Title: Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai
Author: Claire A. Nivola
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Copyright: 2008
Summary: This is the story of Wangari Maathai. Originally from Kenya, she went to away to college to learn about the world. Sadly, when she came back to kenya she found the land dramatically different from how it looked when she left it. This story shows how this one woman taught the whole nation of Kenya to care to the land again. They planted over 30 million trees, in a effort to restore the land. (This book was also printed on recyclable paper)
Strengths: This story shows how one person can really make a difference. I really enjoyed the illustrations in the book because they are eye-catching and go along well with the text.
Age level: ages 9-12
Classroom use: This can be used during science or social studies lessons.
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Title: The Last Princess: The Story of Princess Ka'lulani of Hawai'i
Author: Fay Stanley
Illustrator: Diane Stanley
Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Co.
Copyright: 1991
Summary: This book recounts the story of Hawaii's last heir to the throne, who was denied her right to rule when the monarchy was abolished.
Strengths: Illustrations and the easy flow of the story, it made it easy to follow
Age Level: 7-10
Classroom Use: For independent reading, and for biographical research
____________________________________________________________________Title: Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez
Author: Kathleen Krull
Illustrator: Yuyi Morales
Publisher: Harcourt Inc.
Summary: Cesar Chavez is known as one of America's greatest civil rights leaders. When he led a 340-mile peaceful protest march through California, he ignited a cause and improved the lives of thousands of migrant farmworkers. But Cesar wasn't always a leader. As a boy, he was shy and teased at school. His family slaved in the fields for barely enough money to survive.
Cesar knew things had to change, and he thought that--maybe--he could help change them. So he took charge. He spoke up. And an entire country listened. Strengths: Vivid Illustrations
Age Level: 7-10
Classroom use: independent reading, To teach about Cesar Chavez.
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Title: So You Want to Be President?
Author: Judith St. George
Illustrator: David Small
Publisher: Philomel Books
Copyright: 2000
Summary: That's a big job, and getting bigger. But why not? Presidents have come in just about every variety. They've been generals like George Washington and actors like Ronald Reagan; big like William Howard Taft and small like James Madison; handsome like Franklin Pierce and homely like Abraham Lincoln. They've been born in log cabins like Andrew Jackson and mansions like William Harrison. From the embarrassment of skinny-dipping John Quincy Adams, to the escapades of Theodore Roosevelt's children, to the heroic recovery of John Kennedy's crew, Judith St. George shares the backroom facts, the spit-fire comments, and the comical anecdotes that have been part and parcel of America's White House
Strengths: I loved the illustrations in this book, they went wonderfully with the text and were humorous at the same time. The text was informative and gave a wide variety of facts about each of the presidents.
Concerns: The book needs to be updated, since we now have had two new presidents. It also stated, that we have only have one female vice presidential candidate and no minorities as president, which obviously has now changed since the last election. I think this information is very important for children to know.
Age Level: 7-10
Classroom Use: Independent reading. To introduce, U.S. Presidents and famous Americans ect.
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Title: The Sculptor's Eye: Looking at Contemporary American Art
Author: Jan Greenburg & Sandra Jordan
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Copyright: 1993
Summary: This book show everything that goes into the production of contemporary art in America, from the artist's image to the final product.
Strengths: I like how the book teaches the reader about the different steps it takes to producing a piece of art. I also enjoyed all the real photographs of sculptures all over the country. Great source for research.
Weakness: More for children how have to do research, not for individual reading because it may not be appealing to many
Classroom Use: Research Project
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Title: Young John Quincy
Author: Cheryl Harness
Publisher: Bradybury Press
Copyright: 1994
Summary: The story of John Quincy Adam's childhood. It is a narrative about his life during the time of the American Revolution. Much of the story is based off of letters found during this time between the Quincy Family and John Adam Sr. in Philadelphia.
Strengths: Historical accuracy and illustrations
Classroom use: can be used when study famous americans (the book has a list of information and biographies about individuals such as George Washington and Ben Franklin in the back). WHile the main story talks about the life of John Quincy Adams during the war, it also incorporates information about the congressional congress and gives maps of what was going on during the war. can be used when studying the American Revolution and Famous Americans.
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Title: The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth
Author: Joanna Cole
Illustrator: Bruce Degen
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Copyright: 1989
Summary: What a mess! The kids in Ms. Frizzle's class have been studying animals' homes. There's a beehive, a wasp's nest, an ant farm — even a beaver lodge right in the classroom. It's a relief when the Friz announces, "Today we start something new." They are going to study earth science. For homework, the kids are supposed to bring in rocks. But when they show up with everything from concrete to muddy Styrofoam, Ms. Frizzle decides it's time for a field trip. All aboard the Magic School Bus! The class digs through the earth's crust, then travels straight to the center of the earth and out the other side — through the mouth of a volcano! Rock collecting has never been quite like this!
Strengths: This book is very informative. It used a variety of ways to teach children, such as: text bubbles, student essays, illustrations, and the actual text of the story. The story also incorporated humor, which makes learning fun for students.
Concerns: Since information was portrayed all of the page, students well need to be aware that they need to read more that just the text.
Age Level: 4-8
Classroom Use: Independent reading. When teaching about the earth's layers, fossils, volcanoes, rocks, or plate tectonics.
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