Author: Anastasia Suen

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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.

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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.

Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Elizabeth Warren’s Big, Bold Plans
by Laurie Ann Thompson (Author) and Susanna Chapman (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Discover the inspiring story of Senator Elizabeth Warren and her lifelong commitment to working hard and advocating for equality in this picture book biography written by one of my former students.

Elizabeth Warren always has a plan. As a child, she wanted to help others by becoming a teacher. When discrimination forced her to surrender that dream, she found another path: She became a lawyer. Then life changed again, and Elizabeth became a professor of law–and she didn’t stop there. No matter her job title, Senator Elizabeth Warren has always worked to ensure that people with more power help those with less.

Snippet:

See how the author and the illustrator created the book.

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

Mario and the Hole in the Sky: How a Chemist Saved Our Planet
by Elizabeth Rusch (Author) and Teresa Martinez (Illustrator)

Booktalk: The true story of how a scientist saved the planet from environmental disaster.

Mexican American Mario Molina is a modern-day hero who helped solve the ozone crisis of the 1980s. Growing up in Mexico City, Mario was a curious boy who studied hidden worlds through a microscope. As a young man in California, he discovered that CFCs, used in millions of refrigerators and spray cans, were tearing a hole in the earth’s protective ozone layer. Mario knew the world had to be warned–and quickly. Today Mario is a Nobel laureate and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His inspiring story gives hope in the fight against global warming.

Step 1. Read aloud
Listen to the author’s read-aloud video.

Step 2. Think aloud
Talk about the book. Have you ever been ignored or misunderstood when you tried to explain something important? What happened the last time you tried to solve a big problem?

Step 3. Write it down
Write your own story about solving a big problem.

Hear the illustrator read the book in Spanish.

See a list of Families Write posts.
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.

Women’s Art Work: More than 30 Female Artists Who Changed the World
by Sophia Bennett (Author) and Manjit Thapp (Illustrator)

Booktalk: This collection celebrates the creativity of women in more than 30 biographies, investigating their practices and exploring their contributions to the art world. Readers will learn about a diverse group of innovators like Frida Kahlo, Cindy Sherman, Ana Mendieta, Lubaina Himid, Cao Fei, and the Guerrilla Girls. From early pioneers to today’s most radical creators, these women have overcome obstacles, broken boundaries, and enriched our understanding of what art is and can be. With a glossary of art terms, a timeline of major milestones, and sidebars, this highly illustrated book also features original interviews with living artists–including Yayoi Kusama, Lorna Simpson, and Rachel Whiteread.

Snippet:
DORIS SALCEDO:
Born 1958

In the vast Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern, a long, dark scar runs along the floor. It is all that remains of an extended crack that was made in concete: a work by Doris Salcedo called Shibboleth. Like a rift made by an earthquake, it was designed to be a simple, stark reminder of the impact of grief and loss.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Hello, friends!

You are invited to add your blog post about children’s literature to our end-of-the-month carnival round-up.

For the April 2020 Carnival of Children’s Literature, we’re looking for blog posts about children’s literature written by parents, educators, librarians, and children’s book authors, illustrators, and reviewers.

After one of our hosts approves it (yes, there will be a time-delay so we’re not posting spam) this end-of-the month carnival round-up will link back to your blog so everyone can read your post!

When children’s book author and (Here in the Bonny Glen) blogger Melissa Wiley hosted the very first Carnival of Children’s Literature in February 2006, it was an end-of-the month round-up of blog posts about children’s literature written by children’s book authors, illustrators, and reviewers as well as parents, educators, and librarians. The Blog Carnival software created the links (back to each blogger’s site) AND saved all of them in one place that everyone could see.

In 2010, Melissa handed the hosting duties over to me. Fast forward ten years. Last week I realized that my search for software that worked like our original (and now broken) Blog Carnival software was in something I used everyday — Facebook! A Facebook “Community” page can create the links (back to each blogger’s site) AND save all of them in one place that everyone can see.

So with Leo (our Library Lion mascot) and the help of my wonderful #kidlit blogger co-hosts: A Field Trip Life, Good Reads with Ronna, Randomly Reading, and The Book of Life, we are rebooting the #kidlitcarnival on April 28. Can you join us?

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

We Are Power: How Nonviolent Activism Changes the World
by Todd Hasak-Lowy (Author)

Booktalk: In an age when armies are stronger than ever before, when guns seem to be everywhere, how can people confront their adversaries without resorting to violence themselves? Through key international movements as well as people such as Gandhi, Alice Paul, Martin Luther King, Cesar Chavez, and Václav Havel, this book discusses the components of nonviolent resistance. It answers the question “Why nonviolence?” by showing how nonviolent movements have succeeded again and again in a variety of ways, in all sorts of places, and always in the face of overwhelming odds. The book includes endnotes, a bibliography, and an index.

Snippet: History is more than wars and violence.

In fact, history has more often been forged through conflicts of a different sort, when huge numbers of people banded together to fight and sacrifice for their side, without ever joining a conventional army or resorting to violence. Incredible individuals–who were not politicians or generals–led these movements.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

World’s Best (and Worst) Creepy Critter Jokes
by Jessica Rusick (Author)

Booktalk: How do fleas travel? They itch-hike! And what is a mouse’s favorite game? Hide and squeak! Kids can read these jokes — and make up new ones!

Snippet:

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Know any parents teaching school at home due to the pandemic?
Share my makerspace (DIY) articles published by the American Library Association.

Home, Sweet Home
by Moira Butterfield (Author) and Clair Rossiter (Illustrator)

Booktalk: If you think about your home — what is it like? Does it have walls and a roof? A front door and a kitchen? But not all homes are the same. Explore homes from around the world — and through time!

Snippet:

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
by Alexandra Stewart (Author) and Joe Todd-Stanton (Illustrator)

Booktalk: In the late morning of May 29th 1953, the sun was shining brightly on the roof of the world, a gentle breeze was blowing and two men were there to witness it for the first time ever . Their names were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay and the roof of the world was Everest. This is the story of how two very different yet equally determined men battled frost-biting temperatures, tumbling ice rocks, powerful winds and death-defying ridges to climb the world’s highest mountain.

Snippet: What made Hillary and Tenzing’s achievement all the more remarkable was that they had triumphed where so many others had failed before. Climbers had been trying to reach the top of Everest for more than thirty years.

A huge amount of time, effort, and money –not to mention national pride– had been invested in these attempts. Despite this, each one had ended in disappointment, and some even in death.

See the book trailer.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.