Henry's Freedom Box
Title: Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story From the Underground Railroad
Author: Ellen Levine
Genre: Biography
Characters: Henry "Box" Brown, his family, his master, James, and Dr. Smith.
Setting: Richmond, Virginia, and then the 350 mile, 27 hour long trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Theme: Desire for freedom, persistence, and the Underground Railroad
Summary: This is the story of Henry. He was born a slave, born to a good master, but then his master died and gave Henry to his son. While working for his new master, Henry gets married and has children. Tragic circumstances occur and Henry loses his family, which drives him to get to freedom. He takes drastic measures to become free, but these drastic measures finally work and he makes it to the free state of Pennsylvania after 27 hours in a box!
Opinion: I liked this book because I thought that the author did a very good job of making history come alive. Henry's story is an amazing one, and I think it was portrayed in a very intriguing way for children.
Author: Ellen Levine
Genre: Biography
Characters: Henry "Box" Brown, his family, his master, James, and Dr. Smith.
Setting: Richmond, Virginia, and then the 350 mile, 27 hour long trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Theme: Desire for freedom, persistence, and the Underground Railroad
Summary: This is the story of Henry. He was born a slave, born to a good master, but then his master died and gave Henry to his son. While working for his new master, Henry gets married and has children. Tragic circumstances occur and Henry loses his family, which drives him to get to freedom. He takes drastic measures to become free, but these drastic measures finally work and he makes it to the free state of Pennsylvania after 27 hours in a box!
Opinion: I liked this book because I thought that the author did a very good job of making history come alive. Henry's story is an amazing one, and I think it was portrayed in a very intriguing way for children.
My Great Aunt Arizona
Title: My Great Aunt Arizona
Author: Gloria Houston
Genre: Biography
Characters: Arizona, her family, and her students.
Setting: The Blue Ridge Mountains
Theme: Teachers impacting lives and not having to go far to make a difference.
Summary: Arizona grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. All she ever dreamed of was faraway places, but after she got her teaching degree she ended up going back to the mountains and teaching. This story shows what a difference she made even though she ended up not going to see faraway places.
Opinion: I loved this book because it shows what an amazing impact a teacher can have on his or her students when he/she puts everything into passionately teaching. I also liked it because it shows that you do not have to go far to make a difference.
Author: Gloria Houston
Genre: Biography
Characters: Arizona, her family, and her students.
Setting: The Blue Ridge Mountains
Theme: Teachers impacting lives and not having to go far to make a difference.
Summary: Arizona grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. All she ever dreamed of was faraway places, but after she got her teaching degree she ended up going back to the mountains and teaching. This story shows what a difference she made even though she ended up not going to see faraway places.
Opinion: I loved this book because it shows what an amazing impact a teacher can have on his or her students when he/she puts everything into passionately teaching. I also liked it because it shows that you do not have to go far to make a difference.
We The Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States
Title: We The Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States
Author: Dave Catrow
Genre: Nonfiction
Characters: Three kids, their dog, and their parents
Setting: The kids' backyard
Theme: The Constitution
Summary: The author basically puts the preamble to the Constitution in more understandable terms for kids, complete with illustrations showing each phrase.
Opinion: I liked this book because it was a helpful, easy way to begin to explain the Constitution to kids, especially since the Constitution's language is difficult for even adults to understand today. The illustrations are also adorable and are what make this book complete.
Author: Dave Catrow
Genre: Nonfiction
Characters: Three kids, their dog, and their parents
Setting: The kids' backyard
Theme: The Constitution
Summary: The author basically puts the preamble to the Constitution in more understandable terms for kids, complete with illustrations showing each phrase.
Opinion: I liked this book because it was a helpful, easy way to begin to explain the Constitution to kids, especially since the Constitution's language is difficult for even adults to understand today. The illustrations are also adorable and are what make this book complete.
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
Title: What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
Author: Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Genre: Nonfiction
Characters: Many different animals
Setting: All over the world
Theme: Different animals
Summary: This book goes through some animals' body parts and what they can do with them. The book then describes each animal and gives some facts about them.
Opinion: I thought this book was very well done and is a great book for children to read to learn more about animals and how they work/what they do.
Author: Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Genre: Nonfiction
Characters: Many different animals
Setting: All over the world
Theme: Different animals
Summary: This book goes through some animals' body parts and what they can do with them. The book then describes each animal and gives some facts about them.
Opinion: I thought this book was very well done and is a great book for children to read to learn more about animals and how they work/what they do.
Killer Whales
Title: Killer Whales
Author: Seymour Simon
Genre: Nonfiction
Characters: None; whales.
Setting: The ocean
Theme: Killer whales (orcas)
Summary: The author talks all about killer whales, or Orcas. He describes them in very detailed ways. He explains what they eat, how they swim and leap out of the water, and much more.
Opinion: I liked this book. The language was simple and easy to understand, and some of the facts were fascinating!
Author: Seymour Simon
Genre: Nonfiction
Characters: None; whales.
Setting: The ocean
Theme: Killer whales (orcas)
Summary: The author talks all about killer whales, or Orcas. He describes them in very detailed ways. He explains what they eat, how they swim and leap out of the water, and much more.
Opinion: I liked this book. The language was simple and easy to understand, and some of the facts were fascinating!
Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave
Title: Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave
Author: Labann Carrick Hill
Genre: Biography
Characters: Dave
Setting: Where Dave works and lives
Theme: Making the most of the situation you are in; slavery.
Summary: The author begins by comparing our view of dirt and a pot to Dave's view of dirt and a pot; his view has everything to do with the fact that he was a potter. The author then describes the process of pottery-making that Dave went through. He then tells about Dave and how he would write haiku-type poems on the jars that he made.
Opinion: I thought the story of Dave was fascinating; the fact that he was a potter who left his mark but was a slave was amazing. Also, the book can teach children not only about slavery but about pottery as well.
Author: Labann Carrick Hill
Genre: Biography
Characters: Dave
Setting: Where Dave works and lives
Theme: Making the most of the situation you are in; slavery.
Summary: The author begins by comparing our view of dirt and a pot to Dave's view of dirt and a pot; his view has everything to do with the fact that he was a potter. The author then describes the process of pottery-making that Dave went through. He then tells about Dave and how he would write haiku-type poems on the jars that he made.
Opinion: I thought the story of Dave was fascinating; the fact that he was a potter who left his mark but was a slave was amazing. Also, the book can teach children not only about slavery but about pottery as well.
Me...Jane
Title: Me. . . Jane
Author: Patrick McDonnell
Genre: Biography
Characters: Jane
Setting: Outside
Theme: Dream big!
Summary: This book is simple and short, but tells the story of Jane Goodall as a child who dreamed of going to Africa to help animals. It tells how she loved being outside and she took her stuffed chimpanzee, Jubilee, everywhere. This book follows Jane as a child until one day, she grows up, and her dreams of helping animals in Africa come true!
Opinion: This book was so neat! I enjoyed how simple this book was, yet how the reader can follow through Jane's childhood. I also like how you do not know it is Jane Goodall until the very end. I think that the illustrations are amazing; they are a combination of cartoon-type painting, actual drawings from Jane, and engravings. I can see why this book won the Caldecott Medal! I think that this is a great way to introduce young children to Jane Goodall and would be a wonderful accompaniment to a harder biography of Jane as well. Additionally, this book shows that big dreams do indeed sometimes come true!
Author: Patrick McDonnell
Genre: Biography
Characters: Jane
Setting: Outside
Theme: Dream big!
Summary: This book is simple and short, but tells the story of Jane Goodall as a child who dreamed of going to Africa to help animals. It tells how she loved being outside and she took her stuffed chimpanzee, Jubilee, everywhere. This book follows Jane as a child until one day, she grows up, and her dreams of helping animals in Africa come true!
Opinion: This book was so neat! I enjoyed how simple this book was, yet how the reader can follow through Jane's childhood. I also like how you do not know it is Jane Goodall until the very end. I think that the illustrations are amazing; they are a combination of cartoon-type painting, actual drawings from Jane, and engravings. I can see why this book won the Caldecott Medal! I think that this is a great way to introduce young children to Jane Goodall and would be a wonderful accompaniment to a harder biography of Jane as well. Additionally, this book shows that big dreams do indeed sometimes come true!
Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
Title: Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
Author: Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Paula Kahumbu
Genre: Nonfiction
Characters: Owen and Mzee
Setting: Africa
Theme: Friendship and beating the odds
Summary: Owen is a baby hippo who was stranded in the sea, alone, when the tsunami of 2004 hit Kenya. He was rescued and taken to Haller Park, near Mombasa, where he would be able to grow up safely with other hippopotami. When put into a large enclosure, however, Owen immediately went over to Mzee, the antisocial old tortoise who lived there. Over time, the two became inseparable, and are still best friends to this day.
Opinion: I thought this book was so sweet! I had never heard of Owen and Mzee before, so I loved learning about them. This book is awesome for children, because they can relate to the friendship theme, and there are pictures of the adorable friends on every page. Additionally, it is a great book to show how one can beat the odds like Owen did.
Author: Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Paula Kahumbu
Genre: Nonfiction
Characters: Owen and Mzee
Setting: Africa
Theme: Friendship and beating the odds
Summary: Owen is a baby hippo who was stranded in the sea, alone, when the tsunami of 2004 hit Kenya. He was rescued and taken to Haller Park, near Mombasa, where he would be able to grow up safely with other hippopotami. When put into a large enclosure, however, Owen immediately went over to Mzee, the antisocial old tortoise who lived there. Over time, the two became inseparable, and are still best friends to this day.
Opinion: I thought this book was so sweet! I had never heard of Owen and Mzee before, so I loved learning about them. This book is awesome for children, because they can relate to the friendship theme, and there are pictures of the adorable friends on every page. Additionally, it is a great book to show how one can beat the odds like Owen did.
Balloons Over Broadway
Title: Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade
Author: Melissa Sweet
Genre: Biography
Characters: Tony Sarg
Setting: The Macy's Parade!
Theme: Follow your dreams and use your talents!
Summary: Tony had always wanted to be a marionette man. When he grew up, he began to make marionettes; not just normal marionettes, though, but beautiful life-like ones. One day, Macy's called him. They asked him to help them set up their first parade ever. The parade was a hit! As years went on, though, and Macy's brought in real tigers and lions, the children were afraid. So, Macy's asked Tony to create something else. Tony's brilliant idea is what created the balloons we still have today at parades, particularly Macy's!!
Opinion: I really enjoyed this book! I had never heard of Tony before so it was awesome to get to know the background behind the Macy's famous balloons!!
Author: Melissa Sweet
Genre: Biography
Characters: Tony Sarg
Setting: The Macy's Parade!
Theme: Follow your dreams and use your talents!
Summary: Tony had always wanted to be a marionette man. When he grew up, he began to make marionettes; not just normal marionettes, though, but beautiful life-like ones. One day, Macy's called him. They asked him to help them set up their first parade ever. The parade was a hit! As years went on, though, and Macy's brought in real tigers and lions, the children were afraid. So, Macy's asked Tony to create something else. Tony's brilliant idea is what created the balloons we still have today at parades, particularly Macy's!!
Opinion: I really enjoyed this book! I had never heard of Tony before so it was awesome to get to know the background behind the Macy's famous balloons!!
A Mother's Journey
Title: A Mother's Journey
Author: Sandra Markle
Genre: Nonfiction
Characters: A mother penguin
Setting: Antarctica
Theme: A mother's love
Summary: This book follows the journey of a mother penguin as she takes care of her baby. She lays the egg first and lets her mate take care of it while she makes the 930 mile journey to eat as much as possible to fill her stomach so she can give that food to the baby when it hatches.
Opinion: I loved this book. I thought it was the most beautiful thing to see a penguin mother doing that for her baby, and I had no idea penguin mothers did this, so I learned a lot through this book.
Author: Sandra Markle
Genre: Nonfiction
Characters: A mother penguin
Setting: Antarctica
Theme: A mother's love
Summary: This book follows the journey of a mother penguin as she takes care of her baby. She lays the egg first and lets her mate take care of it while she makes the 930 mile journey to eat as much as possible to fill her stomach so she can give that food to the baby when it hatches.
Opinion: I loved this book. I thought it was the most beautiful thing to see a penguin mother doing that for her baby, and I had no idea penguin mothers did this, so I learned a lot through this book.
Words Set Me Free
Title: Words Set Me Free
Author: Lesa Cline-Ransome
Genre: Biography
Characters: Frederick Douglass
Setting: Mostly Baltimore
Theme: Slavery, the fight for freedom
Summary: This book is based off of Douglass' own writings, and it tells about Douglass' life as a slave. It tells about his terrible childhood but how he learned to read and then started a secret school back on the plantation. It ends before he escapes from slavery but goes into great detail throughout his childhood and early life.
Opinion: I thought that this was a very powerful book. Considering this was based off of Douglass' own writings, the authenticity is there, which makes the book that much more amazing.
Author: Lesa Cline-Ransome
Genre: Biography
Characters: Frederick Douglass
Setting: Mostly Baltimore
Theme: Slavery, the fight for freedom
Summary: This book is based off of Douglass' own writings, and it tells about Douglass' life as a slave. It tells about his terrible childhood but how he learned to read and then started a secret school back on the plantation. It ends before he escapes from slavery but goes into great detail throughout his childhood and early life.
Opinion: I thought that this was a very powerful book. Considering this was based off of Douglass' own writings, the authenticity is there, which makes the book that much more amazing.