This is an excellent biography of the man often called “Bad Henry” because no one pitcher could stop him. It begins with the story of his life before baseball, back to the time when his father played for a local team. Aaron played both football and baseball in high school, but it was when he saw Jackie Robinson play for the first time that Aaron told his father that he would play professional baseball while Robinson was still playing ball. It goes on to describe Aaron’s career, particularly when he approaching Babe Ruth’s home run record. Instead of it being a time of joy, it was one of the most stressful times in his life because of the hate mail and death threats he received. The work he considered even more important was opening doors for others, helping African Americans move into management and executive positions in baseball. Filled with pictures and sidebars, this is an excellent addition to the sports section in any school library.
Author Archives: SSBRC Former Member
The Box Jellyfish
This book tells facts about jelly fish. It explains real life encounters such as a 10 year old girl who had her leg stung and injected with deadly venom by a Box Jellyfish.
Bugged Out. Insects
This is a book that tells facts about different insects. There are photographs of the insects that go along with the text
New Old Shoes
This is a book follows a pair of shoes traveling to different people and places. The illustrations are colorful and detailed.
Biggest Animals. That’s Wild A Look at Animals
This is a book full of facts about big animals. Full of photographs of the animals.
Supersister
This is a story of Supersister who helps out her mom while she is pregnant. The illustrations are very fun and detailed.
Whose Shoes? A Shoe for Every Job
This book tells about all the shoes you wear for different jobs. This would be fun to read to a primary class on career day. Each page contains a color photo to accompany text.
Just Because
Toby and his sisters have great adventures with his sister event though she is wheelchair bound. Toby helps Clemmy and Clemmy helps Toby. This a sweet story about a brother and sister. The illustrations are bright and fun.
The Duck Who Played the Kazoo
A duck has a Kazoo that he plays after a hurricane blew through, and it is his only companion. Then he flies to a new pond and discovers friendships and invites the other ducks back to his pond. This book is told through rhymes.
Big Pigs
Why do we love pigs books so much? Because it’s so fun to give them human characteristics and love them in spite of their obvious flaws. This picture book has it all right: great text and fabulous pictures.
The story follows three sibling pigs who are playing the familiar game of “whoever can eat the most vegetables is the biggest pig.” The pigs eat the vegetable patch, rolled in the mud patch and brought mud back to the barnyard. When mama pig found them she she told them all that they did and sent them into the barn.
She followed them in and gave them big hugs and told them how proud she was of them!
I love pigs.
The Big Green
This is a good quality, everybody book with a focus on the color green. The illustrations make this book very appealing and will likely hold the attention of the youngest readers. The overall graphic lay-out, colorization, font and intrigues of text is a winning combination.
The story line the main character observing and looking for green and comparing the different places where you would find green The text reads with a variety of fun rhythm, cadence, some alliteration, etc. The text will hold the attention of young readers or those who are being read to.
Winning combination of text and illustrations. Recommended.
Princess Posey and the New First Grader
This is wonderful beginning chapter book, with a fabulous cover which will entice young readers with an infinity for feminine pictures and books. In this book Posey learns that she has a “cowlick” swirl in her hair and then she tries to tell a classmate that she has one, too. The classmate interprets this as calling her “cow lips”. The teacher helps to clairify the miscommunication and the girls play together happily at the end. This a great realistic fiction which I predict will hold beginning reader’s attention.
The Extraordinary Music of Mr. Ives
This is a wonderful story of the life of Mr. Ives, America’s greatest musical composer. It begins with his ability to find music in ordinary sounds, which will assist the young reader with relating their own experiences. During the year of 1915, Mr. Ives is impacted by the sinking of a passenger ship called The Lusitania, torpedoed by the enemy. As he waits with family members on the platform, for the surviving passengers to rejoin them, he begins to sing. Soon everyone is humming, singing a song which is healing and hopeful for the group. The power of music is astounding. From this he creates a piece From Hanover Square North, at the End of a Tragic Day, the Voice of the People Again Arose.
Included in the book are other pieces that he composed, such as Pocahontas for the Ballet. A paragraph of information of each piece, along with an illustration is the just the right balance of information for young readers. The back of the book, includes extensive information for adult readers to share. The further reading list and selected sources are obviously well researched. Great information shared in a great format. Well done!
Aztec Warriors
Dramatic illustrations will pull the young readers into the book. Images of the warriors in their war dress will lure people into the world of the Aztec Warrior. Captions and vocabulary words are included on the page that they have relevance and connection to. This should make for an easier interpretation for the reader. The only thing missing is a map. We need a map of the world which highlights the territory that the Aztec Warrior lived. This way the reader can compare and contrast based on where they are on the planet. This simple addition would meet many national and state learning standards, as well as be valuable to the reader.
EMT’s Tools
This nonfiction book does an exceptional job of explaining in clear language and pictures the duties of an EMT. The tools are included: ambulance, defibrillator, gurneys, oxygen masks etc. Pictures are included of each of these tools and an explanation of how the EMT uses the tools to help the patient. At the end of the book, There is a matching activity with the picture of the equipment and the words. Also included at True and False questions, and a glossary. Well done and recommended.
These Rocks Count!
This counting book has fabulous illustrations and uses the counting as a way to introduce information about rocks and their relationship to the environment and humans. Great information and superbly relates to a child’s world and will draw the reader in as the author guides us through a series of places and situations where the importance and purpose of rocks on in our world. In the back of the book, are an in-depth description of books that an adult could read to children or read and then discuss with children.
Recommended. I would like to purchase the entire series for my elementary library.
Skeleton for Dinner
The illustrations really make the book come alive with the spirit of the story line. Well done. The story begins with a couple of witches brewing a delicious pot and then concluded that they needed Skeleton for dinner. The main character, a skeleton, determines that the witches to eat him for dinner, not have him over for dinner. Off he goes, running through the grave yard while gathering friends who are in the invitation list and spreading the fear. Finally a crow helps to clarify the situation and all end up eating a wonderful dinner together!
Kit and Mateo Journey into the Clouds
This nonfiction book is told in a story format while teaching the concept of the water cycle. The main characters Kit and Mateo journey up to the clouds to learn the cycle of evaporation, cloud formation, and condensation. Included is information about the different types of clouds, a glossary, additional reading, index, internet sites and the encouragement of the reader to go outside and observe clouds!
The Coolest Inventors
The construction of this book is of the highest quality with exceptional binding and shiny, thick pages. This is greatly appreciated by school librarians. Great illustrations and appealing graphic design make this a book to pick up.
The text includes the history of Willis Carrier, the inventor of the air conditioner. Told of his personal and researching information about the creation of the first air conditioning units. Successes and Struggles, and his legacy are highlighted.
A section called, “You be the Inventor” encourages the reader to invent something based on an original idea that they have. Patents are discussed, and a Timeline, and Words to Know, and Learn More section with books and Web Sites are included.
The Symptoms of My Insanity
Izzy has issues: she has huge boobs that the boys tease her about mercilessly,her mother is hypercritical of her appearance, constantly implying that she looks slutty, and her best friend is acting totally weird. But none of that compares to the fact that her mother is hiding something. She had cancer – but she is better, isn’t she? And why is her bff acting so weird? Why is the hottest guy on the basketball team hanging around her? It seems like everyone is keeping something from Izzy. Her method to deal with everything is to look for symptoms and self-diagnose. If Izzy is sick, her mother will have to pay attention to her, and not just for her boobs, right? When a risque picture of her goes viral and her mother needs surgery, Izzy’s entire world falls down around her. There is a lot going on in this book. And the boys who make sure the picture is seen by everyone are not held accountable for what they do. But this book is about relationships and truth. Izzy is believable and readers will root for her to figure out what is going on around her and overcome the challenges that face her. Lots of humor here, but some serious issues as well. I wish the ending didn’t seem so pat.
The Dinosaur Tooth Fairy
The dinosaur tooth fairy has been lonely as it’s been a long, long time since the dinosaurs were around. She hangs around the natural history museum and sees a child who has just, at that moment, lost a tooth, and the dinosaur tooth fairy realizes she needs that tooth. She chases after the child, to her home, and has to wrestle the human tooth fairy for it. They compromise and the dinosaur tooth fairy gives the human tooth fairy a dinosaur tooth, and the dinosaur t.f. gets the human’s tooth. They are now bff’s. A little too much going on here and it’s confusing. It’s a difficult concept for kids to think of how long ago the dinosaurs actually lived, but then to add the tooth fairy to the mix is unnecessary.
Recentering the Universe: The Radical Theories of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton
This book explains the history of the theories of the universe. Miller provides a short segment on Egyptian and Babylonian cosmology before exploring the Greek theories that eventually formed the basis for Christian thinking on the geocentric view of the universe. These views became so fixed in church doctrine that anyone questioning the theories was deemed a radical and an enemy of the church.
Miller does an excellent job explaining the theories of the scientists who have considered the nature of the universe over time: Anaximander, Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, Brahe, Galileo, and Newton among others. The information is accessible even for those who are not well-versed in science. His emphasis, however, is on the courage the scientists of the Renaissance and later displayed in the face of condemnation by the church for their pursuit of knowledge. While many people are aware of Galileo’s trial, not as many know Copernicus, who died in 1543, was buried in an unmarked grave and the Catholic Church banned his book. His remains were not discovered until 2005 and he was finally given an honorable burial in 2010. Photographs, sidebars, a glossary and a list of additional resources provide even more information on the topic. This book was surprisingly interesting and would make a excellent addition to a school library’s nonfiction section.
A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return
This stark graphic novel tells the story of the residents of one building on a bombed out street in Beirut during the civil war in Lebanon. Two children are waiting at home for their parents to return from a visit to their grandmother’s house and when they don’t return, all of the residents of the building come down, one by one, to care for the children. They tell stories, look at wedding photos, make dinner – distract the children as best they can until their parents come home or there is news.
The book is illustrated in black and white, with angular characters and occasional photos or maps in the background. The events take place in the course of one night, although the reader sees the course of many events of the war through the stories of the inhabitants. Inspired by the story of the author’s family, this novel is compelling; I read it through quickly the first time to learn the fate of the residents. Then I went back and reread it, examining the drawings for the incredible details. I think the form and style will attract readers, who might otherwise never learn much about life in war-torn Beirut.
50 Successful University of California Application Essays
This reference focuses on how to write the scholarship application essay that will get you into one of the branches of the University of California. Not quite as easily accessible as other guides by the Tanabes, this is very definitely aimed at a different audience. The book begins with a chapter called “25 Essay Mistakes that Guarantee Failure,” followed by a question and answer chapter that has UC admissions officers responding to questions. The next 15 or so chapters include essays about different topics, such as literature, family, challenges, and more. Each essay is followed by an analysis which offers an excellent critique and pointers on what to do and not do. The last two chapters are full of advice on topics and writing from University of California students. Traditionally, there have not been many students in my building applying to UC schools, but the lessons in this guide should apply to any four year university.
Zen and Xander Undone
Zen (Athena) and Xander (Alexandria) are trying to deal with the death of their mother, with no help from their father who has withdrawn from his family and the world. Zen buries herself in her karate training and instruction; Xander, who has always been somewhat of a wild child, is now on a path of total destruction. One day, the girls receive a letter from their mother, which promises that there will be more letters and packages to come. What also arrives is a mystery. The girls find out that their mother had a secret, and since she isn’t there to ask, they decide to find out on their own. However, the closer they get to an answer, the less certain they are that they want to know.
The sisters are realistic and believable; their struggle to deal with their grief rings true. The supporting characters are interesting; it is a shame that their father is so crippled with grief that he is just a side character. There is some language and quite a bit of objectionable behavior; however, it is not gratuitous. It is Xander’s way of dealing with her grief and quite understandable, if misguided.
Definitely for grades 9+.