Book of the Week Archive for 2009 at Embracing The Child

Miss Little's Gift by Douglas Wood

In a compelling and beautifully illustrated story, award-winning author Douglas Wood tells of the teacher who led him to love reading, in spite of his ADHD.

Douglas is the youngest, smallest, and newest student in his second-grade class, and he doesn’t like reading. He doesn’t like sitting still. And he doesn’t like Miss Little, especially when she makes him stay after class day after day, forcing him to sound out lines and blobs and squiggles when he’d rather be throwing a football. Luckily Douglas likes the pictures in the book Miss Little has chosen for him, pictures that remind him of the lake his family visits every summer. Award-winning author Douglas Wood — the boy in the story — alludes to scenes from The Little Island, the first book that enticed him to read, in a tale that will resonate with many children with ADHD. It is also a heartwarming ode to a special teacher whose gentle persistence changed one little boy's life forever.
--Candlewick 2009
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The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According To Susy)
by Barbara Kerley
Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

Susy Clemens thought the world was wrong about her papa. They saw Mark Twain as "a humorist joking at everything." But he was so much more, and Susy was determined to set the record straight. In a journal she kept under her pillow, Susy documented her world-famous father-from his habits (good and bad!) to his writing routine to their family's colorful home life. Her frank, funny, tender biography (which came to be one of Twain's most prized possessions) gives rare insight and an unforgettable perspective on an American icon. Inserts with excerpts from Susy's actual journal give added appeal.
--Scholastic Press 2010
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Paulie Pastrami can't whistle, he has trouble matching his socks, and he is usually picked last in sports. But he plans to achieve world peace before he turns eight.

Through simple acts of kindness--from reading to the trees and being nice to his little sister to cheering up the school principal and sharing cupcakes with strangers--Paulie learns that spreading peace isn't that hard after all.
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2009
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Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Scholastic 2009
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TRUCE by Jim Murphy
Young Adult

On July 29th 1914, the world’s peace was shattered as the artillery of the Austria-Hungary Empire began shelling the troops of the country to its south. What followed was like a row of falling dominoes as one European country after another rushed into war. Soon most of Europe was fighting in this calamitous war that could have been avoided. This was, of course, the First World War.
But who could have guessed that on December 25 the troops would openly defy their commanding officers by stopping the fighting and having a spontaneous celebration of Christmas with their "enemies"? (cont'd)
In what can only be described as a Christmas Miracle, this beautiful and heartrending narrative will remind everyone how brotherhood and love for one another reaches far beyond war and politics.
--Scholastic Press 2009
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I Am Jack
by Susanne Gervay
Jack's life is good. He takes great photographs, he can beat his buddies at handball, and he enjoys the time he spends with his family. But when big George Hamel starts calling Jack "Butt Head," school starts becoming a little less good. And when every-one starts calling him "Butt Head," it gets outright dangerous.

Jack knows he should talk to someone about what's going on, but he's worried about retaliation, and his single mom is busy enough as it is. Lucky for Jack he has one friend to stand by him, and then a teacher and his family, too. It isn't long before Jack is himself again to his classmates.

Child development specialist Susanne Gervay knows bullying is scary, traumatic, and hard to combat. So when she discovered that her son was being bullied, she responded with this book.

Bullying hurts the victim and the bully, and is also frightening for witnesses who don't know what to do. I Am Jack is about an eleven-year-old who is afraid to tell anyone about being bullied at school. Gervay helps kids understand how to deal with bullying by tackling this difficulty subject head-on. Her story aims to help kids feel less alone and inspires them to act for social justice and to create a safer world.

I Am Jack serves as a springboard for discussions about bullying and sheds light on the contagious nature of school bullying, and how it sometimes takes a community working together to fight it.
--Tricycle Press 2009
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The Unfinished Angel by Sharon Creech
Peoples are strange!

The things they are doing and saying-sometimes they make no sense. Did their brains fall out of their heads? And why so much talking, all those words spilling out of those mouths? Why don't they be quiet?

In a tiny village high in the Swiss Alps, life for one angel has been the same, well, for as long as she (or he?) can remember. Until Zola arrives, a determined American girl who wears three skirts all at once. For neighbors who have been long time enemies, children who have been lost, and villages who have been sleepily living their lives: hold on. Zola and the angel are about to collide. Zola is a girl with a mission. And our angel has been without one—til now.

This endearing novel reminds us that magic is found in the most oridinary acts of kindness.
--HarperCollins Publishers 2009
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The Scarecrow's Dance by Jane Yolen
The Scarecrow has always stood tall and straight, watching over the corn. Then one magical autumn night, he begins to stir. Free from his post, the scarecrow skips through the fields and leaps past the barn, dancing under the moon. But when he hears a young boy's prayer for the farm, the scarecrow comes to understand where he belongs, and what he — only he — can do.

From award winners Jane Yolen and Bagram Ibatoulline, this is a moving tale about questioning your place and discovering yourself.
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Lighting Their Fires:
Raising Extraordinary Children in a Mixed-up, Muddled-up, Shook-up World
by Rafe Esquith
In Lighting Their Fires,, Esquith shows that children aren't born extraordinary; they become that way as a result of parents and teachers who instill values that serve them not just in school, but for the rest of their lives. Framed by a class trip to a major league baseball game, Lighting Their Fires moves inning by inning through concepts that help children build character and develop enriching lives. Whether he is highlighting the importance of time management or offering a step-by-step discussion of how children can become good decision makers, Esquith shows how parents can equip their kids with all the tools they need to find success and have fun in the process. Using examples from classic films and great books, he stresses the value of sacrifice, the importance of staying true to oneself, and the danger that television can pose to growing young minds. Lighting Their Fires explains not just how to make our children great students, but how to make them thoughtful and honorable people.
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Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet
by Harriet Rohmer, Julie McLaughlin (Illustrator)
This inspiring book presents the true stories of 12 people from across North America who have done great things for the environment. Heroes include a teenage girl who figured out how to remove an industrial pollutant from the Ohio River, a Mexican superstar wrestler who works to protect turtles and whales, and a teenage boy from Rhode Island who helped his community and his state develop effective e-waste recycling programs. Plenty of photographs and illustrations bring each compelling story vividly to life.
--Chronicle Books 2009
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Fanny & Annabelle by Holly Hobbie
Dear Reader,
Remember me, Fanny? You might know the story about how I made Annabelle, my doll. Well, now I've made my very own picture book. Annabelle is the star and the story is called "Annabelle's Adventure."
Making the story turned out to be quite an adventure for me as well. There were lots of surprises.
I don't want to give anything away, though, so just wait until you see what happens!

Happy reading...
XO
Fanny

Holly Hobbie, the bestselling author of the Toot & Puddle series, brings us a new story about creative Fanny with a do-it-yourself theme. In the second Fanny adventure, Fanny writes her first picture book. Since Annabelle, her doll, was Fanny's first creation, it's fitting she should star in the story. Annabelle's adventure ends up mirroring Fanny's own life as they both manage to give the perfect birthday gift to a loved one.
--Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2009
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The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Sometimes even THE KING needs help... and little friends may prove to be GREAT Friends

In award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney's wordless adaptation of one of Aesop's most beloved fables, an unlikely pair learn that no act of kindness is ever wasted. After a ferocious lion spares a cowering mouse that he'd planned to eat, the mouse later comes to his rescue, freeing him from a poacher's trap. With vivid depictions of the landscape of the African Serengeti and expressively-drawn characters, Pinkney makes this a truly special retelling, and his stunning pictures speak volumes.
--Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2009
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Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie: A Story about Edna Lewis by Robbin Gourley

Long before the natural-food movement gained popularity, before greenmarkets sprouted across the United States, Edna Lewis championed purity of ingredients, regional cuisine, and the importance of bringing food directly from the farm to the table. She was a chef when female chefs---let alone African American female chefs---were few and far between, and she received many awards for her work. With lyrical text and glorious watercolor illustrations, author/illustrator Robbin Gourley lovingly traces the childhood roots of Edna's appreciation for the bounties of nature. The story follows Edna from early spring through the growing season to a family dinner celebrating a successful harvest. Folk rhymes, sayings, and songs about food are sprinkled throughout the text, and five kid-friendly recipes and an author's note about Edna's life are included at the end.
--Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2009
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Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales
by Lucy Cousins
Beware — these fairy tales are not for the faint of heart! Maisy creator Lucy Cousins shifts gears to retell her favorites with vivid, rousing illustrations.

Eight classic stories take on new energy as Lucy Cousins ramps up her artwork. In this bold, funny, and unflinching collection, the beloved author-illustrator retains all the emotion and humor of the original fairy tales: the heroes are courageous, the villains are horrible, and the children are tasty. With her sly, simple language and vibrant illustrations, even the scariest fiends become the stuff of shared hilarity and shivery thrills.
--Candelwick 2009
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If America Were a Village: A Book about the People of the United States
by David J. Smith; Shelagh Armstrong, Illustrator
America, with all its diversity, is not easily defined. David J. Smith's If America Were a Village takes a snapshot - past, present and future - to help define America for children. Using the same successful metaphor of the international bestseller If the World Were a Village, the book shrinks down America to a village of 100. The metaphor helps children easily understand American ethnic origins, religions, family profiles, occupations, wealth, belongings and more. Shelagh Armstrong's expansive illustrations imagine America as a classic, vibrant small town. Who are the people living in this vast and varied nation? Where did they come from? What are they like today? How do they compare with people in other countries? The book's simple statistical analysis provides a new way of learning about where people live in America, the state of their health, the shapes and sizes of families, what they use and more - forming a concise picture of a country. If America Were a Village is part of CitizenKid: A collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens.
--Kids Can Press 2009
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Too Perfect by Trudy Ludwig
Maisie thinks Kayla is perfect. Kayla is pretty and thin, has cool clothes, gets great grades, and she's a star on the soccer field. But is she happy? The more time Maisie spends with Kayla, the more she wonders if there's really any such thing as perfect.

In her latest book for kids, acclaimed speaker and child advocate Trudy Ludwig explores the relentless and destructive drive for perfection that is impacting even younger children, and the freedom that comes from accepting one's self.

"With Too Perfect, Trudy Ludwig has hit the mark on the pitfalls of perfectionism—and shows children and their parents that we are all 'perfect' just the way we are." —Jill Zimmerman Rutledge, M.S.W., LCSW, author of Picture Perfect: What You Need to Feel Better About Your Body.

"Too Perfect sets the stage for meaningful discussions about being yourself and working to your potential, not to perfection. In our extremely competitive society, I highly recommend this book for kids and parents!" —Barbara Z. Carlson, cofounder of Putting Family First and coauthor of Putting Family First: Successful Strategies for Reclaiming Family Life in a Hurry-up World.
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More of Trudy Ludwig's books

Days of Little Texas by R. A. Nelson
Too late to run. I take one last, shuddery breath, then walk toward the pulpit. A wind from the sorghum fields hits me, and the pages flap all the way from Leviticus to First Corinthians. Even after all this time, I am never quite ready for the scream. It's here now, rolling over me. And I begin.

At sixteen, Ronald Earl is no longer the boy-wonder preacher known to the faithful as Little Texas. But on the tent-revival circuit, his adoring followers still roar and praise his name. When he lays his hands on to heal, the spirit still fills him, and he truly believes that he is an instrument for good in a wicked, treacherous world. But lately he has also felt this sliver, this little sliver . . . of doubt.

So when a girl in a blue dress is brought to him, nearly lifeless, he lays his hands upon her and feels a jolt shoot through him and into her. And as she smiles into his eyes, it seems that Little Texas has performed yet another miraculous healing. But Ronald Earl, he knows that something is not right. This one is different.

Another small town, another revival, and the same girl appears in that same blue dress. A day later, on the fringe of the believers - a flash of blue. Is she just another of the grateful and devoted? Or is she something else? And is she not following but haunting him?

Welcome, all ye faithful - and otherwise - to a ghost story, a romance, a reckoning. Come one, come all to Days of Little Texas.
--Random House Children's Books 2009
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Dessert First by Hallie Durand
Life is sweet.... Well, almost.

Dessert Schneider has her very own personal style.
For starters, she signs her name like this: Dessert!

Because all you really need in the world is a Maraschino cherry.... Plus something to put it on top of, like a hot-fudge sundae or a cornflake-cream-cheesecookie or a banana split. But sometimes walking to the beat of her own drum means walking right into a heap of mischief, especially when it comes to the legendary family recipe (and Dessert's all-time favorite chocolate treat), Grandma Reine's Double-Decker Chocolate Bars. As the oldest child in a rambunctious, restaurant-owning family, Dessert seems to be better at getting into trouble than getting out of it. And that's because for this eight-year-old, saying sorry is definitely not a piece o' cake!
--Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 2009
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Faith, Hope, and Ivy June by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Ivy June Mosely and Catherine Combs, two girls from different parts of Kentucky, are participating in the first seventh-grade student exchange program between their schools. The girls will stay at each other’s homes, attend school together, and record their experience in their journals. Catherine and her family have a beautiful home with plenty of space. Since Ivy June’s house is crowded, she lives with her grandparents. Her Pappaw works in the coal mines supporting four generations of kinfolk. Ivy June can’t wait until he leaves that mine forever and retires. As the girls get closer, they discover they’re more alike than different, especially when they face the terror of not knowing what’s happening to those they love most.
--Random House Children's Books 2009
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The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman
Miss Breakbone hates kids. Especially the time-squandering, mindwandering, doodling, dozing dunderheads in her class. But when she confiscates Junkyard’s crucial find, she finally goes too far. Enter Wheels (and his souped-up bike with forty-eight extra gears), Pencil (who can draw anything from memory), Spider (look up and you’ll find him), and their fellow misfits in a spectacular display of teamwork aimed at teaching Miss Breakbone a lesson she won’t soon forget. From the incomparable Paul Fleischman comes a winning cast of underdogs — and one of the most terrifying teachers you’ll ever meet — brought to vivid life in David Roberts’s quirky, hilarious illustrations.
--Candlewick Press 2009
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When Papa Comes Home Tonight by Eileen Spinelli
When Papa comes home tonight, dear child,
(I promise - not too late)
you'll hear me whistling up the road.
You'll meet me at the gate.

It can be hard waiting for Papa to come home, but it'll be worth it because you'll both have so much fun when he does! From singing songs and making dinner to playing all the way until bedtime, just hanging with Papa is one of the most joyous ways to end the day.
--Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 2009
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There by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
A little girl ponders what the future holds, steadfast in her determination to find out for herself. "Will there be a sign that says, 'Here is There'?" "Will I be really BIG, There?" "Will I wear sensible shoes and say sensible things?" "Will I know how to count the stars and how to fix the broken things?" Gorgeous landscapes and the briefest of text speak to the power of imagination and a lifelong journey toward tomorrow.
--Roaring Brook Press
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Leaf by Stephen Michael King
An enduring friendship sprouts between boy and plant.

When a little boy runs in a panic from a haircut, a bird sees to it that his luxuriously follicated head is put to good use and drops a single seed right on top. Time passes, and wait...could it be? Something grows. A leaf! Instead of trying to rid himself of his new living hairstyle, the boy learns how to make the leaf grow, and, in turn, winds up growing a lot himself.

Every once in a long while a book comes along that makes you giggle while tugging at your heartstrings. Leaf is just that book. Almost wordless with a sprinkle of onomatopoeia and an abundance of charm, this is a wonderful little book.
--Roaring Brook Press 2009
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BUTT UGLY by Lynn Montgomery
BUTT UGLY is a smallish green dog with a snaggle-toothed smile and three little hairs sticking up from his butt. He's the runt in a litter of thirteen walloping tail-waggers. The other pups get names like Sparky, Princess and Fang. But everyone calls him BUTT UGLY. It makes him feel puny—inside and out. When the day arrives for new owners to come and choose puppies to take home, Butt Ugly hangs his head and hides in the corner. "Who wants a dog named Butt Ugly?" he mumbles to himself. And sure enough, all the puppies find homes, except Butt Ugly. And just when it looks like he couldn't feel any punier, BUTT UGLY is stuffed in the bottom of a basket and left abandoned on a doorstep in a Ding-Dong-Ditch! Mutts of the world unite! This book is for every creature who has ever felt a little shy, a little alone, or a little butt ugly. And for all the heroes who have opened their homes and their hearts to love them.

BUTT UGLY is triple-green. It has a green theme, it's printed on recycled paper, and it also collaborates with Eco-Libris, a "tree-offset" company to replenish the world's forests. For this first edition of Butt Ugly, 1,250 trees will be planted in developing countries. Buy a book, plant a tree.
--ZuZu Petals Books 2008
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My Mom Is Trying to Ruin My Life
by Kate Feiffer
Everyone has only nice things to say about my mom.

Everyone likes her.

She looks nice.

She bakes great cookies and makes me feel better when I have a bad day.

But would a really nice mom do embarrassing things like kiss me in public and tell loud jokes that no one thinks are funny? Well, my mom does those terrible things and worse - that's why I am sure that I have the most embarrassing mom in the world and that my mom is trying to ruin my life...

Or is she?
--Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books 2009
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The One and Only Marigold
by Florence Parry Heide
Meet Marigold! She's one clever, complicated—and hilarious—little girl. Follow Marigold as she buys a new coat (don’t worry, she still wears the old one to bed. She’s a very loyal person), plays a great trick (involving a Special Surprise Treasure Stand and worms), and much more. Along the way you'll meet Marigold’s best friend—her purple coat—and her next best friend—Maxine.

Marigold is an original character that all children will laugh over . . . and will love.
--Schwartz & Wade 2009
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Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life
by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm
Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life shows children, teachers, and parents the remarkable magic of what makes us human. This informative yet dramatic book will mesmerize readers and help further a child's understanding of the energy we share with all living things in nature. We are all dancing sunlight. Extensive notes.
--Scholastic 2009
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The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
One day, a curious boy named Liam is out exploring his drab, gray city when he comes across a struggling garden. He decides to help the plants grow, never imagining what he is starting. As time passes, the garden takes on a life of its own and spreads across the city, changing everything in its path. Bit by bit, the city is transformed, becoming a lush green world.

The Curious Garden is s magical story about one boy's quest for a greener world... one garden at a time. Enchanting tale with environmental themes and breathtaking illustrations that become more vibrant as the garden blooms.
--Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2009
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ETC's 2006 Interview with Peter Brown

3-D Explorer: Oceans: A Journey from the Surface to the Seafloor
by Jen Green
Did you know that an estimated 80% of all life on earth is found in the ocean? Dive in and discover all of the amazing secrets of the world’s oceans.. Five spectacular 3-D pop-up panoramas feature clever transparent layers, revealing each ocean zone from the surface to the seafloor.
--Silver Dolphin Books 2009
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3-D Explorer: Rain Forest: A Journey from the River to the Treetops
by Joe Fullman
Rain forests are literally bursting with life! Covering just 6% of the earth’s surface, rain forests are home to over 60% of all known animal species! From the riverbed to the treetops, explore the many fascinating layers of the rain forest. This amazing book gives kids a close-up view of the plants and animals that inhabit dense jungles.
--Silver Dolphin Books 2009
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Bird, Butterfly, Eel by James Prosek
Change is all around us. From the first buds of springtime to the first autumn frost, nature shows us that change is all around us and that the world has its own way of beginning anew.

Bird, Butterfly, and Eel spend their summers on the same coastal farm, but in the fall they go to very distant and different places. Their journeys to the far reaches of land and sea make them remarkable creatures. James Prosek uses their stories and his own sun-kissed paintings to introduce young readers to the basic elements of bird, fish, and insect migration.
--Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 2009
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Butterflies And Moths by Nic Bishop
With breathtaking full-page images, Butterflies And Moths introduces young readers to the beauty and diversity of these amazing insects, from the shockingly bright blue morpho butterfly to the nearly transparent glasswing butterfly to the mouthless luna moth. The simple, engaging text presents both basic information and fun, quirky facts about the insects' appearance, habits, and life cycle--including a double gatefold spread of a butterfly in flight.
--Scholastic 2009
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A Foot in the Mouth: Poems to Speak, Sing and Shout
by Paul B. Janeczko (Compiler), Illustrated by Chris Raschka

Whether rhyming, tongue-tying, or defying structure, here are more than three dozen poems that simply beg to be read aloud. The creators of A POKE IN THE I and A KICK IN THE HEAD complete a triplet with this collection of lively rhymes and tricky tongue twisters, poems for more than one voice, bilingual poems — and poems that may just inspire kids to memorize them. Paul B. Janeczko offers a range of gems, from classic Shakespeare and Lear to anonymous rhymes to contemporary riffs on everything under the sun, while Chris Raschka counterpoints with the vibrant accents of his wittily detailed artwork.
--Candlewick Press 2009
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Don't forget A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms by this unbeatable duo.

The Cuckoo's Haiku: and Other Birding Poems
by Michael J. Rosen, Illustrated by Stan Fellows

A joyful primer on the pleasures of bird-watching merges haiku, notes for identifying species, and exquisite watercolor illustrations.
--Candlewick Press 2009
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Introducing The King School Series, an affordable new collection of 60 leveled books for beginning readers. Ideal for large group instruction, guided reading, one-on-one coaching, and independent reading sessions.

The King School Series is the perfect complement to any early reading program. A comprehensive Teacher's Guide (available in Spring) offers detailed lesson plans and fun-filled worksheets for every book in the Series.

Every book in the Series is about the King School Kids, spirited first-graders in Mrs. Hall’s class at the King School. Mirroring the diversity of today’s classroom, the King School Kids represent various ethnicities and come from a variety of family structures. Your students will have no trouble finding King School Kids with whom they can identify. Once they read just one book about their favorite characters, they will clamor for more.

Ideal for differentiated instruction.
Because the Series’ leveled books progress gradually in difficulty, every student can be matched with just the right book—not too hard, not too easy. Five separate titles at each of the twelve levels give students plenty of practice reading at one level before moving to the next. This upward spiral of achievement fosters confidence. The more confident students feel, the more they want to read. The more they read, the better readers they become.

Unbeatable price. $1 per book!
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE KING SERIES from Townsend Press.

After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance
by Anne Sibley O'Brien and Perry Edmond O'Brien
In 1908 Mohandas Gandhi spoke to a crowd of 3,000. Together they protested against an unjust law without guns or rioting. Peacefully they made a difference. Gandhi’s words and deeds influenced countless others to work toward the goals of freedom and justice through peaceful methods.

Mother and son team, Anne Sibley O’Brien and Perry Edmond O’Brien, highlight some of the people and events that Gandhi’s actions inspired. From Rosa Parks to the students at Tiananmen Square to Wangari Maathai, these people have made the world sit up and take notice.
--Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc. 2009
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Eleanor, Quiet No More by Doreen Rappaport
Eleanor Roosevelt was raised in a privileged but stern Victorian household, with an affectionate but mostly absent father and a critical mother who made fun of her daughter's looks. Alone and lonely for much of her childhood, Eleanor found solace in books and in the life of her lively and independent mind. Her intellectual gifts and compassionate heart won her the admiration of many friends -- and the love of her future husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

While other young women of her class were spending time at dances and parties, Eleanor devoted her energies to teaching children in New York City's poorest neighborhoods. Later, she became the most socially and politically active -- and controversial -- First Lady America had ever seen. Ambassador, activist, and champion of civil rights, Eleanor Roosevelt changed the soul of America forever.
--Hyperion Books for Children 2009
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Keep On!: The Story of Matthew Henson, Co-Discoverer of the North Pole
by Deborah Hopkinson
A riveting account of African-American explorer Matthew Henson s 1909 journey to the North Pole with Admiral Peary Many know the story of Robert Peary s great 1909 expedition to reach the North Pole. Yet few people know that Peary was joined on this grueling, history-making journey by fellow explorer Matthew Henson.

Henson was born just after the Civil War, a time when slavery had been abolished, but few opportunities were available for black people. Even as a child, he exhibited a yearning for adventure, and at the age of only thirteen, he embarked on a five-year voyage sailing the seven seas and learning navigation, history, and mathematics. Henson s greatest adventure began when he accepted an invitation by Robert Peary to join his expedition to the North Pole. The team endured storms, shifting ice, wind, injuries, accidents, and unimaginable cold. Finally on April 1, Peary, Henson, and four Inuit men began the final 133-mile push to the Pole. Excerpts from Henson s expedition diaries, a timeline, and an epilogue place the story in its historical context.
--Peachtree Publishers 2009
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Chasing Lincolns Killer: The Search for John Wilkes Booth
by James L. Swanson
"This story is true. All the characters are real and were alive during the great manhunt of April 1865. Their words are authentic and come from original sources: letters, manuscripts, trial transcripts, newspapers, government reports, pamphlets, books and other documents. What happened in Washington, D.C., that spring, and in the swamps and rivers, forests and fields of Maryland and Virginia during the next twelve days, is far too incredible to have been made up." So begins this fast-paced thriller that tells the story of the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth and gives a day-by-day account of the wild chase to find this killer and his accomplices.
--Scholastic 2009
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Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans
by Roland Laird with Taneshia Nash Laird
The history of Black America, told in an accessible graphic-novel form. Updated from its original version—which ended with the Million Man March—it now extends from the early days of colonial slavery right through to Barack Obama’s groundbreaking presidential campaign. Still I Rise celebrates the collective African-American memory, imagination, and spirit.
--Sterling Publishing 2009
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Voyages: Reminiscences of Young Abe Lincoln
by Neil Waldman
Travel with young Abe Lincoln as he journeys up and down the "Father of Waters," the legendary Mississippi River. Sit alongside him as he navigates his flatboat over dams, past rapids, and through shallow water. Sail with him to the bustling port of New Orleans, and back to his home in Illinois. Along the way, you’ll become familiar with his inner voice, as you share his deepest thoughts and feelings, and witness his struggle with the pressing ethical question of his day – whether or not slavery should be abolished. By journey's end, you’ll come to understand how Abraham Lincoln grew from a naïve, idealistic teenager into one of the greatest, most passionate thinkers our country has every known.
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Our Abe Lincoln
by Jim Aylesworth
Barbara McClintock, Illustrator
Beginning with "Babe Abe Lincoln was born in the wilderness" to "Strong Abe Lincoln fell oaks with a mighty ax" to "Great Abe Lincoln died hard for his noble deeds"--here is a perfect book for Lincoln's birthday that tells the story of Lincoln to the very youngest audience. Set to the tune, "The Old Grey Mare," (a popular song during Lincoln's presidential campaigns). Music included. Author's note and recipe for Mary Todd Lincoln's Vanilla Almond Cake included. Put on your own classroom play.
Happy Birthday, Abe.
--Scholastic 2009
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I'll Pass for Your Comrade: Women Soldiers in the Civil War
by Anita Silvey
The Civil War has been studied, written about, even sun about for generations. Most people know that it was a conflict between North and South, Unionists and rebels, blue and gray. We recognize the names of Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee. Many people know about Clara Barton, the nurse who did so much to save soldiers' lives. But few have heard of Sarah Emma Edmonds, Rosetta Wakeman, or Mary Galloway. They were among the hundreds of women who assumed male identities, put on uniforms, enlisted in the Union or Confederate Army, and went into battle alongside their male comrades. In this compelling book, Anita Silvey explores the fascinating secret world of women soldiers: who they were, why they went to war, how they managed their masquerade. A few left memoirs, diaries, or letters. Newspaper stories, pension records, and regimental accounts yielded additional information, as did the writings of male soldiers who became aware of the women in the ranks.
--Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2008
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The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary
by Candace Fleming
This is an enthralling joint biography of our greatest president and his complex wife unlike any other—a scrapbook history that uses photographs, letters, engravings, and even cartoons, along with a fascinating text, to form an enthralling museum on the page.

Here are the extraordinary lives of Abraham and Mary, from their disparate childhoods and tumultuous courtship, through the agony of the Civil War, to the loss of three of their children, and finally their own tragic deaths. Readers can find Mary’s recipe for Abraham’s favorite cake—and bake it themselves; hear what Abraham looked like as a toddler; see a photo of the Lincolns’ dog; discover that the Lincoln children kept goats at the White House; see the Emancipation Proclamation written in Lincoln’s own hand. Perfect for reluctant readers as well as history lovers, The Lincolns provides a living breathing portrait of a man, a woman, and a country.
--Random House Childrens Books 2008
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1968
by Michael T. Kaufman
THE YEAR AMERICA GREW UP. From racial and gender equality fights to the struggle against the draft and the Vietnam war, in 1968 Americans asked questions and fought for their rights. Look back on that seminal year--from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assasination to the Columbia University riots to our changing role among other nations--in this gripping introduction to the events home and abroad. The year we first took steps in space, the year we shaped the present, 1968 presented by a former New York Times writer who lived through it all, shares the story with detail and passion. Includes am excellent index, notable pictures from 1968, and reprints of NYT articles. A must read.
--Roaring Brook Press (2009)
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Washington at Valley Forge by Russell Freedman

Russell Freedman offers a powerful account of the survival of American soldiers while camped at Valley Forge during a crucial period in the American Revolution. Maps, time line, index, source notes, and bibliography are included.
George Washington's army almost perished during the winter of 1777-78. Camped at Valley Forge, about twenty miles from Philadelphia, the revolutionaries endured severe hardship because the army's supply system had collapsed and they were without food, clothing, and blankets. The army was at its most vulnerable; but when the harsh winter drew to a close, the soldiers had survived, and marched away from Valley Forge more determined than ever. The British were defeated in 1783, and Washington, for the rest of his life, said that the credit for the American victory belonged to the soldiers who had braved the horrific conditions at Valley Forge.
--Holiday House 2008
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Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend)
by Deborah Hopkinson
JUST IN TIME for the 200th anniversary of his birth comes this ingenious picture book of historical fiction about our 16th president of the United States. It’s a tale of two boys who get themselves into more trouble than bear cubs in a candy store during the year 1816. Abe is only seven years old, and his pal, Austin, is ten. Abe and Austin decide to journey down to Knob Creek. The water looks scary and deep, and Austin points out that they don’t know how to swim. Nevertheless, they decide to traverse it. I won’t tell you what happens, but let’s just say that our country wouldn’t be the same if Austin hadn’t been there to help his friend.
--Schwartz & Wade Books 2008
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The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes
E. B. Lewis, Illustrator

"I've known rivers:
I've known rivers ancient as the world,"
Langston Hughes has long been acknowledged as the voice, and his poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers, the song, of the Harlem Renaissance. Although he was only seventeen when he composed it, Hughes already had the insight to capture in words the strength and courage of black people in America.
--Hyperion Books for Children 2009
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The Freedom Business by Marilyn Nelson

Born a prince in Africa, Venture Smith would become known to history as the first man to document both his capture from Africa and life as an American slave. Nelson's controlled verse layers this edition with insight into Smith's stoic eighteenth-century prose.
Young Adult
--Front Street Books 2008
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Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford
Before the legend of Billie Holiday, there was a girl named Eleanora. In 1915, Sadie Fagan gave birth to a daughter she named Eleanora. The world, however, would know her as Billie Holiday, possibly the greatest jazz singer of all time.
Ages 12 and up
--Wordsong 2008
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Abe's Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln
by Doreen Rappaport

From the time he was a young boy roaming the forests of the unsettled Midwest, Abraham Lincoln knew in his heart that slavery was deeply wrong. A voracious reader, Lincoln spent every spare moment of his days filling his mind with knowledge, from history to literature to mathematics, preparing himself to one day lead the country he loved towards greater equality and prosperity.

Despite the obstacles he faced as a self-educated man from the back woods, Lincoln persevered in his political career, and his compassion and honesty gradually earned him the trust of many Americans. As president, he guided the nation through a long and bitter civil war and penned the document that would lead to the end of slavery in the United States.
Ages 8-12
--Hypersion Books for Children 2008
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