Rounding up the best nonfiction for children and teens
Hello, #kidlit friends!
You are invited to add your blog post about children’s literature to our end-of-the-month #kidlit carnival round-up ALL DAY on June 29, 2020.
For the June 2020 Carnival of Children’s Literature, we’re looking for blog posts about children’s literature written by/for parents, educators, librarians, and children’s book authors, illustrators, and reviewers. We look forward to seeing you!
Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Lynn: I’ve seen a T-Shirt recently that proclaims, “I read. I know things.” I like that but what I want is a T-Shirt that says, “I didn’t know that!” I needed to wear that shirt when I read A Sporting Chance: How Ludwig Guttmann Created the Paralympic Games (Houghton, 2020). This truly outstanding book by Lori Alexander made me exclaim this sentiment the entirety of the book! The book is intended for younger readers, Gr. 2-5, and it introduces them to an extraordinary figure, Ludwig Guttmann. I am sorry to say that I knew nothing about Guttmann or his many outstanding contributions or so much more that Alexander so skillfully conveys.
Ludwig Guttmann’s early life was spent in Germany near the Polish border. A variety of experiences led him to become a neurologist and skilled surgeon. But when the Nazis came to power, Guttmann, a Jew, was forbidden to treat non-Jewish patients and then he lost his medical license completely. As conditions worsened for the Jewish people, Guttmann was able to escape to England where he had to begin again to establish himself as a physician. Finally, his deep interest and research in spinal injuries resulted in him establishing a neurology unit and resuming his ground-breaking work. Again, I had absolutely no idea that spinal injuries were considered un-treatable as late as the end of WWII or that doctors expected patients to die within the year. It is no surprise that 80% of spinal injury patients did just that considering the prevailing appalling beliefs about treatment. Observing the benefits of sports participation for his patients, prompted Guttmann to establish and promote what became the Paralympics. Dr. Guttmann revolutionized understanding and treatment of spinal injury cases and thanks to this book, young readers will come away with a solid grasp of Guttmann’s contributions. They will also gain a real admiration for Guttmann, his perseverance, and the enormous obstacles he had to overcome in his life as well as his impact on the world.
Alexander does an outstanding job of presenting complex and wide-ranging information here for young readers, including scientific and historical background but not bogging down the text. The story is a fascinating one but it is also one with many facets and Alexander manages all of this extremely well. I learned so much from this enjoyable and really inspiring story. Now – where is that T-Shirt????
Cindy: “Incurables.” That’s what spinal injury patients were called. What a journey in the last 80 years and Ludwig Guttmann’s story is fascinating, inspiring, and cautionary. Perseverance and the belief that horrible situations do not have to remain the status quo are characteristics that young readers can learn from as they read this book.
The sometimes tough subject matter and the historical photos are supplemented perfectly for the young audience by Allan Drummond’s illustrations throughout the book. In 2011 we blogged about Energy Island, a book he both wrote and illustrated, and we’ve been fans of his ever since.
The final chapter, “Going for Gold,” features some of the amazing athletes who have won medals at the Paralympic Games.
I was moved to investigate the Paralympic Organization’s website and found this short video that includes Guttmann on their history page. There are more videos and information to be found there, including one about the Stoke Mandeville Hospital and Spinal Treatment Unit.
Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Lift as You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker
by Patricia Hruby Powell (Author) and R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator)
Booktalk: Long before the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, Ella Baker worked to lift others up by fighting racial injustice and empowering poor African Americans to stand up for their rights. Her dedication and grassroots work in many communities made her a valuable ally for leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and she has been ranked as one of the most influential women in the civil rights movement. In the 1960s she worked to register voters and organize sit-ins, and she became a teacher and mentor to many young activists.
Snippet:
Join the virtual book launch of one of my 2010 writing students.
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Rise Up! The Art of Protest
by Jo Rippon (Author)
Booktalk: Human rights belong to every single one of us, but they are often under threat. Developed in collaboration with Amnesty International, this middle grade book encourages young people to engage in peaceful protest and stand up for freedom. Photographs of protest posters celebrate the ongoing fight for gender equality, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, refugee and immigrant rights, peace, and the environment.
Snippet: Protest is not a new idea. It might seem that way because of recent high-profile marches, rallies, and demonstrations. But throughout history there are many examples of people coming together to make the world a better and fairer place.
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
The Naturally Creative Workshop is free to all June 21-July 17, 2020.
Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
Immigrant Architect: Rafael Guastavino and the American Dream
by Berta de Miguel (Author), Kent Diebolt (Author), Virginia Lorente (Author / Illustrator)
Booktalk: The Spanish architects Rafael Guastavino Sr. and his son, Rafael Guastavino Jr., designed more than one thousand iconic spaces across New York City and the United States. The book is written in the voice of the son, who was eight years old in 1881 when he immigrated to America with his father. An introduction to architectural concepts and a timely reminder of immigrant contributions to America, the book includes four route maps for visiting Guastavino-designed spaces in New York City: uptown, midtown, downtown, and Prospect Park.
Snippet:
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
The Naturally Creative Workshop is free to all June 21-July 17, 2020.
Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.
Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
All of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing after the Oklahoma City Bombing
by Chris Barton (Author) and Nicole Xu (Illustrator)
Booktalk: Sometimes bad things happen, and you have to tell everyone. Sometimes terrible things happen, and everybody knows. On April 19, 1995, something terrible happened in Oklahoma City: a bomb exploded, and people were hurt and killed. But that was not the end of the story. Those who survived–and those who were forever changed–shared their stories and began to heal. Near the site of the bomb blast, an American elm tree began to heal as well. People took care of the tree just as they took care of each other. The tree and its seedlings now offer solace to people around the world grappling with tragedy and loss.
Step 1. Read aloud
Listen to the author’s read-aloud video.
Step 2. Think aloud
Talk about the book. How do you feel when something really bad happens? How do you feel when more bad things happen? Do you want someone to listen to you? Do you want someone to be with you — no matter what?
Step 3. Write it down
Write your own story about how you feel when something really bad happens and what you want to do afterwards.
Need help guiding your young writer? Use these age-appropriate writer’s workshop tips.
It’s Nonfiction Monday!
The Naturally Creative Workshop is free to all June 21-July 17, 2020.
Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.