The Land I Lost by Huynh Quang Nhuong

Summary: Stories of the native dangers fill this book of life in Vietnam.  Huynh and his water buffalo, Tank, have many escapades in and out of the river as he describes life in his Vietnamese village during his childhood.   Each day brings danger that most American children cannot even imagine.  Snakes of gigantic proportions, wild hogs that run a person down, bad weather, and little spiders with a deadly bite all combine to make up this story of survival and fun (yes, fun) in the life of young Vietnamese children in rural Vietnam.  Each chapter provides another look into a world that many tweens in the more modern world will never experience. 

These windows into a totally different world help enhance the understanding for tweens as they study cultures and countries throughout the world.  With the first person narrative style, the author provides a connection for the reader, drawing readers into the story and creating a word picture that resonates long after the story is over.  This is definitely a terrific addition to any curriculum focusing on world studies.

Standards:  Louisiana H-1A-M2: Demonstrating historical perspective on political, social and economic context through which an event or idea occurred. H-1C-M9: Tracing the expansion of major religions and cultural traditions and examining the impact on civilizations in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Awards and Recognitions:

            1982 Children’s Editor’s Choices (ALA Booklist)

            Children’s Book of 1982 (Library of Congress)

            1982 Teacher’s Choice (NCTE)         

 Huynh, Q. N. (1986). The Land I lost: adventures of a boy in Vietnam (Harper Trophy book) (1st Harper Trophy Ed). New York: Harper Trophy.

Bully for you, Teddy Roosevelt by Jean Fritz

This narrative style biography of President Theodore Roosevelt reads like fiction and pulls the reader into the story.  Starting when Teddy is a boy, the author provides insight into all the illnesses he was forced to endure and the wonderful advice his father gave him.   This advice helps our 26^th President throughout the rough times in his life, especially after the death of his beloved father, mother and 1^st wife.  

At an early age, Teddy liked to do things a little differently.  He enjoyed watching and analyzing birds, insects and mammals and this joy grew to studies and dissections of all sorts of critters, much to the horror of his mother and housekeeper.   They never knew what they would find when they opened the icebox, cupboards or his bedroom.  Sounds like a typical boy in any age to me.   Later in life, he marries, has a daughter but loses his wife just after the birth, ran away to the west and fell in love with the plains.  All that within just a few years which is enough for any person but Teddy has so much more life to live. 

Although polite society during Teddy’s age considered local politics beneath them, Teddy felt that to be a good politician, he needed to start with “everyman” and get an understanding of the basic problems of the masses.  So, even though he was wealthy, he entered local politics and caused an uproar on both sides of the tracks.  His political future was struggling along but he continued to have his regular life of going, studying, hunting and so on. 

The author does a great job portraying the President as a go-getter who truly deserves the numerous nicknames he still holds.  Rough and tumble Teddy describes this man perfectly.  While studying American History, this book is a great way to engage tweens and interest them in the person behind the title.

Standards: Louisiana H-1B-M13 Era 6: The development of the Industrial United States (1870-1890). H-1B-M14: Describe the effects of industrialization on the United States.  H-1B-M15:  Describing the economic, social, cultural and political changes that have occurred in the 20^th Century.

Awards and Recognitions:

                               

Age Range: 9 to 13

Fritz, J. (1991). Bully for you, Teddy Roosevelt. New York: G.P. Putnam & Sons.

I Came As A Stranger: The Underground Railroad

I Came As A Stranger: The Underground Railroad. By Bryan Prince. Tundra, 2004. 168 pages. Tr. $15.95 ISBN 978-0887766671

Summary: Prince evocatively bears witness to the stories of 40,000 enslaved African Americans, who journeyed via the Underground Railroad to freedom in Canada. Made possible through the support of black abolitionists and their white allies, the Underground Railroad was comprised of a web of safe houses where fugitives were offered refuge from slave catchers’ grasp. Railway conductors played an instrumental role in fugitives’ ability to reach freedom, however, Prince is careful not to underestimate their own agency. We follow the freed men, women, and children as they build new lives for themselves throughout Ontario. Once in Canada, African Americans formed their own schools and churches. Enslaved family members were never forgotten, and many freed people returned to the South to aid their relatives.

Standard(s): California Standards: 8.7 Compare the lives of and opportunities for free blacks in the North with those of free blacks in the South; 2. Trace the origins and development of slavery; its effects on black Americans and on the region’s political, social, religious, economic, and cultural development; and identify the strategies that were tried to both overturn and preserve it (e.g., through the writings and historical documents on Nat Turner, Denmark Vesey). 8.9 Students analyze the early and steady attempts to abolish slavery and to realize the ideals of the Declaration of Independence;  8.9 1.Describe the leaders of the movement (e.g., John Quincy Adams and his proposed constitutional amendment, John Brown and the armed resistance, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, Benjamin Franklin, Theodore Weld, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass); 6. Describe the lives of free blacks and the laws that limited their freedom and economic opportunities. Ontario, Canada Standards: identify key social, political, economic, and physical characteristics of the British North American colonies between 1850 and 1860 (e.g., British, French, First Nation, and Black communities) Michigan Standards 8 – U4.3.2 describe the formation and development of the abolitionist movement by considering the roles of key abolitionist leaders (e.g., John Brown and the armed resistance, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, Sojourner Truth, William Lloyd Garrison, and Frederick Douglass),and the response of southerners and northerners to the abolitionist movement. 8 – U5.1.1 Explain the differences in the lives of free blacks (including those who escaped from slavery) with the lives of free whites and enslaved peoples.

Suggested Age Range: 10-14 years

Annotation: Prince presents an engaging and nuanced view of the history of the Underground Railroad. He demonstrates that this historical era is more complicated than was once thought. Canada was a beacon to many enslaved people, who traveled at night by following the North Star. However, the experience of life in Canada was not entirely rosy. Since 1833 slavery was outlawed in Canada, however, freed people found that de facto discrimination was still widespread, much like life in the Northern United States. Canadian public schools were mostly white bastions, forbidding the inclusion of black students. The Detroit River worked both ways. Though many freed people found refuge in Canada, some avoided capture by journeying back into the U.S.

Subjects/Themes: Blacks – Ontario, Canada; Underground railroad – Canada; Fugitive slaves – Canada; Blacks – Canada - History

Reviews: Voice of Youth Advocates (August 1, 2004)

            School Library Journal (June 1, 2004)

            Booklist (May 1, 2004)

            Quill & Quire (April 1, 2004)

High Interest Annotation: The history of the Underground Railroad is explored from the Canadian perspective. 

Out of Line: Growing Up Soviet

Out of Line: Growing Up Soviet. By Tina Grimberg. Tundra Books, 2007. 128 pages. Tr. $22.95 ISBN 978-0887768033

Summary: Tina Grimberg’s memoir poignantly depicts life in Post-WWII Soviet Ukraine. Babushka Broyna, Tina’s maternal grandmother, was wrongly imprisoned, for it was mistakenly believed that she stole some food. Within Soviet Ukraine, essential commodities like food are scarce. Relationships play a fundamental role. Through her connections Tina’s maternal grandmother, Babushka Inna, manages to procure exotic foods for her family. Even with connections, however, people are forced to wait in endless lines to purchase essential commodities, including fish, clothes, and toilet paper. Tina reflects upon waiting in lines with her mother, by reciting poetry. She also remembers waiting in line to procure flowers for Mother’s Day.  Under Communism workers’ pay is scant. Bribery is rampant. Tina remembers attempting to visit her grandmother in the hospital. She illustrates the corruptness of the system. Under Communism, patient’s treatment depends upon the ability to pay hospital workers; without extra money, bloody bed dresses are not changed, and visitors are not able to visit. There is one perk to Communism, however. Since both men and women must work, the state must provide affordable, quality early-childhood education. All children attend state-run preschools, where women like Tina’s mother work as teachers. School is also run by the state, and curriculum is highly circumscribed. Students that are caught attending religious activities, or who engage in non-state approved tasks are liable for expulsion. This is exactly what happens to Tina, when she informs the school that her family will be leaving Ukraine once their exit papers have been procured.

Standard(s): California Grade 7 - 2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials); Grade 8 - 2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics - Structural Features of Informational Materials 2.1 Understand and analyze the differences in structure and purpose between various categories of informational materials (e.g., textbooks, newspapers, instructional manuals, signs).  2.3 Write research reports: a. Define a thesis. b. Record important ideas, concepts, and direct quotations from significant information sources and paraphrase and summarize all perspectives on the topic, as appropriate. c. Use a variety of primary and secondary sources and distinguish the nature and value of each. d. Organize and display information on charts, maps, and graphs.

Suggested Age Range: 10-14 years

Annotation: Communism is brilliantly depicted in Grimberg’s memoir. Tweens learn about the positive and negative experience of life under Communism, especially the impact of state-controlled media, schools, hospitals and transportation. Grimberg’s prose captivates readers, dispensing an accessible entry into a bevy of political and historical issues.

Subjects/Themes: Jewish children – Ukraine – Biography; Ukraine – Social Conditions - Post WWII; Communism; Soviet Union

Reviews: School Library Journal (January 1, 2008)

            Voice of Youth Advocates (December 1, 2007)

            Booklist (December 1, 2007)

            Quill & Quire (October 1, 2007)

High Interest Annotation: A Jewish girl’s reminisces about life in Post WWII Soviet Ukraine.

Sigmund Freud: Pioneer of the Mind

Sigmund Freud: Pioneer of the Mind. By Catherine Reef. Clarion Books, 2001. 160 pages. Tr. $19.00  ISBN 978-0618017621

Summary: Sigmund Freud is one of the great thinkers of all time. His late-nineteenth-and-early-twentieth-century experiments profoundly altered our way of treating the mentally ill. Instead of subjecting patients to water treatments or electric shock therapy, Freud listened to his patients’ problems. This radical patient-centered method was called psychoanalysis. Freud also studied the unconscious, arguing that much of our actions can be explained by inner-forces. By bringing these thoughts to the surface, psychiatrists can aid patients in real change. His theories on dreams and sexuality, expanded upon his work on the unconscious. Many modern mental health professionals have criticized Freud’s theories. However, without Freud’s work our understanding of unconscious processes would be greatly impaired. A lot of psychological theories rest on Freud’s work.

Standard(s): California Grade 7 - 2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials); Grade 8 - 2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics - Structural Features of Informational Materials 2.1 Understand and analyze the differences in structure and purpose between various categories of informational materials (e.g., textbooks, newspapers, instructional manuals, signs).  2.3 Write research reports: a. Define a thesis. b. Record important ideas, concepts, and direct quotations from significant information sources and paraphrase and summarize all perspectives on the topic, as appropriate. c. Use a variety of primary and secondary sources and distinguish the nature and value of each. d. Organize and display information on charts, maps, and graphs.

Suggested Age Range: 10-14 years

Annotation: Reef’s biography of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) is a fascinating account of his life and work. Freud’s theories on dreams, sexuality, and unconscious memories, are outlined against the backdrop of European history. We witness Freud as he struggles against Viennese anti-Semitism. The controversy surrounding Freud’s theories are discussed, as are his contributions to the nascent field of psychoanalysis. Reef concludes that, while current psychologists have criticized much of Freud’s work, Freud’s contribution to the field cannot be denied. Unconscious factors play a cardinal role in human behavior, and understanding these hidden forces at work is essential towards developing meaningful and efficacious methods of treatment.

Subjects/Themes: Sigmund Freud – Biography; Psychoanalysis; Austria

Awards: Sydney Taylor Book Award (2001)

            National Jewish Book Awards Nominee (2005)

Reviews: Voice of Youth Advocates (October 1, 2001)

            School Library Journal (August 1, 2001)

            Booklist (July 1, 2001)

            Publishers Weekly (May 14, 2001)

High Interest Annotation: Sigmund Freud’s life story is paired with his work, resulting in an engaging, tween-friendly book. 

The Forbidden Schoolhouse: The Dramatic Story of Prudence Crandall and her Students

The Forbidden Schoolhouse: The Dramatic Story of Prudence Crandall and her Students. By Suzanne Jurmain. 160 pages. Tr. $19.00 ISBN 978-0618473021

Summary: In 1831, Prudence Crandall opened the Canterbury Female Boarding School. Located in Canterbury, Connecticut, the school was rated as one of the leading private girls’ academies in New England. Though owning a slave was still legal in Connecticut, most African-American people were free. Racial discrimination was rife, however. Prudence Crandall grew up in a Quaker family, and she sympathized with the plight of the slaves. Reading William Lloyd Garrison’s abolitionist paper the Liberator opened her eyes to the unequal treatment experienced by Northern blacks, who received less pay than whites for the same work, and were forbidden from entering most schools. Crandall was so moved by what she read, that she accepted an African American girl named Sarah Hayes as a student, in 1832. When word got around to students’ parents that their daughters were attending school with a black girl, chaos ensued. The floodgates were opened as parents lashed out at Crandall, removing their girls from her academy. This is the story of Crandall’s decision to transform her academy into a school for African American girls. We follow Prudence Crandall as she welcomes pupils from across New England, and sympathize with her as she courageously bears the local outcry against the school, and battles state laws.

Standard(s): 8.7 Compare the lives of and opportunities for free blacks in the North with those of free blacks in the South; 4.Compare the lives of and opportunities for free blacks in the North with those of free blacks in the South. 8.9 Students analyze the early and steady attempts to abolish slavery and to realize the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. 1. Describe the leaders of the movement (e.g., John Quincy Adams and his proposed constitutional amendment, John Brown and the armed resistance, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, Benjamin Franklin, Theodore Weld, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass). 6. Describe the lives of free blacks and the laws that limited their freedom and economic opportunities.

Suggested Age Range: 10-14 years

Annotation: The Forbidden Schoolhouse chronicles nineteenth-century ideas of women, race and education, offering tweens with balanced and engaging first-person narratives. We follow Prudence Crandall’s Canterbury Female Boarding School, from its founding in 1831 as an all-white school for girls to its closing in 1835 as a school for African American girls. The local outcry against the school brought forth many short-term laws. The 1833 Connecticut Black Law, for example, fined out-of-state African-American students for attending Connecticut schools. Charged with breaking the Black Law, Prudence’s court struggles were met with failure. However, her lawyer’s rhetoric played a fundamental role in the 1955 landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education. Separate education for whites and blacks is unconstitutional, for it violates student’s rights as American citizens.

Subjects/Themes: Crandall, Prudence, 1803-1890 – Biography; Women educators – Connecticut; African-American women – Education – Connecticut

Awards: ALA Notable Books for Children (2006)

            NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Nominee (2006)

            Golden Kite Award Nominee (2005)

            James Madison Book Award Nominee (2006)

            Rhode Island Children’s Book Award Nominee (2007)

Reviews: School Library Journal (November 1, 2005)

            Booklist (October 1, 2005)

High Interest Annotation: Local and state-wide protests against a nineteenth-century academy for African American girls, the Canterbury Female Boarding School, is chronicled.

The Mysteries of Beethoven’s Hair

The Mysteries of Beethoven’s Hair. By Russell Martin and Lydia Nibley. Charlesbridge Publishing, 2009. 128 pages. Tr. $15.95 IBSN 978-1570917141

Summary: Younger readers will not be disappointed with this story, which follows the journey of a locket of Beethoven’s hair as it is first snipped by pianist Ferdinand Hillier at Beethoven’s death in 1827.  The ownership of the locket then passes to Hiller’s son, somehow arriving at the port city of Gilleleje, Denmark, during the Holocaust. Dr. Fremming, a Danish doctor assisting Jewish refugees receives the locket from a captured Jewish prisoner. Later his adopted Jewish daughter, Michele Wassard Larsen, auctions the locket, which is purchased by two American Beethoven aficionados – Dr. Che Guevara and Ira Brilliant. Through the locket of hair, Beethoven’s story comes vividly to life. Readers learn about Beethoven’s character, compositional style, early childhood years, education, and life in Vienna, romantic attachments, friendships, familial mores, philosophy, and health problems. Beethoven’s biography alternates with research in cutting-edge science, as scientists analyze the sample of hair to discern reasons that might explain why Beethoven suffered chronic health problems, especially deafness and stomach ailments.

Standard(s): Ontario, Canada’s cross-curriculum and integrated learning: “students are provided with opportunities to learn and use related content and/or skills in two or more subjects. . . . . they build subject-specific vocabulary, read stories for inspiration for their art works, and respond to and analyze art works using language.” C3.1 analyze some of the social, political, and economic factors that affect the creation of music; C3.2 compare and contrast music from the past and present

Suggested Age Range: 10-14 years

Annotation: In 2001, Russell Martin garnered international acclaim for Beethoven’s Hair: An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Scientific Mystery Solved. The tie-in documentary, directed by Larry Weinstein was released in 2006 to rave reviews. In 2009, widespread interest in Beethoven’s Hair encouraged Martin to publish the same research on Beethoven with Lydia Nibley for tweens. The biography is a curious mixture of the history of Beethoven, classical music, medicine, Europe, and the Holocaust, along with modern scientific research. Studying relics like hair can aid biographers in fleshing out more information about the subject of interest, and these studies do add a more rounded view of Beethoven.

Subjects/Themes: Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827) – Biography; Holocaust;  Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827) - Relics; Science

Awards: AJL Sydney Taylor Notable Books for Young Readers

            An NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12 
(2010)

            CCBC Choices

Reviews: Booklist (June 1, 2009)

School Library Journal (March 1, 2009)

            The Horn Book (May 1, 2009)

High Interest Annotation: A locket of Beethoven’s hair is followed from his death in 1827 to the present day, uncovering mysteries of Beethoven’s life through cutting-edge research.

Life on the Pony Express (The Way People Live series)

A detailed look at the mail delivery system from the expansion era of US History, Life on the Pony Express provides in-depth analysis of the who, what, when, where and why of this unique form of mail.   Each chapter looks one slice of what it took to start and keep the Pony express going through 1860 and 1861.  

What tween boy doesn’t still like action and war?  Well, there is plenty of both in this historical look at such a rough and dangerous job.  While more of a text than a narrative, Ms. Yancey provides plenty of stories beyond the facts, like the one about “American Boy”, a horse who decides he doesn’t need a rider to deliver the mail (Yancey, p. 48) or the description of Warren Frederick Fisher who was one of many riders to be stuck in a blizzard with no idea which way he was going (p. 72).  

Indians were also a part of the ride from Missouri to California causing delivery problems, deaths, and transportation problems.  The way stations used to house riders and horses for each leg were often plagued by Indians looking for “free” horses or food.

Overall, this book presents a fun look at the best known early transcontinental mail delivery system. 

Standards: Louisiana H-1A-M2: Demonstrating historical perspective on political, social and economic context through which an event or idea occurred. H-1A-M3: Analyzing the impact that specific individuals, events or ideas had on the course of history.

Age Range: 9 to 14

Recognitions:

            School Library Journal (May 2001)

            School Library Journal (August 2001)

Yancey, D. (2001). The Way People Live- Life on the Pony Express (1 ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent Books.

The Barbarossa Brothers and the Pirates of the Mediterranean

Is there anyone who hasn’t dreamed what it would be like to be a pirate?  Do tweens know much about piracy at all?  Well this fun book will promote information about a group of pirates that many American’s know nothing about.   Pirates exist and have existed throughout the world since sailing began but the Barbarossa Brothers present a new look at the unique needs and goals of the Mediterranean pirates of the 16^th and 17^th centuries. 

Long before engines were used for running ships, some companies used sails while others used human rowers.  Rather than pay these rowers, the Barbary pirates prefered to capture ships with a lot of men and enslave them.  This way, with little cost, there was a constant flow of available labor to help the pirates continue their quests for more loot and more slaves.  Even women and children were enslaved although they were usually sold when the pirates pulled into port. 

Religion plays a part in some acts of piracy and the Barbarossa Brothers were no different.  They had very set beliefs and held to them.  To find out what they did, how they became famous and who they really were, hit the library and grab this exciting book.

Standards: Louisiana H-1C-M9: Tracing the expansion of major religions and cultural traditions and examining the impact on civilizations in Europe, Africa and Asia.  H-1A-M2: Demonstrating historical perspective on political, social and economic context through which an event or idea occurred. H-1A-M3: Analyzing the impact that specific individuals, events or ideas had on the course of history.

Age Range: 9 to 13 years

Malam, J. (2008). The Barbarossa Brothers and the Pirates of the Mediterranean. United States: Qed Publishing, A Division Of Quarto Publishing Plc.

WE ARE THE SHIP

The story of Negro League Baseball

by Kadir Nelson

Summary: Baseball has been a national pastime for over a century but it has not always been as diverse as we see it today.   Artist and author Kadir Nelson writes an informative book on the history of the Negro league during the segregation of baseball. 

Originally baseball started with mixed race teams but by the early 1900’s team owners had dropped their Negro players creating a Caucasian league.  In the early days of baseball during the late 19^th Century, any good player could join a team.   Then as baseball became more organized, team owners got together and the Negros were pushed out of the leagues.

But the Negro players were not to be denied and this book explores the history of the Negro league, its founders and great players.   A wonderful supplement to African-American History, a sports unit for any class or as additional credit, this narrative will delight readers with the stories, facts and illustrations.

Standards: Louisiana H-1A-M2: Demonstrating historical perspective on political, social and economic context through which an event or idea occurred.  H-1A-M3: Analyzing the impact that specific individuals, events or ideas had on the course of history. H-1B-M18: Discussing issues and developments in contemporary US History.

Awards:    ALA Notable Children’s Book

                  Coretta Scott King Award

Reviews:  Booklist [starred] (January 2009)

                 Kirkus [starred]  (January 2009)

Age Range: 9 to adult

Lincoln: A Photobiography

Lincoln: A Photobiography. By Russell Freedman. Clarion Books, 1987. ISBN: 0899193803

Summary: Lincoln: A Photobiography, is an excellent source of information and images regarding Abraham Lincoln. Its wealth of pictures tell much about this secretive man who rarely shared his innermost thoughts and feelings. This book and its contents are based on Freedman's exceptional compilation of photographs, letters, and drawings concerning Lincoln's life and times. Each image is woven into an eloquent account of Abraham Lincoln's world and the issues surrounding him. This book has so many wonderful pictures and other images both common and rare regarding Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.

Standard(s): Utah Social Studies Core Curriculum U.S. History I Standard 9: Students will understand the significance of the Civil War Era to the United States.

Suggested Age Range: 8-12

Annotation: Lincoln: A Photobiography is a concise biography which gives valuable insight into the life of Abraham Lincoln from his childhood through his assassination at the hands of John Wilkes Booth. Russell Freedman begins with a lively account of his childhood, his career as a county lawyer, and his courtship and marriage to Mary Todd. Then it moves on to the presidential years (1861-1865), skillfully explaining the many complex issues he grappled with as he led a deeply divided nation through the Civil War. The author has a way of making history reader-friendly to the point that the reader doesn’t realize just how much history and information they have read until they’re done and are looking for more. Included in the end of the book is a section that lists some of his more well known quotes and their origins.

Subjects/Themes: American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, biography

Awards:
· Newbery Medal (1988)
· Jefferson Cup Award (1988)
· Golden Kite Honor Book Award (1987)
· School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Reviews:
· Publisher Weekly (October, 1989)
· School Library Journal (April 1, 2009)
· Booklist (6 separate reviews)

High Interest Annotation: A concise history of the life and presidency of Abraham Lincoln through text and images.

The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights

The voice that challenged a nation: Marian Anderson and the struggle for equal rights. By Russell Freedman. Clarion Books, 2004. ISBN: 0618159752

Summary: This insightful account of the great African American vocalist, Marian Anderson, considers her life and musical career in the context of the history of civil rights in the United States. Drawing on Anderson's own writings and other contemporary accounts, author Russell Freedman shows readers a singer pursuing her art despite the social constraints that limited the careers of black performers in the 1920s and 1930s. Though not a crusader or a spokesperson by nature, Marian Anderson came to stand for all black artists-and for all Americans of color-when, with the help of such prominent figures as Eleanor Roosevelt, she gave her landmark 1939 performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, which signaled the end of segregation in the arts.

Standard(s): Utah Social Studies Core Curriculum U.S. History II Standard 9: Students will understand the emergence and development of the human rights and culture in the modern era.

Suggested Age Range: 9-12

Annotation: Marian Anderson loved singing. Her life revolved around singing and she thrilled audiences the world over from the time she was young. She performed for European royalty, the White House, and millions of adoring fans, but was denied the right to sing at Constitution Hall because of her skin color. Though she was not a crusader by nature, her response to this injustice threw her into the center of the civil rights movement of the time. She became an emblem for all black American artists as well as for all Americans of color. Her performance, helped along by prominent figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial broke racial barriers and hastened the end of segregation in the world of the arts. An insightful and captivating read, by award-winning author, Russell Freedman that will leave the reader energized and interested.

Subject/Themes: American Civil Rights movement, Marian Anderson, U.S. History, biography, segregation

Awards:
· ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2005)
· Newbery Honor Book (2005)
· The Robert F. Sibert Medal (2005)

Reviews:
· School Library Journal (2004)
· Booklist (2004)
· Publishers Weekly (2004)
· Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (2004)
· Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (BCCB) (2004)

High Interest Annotation: The dramatic and inspiring story of the life and musical career of American vocalist, and unexpected civil rights crusader, Marian Anderson.

www.CivilWar.com

www.civilwar.com. Premier Internet, Inc. (n.d.)

Summary: A website that provides access to battle summaries, photographs, letters, documents, lesson plans, weapon information, official records, sermons, speeches, slavery information, timelines, vignettes from soldiers’ lives, regimental records, and more. A treasury of information located in one, easy to use and access site. The site is administered by an Advisory Committee that is comprised of college professors, librarians, historians, military professionals, Civil War re-enactors, and secondary school educators.

Standard(s): Utah Social Studies Core Curriculum U.S. History I Standard 9: Students will understand the significance of the Civil War Era to the United States.

Suggested Age Range: all

Annotation: This website is listed as a suggested Internet supplement for the U.S. History I section of Utah’s Core Curriculum, and is an incredible access point to a vast amount of information on the Civil War. It includes interactive maps, lesson plan helps, discussion boards, documents and even music from the Civil War years.

Subjects/Themes: Civil War, history

High Interest Annotation: A vast and well organized access point to large quantities of information related to the Civil War.

George Washington, Spymaster

George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans outspied the British and won the Revolutionary War. By Thomas B. Allen. National Geographic, 2004. ISBN: 0792251261

Summary: In George Washington, Spymaster you are about to enter the shadowy world of double agents and covert operations, of codes and ciphers – a world so secret even the spymaster himself doesn’t know the identities of all his agents. Meet members of the “Culper Ring”, help uncover a “mole” in the Sons of Liberty, and see how invisible ink and even a clothesline were used to send secret messages, as you follow the successes and failures of the Americans in their War of Independence.

Standard(s): Utah Social Studies Core Curriculum U.S. History I Standard 5: Students will understand the significance of the American Revolution in the development of the United States.

Suggested Age Range: 10 and up

Annotation: George Washington, Spymaster is a very unique look at the history of spies and intelligence operations during the Revolutionary War. The readers learn of Washington’s history of intelligence gathering during the French and Indian War which began his career and eventually led to him becoming the leader of the Continental Army and master of an extensive spy ring. Numerous pen and ink sketch illustrations by Cheryl Harness are included as well as archival art from that time period which makes this unique journey into history not only a visual delight, but a great learning experience.

Subjects/Themes: American Revolution, George Washington, spy networks

Awards:
· ALA Best Book for Young Adults (2005)
· James Madison Book Award (2005)
· Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award (2006)
· Garden State Teen Book Award (2007)

Reviews:
· Booklist
· School Library Journal
· Library Journal

High Interest Annotation: The captivating story of the successes and failures of George Washington’s spy network during the Revolutionary War.

Witnesses to War: Eight True-Life Stories of Nazi Persecution

Witnesses to War: Eight True-Life Stories of Nazi Persecution. By Michael Leapman. Viking, 1998. ISBN: 0670873861

Summary: Joseph Steiner and his sister were eight and eleven when the Jews were rounded-up from the Warsaw ghetto. They survived by hiding in abandoned warehouses until they could escape. When Alexander Michelowski was ten, he was taken from his home in Poland by the Gestapo and sent away for “Germanization” and later to a Hitler Youth Camp. Beata Siegel was sent from Germany to England on the Kindertransporte. It was to be nine years before she saw her mother again. Witnesses to War tells the story of how these children and others from across Europe endured persecution at the hands of the Nazis. Award-winning journalist Michael Leapman provides valuable background and insight into their histories, but it is the stories themselves vivid, unembellished and utterly compelling that stand as the finest testimony to the courage of the children of the Second World War.

Standard(s): Utah Social Studies Core Curriculum World Civilizations Standard 5: Students will understand the interaction of peoples in the global integration of the 20th century.

Suggested Age Range: 10 +

Annotation: Witnesses to War takes the reader on a very personal journey with eight children from concentration camps to the Kindertransporte and the Warsaw Ghetto to kidnapped children who were selected for “Germanization”. This book gives a very detailed, and yet brief, glimpse into many of the atrocities of World War II, and how they affected the children of Europe. This book is a chilling reminder of Hitler’s poison and his drive to take over Europe and create the “perfect” race, at the expense of millions of people.

Subject / Themes: World War II, concentration camps, biography

Reviews:
· Publisher Weekly
· School Library Journal
· Booklist
· Voice of Youth Advocates

High Interest Annotation: Eight true life accounts of life during World War II from eight different children of various race and cultural backgrounds.

Bill Nye the Science Guy: Fluids

Bill Nye the Science Guy: Fluids. By Bill Nye and Darrell Suto. Disney Educational Productions, National Science Foundation, KCTS & Rabbit Ears Productions, 2004. DVD. $29.95

Series: Bill Nye the Science Guy

Summary: In Bill Nye the Science Guy: Fluids, Bill Nye clearly defines the term fluids and provides multiple demonstrations to support the concept. This DVD is a new format of a production originally shown as a television episode and follows the straightforward formula used in all of the Bill Nye productions. Mr. Nye introduces the “big idea,” (fluids), shows a student demonstration, performs his own “big demo,” asks viewers to “consider the following,” and shows a music video to wrap up the subject. The content covers the fluid nature of liquids and gases and compares fluids to solids. Multiple examples of fluids and the properties of fluids are provided and the concept of convection is explained. The DVD includes a teacher guide, Internet links on the subject and a list of educational standards supported by the show.

Standard(s): California Science 6.3.c: students know heat flows in solids by conduction (which involves no flow of matter) and in fluids by conduction and by convection (which involves flow of matter); 8.3.e: students know that in solids the atoms are closely locked in position and can only vibrate; in liquids the atoms and molecules are more loosely connected and can collide with and move past one another, and in gases the atoms and molecules are free to move independently, colliding frequently.

Suggested age range: 9-13 years

Annotation: Bill Nye is an entertaining guy who shares his knowledge about science in an appealing format that students in grades 6-8^th will enjoy and understand. Nye’s explanation of fluids is comprehensive enough to support education standards for fluids in both grades six and eight and the demonstrations provide students with excellent visuals. The pace of this DVD is fast and will keep students entertained; the repetition of the material will ensure that students don’t miss the concept. Nye won multiple Emmy Awards for his series when it was originally televised and the DVD format of the same show is a great resource for the classroom. Nye offers clear and concise coverage of the topic and backs it up with strong resources for teachers to use in the classroom when the DVD ends. The Bill Nye the Science Guy series is heavy on entertainment value and science content.

Subjects/themes: liquids, fluids, science experiments

Awards:

=Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Children’s Series, 1994-1999. Note: these awards from the National Academy of Television Arts & Science were awarded to the Bill Nye the Science Guy television series. The DVD version of this program is a DVD format of the same production and the content is the same.

Reviews:

=School Library Journal (March 1, 2000). Note: this review is for the VHS version of this item. The DVD version released in both 1999 and 2004 is the same in terms of content; only the format has been changed.

High interest annotation: Bill Nye the Science Guy Classroom Series DVDs are an excellent resource for elementary and middle school teachers. Science lessons are presented in a highly accessible format for students.

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream. By Tanya Lee Stone. Candlewick Press, 2009. 144 pages. $24.99

Summary: Almost Astronauts begins with a play by play of the Columbia space shuttle launch in 1999. This mission is commanded by Eileen Collins and significantly, Collins is the first woman to command a space shuttle. In the launch audience is a woman named Jerrie Cobb who hoped to be in Eileen Collins’ shoes nearly 40 years before. Cobb was the first woman to undergo the intensive NASA testing required for astronauts in 1960. Cobb and 12 other women passed the testing with flying colors, but they never made it into space. Author Stone tells the story of these 13 highly qualified pilots who fought for the chance to be astronauts. The story revolves around NASA, but the impact of these women’s experience is far greater. The 13 women may have be “almost astronauts,” but they were fully instrumental in furthering the rights of women in the United States in the 1960’s.

Standard(s): California History/Social Science 11.10.7: analyze the women’s rights movement from the era of Elizabeth Stanton and Susan Anthony and the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the movement launched in the 1960’s, including the differing perspectives on the roles of women.

Suggested age range: 10+ years

Annotation: Almost Astronauts takes readers on a journey back to the 1960’s when men ran the country and the space program. Stone shares the emotional story of 13 highly qualified female pilots who long to go into space, but are denied the opportunity based on gender. Stone’s story is told with passion and offers personal insights from the women themselves, as well as a photo essay of women in space. This book is fascinating and overdue. Americans know the stories of the Mercury 7 astronauts and Sally Ride’s and now, they will know the story of these 13 women who missed out on the chance to go into space, but helped pave the way for women’s rights. Stone has done a thorough job researching the story and casting Jerrie Cobb as a main character gives the story a personal point of view. Photo artifacts, which include a copy of a cover of Life Magazine from 1962 and letter from then Vice President Johnson, convey the historical significance of this story. The letter, drafted by Johnson’s secretary, is an attempt to get Johnson to champion the Mercury 13. Johnson scribbles “stop this now” across the letter and never sends it. Seeing Johnson’s handwriting is powerful and gives the reader a reality check about women’s rights in the 1960’s. Jerrie Cobb suggests that Johnson’s intention is to prevent not just women, but racial minorities from attaining the rights enjoyed by white men at the time. Stone has compiled compelling facts for readers ages 10 and up. A detailed index, source notes, appendix and a list of suggestions for further reading contribute to this high-quality work of non-fiction.

Subjects/themes: Women astronauts, sex discrimination, space program, United States history, 1960’s

Awards:

=Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, 2009 Nomination

=Robert F. Silbert Informational Book Award, 2010

=Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, 2010

=Beehive Children’s Informational Book Award, 2011 Nomination

=Orbus Pictus Ward, 2010 Nomination

Reviews:

=Booklist (February 15, 2009)

=Publishers Weekly (May 4, 2009)

=Voice of Youth Advocates (February 1, 2009)

=School Library Journal (March 1, 2009)

High interest annotation: Almost Astronauts tells the true story of 13 women who underwent rigorous NASA testing in during the early 1960’s in hopes of going into space.

Devil's Playground

Cantor, S. (Producer), & Walker, N. (Director). (2002). Devil’s Playground [Documentary]. USA: Wellspring Media.

Summary: The people of the Amish church, founded in 1693, choose to live a life separate from the rest of the population—the “english,” as they call them. They do not drive cars, use electricity, or participate in modern life; rather, they live devoutly Christian lives in isolated communities, where education only runs through the 8^th grade and adults marry, work hard, and have as many children as possible. When each child reaches the age of 16, however, they are given a choice: live an Amish life, or leave the community and pursue a modern life. This is the “rumspringa,” the “running around” period that each Amish teenager begins at age 16 and continues until they make their decision. For the teenagers, the english world is full of temptations, many of them dangerous; for the first time, they are able to drink, smoke, and attend parties, in addition to drive a car, listen to a CD, and watch a movie. The teens are faced with finding themselves as they struggle to balance their traditional upbringing, personal beliefs, and a new modern life.

Standard(s): California History/Social Science 5.4.3: Describe the religious aspects of the earliest colonies (e.g., Puritanism in Massachusetts, Anglicanism in Virginia, Catholicism in Maryland, Quakerism in Pennsylvania).; California History/Social Science 5.4.4: Identify the significance and leaders of the First Great Awakening, which marked a shift in religious ideas, practices, and allegiances in the colonial period, the growth of religious toleration, and free exercise of religion; California History/Social Science 8.1.1: Describe the relationship between the moral and political ideas of the Great Awakening and the development of revolutionary fervor; California History/Social Science 10.1.1: Analyze the similarities and differences in Judeo-Christian and Greco-Roman views of law, reason and faith, and duties of the individual.

Suggested age range: 12 and up (film not rated)

Annotation: Devil’s Playground is a fascinating and insightful look into the Amish community, beliefs, and lifestyle. It presents not only the rumspringa, but also aspects of Amish life. Cantor and Walker follow teens through their rumspringa and the decisions they make after; some choose to remain in the modern world, some choose to join the Amish church, and some join the church and later decide to leave (resulting in their ostracism from the Amish community). The interesting documentary uses the blunt words of Amish teenagers, their parents, and their leaders to present many aspects of Amish life, both positive and negative, that can prompt excellent debate. Devil’s Playground provides a modern look at a highly traditional group that has been an important and enduring part of America’s development, and serves as an excellent supplement to any study of the religious aspects of the United States.

Subjects/themes: Amish population, rumspringa, life choices, faith, drugs, alcohol

Awards:

• 2009 YALSA Selected Videos & DVDs for Young Adults
• 2001 Sony/AFI DVCam Fest, Documentary Category & Grand Prize
• 2001 Sarasota Film Festival Audience Award, Best Documentary
• 2001 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Documentary Category (Special Mention)

High interest annotation: Amish teenagers decide whether or not to remain Amish as they explore the modern world during their rumspringa.