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Published:  2001

Read:  2/18/2017

Review:  On the way to her first day of school, Unhei is teased by the children on the bus for her Korean name. When she reaches her classroom and is asked her name, she tells her classmates that she has not yet decided on one. To be helpful the children put their suggestions into a "name jar." Eventually the girl decides to keep her own name as one of her classmates takes pride in the new Korean nickname he has chosen, Chinku, meaning "friend."

I like this book, because it addresses how it might feel to immigrate.

Age/Audience:  Grades K-2.  This book will appeal to immigrant students, and even those students who have uncommon names.

Teaching Points: This book can be used to teach on topics of immigration, tolerance, and diversity.

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Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children by Jan Pinborough

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Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children by Jan Pinborough

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Published:  2013

Read:  4/14/2017

Review:  This is the story of Anne Carroll Moore, the strong-willed woman whose vision of library services for children shaped the standards and practices of the New York Public Library (and the world) for more than a generation. Moore grew up reading and hearing stories in an era when children were not welcomed by public libraries; she later became a librarian (one of the few jobs open to unmarried women) and worked tirelessly to ensure that all children felt welcome at library programs and were able to check out books.

I like this book, because the author humorously plays upon the legend of Moore’s formidable (and often forbidding) personality by playfully asserting that whenever Miss Moore “thought otherwise,” she got her way.

Age/Audience:  Grades 1-4.  This book will appeal to students who have a great love for books.

Teaching Points:  This book would be ideal to include in a women's history unit.

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Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes by Nicola Davies

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Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes by Nicola Davies

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Published:  2014

Read:  3/10/2017

Review:  This book is about the strange realm of microbes: their minute sizes, their vast numbers, their diverse forms, and their varied roles in shaping our world. The text opens with comparisons that describe just how small these microorganisms are, noting that the picture of an ant would need to be as big as a whale in order for the millions of microbes on its antenna to be visible.  Also, the information that some microbes cause illness is placed within the context of the many amazing things they accomplish.

I like this book, because the artist's large-scale illustrations help children to visualize microorganisms and processes that are too small to see.

Age/Audience:  Grades K-3.  This book will appeal to students who have a keen interest in science concepts.

Teaching Points:  This could be used to as part of units that integrate biological evolution and molecular organisms.

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Caldecott Medal Winner

Published:  2013

Read:  3/31/2017

Review:  Almost 150 years ago, just after the Civil War, the completion of the transcontinental railway radically changed both this country's landscape and the opportunities of its people. This book traces the advent of cross-country train travel, focusing on an early trip from Omaha to Sacramento.

I like this book, because it not only describes the structure and mechanics of the locomotive but also the tasks of crew members, passing landscapes, and experiences of passengers, which makes for a far more interesting read.

Age/Audience:  Grades 3-5.  This book will appeal to students who are interested in trains.

Teaching Points:   The author uses well-crafted language—alliteration, repetition, and onomatopoeia—to describe the locomotive and train travel. This makes it a good book to discuss how the language makes readers think and feel about the topic, and creates meaning.

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Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson 

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Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson 

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Coretta Scott King Award for Authors

Published:  2009

Read:  2/4/2017

Review: This is the story of the life and times of Bass Reeves, the first African-American deputy U.S. marshal and the most successful in American history. Reeves was known for capturing the bad guys, and he was both greatly respected and feared for using his wits, intelligence, courage, character, and incredible marksmanship to bring more than 3,000 criminals to justice with fewer than 14 deaths in the line of duty.

I like this book, because killing and murder are talked about but are never glorified.

Age/Audience:  Grades 3-6. This book will appeal to readers who are interested in tales from the Wild West.

Teaching Points:  This is an excellent book for teaching African American history as well as the Wild West and the settling of the Indian territories. It teaches about a great African American man of character who couldn’t read and who came from a background of slavery yet was incredibly smart, creative, brave, and respected. It also describes how some men hated him merely based on the color of his skin. In a culture where the Wild West is mostly depicted as white cowboys fighting brown Indians, this story is an incredible display of a black man of faith keeping the law in dangerous times and territories.

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Growing Up Pedro: How the Martinez Brothers Made It from the Dominican Republic All the Way to the Major Leagues by Matt Tavares

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Growing Up Pedro: How the Martinez Brothers Made It from the Dominican Republic All the Way to the Major Leagues by Matt Tavares

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Published: 2015

Read:  4/1/2017

Review:  This story begins in the Dominican Republic in 1981, where Pedro witnessed his older brother Ramon's rise to baseball stardom. Pedro then acquires a love for the sport, and though he was considered too small to make it as a pitcher in the major leagues, his persistence eventually paid off and he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and moved to the United States. Martinez journeyed to America, facing challenges as he adapted to a new language and culture. This story describes the athlete's major league triumphs with several teams and tells how he developed into one of the best pitchers in baseball history. Also, Martinez's unbelievable statistics are included at the end of the book.

Age/Audience:  Grades 2-4.  This will appeal to students who enjoy the game of baseball.

Teaching Points:  This book can be used to teach diversity and tolerance of immigrants; perseverance in the face of difficulties; and math concepts as they pertain to the baseball statistics.

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Moonshot: The Flight Of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca

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Moonshot: The Flight Of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca

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Published:  2009

Read:  3/31/2017

Review:  This book retraces Apollo 11's historic mission and captures the mighty scope and drama of the achievement.   It is the story of adventure and discovery; a story of how the astronauts were feeling when leaving home, arriving on the moon, and returning home; and a story of our planet, seen whole and from far away.

I like this book, because it has a humorous element, specifically when describing the astronauts as they prepare for their weeklong journey ("…there's no fresh air outside the window;/after a week this small home will not smell so good./This is not why anyone/wants to be an astronaut").

Age/Audience:  Grades 2-5.  This book will appeal to students who are interested in astronauts and space exploration.

Teaching Points:  This book could be used to teach math concepts like calculating the speed of light, the distance from earth to the moon, the distance between the planets, or how fast a spaceship travels. It can be used to teach science concepts like the earth’s atmosphere and the effect the moon has on the earth. It can also be used to teach social studies topics about how  landing on the moon affected the United States and other historical events happening during that time.

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Published: 2004

Read:  4/11/2017

Review:  This book invites readers to see how they measure up against a variety of different animals.  Each page presents a new animal or two for readers to check out, along with a few interesting facts and physical dimensions. Some of the colorful collages display the entire animal at actual scale (like the fleshy, 36-inch length of a giant Gippsland earthworm) while others can only feature what fits on the page (an African elephant's foot, a Siberian tiger's face, or even just a gaping maw sporting a few four-inch-long teeth of a great white shark). Two fun fold-outs show a Goliath frog that's big enough to catch and eat birds and rats, and the long, toothy smile of a saltwater crocodile - the world's largest, man-eating reptile.

Age/Audience:  Grades PreK-5.  This book will appeal to readers who are interested in scientific facts about animals.

Teaching Points:  This book can be used to teach math concepts of comparing measurements.  It can also be used to teach science concepts about various forms of animal life.

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Caldecott Medal Winner
Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator

Published: 2005

Read: 2/24/2017

Review:  This tribute to Rosa Parks is a celebration of her courageous action and the events that followed.  Her bravery led to a bus boycott which eventually led to desegregated buses.

Age/Audience:  Grades PreK-3.  This book will appeal to readers who are curious or have questions about Rosa Parks' significance in the fight for Civil Rights.

Teaching Points:  This book can be used to teach about the life of Rosa Parks and Civil Rights related topics including the Montgomery Bus Boycott.  Also, there are many artistic features that lend to the literary and historic lessons as well.

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The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jennifer Bryant

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The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jennifer Bryant

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Caldecott Medal Winner

Published:  2014

Read:  2/11/2017

Review:  This is the story of Peter Roget from the time he was a timid, studious child who was always compiling lists until he became an accomplished doctor who by 1805 had compiled the beginnings of the first thesaurus. This book captures Roget's passion for classification while also providing readers new opportunities for discovery with the Latin translations of animal names, mathematical terms, and a plethora of synonyms. The author not only details the creation of the thesaurus; it also conveys a sense of Roget the man: his shy nature, his keen intelligence, and his passion for knowledge.

I like this book, because I love language and words. I own several thesauruses, and there is hardly a day that goes by that I do not look up an alternate synonym or antonym for a word that I already know. So this book definitely appeals to the nerd in me.

Age/Audience:  Grades 2-5.  This book will appeal to students who love language and words.

Teaching Points: This book is full of strong verbs, nouns, and adjectives which could be used to teach lessons on word relationships such as synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, and root words with affixes.

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Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford

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Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford

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Caldecott Medal Winner

Published:  2015

Read:  2/4/2017

Review:  The youngest of 20 children, Fannie Lou Hamer grew up in a family of sharecroppers in the Mississippi Delta. Forced to leave school after sixth grade, she joined the rest of her family in the fields picking cotton. Still hungry for knowledge, she found strength in the love of her family and through her Christian faith despite experiencing many hardships. She faced threats and in 1963 was brutally beaten, but she spent the rest of her life rallying others to vote.

I like this book, because it emphasizes Hamer's perseverance and courage in the face of tumultuous and often deadly situations.

Age/Audience:  Grades 6 and up.  This book will appeal to students who are interested in the Civil Rights Era.

Teaching Points:  This book can be used to teach about the hardships faced by African Americans in the pursuit of equal rights during the Civil Rights Era.

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On A Beam Of Light:  A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne

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On A Beam Of Light:  A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne

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Published:  2013

Read: 3/3/2017

Review:  This book begins with baby Albert, who didn’t say a word,  and as he got older, he still didn't say anything but he looked and wondered. When he was a student, his teachers thought he was too different, but his differences led him to think about natural phenomenon like light and numbers in new ways. The book reroutes the text around events in Einstein’s life, such as his escape from Nazi Germany and his move to the U.S..  It also explains how he came to the discovery of atoms and his theories about the speed of light.

I like this book, because it stresses that that readers may someday answer the questions that Einstein didn’t get to, which is great for sparking the spirit of discovery in young readers.

Age/Audience:  Grades 5-3.  This book is great for readers who are interested in science and/or the life and discoveries of Albert Einstein

Teaching Points:  This book can be used to teach about scientific discovery.

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Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?:    The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell by Tanya Lee Stone

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Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?:    The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell by Tanya Lee Stone

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Published:  2013

Read: 2/3/2017

Review: This is the story of Elizabeth Blackwell, who fought the scorn, the sneers, and the barriers on her way to becoming a physician. Young Elizabeth liked to explore and was willing to take on both fights and challenges.  As an adult, she was prompted by a friend who wished for a woman doctor, Blackwell then decided to apply to medical school, and so the rejection began. Once accepted, she was treated abysmally by her fellow students, until she proved herself smarter than any of them.

I like this book, because the text is easy to read yet full of information about both Blackwell and the time in which she lived.

Age/Audience:  Grades K-3.  This book will appeal to girls who are interested in jobs/careers in traditionally male-dominated areas.

Teaching Points:  This book can be used to explore the topics of gender discrimination and inequalities.

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Here Come the Girl Scouts!: The Amazing All-True Story of Juliette 'Daisy' Gordon Low and Her Great Adventure by Shana Corey

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Here Come the Girl Scouts!: The Amazing All-True Story of Juliette 'Daisy' Gordon Low and Her Great Adventure by Shana Corey

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Published:  2012

Read: 2/17/2017

Review:  Daisy was a girl with gumption; an opening illustration shows her joy at hanging from a tree, petticoat on full display. A trip to England later in life introduces Daisy to the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, and the rest, as they say, is history. This book covers everything from the first meeting of the Girl Scouts to its first handbook to troop expansion across the country. A final inspiring spread offers up portraits of former Girl Scouts, including Hillary Rodham Clinton and Gloria Steinem, and it leaves one portrait empty for the reader.

I like this book, because its extensive back matter includes Girl Scout–related history, legacy, photos, and sources. I also like that this book is all about girl power, all the way around.

Age/Audience: Grades 1-4. This story will appeal to girls who have an interest in the Girl Scouts and/or stories of female empowerment.

Teaching Points:  This book can be used to teach the history of the Girl Scouts as well as inspire narrative about being unafraid to go against traditional norms in order to chart one's own territory.

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I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy

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I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy

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Published:  2016

Read:  4/10/017

Review:  Ruth Bader Ginsburg grew up in a time when girls were taught to aspire to be wives and mothers—not study at college and become lawyers. This picture book  traces Ginburg's achievements in the field of law back to her girlhood years, emphasizing the importance of dissent in the face of an unequal society.  The majority of the narrative focuses on Ginsburg's law career, her entry into the U.S. Supreme Court, and her work as an associate justice.

I like the use of colorful and bold typography to highlight words such as protest, object, dissent, disagree, and agree.  It adds appropriate emphasis and adds a bit of liveliness to the work.

Age/Audience:  Grades 3-5. This book will appeal to girls who are interested in careers that are traditionally male dominated.

This will also appeal to any students who have an interest in various aspects of the law and legal system.

Teaching Points: This book can be used in a unit discussing the four female justices of the U. S. Supreme Court or the role of women in national government. It can also be used to engage students in an inquiry into typography, pointing out the ways in which the author uses illustrative fonts to highlight particular words in the story.