Charles and Emma: The Darwin's Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman Published by Henry Holt & Company, 2009. Age Range: 14 and up (upper middle and high school) Lexile Score: 1020L 2010 National Book Award finalist, 2010 Michael L. Printz Honor book, L.A. Times Book Prize Young Adult Literature finalist, 2010 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction award winner This book tells the story of Charles and Emma Darwin. Most students will have heard of Charles Darwin, probably in biology class. He wrote On the Origin of Species which introduced the theory of evolution. What most students do not know, is that his wife, Emma, was very religious, and worried about Charles' salvation even while she was his biggest supporter. This book is not really about his scientific discoveries or theories, even though they are discussed throughout. This book is about Charles and Emma - their life, their family, and their relationship. The book is told in chronological order, starting when Charles was deciding whether or not he should marry and ending with his death. At first glance, the book can seem rather dry; there are no pictures within the text, only a photograph inset that includes several photographs of the Darwin family. In the back of the book, there is a family tree, extensive source notes, and an index. This book takes a topic that could be dull and infuses it with life. The author presents the information in a way that makes sense, and even Darwin's ramblings and journal entries on his theories don't seem daunting. The book is really about the relationship between Charles and Emma, as well as the relationship between science and religion. It shows how two people, even though they fundamentally disagree on something, can still support each other and love each other fiercely. This book provides much more than just a stale, dry biography of the facts of Charles Darwin's life. It includes excerpts from letters, diary entries, and Darwin's own autobiography. The author provides no judgment on whether religion or science is the truth; that is up to the reader to decide for themselves. This book belongs in a high school library for sure, and select middle schoolers would also enjoy this book. It does include challenging language about biology and science that might be too technical for some students, so librarians need to keep that in mind when recommending this book to middle schoolers. As I said earlier, there are not many photographs in the book. It is very text-heavy, which may scare off some potential readers. However, the text is very engaging. To the left is an example of the portraits that are included in the inset. The portraits are of Charles and Emma Darwin. A reader who is interested in ecology and zoology might be interested in this book for Darwin's research, but it will also interest students who like a good love story. Charles and Emma were very much in love, and they supported each other until the end. Readers who like historical fiction may also be interested because it paints a picture of life in the 1800's. Some books that may appeal to readers who enjoy biographies are:
For students who want to learn more about Charles Darwin:
Below are some resources related to Charles and Emma:
As an extension activity, students could either choose to write a letter as Charles or Emma, with a persuasive argument for or against Darwin's theory of natural selection. Students could also map Charles' journey aboard the H.M.S. Beagle. Below is a book trailer for Charles and Emma:
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Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) by Sue Macy Published by National Geographic, 2011 Age Range: 11-15 (Middle School and up) Lexile Score: 1280L A Junior Library Guild Selection Starred review in School Library Journal This book follows the invention of the bicycle, and the impact it had on women's rights. Before reading this book, I had no idea that the bicycle had been liberating for women. However, it makes sense, because many of them were not allowed to drive carriages or travel anywhere unaccompanied. But once the bicycle came along, they were able to come and go as they pleased. The book details the rise of the bicycle in the late 1800's, from the high wheeler to the boneshaker to the safety, which is similar to today's bicycle. The bicycle was the favored form of transportation until the advent of the automobile in the early 1900's. Women learned to ride bicycles, and in doing so, improved their health and strength and gained confidence in their freedom of travel. In this time period, women were not given the same rights as men, so they often felt inferior. However, the ability to ride a bicycle gave them the freedom to travel without the aid or accompaniment of a man. This book could be described as a narrative nonfiction. It includes a table of contents, with five chapters. Each chapter also includes a "Feature", which is a sidebar about a special topic dealing with women and bicycles. Some examples are: Celebrity Cyclists, Cycling Slang, Cycling Songs, etc. Also included in the book are a timeline, index, and resources to find out more information about bicycling. This book is very visually appealing. Even though it involves relatively long chapters, the text is broken up by photographs and illustrations. There are several sidebars throughout the chapters as well that give more information about certain topics, like Inventive Women, bicycle racing, famous women cyclists, etc. The font is east to read, but makes the book look modern. Below is an example of a page: I think this book would appeal to middle school and up, especially to students who are interested in history and the women's rights movement. It was a fast and easy read, but it would also be a good resource for a student conducting research on the women's rights movement of the late 1800's or the history of the bicycle. Other books that might interest readers of Wheels of Change are:
Below are websites and resources that could accompany Wheels of Change:
As an extension to reading this book, teachers/librarians could have students choose one of the topics in the book - a certain type of bicycle, a famous woman cyclist, etc. - and conduct further research about it. Students could also pretend to be a women in the 1890's who just received her first bicycle. Write a diary entry about the experience. How does she feel to have her own mode of transportation? Below is a book trailer posted by the author promoting the book, Wheels of Change. They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti Published by Houghton Mifflin, 2010. Age Range: 12+ (7th grade and up) Lexile Score: 1180L Booklist Starred Review, YALSA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Finalist This books tells the fascinating history of the Ku Klux Klan, the white supremacist group that terrorized the South in the years following the Civil War. This book initially interested me, because I am from Tennessee, which is where the Klan originated. I have heard about it in history classes and just from growing up in the South, but I wanted to learn more about the actual history surrounding its inception. This account of the Klan focuses on the original group, from the years following the Civil War through Reconstruction. I did not realize that the Klan had died out or gone into hiding for several years, only being reborn following the premiere of the very divisive movie in 1915, The Birth of a Nation. The author recounts the history of the hate group in chronological order, peppering political cartoons, illustrations, photographs, and newspaper clippings throughout her text. These artifacts make the topic seem real. It is such an awful part of our history that it is easy to feel removed from it, but seeing these artifacts and first-hand accounts, forces the reader to face the truth about the atrocities that the group committed. The book is broken into ten chapters and an Epilogue, each focusing on a different aspect of the group's history. The author relied heavily on interviews with former slaves from 1937 and accounts from Klan members' diaries and testimonies. These primary sources lend legitimacy to her writing, and grasp the reader's interest. The book is very text-heavy, even with the multitude of illustrations and photographs. It took me a while to get into the book, and I would often get bogged down in the details. This book would not be one that students would necessarily need to read straight through. The exhaustive index would be very useful for students who are conducting research on a certain aspect of the group or Reconstruction. I would recommend this book for middle or high school libraries. The author puts a disclaimer in the front of the book, warning about the foul language that is present in quotes from Klan members or newspaper clippings. She did not alter these in any way, and librarians and teachers would need to take their students' needs and dispositions into consideration when selecting this book for the collection. The author is objective when reporting on the activities of the Klan, however, it is evident that she finds the group's actions abhorrent; the subtitle alone points to that fact when she calls the Klan a terrorist group. I think this topic is an important one to expose students to, especially in today's world, when racial tensions are still high in some places. This book serves as a chilling reminder of what can happen when an entire race is seen as "less than". Although not painting Klan members in a favorable light, the book does seek to explain their actions in some way: "During times of crisis or uncertainty, people often resort to rumors, or stories circulated without facts to confirm the truth, to help them cope with anxieties and fears" (p. 24). The author also includes a quote from an African-American civil rights activist, W.E.B. Du Bois: "These human beings at heart are desperately afraid of something” (p. 58). Below is an example of a page from the book. You can see an illustration depicting black children on the bottom rung of Southern society. This book would intrigue students who are interested in history, specifically the Civil War and Reconstruction. It would also interest students who want to know more about the history of African-Americans leading up to the Civil Rights movement in the 1960's. If students like this book, they might also be interested to read some of Bartoletti's other non-fiction books:
This book could be paired with historical fiction about the Reconstruction era:
Here are some digital collections and websites about Reconstruction:
This book would be a great extension to a history textbook, and an informational nonfiction text to include in a unit about Reconstruction. It could lead to discussion over why the Klan formed, its motives, and how our country can learn from the past. It can also be a resource for a lesson over the Constitution and the 14th and 15th Amendments. Students can discuss how amendments are ratified and how they are enforced. Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick Published by Little, Brown and Company, 2015. Age Range: 4-8 (PK-3) Lexile Score: AD590L Publisher's Weekly and School Library Journal Starred Reviews This book tells the story of a man, Harry, and the bear he rescued, Winnipeg (Winnie). The book is a story within a story, which may prove to be a bit confusing for younger readers. The story frame is a mom telling her son a bedtime story. The frame is designated in the text by italics. It is interwoven with the real story, which is true to life: many children interrupt their parents while they are reading to them. However, even I got confused at times on which was the frame and the actual story, so I can see younger readers getting lost. I think young students, and even older readers, will be intrigued by this story. Most people have heard of Winnie-the-Pooh, but they probably have no idea that he was based on a real bear. This book would be a good real-aloud, and I can imagine it would generate many questions for young listeners: "Where did the bear sleep? Were the humans scared of the bear? How did Christopher Robin get to play with the bear at the zoo?" The illustrations by Sophie Blackall accompanying the text are beautiful and add a lot of depth to the story. My favorite is a spread of the train ride across Canada. I love how you can follow the train through the mountains and the different times of the day: This book is a valuable addition to any elementary school and possibly middle school library. The story is interesting and a good introduction to nonfiction for young readers. One thing that the book is lacking is a bibliography. I wish there were articles or websites where someone could go to find more information about Harry and Winnie. I guess the lack of that is because the author is telling the story from memories that have been passed down to her through the generations. I do like the additions of photographs of Harry and Winnie. I think students would appreciate the proof that Winnie was a real bear. I found several resources related to Finding Winnie, including this educator's guide: http://media.hdp.hbgusa.com/titles/assets/reading_group_guide/9780316324908/EG_9780316324908.pdf. This guide includes ideas to integrate the book into many subjects: social studies, science, language arts, math, and the arts. There are a couple other books written about Winnie, that can be read to students and used to compare and contrast the accounts:
Watch the book trailer below, narrated by the author, Lindsey Mattick: Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks Published by First Second, 2015 Age Range: 12-14 (Middle school) Lexile Score: GN920L School Library Journal'’s Top Graphic Novels 2015 Booklist Top 10 Books for Youth 2015, Science & Health Human Body Theater is a graphic novel that tells all about the human body. The premise of the book is a dramatic production, with a skeleton as the narrator. Parts of the body are "supporting characters", including a finger, cells, bones, etc. It is broken into 11 acts, with each body system represented. Each page contains full color illustrations, with text both on the page and in speech bubbles. Some pages are in frames, while others are not. The book also includes many diagrams, including one that names all the bones and one for all the muscles in the body. Here is an example of a page: The book is organized very well, with logical sequence. It contains a table of contents, so students can flip to the body system they are studying. It also has a glossary. One thing that did bug me as I was reading, is that I found a few typos. It was nothing major, just random spelling or punctuation errors, but I feel like that should have been caught by an editor at some point. Most people probably wouldn't even notice, but a student with an eye for detail might question the validity of the book if it includes typos. I think this book does a good job of teaching kids about the parts of the body. The way it is presented is funny and simple, and even younger students would enjoy looking at the pictures. I believe this book could supplement any middle school biology class, and would probably be well-received even in a high school Anatomy class. I took Anatomy in high school, and this book was a good refresher, and a very simple way to learn about complex body systems. It is over 200 pages long, and there is a lot of information included, but I was able to read it in one sitting, due to the graphic novel format. Also, having it broken into Acts also helps with the pacing. Here is an example of a page: This page explains a topic that can be hard to understand; the difference between red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The way Wicks explains it makes sense, and the illustrations are a great visual to help students remember. I think that many students will enjoy this book, even those who traditionally dislike science. It presents hard topics in a humorous way, and students will be drawn to the many illustrations and jokes. Hopefully, while they are admiring the "other stuff", they can learn something in the process! It is not meant to be exhaustive, but it is a good supplement to a tedious anatomy or biology textbook. If students enjoy Human Body Theater, they might also enjoy other graphic novels by Maris Wicks:
For students who want to learn more about the human body, here are a few websites that are interactive and informative:
Overall, I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I did enjoy it, but the few typos and misprints bugged me. Hopefully they will do a reprint that fixes the errors! Imprisoned: The Betrayal of Japanese Americans During World War II by Martin W. Sandler Published by Walker Books for Young Readers, 2013. Age Range: 12-17 (middle school and up) Lexile Score: 1240L 2014 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist Imprisoned is an explanatory nonfiction book that gives details of the Japanese internment camps during World War II. The book is broken into chapters, and has text features like a table of contents, photographs, captions, an index and sidebars. Some parts of the book read like a story, but it doesn't follow one person. The author includes several quotes and excerpts from different people who were involved in the internment camps. The recollections add authenticity to the text. They tell stories about what it was like on the inside of the camps, which most people living in the US at the time had no idea about. Here is an example of a page: I like the way this book is organized chronologically. It starts out by talking about when the Japanese first started immigrating to America at the beginning of the twentieth century, and follows them through the mass hysteria following Pearl Harbor all the way until they were finally released from the internment camps at the end of the war. Each chapter is in depth enough to try and explain how something like this could happen in America, but simplistic enough that it is easy to read. The book is definitely not just a collection of facts. The author does a good job of connecting all the facts and quotes into a very readable text. The accompanying photographs provide a window into that time period. This book belongs in a middle and high school collection. It is a wonderful introduction to a topic that is often glossed over in history textbooks. I had never really learned anything about Japanese internment camps in school, other than they happened. We grow up learning how atrocious the concentration camps were in Germany, and barely anything is mentioned about the concentration camps that Japanese Americans were forced to live in. I think this book could function as a companion to a history textbook or as part of a larger text set on World War II. This is an important topic that needs more coverage. Especially with the climate of our country leading up to the election, this book is even more vital to remind us how cruel we can be to our own citizens. As Congressman Mel Levine noted; "Frightened people do frightening things." (p. 26) Just as people are frightened by ISIS and the War on Terror, people in the 1940s were terrified by the attack on Pearl Harbor. this caused them to immediately distrust anyone who looked remotely Japanese for fear that they would be sympathetic. This scarily parallels rhetoric about the Muslim population in America today. This book would obviously be popular with history teachers to provide more of a balanced view of American history. Any students who are interested in World War II would be interested to read about this little known topic. This book could be paired with other nonfiction books about the Japanese internment camps, as well as historical fiction books covering the same time period:
Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Ozge Samanci Published by Margaret Ferguson Books, 2015. Age Range: 14-17 (high school) Lexile Score: 570L (This book is considered a Hi-Lo book. It has high interest and a low reading level) Dare to Disappoint is a graphic novel. It is the story of the author's childhood growing up in Turkey. The book contains a few nonfiction text features, including a table of contents and a map. Each page includes illustrations by the author, with text surrounding them, comic-book style. There are also pages where it looks like a collage. Here is an example of a page: The book reads like a story, starting when the author is 6 years old, and progressing chronologically until she is in college. I like that it encompasses so much of her life, because you are able to really get a sense for the character and what drives her. The books also provides details about Turkey's tumultuous history, which was very intriguing. I will admit, I know little to nothing about Turkey other than where it is on a map. I think the author did a good job of showing what it was like to grow up in Turkey during all the turmoil, while still trying to live a normal life. I think often for people who grow up in the US, where we have never had active war or political unrest on our own soil, it is so hard to imagine how you continue living when there is war surrounding you and your government is unstable and corrupt. Life must go on as normally as possible, and you realize that kids growing up in Turkey, or anywhere, are very similar to kids in the US, in that they want to please their parents and find meaning in their lives. This book would be a wonderful addition to any middle or high school library. While it is not hard to read, due to the small blocks of text and dialogue, elementary school students would not appreciate the themes of growing up and finding your calling. I have not read any other graphic novels, but if they are all like this one, I am definitely a fan. I was able to read this book in about an hour, but there is so much rich content that I didn't feel like I flew through it. Also, with all the minute details in the illustrations, this is a book I could read again and find something new. I would recommend this book to a student who is interested in biographies/memoirs. This would also be a good read for students who like history and learning about other cultures. Although that isn't a huge chunk of the book, the chapters that cover Turkish history are fascinating. Some books that I would put in a text set with Dare to Disappoint are:
I Am Malala is about a girl who grows up in Pakistan amidst the political turmoil and regime of the Taliban. Her story is similar to Ozge's, in that she has to continue to try and live life in spite of the chaos that surrounds her. I Am Malala also has chapters covering the history of Pakistan, which would appeal to students who enjoy history and learning about different cultures. Persepolis is another graphic novel about a girl growing up in Iran. Again, this book along with the other two already mentioned, would provide students a window into an area of the world that they are probably unfamiliar with, even as they have heard of the war in the Middle East. Through these books, they can get a glimpse of what it is like to grow up in the Middle East, and probably realize that these kids are very similar to themselves. After reading Dare to Disappoint, I Am Malala, and Persepolis, students could write their own autobiography. They can choose to write it in a graphic novel or narrative format. If possible, it would also be fascinating to set up a pen pal system with students from Turkey or Iran. Getting to know other kids from other countries can make the world seem so much bigger and smaller at the same time. Overall, I would give this book 5 stars. It kept me interested the whole time, and I liked all the history and culture related to Turkey. Ozge's illustrations fit in with the tone of the story, and her graphic style kept the story moving. |
AuthorMy name is Kayla Taylor. I am currently taking LIS-S672 Seminar in Youth Literature - Nonfiction. These are the books I have read this semester and my reviews. ArchivesCategories |