I am falling in love with biographies for young adults. I love how in less than 300 pages, I get a (partial) picture of some historical figures I’ve always wanted to study, but that I’ve never studied because of lack of time to delve in a full-length biography for adults. Charles and Emma: The Darwins’
When the confident orphaned young American woman at the center of The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James (published 1881) receives a fortune, it seems she will be able to live her dream life of happiness. Yet, James’ portrait of Isabel Archer’s character, emotional development, and her choices is a complex one. As a
All the Way to America by Dan Yaccarino (Alfred A. Knopf, 2011) is based on the author/illustrator’s true family story of his ancestors coming to America from Italy, taking a little shovel that would prove to be the link between the generations. The shovel, which first is a garden trowel, becomes a shovel for measuring fruit and
Play Ball, Jackie! by Stephen Krensky and illustrated by Joe Morse (Millbrook Press, 2011) tells the story of Jackie Robinson’s open day of baseball as told from the perspective of a young Italian-American boy and his father. I’m not a fan of baseball, but there was something touching about this story even for someone unfamiliar with baseball
These Hands by Margaret H. Mason and Illustrated by Floyd Cooper (Houghton Mifflin, March 2011) tells two stories: one of a grandfather teaching his grandson how to do great things with his hands, like tie a shoe and shuffle cards. The other story the grandfather teaches his grandson is how those same hands were not allowed to
White Water by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein and illustrated by Shadra Strickland (Candlewick, August 2011) is based on a true story from the childhood of one of the authors in the Jim Crow South. One afternoon, two boys, one white and one African-American, got off a bus and ran for the drinking fountain. As they
Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown and illustrated by John Parra (Tricycle Press, 2011) is based on the true story of a librarian in rural Colombia who delivers library books into the lives of children with the help of his two donkeys, Alfa and Beto. Told from the perspective of a little girl named Ana who
The Honeybee Man by Lela Nargi and illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker (Schwartz & Wade, 2011) is based on the true story of two beekeepers who live in Brooklyn, New York. With fantastic collage and oil painting illustrations, it tells the story of Fred, who checks on his bees every morning, and at the end of the summer
My four-year-old and I read The Beeman by Laurie Krebs and illustrated by Melissa Iwai (The National Geographic Society, 2002) many times this week. In some senses, this book is simpler than the other bee books we read. Rather than providing a story, it shows, through rhyming descriptions and illustrations, the tools the beekeeper needs to take
The Crossing by Donna Jo Napoli and illustrated by Jim Madsen (Atheneum Books, 2011) is a creative retelling of the Lewis and Clark journey, as told from the perspective of the infant Jean Baptiste strapped on the cradle board on Sacagawea’s back. Brilliantly illustrated pictures of the various North Western American landscapes and careful descriptions
Today begins the Second Annual Ghanian Literature Week, as celebrated by book bloggers around the globe. Kinna Reads is the central organizer of the occasion; see her introductory post. Changes by Ama Ata Aidoo (1991) is about a Ghanian woman searching for her place in a modern world that is steeped in traditional culture. Esi
In the middle grade historical novel in poetry May B. by Caroline Rose (to be published January 2012 by Swartz and Wade), young Mavis Betterley, called May, has been sent away from home for the first time, assigned to be a helper for one of her rural Kansas farm neighbors for six months. Despite her
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