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Alabama Spitfire: #kidlit Bio of Harper Lee

With To Kill a Mockingbird recently winning the Great American Read contest, it’s a perfect time to find out more about author Harper Lee with the picture book biography Alabama Spitfire: The Story of Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird by Bethany Hegedus and illustrated by Erin McGuire.

In spite of the overwhelming success of her novel, Harper Lee (full name Nelle Harper Lee) avoided doing interviews and rarely talked about herself. Regardless, author Bethany Hegedus was able to piece together details of Lee’s early life in Monroeville, Alabama and her later experiences writing the novel in New York City. I don’t want to give away all the details, but her relationship with a certain boy who she meets in her home town and then encounters again later in life is fascinating.

It is important for children to realize that authors of books are real people because it helps them understand they might be able to become authors, too. Alabama Spitfire not only gives readers a glimpse into an author’s life, but also shows how she used details of her life to write a novel. It is a must read for those who love the novel, aspiring writers, and history buffs alike.

Full review and more details at Wrapped in Foil blog.

Copyright © 2018 Roberta Gibson All Rights Reserved.

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Día de los Muertos (board book)

Día de los Muertos
by Hannah Eliot (Author) and Jorge Gutierrez (Illustrator)

Booktalk: At the end of October each year, it’s time to celebrate an ancient tradition: Día de los Muertos! This board book teaches that Día de los Muertos honors ancestors and loved ones who have passed. From sugar skulls to papel picado, this is a holiday that truly commemorates the cycle of life.

Snippet: With delicious foods, brightly colored decorations, and festive parties, we honor the lives of the people we miss, including those who left us many years ago.

Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2018 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

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What Do You Do with a Voice Like That?

Let’s take a look at the new picture book biography, What Do You Do with a Voice Like That? The Story of Extraordinary Congresswoman Barbara Jordan by Chris Barton and illustrated by Ekua Holmes.

Barbara Charline Jordan was born in Houston, Texas in 1936. Before long, she was known for her oratory skills. She recited poetry and gave speeches in school. After she graduated from law school, her speaking skills led her into politics. Eventually, she was elected to the U. S. Congress where she fought against discrimination.

You can hear Barbara Jordan’s voice in the rhythm of Chris Barton’s brilliant text.

That voice
That big, bold, booming, crisp, clear, confident voice.
It caused folks to sit right up, stand up straight, and take notice.

The alliteration of the adjectives adds to the effect. He also repeats the title throughout for emphasis:

“What do you do with a voice like that?

Ekua Holmes’s mixed media illustrations capture the time, which was the late 1960s and early 1970s. They are as bright and bold as Barton’s text.

What Do You Do with a Voice Like That? begs to be read aloud. Pull it out for Black History Month, for Women’s History Month, and for all the months of the year. Barbara Jordan’s voice should be remembered.

Full review at Wrapped in Foil blog (where we love picture book biographies.)

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Fire prevention books, songs, and activities

 Fire Prevention Week  just passed, but it’s never the wrong time for fire safety.  I was asked to visit a preschool class of 3-year-olds for Fire Prevention Week. These nonfiction titles and activities are suitable for younger preschoolers. The books have simple sentences with easily decoded pictures. You won’t need three, but it’s nice to have a choice.

For songs and activities, we played a “Hot or Not Hot” sorting game, sang “Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Fire Truck,” and built a felt board fire engine with the song “The Wheels on the Truck.”

You can find the details on these activities, as well as some fiction choices on my blog, Shelf-employed.

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Eavesdropping on Elephants

Eavesdropping on Elephants cover

EAVESDROPPING ON ELEPHANTS
by Patricia Newman
Millbrook Press/August 1, 2018
Grades 4-8, 56 pages

Here’s what the publisher says:

Can understanding how forest elephants communicate help scientists find ways to protect this vulnerable species? Researcher Katy Pane and others involved with Cornell University’s Elephant Listening Project believe it can. Patricia Newman takes readers behind the scenes to see how scientists are making new discoveries about elephant communication and using what they learn to help these majestic animals.

Features: Author/Illustrator biography, Bibliography/further reading, Glossary, Index, Maps, Page Plus, Primary source quotations/images, and Reviewed

And what the critics say:

  • A Junior Library Guild Selection
  • “An inviting introduction to biologists at work.” —Booklist
  • “…this book does an excellent job of transporting readers and providing a clear, multifaceted picture of African forest elephants…“The more you listen to wildlife, the more your mind opens up to new ideas about why the world is a place worth saving.” VERDICT A great pick for middle school nonfiction collections.” —School Library Journal
  • “Fascinating for earnest conservationists.” —Kirkus Reviews

Read my thoughts here.

Finally, watch the trailer to see–and hear–some of the animals from the book!

Facts First! Nonfiction Monday

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Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli

The best picture book biographies introduce readers to people who they might not learn about in textbooks. A great example is Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Julie Morstad.

Born in Rome, Italy, Elsa Schiaparelli felt her family preferred her older sister. In fact, she thought she was ugly and when she was seven she covered her face, ears, nose, and mouth with flower seeds in an effort to make herself more attractive. All the seeds did was make her sick, but it showed how she could think outside the box. After she grew up, Elsa used her creative spirit to design beautiful, innovative clothing that turned the fashion world of Paris on its ear.

For the most part, Kyo Maclear’s first person text is enjoyable and informative. Julie Morstad’s gouache, watercolor and pencil illustrations are a perfect reflection of Elsa Schiaparelli’s artistic and creative talent. They aren’t static, but zoom in and out in scale. The focus moves from close up of faces to a panorama of the night sky and back again.

Like a fresh flower, Bloom is a delight to behold. It is sure to inspire young readers to try their hands at clothing design.

See Wrapped in Foil blog for suggested activities to accompany Bloom.