43. Every Thing On It

Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein (Harper) 2011

Genre

Poetry

Honors

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2011

Review

A collection of unpublished poems and drawings by Shel Silverstein.  The poems are in his signature style.  His typically humorous poems often minutely explore a situation and take a surprising or funny turn at the end, as in "For The World's Record": "We made the world's longest hot dog, / And now that it's finally done, / We realize nobody's baked / The world's longest bun" (Silverstein, 2011, p. 39).  Many of the poems feature illustrations; occasionally these drawings are necessary for understanding the poem; other times they help set the mood.

Opinion

Reading this after the Prelutsky volume I've Lost My Hippopotamus, helped solidify precisely why Silverstein is the master.  The punchlines often come as unexpected turns at the poem's end (while many of Prelutsky's poems are premised upon listing as many silly scenarios as possible).  Also, Silverstein manages to slip in sentimental poems without having them feeling out of place such as "Wall Marks," which recounts the way the narrator's father uses a wall to measure the narrator's height; the end holds the emotional twist in describing the narrator's mother: "She says that it's my history, / But I don't understand at all, / Just why she cries each time she sees / Those scratchy marks there on the wall" (p. 27).  In addition to adding more emotional weight to the whole collection, this fragment shows how masterfully Silverstein uses line breaks.

Ideas

This would be a great volume for interesting children in poetry.  It would work well in a book talk or story time.  It would also be appropriate inspiration for a poetry writing workshop.

References

Silverstein, S. (2011). Every Thing On It. New York: Harper.

42. Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer (Dutton Children's Books) 2010

Genre

Poetry

Honors

Flicker Tale Children's Book Award, 2011, nominee 
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2010, winner 
Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award, 2013, nominee
Beehive Children's Poetry Book Award, 2012, nominee 
American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2011, winner
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2011, nominee
Maryland Children's Book Award, 2011, nominee 
Land of Enchantment Book Award, 2011, winner 
North Carolina Children's Book Award, 2012, nominee
Rhode Island Children's Book Award, 2012, nominee
Volunteer State Book Award, 2013, nominee 
Red Clover Award, 2011, nominee

Review

The collection is a series of what Singer calls "reversos" -- poems that are read left to right and down, and then reversed such that the same poem is read left to right and up.  On the page Singer enacts the second reading on the page, which allows her to alter punctuation and capitalization and other effects (such as italics).  Singer chooses to present fairy tales, especially sections of the tale where there is an interaction between two characters.  Each poem, then, reads as the voice of one of the figures.

Opinion

At their best, Singer's poems work very well.  The reverso portions of "The Sleeping Beauty and the Wide-Awake Prince," "In The Hood," and "Bears in the News" are truly transformative, presenting wildly differing views of the same event.  However, a small number of the poems fall into the trap of her first ever reverso, which she reprints at the back of the book.

A cat
without
a chair: 
Incomplete.

[Reverso]
Incomplete: 
a chair
without
a cat. (Singer, 2010 no pagination)

While the original and reverso don't mean exactly the same thing, the meaning is not much altered.  It merely seems to note an inextricable bond between cat and chair.  The poem is still instructive in how meaning is altered by placement of words.  It shows the need for careful placement.  So, these verses aren't without merit, but after reading some of the truly great poems, these verses feel less fully explored.

Ideas

The book is great for thinking about two sides to a story and attempting to grasp someone else's perspective.  It also shows the importance of word placement.  Singer encourages her readers to try their hand at some reversos at the end of the book, and I think that this would make a fun program at the library.

References

Singer, M. (2010). Mirror Mirror. New York: Dutton Children's Books.

41. I've Lost My Hippopotamus

I've Lost My Hippopotamus by Jack Prelutsky (Greenwillow Books) 2012

Genre

Poetry

Review

A series of humorous poems mainly about animals.  The humor often derives from the animals performing actions that are uncharacteristic.  In "The Fish Are in the Treetops," fish are in trees, owls are underwater, and elephants are flying.  In "Otto Gottalott" the narrator owns a horse small enough to carry when he runs, an octopus that sings, and tiny green giraffes.  Prelutsky also experiments with concrete poem tropes.  In "Curious Quandry," the narrator writes his "U"s upside down and dots his "I"s on the bottom.  In "On the Road to Discovery," the poetic lines meander across the two page spread, demarcating the path of the titular road.

Opinion

The poems owe a lot to Shel Silverstein, first and foremost.  The common metrical pattern is very similar to that in Silverstein's best known poems.  But Prelutsky also cribs from Lewis Carroll -- especially with his love of odd creatures created by making portmanteau words -- Appleopards (a cross between apples and leopards), the crabacus (a crab and an abacus), or the halibutterflies (halibut and butterflies).  And "A Wren Was Once a Tennant" is reminiscent of Ogden Nash in the way it plays with spelling -- the wren is evicted for not paying "wrent."  The poems are often less inventive than Silverstein's.  Instead of exploring the full implication of an idea, some poems are merely inventive lists, or rely upon animals acting out of the norm.  Still, the book could be a vocabulary expander as Prelutsky does not shy away from words like "evicted, surmise, uncanny, ineluctable, infallibly, or abhor."  And as my friend April pointed out, because these words need to fit the meter of the line, the poems often give a suggestion about how to pronounce these potentially unfamiliar terms, too.  Have a dictionary or parent handy while you read.

Ideas

The book would be great for a child who has exhausted Shel Silverstein or as a transition from Silverstein to Carroll (or vice versa).  Because much of the humor is in combing two words to make neologisms or writing about animals acting out of character, it might not take much work for children to come up with their own scenarios.  The meter that Prelutsky uses -- like Silverstein's -- is insistent.  So, perhaps a poetry workshop could be in order after reading the poems.

40. Torches

Torches by Foster The People (Columbia) 2011

Cover Detail retrieved from http://www.allmusic.com/artist/foster-the-people-mn0002527840/discography

Genre

Music: Dance Pop

Review

Squelchy synthesizers and falsetto vocals are the stock in trade of Foster the People.  Dancing seems to be the band's focus, with their insistent beats and bass lines.  But the lyrics are somewhat menacing -- "I tie my hands to a chair so I don't fall that way;" "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks better run, better run, outrun my gun / All the little kids with pumped up kicks better faster than my bullet" -- and feel incongruous next to other song elements, such as the whistled melody of "Pumped Up Kicks."  Of that particular song, lead singer Mark Foster said in an interview, "I was trying to get inside the head of an isolated, psychotic kid" (Doyle, 2011).  He says the band was trying to bring awareness to the issues of mental illness and gun violence with the song.

Opinion

The music is fun and danceable.  The messages may not always be immediately discernible, but perhaps will make tweens think about important issues.  The music has an earworm quality, though, and its ubiquity in commercials and on the radio (and in other band's songs -- like the better MGMT -- whom Foster seem to have taken many cues from) may wear out its charms.

Ideas

The song "Pumped Up Kicks" might be useful in sparking discussion about mental illness and gun violence.  Of course, you might just use the music to have a dance party at the library too.

References

Doyle, P.  (2011). Band to watch: Foster the People's pumped-up psych-pop.  Retrieved from http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/band-to-watch-foster-the-peoples-pumped-up-psych-pop-20110608 

39. Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson by Jennifer Hudson (Arista) 2008

Cover Detail retrieved from http://www.allmusic.com/album/jennifer-hudson-mw0000797752

Genre

Music: Dance Pop

Review

The debut album of the singer famous for turns in Dream Girls and American Idol.  The opening song is a classic, timeless R&B song.  Hudson is a talented singer with a wide range reminiscent at times (in attitude at least) to Aretha Franklin.

Opinion

"Spotlight" is an R&B dance song of very high caliber.  Hudson provides both a steady vocal melody and has space to show off her virtuosic talents. But the beat-box rhythm of the third track "Pocketbook" works mostly to distract from Hudson's vocals, and the Ludacris guest spot greatly diminishes the results.  Hudson's lyrics and delivery are strong, so the sexual objectification spouted by Ludacris and Timbaland really drags the track down, even while Hudson tries to play the powerful Aretha Franklin part with her threat of hitting them with her pocketbook.  The bad taste that is "Pocketbook" is wedged right next to a ballad "Body and Soul."  The juxtaposition is jarring and gives the album an incredibly uneven feel.  In fact, because "Body and Soul" follows the incredibly bad "Pocketbook," it's hard to initially hear how strong the song is and how perfectly it displays Hudson's voice.   

Ideas

The album would be a great song for a middle school dance if the tracks are selected very judiciously.

38. X&Y

X&Y by Coldplay (Capitol) 2005

Cover Detail retrieved from  http://www.allmusic.com/album/x-y-mw0000633950

Genre

Music: Pop Music

Review

Perhaps the album that made Coldplay a huge international success; the album debuted at the #1 position in 20 different countries (Dwyer, 2006).  The band experiments with their signature sound, but the music is never challenging.  Chris Martin's airy voice is inviting and nonthreatening (sort of the opposite of, say, Thom Yorke from Radiohead -- a band that Coldplay are often compared to).  X&Y sees Coldplay utilizing electronic elements -- something that Radiohead is also famous for -- but the results are wildly different.  Coldplay makes accessible music.  While the album is 8 years old, tweens may still seek it out as Coldplay is still a popular band.

Opinion

My wife mentioned she heard a review that called Coldplay the band that young kids could listen to with their grandmothers.  Clearly, this cuts in both positive and negative directions.  The music isn't as challenging as most of my favorite artists.  But it also has the possible benefit of bridging generations.  It's safe and palatable.

Ideas

The song "Talk" is built around a motif lifted from the Kraftwerk song "Computer Love."  The highly accessible Coldplay song may help spark interest in the older German band and in electronic music generally.

References

Dwyer, M. (2006). Cold comfort. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/cold-comfort/2006/06/29/1151174300940.html

37. Rabbits on the Run

Rabbits on the Run by Vanessa Carlton (Razor & Tie Records) 2011

Cover detail retrieved from http://www.allmusic.com/album/rabbits-on-the-run-mw0002118729

Genre

Music: Pop Music

Review

Vanessa Carlton's fourth album comes ten years after her debut in 2011.  The 31 year old sounds much older than on her previous efforts.  The music is spare and subtle.  For instance, on "I Don't Wanna Be a Bride" she sings, "I don't wanna wear white / We both know it's too late for that."  A sly joke that only adults are likely to catch.  With artists like Ke$ha, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga in the spotlight, this reference to sex feels nearly puritanical and cryptic.  Something that some parents might welcome.

Opinion

In an era of over the top pop songs and even more over the top artists, Carlton's clear vocal and inconspicuous production places emphasis on melody, vocals, lyrics, and piano.  Compared to the vocoder vocals over frenetic club beats and insistently buzzy synthesizer fills of many artists, Carlton's take on classic singer songwriter tropes (think Carol King or, better still, Jewel) might feel like a bit of fresh air. 

Ideas

The album might inspire some children to take up piano.  You could use the album to set a calm atmosphere for other activities, such as crafts projects (should you deem a calm atmosphere appropriate, sometimes crafts are fun because they are frenetic).

36. J Pop CD 2

JPop CD 2 Various Artists (Tofu Records) 2005

Detail of cover retrieved from http://www.allmusic.com/album/jpop-cd-vol-2-mw0000703362

Genre

Music: Japanese Pop Music

Review

The liner notes indicate that the album is an anthology of hit anime themes, not just pop music lifted from Japanese radio.  The songs are as anthemic as you'd expect from the opening frames of an anime series, whose visuals are usually frenzied.  The music is just as bombastic often with straining, soaring vocals. 

Opinion

The songs have a distinct western influence heard in the melody and use of electric guitar.  Many are upbeat: Puffy AmiYumi's "Beginnings" is particularly fun.  It's vocals are cheerful and the song is poppy and insistent with a driving bridge built on drums and a percussive synthesizer part.  An electric guitar stands near the front with the vocals for most of the rest of the song.  There's a clear rock and roll influence, but particularly fun rock and roll like B-52s by way of the Go-Gos.  Still, other songs sound like 70s sitcom themes (slightly cheesy, bubbly pop music): Yuki's "Dramatic" for instance.

Ideas

The anime might be a good link to the music or vice versa.  It'd be fun to have a listening program where children brought in their favorite international music.  If the library were doing a Japanese culture event, this might be a fun, modern soundtrack.

35. Clever Beatrice

Clever Beatrice: An Upper Peninsula Conte by Margaret Willey (Atheneum Books for Young Readers) 2001

Genre

Folklore

Honors

Treasure State Award, 2003, nominee
American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2002, winner
Charlotte Zolotow Award, 2002, winner
Georgia Children's Picture StoryBook Award, 2003, nominee
Georgia Children's Book Award, 2003, nominee
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2005, nominee
Great Lakes' Great Books Award, 2003, nominee
North Carolina Children's Book Award, 2003, nominee

Review

Willey notes that the basic tale she tells is akin to the Canadian conte tales.  The primary exception is that she makes her wily trickster a little girl -- Beatrice (named for Willey's mother in law).  The tale is perhaps typical to folklore; wits are rewarded over muscle.  Beatrice devises a way to make money for herself and her destitute mother.  Her mother tells her that there are only two ways to get money: lumberjacking and besting Giants in bets on strength.  Beatrice chooses the second path.  In three different bets, she convinces a rich giant that she is likely to cause him mischief (her blow will destroy the door to his home, she'll rip out his entire well to carry more water than him, and her throwing of a railroad tie will likely either injure his relations or destroy his home).  The giant is convinced that simply paying Beatrice is more worthwhile than the risk that Beatrice might inconvenience him.

Opinion

The story is simple but fun, and it's brilliant appeal is that the hero is a small child.  This helps ensure its appeal for children.  They'll love seeing a child outwit an adult (especially an enormous oversized adult).  I also appreciated that the hero was a female figure, as many of the most well known U.S. folklore figures are men: Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Johnny Appleseed.

Ideas

The book would be good with a series of folktales or for a story time.  Because the basic trick Beatrice uses follows a standard formula, It might also be fun to have children come up with other bets she and the giant could make and how she could best him.

34. The People Could Fly

The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton (Alfred A. Knopf) 2004

Genre

Folklore

Honors

American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2005, winner

Review

Some Africans can fly.  When they were taken into slavery, they lost their wings, and many forgot how to fly.  When Sarah is working in the fields and the Overseer whips her crying baby.  An old slave named Toby reminds Sarah how to fly and incants the necessary magic words.  Sarah takes flight and soon many other slaves do too.  Many of the Africans cannot fly, and Toby cannot teach them, noting that they'll need to wait for their chance to run.

Opinion

The tale is about a kind of liberation, but also about captivity.  It's remarkably ambiguous (in a way that folk tales can be, but often aren't).  The nature of flight isn't expounded upon.  The flying people never light upon the ground again -- at least we aren't told that they do.  It made me think of the function of smoke and ash in the poetry of Paul Celan -- who's parents perished in the Holocaust.  Was the flying liberation in life or in death?  Hamilton writes, "Toby was there where there was no one to help her and the babe."  Does that mean that even Toby couldn't help her?  The second person to fly is a man who collapses from heat exhaustion, and when Toby flies away there is a gun ready to fire at him.  Certainly, one might feel that death was preferable to slavery.  Regardless, the tale is somber.  Even if the flying people head to freedom, the non-flying Africans must suffer through slavery until its dismantling.

Ideas

The book would be a compelling companion to lessons on slavery.  The ambiguous narration still helps reflect the common desire of a people.  The pictures are lovely and the book would be great for a story time.

33. John Henry

John Henry by Julius Lester (Dial Books) 1994

Genre

Folklore

Honors

Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, 1995, winner
Caldecott Medal, 1995, nominee
Show Me Readers Award, 1997, nominee
Golden Sower Award, 1997, winner
Land of Enchantment Book Award, 1998, nominee
SCASL Book Award (South Carolina), 1997, nominee

Review

Lester gives us the legend of John Henry from his birth until his burial.  Henry seems too big for the world from the outset.  His birth brings all the animals out of the forest to bear witness.  He instantly starts growing, and the confines of his home can't hold him as he destroys the family porch.  At one day old, Henry takes an axe and chops enough wood to rebuild the family porch and stock up on firewood.  His father gives him two sledges and he sets off to make his name.  In Lester's version of the tale, Henry beats the jackhammer through the mountain by a full mile.  Lester doesn't linger long on the death of Henry: everyone around hears (or thinks at the same time) that the important part of a person is how they live not how they die.  In Lester's telling Henry's body is taken to DC and perhaps interred on the White House lawn.

Opinion

Jerry Pinkey's illustrations are beautiful and help support Lester's version of the tale, which is less an allegory about the defeat of workers at the hands of industrialization (which is how I'd often read the story; in order to beat machines, we'd have to work ourselves to death).  Instead Lester's story celebrates a man too big and too wonderful for this world.  The celebration of Henry's life includes making him a crucial part of the American model of government, as his body lies at the foot of the White House.  (While this could be read as an allegory about how the US is built upon the backs of African Americans, it feels far more celebratory here: an understanding of the great contributions to American culture.  Perhaps both readings are appropriate).

Ideas

The book would be a great introduction to history lessons on the Transcontinental railroad and would make for a good building block for a program or lesson on folk tales.  The picture are gorgeous (the book was nominated for a Caldecott after all) and show Henry as a very normal looking human man, which really helps breathe life into the tale.

32. Trickster

Trickster Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection by Matt Dembicki (editor) (Fulcrum Books) 2010

Genre

Folklore

Review

The anthology collects a series of Native American folktales from a variety of tribes.  Each storyteller is a Native American, and each story is coupled with a different graphic artist.  The stories tend to be origin stories and often but don't always include tricksters.  One story recounts how because of coyote, the stars are in a chaotic pattern (the animals were told by the great mystery to draw their own portraits but coyote tripped and ruined everyone's portrait).  One story details how while attempting to catch catfish, rabbit's tail was shortened to its cotton-like appearance.  Another story details how Waynaboozhoo caused geese to fly in a V pattern by tying their feet together in an attempt to catch them.  Other tales are simply about the guile of tricksters: rabbit challenges two buffaloes to tug of war and tricks them into tugging against each other.  When the buffalo try to keep rabbit from drinking water, he tricks them a second time by borrowing the shoes of a deer.  Since buffalo have such bad eyesight, they believe rabbit is a deer and let him drink.

Opinion

I enjoyed the different art styles that went along with the different storytelling styles.  In some cases the art and story are perfectly matched -- such as the "off the cuff" telling of how rabbit got his tail and the cartoon like drawing style.  The drawings add an extra element of fun to stories that are already charming and compelling.

Ideas

It would be great fun to couple the book with Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories and then have children make up their own origin tales.

31. Batman Death by Design

Batman Death by Design by Chip Kidd and Dave Taylor (DC Comis) 2012

Genre

Graphic Novel

Review

The story places the architecture of Gotham City at the forefront of the story.  A boom in building is occurring, but many of the structures are failing.  For example (see below), a restaurant is built above the city upon a single sheet of glass.  It begins to crack part way through its opening night.  It becomes clear that the building aren't failing on accident, and Batman rushes to find the person or people behind the failures.

A cameo by the Joker to the restaurant at the top of the city with stunning architectural detail on the verso page.

Opinion

The plot is a simple but clever superhero story featuring an original villain called Exacto.  The idea to focus on the architecture of Gotham is inspiring.  The city has been figured by all manner of different artist's over time and there have been hints of particularly inventive buildings and sculptures.  But here we really see a culmination of all the previous minor details.  Kidd came to the work with an interesting artistic sensibility: the drawings were first done in blue architectural pencil (as is shown in the sketches included after the story), then made to look more like a traditional comic book.  It gives the book a unique feel among superhero comics.  Often the city in a comic book is fairly amorphous, but in this case the city is wholly substantial.  

Ideas

The book would be a fun inclusion for a superhero program.  I think the book would also be interesting with a series on architecture.  It might be a good book for inspiring children's interest in design.

30. The Arrival

The Arrival by Shaun Tan (Arthur A. Levine) 2006

Genre

Graphic Novel

Honors

Book Sense Book of the Year, 2008, nominee
Garden State Teen Book Award, 2010, nominee
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2007, winner
Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, 2008, winne
Locus Awards, 2008, winner
Hugo Awards, 2008, nominee
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2007, winner 
American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2008, winner 
Children's Book Council of Australia Children's Book of the Year Award, 2007, winner
Virginia Reader's Choice Awards, 2008, nominee
Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, 2006, winner

Review

Tan wordlessly recounts the experience of an immigrant who leaves his wife and daughter behind to seek a better life, raise money, and send after them.  Darkness and tales of war seem to linger over every immigrant that the protagonist meets.  The book feels suggestive of fleeing WWII Europe (the point of entry into Tan's new country feels reminiscent of Ellis Island), but is far more generalizable than that as it has no identifiable references to a specific war.

Opinion

The use of indecipherable symbols and the strangeness of the landscape and animals ensure that the book would put any reader into the shoes of an immigrant who does not know the custom or language in a new land.  The work reminded me of Lynd Ward and Hope Larson -- with the grandeur of wordless storytelling that Ward employs and the abstract unfamiliarity of Larson.  Like both of these other artists, Tan tells a complex story through pictures alone: a rather notable feat.

Ideas

The book would be ideal for helping students understand the feeling of immigration.  An event promoting multiculturalism or on immigration/emigration would benefit from inclusion of the book.

29. Pink and Say

Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco (Philomel Books) 1994

Genre

Historical Picturebook

Honors

Iowa Children's Choice Award, 1998 nominiee
Irma S. and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 1994, winner
Jefferson Cup Award, 1995, winner 
American Booksellers Book of the Year (ABBY) Award, 1995, nominee
Student Book Award, 1996, winner 
SCASL Book Award (South Carolina), 1997, nominee

Review

A young Union soldier -- Sheldon (Say) is rescued by an African American soldier named Pinkus (Pink) who has been separated from his unit.  Pink takes Say to his mother's home where they wait for his leg to heal.  As Say heals we learn that he deserted his unit, afraid for his life.  During his time with Pink, Say realizes that he must return.  Before either of them can seek their units, though, Pink's home is invading by marauding Confederate soldiers.  Moe Moe Bay -- Pink's mother -- hides Pink and Say in the cellar and confronts the marauders only to be killed.  On the journey to reunite with their units, Pink and Say are captured and taken to a Confederate camp.

Opinion

The story is made more powerful when we learn of its oral tradition in Polacco's family at the book's end.  The narrative is simple and the book feels produced to honor the man who saved the author's great great grandfather.  Without Pinkus, Polacco wouldn't be here to tell Sheldon's tale.  And the most powerful way that she tells that tale is in the vibrant, nearly expressionist (yet still realistic) artwork.  There she is able to express both the gloom of war and the glory of friendships (however short lived).

Ideas

The book would be useful in a school unit on the Civil War.  We get a bit of information about the Andersonville camp, but mostly the book shows the human toll of the war.  It reveals that even those soldiers fighting for the liberation of slaves were terrified and would desert.  The book would also be an appropriate selection for Black History month as it tells the story of a hero who would otherwise be unknown. 

28. Whale Port

Whale Port by Mark Foster illustrated by Gerald Foster (Houghton Miflin) 2007

Genre

Picturebook

Honors

James Madison Book Award, 2008, nominee

Review

The Fosters trace a small coastal town from 1683 through the current era.  The primary focus is on the whaling industry's rise and decline.  Along the way we see the effects of the trade upon the development of a city for both better and worse: fires, profit, decline, renovation.  All of this is really a backdrop for discussing whaling and life in New England in a general way (the featured coastal town is a fictional composite of several actual whaling ports).  We learn about the houses, industry, and tools common to these kinds of port cities.  There is also oblique mentions of the impact whaling had on whale populations and the environment.  The book doesn't offer statistics of declining whale populations, but does mention that they became progressively scarce.

Opinion

I wasn't thrilled to learn that the city at the center of the book was a composite.  Perhaps this provided the author freedom to touch upon all of the aspects of American life from 1683 to the new millennium that he was interested in discussing.  It may have also freed him from offending ancestors of historical figures, but I feel like the work would feel more tangible had he chosen an actual city.  Having said that, the information and the illustrations are top-notch, making this a rare case where the generalizations are more exciting than the case study (as the case study is fictional).

Ideas

The book would partner well with lessons about whaling or books like Moby Dick or Heart of a Samurai.  The art work might also be inspiring for a group interested in drawing or illustration.  One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is how the coastline changes over time.

27. Genius of Common Sense

Genius of Common Sense: Jane Jacobs and the story of The Death and Life of Great American Cities

Genre

Biography

Review

Genius of Common Sense traces the life of author Jane Jacobs from her early childhood as a student who would question authority, to her reportage on the death of cities like her hometown of Scranton (work that often helped revitalize the cities, helping them to attract new industry), her book length works, and especially her activism in Greenwich Village: she helped organize efforts to repel the building of a highway through the neighborhood on three separate occasions.  Jacobs' observations of city life led her to conclude that thriving cities have peopled streets.  Such interactions create safety, friendships, and community.  Project- and suburban-housing, on the other hand, she argued, made people more insular.  Ultimately, these weren't happier or safer places to live.

Opinion

The book works to summarize many of Jacob's ideas and give a quick sketch of her activism and life.  It might operate best if supplemented by excerpts of her writings (if not a reading of The Death and Life of Great American Cities).  Regardless, it does encourage its readers to speak their mind and stand up for what they believe in.

Ideas

The book would make for a good selection in a display on successful women or a display on careers.  Events that discuss urban planning, activism, making yourself heard, or city life would also benefit from a reading of the book.

26. Woolvs in The Sitee

Woolvs in the Sitee by Margaret Wild and Anne Spudvilas (Front Street) 2007

Genre

Picturebook

Honors

Children's Book Council of Australia Children's Book of the Year Award, 2007, nominee

Review

The narrative is a bit amorphous.  An uneducated child named Ben spends his time hiding from an unnamed menace that he calls "woolvs."  The story features this kind of fractured spelling throughout to characterize Ben as a child who doesn't go to school.  We know something is wrong with the world: The sky is always black and the weather never changes. He frequently visits his neighbor Mrs. Radinski.  One day someone paints a wall near Ben's window blue and he thinks the sky has returned to normal.  It turns out to be a snare and he is saved by Mrs. Radinski.  But soon she too disappears.  And Ben goes off in search of her.

Opinion

The text and pictures work together to create a dark world that is difficult to place in time (though the child's accent and the authors' biographies suggest that it takes place in Australia).  By not naming the menace, the authors open up a world of possibilities: the book could be mapped onto a variety of problems.  The closing page and call to action loses nothing from this dilution -- instead the message seems to be one of personal empowerment, a question of what it will take for you to act.

Examples of the dark, expressionistic artwork throughout the book.

Ideas

The book's ambiguity could mean that it maps well onto any current wartime scenario wherein populations are systematically uprooted, killed, or interned.  It might be an appropriate way to start a lesson about any of those kinds of historical or current events.  It also lends itself to inspiration for story telling.  It feels as though we have the first chapter of a novel, not a complete work.  The book could be used as great fodder for a writing group. Each member could write their own next phase, or a group could work collaboratively to tell the adventure.

25. The Prairie Builders

The Prairie Builders by Sneed B. Collard III (Houghton Miflin Co.) 2005

Genre

Non-fiction; Science

Honors

SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books Middle Grades 2006

Review

Collard details the construction of the Neal Smith National Wildlife Reserve in Iowa.  The park's aim is to rebuild some of the native prairie land.  The book especially highlights the work of scientists Pauline Drobney and Diane Debinski.  The prairies of Iowa had all but disappeared, and the land of the reserve had been used to farm corn and soybeans.  So, the first step in the project was to find seeds of native prairie plants.  Drobney helped find appropriate seeds and cultivate them.  She also supervised controlled burns to both provide hearty soil for the prairie plants and to destroy the non-native invaders (the native prairie plants are rooted so deeply that fire doesn't typically destroy them).  Debinski then helped to bring in butterflies -- in particular the Regal Fritillary (no small task as Regal Fritillary larvae only feed on violets and only one type of violet grows well in Iowa).  The Fritillary is useful for determining the health of the prairie land.  If Fritillaries are thriving, it is an indication that the prairie is also thriving.

Opinion

As all of the books in the "Scientists in the Field" series do, The Prairie Builders highlights how the work of individual scientists helps bring about important innovation in various fields of science.  This can be a great catalyst for young people.  It shows them the types of careers that are possible in science.  And by including photographs of the scientists, it helps humanize the work and make it tangible.  All of the books in the series are photo essays, so the big glossy pictures also help science appear to be quite appealing.

Ideas

The book would be great in a science class, showing the everyday work of scientists in the field.  That both scientists in the book are women is also encouraging because it can show female students and patrons that careers in science are a viable option.  The book would be great coupled with a program on creating a reserve or garden of local plants (as the students from Chicago are shown doing near the end of the book).

24. The Hive Detectives

The Hive Detectives by Loree Griffin Burns (Houghton Miflin Harcourt) 2010

Genre

Non-fiction; Science

Honors

SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books Middle Grades 2011

Review

Burns' book details the work done by scientists studying colony collapse disorder (CCD) in beehives.  The book is framed with a portrait of Mary Duane -- an amateur beekeeper and winner of a blue ribbon for her honey.  Through its depiction of Duane the book shows the process of bee-keeping and honey-making in addition to its story of CCD.  The book then describes how Dave Hackenberg first discovered CCD was affecting his own hives.  Burns then details the work of four scientists: each following up on a different hypothesis for the cause of colony collapse.  Dennis van Engelsdorp studied infected and healthy hives to determine the differences at work.  Jeff Pettis looked for hive pests.  Diane Cox-Foster examined bee viruses.  And Maryann Frazier studied the effects of pesticides on bees.

profiles of the scientists

Opinion

In addition to highlighting the kind of work that individual scientists do in the field, Burns' book gives a sense of how important bees are to the growth of our food.  The book skillfully balances lessons about bees -- their hive lifestyle, their characteristics, and their importance to the food supply -- and the detective work carried out by scientists: a fascinating read with so much information that Burns had to include an appendix just to share some of the things she'd learned that didn't fit elsewhere in the book.

Ideas

The book would be great in a science class, showing the everyday work of scientists in the field.  That two of the scientists in the book are women is also encouraging because it can show female students and patrons that careers in science are a viable option. Each of the four scientists discussed have different backgrounds and interests and can give children a sense of the kinds of work possible in science.

23. Ocean Sunlight

Ocean Sunlight by Molly Bang & Penny Chisholm (The Blue Sky Press) 2012

The Prairie Builders by Sneed B. Collard III (Houghton Miflin Co.) 2005

Genre

Non-fiction; Science

Honors

SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books Middle Grades 2013

Review

Bang and Chisholm trace the life cycle of the ocean through the lens of phytoplankton (for good measure they quickly trace the life cycle of land based plants as well).  The book resembles a children's picture book and begins with narration from the sun.  All of the flora and fauna are illustrated, as are microscopic entities such as oxygen and carbon molecules, and phytoplankton.  The bulk of the book is written rather simply with few words per page.  The concepts are clearly simplified, but the basic scientific principles still come through.  The last six pages are much more densely populated with text.  Here, the authors take time to explain things in further detail and in more scientific language.  This division appears to give the book two audiences.  Small children may be satisfied with the first half of the book.  Older children may need to balance the simpler parts of the book with the fuller descriptions in the back.

illustrations from the book

Opinion

The book's simple style and picture-book-like qualities struck me as odd at first.  The opening pages don't look like work for middle school students.  But the inclusion of the notes at the book's end suggest that the book is written in this manner to appeal to a wider audience in terms of age range, reading ability, and scientific proficiency.

Ideas

The book would work well for a story time both for small children or for tweens.  The pictures are bold and beautifully illustrated.  For older children, the book might make a nice introduction to a lesson on ocean life cycles, but may feel too simple on its own.

22. The Frog Scientist

The Frog Scientist by Pamela S. Turner (Houghton Miflin Books for Children) 2009.

Genre

Non-fiction; Science

Honors

SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books Middle Grades 2009

Review

The Frog Scientist details the work of Tyrone Hayes.  He set out to determine the effects of pesticides on frogs (one effect is that some male frogs raised in atrazine-contaminated areas produce eggs instead of sperm).  The book details the importance of repeated experiments and shows Hayes conduct a blind experiment to test the results of a previous one.  Notably, the book doesn't answer all of the questions it sets out to.  It helps reveal that science is a process.

Opinion

Even more than The Prairie Builders, this book seems to set up its main figure as a role model.  Hayes is African American and was born in a segregated hospital in South Carolina.  His students come from varied backgrounds and shots of them working in the lab are likely to encourage many young scientists.  Like every book in the series, part of the message here is that you too can pursue a career in science regardless of your background.  Interestingly, this book also notes two scientists' struggles with bad grades in college.  The message seems to be, "keep working."

Ideas

The book would be great in a science class, showing the everyday work of working scientists in the field.  The book would be great coupled with a program on experiments or in a class where dissection was occurring.

21. Wheels at Work

Wheels at Work by Bernie Zubrowski (William and Morrow Co, Inc.) 1986

Genre

Non-fiction; Science

Honors

In 2005 Zubrowski was honored with an SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books for his body of work.

Review

Wheels at Work details both the science/history of the use of wheels in machines and a series of experiments that readers can perform to help them better understand wheels and the function of simple machines.  Zubrowski begins with five simple machines: pully, windlass, gear, water wheel, and paddle wheel.  He shows readers how to make each out of household materials.  He suggests experiments, and provides a series of questions for experimenters to consider.  Then, he discusses the science behind the experiments and why the machines work better when used in a particular configuration.  He also encourages the creation of inventions using the wheeled machines (he provides directions for a bubble blowing machine for inspiration).

Opinion

The text is written at a very accessible level, and the diagrams, while hand drawn, are quite easy to follow.  I was struck, though, that many of the machines he suggests making might benefit from adult supervision: punching holes in coffee cans and driving nails through broom sticks would benefit from permission and oversight.  

Ideas

It would be fun to perform the activities as part of a library event on science.  The hands-on experimenting is likely to spark the interest of many students.  Even better, the experiments as Zubrowski writes them require observations and encourage trial and error.  It would also be fun to see what inventions children would come up with.