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Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh

Nearly ten years before the landmark decision in Brown v. The Board of Education that banned segregation in public schools, there was the Mendez family. When attempting to enroll their three children in a public school in California, the Mendez family was denied entry into the “all white” school. Even though Sylvia and her family were American citizens who spoke perfect English, they had to attend the Mexican school. This picture book tells of their amazing fight for equality that ended segregation in California schools.

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Book Talk #2: Multicultural or Historical Fiction

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Book Talk #2: Multicultural or Historical Fiction

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The Dreamer
By Pam Munoz Ryan

Inspired by the life of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan tells the struggles young Neftali encountered growing up with an authoritarian father. While his father expects him to become a doctor, Neftali spends his days immersed in his daydreams and fills his head with the words from stories he reads. The author expertly weaves poetry, language, and the illustrator’s drawings to depict how Neftali defies his father’s expectations and grows up to become a Nobel-prize winning poet and author.

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Book Talk #1: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

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Book Talk #1: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

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Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
by Derrick Barnes

There is nothing quite as satisfying, nor as transformative, as a new haircut. Simply sitting in the barber's chair can make one feel like a completely new person. Weaving rhythmic text with realistic paintings, this text transports the reader to the barbershop, the place where the magic happens. As a celebration of Black culture, Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is sure to become an instant favorite for fostering confidence and self-esteem.

Barnes, D. D., & James, G. C. (2017). Crown: An ode to the fresh cut. Chicago: Denene Millner Books, Agate Publishing.

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Book Talk #1 Contemporary Realistic Fiction -- Randalyn Kempf

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Book Talk #1 Contemporary Realistic Fiction -- Randalyn Kempf

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What Do you Do With An Idea?
What do you do with an idea? it is not always an easy concept for children especially the younger group to understand. This is a very cute picture book written to explain ideas. The drawings are beautiful and grow with color and detail the the story unfolds and the little boy starts to better understand his idea. It is OK to express them, use them, and your shouldn't worry what others think about them. They can be big ideas or little ideas. What will you do with your ideas?

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"The very best things are worth waiting for."
The young boy in the story wakes up to pouring rain.  He really wants to go on an adventure with his granddad who tells him they need to wait for the rain to stop.  The boy reads and dreams of his adventures.  Finally there is a break in the rain.  They boy and his granddad hurry out.  It starts to rain again and they live the adventures, catching raindrops, riding on a gondola to a circus and looking for sea dragons.  Back on dry land they have coco and talk about the things they did on the way to the mail.  The wait was worth it.

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By Kristin Hannah
Forever in our history, now and in the future.
How is past history relevant to today's society?
In her book "The Four Winds", Kristin Hannah uses fictional characters and the real life events of the depression of the 1930's to give the reader a taste of the hardships faced by so many during that era.  In the early 20's people lived with an abundance of wealth, times were good and life was sweet.  But, by 1934 all of that had changed.  Millions were out of work, severe drought had devastated the Great Plains, and famers struggled to maintain their farms as crops failed year after year.
Everything is dying, the family farm, Elsa's marriage, every day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive.
The Four Winds is a wonderful novel that brings to the forefront life in the Great Depression and the struggles of those trying to survive against great adversity.

I had the opportunity to listen to the author talk about her book and where her mind set was. She said in her interview that she found the Great Depression eerily similar to things we have faced as a nation recently with Covid-19. That was a very interesting perspective and very true. This is an amazing book though would be best suited for a high school or beyond level class.

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Book Talk #1: Contemporary Realistic Fiction.

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Book Talk #1: Contemporary Realistic Fiction.

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Pax by Sara Pennypacker illustrated by Jon Klassen

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Red Kite Blue Kite

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By: Mireille Messier
Illustrated by: Pierre Pratt
KidsCanPress 2016
An illustrated realistic fiction picture book written in first person point of view about the night of a big storm. It's a small moment book that captures a moment in time. A huge storm takes down branches and causes destruction all through the neighborhood of a little girl. Disappointingly it also takes down the girls favorite branch from her favorite tree. The branch is the ignition to her imagination and she goes on adventures while on her branch. Her neighbor helps her to see the potential of the broken branch, and they construct it into something new which allows the girl to continue to travel wherever her imagination will take her. This book teaches the reader about perseverance and seeing the potential in something that appears to be destroyed. This book could be used to teach a writing workshop lesson on a small moment, a STEAM lesson, taking something broken and turning it into something new, or just a lesson in seeing the potential in ourselves or others even when it seems we are broken.

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Written by Susan Verde
Illustrated by  Peter H. Reynolds

The Water Princess is a beautifully illustrated book about a young girl who, with her mother, makes the long walk to the community well to bring water to their family.
Although the water is fresh from the well, the water is not clean and clear and must be boiled before drinking.
The story is told with grace and gratitude for the gift of water and the hope that the next generation may find a way to bring clean water closer to their home.
The story is based on the life experiences of Georgie Badiel, who went on to become a supermodel.

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Book Talk #1 Contemporary Realistic Fiction

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Book Talk #1 Contemporary Realistic Fiction

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My Teacher is a Monster
by Peter Brown

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Realistic Fiction picture book Realistic fiction is a genre of stories that could have actually occurred to people or animals in a realistic setting.  While the protagonist is a fox instead of a person, the honest look at the emotions and stages of grief qualifies it as realistic. Adams State University Neilson Library includes realistic fiction as one of its tags.

Evan (the fox) and his dog do everything together.  They are the best of friends until the dog (who is never named) dies.  Evan passes through all the stages of grief until one day he begins to heal.  The beautifully colored illustrations help us see and understand the emotions while the simply stated text tells his story.  It also provides several opportunities to discuss imagery and personification.

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The Rough Patch book. Read 684 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Evan and his dog do everything together, from eating ice cream to ...

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contemporary realistic fiction

May has survived a school shooting that kills her twin brother and leaves her riddled with survivor guilt.  Zack must deal with the town’s disgust with his mother’s choice to defend the shooter.  Both have staunchly loyal friends who try to support them.

What happens when these two teenagers meet at school?  Will their beginning friendship be able to survive discovering their full identity?

A gripping book with a touch of romance, some language, teen drinking, a side look into sexual orientation, and an honest attempt to look at the emotions both would feel in their unique situations.

When encountering Zack’s mother’s attitude about defending the shooter, I was reminded of To Kill A Mockingbird with the villain being mental illness instead of racism.

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This was an utterly sobering and gut-wrenching read. I knew it would be intense going in since it's about a girl who survives a school-shooting. It layers the trauma with twists of agony, so you'll finish up with your heart just that little bit broken. It's very much about grief and guilt, but also it's a journey towards healing and trying to keep participating in life when that's so so hard.

May is such an angry and brutal person, and it's totally understandable. I felt broken for her. Her broth...more

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Nenia ✨️ I yeet my books back and forth ✨️ Campbell

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This was an utterly sobering and gut-wrenching read. I knew it would be intense going in since it's about a girl who survives a school-shooting. It layers the trauma with twists of agony, so you'll finish up with your heart just that little bit broken.

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Bobby thinks his teacher is a monster.  She is large, green and grumpy but when Bobby runs into her at the park outside of school, he notices that she is actually very friendly after spending the afternoon with her.
In this wonderful book, author Peter Brown cleverly illustrates a common student perception of their teachers; an unsightly green monster dressed up as a teacher.  As Bobby spends more time with his teacher throughout the day, she slowly begins to look more human and they have developed a mutual liking of one another...but will she be a monster once again come Monday?!

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Written by Susan Lynn

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Moon Over Manifest

by Claire Vanderpool

This historical fiction novel set in the 1930s shares the story of Abilene Tucker and the summer she spends in a sleepy Kansas town called Manifest. Abilene’s father sends her there while he is away working, though she soon realizes he may not intend to come back for her.  As she gets to know some of the people from her father’s past, she uncovers a mystery from his childhood. From Abilene’s time, we are transported to the years just prior to and including World War I. In a town full of curious characters, Abilene begins uncovering the town’s unique history and how it all relates to her father’s sudden abandonment of her. Shrouded in secrecy, Abilene works hard at digging up the past to make sense of the present.

I listened to this book on Audible and thoroughly enjoyed it. The way the author portrays this setting was so authentic and engaging, making it a truly pleasant read.  This novel touched on so many critical points in history and really brought them to life through some solid characters. This book would be a great choice for a wide range of young adult readers, either in groups or for a fun Summer reading recommendation.

Check out the Audible version for an excellent narrator!

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Realistic Fiction Picture book:
Last Stop on Market Street

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Loom | Free Screen & Video Recording Software

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Monster, written by Walter Dean Myers, is a compelling look into the lives of many innercity, black young men.  The story follows Steve Harmon, a 16 year old young man, who may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.  The text, which is written as a screen play, was initially challenging to follow, unless you've had adequate exposure to reading screen plays.  The style allows for plenty of opportunitites for the reader to understand Steve's thinking through the internal dialogue that is presented.  Steve, who has been accused of Murder, is on trial.  He and his co-defendants are presented as ruthless monsters who murdered a local convenient store owner.  Throughout the read, you are unsure of Steve's guilt or innocence.  The author never reveals if he is guilty, instead he leaves it up to the reader to decide.  I really enjoyed the story line.  Although, I did not initially enjoy the story structure, I do find it's relevence to both the story line as well as the theme of the text.  If you've never read a story in script form, I'd recommend it.  It will broaden your ability to follow a story line in a different format.

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Written by Erin Entrada

This incredible story follows four children on an unexpected venture into the forest, where they all will learn about fate, friendship, bravery and gaining confidence in being their authentic selves.  You will be enchanted with the characters.  Virgil, who you'll root for throughout the story, is a shy boy who doesn't have many friends.  He faces his demons.  One of which is a bully named Chet and another which is his fear of the dark.  Kaori is an eccentric little girl, who is confident and helps Virgil gain his confidence and provides friendship throughout the story.  Valencia, Virgil's crush, is deaf.  She, like Virgil, is lonely and looking for friendship.  Lastly, you meet Chet.  He's the town bully, who really is just another victim himself.  He has a hard homelife and little friends.
Chet plays a dangerous prank on Virgil which leaves Virgil trapped in the bottom of a welll in the forest.  This leads Kaori, Valencia and Kaori's little sister on the ultimate venture in search of Virgil.  Through this venture, the four become fast friends.

This story makes a great collection to any upper-elementary classroom library.  Students will find themes that are relevent to their lives (i.e. friendship, courage, kindness and overcoming difficult challenges). One thing that makes this text particularly unique is that the story is told through mulitple perspectives. Each chapter is told through the point of view of one of the main four characters: Virgil, Valencia, Kaori and Chet. I love this because it helps reveal each characters' traits more deeply, as well as exposes you to an atypical type of narrative structure. I haven't read many books that have been told from multiple perspectives, other than Wonder. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the many other books written by Erin Entrada.

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Hello, Universe [Kelly, Erin Entrada, Roxas, Isabel] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Hello, Universe

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So You Want to President?

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Multi-Cultural picture book review Standing on her Shoulders

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The Hate U Give
Written by Angie Thomas
This book could be classified as either historical fiction or multicultural.  It tells the story of a young African American girl who has grown up in a poor neighborhood, but at the same time attends an elite private school.  The dichotomy in which her two worlds are portrayed is amazing. It is very relevant to today's current political and social state.
When Starr's mom met her father, her maternal grandmother was very against the relationship.  Starr's grandmother had worked very hard to move her family away from the projects, drug and gang violence so that they could experience a better life.  Even though Starr's father had once belonged to the local drug dealing gang, he had left that life behind and become an independent business man in the old neighborhood.  Starr's parents also made sure that their children had every opportunity to have a better life with a good education.
When Starr's best friend is shot and killed by a white police officer, she is the only witness to the fact that Khalil was unarmed when he was shot.
Starr experiences great loss, participates in marches that turn in to the violent activism that we witnessed this last summer in our own world, and gains perspective to what police see through her Uncle Carlos who is himself a police officer.
I had many reservations when I ordered this book, and must admit that the topic made me uncomfortable, but I think in that discomfort I discovered perspective.  This was a very good book, and if allowed to teach it I would pair it with watching the movie once we had finished the book. It could probably be used at the upper middle school level with parent permission, or at the high school level.

In this scene of the movie the police are about to shoot her 10 year old brother who is holding a gun.  Starr stands in front of her brother and shouts for everyone to "STOP", "it's not the hate u give, its the hate we give!"
We ALL need to do a better job at listening to each other.

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By: Kevin Noble Maillard
Illustrated by: Juana Martinez-Neal

Book Talk #2
Fry Bread is a charming picture book that celebrates family and community all while making fry bread.
This book is beautifully illustrated and is much more than just a picture book with a recipe. This book also describes the Native Americans being removed from their land and being forced to eat the food that was provided them.  This is how fry bread came to be! This book  is a celebration of their strength and family.
This book is the winner of the Robert F. Sibert Medal and the American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award.

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

Images
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard ...

barnesandnoble.com

Images may be subject to copyright.

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. Images Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard ... barnesandnoble.com Images may be subject to copyright.

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The book Elijah of Buxton is written by Christopher Paul Curtis and winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and Newbery Honor book award. It is considered Historical Fiction, but I would place it in Multicultural as well.
It is a story of an African American boy in a free settlement in Canada. His parents were former slaves and had escaped on the underground railroad.
The book tells many adventures for the people of this settlement through the eyes of Elijah who is trying to decide if he is a boy or a man, which colors each adventure just a little different.  I enjoy a historical fiction novel and found this book enjoyable. Let's see how it ends.

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Book Talk #2 Historical Fiction/Informational Text

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Book Talk #2 Historical Fiction/Informational Text

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Locomotive By Brian Floca

Locomotive Video Please click on video link to view.  Video couldn't be posted to padlet. :(

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We Are Water Protectors
Written by Carole Lindstrom
Illustrated by Michaela Goade

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Box Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom by Carole Boson Weatherford, Illustrated by Michele Wood

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Informational picture book Box Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom

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Book: Mae Among the StarsAuthor/Illustrator: Roda Ahmed/Stasia BurringtonHarper Collins 2018This engagingly illlustrated text highlights the life of Mae Jemison the first African American in space. It highlights her dreams as a child and what she hoped to do and the steps she had to take to achieve these goals. It shows her determination and curiosity and willingness to grow and learn to keep reaching for the stars. It opens the door to helping young readers understand the training and education you might need to be successful in a career. This text would help show girls that S.T.E.M. fields are not just for the boys or for a certain race. This text inspires young children to dream of possibilities they might feel are out of their reach. Using this text during  Science lessons on space and what it takes to become a space explorer. It could also be used as a Social Studies lesson in biographies to study the life of Mae Jemison and perhaps other astronauts. This text could also be highlighted in a guidance lesson of what we can achieve if we persevere. It could be used in a lesson on goal setting to help children understand that there are many small steps to take and small goals taken to reach the big goals. Writing lessons about what dreams students have and setting goals big and small would connect the reader to the life of Mae and consider what they want to do.

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Book: Mae Among the StarsAuthor/Illustrator: Roda Ahmed/Stasia BurringtonHarper Collins 2018This engagingly illlustrated text highlights the life of Mae Jemison the first African American in space. It highlights her dreams as a child and what she hoped to do and the steps she had to take to achieve these goals. It shows her determination and curiosity and willingness to grow and learn to keep reaching for the stars. It opens the door to helping young readers understand the training and education you might need to be successful in a career. This text would help show girls that S.T.E.M. fields are not just for the boys or for a certain race. This text inspires young children to dream of possibilities they might feel are out of their reach. Using this text during  Science lessons on space and what it takes to become a space explorer. It could also be used as a Social Studies lesson in biographies to study the life of Mae Jemison and perhaps other astronauts. This text could also be highlighted in a guidance lesson of what we can achieve if we persevere. It could be used in a lesson on goal setting to help children understand that there are many small steps to take and small goals taken to reach the big goals. Writing lessons about what dreams students have and setting goals big and small would connect the reader to the life of Mae and consider what they want to do.

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A beautiful picture book for sharing and marking special occasions such as graduation, inspired by the life of the first African American woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison. An Amazon Best Book of the Month!
A great classroom and bedtime read-aloud, Mae Among the Stars is the perfect book for young readers who have big dreams and even bigger hearts.
When Little Mae was a child, she dreamed of dancing in space. She imagined herself surrounded by billions of stars, floating, gliding, and discovering. She wanted to be an astronaut. Her mom told her, "If you believe it, and work hard for it, anything is possible."
Little Mae's curiosity, intelligence, and determination, matched with her parents' encouraging words, paved the way for her incredible success at NASA as the first African American woman to travel in space.

This book will inspire other young girls to reach for the stars, to aspire for the impossible, and to persist with childlike imagination.

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people & places - united states - african american

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juvenile fiction / biographical / united states

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juvenile fiction / historical / exploration & discovery

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juvenile fiction / people & places / united states / african american

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juvenile fiction/biographical - united states

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juvenile fiction/historical - exploration & discovery

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juvenile fiction/people & places - united states - african american & black

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people & places - united states - african american

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people & places - united states - african american & black

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graduation;women's history month;picture book biography;picture book own voices;picture book holiday;based on a true story;mae jemison;picture book black history month;african american history;space;women in space;girls in space;stem;women’s history;space travel;nasa picture books;dreams come true;follow your dreams;family;stars;galaxy;childhood;planets;astronaut;nasa;moral picture books;encouragement;rocket ship;girls and space;own voices author;#own voices;own voices books for kids;own voices books for girls;black history;black history month books for kids;books by black authors;books for black kids;books for black boys;books for black girls;black girl magic;multicultural books for kids;diversity books for kids;black authors;black history books for kids;african american children's books;black women in stem;african american astronaut;books for women's history month;books about black women;books about strong black women;female role models;stem female role models

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juvenile fiction / biographical / united states

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juvenile fiction / historical / exploration & discovery

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juvenile fiction / people & places / united states / african american

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juvenile fiction/biographical - united states

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juvenile fiction/historical - exploration & discovery

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juvenile fiction/people & places - united states - african american & black

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juvenile fiction: historical / exploration & discovery

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juvenile fiction: biographical / united states

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Mae Among the Stars - Kindle edition by Ahmed, Roda, Burrington, Stasia. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Mae Among the Stars.

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Civil War Drummer Boy

By:Verla Kay

Illustrated by: Larry Day

Set during the Civil War time period.  Young boys as young as 9 years were called to the lines to tap out rhythms on their drums to tell the soldiers where the enemy were, or to tell them what they needed to do.  Verla writes her text in rhyming text.  You can almost hear the words tapped out on the drum of the young soldier.  The story flows from pre-war, war-time and then the aftermath.

The text has all the elements of Civil War vocabulary.  When used in conjunction with other lessons about the Civil War, students will build and deepen their background knowledge about the Civil War.  It can be used as a read aloud introduction or as a culminating text used to review learned concepts.  One interesting fact about the Civil War that is not always mentioned is the use of Hot Air Balloons used to determine the location of the enemy lines.  Keeping to the theme of Wonders Units “Long Ago and Now” in what ways has reconnaissance changed in the last 150 years.  The Authors Note provides the reader with insights to facts that are rarely shared in textbooks.  The story is told from the point of view of the Confederates.  Many children's books of this period are told from the Union's point of view as they are the winning side.

Students can be encouraged to look online for more about young boys participating in the Civil War.

Video report by a young student

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Peppe the Lamplighter

This historical fiction and children's literature picture book was published in 1993. The author is Eliza Bartone and illustrator Ted Lewin. Peppe The Lamplighter won a Caldecott medal for its distinguished pictures and work.

This story describes a young boy named Peppe and his quest to earn a living as a lamplighter to help his family. He is so eager to earn his father's respect but being a lamplighter was not the job his father ever wanted for him. With his mama dead, his father unable to work as he is very ill and seven sisters at home, Peppe takes his fathers place as a lamplighter. His father wanted more for his son in America and did not wish this upon him.The story takes place in little Italy in New York City, where during this time street lights were lit by hand. Peppa finally earns his fathers respect and approval.

The author brings a little slice of American history and the Immigrant experience in this story of this young boy working to support his family. The illustrator has created so many different moods with his water colored work and the illustrator uses very detailed pictures of the streets, characters faces, and the authenticity of the time period. This is a very sentimental story about a  poor boy who cares for his family.

This book can be used to teach retail and summarizing, making inferences, making connections, and can be used during guided reading for grades 1st through 3rd. I think that the strong vocabulary would build a lot of background knowledge or my grade level. Some of the vocabulary included in this text is streetlamp, Twilight, sawdust, Butcher, and embroider. Along with these words I would have children try to make connections with Peppe The Lamplighter. Some possible questions may include” Peppe became disappointed in himself, did you ever feel that way?,  Peppe's father was disappointed about the Pepps’s job. Can you think of a time when your parents felt disappointed about something you did?,  Peppe's little sister helps him. Think about other stories about a brother and sister, what are some things a brother and sister might do together?”. There are so many great lessons that can be taught with this text. I highly recommend checking it out and help students learn some of the same lessons in life as Peppe did.

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Chickenology

Author: Barbara Sandri, Francesci Giubbilini

Illustrator: Camilla Pintonato

Chickenology is not your everyday, typical book about farm animals. In this book, you will discover many fascinating and insightful photos and information about chickens!  Young readers will be captivated by the variety of chickens with different origins, breeds, and feather patterns that all dive deep into chicken anatomy and evolution.
Recently published in 2021, you will learn the basics of chicken care with this playful tone and very Charming illustrations by Camila Pintonato.
I really enjoyed reading and viewing this children's book. I feel like this is not only for children but also for adults that can offer a wealth of information about chickens. Living in a small town of Elko, I feel like this book would appeal to many readers aging 5 years to 10 years old who are raising chickens with their families or maybe have a few at home. This books gravitated towards me because I raise chickens and I actually learned a lot about them from this book.
I could see myself using this book in class with my kindergartners when we talk about farm animals. There could be a focus on the different sizes and colors of eggs, what chickens are made of, how chickens and humans have been connected for thousands of years. You could teach readers about the world origins of chicken breeds.
For example, did you know there are about 300 different types of chickens in the world?

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Up In The Leaves The True Story of the Central Park Treehouse.  by Shira Boss (2018) Sterling Children's Books

This is the true story of Bob Redman written by his wife.  As a young man, Bob did not like the confines of concrete, glass and bricks.  He could hardly wait for the school day to end and he could go to Central Park and climb the trees, listen to the birds and play with the squirrels.  It was high up in the trees that he could breath and he felt the most free.  Over the course of his young adult life, Bob built as many as 12 different tree houses where he spent a good deal of his time both day and night watching and observing.  The park rangers would continually tear them down.  One day, the rangers come and Bob is in the tree they tell him he will have to take down the house.  They notice how comfortable he is in the trees and hire him to work for them as an arborist.  He continued to do what he loved by taking care of all the trees in the parks of New York.

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Informational/Nonfiction
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin

Written by: Julia Finley Mosca
Illustrated by: Daniel Rieley

https://images.app.goo.gl/gd47GZjk5n52aSFF8
This book is a biography of Temple Grandin.  Temple is autistic. She is also extremely accomplished and has multiple doctorates. Her unique way of looking at the world has brought about many changes in the farming world.
This book begins with Temple's birth and follows her through her difficulties adapting to a traditional school environment.  When she was sent to live with her aunt on a farm, Temple blossomed and found ways to express herself.  She is a determined woman and an amazing role model to us all!

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"I'm Trying To Love Math"
I felt this book was written for me. I struggled so much with math and found myself asking when will I ever use this. You could say I can relate to those students.  This is a cute picture book about a journey to love math, and how math is everywhere in our daily life. It is in Math class, but also in cooking, music, and nature. What an eye opener for where math really is. I can't wait to share with my other struggling math students.
https://youtu.be/afOn9r_xiv8

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The photographs in this book will attract the attention of the students, especially those who like history.  The book begins by giving the reader a background on Lincoln's youth, his time as a country lawyer, and the courtship and marriage to his wife, Mary Todd.  Their children, Tad Lincoln and Willie Lincoln, were the first presidential children to live in the White House.
The book is alive with pictures and drawings, including a picture of the president as he lay in state after he was shot by John Wilkes Booth.  At the back of the book is a listing of monuments, memorials and museums dedicated to the memory of President Lincoln.  There is also a section with some of the writings he had done over his lifetime.
A very solitary and quiet man he was a champion of many.

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HoneyBee The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candance Fleming and Illustrated by Eric Rohmann
This beautify book follows the life and chores of a young bee.  First the things in the hive and then joining the pollen gatherers. "She has visited thiryt thousand flowers.  She has collected enough nectar to make one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey. Her work is done."

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Locomotive:
Author Illustrator: Brian Floca
Written in free verse this book shares the story of a young family riding a steam engine train in 1869. They travel from Omaha, Nebraska to California where their father awaits them. This story beautifully illustrates the landscape seen through the trains windows, but also the difficulty of train travel at that time the food, the bathrooms, the dust. This book captures a moment of time in history and the changes the transcontinental railroad brought to America. You could use this book in  a unit about westward expansion and the role trains played in that expansion and how the trains changed the landscape of the west. This book could be used in a closed read to discuss point of view, rhythm, onomatopoeias. You could stop and do further research on historical events related to this one to help children understand this time period in its historical context. You could learn in science about steam engines and why they were the engines of choice at that time, and how they worked. The challenges of steam engines and the fun. You could compare this text to another one of people traveling west by wagon train. The differences in how long the journey took, the challenges of each, the dangers of each method of travel. It could open a greater discussion on why people at that time were willing to take that risk.

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people & places - united states - general

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caldecott; caldecott winner; caldecott medal; 2014 caldecott; 2014 caldecott winner; trains; locomotive; locomotion; transcontinental; transcontinental railroad; railroad; conductor; brian floca; 2014 caldecott medal

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caldecott; caldecott winner; caldecott medal; 2014 caldecott; 2014 caldecott medal; 2014 caldecott winner; trains; locomotive; locomotion; transcontinental; transcontinental railroad; railroad; conductor; brian floca

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juvenile nonfiction / history / united states / 19th century

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juvenile nonfiction / people & places / united states / general

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juvenile nonfiction / technology / machinery & tools

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juvenile nonfiction/history - united states - 19th century

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juvenile nonfiction/technology - machinery & tools

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juvenile nonfiction/transportation - railroads & trains

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locomotives - united states - history - 19th century

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people & places - united states - general

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railroads - united states - history - 19th century

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile nonfiction / history / united states / 19th century

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile nonfiction / people & places / united states / general

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile nonfiction / technology / machinery & tools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile nonfiction/history - united states - 19th century

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juvenile nonfiction/technology - machinery & tools

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juvenile nonfiction/transportation - railroads & trains

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Locomotive (Caldecott Medal Book) [Floca, Brian, Floca, Brian] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Locomotive (Caldecott Medal Book)

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Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat
by Javaka Steptoe

Steptoe takes readers on a journey through Basquiat’s childhood and early career in Brooklyn, NY.  Readers will enjoy some excellent illustrations and expressions about the young artist’s personal history and continued growth in the art community.
My class and I listened to this on the PBS YouTube channel where it was read by the author. He read it with a cadence suited for an open poem. The patchwork illustrations were amazing additions to the style of reading. (I love when an author shares their piece so we can hear it the way they intended it and take on that different perspective). Like most biographies, this book talks about the individual’s childhood and the way the author shows the perseverance and growth of the child as an artist is such a beautiful thing, especially through some of the difficult moments of his life.