Tag: Nonfiction Monday Review

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Polar Bears Children’s Book Review

With animated polar bears in the news, some children might be interested in learning more about the real thing. Polar Bears (First Facts: Bears) by Molly Erin Kolpin is a good choice for first or second graders who want to learn more about these shaggy white bears and practice their reading skills at the same time.

Do polar bears hibernate like most other bears? I thought they did because I had seen videos of bears emerging from dens, but according to the book, polar bears do not hibernate. Most remain active through the winter. The exception, however, are expectant mothers. They dig dens in the snow where they sleep and have their young. It is much warmer inside the dens, which helps the young survive. And boy, those young polar bears are cute!

With color photographs, a range map, a glossary, an index and suggestions for places to find out more, Polar Bears is sure to suit youngsters wanting to learn about the mysterious big white bears, and please teachers and librarians as well.

Note for sensitive children:  there is one photograph of a polar bear biting a seal. It looks dead, but isn’t bloody.

Reading level: 1-2 IL: 1-3
Paperback: 24 pages
Publisher: Capstone Press (August 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1429671890
ISBN-13: 978-1429671897

Book provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. We invite you to join us. For more information and a schedule, stop by Booktalking to see who is hosting each week.

This week’s round-up is at Capstone Connect.

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A Stranger At Home: A True Story

A Stranger At Home: A True Story by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton with illustrations by Liz Amini-Holmes is a moving sequel to the memoir Fatty Legs by the same team. It was nominated for a 2011 Cybils award in the MG/YA nonfiction category.

In Fatty Legs, Margaret Pokiak is a young Inuit girl who is sent off to a Catholic “residential” school at the age of eight to learn English and the ways of another culture. A Stranger At Home follows the trials of her return home after two years away. Instead of the happy reunion she had long awaited, Margaret (whose Inuit name is Olemaun) finds her own mother doesn’t recognize her and that coming home again is not as easy as it seems it should be.

Christy Jordan-Fenton is Margaret Pokiak-Fenton’s daughter-in-law. She has done a marvelous job of capturing the first person voice of a young, scared Inuit who has been cut off from her roots. The dark-colored illustrations help maintain the atmosphere and the historical photographs fill out the setting.

Although this book takes up where Fatty Legs left off, it is really stands on its own as well. A Stranger At Home is a very readable book that stays with the reader even after the last page is done. Recommended for children interested in history, geography and other cultures.

Reading level: Ages 9 and up
Hardcover: 124 pages
Publisher: Annick Press (July 14, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1554513626
ISBN-13: 978-1554513628

Fatty Legs: A True Story by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, with illustrations by Liz Amini-Holmes

Book provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. We invite you to join us. For more information and a schedule, stop by Booktalking to see who is hosting each week.

This week’s round-up is at Wende’s Wanderings.

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A Leaf Can Be . . .

Are you excited about the unveiling of the Youth Awards at the Midwinter ALA? I can’t wait to see which books win, but I am also very excited about today’s book.

A Leaf Can Be . . . by Laura Purdie Salas would be almost guaranteed next year’s Caldecott if illustrator Violeta Dabija was an American. Alas, she is from the Republic of Moldova in eastern Europe. I guess there’s still the Sibert medal…

Yes, the mixed-media illustrations in this gorgeous picture book are of that caliber. Yes, the illustrations are definitely what draw you in. It is Laura Salas’ sublime poetry, however, that makes you want to read it again and again.

Salas reveals on her website that she was inspired to write the book by the adorable white Honduran tent bats that use large leaves for tent-like shelters each night. From that jumping off point, she researched many other uses for leaves. The leaf “jobs” she highlights are sure to lead to further discussions, ideas for activities, stories, and memories. Notes in the backmatter help fill in the details, but readers’ imaginations are likely to take it much further.

Take a look:

Poetry, science and gorgeous art all wrapped together. This book is sure to inspire and enthrall many young readers (and adults as well.)

A Leaf Can Be . . . is already getting a lot of well-deserved buzz, with a review today at Shelf-employed and another wonderful review by Jeff at NC Teacher Stuff. Although technically being released February 1, 2012, some retailers are already carrying it.

Edit: For leaf-related hands-on activities, see Growing With Science

Ages: 5-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Millbrook Pr Trade (February 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0761362037
ISBN-13: 978-0761362036

Review was based on an electronic copy provided by the publisher.

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. We invite you to join us. For more information and a schedule, stop by Booktalking to see who is hosting each week.

This week’s round-up is at Shelf-employed.

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Unraveling Freedom: The Battle for Democracy on the Home Front During World War I

Unraveling Freedom: The Battle for Democracy on the Home Front During World War I by Ann Bausum not only a summarizes domestic events during World War I, but also shows how these events parallel those from 9/11. The book brings to mind the quote from George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” It is a finalist for a 2011 Cybils award in the MG/YA nonfiction category. 

Starting with the sinking of the Lusitania, Bausum sets the stage for the United States entering World War I. Focusing on domestic events, she shows how a propaganda machine whipped up patriotism at the same time liberties were being curtailed, and anti-German sentiments were pumped up to the level where German language courses where discontinued at schools and people dumped German beer. Eventually it reached the point where it was illegal to speak out against the war, and suspicious individuals were jailed and even killed for doing little more than protesting.

In addition to the riveting text, the illustrations are outstanding as well. Bausum is fascinated with the political cartoons of the time, and the book includes several as illustrations, as well as a forward by editorial cartoonist Ted Rall. His two-page spread cartoon summarizes the thesis of the book. You can see more about political cartoons and how to use them for learning at Bausum’s website.

The book has extensive back matter for those who want to learn more.  It includes a “Guide to Wartime presidents”, a time line, research notes, resource guide, bibliography, and an index.

Unraveling Freedom is a thought-provoking book that can be useful on many levels. For example, would be an outstanding addition to a unit on World War I, an awesome resource for reports on U.S. History (including many extra details, such as an overview of President Woodrow Wilson’s later life), naval history (the sinking of the Lusitania) and even for a lesson on understanding political cartoons. It would also be informative for compare and contrast for lessons on 9/11.

Have you read Unraveling Freedom yet? What did you think of it?

Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Hardcover: 96 pages
Publisher: National Geographic Children’s Books (November 9, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426307020
ISBN-13: 978-1426307027

The book reviewed was my personal copy.

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. We invite you to join us. For more information and a schedule, stop by Booktalking to see who is hosting each week.

This week’s round-up is at Great Kid Books.