Who Dreamed Of Cars
February 9, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments
Honda: The Boy Who Dreamed of Cars
Author: Mark Weston
Illustrator: Katie Yamasaki
Publisher: Lee & Low Books (Sept., 2008)
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
As soon as I saw Lee & Low’s catalog, I knew I wanted to read Honda: The Boy Who Dreamed of Cars. Our house owns two Hondas, so I felt as though it was my duty to read it, and I’ve always wondered how this giant car company came to be. I was pleasantly surprised and found myself interested in the story of Soichiro Honda. I had never heard of Soichiro, but of course knew his last name.
One day in 1914 when Soichiro Honda was seven years old, an astonishing, moving dust cloud appeared in his small Japanese town. The cause was a leaky, noisy automobile- the first the boy had ever seen. At that moment, Honda fell in love with cars, and a dream took hold. He would one day make them himself. It took Honda many years to reach his goal. Along the way he became an expert mechanic and manufacturer of car parts. After World War II he developed a motorized bicycle, the forerunner of his innovative motorcycles. Eventually Honda began manufacturing cars, first race cars and then consumer cars. Constantly seeking ways to make his products better than his competitors’, Honda grew into a global industry leader. Soichiro Honda had an inventive mind and a passion for new ideas, and he never gave up on his dream. A legendary figure in the world of manufacturing, Honda is a dynamic symbol of lifelong determination, creativity, and the power of a dream.
Mark Weston came up with the idea for this book out of his research for his adult book, “Giants of Japan: The Lives of Japan’s Greatest Men and Women.” Weston manages to tell the story of Soichiro, how the car company came about, and some of the technology that goes into making cars. And he does it all in a lively way. Soichiro’s story is a great reminder that we all need to work toward our goals and persevere. He started out sweeping the floors in a garage and it took him six years to train to be a mechanic. He started out by opening his own garage in 1928, and I was fascinated to learn that he built and drove race cars, sold his newly designed piston rings to Toyota, made airplane propellers and was known as “Mr. Thunder.” It was even interesting to learn how the name Civic came about.
Yamasaki’s dynamic acrylic illustrations capture Soichiro’s passion. Motorcycles drive over mountains, car parts fly through the air, cars drive around a globe and all over Soichiro, and clouds take shape as cars, motorcycles and trucks.
This book is a wonderful resource for those interested in biographies, but it also teaches young readers about perseverance, entrepreneurship, and business.
Be sure to read BookTalk with Mark Weston and Katie Yamasaki at the Lee & Low Books’ Website.
Nonfiction Monday is now taking place at various wonderful blogs throughout the Kidlitosphere! Today, you can check out the Roundup at Charlotte’s Library.
To see the blog schedule for Nonfiction Monday, please visit Anastasia Suen’s Picture Book of the Day.
Follow Lori
-
Grab the Fish for a Free Book Button!
Places I Support
Networking
