Perfect Picture Book Friday: ALL STAR!

TITLE: ALL STAR! HONUS WAGNER and the MOST FAMOUS BASEBALL CARD EVER

AUTHOR: Jane Yolen

ILLUSTRATOR: Jim Burke

PUBLICATION INFO: Penguin’s Philomel, 2010

ISBN: 978-0-399-24661-6

SOURCE: Library

INTENDED AUDIENCE: ages 6-8 (Publisher’s recommendation)

GENRE: picture book biography

OPENING and SYNOPSIS:

“In July 2007 a rare baseball card was sold at auction for almost three million dollars.”

From the publisher’s Website:

The Honus Wagner baseball card is the most valuable baseball card of all time! But he was born poor, ugly, bow-legged, and more suited to shoveling coal in his Pennsylvania mining town than becoming the greatest shortstop of all time. How could it happen? Did those strong arms and fast legs turn him into a Pittsburgh Pirate and one of the game’s most unforgettable players?

In this true story, Jane Yolen shows us that wit, talent, perseverance, and passion score more than home runs. As Honus would say, “How about that!”

THEMES/TOPICS: baseball, perseverance

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: As Yolen points, out Wagner was a star in the days before performance enhancing drugs and fancy training schedules. As an early teen, he gained strength and endurance by working in the coal mines of Pennsylvania alongside his father. Also, the reason Wagner’s card is so rare, is because he had it pulled from the market. The card was found in packs of cigarettes. Wagner was a nonsmoker and worried about the health of his young fans.

RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:

• The first link on this site has a Louisiana State-produced teacher’s guide on the book for grades 3-5.
• Visit the Honus Wagner historical landmark virtually.

Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD

TITLE: ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD

AUTHOR: George Ella Lyon

ILLUSTRATOR: Katherine Tillotson

PUBLICATION INFO: Atheneum/Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2011

ISBN: 978-1416971306

SOURCE: Library

INTENDED AUDIENCE: grades pre-K through 2nd

GENRE: nonfiction picture book

OPENING and SYNOPSIS:

“All the water in the world … is all the water in the world.”

From the publisher’s Website:

“Faucet
well
raincloud
sea …

from each of these
comes water.

But where does
Water go?

To find out, honey,
turn the page,
dive in
with tongue
or toes,
with eyes and ears and nose—
and wonder
at the flow
of this great world’s
life story.”

THEMES/TOPICS: science, water cycle

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: This is my favorite kind of nonfiction picture book. Lyon’s voice is so strong and lyrical that children will be swept up in the poetry. They may not even realize that they are learning something until the end.

RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:

• George Ella Lyon provides a teacher’s guide on her site.
• The EPA has this lesson plan on the water cycle for grades K-3 and 4-6.
• The US Geological Survey has a cartoon infographic about the water cycle, here. They also have a graphic available as a placemat. Now you can think about the water cycle when you have a glass of water with dinner.
• For grades 3-5, check out Scholastic’s Study Jams lesson plan on the water cycle.

Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: Island: A Story of the Galapagos

TITLE: ISLAND: A STORY OF THE GALAPAGOS

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Jason Chin

PUBLICATION INFO: Roaring Book Press’s Neal Porter Books, 2012

ISBN: 978-1-59643-716-6

SOURCE: Library

INTENDED AUDIENCE: grades 2-4 (Booklist)

GENRE: picture book (nonfiction)

OPENING and SYNOPSIS:

“The sun is rising over a lonely group of islands more than six hundred miles away from the nearest continent.”

Jason Chin, author or REDWOODS and CORAL REEFS, chronicles the “life” of an island from birth six million years ago to old age, when it sinks beneath the sea. During its life, animals come to live on the island and change through natural selection. Chin’s back matter includes pieces about Charles Darwin and the Galapagos Islands.

THEMES/TOPICS: science, natural selection, geography

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: This was a bit of a departure from the Jason Chin books I’m familiar with. Normally, he offers a fictional storyline “told” through the illustrations, matched with encyclopedic text. Here, he maps an island’s development to a human life cycle. Illustrations depict the story told within the text.

RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:

• KidsDiscover magazine has a wonderful Galapagos page.
• National Geographic video about the Galapagos.
• Learn about the Galapagos Tortoise through National Geographic Kids.
• Play “Who Wants to Live a Million Years,” a national selection game.
• Teachers Pay Teachers has a variety of natural selection lesson plans. (Fees may apply.)

Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.

Erik’s Choose Your Own Adventure

If you have arrived in the middle of the adventure, you may start at the beginning by going HERE. 

Erik chooses to tackle the ooze:

Benton shook his head and snorted as they watched the bubbling black goop in the path they needed to follow.

Erik said, “Well, boy, I hope you’re good at jumping!”

Benton skittered backwards. Jumping things that looked like boiling cauldrons was not in his pony contract.

“You can do it, boy. I’ve got your back. Well, I’m on your back. That’s almost the same thing. Come on, let’s back up and take a run at it.” Erik tugged on Benton’s reins, and the pony backed up several paces, then started toward the obstacle, first at an easy lope, then at a faster canter.

“Up and….” Erik hoped they wouldn’t land in the middle of that horrid goo. “YES! We’re over!”

Benton slowed his pace. His heart was thundering as loudly as his hooves had been just moments before.

“Whoa!” shouted Erik. Benton planted his hooves firmly on the ground. He didn’t need any command. He wasn’t going any further!

In front of them was a dragon’s cave, complete with dragon. AND there was the black horse!

To enter the clearing, click HERE.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: Uncles and Antlers

TITLE: Uncles and Antlers

AUTHOR: Lisa Wheeler

ILLUSTRATOR: Brian Floca

PUBLICATION INFO: Simon and Schuster’s Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004

ISBN: 978-0689864698

SOURCE: Library

INTENDED AUDIENCE: ages 3-6

GENRE: picture book (fiction)

OPENING and SYNOPSIS:

“Seven uncles, every year,

seven uncles travel here –

shaggy coats , scarves of red,

two tall antlers on each head.”

Join seven wacky reindeer uncles and their favorite niece in this adorable Christmas counting book. Whatever could those reindeer be up to?

THEMES/TOPICS: counting, Christmas, holidays

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: I happened upon this book at our local library while stocking up for our advent book basket. Brian Floca is one of my favorite nonfiction author/illustrators, and Lisa Wheeler is a perennial favorite (DINO HOCKEY, anyone?). This book is a fun way to work a little counting practice into the Christmas season.

RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:

• Lisa Wheeler offers a link to reindeer crafts on her site.
• Older children might enjoy learning more about reindeer in this reindeer investigation.
• Have you tried making some reindeer food for Christmas Eve?
• How about singing “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer?”

Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: ZERO THE HERO

TITLE: ZERO THE HERO

AUTHOR: Joan Holub

ILLUSTRATOR: Ton Lichtenheld

PUBLICATION INFO: Henry Holt / Christy Ottaviano Books, February 2012

ISBN: 978-0805093841

SOURCE: Library

INTENDED AUDIENCE: 6 and up, but my four-year-old things this is hilarious

GENRE: picture book (fiction)

OPENING and SYNOPSIS: “Unlike most numbers, Zero believed himself to be a hero. He just needed a chance to prove it.”

From the publisher: “Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. That’s what all the other numbers think of Zero. He doesn’t add anything in addition. He’s of no use in division. And don’t even ask what he does in multiplication. (Hint: Poof!) But Zero knows he’s worth a lot, and when the other numbers get into trouble, he swoops in to prove that his talents are innumerable.”

THEMES/TOPICS: math, counting

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: Rarely do my boys find a book to be laugh-out-loud funny. This book has a lot going for it — a caped superhero, a fight with the Roman (numerals), comic-book comedy and lots of puns. We can’t read this at naptime or bedtime without having a 10-minute conversation about math. In fact, Finley (age 4) walked out of his bedroom after I put him to bed last night to let me know that 1+0 = 1. I am buying this book.

If you need more convincing, check out the book trailer.

RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:

• The publisher has a teacher’s guide on its Web site.
• BainPop has this helpful lesson on addition and subtraction, which includes zero’s special properties.
• The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics uses macaroni to explore math concepts including our hero, Zero.

Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.

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Perfect Picture Book Friday: The Beetle Book

TITLE: THE BEETLE BOOK

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Steve Jenkins

PUBLICATION INFO: Houghton Mifflin, April 2012

ISBN: 978-0-547-68084-2

SOURCE: Library

INTENDED AUDIENCE: 4 and up, though this is more appropriate for elementary-school students

GENRE: picture book (nonfiction)

OPENING and SYNOPSIS: “Line up every kind of plant and animal on Earth … and one of every four will be a beetle.”

Beloved author/illustrator Steve Jenkins crafts an encyclopedic book about beetles.

THEMES/TOPICS: science, beetles, bugs/insects

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: Steve Jenkins’s illustrations reveal the beauty and diversity of the humble beetle. Unlike many of his other books, there is no narrative line, and he does not rely on layered text. This is a book to be savored, one spread at a time rather than read all at once.

RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:

• Come spring time, try hatching your own beetles — ladybug beetles to be exact.
• PBS Kids has this beetle-drawing activity.
• This dung beetle lesson plan encourages kids to eat that dung and roll that dung (Milk Duds). Gross!
• The Web has a host of ladybug crafts.
• There are several sites with a collection of bug-focused activities. Check out A to Z Homes Cool Homeschooling.

Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: THE HATSELLER AND THE MONKEYS

Title: THE HATSELLER AND THE MONKEYS

Author/Illustrator: Baba Wague Diakite

Publication Info: Scholastic Press, 1999

ISBN: 978-0590960694

Source: Library

Intended audience: ages 4 and up

Genre: picture book (fiction)

Themes/topics: folk tales, fables, Mali, monkeys, cleverness, tricksters

Opening and synopsis: ”BaMusa the hatseller was a joyful man. He traveled from town to town selling hats, which he piled high on his head.”

Eager to sell hats at the festival, BaMusa sets off without breakfast. Tired and hungry, he lies down for a nap, and clever monkeys steal his hats. BaMusa must figure out how to get them back.

Why I like this book: CAPS FOR SALE by Esphyr Slobodkina is a family favorite. I had no idea that its source was a folk tale that is told in many countries, including Mali. This is the same story set in Mali and illustrated with beautiful ceramic-tile paintings. I also appreciate that this telling of the story emphasizes that BaMusa had not eaten breakfast, so he didn’t have energy and couldn’t think clearly. He can only figure out what to do after he’s eaten. My favorite quote from the book is, “It is with a full stomach that one thinks best.”

Resources/activities: 

• Diakite includes and author’s note with the history of the folktale, as well as a list of other versions of this tale, including CAPS FOR SALE.
• Reading to Kids has discussion ideas and a couple of craft suggestions, including making hats or drawing a picture of a saying your mom says.
• A full lesson plan, including step-by-step hat-making instructions, are at Easy Literacy.
• Children can learn more about Mali on National Geographic’s site.

Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: COUNT ON CULEBRA

Title: COUNT ON CULEBRA

Author: Ann Whitford Paul

Illustrator: Ethan Long

Publication Info: Holiday House, 2008

ISBN: 978-0823421244

Source: Library copy

Intended audience: ages 4 and up

Genre: picture book (fiction)

Themes/topics: Friendship, language learning

Opening and synopsis: ”Iguana stumbled on a stone.

‘OWWWWWWWWWWW!’ she cried.

Tortuga poked out of his shell. ‘What’s wrong?’”

Iguana stubs her toe on a rock. There is no way she can make her cactus butter candies now. But Culebra has a plan that will have her feeling better in no time. But the friends will need un rolling pin, dos kettles and much, much more.

Why I like this book: I normally feature nonfiction books on Perfect Picture Book Fridays. However, this series has become quite popular in our house, and this book is the hands-down favorite. My three-year-old thinks Culebra’s antics are hilarious. He loves to count along in Spanish too. I appreciate the fact that the Spanish words are woven seamlessly into the text. Children can decipher the meaning from the text itself, though a glossary is included.

Resources/activities: 

• Find Ann Whitford Paul’s classroom activities here.
• The book itself has a recipe for dulces made with butter, peanut butter, graham crackers and powdered sugar. Yum!

Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: Tutankhamun

Title: TUTANKHAMUN

Author/Illustrator: Demi

Publication Info: Marshall Cavendish, 2009

ISBN: 9780761455585

Source: Library copy

Intended audience: ages 9 and up

Genre: nonfiction, picture book (64 pages)

Themes/topics: Egypt, mummies, world history

Opening and synopsis: ”King Thutmose IV, who ruled from 1419 to 1386 BCE, was the great-grandfather of King Tutankhamun. As a young prince, Thutmose IV had many brothers and half-brothers who wanted to seize the throne.”

Illustrated with stunning images, this book places King Tut in his cultural and religious context. Demi tells of Tut’s ancestors, his life and tomb. Tut emerged as pharaoh at an interesting time in history. Inspired by Thutmose IV’s vision, Tut’s father, Akhenaten, did away with worship of traditional Egyptian gods in favor of monotheism. When Tut came to power, political strife ensued as two regents wrestled for control. After Tut’s death, his ultimate successor tried to erase Tut’s family from history forever. But he couldn’t destroy Tut’s hidden tomb.

Why I like this book: As obsessed as my three-year-old is with mummies, we actually knew little about King Tut’s life. Although the story line is far too advanced for preschoolers, Demi’s images can be appreciated by all ages. She’s gilded many of the images, conveying the wealth of ancient Egypt and the pharaohs.

Resources/activities: 

• National Geographic has a King Tut’s Treasures lesson plan for grades K-2.
• National Geographic grade 9-12 lesson plan on using technology to determine who or what killed King Tut.
• Here’s a Homeschool Teacher lesson plan, including directions for making your own mummy and coloring pages.
• Here is an art lesson on how to draw King Tut.
• Idaho Public Television has a grade 5-7 King Tut lesson plan.
• For more mummy fun, check out my previous post about mummy picture books.

Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.