Having read Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley for an older audience, the revelations in this picture book did not surprise me. But it is iHaving read Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley for an older audience, the revelations in this picture book did not surprise me. But it is important for young readers to understand the concept of slavery and the contradiction between what President Thomas Jefferson wrote about slavery and how he lived his life, the owner of slaves, and the father of children who remained enslaved until he died. Madison, the book's narrator, describes his life as one of the younger children born to Jefferson and Sally Hemings, his slave. Growing up aware of his father's identity and yet never experiencing his affection, Madison was aware that the lot of his siblings and him was quite different from other slaves, and yet, that somewhat easier treatment did not make up for not being free. Even receiving some form of education and training as a carpenter did little to atone for his father's neglect. Although all four children were freed after Jefferson's death, which was the promise he made to Sally, oddly, she herself never was. Afterward, Madison makes his living as a carpenter, never taking his father's name, and continuing to wonder about his own father's complexity and unfathomable ways. My favorite line concludes the book because of what it says about our nation's oh, so complicated history: "All I know is what I have told you here. This is my family history. And this is American history" (unpaged). Back matter consists of an Author's Note that provides background about James Madison Hemings, the book's subject, as well as some of the sources Winter used in crafting the story and how he imagined what his life might have been like. The handsome acrylic illustrations effectively evoke the confusion of this child as he grew up living in the shadow of a great man whose greatness seems never to have been extended to this, his second family. Often, Madison is depicted as peering around corners, looking through windows, never able to reach out and touch the man who was his father. It's uncanny how much he and his brothers resembled Jefferson. While it might be surprising to have such a complex subject and exploration of identity featured in a picture book, the topic is handled gracefully and appropriately here. And yes, the story of James Madison Hemings is an important part of our nation's story, revealing our complex and conflicting history with race matters. I am pleased to add it to my collection, and am certain it needs to be on the classroom library shelves of social studies teachers who want to make sure that they don't just tell part of the story of our nation's leaders. ...more
Eleven-year-old twins Jamie and Ned are particularly close, and do just about everything together. The boys no longer attend school due to the health Eleven-year-old twins Jamie and Ned are particularly close, and do just about everything together. The boys no longer attend school due to the health issues surrounding Ned's cystic fibrosis, and they enjoy wandering the beach looking for flotsam. When they find a colorful creature with skin and scales in bright hues, one day, they bring home this being that is barely alive and keep it in the garage in a bathtub. From the beginning, Ned and Leonard, which is what they name him, have a special bond. Jamie, on the other hand, is somewhat afraid of Leonard. Still, despite his fears, Jamie is convinced that Leonard might be one of those mer-creatures his grandfather describes as helping others in times of trouble, and he thinks that Leonard will somehow heal his brother. Ned is a bit of a daredevil and takes risks constantly, possibly because he knows he only has a short time to spend with his family. He realizes the truth about his own mortality, and thinks Leonard has come to take him away to the sea. The story is poignant, filled with love and hope, and yet, somewhat painful to read in the same way that When a Monster Calls is. The death of a young child is never easy to contemplate; nor is any loss, and readers will know from the opening pages what is coming, but that won't make the impact any less. There won't be a dry eye in the room if this book is read aloud since so many listeners will relate to trying to stop the inevitable for happening. ...more
I had absolutely no idea what this book would be about, but I might have guessed from its cleverly-designed cover with three goldfish following the leI had absolutely no idea what this book would be about, but I might have guessed from its cleverly-designed cover with three goldfish following the lead of another goldfish. I can safely say that I've never read a book quite like this one, which captures the pitfalls of competitive sports and coaches who insist of winning at all costs and forget to care about the individuals they are coaching. The story revolves around fifteen-year-old Lou Brown who has spent much of her growing up years swimming and training for meets. School has little value for Lou since her training is sandwiched around academic needs. When she finishes last in a meet in which she was expected to dominate, Lou is left without a sport or anything with which to fill her days. To add to her discomfort, her best friend Hannah heads off to a sports camp to hone her skills for the Olympics, leaving her with no one with which to spend time. Although Lou tries to connect with her former teammates or reach out to others, her efforts are rebuffed. Then, by chance, three of the school's coolest guys-Pete, who finished school earlier, Roland, and his younger brother Gabe--enlist her in helping them create a routine for Britain's Hidden Talent, one of those seemingly ubiquitous talent shows that seem to amuse the world. Lou doubts herself every step of the way, but somehow, she comes up with an awesome aquatic acrobatics routine that pleases her new charges. Along the way, she worries about Hannah, who has not found the camp to be the healthiest place for her to be, given that there seems to be an obsession about body image and too much training. Although Lou is anxious, flopping around like a fish out of water, at first, over the course of the book, she gains confidence in her abilities and finds friendship where she least expected it. I really enjoyed the family dynamics here--with a much more attractive older sister, Lav, and a father and mother who still live together because he's lost his job. Here's a man who is willing to drive three hours to rescue his daughter's friend! Who wouldn't love a man like that? Although the book tackles many serious topics, including parents who fail to understand what's best for their children, bullying, and self-esteem, it does so with plenty of sympathy for its characters. I laughed out loud several times, and could only imagine how lost Lou must have felt once her career as a swimmer came to an end and her former coach seemed to have no time for her. I imagine there are plenty of teens just like Lou out there, set adrift once their dreams of athletic glory die. This book puts all of that in perspective. ...more
**spoiler alert** Lucy Lam is thrilled to receive a scholarship to the exclusive girls' school, Laurinda, because it may represent her ticket out of h**spoiler alert** Lucy Lam is thrilled to receive a scholarship to the exclusive girls' school, Laurinda, because it may represent her ticket out of her poor Stanley, Australia neighborhood. As the result of an essay she writes, she is singled out from her other classmates for the distinction, which delights her parents, Chinese immigrants to the country who work long hours each day to provide for Lucy and her younger brother. Although Lucy tries to leave everything from her old life and old school behind her, she still writes letters to Linh. For awhile it seems as though Linh is everything that Lucy is not--brave, outspoken, refusing to tolerate being marginalized--but eventually it will be clear that Lucy is writing to her former self as she desperately tries to hold onto to part of her identity while being pressured to change in many ways. Much as she enjoys some of the teachers and academic pursuits, she realizes that the education she is receiving at Laurinda is not necessarily superior to that she was receiving at Christ Our Savior. To her great disappointment, there are cliques and bullies in the school, and a group of three girls whose parents are influential and quite privileged, are the ones who run things. Even the administration allows these girls to do some of their dirty work in getting rid of no-longer-wanted teachers. When Lucy is befriended by one well-meaning member of the staff who tries to connect her with her daughter's group, Lucy goes along with it for a short time. After all, who wouldn't want to be part of that influential, popular Cabinet. But she soon realizes the depth of cruelty, perhaps driven by deep insecurity or a need to be in control, of which these girls are capable, and she backs away. The more she moves back, the more they try to reel her back in, but she realizes that theirs is no bid for friendship; instead, it is more an effort to keep her under their control. Surprisingly, Lucy's actions lead to others no longer tolerating the girls' behavior, and as the book comes to an end, she has learned the lessons the school had to teach her all too well, and beats the others at their own games. Readers who have felt the dissonance that often results from trying to live in two very different worlds will certainly relate to this powerful story in which Lucy ultimately learns "that to have integrity means piecing together all the separate parts of yourself and your life" (p. 336), as she writes in one final letter to herself. The disparity between her life at Laurinda and her life at home where her mother sews constantly in order to make ends meet, and the family spreads newspapers out on the floor in order to eat is very clear. Yet, despite what others might think about her family and the way they live, they are very much a part of Lucy, and she finds beauty in her mother's labors and talents with fabric, and her baby brother, the Lamb, who is fascinated by the colors in the world around him. The book will certainly prompt readers to think about the many issues it raises concerning cultural identity, family dynamics, immigration, fitting in, and identity. Many of us who have left our homes and taken paths that brought us very far from our origins will be able to relate to the themes explored here, even while wincing at the feeling of belonging and not belonging wherever it is that we go. ...more
After the deaths of his father and mother, seven-year-old Pierrot Fischer moves from Paris to an orphanage and then to the Austrian home of Adolph HitAfter the deaths of his father and mother, seven-year-old Pierrot Fischer moves from Paris to an orphanage and then to the Austrian home of Adolph Hitler where his paternal Aunt Beatrix works in 1936. Before the two moves, his Parisian best friend Anshel Bronstein is deaf and the boys communicate through sign language. Although Pierrot, later called Pieter to sound more German and to erase his partly-French origins, had hoped to be able to stay with the Bronsteins, they are struggling to feed themselves and Mrs. Bronstein worries about a Gentile boy living with a Jewish family since things are becoming decidedly uncomfortable for Jews in the region. As the years pass, Pieter becomes a special pet of the Fuhrer, and he learns about power, arrogance, prejudice, and betrayal from his example. Just as he does in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the author relies on innocence to tell his story effectively, in this case, the innocence of a child who is unaware of the evil around him and the way it starts to stain him too. As readers watch in horror, Pieter betrays those who have had only the best intentions for him and provided love and kindness during his time with the power-mad Hitler. The passages in which he thwarts a plot to poison Hitler and causes Ernst, his chauffeur, and his aunt, to be killed, are particularly effective and reveal Pieter's mindset about his actions. His cluelessness toward his classmate, Katarina, who once was a friend but now finds him despicable because of how enthralled he is by Hitler and his own arrogance, make it quite clear just how much he has changed by the time the main portion of the book concludes in 1945. This well-written book provides example after example of how much influence those around us may have on others, especially at a formative age. The changes are slow but steady and subtle in some respects, but as it has been said, the apple doesn't fall very far from that tree. I was quite surprised to see such a likeable boy become so arrogant and misogynistic. Although the book's ending shows that Pieter has learned some important lessons, those lessons come far too late to atone for the damage he has done to others. ...more
Fifteen-year-old Poppy Pearson has great potential for making something of herself. But because of societal expectations about class and gender and heFifteen-year-old Poppy Pearson has great potential for making something of herself. But because of societal expectations about class and gender and her family's economic situation, she works as a maid for the deVere family as England plunges further into WWI in 1914. While her brother Billy ends up volunteering for military service, and she herself sets into motion a change within the family for whom she works, change is also in the works for Poppy. When Miss Luttrell, her former teacher, offers to support her volunteer work as a Voluntary Aid Detachment, Poppy accepts that offer after a bit of dithering, partly to do her duty for her country and make some sort of contribution through nursing, but also to escape the attentions of Freddie, the youngest deVere son, and her own feelings about him. While Poppy herself is an attractive character, partly because of her naive ways, and how hard she works, the story also focuses primarily on the effects of war on its combatants and those left back home. As the numbers of lives lost continues to mount and it becomes clear that this war won't be over very soon, the wounded veterans fill hospital beds, bringing with them terrible memories and extremely painful physical damages. In some cases, the wounds are so horrific that Poppy herself finds it hard to look one man in the face and one wife rejects the notion that the damaged man could possibly be her once-handsome husband. Billy, too, who departed for the battle field is in big trouble since he could no longer bear to spend time in the trenches on the front line and has returned to England, but not with honor. Although the romance between Freddie and Poppy was one that I knew was likely to go nowhere, it plays a part in the decisions she makes and shows how carelessly many aristocrats treated those they considered beneath them. I don't know that Freddie is a bad man, but he certainly is a thoughtless man, like many another who trifles with someone over whom he has a form of power. The research the author put into this story is evident in every line, and readers can sense the social changes that are coming on the heels of this war. This is no celebration of the acts of courage or fighting the good fight or having a stiff upper lip, although there is some of that. Instead, readers are treated to the unsavory reality of war and how even surviving horrific battles left no one unscathed. ...more
When seven-year-old Louise Trapeze overhears a troubling conversation and notes several members of the circus working hard to refine their tricks, sheWhen seven-year-old Louise Trapeze overhears a troubling conversation and notes several members of the circus working hard to refine their tricks, she becomes convinced that the Sweet Potato Circus is in financial trouble. Together with her best friend Stella and antagonist Fernando, Louise takes matters into her own hands and tries to find a solution to the problem. As they brainstorm possible ideas to increase revenue through ticket sales, the youngsters come up with some interesting tricks. But none of them is particularly successful, and much practice will be needed before they will be ready for public consumption. Still, Louise somehow manages to save the day, even though her initial assumptions were off track. I continue this series set in a circus, something that many elementary graders will enjoy. They will also relate to some of Louise's fears and her personality as well as admiring her persistence. one of the aspects about the book that pleased me is how the circus performers are depicted as fairly normal but with unique quirks or talents that make them stand out in other ways. This is the third book in the series. ...more
As the end of the world as we know it looms, seventeen-year-old Yuri Strelnikov joins a NASA team whose sole mission is to stop an enormous asteroid rAs the end of the world as we know it looms, seventeen-year-old Yuri Strelnikov joins a NASA team whose sole mission is to stop an enormous asteroid racing toward the planet. The Russian physics genius already has his doctorate, and he's convinced that his work on anti-matter presents the only way to save the Earth. But his youth and inexperience mean that most of those around him, especially the head of the project, dismiss his projections. As Yuri calculates and recalculates his projections, he becomes increasingly concerned that the scientists will only get one chance at thwarting the asteroid, and he takes a risk that no scientist would ever take. Woven into this central story are other narrative threads concerning his worries about his mentor back home and Laskov, another young scientist back home with political connections who he worries will take credit for his ideas and publish them under his name. Additionally, he comes to suspect that the team officials have no intention of letting him return to Russia. After a series of chance meetings with Dovie, an artistically talented teen girl, the socially-awkward boy begins a rapid induction into American culture. Since he's being watched all the time, he must go to great lengths to see Dovie and to hang out with her family, including her physically disabled brother Lennon. Although it would be hoped that the California school authorities would be less clueless than the ones Yuri encounters, his brief visit to Dovie's classes causes quite a stir as does his attendance at her prom. As Yuri works hard to save the world from destruction, his two new friends concoct a plan for his escape to Canada. Although I could see the ending coming and knew that Yuri had learned enough from his brief stint at playing God with the asteroid, I still loved it and literally cheered as Dovie, Lennon, and he were bouncing through traffic and while he was racing to freedom on the Ambassador Bridge leading from Detroit to Canada and freedom. I loved everything about this novel, including its sly cover and the frequent times in which Yuri misunderstood or misunderstood English language idioms or cultural practices. The book's pages are filled with humor and insight into human behavior. I don't know how a physics geek could steal his way into my heart, but this one did. As the novel comes to a close, not only has Yuri learned to swear in America, but he has also learned how to open his heart and mind to whatever may come next. ...more
While her scientist parents are preoccupied with their own jobs, Caitlin struggles with fitting in with her classmates who often belittle her and regaWhile her scientist parents are preoccupied with their own jobs, Caitlin struggles with fitting in with her classmates who often belittle her and regard her as too immature for their notice. When not a single one accepts her invitation to a party on Middle Island where she lives, she is understandably disappointed and expects to face a lonely summer vacation. Thus, when she happens to see a shrimp-like creature on the beach, she saves its life and finds a friend. She names the creature Perigee after a term in one of her father's books, and desperately tries to keep her new friend fed. Perigee grows at an extraordinary rate, and since Caitlin is sure he must be an alien, she hopes to enlist the help of her father in sending him back home. After all, extraterrestrials are his area of specialty. But her father, Dr. Paul Bennett, lets her down as does her mother, Dr. Emily Williams. Because parts of Perigee grow rapidly and in colorful fashion when he is frightened, he morphs into a monster seemingly intent on taking over the world. Caitlin is furious with her mother because she has involved the military, and she slips away to help her friend since she is sure that somewhere inside that monster is the kind-hearted friend she met. As she starts her mission, she encounters Fi, a clever but deceitful girl who lives by her wits, and a group of women led by a woman named Mother who also claim to believe in the power of love and Perigee's good nature. Catilin's innocence and trust in others are sorely tested during her journey, and it's a good thing that she has a solid friend in Frank, the 42-year-old man who took her from Middle Island to her school every day and who understands her, as well as Fi. The ending contains some surprises while also making a comment on human nature and how quickly we are to believe the worst of anyone or anything unfamiliar to us. I especially liked Caitlin's voice, her struggles with reading and her failed attempts to meet her parents' expectations for her schoolwork, and the humor that has been peppered into the story as well as the trust she has in Perigee's good nature. Because the author only hints of what's happened before--for instance, her mother's comments on all the other pets she's tried to save before-readers are left wondering about her life before the book starts. Fans of ET: The Extraterrestrial will surely love this beautifully-written story filled with elegant description and wonder what would happen if there were a Perigee and how we humans would react. ...more
Written and photographed by members of Plan International, a charity whose work focuses on improving children's lives, this photo essay is filled withWritten and photographed by members of Plan International, a charity whose work focuses on improving children's lives, this photo essay is filled with large, colorful images of boys as they go about their daily lives. Being a boy means having certain choices and freedoms that others do not have, such as being able to attend school, but it also brings some responsibilities and tough decisions. The text describes how a thoughtful boy would want his mother, his sister, and his daughter to have the same freedoms to choose for themselves as he and other boys do. After all, as the text reminds readers, it's only right. Small captions indicate what country is represented in the photos. I was delighted to read this book and add it to my classroom collection since it will surely open the eyes of my preservice teachers to some of the inequities that exist around them, many based on whether someone is a boy or a girl. Undoubtedly, the book will spark many discussions about what life is like for a boy or for a girl and how much of an impact education might have on the future of each one of those youngsters. ...more