February 16, 2006
New Books in PHS Library 2-16-06
Every now and again, I'll try to share a handful of new-to-phs-library books that you might want to know about. Here are a few good ones you'd be welcome to borrow:
Dona Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart (great for K-4) by Pat Mora
An original tall tale—the enormous Dona Flor is highly respected in her village. Not only do the villagers use her gigantic tortillas to roof their houses and her giant flowers as umbrellas and trumpets, they also count on Flor's kindness and special way with animals for protection. Tall-tale humor, some Spanish words and phrases, beautiful illustrations, large-size book makes it great for sharing with a group.
Jackie's Bat (Grades 1 through 6) by Marybeth Lorbiecki
Joey, the batboy for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, learns a hard lesson about respect for people of different races after Jackie Robinson joins the team. Gloriously illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Recent major review in the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books: When you think that everything that can be said has been said about Jackie Robinson's landmark career, and that every angle has been exhausted, along comes Lorbiecki with a fresh focus...while other titles credit the Dodgers for their open-mindedness and laud Robinson for passing the character test on and off the field, Jackie's Bat steers children toward the grimmer, more important issue: why should he, alone among his fellow ball players, have been required to prove himself at all?
A Fine, Fine School (K-3) by Sharon Creech
Fun read aloud about what happens at one school when the love of learning goes too far (head of school wants to have school on Saturdays, in the evenings and on holidays and in the summer, too!). Illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist, Harry Bliss.
The School is Not White! A True Story of the Civil Rights Movement (Grades 2 through 8) by Doreen Rappaport
In 1965, the schools in Drew, MIssissippi, remained segregated and very unequal. Sharecroppers Mae Bertha and Matthew Carter wanted their children to get the best possible education. So they sent them to the "all white" schools. And every day, for five years, the children suffered constant humiliations, name-calling, and death threats. Tells the story of the Carter family and their perseverance and courage in obtaining an education. Illustrated in gorgeous chalk pastels.
The Dog Who Cried Wolf (K-2) by Keiko Kasza
Great read aloud about a dog who becomes tired of being a house-pet after his owner reads to him a book about wolves. He wants the wild life, so off he runs. Of course, he ends up coming back home, but only after he experiences howling at the moon and peeing wherever he wants! I read this one aloud to the Kindergarteners this week and they loved it (and they howled, too.)
The Sad Night: The Story of an Aztec Victory and a Spanish Loss (Grades 2 through 8) by Sally Schofer Mathews
Striking picture book with graceful text and stylized art - an engaging introduction to Mexican history with a focus on the terrible battle that became known as La Noche Triste. Illustrations are done in the style of Aztec codex art.
If You Decide to Go to the Moon (K-4) by Faith McNulty
Take an imaginary journey and discover the breathtaking beauty of the moon, which "glows like a pearl in the black, black night." After your return, you will never see the moon - or Earth - in quite the same way. The prose is elegant and informative (it's a great read aloud, but categorized as non fiction due to the accuracy and amount of information shared) and the paintings are masterful.
I shared this with the second grade when they were studying the solar system - they were mesmerized.
Posted by Lisa J