Required reading for anyone planning a career in education or anyone with a caring heart or even someone trying to make sense of the violence and despRequired reading for anyone planning a career in education or anyone with a caring heart or even someone trying to make sense of the violence and despair that seem to plague this nation's metropolitan areas, this memoir provides some clues as to why one youngster ends up with a successful life while another one--both with the same names-ends incarcerated. More than their names were the same. Both boys were born in Baltimore neighborhoods that were close in proximity, both grew up without fathers and had challenging childhoods. Both got into trouble with the police and spent time hanging out on the street. The author essentially tells his life story, weaving in similar events from the other Wes Moore who he spent time getting to know through correspondence and visits to the institution where he is incarcerated. When the book was first published, Wes had just served the tenth year of a life sentence for murder during a jewelry heist in Philadelphia. He became a grandfather at the age of 33. His youth was spent avoiding school, getting involved with girls, and selling drugs. His mother has aspired to attending college, which she considered the way out of poverty and the neighborhood in which they lived, but federal cuts to education programs spelled the end to her dreams. Although she tried hard to maintain a firm hand with Wes and his older brother Tony, things quickly got out of hand, and she could do nothing to stop his downward spiral. By the time the police knocked on her door in hot pursuit of her boys, she seemed to have run out of energy or the ability to do anything other than hopelessly watch on and wonder about what might have been. The author Wes also had brief skirmishes with the street life and played hooky from his school. Often, he felt as though he didn't fit with his classmates. In desperation, his mother and grandparents cobbled together their funds--even mortgaging the grandparents' home--in order to send him to military school in Pennsylvania, what they surely must have considered to be his last chance to be saved. He hated every minute of the place and even ran away. But for some reason, Wes eventually took advantage of the opportunities the place afforded him, rising to leadership positions, graduating, traveling, and even being named a Rhodes Scholar. The decision to juxtapose the boys' stories makes the book an honest, cautionary tale, one that raises as many questions as it answers. What, ultimately, was the difference between the two boys? While some might argue that it was moving out of the Baltimore neighborhood that made the difference for the more successful Wes, he downplays that and offers his take on things. It wasn't being relocated although that must been helpful, but the strong support with which he was surrounded. Not only did his family push him and envision more for him, but other role models and mentors appeared in his life and encouraged him to do more, strive more, dream of more. While he doesn't really credit many teachers for doing so, certainly the possibility remains that he also had teachers in his life who had high expectations for him. Sadly, he--like the other Wes Moore--also had teachers who were unable to help, perhaps too unaware, too new or too uncaring to do more than make it through the day. In one tellingly stark story, he tells how he and his English teacher, in her first year in her first job, simply had an unspoken agreement that she would say or do nothing if he failed to show up since her class was much easier to control when he wasn't present. One can only surmise that the same case would be true for the other Wes as well. Because young black males, the focus of this memoir, cannot always count on having a support system in their friends and families, the author has collected a list of more than 200 organizations across the nation that can provide that needed support. These resources need to be shared with youngsters like the two Wes Moores. While the book ends on a triumphant note for the author, it's hard not to close it on that note. There is such a sense of poignancy, of missed opportunities, chances, and possibilities for the other Wes, making it hard not to think about what might have been if someone had been able to intercede and point Wes in the right direction. And yet even when his experiences with the Job Corps were positive, the hope evaporated quickly once he was working in low-paying jobs. While the story told here is, on the surface, the tale of two men, in many respects, it is also the saga of a generation of boys and young men, lost amid the violence, the hopelessness, the poverty, the inadequate schooling, the dashed dreams--or dreams never dared to be dreamed--of everyday life in their neighborhoods. It is impossible to read The Other Wes Moore and then sit idly by, allowing other lives to be lost or their potential to be squandered. The book raises many issues that need to be considered as well as other considerations. For instance, would the story be the same had Wes been a female? Or had he grown up in the deep South in rural Tallulah, Louisiana, or a small town in Mississippi? What can we, what should we do, before it's too late for more Weses? Is it already too late? Then, too, I cannot help but ask what effect the ubiquitous presence of high-stakes testing and test preparation in many schools today is having on boys like Wes Moore. The book forces readers to consider their own lives and their own series of choices, and recognize how close they, too, might have come to not being able to write a happy ending to their stories. What makes a difference is debatable, but surely, something does make the difference in one person's triumph and another's tragedy. Putting all the blame on the person and his/her choices seems unfair since the choices we face aren't all the same. My heart aches for Wes Moore and his children, left to fend without a father, just as he was, and I wonder if the cycle begins again with them. ...more
**spoiler alert** Perfect for a mother-daughter book club or one focusing on generational relationships, this four-book series comes to a satisfying c**spoiler alert** Perfect for a mother-daughter book club or one focusing on generational relationships, this four-book series comes to a satisfying close with Georgia's story. Life is good for the Nobel family until the events of September 11, 2001 change everything. Georgia's mother Francie feels all her feelings of anxiety come crashing back, and she insists on moving the family from its comfortable Princeton home to the family cottage in Lewisport, Maine. Readers will enjoy having glimpses of Georgia's life as she settles into her new home, takes guitar lessons, and resists her mother's overprotective ways. She also discovers a journal kept by her great-great grandmother, Nell. The author uses this book to tie up many loose ends, but what I particularly enjoyed was how there were chapters devoted, not just to Georgia, but to the three (four, really, counting Nell's diary) generations who came before her, all with their own secrets, hopes, dreams, and disappointments. While I enjoyed all books in the series, it might have provided insight into each generation had the author also included a chapter or two from those other perspectives. With this book, as with the others, I couldn't help thinking about the price paid by others when someone insists on having his or her way, in this case, Georgia's father who gave up his teaching job to move to Maine. Once again, the author reminds readers of the importance of small personal events, those triumphs and tragedies, as they play out against the backdrop of a larger, historical canvas. It would have been fascinating to read these stories from the perspectives of the men in the lives of these talented women, but I'm glad to have met Abby, Dana, Francie, and Georgia in this true story of recent American history, lived out on the East Coast. ...more
The author/illustrator was born in 1982 in East Germany during a time when conditions were becoming increasingly repressive for anyone who dared to crThe author/illustrator was born in 1982 in East Germany during a time when conditions were becoming increasingly repressive for anyone who dared to criticize the government. His parents requested to move to West Germany and suffered the consequences of their request for three years while their request was considered. His father lost his job, their apartment was searched, and there was much attention from the secret police. The graphic novel makes it quite clear that their actions displeased Simon's paternal grandparents, but that his memory is of the joy of freedom and spaces that were filled with light. I enjoyed reading this account of life across a divided Germany, but the shift in time from the beginning to the story of how the family moved from one part of the country another was unnecessarily confusing. Omitting the opening scenes might have made the book work better. Still, I am glad to have read this one, which captures effectively the paranoia of those times. ...more
Once again Azalea and her sister Zenith are trying to fit in after the family has relocated to Portland, Maine. Each time, their father follows some iOnce again Azalea and her sister Zenith are trying to fit in after the family has relocated to Portland, Maine. Each time, their father follows some illusive dreams of financial security, leaving one place for another when things don't work out as he had imagined. As he settles into his job as a tour bus driver, the family also settles in with Azalea making friends wit Gabby, a local girl whose mother doesn't support school or even home schooling, preferring the unschooling approach in which youngsters decide for themselves what they want to study. But Zenith, a math prodigy, craves structure, and signs up for a summer math course. Meanwhile, Azalea is trying to solve the mystery behind the graffiti that had been written on her father's bus when they first arrived. From experience, both girls know it will be only a matter of time before their father decides that they must move along to somewhere else. Although Azalea is quick to blame someone for the unfriendly messages, the real culprit may be a surprise, and the revelation may force her father to think about what's right for the family and stop wandering from one thing to the next. Azalea's longing for a friend and some stability are palpable, and her desire to stay one place for long enough to plant some roots will resonate with many late elementary and early middle grade readers. Sometimes even the youngest member of a family is wiser than the oldest member. I liked Azalea and her attempts to help her father with his job, even writing out scripts and lists of famous landmarks and stories he can tell as he drives through the neighborhoods. ...more
Perfect for reader's theater or a series of alternating dramatic monologues, this picture book imagines that civil rights heroines Harriet Tubman and Perfect for reader's theater or a series of alternating dramatic monologues, this picture book imagines that civil rights heroines Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony chatted about their lives over tea in Anthony's home in 1904. Since the women's suffrage champion was to introduce the woman known as Moses at the 28th annual convention of New York's Suffrage Association, such a meeting could have taken place although it didn't. Both women come alive under the warm, confident hands of Grimes who uses their chat to describe the various adventures both women had as they worked hard to bring about social and legal changes in the world around them. The dialogue never seems forced, but flows exactly as a conversation between two famous individual who are comparing life notes might have. The text is pitch-perfect, and the acrylic and oil paint illustrations, are memorable, filled with images reminiscent of shapes and symbols found in many quilt patterns. It's impossible not to be moved and inspired by this glimpse into these two women's journeys, and as Grimes points out in her Author's Note, it's worth being reminded of the link between many famous historical figures. After all, history's events did not occur in isolation or in discretely separate moments. Often, one event begat another or one person influences another. ...more
**spoiler alert** Ten-year-old Melody enjoys her life in Royal, Indiana, with her father. Her mother died shortly after her birth, and the two of them**spoiler alert** Ten-year-old Melody enjoys her life in Royal, Indiana, with her father. Her mother died shortly after her birth, and the two of them have been just fine since then. When she overhears him call someone "Honey" on the phone, she is thrilled that her father may be in love, but not when she guesses who the object of his affections is. Of course, she's wrong, but readers will have fun following her mistakes. They also will enjoy the part of the story about Mo, the loyal dog who knows that someone or something is missing in his life but doesn't know exactly what it is. While I was pretty sure from the story's start exactly what the connection between the two was, I still enjoyed following along with the narrator's hints. This is one of the few books that I can think of that shows so well just how much animals mourn and feel confused when their human companions move or die. Mo's confusion is palpable although, being a good dog, he does the best he can with the lot he has been cast. I also loved the kind-hearted Bee-Bee and her beauty parlor filled with hand-mixed nail polishes and the marvelous names Melody devises for them: Silver Linings, Hot Cocoa, Velveeta, and Honey, among others. I can just see them on my nails! I enjoyed this one quite a lot. ...more
Eight boats, including a tugboat, a sailboat, and a gondola, make their way across the pages of this board book in noisy style. The watercolor illustrEight boats, including a tugboat, a sailboat, and a gondola, make their way across the pages of this board book in noisy style. The watercolor illustrations and marvelous onomatopoeia guarantee hours of loud reading fun with youngsters who will surely emulate the sounds of the boats--over and over again. Don't bring this one out when you're trying to settle someone down for a nap. ...more
Watercolor and pencil illustrations ably support this tender story about family, acceptance, and unconditional love. When Bear first comes to stay witWatercolor and pencil illustrations ably support this tender story about family, acceptance, and unconditional love. When Bear first comes to stay with his duck friends, he is sure that it's the perfect fit. But eventually, he realizes that things are too crowded and not ideal. After failing to locate a place that suited both him and the ducks, he sets off to find his own place. But both he and the ducks realize that they miss each other, despite the inconveniences of living together. It turns out that together, they make the perfect fit. This is a sweet reminder that families sometimes have to make compromises. ...more
**spoiler alert** Eleven-year-old Julia Lancaster and her Aunt Constance take off on a cross-country road trip in search of her mother after her grand**spoiler alert** Eleven-year-old Julia Lancaster and her Aunt Constance take off on a cross-country road trip in search of her mother after her grandmother dies. The family's once majestic estate has dwindled over the years, and for various financial obligations, which aren't named, their home must be sold. Carting along with them various family treasures, the two follow leads about her mother that take them to Greenwich Village and then to New Orleans and finally, San Francisco where disappointment awaits them. Along the way, they meet various interesting individuals who become a part of their family. I enjoyed the road trip even though I was pretty sure how it was going to end, and I loved watching how Julia and her aunt were changed by the places they were passing through and the experiences they were collecting. In many respects the author captures the tumultuous events of this nation in 1969 when the story is set, but the need to stay in boarding houses part of the way mystified me in some ways and sometimes their travels seemed to take longer than one could expect. Like me, readers will come to care for Julia and want her story to have a happy ending while also clearly seeing how impossible it would be for her to fit in at the private girls' school to which she has been relegated. Because Julia loves to take photos of objects, never individuals, the book contains several snapshots. One of the most poignant scenes occurs when the sheriff of Gold Point, Nevada, points out that even objects change. There is much to consider here, even though the author doesn't spend too much on some of the more interesting aspects of the story as Julia relates it in her somewhat world-weary voice. Readers can see her eventually just ready to burst from her traces. ...more
**spoiler alert** On the run from his abusive father, Cameron and his mother settle into a remote town far from his reach. Or so they think. Just as t**spoiler alert** On the run from his abusive father, Cameron and his mother settle into a remote town far from his reach. Or so they think. Just as they think that their five years of avoiding him may be over and that they're safe, Cameron makes a mistake, contacts his father, and sets into motion a frightening chain of events. If that were all the book were about, it would be engaging. But its additional layers of suspense and the hints that are dropped about Cam's own mental health and the bullies he faces at school, make it even more intriguing. Teen readers won't be sure what to believe or who to trust. It seems that the old house in which Cam and his mother are living has secrets about its previous inhabitants, and Cam may--or may not--be seeing and hearing things. Watching the author unspool this story and then reel in his readers was a compelling experience since it skirts so closely to madness before dipping back to reality time and again. Be careful not to read this as dusk is falling or while you are alone because it may send chills down your spine every time you hear the neighborhood dogs howling or feel their breaths at your back. ...more
Freshman Maui Gutierrez is thrilled to be in college, but without the support of his high school best friends, he flounders socially. While his academFreshman Maui Gutierrez is thrilled to be in college, but without the support of his high school best friends, he flounders socially. While his academics are going well enough, Maui isn't sure with which group of possible friends he should ally himself. And strangely, he isn't sure just how open he should be about his own sexuality. When his crush on runner Diego moves more quickly to sex than he wants, he is crushed, and can't understand his own mixed feelings. Despite knowing better, though, Maui comes to Diego's rescue more than once, barely averting a tragedy and leaving his family and friends confused. The characters and the experiences described in this book could be torn from recent newspaper pages because of their honesty and timeliness. Maui is too trusting for his own good, and like many of us, he falls for the wrong guy. I particularly enjoyed the passages in which he returns home for a Thanksgiving visit and finds that it's hard to reconnect with his old friend Trinidad. For those who think college is easier than high school, this book proves that that isn't necessarily so. ...more
Richly deserving every award it has won, this thoroughly researched account of Russia's last royal family is filled with fascinating tidbits and detaiRichly deserving every award it has won, this thoroughly researched account of Russia's last royal family is filled with fascinating tidbits and details that bring the family to life. I first fell in love with the Romanovs' story when I read Robert Massey's more romantic version of the historical events back when I was in high school. I initially approached this one with some trepidation, uncertain exactly what it might have to offer. I need not have worried, though, since it covers some of the same territory as that earlier volume but also moves in a couple of other directions. Readers will be given a revealing look at the extravagant lifestyle of royals in the early days of the twentieth century, but they also watch as the Nicholas, the tzar of Russia fails to understand what is happening in his county, ignoring the signs of distress and ripples of rebellion. Additionally, they will watch as Lenin comes to power and fails to accomplish the social changes of which he dreamed. Finally, this book examines the lives and motivations of some of those who rose up against the power structure because of the lack of food and fair treatment. There are no real heroes in this account except perhaps the doctor and servants who stayed with the Romanovs to the very end when they are all killed. What there is, though, is a vivid description of very flawed men and women whose understanding of one another and historical events is simply inadequate. Readers' hearts will break as they read about the poorly-trained and inadequately-equipped Russian soldiers who were sent to wage war in what would later become WWI and the willingness of Alexandra to believe whatever the monk Rasputin told her. There is not a misplaced word among the book's pages, and the author even includes information about the final resting place of the Romanovs. This fresh perspective on a sad part of history will have many readers looking for more about this family whose ancestors ruled Russia for three centuries. ...more
In a village in Germany, the Peters family faces a difficult decision. No longer able to earn enough from farming their land, Robert, the father, makeIn a village in Germany, the Peters family faces a difficult decision. No longer able to earn enough from farming their land, Robert, the father, makes plans to move to the United States. The book describes their preparations, their leave taking, and the journey by train to the port, by steamship to New Orleans, by riverboat to Omaha, Nebraska, and then by wagon train to what will become their new home. Nearly 150 years later, their descendants are still living in the same place, and they plan a trip back to Germany to trace their roots. The story is told simply but with enough detail in the text and detailed illustrations to allow readers to feel as though they right alongside the family, separated as they are by so many decades. Since the author claims that more than 50 million Americans have German ancestors, the book certainly will appeal to a large audience for those specific purposes, but it also describes experiences with which many immigrants may be able to relate, for instance, the Americanizing of names and language acquisition. This title would be quite useful in a social studies classroom. ...more
Like many readers, I adore knowing the story behind a famous story. In this case, readers learn about the inspiration for the Winnie-the-Pooh stories.Like many readers, I adore knowing the story behind a famous story. In this case, readers learn about the inspiration for the Winnie-the-Pooh stories. It seems that Winnie, originally named Winnipeg for the hometown of the regiment with which she traveled, was adopted by a devoted animal loving veterinarian. Harry Colebourn spotted the cub at a train station, and took her in. She became a mascot for the veterinary corps and followed them when they went to England during WWI. But when the men were sent to France, Harry arranged for the London Zoo to care for his furry companion. It was there that Christopher Robin, son of A. A. Milne, the author of the Pooh books, got to know her. Accompanied by emotion-drenched illustrations created with watercolor and pen and ink, this picture book is a marvelous example of compassion while also serving as a tribute to the gentle natured bear who captured the attention of so many in England, Canada, and the United States. This title would be perfect for sharing with children at the conclusion of a reading of Winnie-the-Pooh, published in 1926. An Author's Note provides even more information while the endpapers are filled with archival photographs of Winnie, Colebourn, and the Milnes. ...more
There are many things I like about this book, a blend of graphic novel with pages and pages of luminous artwork and text that tells a haunting story. There are many things I like about this book, a blend of graphic novel with pages and pages of luminous artwork and text that tells a haunting story. Cora and Minnie are sisters living in a boarding house un by their mother in Maine. Two brothers, Charles and Thomas, come to stay there for the summer at their father's behest. Another young man named Arthur is also staying there, and he has taken on the role of protector of the females because he knows about a secret organization whose members seem unable to die. This group is always looking for victims, and they pop up at the most unexpected times. Arthur is sure they are nearby. The illustrations take readers across the decades and across several continents to make clear how widespread their influence has been. While I found the story itself interesting and the illustrations simply stunning in their power, the shift between the two is often a bit abrupt and readers are left to surmise exactly who these evil forces are, what they're after, and how they target their victims. Perhaps more links between the two would have been helpful in guiding readers to their own conclusions. Still, readers will be quite satisfied with how the book ends. ...more
Most folks wouldn't have expected Gordon Parks to amount to much of anything. Certainly his teachers didn't. After all, he was poor, black, and born dMost folks wouldn't have expected Gordon Parks to amount to much of anything. Certainly his teachers didn't. After all, he was poor, black, and born during an era when African Americans often worked in jobs in which they were overworked and underpaid. A serendipitous purchase of a camera leads Parks to a career as a photographer. The self-taught man lets his photos do the talking for him as he transitions from shots of models for the fashion industry to those of everyday individuals trying to eke out a living. Most notable was his "American Gothic," a stunning image of Ella Watson, a cleaning woman that he posed, broom in hand, in front of the American flag. Readers won't be able to miss the conflicting message of hope for the future juxtaposed against the stark reality of the daily lives of many like his subject, the hard-working Watson. The text is as engaging and lively as the illustrations that fill the picture book's pages. How grateful many of us are for those who, like Parks, recorded the nation's civil rights struggles and the inequity that existed in the land. It's a treat to have this man's journey shared, even if in such brief a fashion. Interested readers can learn more from the back matter. ...more
Wondering where he is now, Juna misses her friend Hector and their adventures after he moves away unexpectedly. Her big brother Minho helps her cope wWondering where he is now, Juna misses her friend Hector and their adventures after he moves away unexpectedly. Her big brother Minho helps her cope with her loss by finding some uses for the large kimchi jar she uses to collect things. Each night she searches for Hector with the help of her friends, a fish, a bean plant, and a cricket. Each time the jar becomes empty, the two find a way to fill it again. The last page shows the best way to fill the emptiness left by a loss, and the soft watercolor illustrations vividly show Juna in the midst of her everyday adventures and her nightly fantasies. This picture book would be helpful in helping young readers deal with the losses in their own lives. ...more
Although some readers may be daunted by the book's length-455 pages--and some of the references to mysticism, patient readers will unearth many treasuAlthough some readers may be daunted by the book's length-455 pages--and some of the references to mysticism, patient readers will unearth many treasures in this account of the turmoil that erupted in Chile in 1967. Narrated by eleven-year-old Celeste Marconi, an aspiring writer who dreams of a better world for those around her, the book follows her escape to Maine where she lives with her aunt while her parents go into hiding to save their lives. Because these two doctors supported the country's assassinated president and his efforts to aid the poor, they fear reprisals. Suddenly, Celeste is thrust into a world whose language, culture, and foods are different from her own. During her sojourn in Maine, she has no idea where her parents are or even if they are alive. When she returns home to her beloved nanas, the country she knew is much changed, and she sets out to find her father. Although readers are spared much of the horrors of the reprisals and the author focuses on the country's attempts to recover and heal its wounds, it's clear that there was a huge human cost during those tumultuous times. What is more, they will realize that many Chileans are still missing. The language used to tell this story is eloquent and filled with memorable phrases, attesting to the author's and the translator's deft handling of a difficult topic and their way with words. Often, I felt as though I could taste the foods Celeste loved and savor the bright colors that called to her senses. Her time in the United States seemed true to life as she was initially teased or ignored by classmates while finding companionship with another girl trying to master the English language. The graceful watercolor, ink, and digital illustrations enhance an already engaging story that will entice readers to think back to their own places of origin, their own Butterfly Hill. ...more
Describing an experience that is both specific to its characters and country as well as universal to anyone who has had to leave home, this book is fiDescribing an experience that is both specific to its characters and country as well as universal to anyone who has had to leave home, this book is filled with marvelous descriptions of special places and experiences. Not surprisingly, it is often those little things that make where we live seem so special to each of us and make it hard to leave. Third grader Aref Al-Amri is not thrilled at all about his family's impending move from Muscat, Oman, to Ann Arbor, Michigan, so his parents can attend graduate school. After his father leaves to set things up, he spends the week procrastinating about packing his belongings. Although his mother is exceptionally patient, she also knows it must be done and that there is no possibility that he can stay behind during the three years they plan to be away. His grandfather, Sidi, takes him to some of his favorite places while introducing him to some new experiences and helps him say goodbye to the things he cherishes while also reminding him that most of them will be right there waiting for him when he returns. The author beautifully relates the difficulty in leaving someplace familiar in order to embrace something that is completely foreign or strange, including foods, languages, weather, and customs. How much harder must it be to say goodbye for what might possibly be forever? The book has a quiet, meditative quality about it that may prevent it from appealing to all readers, but it certainly touched my heart as it surely will those who have thought about what makes a home a home. I also enjoyed the notes that Aref makes about the things he loves. With his keen interest in turtles, butterflies, and other living things, it's pretty clear that he may grow up to be a naturalist....more
**spoiler alert** It isn't just humans and family pets or domesticated animals that suffer during a disaster. This picture book tells the story of wha**spoiler alert** It isn't just humans and family pets or domesticated animals that suffer during a disaster. This picture book tells the story of what happened to 19 penguins after Hurricane Katrina devastated parts of New Orleans. Patience, a diminutive African penguin, rules the roost among the other penguins in New Orleans' Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. When the temperatures couldn't be regulated properly, the lives of the penguins were threatened, and their keeper rescued them and arranged for them to be transported temporarily to California's Monterey Aquarium. After a nine month stay, they were flown back to their renovated home. Animal lovers will be touched by this true story of survival and the bonds between animals and humans. Filled with lively illustrations of the penguins and the ever-patient Patience, the picture book reminds readers that part of getting back to normal for the city was also bringing back some of its treasured features such as the aquarium. I really wish the book had included a photograph of Patience, the other penguins, and their caretakers. Sadly, as the back matter reveals, Patience died not long after her return to New Orleans. ...more