Turning Point Inventions: The Lightbulb

Turning Point Inventions: The Lightbulb

Written by: Joseph Wallace

"This engaging book begins by describing life without light bulbs. It then recounts Thomas Edison’s fascinating experiments as he met the challenge to create a simple, light-weight, movable, smokeless, noiseless, cheap, steady, and bright source of light. Several foldouts show details of lightbulb development."

Notable Trade Books for Social Studies Online

Online Resources:
http://www.nps.gov/edis/forkids/index.htm
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledison.htm

Robert Fulton: From Submarine to Steamboat

Robert Fulton: From Submarine to Steamboat

Written by: Steven Kroll
Illustrated by: Bill Farnsworth

"This concise, beautifully illustrated biography describes the life and work of the inventor who developed the steamboat and made it a commercial success."

Notable Trade Books for Social Studies Online

Online Resources:
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blfulton.htm
http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/fulton.html

Extraordinary Women of the American West

Extraordinary Women of the American West

Written by: Judy Alter

"This book chronicles the exploits and achievements of more than fifty women in the past and present of America's West, including the guide and interpreter Sacajawea, journalist Jessie Benton Fremont, and author Willa Cather."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://www.judyalter.com/
http://www.prs.tcu.edu/staff_judy.html

At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess in Victorian England

At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess in Victorian England

Written by: Walter Dean Myers

Upper Elementary, Junior High Grades

"Myers pieces together bits of history and letters to form a unique and dramatic mosaic: the life of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a seven-year-old African (Egbado) princess saved by an English naval officer from a rival tribe's ritual sacrifice in 1850. Sarah is brought to England, where Queen Victoria puts the girl under her protection until Sarah's marriage. The queen also acted as godmother to Sarah's first child and met and corresponded with Sarah throughout her life. Through Sarah's story, Myers offers insights into Victorian attitudes and society and examines the flow of people and ideas between England and Africa during the period. The inclusion of passages from Sarah's correspondence helps bring her to life, and Sarah's photo on the jacket brings readers face-to-face with this remarkable young woman. An intriguing biography as well as an unusual source for those interested in British or African history."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=1036_type=Book_typeId=3965
http://www.scholastic.ca/titles/athermajestysrequest/

Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea

Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea

Written by: Greg Mortonson
Illustrated by: Susan Roth

Elementary Grades

"Best-selling author Mortenson told his remarkable story in the adult book Three Cups of Tea (2006). After getting lost while trying to climb the mountain K2, he found himself in a Pakistani village. This, as it turned out was the beginning of a different journey. Here Mortenson and Roth retell his remarkable story through the eyes of Pakistani children. After being rescued and nursed to health by the villagers, Mortenson wonders what he can do to thank them. Advised by a wise elder to “listen to the wind,” Mortenson becomes aware of children’s voices, children he has helped teach during his convalescence, and he decides to build them a school. The steep terrain and remote setting present nearly overwhelming obstacles, but finally, the school is opened with great celebration. The picture-book narrative successfully compresses Mortenson’s story by focusing on the elements most important to children: the stranger’s appearance, the drama of the construction, the happy conclusion."

Book List Review

Online Resources:
http://www.threecupsoftea.com/

Sarah Emma Edmonds Was a Great Pretender: The True Story of a Civil War Spy

Sarah Emma Edmonds Was a Great Pretender: The True Story of a Civil War Spy

Written by: Carrie Jones
Illustrated by: Mark Oldroid

"Sarah Emma Edmonds started pretending at a very early age. Her father only wanted sons, so Sarah pretended to be one. Unlike most kids, though, Sarah never really stopped pretending. In 1861, during the U.S. Civil War, Sarah pretended her way into the Union Army, becoming a male nurse named Frank Thompson. Being a nurse didn't quite satisfy "Frank," though. She wanted to keep her fellow soldiers from getting hurt. So when the Union Army needed a spy, she leapt at the chance. While still pretending to be Frank, Sarah also pretended to be a male African American slave, a female Irish peddler, and a female African American laundress. She slipped behind enemy lines time after time, spied on the Confederate Army, and brought back valuable intelligence to the Union. Sarah was not only good at pretending; she was also very brave. Later in life, Sarah Emma Edmonds wrote a book to tell her story. She explained, "I am naturally fond of adventure, a little ambitious, and a good deal romantic." She was also truly a great pretender."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.carriejonesbooks.com/my-books/sarah-emma-edmonds/

Chee-Lin: A Giraffe's Journey

Chee-Lin: A Giraffe's Journey

Written and Illustrated by: James Rumford

Elementary Grades

"Linking the Chinese mythological creature, the Chee-Lin, to a 1414 Chinese portrait of a giraffe, Rumford imagines how a giraffe may have journeyed to China. From his birth and capture in East Africa to a short stay in Bengal and a stay in Nanjing and finally landing in Peking, lonely Tweega (Swahili for giraffe) survives frightening voyages, cruel and tender caretakers, and cramped quarters, ending up in the emperor’s spacious grounds. Tweega inspires awe everywhere and stirs optimism among the Chinese, who believe the Chee-Lin to be an omen of good fortune."

Booklist Review

The Butter Man

The Butter Man

Written by: Elizabeth Alalou and Ali Alalou
Illustrated by: Julie Klear Essakali

"Every Saturday night, Nora watches her Moroccan-born baba (father) prepare a couscous meal in a special pot that he carried with him to the U.S. in his suitcase. One evening, Baba shares a story about how he coped with a famine during his childhood, spent in the mountains of Morocco. The authors, a married couple who drew on Ali’s personal experience, write in descriptive language that speaks directly to children. Baba says that hunger, for example, feels like “a little mouse gnawing on my insides.” The folk-art paintings, created by a textile designer, feature whimsical characters and cozy domestic scenes, while the ochre, gold, and rust palette evokes the feeling of the dusty, sunlit landscape. An authors’ note adds cultural context, and an appended glossary defines the Berber words used in the text. This warm family story about a rarely viewed culture will have particular appeal among children of immigrants, who, like Nora, wonder about their parents’ mysterious, former lives in another land."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.elizabethletts.com/butter.php

Afgan Dreams: Young Voices of Afghanistan

Afgan Dreams: Young Voices of Afghanistan

Written by: Tony O'Brien and Mike Sullivan
Photographs by: Tony O'Brien

"This handsome photo-essay features contemporary Afghan children ranging in age from 8 to 18 years. They were asked about their families, lives, and hopes for the future. The young people's straightforward statements tell much about the devastating effects of decades of war. Some of them are still able to attend school; others wish they could. Even the youngest children work part of the day, often at street markets or in their family businesses, such as rug making. Two 10-year-olds pick pockets to survive. The matter-of-fact way they describe losing parents, siblings, and homes to war is jarring. Overall, the book provides a sensitive, poignant, and respectful look at the lives of these young people. It avoids sentimentality and politicizing. While the book will need an introduction, it offers Western children insight into a country and society often featured in the news. This is a timely, relevant, and well-executed offering."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.vervegallery.com/?p=artist_gallery&a=TO&g=1&r=1&photographer=Tony%20O%27Brien

Way Up and Over Everything

Way Up and Over Everything

Written by: Alice McGill
Illustrated by: Jude Daly

"This African American “flying” tale details the miraculous escape of five African slaves from Ol’ Man Deboreaux’s plantation. After a day of toil in the cotton fields, Jane, a 16-year-old slave, notices that the newly arrived Africans are nowhere to be found. When the vicious overseer and the plantation owner set out to find the fugitives, Jane bravely follows and witnesses the Africans taking to the air and soaring over the rolling countryside toward their home across the sea. Jane is warned not to repeat what she has seen, but repeat it she does, as this tale of transcendence and freedom is handed down from generation to generation, until it is finally related to readers by the story’s narrator, Jane’s great-great-granddaughter. Daly’s delicate and elongated figures, small in scale against the vast watercolor landscapes of the Georgia countryside, present a bird’s-eye view of the story and suggest the enormity of such an escape. McGill finishes with a note about the origins and variations of African American flying stories."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.theteller.com/index.html

The Wolves Are Back

The Wolves Are Back

Written by: Jean Craighead George
Illustrated by: Wendell Minor

"The wolves are back!" So begins this poignant and thought-provoking tale tracing the interconnectedness of nature and the far-reaching effects that occur when one aspect of a particular ecosystem is disrupted, in this case, the wolf population. By 1926, there were no more wolves in the 48 states—"rangers, hunters, and ranchers were told to shoot every wolf they saw. They did and the ecological balance was disrupted. Wolves were re-introduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995, and as their numbers grew, balance returned. Moving deftly between the past and present, and set against the backdrop of Wendell Minor's wonderful panoramic paintings, Jean Craighead George's text beautifully demonstrates the effects of the presence and absence of wolves on the delicate ecosystem."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.texaslibrarian.com/genres/picture-books/the-wolves-are-back-by-jean-craighead-george/
http://www.jeancraigheadgeorge.com/index.html

Earth Matters

Earth Matters

Written by: David de Rothschild

"This environmentally friendly book is sure to appeal to students who will be drawn to the look and feel of the package in addition to the spectacular color photographs. The text is divided into sections corresponding to the Earth's regions: polar, temperate forests, deserts, grasslands, tropical forests, mountains, freshwater, and oceans. Maps locate the areas, and a scale guide based on average adult and child heights helps readers judge the size of the animals inhabiting the region under review. Page layouts vary, and there is a plethora of information presented in catchy, attention-grabbing ways. Web site references are offered on many pages, as are ideas for making a difference and helping to save the planet."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.earthday.org/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/18/g35
/earthday.html

Show Me the Money: How to Make Cents of Economics

Show Me the Money: How to Make Cents of Economics

Written by: Alvin Hall

"Discover all aspects of money; learn about credit cards, the stock market, and how to become a wise consumer. Enticing text, full color illustrations, and the message that the best things in life are free, will help children make sense of economics. Includes a glossary and index."

Social Studies Notable Books Online Review

Online Resources:
http://www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781405321891,00.html

Give a Goat

Give a Goat

Written by: Jan West Schrock
Illustrated by: Aileen Darragh

Pair this book with Page McBrier's book "Beatrice's Goat"

"Page McBrier’s Beatrice’s Goat (2001) introduced the work of Heifer International in a picture-book story about a girl whose family is changed by the gift of a goat. Illustrated in whimsical ink-and-watercolor artwork, this message-driven title by the daughter of the organization’s founder shows kids how to get involved in Heifer’s mission. After a teacher reads Beatrice’s Goat to her fifth-grade class, her students work together to buy a goat for a needy family through Heifer’s program. With an initial loan from their teacher, they prepare and sell healthy snacks, eventually earning more than enough to buy the animal, educating their school about Heifer’s work in the process.

The story, which includes interesting details of project management, is a clear advertisement for both Heifer and the rewards of community service. Still, teachers seeking portrayals of kids cooperating to make a difference, both in their communities and beyond, will find this book a welcome resource."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.204586/
http://www.papertigers.org/interviews/archived_interviews/jschrock.html

Beatrice's Goat

Beatrice's Goat

Written by: Page McBrier
Illustrated by: Lori Lohstoeter

Pair this book with "Give a Goat" by Jan West Schrock

"More than anything, Beatrice longs to be a schoolgirl. But in her small African village, only children who can afford uniforms and books can go to school. Beatrice knows that with six children to care for, her family is much too poor. But then Beatrice receives a wonderful gift from some people far away -- a goat! Fat and sleek as a ripe mango, Mugisa (which means "luck") gives milk that Beatrice can sell. With Mugisa's help, it looks as if Beatrice's dream may come true after all.

Page McBrier and Lori Lohstoeter beautifully recount this true story about how one child, given the right tools, is able to lift her family out of poverty. Thanks to Heifer Project International -- a charitable organization that donates livestock to poor communities around the world -- other families like Beatrice's will also have a chance to change their lives."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.pagemcbrier.com/picturebooks_Beatrice.html
http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.204586/

Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past

Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past

Written by: James M. Deem

"There are books about melting glaciers and books about frozen bodies, but this attractive offering combines the topics in a way that will intrigue readers. It begins with a chance discovery by walkers in northern Italy who find a thawing corpse originally thought to be from the 1800s. Scientists later realized the body was more than 5,000 years old. As glaciers melt throughout the world, more frozen bodies are appearing, adding greatly to the knowledge researchers have about history and culture.

Individual chapters cover types of glaciers and why they are fertile territory for housing bodies; the Chamonix glacier, which saw women climbers in the early 1800s; and the mystery of George Mallory, who died trying to climb Mt. Everest. Perhaps most fascinating to kids will be the chapter on recently discovered Incan children sacrificed to the gods. Heavily illustrated with historical memorabilia as well as photos of bodies, scenery, artifacts, and rather simplistic maps, this offers a lot to look at and learn about."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.jamesmdeem.com/page.glacier.htm

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave

Written by: Laban Carrick Hill
Illustrated by: Bryan Collier

Elementary Grades

**2011 Coretta Scott King Award**

"To us it is just dirt, the ground we walk on... But to Dave it was clay, the plain and basic stuff upon which he formed a life as a slave nearly 200 years ago.

Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter living in South Carolina in the 1800s. He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved onto his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave. In this inspiring and lyrical portrayal, National Book Award nominee Laban Carrick Hill's elegantly simple text and award-winning artist Bryan Collier's resplendent, earth-toned illustrations tell Dave's story, a story rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.labanhill.com/dave_the_potter_53284.htm

Seeds of Change: Wangari's Gift to the World

Seeds of Change: Wangari's Gift to the World

Written by: Jen Cullerton Johnson
Illustrated by: Sonia Lynn Sadler

**2011 Coretta Scott Award Winner**

"As a young girl in Kenya, Wangari was taught to respect nature. She grew up loving the land, plants, and animals that surrounded her -from the giant mugumo trees her people, the Kikuyu, revered to the tiny tadpoles that swam in the river. Although most Kenyan girls were not educated, Wangari, curious and hardworking, was allowed to go to school. There, her mind sprouted like a seed. She excelled at science and went on to study in the United States. After returning home, Wangari blazed a trail across Kenya, using her knowledge and compassion to promote the rights of her countrywomen and to help save the land, one tree at a time. Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace brings to life the empowering story of Wangari Maathai, the first African woman, and environmentalist, to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Engaging narrative and vibrant images paint a robust portrait of this inspiring champion of the land and of women's rights."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://www.jencullertonjohnson.com/Jen_Cullerton_Johnson/Seeds_of_Change.html

Ole! Flamenco

Ole! Flamenco

Written and Illustrated by: George Ancona

**2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book**

Elementary Grades

"FLAMENCO-it's dancing, it's singing, it's guitar playing! It's a way of expressing oneself that has evolved from many influences over hundreds of years. Today flamenco is practiced throughout the world and all across the United States. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, we meet Janira Cordova, the youngest member of a company studying to perform flamenco. Here the students learn the tools of their art-how to move their hands, arms, bodies, and feet to the traditional rhythms of the music and songs. Each aspect of flamenco is explored in detail. The origins of the art form are also explained, which draw upon the musical traditions of Indian, Arab, and North African cultures, among others. Janira's flamenco has progressed well, and at Santa Fe's annual Spanish Market in July, she finally has a chance to join the older dancers and perform in the town plaza. With colorful, action-packed photographs and accessible text, readers are sure to feel Janira's excitement and catch flamenco fever. ¡Olé!"

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.leeandlow.com/books/388/hc/ole_flamenco

Fiesta Babies

Fiesta Babies

Written by: Carmen Taffola
Illustrated by: Amy Cordova
**2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book**

This is a fun book for young elementary students who learn all about celebrations and holidays celebrated in Hispanic culture. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout the book giving teachers an opportunity to use this as a language building and vocabulary exercise as well as a great cultural read.

Jennie's Review

Online Resources:
http://www.carmentafolla.com/

Dear Primo, A Letter to My Cousin

Dear Primo, A Letter to My Cousin

Written and Illustrated by: Duncan Tonatiuh

**2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book**

"From first-time Mexican author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh comes the story of two cousins, one in America and one in Mexico, and how their daily lives are different yet similar. Charlie takes the subway to school; Carlitos rides his bike. Charlie plays in fallen leaves; Carlitos plays among the local cacti. Dear Primo covers the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of two very different childhoods, while also emphasizing how alike Charlie and Carlitos are at heart. Spanish words are scattered among the English text, providing a wonderful way to introduce the language and culture of Mexico to young children. Inspired by the ancient art of the Mixtecs and other cultures of Mexico, Tonatiuh incorporates their stylized forms into his own artwork."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://duncantonatiuh.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/dear-primo/