Nonfiction and Biography Book Reviews

 

 These book reviews have been completed for a Sam Houston Masters in Library Science Program. 

 Sheinkin, Steve. 2012. BOMB. New York: Macmillan Publishing Group. ISBN: 9781250050649

 Plot Summary: Sheinkin offers the story of the atomic bomb through different perspectives.  The reader sees the time of World War II through spies, scientists, and military personnel. At the time, chemists are discovering that the uranium atom can split into two when placed next to radioactive material.  The original chemists realize that this new atomic bomb can create worldwide destruction, especially in the hands of certain people.  The different character perspectives offered in this story share their own races to try and build the atomic bomb before Hitler utilizes this new discovery.

Critical Analysis: I think what is most enjoyable about this book is that it is set as a thriller story. The reader is so involved to see who will create the atomic bomb first and then what will happen if this new discovery gets in the wrong hands.  Not only does Sheinkin offer a great plotline, but the reader is also privy to actual history.  Sheinkin offers actual photographs throughout the story and ends his book with a source list and an incredible annotated bibliography to guide the reader towards the facts.

The only minor complaint and issue I can see with this book is the number of characters.  Since Sheinkin tells the story from various perspectives, the reader may have a little trouble keeping track of each character’s viewpoint.  Placing each character within the entire plotline can be confusing at times.

 

Review Excerpts:

Horn Book: “Sheinkin here maintains the pace of a thriller without betraying history (source notes and an annotated bibliography are exemplary) or skipping over the science.”

Goodreads: “This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon.”

Connections: Bomb would be an excellent introduction for secondary students a World War II unit.  Since the story has such a thrilling plotline, students will immediately become interested in the stories to share.  Groups of students could research further the creation of the atomic bomb and attempt to answer the ending question of if we should still have the atomic bomb.

Sheinkin created a follow up to Bomb with his book Fallout: Spies, Superbombs and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown.  Students could continue their research with this novel and a familiar author.

 

Murphy, Jim. 1995. THE GREAT FIRE. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439203074

Plot Summary: Murphy shares incredible nonfiction personal accounts that tell the story of the one of the greatest disasters in American history- the great fire of Chicago in 1871.  The fire forced over 100,000 people to leave their homes in hopes to escape the fire. Murphy shares the stories of various survivors to retell the story among them the couple who owned the barn where the fire started, a widow who saved her five small children and elderly parents, a twelve-year-old girl, and others.  Murphy’s readers get a true insight into what happened during and after that fateful disaster.

Critical Analysis: Readers will become more immersed in the details of this historic event while learning from different perspectives. Murphy not only offers the survivors’ stories, but does a good job of including historical photographs.  He shows maps of the city to explain why the fire spread and shows photographs of the aftermath.  Murphy’s underlying theme of even when disaster hits, people will struggle but will also triumph through.

Review Excerpts:

Kirkus: “With his conclusion that the tensions between the haves and the have-nots in large cities continued for decades, eventually culminating in the civil unrest of this century, he puts the incident in perspective, giving it stunning immediacy for contemporary readers.”

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review: “This volume, beautifully printed in sepia tones, contains historic photos, engravings and newspaper clippings on nearly every page.”

Connections: When readers engage in this book, they will soon discover that there is a connection between the richer and poorer sides to Chicago. Scholars can dig deeper into the why of how this fire started and spread.  Was there more wood structures that caused the fire to spread in certain areas?  Did the wealthy have access to easier escape routes? 

Scholars might enjoy other historical books written about this event like the I Survived-The Great Chicago Fire by Lauren Tarshis or Chicago’s Great Fire: The Destruction and Resurrection of an Iconic American City by Carl Smith to locate other perspectives.

 

 

Fleming, Candace. 2005. OUR ELEANOR: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S REMARKABLE LIFE. New York: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division. ISBN: 9780689865442

Plot Summary: Fleming introduces this incredible first lady and her story through pictures, timelines, letters, and magazine articles in a way that most readers have never seen Eleanor Roosevelt.  She begins with an introduction sharing how she jumped at the chance to write a biography on this iconic American lady.  She tells the story of how she visited her hometown and heard stories of a close family friend to guide her in writing a biography that gives a full picture.  Readers are walked through all areas of Eleanor’s life including childhood, her marriage, her life as a mother, life in the White House and after leaving the First Lady spotlight.

Critical Analysis: Fleming uses the look of a “scrapbook” to tell Eleanor Roosevelt’s story which includes professional photographs, but also shares smaller artifacts such as her school report cards.  This “scrapbook” style makes this biography very easy to read and enjoy. The reader will feel like he or she has been immersed into the true story of this iconic First Lady.

 Review Excerpts:  Goodreads: “ …, Our Eleanor gives us a remarkable perspective on a remarkable woman, and presents to a new generation an Eleanor to call its own.”

Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review): “… Fleming allows readers to draw their own conclusions; they will come away with an understanding of a woman who shaped her times and left a lasting imprint on the future.”

Connections: This scrapbook style biography will invite students to read more biographies.  The ease of looking through pictures and artifacts make the reader feel more confident in reading historical documents.  Readers will also enjoy Fleming’s scrapbook style in Benjamin Franklin’s Almanac.  Students might also enjoy the “Who Was Series” of Eleanor Roosevelt for further information.

 

 Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?. Illustrations by: Fotheringham, Edwin. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 9780329701574

Plot Summary: This biographical picture books shares the story of Theodore Roosevelt’s oldest daughter Alice.  The author walks you through her life beginning at birth when her mother passed away just a few days after she was born.  She seems to be an unruly child and always seems to attract the wrong attention until she gets older.  Her famous father may have had trouble keeping up with her antics, but Alice grows into a reliable woman who travels often to represent her country well.

Critical Analysis: A lot of readers may not consider a picture book to be a great example of a biography, but What To Do About Alice? defies initial expectations.  Readers get a look into the life of a historical figure that may not otherwise be noticed.  Most historians have focused on Alice’s father, Theodore Roosevelt.  The reader learns about a young girl who defies odds such as losing her mother, leg braces, and learning how to live in the world’s spotlight as the President’s daughter. 

Fotheringham’s illustrations show the playful side of Alice and keep the reader engaged throughout the story.  On one of the pages, Kerley shares that Alice “helped” her stepmother by taking care of her stepsiblings while the picture shows the kids sliding on mattresses.  Even though the illustrations are simple, Fotheringham does a great job of depicting the actual historical figures.

 Review Excerpts:

Kirkus: “Sprinkling her account with well-chosen quotations, she outlines Alice Roosevelt Longworth’s childhood and its increasingly outrageous hijinks, as well as the loving (if sometimes exasperating) relationship she enjoyed with her renowned father.”

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review: “It’s hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject than this high-energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt.”

Connections: This book could spark some research into how families handle living in the White House.  When a person gets elected President of the United States, it’s not just the President that has a life changed.  The family, which can include children, will have life-altering moments.  Rebecca Behrens wrote a novel called When Audrey Met Alice where Audrey, a current First Daughter, finds a diary of Alice while living in the White House. Students could use both books to further explore the life of a First Child.

 

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

 Videos and QR Codes in the Library

    YouTube has become a hotspot for kids, young adults, and adults to access information at the drop of a hat.  You can learn about your hobbies, how to fix almost any car part, view movie trailers, and find out educational information.  

    Librarians across the world are beginning to use this resource to their advantage.  Librarians can use it to show how to complete simple library tasks like checking out and returning books along with research skills.  Some librarians have allowed students to create their own tutorials and library activities.  This allows students to express their creativity skills while offering a service so their fellow classmates can learn specific skills.

Check out The Unquiet Library on YouTube

    Students will find the Video Tutorial of Finding CC Images Using Compfight very helpful.  Students like to create their own videos to share projects and other fun information and need to know how to find safe images to use.  Check it out!

    

    A video on this YouTube channel that students will enjoy is the Importance of Choice for Igniting Student Passion and Learning Through Research Projects.  Students who go to the school can relate to a classmate that they know when learning about how she took her passion of photography and used it to showcase a serious issue, PTSD.  Students can learn how to channel their creativity and bring an important issue to the forefront at the same time. 

Another great YouTube channel is Pikesvillehslibrary.

    A video that students will find useful here is 2013-2014 Registration Process. Secondary students can go through a long process when trying to figure what classes to choose and how to properly get signed up.  As long as the process doesn't change dramatically, students can refer back to the video each year. Check it out!

    A video that students will really enjoy is the Avid Pimp My Binder 2012.  Not only is it a little silly, but it shows students some great information on keeping a binder organized.  It offers some basic organizational skills in a humorous presentation that students will enjoy.  Check it out!

Another great YouTube channel is bbmsmedia.

    A very useful video on this channel is Noodle Tools- How to Create a Book Citation.  As students progress through high school and then to college, citing sources within a paper becomes a common task.  Students need to know how to do this properly so that they can give credit when needed and how to use these citations in technology presentations as well.  Check out this tutorial!

    There are quite a few enjoyable videos on this page that the students have created themselves.  One that I think students would particularly enjoy is the Luke Skywalker Has Overdue Books.  The students took a popular movie and made it to show something that needs to be done in the library which is turning in books on time.  You'll definitely want to check this out and the other parodies created by the students on this page.

QR Codes

    Another new technology tool that has recently become more common is the QR Code. These are very easy to create images that allow access to hundreds of resources.  QR Code Scanners are easily scanned on your cell phone.  Students can use it to access websites that teachers want their students to utilize.  They have become so common that even restaurants are using them for the customers to scan menus.  QR Codes allow for more social engagement and entertainment when meeting an educataional goal at the same time.  Teachers and librarians can use them for students to access educational games, how to videos, and book trailers.  

    Check out of the most popular poetry novels right now: Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai.

Amazon offers a short summary of this excellent novel:

"Inside Out and Back Again is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award!

Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee—fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama—this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration.

Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope—toward America.

This moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it "enlightening, poignant, and unexpectedly funny."

Check out my book trailer for this book by scanning the following QR Code.

Screencasts

     Ever since the Pandemic started two years ago, teachers and educators have been on the hunt for easier ways to record and share instructions with students.  Students can be school age, but they can also be adults. I took a look at three different screen casting tools that can aide in this process.

    The first one I looked at is Screencastomatic.  It was easy to sign up for a free account, and the home screen immediately pops up with options to take a screenshot, make a recording, or to edit any existing videos.  Each option comes with a tutorial that visually shows you each step.  As you scroll down to the bottom, there are more tutorial videos to help the first time user and you can find inspiration for your creations on their blog.  The free edition also offers more editing tools than the other screen casting sites I checked out.  One thing that I found you have to be careful of is what is shown on your screen when recording a video.  There is a large box that records, and not the entire screen.

    I took a look at Jing, which is recommended by quite a few people.  I had a little trouble with downloading the product. If you don't go to their actual site, it can take you through a messy download.  Once downloaded, I wasn't able to find as many tutorials as on Screencastomatic.  It also lacks as many editing features.

    The third screen casting tool I wanted to include is Screencastify because it's one I have used most recently.  It is fairly easy to use for the first time user.  When you begin creating a video, little pop up directions come up to show the user each step.  I like this because it shows me where to go next after I complete a task.  Screencastify is very useful for educators that utilize Google Classroom because there are direct links to Google Classroom to be able to upload your creations.  There are also topics to be able to search the online data base.

    Overall, I really enjoyed working with Screencastomatic. The ease of use for a first time user who isn't as technologically prone is enticing.  The amount of tutorials offered is incredible.  I also found editing to be easier to maneuver and work with my creations.

    I used Screencastomatic to create a short tutorial on how to search my library database.  Within the library, librarians could use this to show how to put a book on hold, or request a book, which is a task that has come up when students were learning virtually.  Teachers can use screencasts to show how to complete almost any task that they want the students to repeat.  Read-alouds that teachers want students to have access to over and over can be recorded via a screen cast.  Educators can use screencasts to record short professional development information so their colleagues can have later access to the information.

References:

Jing: https://www.techsmith.com/jing-tool.html

Screencastify: https://www.screencastify.com/

Screencastomatic: https://screencast-o-matic.com/

Poetry Book Reviews

 These reviews were conducted for a Sam Houston State Master's Class in the Library Science Program.

Singer, Marilyn. 2010. MIRROR MIRROR. Illustrated by: Masse, Josee. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN: 9780525479017

 Plot Summary: Singer takes poems about famous fairy tales to a whole new level with this book of reverse poems.  Singer brings the readers’ attention to taking one poem and turning it around, so you read it from a different perspective.  Singer uses some of the most renowned fairy tales such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, and many others.

 Critical Analysis: Singer shows the reader that there can be two sides to every story, even in fairy tales.  It’s amazing how she does this in such a simple way- just be reversing each poem therefore changing some of the punctuation.  Not only does this give the reader a chance to learn some fairy tales, but to see different perspectives within the fairy tales. 

Masse offers more insight to each poem with the reverse illustrations.  He shows a lighter said of the characters for the forwards poem and a slightly darker side for the backwards version of the poem. The illustrations done in this way give the reader more insight into understanding each poem.

 Review Excerpts:

Kirkus: “A mesmerizing and seamless celebration of language, imagery and perspective.”

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review: “Masse’s clever compositions play with symmetry (in “Longing for Beauty,” Beauty and the Beast appear as one being, split in half, her tresses echoing his fur), bringing this smart concept to its fullest effect.”

 Connections: Not only can this book be used to showcase poems that don’t rhyme, but it shares an entire new outlook on different perspectives of the characters.  Readers can discuss how just reversing the poem and changing some of the punctuation can change an entire story.  Teachers could also integrate a unit on fairy tales, some of which the students may not have read before.

 

 

 

Myers, Walter Dean. 2011. WE ARE AMERICA: A TRIBUTE FROM THE HEART. Illustrations by Myers, Christopher. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780060523084

 Plot Summary: Myers brings his readers on a journey through America using poetry and famous quotes.  He begins before there was “America” with the Native Americans and goes through the farm country to the Industrial Revolution.  Myers continues with African American history components and ends with the promise of freedom and liberty for each child.

 Critical Analysis: This father-son duo has created an amazing new look at the history of America along with its bright future through free-verse poetry and some incredible illustrations. The book begins with an “Author’s Note” and an “Artist’s Note” defining how they came to create this history of America that truly describes why this is from the heart.  The poems walk the reader through America’s time including before America became a country.  Most pages also feature a quote from a famous American during that specific time. 

Christopher’s illustrations are paintings presented in a mural form stretching across the pages featuring Americans that would have been seen during the time of each poem.  The blending of the vibrant colors engages the readers right away and keep them wanting to finish the book.  The end of the book explains each quotation, so the reader recognizes the significance along with some “Art Notes” identify each person in the illustrations.

 Review Excerpt:

Goodreads: “With graceful, lyrical prose and evocative paintings, Newbery Honor author Walter Dean Myers and Coretta Scott King Honor artist Christopher Myers, the father-son team who created Harlem, pay tribute to the spirit and soul that is America.”

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review: “It's best appreciated by readers with some knowledge of American history, but few will be unmoved by this stirring and provocative collaboration.”

Connections: This book would be a great resource for teachers when teaching history of our country in a way that is not a basic textbook.  Students may not recognize the famous quotes or the people in the pictures, but could conduct a research project on time periods or people within each poem.  Students could even pick a time from the book or a different time in history and create their own free-verse poems similar to the style of the book.

 

Hoberman, Mary Ann. 1998. THE LLAMA WHO HAD NO PAJAMA. Illustrations by: Fraser, Betty. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN: 9780152055714

 Plot Summary: Hoberman offers a variety of poems ranging from all kinds of topics catered to children.  She includes poems about birthdays, a variety of animals, and various childhood experiences.  Most readers that these poems are geared toward would probably expect all the poems to rhyme, but rhyming isn’t seen in all of them. Most are very simple and entertaining for kids.

 Critical Analysis: As much as I like the idea of simple poems for students to relate to, I wasn’t that entertained by most of the 100 poems shared in this book.  A good majority of the poems weren’t engaging.  I understand that I’m reading them as an adult, but I still felt that a good majority of the poems wouldn’t entertain very many children.  Hoberman does do a nice job of presenting poems about topics that kids can easily relate to and understand. 

The illustrations are not what I would call Caldecott level, however, they are very simple and offer enough color variation that they are attractive to a young audience.

 Review Excerpts:

Goodreads: “ …the delightful poems in this extensive collection convey the experiences of childhood with a fresh timelessness.”

School Library Journal: “Good for beginning or experienced readers of poetry, this should indeed become a favorite.”

Connections: These simple poems are a great opportunity for kids to have their own chance to write their own poem about a topic that they experience every day.  Kids could even choose their favorite holiday and write a free-verse poem.

 

 

Lai, Thanhha. 2011. INSIDE OUT & BACK AGAIN. New York: Harper Collins Children’s Books. ISBN 9780061962790

 Plot Summary: The poetry novel shares the story of ten-year-old Kim Ha’ and her family living through the Vietnam War.  Her father has been missing for nine years, so her mother and brothers must decide whether to stay or flee their home.  Eventually, they decide to leave and choose America as their destination.  Ha’ battles a new home, a new school, a new language all amid bullying.  However, she manages to show some humor within her poems as she shares her story.

Critical Analysis: A lot of young adults may not be prone to reading an entire novel filled with poetry, however, the story that is told within these poems is engaging and enlightening.  Lai shares her story with short poems that are easy to read.  She offers a heroine that young adults can relate to even though the period of the Vietnam War is foreign to young readers of today.  Lai bases her story on her own personal journey, which adds a depth of understanding and emotion to her poems.

 Review Excerpt:

Kirkus Starred Review: “In her not-to-be-missed debut, Lai evokes a distinct time and place and presents a complex, realistic heroine whom readers will recognize, even if they haven’t found themselves in a strange new country.”

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review: “An incisive portrait of human resilience.”

Connections: This novel won a Newbery Medal, which could inspire students to research other Poetry Newbery winners.  Students could also do some research on the Vietnam War and discover heroes of that time.  At the beginning of the story, Ha’ is celebrating the Vietnamese New Year.  Students could embark on research of different holidays and customs.  Students could share a holiday and customs from their own homes.

Infographics

      Infographics are smart tools to use to present information easily not only to students, but to adults as well.  Their colorful graphics engage readers.  Data and statistics that might otherwise be boring to sift through, are presented in a way that is easier to understand.

      When researching how to create my own Infographic, I looked at three different sites in order to begin my creation: Piktochart, Easelly, and Infogram.  Easelly and Infogram weren't very user friendly to me and not as eye-catching.  They both were a little difficult for a first time user to set up and navigate.  

      I really enjoyed Piktochart.  It had prompts that set me up for success right away when beginning my creation.  It also had easy to use tabs on the left in order to select what type of product I was looking to create.  Piktochart offers a very large variety of templates to use, which is very appealing for a first time user.  As I was creating my Infographic, I was able to insert new graphics, pictures, and fonts without any trouble.  

    I used an article from the Pew Research Center to create the following Infographic.  I wasn't very surprised about the decline of reading for fun in our youth, most likely due to the electronic access kids have currently.  However, I did enjoy reading about the actual study conducted in order to show the decline.

Reference:  

 Schaeffer, K. (2021, November 12). Among many U.S. children, reading for fun as     become less common, federal data shows. Pew Research Center.  Retrieved March 4, 2022 from 

https://www.pewresearch.org/facttank/2021/11/12/among-many-u-s-children-reading-for-fun-has-become-less-common-federal-data-shows/