Quite A Character

picture from amazon.com

Stonewall

by Jean Fritz

with drawings by Stephen Gammell

published by Puffin, 1979

Summary: "A biography of the brilliant Southern general who gained the nickname Stonewall by his stand at Bull Run during the Civil War."

Strengths: I was not sure how I would feel about reading a book about a Confederate soldier. However, this book was very well written and presents Tom Jackson, later to be nicknamed "Stonewall" as an interesting and quirky character with an interesting life. A lot of the information is provided through contact between Tom and his sister, Laura, or his wife, Anna, as well as narration on the details of his life. Students reading this book will be interested to find out what happens next to Tom because of the descriptive way that the book is written. His oddities, such as following the same routine everyday at the exact same time, may be humorous to readers, but his behavior connected very well with some of the information I have learned recently in a psychology course. The setting of the book is also excellent for students to relate to if they live in Virginia or in areas in which Stonewall travels. The story of the Civil War is explained in an easy-to-understand manner and Stonewall's religious reason for supporting slavery provides a lot of insight into his character. Readers also learn a lot about other important people in the Civil War. How Tom approaches the challenges in his life will provide inspiration to readers.

Concerns: This book is about a war hero, so it may be considered violent for some children. However, the violence is not portrayed in a very morose way. There are some swear words in the book.

Classroom Use/Other Comments: This book would be appropriate for children aged 9-12. Teachers could have students read this during a unit on the Civil War or students could use this to do a project on a significant person in the Civil War.

Now I Know!

picture from amazon.com

Don't Know Much About Thomas Jefferson

by Kenneth C. Davis

published by HarperCollins, 2005

Summary: Questions about the personal and political life of Thomas Jefferson are answered and explored in this book.

Strengths: I read another book about Thomas Jefferson to compare it with the other nonfiction book with more of a picture book feel about Thomas Jefferson by Cheryl Harness. The books are both excellent resources in different ways. This book has a lot of interesting information that may not be found in normal informational books about Thomas Jefferson. The question and answer format provides an interesting way for students to learn information. The book provides definitions to words that may not be understood by students, a timeline, and an index allows a way for students to look up specific information. Information about the general life of people during Jefferson’s time is also written, so readers can learn how Jefferson was a product of his time. The pictures, diagrams, and maps are simple because the focus is on the information.

Concerns: Some of the information may be inappropriate for younger ages, such as the fact that two of Jefferson’s siblings died young. Students learn Jefferson’s hypocrisy of having slaves and writing that “All men are created equal.” The topic of religion is also discussed, which may be against some parents’ beliefs.

Classroom Use: For younger ages, teachers can find specific questions that would interest students and discuss them in class. This book would be excellent to research the accomplishments and life of Thomas Jefferson when learning about great American citizens. Many interesting facts are found in this book. Children aged 9 and up would enjoy this book.

Full of Life (Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness)

picture from amazon.com

Thomas Jefferson
By Cheryl Harness
Published by National Geographic Society, D.C., 2004

Summary: “Harness combines lively narrative and vibrant illustrations to bring this extraordinary Founding Father to life.”


Strengths: This book has beautiful, detailed illustrations that provide a lot of insight into Jefferson’s life. The text has interesting information about the life and trials of Thomas Jefferson, but the illustrations really captivate the reader. The maps and illustrations of locations, such as Independence Hall, show a lot of information that is useful.


Concerns: This book is lengthy for a picture book, but the pictures make the text move along quickly. The text includes a lot of details that children may not find interesting or may not be appropriate depending on the age of the reader, such as the death of many of Jefferson’s children and wife.


Classroom Use/Other Comments: In a unit about Thomas Jefferson, teachers can read a bit of this book each day to students or select important information to read to students. Students can skim through these pages and look at the illustrations to learn more about Thomas Jefferson’s life. Older students would be able to read this book to learn about Thomas Jefferson. This book would be appropriate for ages 8 and up.

Breathtaking Unsung Heroes

picture from amazon.com

We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

Words and Paintings by Kadir Nelson

Published by Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, NY, 2008

Summary: "The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field."

Strengths: The combination of beautiful, realistic pictures and interesting, informative text, this book provides an excellent introduction to a topic that is not well-known. The statement on the cover describing the pictures as "oil paintings- breathtaking in their perspectives, rich in emotion, and created with understanding and affection for these lost heroes of our national game." The word breathtaking really describes these illustrations full of action and emotion. I like that the book takes you through the story of these athletes and includes an index. I also like that the chapter headings are titled innings and that a quote is written under each chapter heading. The text is fast-paced and captivates the reader.

Concerns: This book is rather lengthy, but if the reader is interested in the topic, the fast-paced text and illustrations will allow him or her to stay interested.

Classroom Use/Other Comments: This book can be used as a resource for students interested in baseball, as well as an excellent book for investigating segregation. Students can select chapters to read, look at the pictures, or look in the index for specific information. Ages 8 and up would enjoy reading this book.

I read and commented about this book on a blog with a mock Coretta Scott King Award.

Everyone Needs a Friend

picture from amazon.com

Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship

told by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Paula Kahumbu

photographs by Peter Greste

Summary: A "true story of two great friends: a baby hippo named Owen and a 130-year-old giant tortoise named Mzee".

Strengths: This book is fairly easy to read as a nonfiction book. The photographs match the text well and provide insight into the reality of the story. The book has an inspirational message involving friendship, animals, and the effects of natural disasters.

Concerns: The book has some sad elements, such as the hippo losing his family.

Classroom Use/Other Comments: Children aged 7 and up will enjoy reading this book to learn more about animals and the effects of natural disasters.