MIX N'MATCH MONDAY: Three World War II books (1 novel, 2 nonfiction)

PROJEKT 1065

A Novel of World War II

by Alan Gratz

Scholastic Press, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-545-88016-9

Middle Grade Historical Fiction

Ages 10-14

Source: purchased

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Infiltrate. Befriend. Sabotage.

World War II is raging. Michael O'Shaunessey, originally from Ireland, now lives in Nazi Germany with his parents. Like the other boys in his school, Michael is a member of the Hitler Youth.

But Michael has a secret. He and his parents are spies.

Michael despises everything the Nazis stand for. But he joins in the Hitler Youth's horrific games and book burnings, playing the part so he can gain insider knowledge.

When Michael learns about Projekt 1065, a secret Nazi war mission, things get even more complicated. He must prove his loyalty to the Hitler Youth at all costs -- even if it means risking everything he cares about.

Including... his own life.

From acclaimed author Alan Gratz (Prisoner B-3087) comes a pulse-pounding novel about facing fears and fighting for what matters most.

REVIEW

Alan Gratz has written a compelling story about a young man fighting for what he believes is right.  From the night he first witnessed the cruely of the Nazis, Michael has been doing his part to help the Allies defeat them. Joining the Hitler Youth and working with his spy mother, Michael gathers intel that is then sent on to the British.  But after helping rescue a downed British pilot and finding out about Projekt 1065.  When a fellow Hitler Youth who he helped escape a beating shows him part of the blueprints for an experimental jet airplane, Michael becomes determined to see the whole set of plans.  With his photographic memory, he believes just a few minutes with each of the twelve pages will allow him to pass the plans on to the British airman who will pass them on to the British.  But things get complicated as Michael discovers that his new found friend, Fritz has become part of a secret mission and he himself gets pulled deeper into the world of the Hitler Youth.  Themes of friendship, loyalties, and sacrifice shine through as Michael and his family have to make some really tough choices about the price they are willing to pay to help the Allies, maybe even their lives.  I wish I had more historical fiction like this in my library.  Books like this help history come alive along with telling a compelling, edge of your seat story.  I appreciated the notes the author makes at the end, highlighting the parts of the story that were real and the parts that aren't.  Gratz has created another powerful story about a time in the history of the world that left it's mark on all who were touched by it.

WE WILL NOT BE SILENT

The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler

by Russell Freedman

Clarion Books, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-544-22379-0

MG/YA Nonfiction

Ages 12 and up

Source: purchased

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In his signature eloquent prose, backed up by thorough research, Russell Freedman tells the story of Austrian-born Hans Scholl and his sister Sophie. They belonged to Hitler Youth as young children, but began to doubt the Nazi regime. As older students, the Scholls and a few friends formed the White Rose, a campaign of active resistance to Hitler and the Nazis. Risking imprisonment or even execution, the White Rose members distributed leaflets urging Germans to defy the Nazi government. Their belief that freedom was worth dying for will inspire young readers to stand up for what they believe in. Archival photographs and prints, source notes, bibliography, index.

REVIEW

I love to read Freedman's works.  He always does a fantastic job of telling important stories from history. And he tells them in such a readable fashion. The story of the White Rose movement is a particularly powerful story since it revolves around a group of young adults courageously standing up for what they believed in.  Hans Scholl and his sister Sophie, along with their friends enjoyed being part of the Hitler Youth, at least at first, they enjoyed the hiking and camping and other physical activities.  But after going to a large rally, Hans started to become uncomfortable with the unquestioning obedience and brainwashing that was such a big part of the Hitler Youth Program.  As Hans and Sophie grew up, they struggled with the contradictions around them and the contrast between their own beliefs and what Hitler and his Nazi party stood for.  After experiencing Gestapo tactics first hand, Hans became ever more doubtful of the Nazis.  At college, Hans and Sophie and their friends started writing, producing, and mailing leaflets around Germany, sharing what they saw as being very wrong with Hitler's beliefs and methods.  Even though they knew they were risking their lives, they could not bring themselves to be quiet about what was so very wrong in their country.  Freedman does a great job telling this compelling story of integrity and courage and sacrifice. When Hans and Sophie and others among their group got caught, they faced death with dignity and a firm belief in what they were doing.  And their example inspired others to carry the cause forward and produce more leaflets.  To this day, the White Rose movement in remembered and memorialized in several places in Germany.  An inspiring story of courage and the power of belief in the face of almost unbeatable odds.

HITLER'S LAST DAYS: 

The Death of the Nazi Regime and the World's Most Notorious Dictator

by Bill O'Reilly

Henry Holt & Co, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-62779-396-4

MG/YA Nonfiction

Ages 12 and up

Source: purchased

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

By early 1945, the destruction of the German Nazi State seems certain. The Allied forces, led by American generals George S. Patton and Dwight D. Eisenhower, are gaining control of Europe, leaving German leaders scrambling. Facing defeat, Adolf Hitler flees to a secret bunker with his new wife, Eva Braun, and his beloved dog, Blondi. It is there that all three would meet their end, thus ending the Third Reich and one of the darkest chapters of history.

Hitler's Last Days is a gripping account of the death of one of the most reviled villains of the 20th century—a man whose regime of murder and terror haunts the world even today. Adapted from Bill O’Reilly’s historical thriller Killing Patton, this book will have young readers—and grown-ups too—hooked on history.

REVIEW

Adolph Hitler is a name that is notorious worldwide.  Known as a man of great evil, who lead a regime that killed millions and lead to the death of millions more on the battle front, Hitler was a man of contradictions. While I've read quite a bit about World War II over the years, I've avoided reading much about Hitler himself, frankly, it makes me sick just thinking about the man.  However, I found this book, looking at the last 190 days of Hitler's life, rather fascinating.  Starting with Hitler's plans for a last all out assault that turned into the Battle of the Bulge and ending with his death and including a brief look at many aspects of the Nazi regime as well as the Allied leadership, O'Reilly and written a compelling account of an important time in the world's history and some of the key players.  I'm fascinated by this glimpse into a part of world history that continues to carry ramifications today and how well O'Reilly tells it.  If more history books were like this one, I think more young people would realize how important studying history is and how much we can learn from it.

MIX N'MATCH MONDAY: I Survived by Lauren Tarshis

I SURVIVED The Great Chicago Fire, 1871

by Lauren Tarshis, illustrated by Scott Dawson

Scholastic, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-545-65846-1

Ages 7-10

MG historical fiction

Source: purchased

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Oscar Starling never wanted to come to Chicago.  But then Oscar finds himself not just in the heart of the big city, but in the middle of a terrible fire!  No one knows exactly how it began, but one thing is clear: Chicago is like a giant powder keg about the explode.

An army of firemen is trying to help, but this fire is a ferocious beast that wants to devour everything in its path, including Oscar! Will Oscar survive one of the most famous and devastating fires in history?

REVIEW

This I survived series in one of the most popular series in my school library.  The quick moving action and appealing characters make this series an ideal way to introduce children to historical fiction.  Lauren Tarshis gets a great big thank you from me for starting this series.

For this book in particular I would say this is a nice addition to the series.  Disasters have long fascinated me and I know I'm not the only one.  Not because of the horrible things that happen, but because of the good things that people often do in the midst of them.  In many ways they are an ultimate test.  And that is exactly what Oscar faces his first day in Chicago.  He isn't happy to be there having spent his whole life on a farm in Minneosota.  But with his mother's remarriage they've come to Chicago.  Having his family's luggage stolen the minute they get there doesn't help his attitude any.  So when he sees a chance to get his father's old Sheriff's badge back, he takes it.  Only things go downhill quickly as the fire rushes through the city propelled by high wind conditions.

Oscar is an interesting characters with troubles that go beyond the fire, including the two street children he runs into and wants to help.  Sometimes disasters help reveal what's really important in life.

I SURVIVED True Stories: Five Epic Disasters

Tsunami, Blizzard, Tornado, Flood, Titanic

by Lauren Tarshis

Scholastic Press, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-545-78224-1

Ages 8-12

Source: purchased

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The New York Times bestselling I SURVIVED expands to include this thrilling nonfiction exploration of five true stories, from the Titanic to the Henryville Tornadoes.

I SURVIVED is the New York Times bestselling historical fiction series that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Now author Lauren Tarshis brings them 5 true stories in a narrative nonfiction companion that explores the real names behind history's greatest disasters. Including:
Into the Black Water: The Titanic, 1912
The Wave: The Japanese Tsunami, 2011
Out of the Tornado: Henryville, Indiana, 2013
The Great Molasses Flood of 1919
In the Path of the Avalanche!

REVIEW

I Survived True Stories is a fabulous companion to Tarshis's I Survived series.  This book highlights five major disasters through the eyes of one key witness.  While looking specifically at one person's experience she also manages to blend in facts about the bigger disaster and the effect on the communities that experienced it.  The disasters covered include a tsunami, blizzard, tornado, flood, and the sinking of the Titanic.  All of these should be of great interest to child readers.  At the end of each section, Tarshis has included photographs and notes from the time period and interesting facts she uncovered as well as some of the resources that she used in writing the book.  A great book that works well with middle grade readers who are fascinated by disasters and how people survive them.

MIX N' MATCH MONDAY: Owls, Owls, and more Owls!

Here are some great books about owls both fiction and nonfiction. I've been working on a unit about owls for one of my classes and her are some of the fabulous books I found.

FICTION:

Oola the Owl Who Lost her Hoot!
by Tim Bugird, illustrated by Clare Fennell
Make Believe Ideas, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-78065-487-4
Picture Book

A delightful book about a young owl who lost her hoot after playing all night.  She goes out to find it and learns an important lesson about sharing.  The darling illustrations and cute writing make this ideal for reading out loud.

LITTLE OWL'S NIGHT

by Divya Srinivasan
Viking, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-670-01295-4
Picture Book

LITTLE OWL'S DAY
by Divya Srinivasan
Viking, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-670-01650-1
Picture Book

These two books go hand in hand since the main character is the same.  In fact they work together fabulously for a compare and contrast activity. The stories revolve around Little Owl and his experiences exploring the world around him, once at night and once during the day.

NONFICTION

ADOPTED BY AN OWL
The True Story of Jackson the Owl
by Robbyn Smith van Frankenhuyzen
Illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
Sleeping Bear Press, 2001
Picture Book

A thoroughly fascinating story about the bond between a great horned owl and the family who rescued and raised him before returning him to the wild.  The gorgeous illustrations are the highlight here as the text is a bit word heavy for reading out loud.  But still a great story.


OWLS
by Laura Marsh
National Geographic Kids, 2014
978-1-4263-1743-9
Early Reader Nonfiction

A beautiful book with lots of great information as well as incredible photographs of owls.  The inclusion of jokes, a glossary, and a table of contents make this a great resource. The book also includes interesting facts, a diagram and a variety of different types of owls.

OWLS
by Gail Gibbons
Holiday House, 2005
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2014-8
Picture Book Nonfiction

Gail Gibbons once again manages to create a beautiful and informative book.  Her paintings are gorgeous and she includes fascinating information about owls.  A great addition to any library. Never ceases to amaze me how much information she manages to include in a short picture book.

OWLS
Animal Predators series
by Sandra Markle
Lerner, 2004
ISBN; 978-1-57505-745-3
Picture Book Nonfiction

Sandra Markle is another great nonfiction writer who writes in such an appealing understandable way that it's hard not to love her books.  Plus the photographs are amazing.

OWLS
Nocturnal Animals
by Mary R. Dunn
Capstone Press, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4296-7119-4
Picture Book Nonfiction

Capstone Press does an excellent job of creating nonfiction for the youngest readers.  With only a few sentences they convey a great deal of information that nicely complements the beautiful photographs.

Mix N' Match Monday: Triangle Waist Company Fire of 1911

There are some events that are forever etched in a person's memory.  Some of these events are individual, some of them involve a community.  And some events reside permanently in a country's memory.  These events may be tragedies like September 11th or triumphs like landing on the moon or bringing Apollo 13 home safely.  One such event occurred on March 25, 1911. A building fire. Now fires occur every day, what makes this one unique is the number of lives lost, needlessly lost one might say.  The 146 people (123 of them were girls) who died that day needn't have died if some simple precautions had been taken.  At the time however, laborers had few rights and in fact were treated in many cases like dirt.  The following books take a look at this event and the circumstances that preceded it and what happened afterward.  The first two books I highlight below are nonfiction, the final two are fiction.

Garment workers in the early part of the twentieth century had few rights.  They were paid poorly and treated poorly.  Forced to work twelve or more hours a day for barely a few dollars a week, they were regularly fined for mistakes both real and imagined.  Most of these workers worked in poorly lighted, accident prone environments.  These conditions resulted in workers facing disease, disability, or in some cases, death.  Many workers finally had enough and decided to stand together and form a union.  Leaders from organizations such as the American Federation of Labor, the Women's Trade Union League, as well as various woman's suffrage organizations got involved.  A general strike was called for and thousands of workers walked off the job. After months of negotiations, arrests, beatings, and meetings the strikers received promises of better working conditions, wages, and hours.  Unfortunately, many of the bigger factories soon went back on their word.  Some strikers did not even get their jobs back.  While things improved for some workers, the changes were small.

The Triangle Fire changed the labor movement forever.  The fire is thought to have started in a basket of fabric castoffs, caused by a careless smoker.  Regardless, the conditions on the top three floors of the Asch building where the Triangle factory was located were such that the fire spread rapidly.  Most workers on the eighth floor were able to escape down stairs and the still working elevators.  Most on the tenth floor also escaped by climbing to the roof and across to the neighboring building.  Many on the ninth floor, however, were trapped.  The heat from the fire disabled the elevators.  The fire escape collapsed. And one of the only two sets of stairs were inaccessable because of a locked door.  Some workers were burned to death, others desperate to escape the fire, chose to jump out the windows.  The firefighters were unable to assist, their ladders were too short and the height of the building too much.  All who jumped died on impact. This all occurred in only a half an hour.

The families of those who died received no real compensation and the owners of the factory were not found guilty of neglect.  The horror of the event did lead to governmental investigations into factory conditions and new laws being passed requiring fire drills and other safety practices to be implemented.

We Stand as One: The International Ladies Garment Workers Strike, New York, 1909
written by Laura B. Edge

Twenty-First Century Books, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7613-4609-8
Grades 9 and up
Reviewed from personal copy.

This book covers the beginning of the large strike and the dangers that led to the strike in the first place. The fire is touched on in the last chapter, detailing the facts and the results.  The writing is superb and well organized.  The great writing creates a vivid and tension-filled account of an important time in U.S. history. The photographs really add to the presentation.  There are quotes from individuals involved in the strike.  Generally the quotes and experiences shared come from the better educated and wealthy individuals who got involved, which makes sense since they were better educated and more likely to be interviewed in the newspapers.  A great resource on the power of unity and women and an important time in U.S. history that still resonates today.

Flesh & Blood so Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy 
by Albert Marrin
Alfred A. Knopf, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-375-86889-4
Grades 7 and up
Reviewed from personal copy.

 In this National Book Award Finalist, Marrin provides a thorough overview of the conditions and events that lead up to and contributed to the Triangle Waist Company fire.  He also discusses what happened afterwords and how it might have been prevented.  He goes on to highlight the fact that such sweatshops and factories are still with us today, both inside and outside the United States.  He makes it clear that the labor movement is far from over. He also looks at both sides of the issue, those who support such shops and those who do not. This can leave the impression that sweatshops do have a place in society, but I don't think that is what he was trying to say.  I believe he was just showing why people work in such factories and shops.  I did find it a bit jarring to leap from the early 1900s all the way to present day.  It would have been nice to have more information on what happened in between the two time periods.  I appreciated the numerous quotes and stories of real people who were there.  In fact the most powerful part of this book are the quotes from eyewitnesses.  

Uprising
written by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-4169-1171-5
Grades 7 and up
Reviewed from personal copy.

One of the nice things about fiction is that it allows the writer to insert emotion and depth into the story they are telling.  Haddix does a great job of that in this book.  The story follows three young women living in New York in 1911, whose lives slowly intertwine. Jane is the daughter of a wealthy businessman and has been sheltered and pampered her whole life, but she finds going to tea parties and wearing fancy clothes does not satisfy her.  When she finds out about the garment workers strike it catches her attention. Eventually she runs away and finds out what life is really like for the garment workers.  Yetta and her sister, Rahel, are both garment workers involved in the strike.  They are immigrants from Russia trying to save enough money to help their families come to the United States.  Yetta stands firmly with the strikers even when it results in beatings and arrest.  Bella is a recent immigrant from Italy, come to the United States to earn money to save her family from starvation.  Only when she meets Yetta and Jane does she start to understand that there are some things worth fighting and sacrificing for.  All three girls are caught up in the fire.  What makes this book so powerful I think is how real each of these characters becomes.  It is easy to visualize each of the three girls very distinctly.  The setting is so real one can almost see the crowds and smell the sewage.

Threads and Flames
by Esther Friesner
Viking, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-670-01245-9
Grades 7 and up
Reviewed from personal copy. 

While not quite as emotionally  powerful as Haddix's Uprising, Friesner still creates characters and setting that are believable.  I became quite attached to Raisa, Brina, Gavrel, and the rest.  Raise comes to America to escape her Jewish Shtetl.  She plans to meet up with her sister, Henda, in New York.  But when she gets there with a young girl she has taken under her wing, she finds her sister missing.  Frantically, Raisa looks for her sister, but first she must find a place to live and a job to support herself and Brina.  She meets Gavrel, a garment worker and a rabbi in training.  She moves in with his family and finally finds work in a sweatshop.  With her dreams of an education and finding her sister, Raisa must find a way past the terrible conditions and mind-numbing, exhausting work at the Triangle Waist Company.  And then the fire occurs and the life Raisa's has dreamed about hangs in the balance.  Friesner does a fine job telling Raisa's story.

All four of these books provide a look at a time period that has heavily influenced not only the position of labor unions but the status of women. 

Nonfiction Monday & Mix N' Match Monday: Antarctica

For this upcoming school year, I am using this year's summer reading theme, "One World, Many Stories." As part of that I am paying particular attention to books that take place around the world.  Today I am sharing some books that highlight the continent of Antarctica, a place few of us will ever see in person. After reading these books, I am more than willing to let others visit the place, while I stay at home wrapped up in a cozy blanket and read about it.

Shackleton's Stowaway
by Victoria McKernan
Laurel Leaf Books, 2005
Grades 5 and up
Reviewed from purchased copy.

Blurb: 

On October 26, 1914, Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance set sail from Buenos Aires in pursuit of the last unclaimed prize in exploration: the crossing of the Antarctic continent. The crew stood on deck to watch the city fade away. All but one.

Eighteen-year-old Perce Blackborow hid below in a locker. But the thrill of stowing away with the legendary explorer would soon turn to fear. Within months, the Endurance, trapped and crushed by ice, sank. And even Perce, the youngest member of the stranded crew, knew there was no hope of rescue. If the men were to survive in the most hostile place on earth, they would have to do it on their own.(http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1090465.Shackleton_s_Stowaway)

This book is a fictionalized version of Shackleton's and his crew's year and a half ordeal near Antarctica (they never actually landed on the continent itself).  The author does a great job giving the reader a feel for what it may have been like to be there.  At the end of the book she explains why she presented things the way she did.  A great survival story that shows that no matter how powerful we humans think we are, mother nature is more powerful.

These next two books are both nonfiction accounts of the survival of Shackleton and his crew.  It was interesting to read them and compare their strengths and weaknesses.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance
by Jennifer Armstrong
Crown Publishers, Inc. 1998
Grades 6 and up
Reviewed from purchased copy.

Armstrong does a superb job of telling this true story.  A survival story that rivals any ever made up. The author clearly did her homework, as the bibliography clearly shows.  I appreciate that she used as many primary sources as she could get her hands on.  I might have wished for more photographs, but the ones that are included make the story that much more real.  The photos taken of the destruction of the ship are especially powerful.  This version is more appropriate for older students, simply because of the amount of detail.

Ice Story: Shackleton's Lost Expedition
by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Clarion Books, 1999.
Grades 3-6
Reviewed from purchased copy.

The strengths of this book are the readability of the text and the numerous photographs.  The photographs really help the reader appreciate the pickle that Shackleton and his crew found themselves in.  This is the book that I plan to share with my fifth graders, simply because it's so readable.  I did notice that some of the things the author includes don't quite line up with other accounts.  However most of these things are minor and the inconsistencies are to be expected based on the sources used.  Plus, no group of people, even those who experience the same thing, are going to see or experience it in exactly the same way. Recommended.

Note: For another great book about Antarctica (science-based) see here.

Nonfiction Monday is a great way to find out about nonfiction books for kids.  Head on over to Amy O'Quinn for today's round-up.

Mix N'Match Monday: Lost Children of Sudan

There are some stories that need to be told regardless of how sad or horrifying they might be.  The challenge becomes even harder when the stories are being told to children.  How much should one include? What details are necessary and what can be left out without changing the story too much? And what about stories that involve extreme violence and severe suffering?  How best to tell the story? These questions can be debated over and over again because there is no one right answer.  No two authors will present the same story in the same way.

I have a hard time reading books that get really graphic.  I know that if the book makes me sick to my stomach that I will never be comfortable sharing it. But today I'm highlighting two books that tell stories that involve children facing war and starvation.  One book is fiction, but based on a true story and the other is nonfiction. Both books do a good job of telling the story the way it was/is without getting overly graphic.

A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story
by Linda Sue Park
Clarion Books, 2010
Grades 4-8
Reviewed from purchased copy.

This book follows two main characters, Nya, a child living in Southern Sudan, who must spend every day walking to and from a pond bringing water to her family, and Salva, who twenty-three years earlier became a refugee when his village was attacked by soldiers from the north.  The story about Salva is the longer of the two and follows the eleven-year-old as he runs from his school and must somehow cross hundreds of miles of desert, swamp, and forest to reach safety.  After six years in the refugee camp, Salva faces terror once again as the Ethiopian soldiers force all the Sudanese refugees back into Sudan, killing hundreds in the process.  But Salva finds the strength and hope to survive and becomes a leader among what has become known as the Lost Boys of the Sudan.  These boys were orphans who struggled to survive on their own.  Some of these boys were able to find a way to not only survive, but to help those left behind.  Salva's story intersects with Nya's in an interesting way, showing that the efforts of one can have a far-reaching effect.

While the book does explain some of the horrors that the Lost Children of the Sudan and the other refugees faced, it does not do so in a graphic way, and the story is not about despair or violence, it's about hope, which makes the book great to share with students who face their own challenges.

Lost Boy, Lost Girl: Escaping Civil War in Sudan
by John Bul Dau and Martha Arual Akech with Michael S. Sweeney and K.M. Kostyal
National Geographic, 2010.
Grades 4-8
Reviewed from purchased copy.

John and Martha, as children growing up in Sudan in the 1980s, both find themselves caught in the midst of a growing civil war.  Both are forced to flee their homes, and travel hundreds of miles on foot, suffering thirst, hunger, and sickness, in order to find safety in Ethiopia.  But their refuge proves only temporary, when a new government takes charge of Ethiopia, the refugees are violently forced back into Sudan, where war still rages.  Both John and Martha find the courage and hope to survive despite their awful circumstances.  And both John and Martha survive to build better lives for themselves.

The book does describe many violent acts, including deaths through animals and warfare, but they are not graphically portrayed.  If you decide to use the book in a classroom, you'll want to pre-read to make sure the material is appropriate for your students.  The story is a powerful one, about survival, hope, and the difference that one person or group of people can make.

I highly recommend both of these books, but please read before sharing with your children.  This type of story is not appropriate for all children.

Mix N' Match Monday: Vietnam

I love reading books about other places and cultures, but for the most part I consider myself an armchair explorer.  I read about the adventures and experiences of others while sitting at home on my own comfortable couch.  But books like the ones I am sharing today make me want to pack my bags and take a trip to experience some of the sights and sounds so beautifully described.  These books talk about war however and I am more than willing to skip that part.

Inside Out & Back Again
by Thanhha Lai
HarperCollins, 2011
Grades 3-6
Reviewed from purchased copy.

Ha has spent all of her ten years in Saigon (Vietnam).  She knows the markets, she does well in school, and she loves the papaya tree that she planted behind her family's house.  But the war is creeping ever closer and her mother struggles to provide enough food. As it becomes apparent that Saigon will fall to the Communist North, Ha and her family make a painful choice to flee the country in hopes of finding refuge.  When they land in America things seem to be working out, but as Ha struggles to adapt to a new language, a new religion, new climate, and new food, she wonders if it wouldn't have been better to stay in Vietnam. And what about the father she has never met who went missing nine years earlier?

Usually I am not a big fan of novels written in free verse.  I like my poetry to be poetry and my stories to be prose.  But I have had the privilege of reading this book and several others that have convinced me that done right, free verse can be particularly powerful.  This story is based on the author's experiences as a child and maybe that's why they are so realistic.  I promise you will not be able to read this book without feeling compassion for Ha and her family.  You will cheer for their successes and feel discomfort at the poor treatment they receive from many.  The book provides a thought-provoking look at a topic (immigration) that remains controversial still.  Highly recommended.  For another look at life in Saigon before and during the invasion try the following book.

Escape from Saigon: How a Vietnam War Orphan Became an American Boy
by Andrea Warren
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2004.
Grades 3-6
Reviewed from purchased copy.

This is the true story of a young Ameriasian boy finds a new family in the United States.  Being the son of a Vietnamese woman and an American man puts Long in a difficult position.  Because of the war, many do not see Americans with an unbiased eye.  When Long loses his mother and his grandmother can no longer support him, he goes to live in an orphanage run by a nonprofit organization from the United States.  As the Communists get ever closer it, Holt International (the group running the orphanage) decides they must get the children out without delay (most of the children have been placed for adoption).  The book follows the remarkable operation known as Babylift which helped get over two thousand children out of Saigon before the Communists arrived.  The rest of the story follows Long's (Matt) experiences in adjusting to a new family and a new life.

This book beautifully compliments Inside Out & Back Again, giving the reader a glimpse of the Vietnam War from the perspective of a child.  It also reveals that some good things were done by Americans as well as all the bad things we always here about happening during that war.  The writing is clear and crisp and perfect for reading out-loud.  This book gives the reader, especially a child reader, a chance to see some of the things that children experience around the world, and hopefully better appreciate the good things about living in the United States.

Mix N' Match Monday: Hurricanes

I guess today is my day to highlight disaster books.  For Nonfiction Monday, I highlighted tornadoes and for Mix N' Match Monday, I am highlighting hurricanes.

Storm Runners
by Roland Smith
Scholastic Press, 2011
Grades 3-6
Reviewed from personal copy.

Storm Runners is the first in a new trilogy by Roland Smith.  After his mother and sister's deaths, as well as his father's brush with death, Chase travels around the country with his father, offering 'help' to those whose property is damaged by natural disasters of various kinds.  Chase doesn't think that helping people prepare for storms for free and then charging to help repair the damage afterwords is very ethical.  This time he and his father head down to Florida in preparation for a big hurricane that has been forecast.  Chase stays with the trailer and semi-truck while his father and Tomas head to the city that seems to be the hurricane's target.  Chase discovers to his surprise that he is staying at an animal park where circus animals are kept and cared for.  He befriends Nicole, the manager's daughter and helps organize the place.  Chase and Nicole are on their way home from school on a bus when Hurricane Emily strikes. When the bus gets tossed around by the hurricane, Chase, Nicole, and Rashawn must brave the storm to try to reach safety.

Like many of Smith's books, this one presents a survival situation where the main character must use his/her wits to survive.  The book provides just enough tension to make the reader want to finish the book and find out what happens to Chase and his new found friends.  Being the first of a trilogy, however, means that the book ends on a cliffhanger.  Chase's situation presents the reader with a glimpse into just how terrifying and dangerous hurricanes really are. Recommended for those who like survival stories.

This next book, as nonfiction, takes the reader into the science of hurricanes and into the path of Hurricane Katrina as experienced by the author, a newspaper reporter.

Hurricane Force: In the Path of America's Deadliest Storms
by Joseph B. Treaster
Kingfisher, 2007
Grades 5 and up
Reviewed from personal copy.

As a reporter, Treaster's job required him to head not away from Hurricane Katrina, but right into the heart of it.  After the storm, he was asked to turn his experiences into a book, which he has done.  The result is a quite readable book about Hurricane Katrina and the science and tracking of hurricanes in general.

He starts with a brief look at the history of hurricanes and the human reactions to them.  He follows that up by talking about some of his own experiences with hurricanes and the horrific damage they do.  Then he explores the science of hurricanes and the technology developed to monitor and study them, including the dangerous job of flying into the heart of hurricanes.  He moves on to discuss the ways that people react to hurricanes, everything from evacuation to sitting it out.

This book provides a very readable account of what it's like to live through and study hurricanes, as well as giving an introduction to the nature of hurricanes.  The book would make a nice complement to a study of the weather by giving students a spectator's eye view of this most devastating of storms.  The photographs, charts, diagrams, and sidebars provide supporting information. Recommended to those who like me are fascinated with the weather.

Mix N' Match Monday: Jeff Corwin

It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted anything, it seems that good habits are hard to keep up and bad habits are easy to keep going.  But with this post I hope to get back to a regular schedule, despite the stresses that pile up at the end of every school year. Today, I will be highlighting books by or about the TV naturalist Jeff Corwin. I'll start with the fiction series.

Junior Explorer Series
by Jeff Corwin
Puffin Books, 2009.
Grades 2-4
Reviewed from personal copies.

This new series follows the travels and nature discoveries of Benjamin and Lucy Baxter. In book one, Benjamin and Lucy travel to New York City to visit their cousin Gabe.  While touring the city, Benjamin and Lucy show Gabe a side of New York that he has never noticed before, revealing that the natural world is never to far away, even in an urban environment. 

Book two finds Benjamin and Lucy traveling to Alaska with their mother, a biologist, and father, an ecologist.  While their mother conducts some research, Benjamin and Lucy begin to discover some of the wildlife and habitat that make Alaska so unique.  They experience what it's like to see a brown bear cub and bald eagle in the wild.  They also get to see a glacier up close. 

Book three sends Benjamin and Lucy and their cousin Gabe off camping in the southwest where they experience the unpredictability of weather and wildlife.  After a rough start to their vacation, involving a scorpion and getting rained out. Benjamin, Lucy, and Gabe find petroglyphs, a Gila monster, and white lizards making their trip to New Mexico well worth the effort.

These books are fun, light reads, perfect for students fascinated with the natural world.  Corwin does a nice job of seamlessly integrating information about each of the environments the kids visit into the story, allowing the reader to experience the excitement of discovering things on one's own.  The author's passion for the natural world shines through and urges the reader to a greater appreciation of the natural world.

Jeff Corwin: A Wild Life
by Jeff Corwin
Puffin Books, 2009.
Grades 2-4
Reviewed from personal copy.

Jeff's passion for the natural world developed at a young age.  At the age of six he discovered snakes, scaring his family when he came into the house with a garter snake's teeth sunk into his arm. He didn't want to let it go for fear he would never see it again.  He's had a special affinity for snakes ever since.  He started studying nature both in and out side of the house.  He put aquariums all over his bedroom so he could study the critters he brought home.  But like all of us, Jeff had his struggles too, school was not easy nor did he feel he really fit in with the other kids, being overweight. In high school he discovered theater, from which his television career developed.

With so many biographies written to be used for reports, it's very refreshing to find one that provides a fun and entertaining look at its subject. This book is very readable and the photographs included provide a glimpse of some of the adventures Jeff has been on (my favorite is the picture of him 'sleeping' next to a rhino.) Highly recommended, especially for students who think biographies have to be boring and about dead people.

Animals and Habitats of the United States
by Jeff Corwin
Puffin Books, 2009.
Grades 2 and up
Reviewed from personal copy.

And last, but not least, we have this book about the wildlife and habitats of four different ecosystems of the United States.  The author starts by explaining what an ecosystem is (a house where all the parts work together) in a very straightforward way. I get tired sometimes of books that use a lot of scientific jargon, but Corwin's books are very readable and easy to understand. The four ecosystems covered are Yellowstone, Monterey Bay, The Sonoran Desert, and The Everglades.

In each chapter, the reader is provided with descriptions of both the habitat and some of the wildlife that live there.  Corwin does an excellent job of showing the reader how the different plants and animals each contribute to the uniqueness of the habitat.  Not only is this book easy to read but the attractive layout and photographs add a lot to the overall package.  Highly recommended.

These books would be great to use with kids, in a classroom or out.  In addition to the fascinating information about the natural world, they provide a glimpse into what it's like to live your dream and follow your passion.  It's easy to forget sometimes why we do some of the things we do. Enjoy!

Mix N' Match Monday: Oil Spills

It's been nearly a year since the Gulf Coast Oil Disaster.  Unfortunately, for the people, plants, and animals that live along that coast, the disaster is far from over.  At best it will take years, even decades, for the ecosystem to even begin to recover.  Despite the best efforts of thousands of people, the ecosystems involved will never truly be the same.  It is hard to help students understand a disaster of this magnitude.  But here are a couple of books that do a decent job of helping students understand what happened.

Roscoe and the Pelican Rescue
by Lynn Rowe Reed
Holiday House, 2011
Grades K-5
Reviewed from personal copy

Tony is thrilled to be visiting his cousin Addison for the summer.  He especially wants to visit the beach.  But his cousin and her family live in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast Oil Spill has forced the closure of the beach.  Tony and Addison are horrified when, Roscoe, Addison's dog, finds an oil-covered pelican on the beach.  With the help of Addison's parents and a local rescue operation, the pelican's are cleaned and released into an uncontaminated ecosystem.

This book gives the reader a glimpse into the devastation caused by the oil spill.  The writing does a good job of sounding like a child facing something he/she doesn't really understand.  The illustrations also have a very childlike feel to them, which I think, is the point.  The book seems like it could have been written and illustrated by a child, giving a child's point-of-view.  This book could provide a discussion starter or a good introduction to the more detailed book that I review below.

Oil Spill! Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico
by Elaine Landau
Millbrook Press, 2011
Grades 3 and up
Reviewed from copy provided by publisher through NetGalley

Landau presents a pretty balanced overview of the disaster.  She starts by giving an overview of what caused the disaster.  She follows that up by explaining how BP and others worked to stop the leak and clean up the mess.  The devastating effects of the spill are presented, the photos in this section are especially powerful. The last chapters discuss what has been done by the thousands of volunteers to help the plants, animals, and people hurt in the disaster.  At the end, the author lists several things that children can do to help and a brief history of other major oil spills.

The strengths of this book include the clear writing, the diagrams, and most of the photographs.  The cover is especially powerful I think.  I also appreciated the map which aids the reader in understanding just how big the disaster was/is.  The brief history of past oil spills that helps put this disaster in perspective and allows the reader compare this oil spill to others of a similar size.  This could also lead to research into recovery strategies. The glossary, source notes, index, and further reading lists are appreciated.  The resources listed are mostly age appropriate.

The book does have a few weaknesses. First, there is the suggestion that President Obama is the one who came up with the idea of exploring alternative energy sources.  Alternative energy sources have been explored for decades and will continue to be long into the future. One of the main problems with alternative energy is the costs involved for the benefit received, but this is mentioned only indirectly.  Another problem is that the photographs that were clearly taken under water are confusing, it's hard to tell what is what.  More detailed labeling would have helped.

All in all the book presents a clearly organized and easy to follow description of the disaster and some of the consequences that all of us will have to live with, most especially the plants, animals, and people who live along the Gulf Coast.

Mix N' Match Monday: Bangladesh

With my geography background, I find books about other countries fascinating.  Not having traveled to many of the places I read about, however, I sometimes have a hard time always knowing how accurate the portrayals of people and cultures are.  So when I find a book by an author who has lived in and experienced the culture he or she is writing about especially refreshing.

Rickshaw Girl
by Mitali Perkins, illustrated by Jamie Hogan
Charlesbridge, 2007.
ISBN: 978-1-58089-308-4
Grades 2-5
Reviewed from personal copy

The blurb from the book says:

Naima loves to create the traditional alpana patterns Bangladeshi women and girls paint in their homes for special celebrations.  Her designs are always the best in her village.  But Naima wishes she could help earn money for her family.  Her friend Saleem can drive his father's rickshaw.  "If only I had been born a boy, she thinks."

Mitali Perkins brings Naima quickly to life by showing us her love for alpana.  But her impulsiveness leads to disaster, which causes her to abandon her passion, but her determination helps her find a way to help her family.  Perkin's words flow freely and easily allowing the reader to focus on the story itself.  The black and white illustrations add a delicate touch, giving the reader a feel for the art of alpana.  Match this book up with the following book for a quick look into the lives of girls in another culture.

Bangladesh
by David Cummings
Cherrytree Books, 2006.
ISBN: 978-1-84234-255-8
Grades 2-5
Reviewed from library copy

Cummings presents a brief overview of the life of a young Bangladeshi girl, Sabrina. Sabrina and her family live in a rural community in the northeast corner of the country.  The book presents very general information about the climate, population, and living conditions of Bangladesh.  The focus is on the girl and her family's lifestyle including food, shopping, school, and work and play.  The book is not intended to give a complete historical or geographical background on the country, nor is it intended to be a guidebook.  It is intended to give the young reader a brief glimpse into the lifestyle of a child in a different country and it does that quite satisfactorily.

Mix N'Match Monday: A Pet Skunk?!

I missed blogging on Friday, I guess I was just too tired after running a book fair all week and two Praxis tests to take the next day (not one of my better decisions).  But here are a couple of books to share with kids who are into atypical pets.

A Pet for Petunia
by Paul Schmid
HarperCollins, 2011.
ISBN: 9780061963315
Grades K-2
Reviewed from personal copy.

Petunia wants a pet, but not just any pet.  She wants a skunk (a live one, not a stuffed one like the one she carries around for almost the whole book).  Her parents are naturally horrified by this, but Petunia is persistent.  She promises to feed it and brush it and be responsible for it.  Her parents tell her that skunks stink, but this does not seem to phase her.  Will her opinion change once she runs into a skunk for real?  I'll let you read and find out.  I must admit the twist at the end surprised me.  In a fun way of course, I laughed out loud catching the attention of a teacher walking by.  This is a delightful book, perfect for sharing with young readers who desperately want pets of their own.  The pictures provide a nice complement to the humorous text. There are few children who won't be able to relate to Petunia.  However, you may wish to combine this book with this next one, in order to discourage students from wanting skunks of their own.

Skunks
by Sandra Markle
Lerner Publishing Group, 2007.
ISBN: 9780822564379
Grades K-5
Reviewed from personal copy.

Sandra Markle has a gift for writing nonfiction like a storybook. I especially appreciate the fact that her writing matches the illustrations to perfection.  I find it very irksome to be reading a nonfiction book in which the illustrations don't match what the author is describing.  That is not a problem in Markle's books.  This particular book is part of a series called Animal Prey.  Each book focuses on a different animal prey.  Markle introduces us to the life of a skunk, what it eats, where it sleeps, and how it deals with predators.  All the information needed to get a good overall picture of the life of a skunk is presented, but it is presented in a narrative which is great for reading silently or out loud.  I have several of Markle's books in my library and my students love them. Highly recommended.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that Markle does not ignore the more gruesome aspects of life in the wild.  There is nothing overly graphic in this book but the books on predators generally depict these awesome hunters doing what they do best.

Mix N'Match Monday: Mysterious Messages

Code Talkers: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War II
by Joseph Bruchac
Dial Books, 2005
Grades 5 and up
Reviewed from copy borrowed from school library.

Native Americans have long been under appreciated, along with African Americans and other minority groups, for the contributions they have made to the development and survival of the United States.  During World War II as the war in the Pacific was heating up, the Americans desperately needed a way to send and receive messages that the Japanese couldn't intercept and interpret.  The Navajo language offered the best solution. 

This historical fiction novel follows the experiences of Ned Begay as told to his grandchildren many years after the fact.  He starts by explaining his experiences at a boarding school where the teachers did everything they could to strip the students of their Navajo identity.  Ned survives by becoming the model student, on the outside, but sneaking around with some of the other students, he manages to keep his language skills.  Later, as he works his way through high school dealing with racist treatment all the way.  But he decides he wants to serve his country.  He convinces his parents to let him join the Marines at the age of sixteen.  He becomes a code talker and used his language skills to communicate through some of the worst fighting of World War II. 

A fascinating look at a part of history that is often overlooked, directing well-deserved attention to those who provided a vital service at an important time in our history.  Bruchac does a fine job of honoring those who have so long deserved the recognition.  The detail he provides gives the reader an idea of the horrific loss of life that occurred during World War II.  The writing is solid, just like Ned Begay.  This book combines well with a nonfiction book about the history of codes and the sending of coded messages.

Mysterious Messages: A History of Codes and Ciphers
by Gary Blackwood
Dutton Children's Books, 2009.
Grades 5 and up
Reviewed from personal copy.

Sending secret messages is a interesting topic for most kids.  This book provides a great introduction to the topic and provides plenty of opportunities to practice one's deciphering skills. Blackwood starts with Ancient Greece and the first hidden messages. He then goes through a variety of strategies used over the last several thousand years, including the Navajo code talkers.  A well written, fascinating study of an always popular topic.  For those who have the time, I recommend deciphering the codes from each chapter.

These two books provide an interesting way for teachers to show students that history is anything but boring.  It would be fun to see how fast the students could decode some of the messages.