The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem

The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem by Colleen Paeff and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Once there was city called London in England.  (Yes, I do realize there is still a London in England but it's sooo different than the one in this book.)  The city had grown from a small town to a large city over hundred of years and now it had LOTS of people.  The problem with LOTS of people is that this creates LOTS of trash, or in this case LOTS of poop.  And, LOTS of poop creates LOTS of bad smells.  Why is that a problem?  Good question!  In the 1800s when all this poop was becoming a problem, people did NOT have indoor plumbing like we have today.  The London city leaders thought all the poop should be flushed into the River Thames.  But, guess where all the drinking water came from...yup, you guessed it.  GROSS!!!  As a result, lots of people were getting sick and dying, but no one was making the connection between what was being dumped in the river and the water people were drinking.  English engineer Joseph Bazalette knew there was a problem and he had an idea on how to fix it, but would anyone listen to him...  I just love this story.  I had heard of Joseph Bazalgette before but this is the first time I'd ever seen a non-fiction picture book about him.  The language in the book is easy enough for younger students to understand while also being detailed enough to keep older students interested.  The end of the book not only has a timeline but it also explains how cities are still working today to keep rivers clean.  To learn more about Joseph Bazalgette watch these great videos by the Institution of Civil Engineers and Kid Science.

Roller Girl

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Five paw prints

Let me first begin by saying...what an awesome and fun book.  It begins with two girls watching their first roller derby game. Nicole is unimpressed but Astrid is hooked and she insists that her mother sign her up for roller derby camp during summer vacation.  Astrid is allowed to sign up for camp if Nicole goes with her but Astrid is afraid to tell her mother that Nicole is going to Ballet Camp.  So what's a 12 year old supposed to do?  Lie (of course) and (of course) this leads to a long summer of trying to keep up the lies without getting caught, learning a new sport, making new friends, while trying not to loose the old friends.  Life can be very complicated when you're getting ready to start middle school.  On the surface this could be just another story about elementary school friends starting to go their separate ways with the start of middle school while using the graphic format to stand out in a crowd of “growing up” books but I LOVE the use of the roller derby to help show the differences growing between the best friends. I'll be honest, after reading about roller derbies I want to learn more!  If you want to learn more then visit https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_derby or even the team mentioned in the book http://www.rosecityrollers.com.  Better yet, visit the websites of teams in our area http://www.hellionsoftroyrollerderby.com and http://albanyallstars.com to learn about our own hometown teams.

Flora & Ulysses

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated K. G. Campbell

Five paw prints

Flora is girl in need of a friend...she just doesn’t know it.  Her parents are divorced and her father lives on the other side of town.  An annoying boy has just moved into the house next door and he thinks he is blind.  Her mother is an author who writes romance novels and she wants Flora to read more books.  But her mother doesn’t want Flora to read comic books.  Unfortunately, Flora LOVES comic books, especially comic books with super heroes.  Flora would really like to meet a superhero.  Ulysses is a squirrel.  He was sucked into a vacuum cleaner.  Now he LOVES Flora.  And Flora...she thinks Ulysses IS a superhero.  Together they have some very interesting adventures.  This is such a sweet and wonderful book.  I never would have thought I would enjoy a book where one of the main characters is a squirrel, especially a squirrel with superpowers.  And while I believe this book can be read and enjoyed by oneself, I feel this book is best shared out loud with a little friend; a friend who loves a good animal book at bedtime.  To learn more about this book visit http://www.floraandulysses.com/home.html or http://www.katedicamillo.com/books/flora.html.

Ball

Ball by Mary Sullivan

Don't forget to click HERE if you want to hear Ms Becky read, her daughter help, and her dog look for a ball.

Five paw prints.  Balls are great fun, especially if you are a dog that has a special girl to play with every day.  But, what happens when the little girl is no longer available?  Who will play ball with the dog?  Will it be the mother, the baby, the cat, or worse yet...will he be forced to play by himself?  Oh no, what will the dog do?  IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!!!  What a great book.  Told from the point of view of the dog, you need to "read" the pictures to understand the book.  There is only one word in the entire book and you might be wondering "why".  Well, the main character is a dog and he only knows one word.  I'll let you guess which word.  To learn more about Mary Sullivan visit, http://www.marysullivan.com.

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet

Four paw prints.  Have you ever watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?  Did you like the music, the floats, the balloons?  Did you ever wonder why this parade (and very few others) uses balloons?  Who came up with the idea of using balloons?  That person was Tony Sarg, a well know puppeteer from Europe who was encouraged by R. H. Macy.  Tony Sarg helped with the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in 1924.  But, there weren’t any giant balloons in this first parade.  Instead, there were real animals from the Central Park Zoo.  Soon after, Mr. Macy gave Tony Sarg a new challenge for the parade.  Replace the live animals!  We know that today’s parade has huge balloons, but how did a puppeteer go from marionettes hanging below strings to balloons floating above strings?  I thought this was a great book.  There are plenty of holiday books available to share with children, but this book and Thank You Sarah (see earlier post) are by far my two favorite Thanksgiving books.  I know there are other books that talk about the creation of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and the floats, but I don't feel any are as good as this book.  To learn more about Tony Sarg visit, http://www.michenermuseum.org/bucksartists/artist.php?artist=234.   Or, to find more interesting books by Melissa Sweet visit, http://melissasweet.net/.

I Could Do That!: Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote by Linda Arms White and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints.  In the 1800s, only white men were allowed to make major decisions, including voting.  Esther Morris didn't think this was right.  She was a teenager when she opened her first shop, was a single mother when she left her family in New York to move to the mid-west, and she had no problem "encouraging" the men in the Wyoming Territory to allow her and other women the right to vote.  Based on real facts, Esther Morris not only became a leader in her community who helped women get the right to vote, but she later became the first woman in the country to hold public office when she became a judge.  I really enjoyed this book.  The struggle for women to get the right to vote went on for many decades, and in some parts of the world this struggle continues.  It's important for students to learn and understand how important it is to vote.  Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton get much of the credit for women getting the right to vote, but maybe Esther Morris should be studied alongside these other important women.  To find more books by the author visit, http://lindaarmswhite.com/default.aspx.
921 Mor

The Man Who Walked Between The Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints.  Once there was a young man named Philippe Petit.  He was born and raised in France, and he was expected to be a good student and eventually have a good job.  But, this is NOT what Philippe Petit had in mind.  Philippe was not interested in school (he was kicked out of a number of schools) but he was interested in circus acts.  He was interested in things like magic, juggling, and tightrope walking.  He knew he didn't want to be in the circus so he taught himself everything he felt he wanted to learn.  Soon he was doing his own shows and "stunts".  This led to many interesting tightrope performances.  One of his most famous shows/stunts was in New York City, which is where the story in this book takes place.  In the early 1970s two new skyscrapers were being built.  Most people were interested in the towers, but Philippe was interested in the space between the towers.  He wanted to walk between the towers.  With the help of friends, he was able to sneak into one of the towers, string strong cable across to the other tower, and walk/dance/bow to the people on the ground.  Though his show was beautiful (at least to some) to see, it was illegal.  In the end, Philippe was punished for his crime, but it was a very interesting punishment.  Strangely enough, I like this book because of the way it handles the events of 9/11.  The events of this day are mentioned but they have little to do with the story.
Yet, this is what makes the story work so well.  The story is about an important event in New York City history without letting the events of 9/11 overshadow Philippe and his unique accomplishment.  This is a (dare I say) wonderful way to introduce young students to the events of 9/11 without focusing on just the sadness of that horrible day.  To find more books by Mordicai Gerstein, visit http://www.mordicaigerstein.com/.
791.3 Ger

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

FIVE PAW PRINTS!!  It's the time of the Great Depression and Abilene Tucker and her father Gideon have always lived their lives by "riding the rails", looking for work and looking for food, but they have always been together.  But now it's 1936 and Abilene is 12 years old.  Gideon thinks it's time for his daughter to have a chance to "grow up" so he sends her to the town of Manifest, Kansas.  Gideon spent part of his childhood in Manifest and he thinks Pastor Howard (also known as Shady) would be a good person to leave in charge of Abilene while he works building railroad tracks in Iowa.  Though Abilene doesn't agree (she feels abandoned) with her father's opinion, she doesn't have a choice and she moves in with Shady.  While in Manifest, Abilene hopes to learn more about her father, who doesn't talk much about his youth, but instead she becomes friends with two local girls and ends up working for an old woman who doesn't have any family.  While spending time with Lettie and Ruthanne, they discover a mystery going back as far as World War I.  (Her time with Miss Sadie, the local fortune teller, is where she learns all about the people of the town from the past and the present.)  When you hear people say something is so good that "you'll laugh and you'll cry", you normally roll your eyes at the exaggeration of the statement.  This is one story where this description is NOT an exaggeration.  When I first started reading this story I thought I was going to have a terrible time keeping track of all the different characters from the different time periods.  Not only was the story so well told that I didn't have any troubles, but I didn't even need the list of characters in the beginning of the book.  I'm not sure words can fully capture how good a book this is.  You laugh when the underdog wins and you cry when the world comes crashing down on the same underdog.  But, to say anything else would completely give the story away.  RUN, don't walk to find a copy of this book and don't put it down until you finish reading.  To learn more about the author, visit http://www.clarevanderpool.com/home.html.
nook

The Pirate of Kindergarten by George Ella Lyon and Lynne Avril

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda


Remember, click HERE to watch a video of Ms Becky reading this book.

Four paw prints.  Ginny loves school.  She especially loves reading and she loves going to the Reading Circle.  But Ginny has a problem.  She doesn't know what is real and what is imaginary.  Ginny sees two of everything.  She sees two of every word on the page, sees two chairs, sees two images on her coloring pages, and sees two teachers.  Unfortunately, she doesn't realize she is the only person in her classroom that is having this problem.  Luckily, there is a school nurse who recognizes Ginny is struggling in school and recommends she see an eye doctor.  Not only does the eye doctor help Ginny see one of everything, but he helps her become a pirate.  Now, Ginny is no longer afraid to visit the Reading Circl,e and school becomes a lot more fun.  I really liked this book.  Not only was the story well told and easy to understand and the pictures were bright and interesting, but the story was about  a child who needs help.  Stories about children with disabilities aren't a common theme in picture books.  To find more books by George Ella Lyon, visit http://www.georgeellalyon.com/ to learn more.  To learn about real pirates visit https://www.dkfindout.com/us/history/pirates/.  If you would like to color a pirate picture please visit http://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/fantasy-mythology/pirates or https://www.coloring.ws/pirates.htm.  You can even email of photograph of your pictures to BookmoBailey the Orenda Library mascot.  If you're lucky, BookmoBailey may reply to your email. 

We Are in a Book by Mo Willems

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints.  Well, Elephant and Piggy are at it again and not only are they in a new book, they have discovered they are IN the book.  This leads to many interesting ideas.  The funniest idea is trying to make the reader read the book out loud to a group of children and make the reader say funny words.  Of course, if you read the book out loud then their plan works.  There is just one problem.  Gerald (the elephant) has found something new to worry about and the cause of his worry is on page 57.  Normally, it is up to Piggy to help calm Gerald down and come up with a solution to the problem but there is NOTHING Piggy can do about page 57.  Fortunately, Piggy does have an idea, but it is up to the reader to make it successful.  As always, the newest Elephant and Piggy book is wonderful with its innocence, and children will love, and identify, with both the main characters.  But the best part of this book is the inclusion of the reader.  I have yet to meet a child who doesn't like to be included in the book with Elephant and Piggy.To find more great books by Mo Willems visit http://www.pigeonpresents.com/.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda
Five paw prints! Minli lives a hard, simple, but happy life. She works in the field during the day and at night she lives with her parents who love her and take care of her. Though they are very poor and can't afford gifts for her, Minli's father gives her gifts by telling her wonderful stories about animals, emperors, dragons, and mountains. Minli believes these stories about talking animals to be true and as a result she buys a goldfish. Minli's mother is very upset that Minli would spend what little money she had on a goldfish, but Minli loves her fish and in return the goldfish also tells Minli stories. Minli comes to believe that if she leaves her home and finds the Old Man of the Moon she will learn how to make her family wealthy and then her parents wouldn't have to worry so much about money. On her trip Minli meets many new people and has many more questions for the Old Man of the Moon, but in the end he will only give her one answer. It's not the answer to the question she left home to ask, but it's the only answer she needs. This book was wonderful. If words can be described as beautiful, then this was a beautiful book. I think all children should read this book, but, more importantly, I think all children should have the chance to read this book with an adult they love and trust. It's definitely a book that should be shared as a family. If you want to read other books by this author then visit http://www.gracelin.com/ to see what other wonderful stories she has created.
Fic Lin

When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan and illustrated by Brian Selznick

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. When Marian Anderson was a girl she began to sing. Actually, most people who knew her would say she was born singing. By the time she was in elementary school she was already the youngest member of the People's Chorus in Philadelphia. She was so small, she had to stand on a chair to be seen. Her voice was so good the people in her church helped pay for her singing lessons and they offered to help pay for her to attend a professional music school. There was just one problem. Marian was black and black students were not allowed to even apply to attend the school, no matter how musically talented they were. But her friends and family didn't want her to give up her dream of singing so she was given a chance to sing before the famous music teacher, Giuseppe Boghetti. He was stunned by how wonderful her voice was and promised that after training with him for two years, she would be able to sing "anywhere for anybody". And after two years he was right. She was able to travel and perform with famous musicians in front of some of the wealthiest and most influential people, including European royalty, all over the world. There was just one problem. It didn't matter how talented or famous she became; when she was back in the United States, she was still treated poorly by some people simply because she was black. Luckily, she didn't let that stand in the way of following her dreams. This was a great book, not just because it was about an African American growing up during the time of segregation, but by showing people she could doing something just as well, if not better, than a white person. Not only did a poor child grow up to become famous, but it shows that no matter who you are, if you work hard at something you enjoy, then you can be very successful. To learn more about Marian Anderson visit, http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/rbm/anderson. To read more books by the author and illustrator visit, http://www.pammunozryan.com/ or http://www.theinventionofhugocabret.com/.
921 And

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Have you heard of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, or Michael Collins? Probably. They were famous astronauts and while Michael Collins piloted the command module, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were becoming the first men to ever walk on the moon. But have you ever heard of Jerrie Cobb, Jan Dietrich, or Rhea Hurrie. No? I'm not surprised. In the 1960s, while NASA was testing and training seven men to see if they had the "right stuff" to go into space, there were 13 women who were taking many of the same tests. Not only were these 13 women taking many of the same tests as the men, but in many cases the women were doing better than the men on the same tests. But one day the women were told they were not going to be allowed to finish taking the tests, and only people who took, and passed, all the tests would be allowed into space. It would be almost another 20 years before women would, again, have the chance to go into space. So why did it take so long for women to be allowed into space? There were a number of reasons, but the main reason was they were women. In the early 1960s, when NASA was beginning its space program, ALL the people in charge of making the decisions were men. The men liked to believe they were stronger than women and that women should stay at home, take care of the home, raise the children, and be waiting for their husbands to come home from work. The men wanted to believe they were superior to the women, and the men didn't want to change their ways or their thinking. This was a great book. It had everything I enjoy in a good story: history; drama; and underdogs who may not have won the battle but they certainly won the war. There are so many websites that go along with this book that there is not enough room to list them all, so I will list two here, but you will have to look at the back of the book for the full list of recommended websites. The two websites I would recommend starting with are The International Women's Air & Space Museum at http://www.iwasm.org/ and NASA Kids' Club at http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html. 629.45 Sto

The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors by Chris Barton and illustrated by Tony Persiani

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! Do you like bright colors? Have you ever wondered what the world would look like without bright colors? Well, it wasn't that long ago when there were NO bright colors. It wasn't until brothers Bob and Joe Switzer made an interesting discovery that people were able to enjoy colors in a new way. But Bob and Joe hadn't planned on inventing new colors. Bob wanted to help sick people be healthy and Joe wanted to entertain people with magic. They ended up inventing something together that was so new (Day-Glo colors) that people could be helped and entertained with the same invention. I loved this book. I grew up loving bright Day-Glo colors, but it never occurred to me that someone invented these colors. What I liked most about this book was the way the information was presented. The story is told in a picture book format and all the pictures in the beginning are in black and white. As the brothers learn more about color, more and more colors are added to each page until the last pages are filled with Day-Glo colors. This book was wonderful. If you want to read more books by this author visit: http://www.chrisbarton.info/.

The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Once there was a land that was very beautiful. It was an island with warm weather, mountains, and lush land for farming. There was just one problem. The people who ruled the island, the Spaniards, believed in slavery. This is the story of one of those slaves. Through poems, Rosa explains how she learned about medicinal plants as a child slave. As she grows older we learn of the many civil wars that take over her island that cause a number of slaves to run away from their masters, including Rosa. Rosa and her husband start healing clinics throughout the island helping anyone in need, whether the injured is a friend or foe. After many years and many civil wars Rosa and her Cuban friends win their freedom, but it isn’t necessarily what they expected at the Surrender Tree. This is the true story of Rosa la Bayamesa who grew up and experienced many of Cuba’s civil wars and eventually saw freedom for all the people who lived there. What’s nice about this book is the way the story is told. Instead of reading a factual book that would probably be very hard to understand, the information is told through short, easy-to-understand poems. This then becomes a good book for American children to introduce a culture many of them know very little about. To learn more about Margarita Engle visit http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6640331.html.
811 Eng

We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro Baseball by Kadir Nelson

Reviewed by Mrs. Manore at Orenda

Five paw prints!! First, I realize Miss Dewey usually does these reviews, but she is still in bed because she says the weather is too cold to come out and read. Second, I LOVE baseball stories and I’m especially interested in Negro baseball. I grew up hearing baseball stories and hearing about baseball history. So, when I saw a new book about Negro baseball by Kadir Nelson (a nationally known, award winning illustrator) I knew I had to read this book. I am so happy I read it. In fact, I had a hard time putting this book down. I liked reading about how early players black played with more enthusiasm then the traditional major leagues players. They played year round around the world because they loved to play. Black players were treated very poorly in white towns where segregation was the law. Yet a baseball commissioner and a baseball team owner were willing to risk their lives to allow a black baseball player to join a major league team. Jackie Robinson may not have been the best black baseball player, but he was the best person to join major league baseball. In my opinion, this book should win MANY awards, including the Newbery, Coretta Scott King, and Sibert honors. I will be very disappointed if it doesn’t. Please visit the following websites, http://www.nlbm.com/ and http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/index.jsp to learn more about Negro Baseball.
796.35 Nel

Penny From Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm

Review by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints!!! Penny has a pretty good, if not unusual, life. She lives with her Anglo/Protestant mother and her mother’s parents, all of whom are very quiet. She goes to the local public school and summer vacation is about to begin. This means she will have more time to spend with her father’s Italian/Catholic family that lives a few blocks away. Her father’s family is anything but quiet. There are always kids running around making noise. There are always adults having loud conversations (Italians don’t argue, they just have loud conversations), especially about food. And there is more than enough going on in her father’s family to keep Penny and her cousin Frankie busy all summer. But there is just one problem. Penny’s father is dead and no one will talk about him. All she knows is that he died during World War II. But this summer Penny wants to learn what happened to her father, and she might not like what she hears. Penny From Heaven is a wonderful story about a girl, her family, and what happened to her family because of the American government’s fear of the “enemy” during World War II. Most Americans know how poorly the American government treated Japanese Americans during the war, but very few people know that Italian Americans were treated poorly too, including Penny’s father. To learn more about World War II visit http://www.nps.gov/nwwm/ or visit http://www.nps.gov/features/nama/feat0001/index2.html to watch a short video.
Fic Hol

Not A Stick by Antoinette Portis

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. In the beginning there was a child, or in this case a bunny, with a box. But it wasn’t really a box. It was a car and a mountain and a rocket ship. Now the author is back with another child, or in this case a pig, who has found a stick. But what is a stick when it’s Not A Stick? In this case a stick can be a fishing pole, a paint brush, or a sword. This is a book that all children love because it encourages imagination. And, this is a book that is best shared with an adult because while a child enjoys the silly adventures of a pig, a parent will love remembering what it was like to be a child. If you would like to learn more about art because you found a stick and tried to paint with it then visit http://www.nga.gov/kids .
E Por

Gone Wild by David McLimans

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! This book is an alphabet book about endangered species. No, it’s really about endangered species told using the alphabet. No, it’s really an art book using the alphabet. Or, is it really an art book showcasing animals? I’m not sure what type of book this really is but I do know Gone Wild is just an incredible book. Every letter of the alphabet is represented by an endangered animal and the letter is in the shape of the animal. In addition the reader learns information like where the animal currently lives and why it is endangered. This is a wonderful way to introduce endangered animals to children and will lead to more research of these animals. And if these animals are lucky, children will want to help animals so they always have a safe place to live. To learn more about helping animals visit http://www.bronxzoo.com/help-wildlife.aspx .

An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! What happens when you get sick? You take medicine. What happens when you are very sick? You go to the doctor. Right? What if you became sick in 1793? Remember, in 1793 there were very few doctors and even less medicine. Well, if you were a member of the upper class community you would leave the city to live in the country to try to escape the sickness. You would probably live. If you were a member of the middle class community you would try to find a doctor who may be able to help you. But you may not be able to afford to pay the doctor. You might have a chance to live. If you were a member of the lower class community, well…just read the book, you’ll love it. Oh, don’t forget to visit the author’s website, http://www.jimmurphybooks.com/, to see his other great books.
614.5 Mur