Nonfiction Monday

July 26, 2021July 25, 2021

Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood

Today at Wrapped in Foil we are highlighting Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood by Tony Hillery and illustrated by Jessie Hartland.

When Mr. Tony (Tony Hillery) spotted an abandoned lot across from a school in Harlem, he had an idea. Getting help from the community, he cleaned it up and invited children to help him plant a garden. Through trial and error a farm emerged.

The colors in Jessie Hartland’s illustrations reflect the journey of the story. The first few pages capture the gray mood of the abandoned lot. As things turn around, the background colors move through shades of green to a lively and vibrant mix. Lovely!

The benefits of gardening with children are many. From getting outside for healthy exercise, to learning patience, to appreciating the taste of fresh vegetables, gardening is a win-win-win activity. Harlem Grown is about making it happen. Share a copy today and you will be glad you did.

Be sure to stop by Wrapped in Foil where we have many activity suggestions and resources to accompany the book.

July 19, 2021July 18, 2021

Kids vs. Plastic

Kids vs. Plastic: Ditch the straw and find the pollution solution to bottles, bags, and other single-use plastics
by Julie Beer (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: It’s in your toothbrush … your clothes … your earbuds. Chances are, you’re touching it right now. We’re talking about plastic! Plastic is absolutely everywhere and in practically everything we touch, from pens to water bottles to sports equipment. And a lot of it is used once and then thrown away. Unfortunately, it takes a REALLY long time for plastic to break down and it can be harmful to our environment, especially wildlife. But why and when did we start using it in so much stuff? And how do we stop?

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July 12, 2021

Plants on the Move by Émilie Vast

At Wrapped in Foil blog today we are highlighting Plants on the Move by Émilie Vast .

There are many children’s books about plant and seed movement, but this one is certainly unique. In a lot of ways it is from a plant’s viewpoint.

As the blurb on the back says:

Have you ever bent down to take a closer look, perhaps thinking that we don’t ever go anywhere? But we plants might surprise you. We’re more adventurous than you think…

The text is well-organized and informative. Émilie Vast categorizes the ways plants disperse into broad groups, like “Fly”, “Creep”, “Fall”, etc. For each group she gives step-by-step details of an example plant’s journey and life cycle. Once the pattern is established, then she provides a cluster of images of other species that use the same dispersal method, which helps young readers apply what they’ve learned.

The Illustrations are otherworldly and mesmerizing. They are crisp and clean images against a starkly contrasting white background.

Plants on the Move is a fantastic resource. It is perfect for budding botanists, young gardeners and nature lovers. Pop open a copy today!

Be sure to visit Wrapped in Foil blog for activity suggestions and more information.

July 12, 2021July 11, 2021

The Floating Field

The Floating Field: How a Group of Thai Boys Built Their Own Soccer Field
by Scott Riley (Author), Nguyen Quang (Illustrator), and Kim Lien (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: After watching the World Cup on television, a group of Thai boys is inspired to form their own team. But on the island of Koh Panyee, in a village built on stilts, there is no open space. The boys can play only twice a month on a sandbar when the tide is low enough. Everything changes when the teens join together to build their very own floating soccer field.

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June 28, 2021June 27, 2021

The Science and Technology of Marie Curie

The Science and Technology of Marie Curie (Build It Yourself)
by Julie Knutson (Author) and Michelle Simpson (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: Delve into the world of Marie Curie, a person who revolutionized the way we perceive the universe while getting the world to question gender roles and social norms. Then follow in her footsteps with hands-on STEM activities for ages 9-12.

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June 21, 2021June 20, 2021

The Elephants Come Home

The Elephants Come Home: A True Story of Seven Elephants, Two People, and One Extraordinary Friendship
by Kim Tomsic (Author) and Hadley Hooper (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: One day in 1999, Lawrence Anthony and Françoise Malby hear that a herd of wild African elephants needs a new home. They welcome the elephants to their wildlife sanctuary–Thula Thula–with open arms. But the elephants are much less sure they want to stay. How will Lawrence prove to them that they are safe and loved?

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Nonfiction Monday

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June 14, 2021June 13, 2021

Out of the Blue

Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas
by Elizabeth Shreeve (Author) and Frann Preston-Gannon (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: Life on Earth emerged “out of the blue.” It began in the vast, empty sea when Earth was young. Single-celled microbes too small to see held the promise of all life-forms to come. Those microbes survived billions of years in restless seas until they began to change, to convert sunlight into energy, to produce oxygen until one day “Gulp!” one cell swallowed another, and the race was on.

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June 7, 2021June 6, 2021

Hidden Black History: From Juneteenth to Redlining

Hidden Black History: From Juneteenth to Redlining
by Amanda Jackson Green (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: Many important moments in history have not been taught in schools or explored in the mainstream media. These events often include people of color and involve Black history. Intentional or not, this puts all Americans at a disadvantage. Learn about Black history moments that shaped America, from the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in Virginia in 1619 to the Freedom Summer of 1964, and read about efforts to reshape how we teach Black history in schools in the 21st century as we prepare for Juneteenth on June 19th.

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June 7, 2021June 5, 2021

Girl Warriors: How 25 Young Activists Are Saving the Earth

Are you an advocate for any causes? At Wrapped in Foil blog, we are advocates for children’s books, and more specifically the middle grade title Girl Warriors: How 25 Young Activists Are Saving the Earth by Rachel Sarah.

In this book you will meet 25 girls and young women under the age of 25 who have decided to speak up for the Earth and for themselves. Eloquent and innovative, they hope to change minds and make a difference.

Young women like:

• Daphne Frias in West Harlem, New York City describes herself as “an un-apologetically fierce Latina, who is proudly disabled,” and is currently in medical school.
• Maya Penn in Atlanta, Georgia who is an eco-fashion designer, animator, producer and TED speaker.
• Malaika Vaz in Goa, India who is a National Geographic Explorer and filmmaker.
• Vanessa Nakate in Uganda, Africa who founded the @TheRiseUpMovem1 and has been building solar-powered schools in Kampala.

Chicago Review Press books are all about getting hands on. If the stories of these girls and young women inspire you, delve into the four pages of resources in the back matter to find out where you can make a difference, too.

Rachel Sarah is trained as a journalist, which shows in her clean and unobtrusive writing. She has gleaned personal details on each of the young women, making each of them stand out as memorable individuals.

Girl Warriors is an exciting book for young readers interested in activism and making a difference. Get inspired by a copy today!

Stop by Wrapped in Foil blog for more information.

May 24, 2021May 23, 2021

And I Paint It

And I Paint It: Henriette Wyeth’s World
by Beth Kephart (Author) and Amy June Bates (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: A father and daughter sneak away from their big, busy family to paint in the wild landscape. Together, they paint a lily, bright and white as a star; the green growing into the cap of a strawberry; the blue in the sky running pink. Henriette’s father is N.C. Wyeth, the famous artist, who encourages her to paint what she sees, to awaken into her dreams, and she does, in this picture book inspired by a famous American family of artists.

Snippet:
So that it’s only Pa and it’s only me,
sensing deeply, like Pa says.
Looking. Seeing. Smelling the air
and the earth,
and the turpentine,
and also that flower.

Nonfiction Monday

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