Nonfiction Monday

April 13, 2020April 12, 2020

Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay

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.

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April 6, 2020April 5, 2020

Easter (Spot Holidays)

Easter (Spot Holidays)
by Mari Schuh (Author)

Booktalk: This search-and-find book invites young readers to look for new vocabulary words and pictures while giving simple facts about the Christian holiday of Easter and the way people celebrate it.

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April 6, 2020April 5, 2020

Planes (Easy to Draw)

Planes (Easy to Draw)
by Mark Bergin (Author)

Booktalk: Follow the steps from simple shapes to the completed drawing. Simple step-by-step picture instructions show how to draw a variety of planes in 2-D from a glider to a seaplane.

Snippet: Use a pencil to draw the shapes of your plane. Any mistakes you make can be easily erased, as can any construction lines that are left over at the end of your drawing.

Nonfiction Monday

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Know any parents teaching school at home due to the pandemic?
Share these Makerspace (DIY) projects for kids.

March 30, 2020

The Story of Civil War Hero Robert Smalls

Great news for older readers: author Janet Halfmann has developed her award-winning 2008 picture book into a new chapter book, The Story of Civil War Hero Robert Smalls, also illustrated by Duane Smith.

Born into slavery in South Carolina, young Robert Smalls worked his way up to the esteemed position as a wheelman on a wooden steamboat named the Planter that carried supplies for the Confederate army. With patience and ingenuity, he developed a plan to take his family on the boat and make a daring run for freedom. Would it work?

To help flesh out the book, Janet Halfmann delved deeply into the history of the Civil War to give background and context to the story. She added sidebars — like the one on slavery in the selection below –to extend the original story. She also created a timeline, glossary, and recommended reading list.

Boat enthusiasts and budding engineers are going to love the sidebar about the steam-powered boat, the Planter. You can almost hear the hiss of the steam and the slap of the paddles hitting the water.

Janet Halfmann also includes a sidebar with the story of another daring escape to freedom, this time by a young woman who stowed away in wedding chest that was really no more than a large box. Readers will hold their breath waiting to see if she succeeds.

The daring escape in The Story of Civil War Hero Robert Smalls is what will likely initially attract readers, but it is the fascinating history that will keep them reading. This book is perfect for unit on the Civil War or for Black History Month. Delve into a copy today!

See Wrapped in Foil blog for the original review and a few activity suggestions.

March 30, 2020March 29, 2020

Let’s Explore Bread!

Let’s Explore Bread! (Food Field Trips)
by Jill Colella (Author)

Booktalk: Naan, sourdough, rye, pita . . . bread takes different flavors and forms all around the world. Experiment with yeast to learn why it makes breads rise, see how to knead bread, and follow a simple recipe to make your own loaf.

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March 30, 2020March 29, 2020

Equality’s Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America

Equality’s Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America
by Deborah Diesen (Author) and Magdalena Mora (Illustrator)

Booktalk: The founders of the United States declared that consent of the governed was a key part of their plan for the new nation. But for many years, only white men of means were allowed to vote. Learn all about the history of voting rights in the United States — from our nation’s founding to the present day.

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March 23, 2020March 30, 2020

Freight Trains

Freight Trains
by Quinn M. Arnold (Author)

Booktalk: A kindergarten-level introduction to freight trains, covering their drivers, role in transportation, and such defining features as their locomotives.

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March 16, 2020March 29, 2020

Hopi (First Peoples)

Hopi (First Peoples)
by Valerie Bodden (Author)

Booktalk: An introduction to the Hopi lifestyle and history, including their forced relocation and how they keep traditions alive today.

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March 16, 2020March 15, 2020

The Voice that Won the Vote

The Voice that Won the Vote: How One Woman’s Words Made History
by Elisa Boxer (Author) and Vivien Mildenberger (Illustrator)

Booktalk: In August of 1920, women’s suffrage in America came down to the vote in Tennessee. If the Tennessee legislature approved the 19th amendment it would be ratified, giving all American women the right to vote. The historic moment came down to a single vote and the voter who tipped the scale toward equality did so because of a powerful letter his mother, Febb Burn, had written him urging him to “Vote for suffrage and don’t forget to be a good boy.”

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