Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys

Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys by Rob Penas and illustrated by Carl Angel 

Aaahhh...the yo-yo...what could be more American than an old-fashioned, trusty, wooden yo-yo?  There is just one problem.  The yo-yo wasn't invented by an American or in America.  The yo-yo as we know it today was invented in the Philippines and it was brought to America by a Filipino immigrant named Pedro Flores.  Pedro Flores was born in 1896 when the Philippines were ruled by Spain.  When he was a small boy, the United States became the new rulers.  This is when Pedro learned about economic opportunities in America.  So, at 15 years old he left the Philippines and after a few years of travel and odd jobs he finally made it to America.  In America he continued doing odd jobs while attending school.  At one point he was living with a family with a young boy.  They spent many hours playing ball together but Pedro felt the boy would like to play with a toy he had played with in the Philippines...the yo-yo.  The boy LOVED the yo-yo.  So did his parents, his family, other children, the neighbors, and soon Pedro had his own business.  He had become a toy maker.  So, full discloser, I never really thought about yo-yos before.  I knew they existed and I played with them as a kid but it never occurred to me that someone must have actually invented them.  This books was just so much fun.  I learned about the history of a fun toy in America, some of the history of an island country in the Pacific Ocean, and the history of an important person.  I think more people should learn about the history of toys and the toy makers.  Not only that, I loved the pictures.  The pictures were bright, colorful, and easy to see.  And the best part...there were facts about the Philippines, the yo-yo, and Pedro Flores at the end of the book.  I love when books have facts at the end so I can learn more.  If you want to learn more about the Philippines and yo-yos you can visit one of these sights with an adult.

• Philippines--National Geographic Kids
• Philippines--Britannica Kids
• Philippines Facts for Kids
• Beginner Yoyo Tricks
• Yo-Yo History in America
• The Yo-Yo

The Gardener of Alcatraz: A True Story

 

The Gardener of Alcatraz: A True Story by Emma Bland Smith and illustrated by Jenn Ely

Starting in 1934, Alcatraz Island changed from being a military post to a high security (and impossible to escape) prison for the most dangerous criminals.  One of these criminals was Elliott Michener.  Elliot Michener was caught making counterfeit money.  This, of course, is illegal.  Like many new prisoners to Alcatraz Island, Elliott had plans on how he could try to escape from prison.  Many prisoners had tried but none had been successful.  Elliott thought if he could "trick" the guards into trusting him then he could escape without anyone noticing.  He decided to volunteer in the prison gardens to gain the guards trust.  There was just one problem...  It turned out he really enjoyed working in the gardens.  Not only did her enjoy the gardens, but he really enjoyed gardening.  Oh no!  What's a prisoner to do?  So, did I like this book?  Absolutely!  History, gardening, a reformed prisoner, a well told story, and great pictures.  What's not to love?  I can think of nothing better than a book that looks great, has great information about something that interests me, and I learn something new. To learn more about Alcatraz and the gardens please visit the following websites: Alcatraz Island (National Park Service) and The Gardens of Alcatraz.  To hear Elliot Michener talk about being a gardener on Alcatraz then click here.  To learn more about books created by Emma Bland Smith and Jenn Ely please visit their websites.  

A Perfect Fit: How Lena "Lane" Bryant Changed the Shape of Fashion

 

A Perfect Fit: How Lena "Lane" Bryant Changed the Shape of Fashion by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

In the late 1800s Lena Himmelstein lived with her grandparents in Eastern Europe.  They were very poor but Lena didn't mind.  But, Lena did have one dream...she wanted to go to America.  Lena's parents were dead but she had an older sister living in New York City and working in a factory making clothes.  Eventually Lena was able to join her sister in America and at work.  While many immigrant girls didn't like working in factories, Lena loved that she was able to learn how to use a sewing machine.  Lena became very good at making her clothes and started her own business.  She became known as the seamstress who made clothes that fit all body types, not just the "perfect" model thin bodies.  Even though she became very successful, she never forgot what her grandfather in Eastern Europe had taught her, "Any work that helps another human being has dignity.  The only real success comes from filling a human need."  Whenever she learned of people in need of clothes due to natural disasters or war she would send clothes where they were most needed. Lena's company was also one of the first companies in the country to take care of it's employees by offering health insurance and retirement pensions.  So, why do I like this book?  Well, to begin with, I really love books by Mara Rockliff and books by Juana Martinez-Neal.  But, I think the reason I enjoy this story so much is because my grandfather was an immigrant from Europe who was a tailor.  I guess I'm just meant to love this book.  To learn more about the immigrant experience visit Ellis Island or The Tenement Museum.  To find more great book by Mara Rockliff and Juana Martinez-Neal then please visit their websites.

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.

Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight: Patsy Takemoto Mink and the Fight for Title IX

 

Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight: Patsy Takemoto Mink and the Fight for Title IX by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Toshiki Nakamura

Born in 1927, Patsy Takemoto Mink was a sansei (third generation descendent of Japanese immigrants) who grew up in Hawaii.  She had a good life on Hawaii and while it may not have been perfect it was still better than living in other parts of the United States.  So, why wasn't it perfect?  One, she was a girl and girls were expected to grow up and become housewives but she wanted to attend school.  Two, her family immigrated to Hawaii from Japan.  People who's family immigrated from Japan weren't always treated as well as people who's family immigrated from Europe.  Luckily, Patsy lived in Hawaii and Hawaii was NOT a State.  Hawaii was still "only" a territory so people (children) of Japanese descent weren't always treated as badly as the Japanese Americans who lived on the mainland of the United States.  Patsy could attend school with other children and her father could have a good job regardless of where their family was from.  When Patsy was ready to attend college she applied to medical school on the mainland.  But, NO SCHOOL would accept her because she was female.  She ended up studying to be a lawyer instead.  She was one of two women at her law school and she graduated at the top of her class.  But, NO LAW FIRMS would hire her because she was female.  Every time she was told NO she reminded her self of a Japanese expression.  Fall down seven time, stand up eight.  In other words, if you want something badly enough and you're willing to work hard, then you need to just keep trying until you succeed.  Patsy's determination to keep getting up took her all the way from Hawaii to Washington DC where she represented Hawaii and fought for women's and girl's rights.  Patsy and other like her fought hard to pass a bill called Title IX.  Title IX would require all women to have equal access to education, activities, and sports by any organization that receives Federal funding.  I really liked this book.  I liked that it showed that working hard pays off and I really liked the way the Japanese phrase of Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight was used to reinforce this idea.  It's something that I feel children today should hear more often.  To learn more about Patsy Takemoto Mink visit the United States House of Representatives and to learn more about women/girls in sports visit National Today.

I Am An American: The Wong Kim Ark Story

I Am An American: The Wong Kim Ark Story by Martha Brockenbrough with Grace Lin and illustrated by Julia Kuo

Today, almost any night, you can turn on the evening news and see people complaining about immigrants coming to our country.  Too many people from the East.  Too many people coming from the South.  Too many people coming from the West.  You might think this is a new concern for our country.  But...it's not...this has been a concern since the Pilgrims stepped off the Mayflower onto Plymouth Rock.  Anytime a group of people feels settled/comfortable and then a new group moves into town, some people feel nervous...but they don't feel nervous for any good reason they can explain.  Some people just don't like anything that's new and different.  This is what happened to Wong Kim Ark.  Wong Kim Ark was born in San Francisco, California in 1873.  He was born to Chinese immigrants who were NOT American citizens.  Life was not easy for Chinese residents in California.  They weren't trusted by residents of European descent and they were treated like second class citizens.  Wong Kim Ark grew up used to these challenges but what he didn't expect was the challenge that was to come.  When Wong Kim Ark was a young man he left California to visit family in China.  But, when he tried to return home he was prevented from entering California.  He was told he was NOT an American.  It didn't matter if he was born here.  Wong Kim Ark decided go to court to prove he was an American and he belonged in California.  This is not only a good book, it is an important book for children to hear.  Children need to know everyone should feel welcomed in America and if you are born here then you belong here and where you family comes from shouldn't determine how you are treated.  To learn more about Wong Kim Ark and what he and other people of Chinese descent experienced in America at this time please visit the following websites with an adult.

• American Experience
• New York Historical Society
• Chinese Historical Society of America  (There is a small fee if you want to "visit" the virtual exhibit but the rest of the website has good/interesting information and appears to be free.)
• Immigration History
• Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation

What Isabella Wanted: Isabella Stewart Gardner Builds a Museum

What Isabella Wanted: Isabella Stewart Gardner builds a Museum by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Isabella Gardner was born RICH!  She could do whatever she wanted to do.  She lived in a mansion, in a fancy neighborhood, in one of the oldest cities in the country.  Isabella especially LOVED to do things to shock the proper ladies of her neighborhood.  She would walk a lion down the sidewalk on a leash like a dog.  She would greet people to her house while standing in a large potted plant.  But one of her favorite things to do was travel the world and look at artwork.  Not only did she look at artwork but she bought artwork.  LOTS of artwork and when she couldn't buy artwork on her own then she hired representatives to travel and purchase artwork for her.  Artwork from Europe, Asia, Africa...anywhere and everywhere was of interest to Isabella.  Oh, and if it wasn't possible to purchase the artwork she was interested in having then she would "rescue" the artwork.  (Today, that's called stealing but around 100 years ago it was considered "rescuing" the artwork.  Do NOT "rescue" artwork.  It's fine where it is!)  You might wonder what Isabella did with all the artwork she collected.  She built herself a new house to live in with all her artwork.  She built a HUGE house for all her artwork and a few times a year the public was allowed to visit her house to see and enjoy the artwork she collected.  Today, the public can still visit her house and her artwork.  Upon her death she left her home and her artwork to the city of Boston on the condition that her house becomes a museum and her artwork remains in place so people can see the artwork as she wanted it to be seen.  I have to admit.  This really was the perfect book for me.  It has art...I love art.  It has a museum...I love museums.  It has a woman from an old New England family who liked to "shake up" proper society...I'm from an old New England family who likes to...I probably shouldn't tell that story.  This book even has a mystery and I LOVE mysteries.  I enjoyed that illustrations in the book were so detailed that it really kept your interest and the story was long enough to give you plenty of information without being so long that it became too hard to read.  I especially enjoyed the additional information at the end of the story giving more information about Isabella Stewart Gardner and explaining the difference between purchasing artwork and "rescuing" artwork.  Oh, and the mystery I mentioned...  You'll just have to read the book to find out what it's all about.  To learn more about Isabella Stewart Gardner and her artwork visit:

• The Gardner Museum
• Gardner Museum Heist 

Hello Neighbor: The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers

 

Hello Neighbor: The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers by Matthew Cordell

To begin with...full disclosure..I grew up watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and I LOVED it.  It was one of my absolute favorite shows.  To say I really enjoyed this book would be an understatement.  So, where to begin...  Fred Rogers was born in Pennsylvania and he loved music.  By all accounts he was shy and he loved spending time with his family.  One thing the family would do together was watch TV, but Fred wasn't impressed with much of what he saw.  He felt there had to be more that could be done with TV shows.  He went to New York City to learn how television shows are made by working for NBC.  After learning what he could in New York he went home to Pennsylvania and started his own children's show, but this was NOT the show that he became famous for.  While creating this first show he continued his education in college to learn more about how children learn and feel things.  From there he created the show that he would be most famous for creating... Mr Rogers' Neighborhood.  Mr Rogers' Neighborhood was used to teach children about the world around them in a calm way using music, real people, and puppets.  The show also helped break down barriers for children by showing them that it was OK to be friends with people who may not look like you.  So why do I like this book...other than it's about one of my favorite childhood shows.  The book reminds me of the show.  The story is told in a very gentle format.  There is nothing "flashy" or "showy" about the book.  The writing and illustrations are simple and easy to understand and share with a child.  This is a book I can very easily share with a class of students that they will understand and still have questions that I can easily answer.  I can honestly say that I'm really looking forward for a chance to share this book with my students.  To learn more about Fred Rogers visit:

• Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood
• Fred Rogers Productions
• Fred Rogers Center

She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story

She Loved Baseball: the Effa Manley Story by Audrey Vernick and illustrated by Don Tate

To hear Ms Becky read this book please click HERE.

Effa Manley born at an unusual time period.  Born in 1897, her mother was white and her father was black.  Her skin was very pale like her mother while her sibling's skin was very dark like her father.  She was allowed to participate in the white community because she was so pale but she prefered to be with her siblings in the black community where she felt more comfortable.  I point this because when Effa was young black people and white people were not allowed to be together.  There were separate schools, stories, neighborhoods, and just about anything else you can think of.  When Effa was old enough she moved to Harlem in New York City.  While there she went to many professional baseball games and she met a man who loved baseball as much as she did.  Abe Manley and Effa married and they started their own professional baseball team.  The Brooklyn (later Newark) Eagles was part of the Negro Baseball League.  It was one of the best baseball teams in the league and it even won the 1946 Negro Baseball World Series.  But, the next year was a big year for baseball.  Major League Baseball started including players from the Negro Baseball League.  This was great for African Americans but it was NOT good for Negro Baseball.  Later, when the National Baseball Hall of Fame decided to start including African American baseball players it was not going to include players from the Negro Baseball League.  Effa was furious!  To learn what Effa did when the Hall of Fame made this decision you'll have to read the book.

There are many websites to visit to learn more about Effa Manley...

• The National Baseball Hall of Fame
• Society of American Baseball Research
• Negro League Baseball Museum
• Black Past

There are also may websites within the Baseball Hall of Fame that might interest you...

• The Baseball Hall of Fame (main website)
• Virtual Learning
• Kid Activities (don't forget to send BookmoBailey a picture if you do an activity at home)
• Online Exhibits
• Classroom Lessons
• YouTube Channel

Mary Blair's Unique Flair: The Girl Who Became One of the Disney Legends

Mary Blair's Unique Flair: The Girl Who Became One of the Disney Legends by Amy Novesky and illustrated by Brittney Lee


Please remember to click HERE if you would like to hear Ms Becky read this book to you.


     Once there was a little girl named Mary Browne Robinson.  She was happy little girl who loved art and she was lucky that she was born into an artistic family.  Both of her parents were artists and they supported her love of art...and even let her attend art school!  After art school she married another artist named Lee and she became Mary Blair.  Lee and Mary both went to work as artists for the Walt Disney Studios.  While there she worked on movies like Lady and the Tramp and Dumbo.  She enjoyed her work but she wasn't completely happy, so she left.  Mary wanted to work on her own art.  While Lee still worked at Walt Disney Studios he had a chance to tour South America with other Disney artists.  Mary was allowed to join Lee on this trip.  Mary was inspired!  So many new things to see in so many bright colors with the colors being used in so many unique ways.  Mary decided to back to the Walt Disney Studios and she worked on movies like Peter Pan and Cinderella.  But Walt Disney had bigger plans for Mary.  Walt was working on a new attraction for Disneyland and he wanted MARY to design it.  It was to feature children from around the world and hopefully promote world peace.  Can you guess which attraction Mary designed?  This book was so much fun.  I really love learning and reading just about anything related to Mary Blair and the colors in the book were so appropriate for Mary's artistic work.  To learn more about Mary Blair visit https://d23.com/walt-disney-legend/mary-blair/ and to learn more about the It's A Small World visit https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/disneys-small-world-facts/story?id=22990670.  You can even visit the DisneyFamily at https://family.disney.com/activity/its-a-small-world-coloring-page/ to find an It's A Small World coloring sheet.  Don't forget to take a picture of your coloring and sent it to BookmoBailey.  She'd love to see your coloring.

Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History

Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison

     There was a time when many people had never heard of Bass Reeves, Arturo Schomburg, Gordon Parks, Jacob Lawrence, or many other important men in black history.  There was a time when many people (especially European and European American people) believed there was no such thing as Black History.  But now is the time when these men and many others are FINALLY beginning to be recognized.  This book is full of one page descriptions of over 30 important black men throughout (mostly) American history.  I really do love this book.  It's the third in a group of important people that are often overlooked in history.  It's far from a complete list and each man in the book is only given a brief description, but it is such a good entry to learning about such important and interesting people.  There is only one thing I would have liked to see in this book...a page dedicated to George Washington Carver.  His biography was one of my favorite books in elementary school.  (If you read the introduction you'll understand why some people were selected and some weren't.  But if there's ever another book I'm rooting for George Washington Carver to be included.)  To learn about the other books by this author/illustrator visit https://www.vashtiharrison.com/.  To learn more about African American History visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture at https://nmaahc.si.edu/.


Now because I'm obsessed with George Washington Carver:

• There is an extremely good award winning book about GWC on SORA.
• There is a video on BrainPOP on GWC and related science videos.

On a similar note...there aren't just little known important people in "other" parts of the world.  Henry Johnson was an extremely important person in African American history and he was from Albany.  Visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Johnson_(World_War_I_soldier) to learn about this little known but very important local legend.

Greta's Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went On Strike To Save The Planet

Greta's Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went On Strike To Save The Planet by Valentina Camerini with illustrations by Veronica "Veci" Carratello and translated by Moreno Giovannoni

     When I was growing up (NO...I will NOT tell you my age) I remember when groceries ALWAYS came home in paper bags.  But then I remember when stores started to replace paper bags with plastic bags.  I remember complaining to store employees that plastic was bad for the environment.  I was told that PLASTIC is less expensive and easier for the store so plastic was BETTER.  I knew this answer was wrong but I was a kid.  What could I or any other kid do?  Luckily, we now have Greta Thunberg, and though she is a kid SHE KNOWS what to do.  Greta had always worried about the environment and when she was 15 years old she made a decision.  Greta would skip school and protest outside the government buildings in Stockholm, Sweden.  She would skip school until the government officials noticed her and decided to make environmental issues a top priority.  What Gerta couldn't have known was that not only would she get the attention of the government officials in Sweden but she would get the attention of people all over the world.  What started at a one girl protest during August 2018 has turned into a worldwide phenomenon with all kinds of people joining her to demand better treatment of the environment.  I really enjoyed this book.  It shows how one person (in this case a teenager) really can make a difference and in this case the one person is a person with special needs.  Greta is autistic.  The book talks about Greta's struggles before she found her voice and spoke up for the environment.  The book not only talks about Gerta and the environment, but there is also a glossary and environmental timeline at the end of the book to help readers understand important details. To learn more about Gerta, visit https://time.com/person-of-the-year-2019-greta-thunberg/  To read a good article about the environment and current events, visit https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/23/health/us-pollution-satellite-coronavirus-scn-trnd/index.html.

My Survival: A Girl On Schindler's List

My Survival: A Girl On Schindler's List a memoir by Rena Finder with Joshua M. Greene

     April 1945 is a month that has gone down in history.  Adolf Hitler died and World War II ended in Europe.  It was also when the world began to learn what happened in Nazi occupied Europe while Hitler was in power.  Among many of the terrible things that the Nazi government tried to do was to kill every Jewish person (man, woman, and child) living in Europe.  When all the numbers were counted, over six million Jews had been killed in addition to millions of other people.  Rena Ferber was a child when the Nazis invaded her native Poland, and a young teen at the height of Hitler's power.  Her large Jewish family wasn't able to escape.  By the end of the war Rena and her mother were two of the few members of her family to survive.  But how were she and her mother able to survive when millions of others died?  That's where Oskar Schindler becomes important in Rena's life.  This is a true story.  While this book is aimed at 5th-8th graders it may be too intense for some readers.  That doesn't mean it's not a good book.  It's an excellent book and I highly recommended it to older students.  I just want readers to understand that these are not horror movie monsters.  These are human monsters who did terrible things to real people.  To learn more about World War II and what happened to the Jewish population in Europe please visit (with guidance from an adult) https://www.ushmm.org/


In addition to the above:

• There are plenty of books in SORA (ebooks) through the school and public libraries.
• BrainPOP has many student appropiate videos on World War II, it's causes, and aftermath.
• Visit https://www.nps.gov/wwii/index.htm to learn about the World War II Memorial in Washington DC.

When Sue Found Sue: Sue Henrickson Discovers Her T. Rex

When Sue Found Sue: Sue Henrickson Discovers Her T. Rex by Toni Buzzeo and illustrated by Diana Sudyka

   When Sue Hendrickson was a little girl she loved to read, explore, and dream of adventures.  She would visit museums and wonder what it would be like to make discoveries of her own.  When she was old enough she left home and traveled in search of making discoveries.  After visiting places all over the world she ended up in South Dakota looking and digging for dinosaur bones.  She spent four summers in South Dakota looking for fossils.  On August 12, 1990 she decided to take a walk to stretch her legs.  After a few hours she found a few bones sticking out of the mountain she was exploring.  The bones were huge and she knew they must be from a tyrannosaurus rex.  Sue and her friends started to remove the bones from the mountain.  What they learned was that Sue had discovered the most complete tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever found.  Sue, her friends, and her fossil were becoming famous.  But there was a problem...who owned the dinosaur? You'll have to read the book to found out who currently has the fossils but I'll give you a clue.  Visit https://www.fieldmuseum.org/ to learn more about Sue.  Oh...are you a little confused?  The current owner of the tyrannosaurus rex named it Sue in honor of Sue Hendrickson, the little girl who grew up to make a huge discovery.  I highly recommend this non-fiction picture book especially if you love dinosaurs as much as I do.

Now for those of you stuck at home (ok...that's all of you) here are some other dinosaur ideas:

• SORA (ebooks) has lots of dinosaur books for all ages through the school and public libraries.
• CHAT WITH A DINOSAUR!!!  You read that right.  Sue the Dinosaur has a friend at the Field Museum named Maximo the Titanosaur and her answers your questions.  Visit https://www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibitions/maximo-titanosaur to chat with Maximo.
• Read about Sue the Dinosaur in the news.  https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/coronavirus-chicago-sue-dinosaur-trnd/index.html
• Watch TV.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Watch TV.  You can learn a lot about dinosaurs by watching documentaries.  There are a number of documentaries on Disney+ and don't forget Dinosaur Train on PBS Kids at https://pbskids.org/video/dinosaur-train/2365491553
• Finally, there is always ALL the different Jurassic Park movies...not what I'd call educational but definitely a fun series of movies for many families.  (But my favorite is still Dinosaur Train.)

Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag

Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders and Illustrated by Steven Salerno

Four Paw Prints

So, a long time ago there were boys and there were girls.  Boys wore dark colors and played with building toys. Girls work pastel colors and played with dolls.  These boys and girls grew up and did what was expected of men and women. But, what about the children who grew up to be adults who didn’t feel comfortable doing what was expected?  Many times these adults had a hard time finding a job or finding a place to call home. Sometimes these adults would even be kicked out of their own families. You may be wondering what these adults did wrong that made life so difficult.  The truth is they did NOTHING wrong. They just fell in love. But in their cases some men fell in love with another man or some women fell in love with another woman. Today, this happens all the time and people rarely have a problem with these relationships.  But a long time ago these relationships were not allowed. Harvey Milk thought this was wrong. People should be able to love whoever they wanted without having to worry about being treated poorly. Not only did Harvey Milk want to change the laws to allow people to love who they wanted, he wanted to create a symbol that could help people feel good about themselves and who they loved.  Harvey Milk went to an artist named Gilbert Baker to create a symbol. The symbol Gilbert Baker created was the rainbow flag. The rainbow flag was first used at the Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco in 1978 and this flag is still used today. I thought this book was very good. It’s a great way to introduce this topic and these issues to children. My only concern was that countries like Russia were listed as flying the rainbow flag.  The implication in this section of the book is that the countries are supporting the flag but this is not true. There may be people in Russia and other countries who support the flag but the government does not. In some countries people can be arrested for showing support to others. I would have like to see this made clearer in the book or just include countries that currently support the flag and the pride movement. As always ask a parent before visiting a new website, but if you would like to learn more about Harvey Milk please visit http://milkfoundation.org/ or https://www.history.com/topics/harvey-milk.  To learn more about the Rainbow Flag visit, http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160615-the-history-of-the-rainbow-flag.

Anything But Ordinary Addie: The True Story of Adelaide Herrmann Queen of Magic

Anything But Ordinary Addie: The True Story of Adelaide Herrmann Queen of Magic by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

Five Paw Prints

Historically the most famous magicians have been men.  David Copperfield, Harry Houdini, Penn and Teller...Merlin.  Women are not usually remembered for magic unless they were the “beautiful assistant”.  But, I’m going to guess you’ve never heard of Adelaide Herrmann.  Adelaide was born and raised a “proper” young lady during Victorian England but Addie wasn’t interested in being “proper”  because she wanted excitement.  She learned how to dance, ride a bike (VERY un-ladylike), and she traveled Europe looking for excitement.  She eventually decided to travel to the United States to look for more excitement.  While traveling SHE proposed to a man she met.  SHOCKING!  Addie became his “beautiful assistant” and they became famous, but when he died suddenly something needed to be done or else their magic show would have to be cancelled.  Addie had a decision to make, what would she do?  I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about magic and it’s never been a topic of interest to me.  I was wandering through the library when I stumbled on this book and I’m so happy I decided to read it.  I really loved this book.  I thought Addie with her adventures and bravery was awesome.  I want to learn more.  If you want to learn more about Adelaide Herrmann too then visit http://www.adelaideherrmann.com/.  If you want to learn more about becoming a magician then visit http://www.magicsam.com/?SYMYouthProgram.

Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness

Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness by Donna Janell Bowman and illustrated by Daniel Minter

Four paw prints

There was a time when buildings, animals, AND certain people were considered property.  These items could be bought, sold, and sometimes moved to other locations without anyone being able to do anything about it.  This was the time period when William Key was born.  William Key was born before the American Civil War and he was an African American.  This meant that William Key was a slave who belonged to someone else as property.  But people noticed that William Key had a good way with animals.  William Key became known as “Doc” Key.  After the Civil War ended and slaves (like Doc Key) were freed, Doc became the veterinarian of choice for the town and the surrounding community.  Doc realized that the best way to treat animals and get them to respond to people was through kindness instead of harshness which was the traditional way of dealing with animals at the time.  Doc traveled the country helping animals and teaching people how to treat animals.  Along the way Doc became the owner of a sickly race horse that he named Jim.  What Doc didn’t realize was that Jim was an EXTREMELY smart animal and Jim could do amazing things.  But, I’m not going to tell you what those amazing things were...you have to read the book.  Now, I’m not an animal expert and I know very little about horses, but I’m fascinated by the thought thet people have the potential to communicate with animals better than we do now.  This book was wonderful.  It had three things I love in a book...an interesting story, good pictures, and additional facts with photographs at the end.  If you are interested in having a pet (NOT necessarily a horse) then visit http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/pets/article7.html to learn more about what you need to know to be a good pet owner.

The Nutcracker Comes To America: How Three Ballet-Loving Brothers Created A Holiday Tradition

The Nutcracker Comes To America: How Three Ballet-Loving Brothers Created A Holiday Tradition by Chris Barton and illustrated by Cathy Gendron

Five Paw Prints

Shhh…  I have a secret to tell you.  You probably know that many girls and women love dancing especially ballet.  But did you know that many boys and men like ballet too?  It’s true and while you may not have heard of Christensen Brothers, they helped create yearly family traditions for our entire country.  So, who are the Christensen Brothers?  Willam, Harold, and Lew were three brothers who grew up in Utah in the early 1900s with a family that owned a dance school.  Whether they wanted to or not, dancing was in the family and they all became dancers.  One of their favorite types of dancing was ballet.  They ended up with the San Francisco Ballet during World War II, but due to the war, there wasn’t any money to maintain a proper ballet program.  The San Francisco Ballet Company was at risk of going out of business.  The brothers decided to have the dancers perform the full production of The Nutcracker.  Not only was the production successful, but it led to other dance companies doing their own productions every December.  Who would have thought that three boys from Utah could change the ballet world in the United States?  I really did love this book for a few reasons.  I love seeing a well done theater production, I love history books, and I especially love that this is a dance book that’s about BOYS!  I’ve read many books with dancing but very few with boys.  I especially like that these boys didn’t continue dancing as adults because they were forced to dance by their family, they danced because they truly enjoyed dancing and wanted to share that love and talent with others.  To learn more about the San Francisco Ballet visit https://www.sfballet.org/planyourvisit/learn/brief_history or https://www.sfballet.org/interact.  To learn more about the Christensen Brothers visit https://www.sfballet.org/planyourvisit/learn/christensen_brothers or http://www.danceheritage.org/treasures/christensenbros_essay_flatow.pdf.

Gingerbread for Liberty: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution

Gingerbread for Liberty: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch

Five paw prints!  When the American colonists decided to rebel against British rule in the hopes of becoming an independent country, many men left their homes to join General Washington and the Continental Army.  Most of these volunteers were young men and older boys.  There was one important exception to this unwritten rule and his name was Christopher Ludwick.  He was born in Germany, learned to be a baker, spent time in the Austrian and Prussian armies, and eventually settled in Philadelphia and married.  In Philadelphia he became a successful and generous baker.  When the American Revolution began he wanted to help defend the new country he loved.  Some people thought he was too old to help the Continental Army, but George Washington had a special job that only Christopher could do.  Not only would Christopher become one of the main bakers for the entire Continental Army, but Christopher could speak in German to the soldiers who were hired by the British king to fight the colonists.  As a result, many of these Hessian soldiers decided to change sides and join the Continental Army.  Christopher Ludwick is a little known American hero who more people should learn about.  This book is now one of my all time favorite non-fiction picture books.  I had never heard of Christopher Ludwick and I’m so happy to know about him now.  He was such an interesting and generous man, and more students should and could learn so much from him.  And the illustrations...so wonderful.  Who knew gingerbread illustrations could be used to help tell such an important story?  To learn more about Christopher Ludwick visit http://articles.philly.com/2001-04-15/news/25329688_1_british-army-flour-bread (families...please be aware this is a Philadephia newspaper website, articles are always updated and you may want to review materials carefully with your child) or for students who like a challenege try http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/Lieber_Collection/pdf/Life-and-Character-ofChristopherLudwick.pdf and finally you could visit http://www.immigrantentrepreneurship.org/entry.php?rec=175.  It will be well worth the visits.

enormous SMALLNESS: A Story of E. E. Cummings

enormous SMALLNESS: A Story of E. E. Cummings by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Kris DiGiacomo

Four paw prints.  In October of 1894 a baby was born to a family in Massachusetts.  He was named Edward Cummings after his father, but his family called him Estlin.  It was the dawn of a new century and there was new art and technology all around the world to fascinate a young boy. But, with everything around him, he was still interested in simpler things like birds and nature. Even at a young age he would describe what he saw and how he felt in such a beautiful way that his mother started writing his thoughts on paper when he was only three.  He graduated from college with a degree in literature, but before he could really concentrate on his future career he joined the military where he was sent to France as an ambulance driver during World War I.  After the war he remained in France for a few years, but when he was done experiencing Europe he moved back home.  He settled in New York City where he began writing.  He experimented with different forms of poetry.  Some people didn't know what to make of his style, but many people loved his new style of expression.  As time went on he went from being known as Estlin Cummings to e. e. cummings, one of the most famous and influential poets in 20th century America.  I'll admit, this book left me a little confused.  I loved the story and I loved the illustrations, but I had a hard time understanding the poems.  But, I enjoyed the book so much that I now want to learn more about e. e. cummings and isn't that what a good book should do?  If you are interested in learning more about e. e. cummings (like I am) then visit http://www.biography.com/people/ee-cummings-9263274 or http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/146466/E-E-Cummings.  These websites are not as "kid friendly" as I would like, but they are a good start.