Literacy Now

Professional development takes many forms. School districts provide professional development to educate teachers about curricular adoptions or broad initiatives. Teachers also create their own professional development around aspects of teaching and learning of particular interest to them. They may return to a college classroom, participate in professional book clubs with colleagues, or pursue information on an individual basis. Teachers want to know about new practices, but they also want information to support what they know to be tried-and-true best practices: reading aloud, including children’s literature in the curriculum, and educating the whole child. The bottom line is that teachers must continue to be learners, and the books reviewed in this column speak to both beginning and veteran teachers at all levels of education. 

Assessment for Reading Instruction (3rd ed.). Michael C. McKenna, Katherine A. Dougherty Stahl. 2015. Guilford.

The third edition of McKenna and Stahl’s quintessential Assessment for Reading Instruction addresses three contemporary developments in the teaching of reading: response to intervention (RTI), the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the increased realization of the need to assess vocabulary. They maintain the primary strengths of the previous editions’ strong theoretical base and actual assessments. The inclusion of 30 reproducible assessment tools for emergent literacy, word recognition and spelling, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, strategic knowledge, and affective factors sets this text apart from other assessment texts. McKenna and Stahl encourage teachers to focus on students’ strengths as well as weaknesses. Most important, they emphasize the primacy of interpreting assessment results in ways that inform instruction. A webpage with downloadable reproducible materials has been created for those who purchase the book. This is an invaluable resource for teachers who seek specific and meaningful information about their student readers.

–LTP

Children’s Literature in the Reading Program: Engaging Young Readers in the 21st Century (4th ed.). Deborah A.Wooten, Bernice E. Cullinan. 2015. International Literacy Association.

With the continued emphasis on standardized testing and misunderstanding of the Common Core State Standards, many schools are increasingly turning to commercial reading programs that provide little opportunity for students to actually read. At the heart of this edition is an awareness of the importance of expanding the breadth and volume of students’ reading. The contributors address educators’ expressed need for theory and research supporting the inclusion of children’s literature in the classroom, strategies to improve students’ literacy learning without diminishing their desire to read, innovative ways to create text sets that include a variety of genres and formats, and guidance in identifying quality multicultural and global books. The ideas presented in this edition of Children’s Literature in the Reading Program will enrich the teaching practices of both new teachers and seasoned veterans.

–LTP

Digital Reading: What’s Essential in Grades 3-8. William L. Bass II, Franki Sibberson. 2015. National Council of Teachers of English.

Teachers who are interested in broadening their understanding of the essential role digital reading can play in 21st-century classrooms now have a professional text designed for just this purpose. Bass and Sibberson expand our definition of reading beyond the traditional designation of print to include digital formats. The authors help connect students’ expertise in technology and digital reading brought from home to classroom contexts. They explore a variety of digital tools and texts for enhancing learning, showing educators how to integrate these tools and texts into the curriculum and across content areas. The authors draw upon “Reading Instruction for All Students,” a Policy Research Brief produced by the National Council of Teachers of English, which argues that visual and digital texts demand that students approach the task of reading differently. Emphasizing authentic digital learning experiences characterized by intentional instructional design, this professional text includes a wealth of practical examples from the authors’ classrooms, as well as the classrooms of their fellow teachers. Packed with practical advice and useful tools, this valuable resource guides teachers across the ever-expanding digital landscape.

–LDP

Handbook of Reading Assessment: A One-Stop Resource for Prospective and Practicing Educators (2nd ed.). Sherry Mee Bell, R. Steve McCallum. 2016. Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.

The preface to the Handbook of Reading Assessment states that the primary goal of this edition is to “provide the assessment knowledge educators need to improve their practice and better understand the assessment-instructional link” (p. xv), and this edition does not disappoint. Within the framework of an inclusive model of reading, educational professionals from various disciplines will gain assessment knowledge, develop a common language for communication across disciplines, and make meaningful theory/practice connections. The theoretical grounding is impressively strong as are the practical applications of each area of assessment: a perfect marriage. The authors discuss formative and summative assessments in areas including motivation to read, informal reading assessments, progress monitoring, and individual and group formal assessments. In an era of high-stakes standardized tests, this is an important resource and source of empowerment for teachers who work with students on a daily basis. A companion website offers additional resources.

–LTP

In Defense of Read-Aloud: Sustaining Best Practice. Stephen L. Layne. 2015. Stenhouse.

Stephen Layne is preaching to this choir member in In Defense of Read-Aloud, but what a sermon he delivers! Regie Routman’s foreword sets the tone for the book then Layne takes over, accompanied by a chorus of primary, intermediate, and secondary educators, respected teachers, and master practitioners. Layne presents historical and contemporary research supporting read-aloud as best practice and poses the question, “Why doesn’t our practice match our verbalized intent?” With gentle (and over-the-top) wit and humor, Layne presents best practices for orchestrating read-aloud, selecting appropriate read-aloud titles, and reading aloud as an art form. The final chapter includes favorite read-aloud books of K–12 practitioners, literacy gurus, current and past presidents of premier literacy associations, and Layne himself. Each chapter opens with correspondence between a practicing teacher and a well-known author and concludes with e-mails between Layne and educators regarding their read-aloud dilemmas. Respected voices in the field also provide position statements regarding read-aloud.

–LTP

In the Best Interest of Students: Staying True to What Works in the ELA Classroom. Kelly Gallagher. 2015. Stenhouse.

Those who read Gallagher’s Readicide (2009) will be delighted with this new offering, and those who haven’t discovered it will definitely want to seek it out after reading In the Best Interest of Students. With his standard wit and insight, and in alternating chapters, Gallagher examines what the CCSS in reading, writing, speaking and listening do and do not get right. Reminding us that standards come and go, he encourages us to fit the current standards around our teaching rather than tailoring our teaching to fit the standards. In the final chapter, Gallagher advocates for changing the 50/50 Approach he proposed in Readicide to a 20/80 Approach and maps out what 20% whole-class, challenging, close reading balanced with 80% extended, small-group, and independent reading would look like. As always, Gallagher gives us much to think about regarding our practice as educators.

–LTP

Let’s Talk: One-on-One, Peer, and Small-Group Writing Conferences. Mark Overmeyer. 2015. Stenhouse.

Let’s Talk is a valuable resource for professionals who use a workshop framework to teach writing. Overmeyer examines the role of talk in the Writing Workshop and offers practical support for making conferences more manageable and meaningful. He offers multiple ways to structure talk in the workshop, including the traditional talk between teachers and students, as well as talk between students and their fellow writers. Three types of teacher–student conferencing are explored: the classic conference, involving one teacher and one student; the guided writing conference, involving one teacher and several students; and the public author’s chair conference, involving one teacher and many students. Overmeyer extends our notion of workshop talk to include peer writing conferences, including pairs and small groups of students. The qualities of effective feedback are explored, as well as strategies for working with English language learners. The author weaves entertaining stories about his own students’ writing experiences throughout the text, along with actual samples of their writing. A theme carried throughout this professional text is a commitment to creating positive writing memories within communities of writers. Useful forms for conference note-taking and record-keeping are included.

–LDP

The Reading Strategies Book: Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Readers. Jennifer Serravallo. 2015. Heinemann.

Teachers familiar with Conferring with Readers, The Literacy Teacherersaders op, and Teaching Reading in Small Groups will be pleased to discover a new professional book by the best-selling author. This robust resource offers teachers over 300 reading strategies, which the author describes as “reading recipes.” The strategies are organized by 13 goals, and each chapter begins with an extensive explanation of the reading goal. Serravallo urges teachers to match individual goals to individual readers, promoting differentiated literacy instruction. The strategies are designed to support preemergent and emergent readers, print work, comprehension in fiction and nonfiction, and studentsdents and nonfiction, and studentsallo urges teluency; and improve writing about reading. Each strategy includes an explanation of the strategy itself, a teaching tip, prompts, and a sample visual to support readers. Other resources entail targeted Fountas & Pinnell reading levels, text genre and types, and reading skills. The author includes helpful language for prompting and guiding readers, as well as for demonstrating and explaining the craft of reading. This comprehensive professional text is designed to be used with any reading program or approach.

–LDP

Sharing the Blue Crayon: How to Integrate Social, Emotional and Literacy Learning. Mary Anne Buckley. 2015. Stenhouse.

The social emotional learning of young children can become subsumed by an ever-increasing emphasis on standards and testing requirements. Buckley’s Friendship Workshop seeks to counteract these effects, building classroom communities around the social and emotional languages of children. These communities are characterized by respect and care, as well as high engagement in learning and problem solving. The Friendship Workshop teaches children how to build empathy and trust through the sharing of personal stories and powerful feelings. According to Buckley: “Friendship Workshop is a conscious approach to helping children identify and regulate their emotions so they can make choices that support their relationships and their schooling” (p. 3). Strategies are explored for working with special populations of students, such as English language learners and children from high-poverty home environments. The author introduces the format for conducting a Friendship Workshop and extends the workshop to literacy lessons. A variety of concepts are explored, such as the language of learning, self-regulation skills, getting along as part of a group, and giving and receiving feedback. The author shares heartwarming anecdotes from her early childhood classrooms to illustrate the workshop elements and goals.

–LDP

Writers ARE Readers: Flipping Reading Instruction Into Writing Opportunities. Lester L. Laminack, Reba M. Wadsworth. 2015. Heinemann.

The best-selling authors of Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature and Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum have a new offering that highlights the reciprocity of the reading and writing processes. Rather than the traditional approach of separating reading and writing instruction, the authors advocate for their connection, increasing both efficiency and effectiveness of literacy teaching and learning. Laminack and Wadsworth propose a new idea that they call “flipsides,” which is the notion that each reader insight can be flipped into an insight for the writer. According to the authors: “Our focus here is to help readers see the flipside of those actions, gain insight into the writing behind them, and then activate those insights as writers” (p. viii). The book is organized into three sections: text structure and organization, weaving meaning (comprehension strategies), and story elements. Sample lessons and student writing samples illustrate how to flip reader knowledge and apply it to knowledge of writing. Recommended children’s literature titles for each section provide teachers with a valuable resource.

–LDP

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

Teaching by example often demonstrates to children the correct or compassionate way to do something. What better way to teach by example than to use a story where a girl or boy, woman or man, behaves in ways that show care and concern for others? Through some of the stories reviewed in this week’s columns, teachers can share with their students how compassion guides the decision-making processes to help other people. In light of the many bullying lessons in today’s classrooms, the following stories present human behavior in a positive light and provide wonderful examples for children to learn by doing people-centered things.

Ages 4–8

If You Plant a Seed. Kadir Nelson. 2015. Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins.

Illustrated in the always-beautiful oil on canvas illustrations of award-winning Kadir Nelson, this fable-like story uses the garden metaphor for growing kindness, though it doesn’t always begin that way.
Rabbit and mouse plant a tiny garden and faithfully nurture their few vegetables. When their efforts are rewarded and the luscious-looking plants are ready to pick, all sorts of birds arrive to share in the harvest.
A food fight ensues as rabbit and mouse protect their bounty. However, at one tomato-splattered moment, mouse at last offers one tomato that is still intact to the birds and a branch of friendship and sharing is established. Soon after, the birds return with a huge amount of seeds and a new very large garden is planted and will soon be ready to share with the animal friends. An extensive Teacher’s Guide is available from the publisher.

Oscar Lives Next Door: A Story Inspired by Oscar Peterson’s Childhood. Bonnie Farmer. Ill. Marie Lafrance. 2015. Owlkid.

Author and teacher Bonnie Farmer grew up in the same neighborhood of St. Henri in Montreal, Canada, as did young Oscar Peterson. This book is inspired by the neighborhood they shared though Peterson grew up in the 1930s, decades before Farmer lived there. The fictionalized story is told though the voice of his next-door neighbor and best friend, Millie. Millie loves hearing the musical sounds coming from the house next door as Oscar and his brothers and sisters make music, especially Oscar’s beloved trumpet. But one day Oscar becomes sick, and his cough becomes worse and a fever complicates his illness. He is diagnosed with tuberculosis and must go to the hospital. Millie is not allowed to visit and when she hears how lonely he is and won’t speak to anyone, she sends him all her best wishes in a card reminding him of all the fun they used to have. When Oscar returns home, he can no longer play the trumpet because of the damage to his lungs. Oscar starts to play the piano, and with Millie’s encouragement, along with his own natural talent as a musician, Oscar becomes a piano virtuoso. Author notes at the end provide background factual information about Peterson. Teachers might like to bring this music into their classrooms starting with the piano lesson interview with television host, Dick Cavat.

A Passion for Elephants: The Real Life Adventure of Field Scientist Cynthia Moss. Toni Buzzeo. Ill. Holly Berry. 2015. Dial.

Though Cynthia Moss has written and shared many books and articles about elephants, this book by Toni Buzzeo concentrates on Moss herself and the animals that she grew to love over her lifetime.
From the time she was a small child, she loved large animals. Elephants became her passion, and she gave up her comfortable life in New York to move to Africa to study and protect them. As a scientist, reporter, and photographer, she has spent more than 40 years in Amboseli National Park in Kenya studying elephants. African motif illustrations by Holly Berry add to the rich background of the information about Kenya and Moss’s beloved elephants. This book will give young readers a look at how a person can follow a passion that begins in childhood onto a career path that can last a lifetime.
Teachers might like to share the website Amboseli Trust for Elephants that author Cynthia Moss directs and use this short video narrated by Moss to provide a visual look at her work with elephants at Amboseli National Park or this short video entitled Elephant Woman.

Ages 9–11

For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story. Rebecca Langston-George. Ill. Janna Bock. 2016. Capstone.

From Capstone’s Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books series, the story of the young Pakistani girl who stood up for her right to learn is brought to young readers by teacher/author Rebecca Langston-George. Growing up in Mingora in the Swat Valley of Pakistan, her father ran a school and so Malala developed her love of learning at a very young age. This was unusual for children in Pakistan, as not many children had the opportunity to attend school, especially girls. Again, under the influence and tutelage of her father, Malala, as well as her mother, became educated. When the Taliban took control of their part of Pakistan, they exerted an intolerant control over education and threatened teachers and school leaders to stop the education of girls. As Taliban intimidation and violence grew stronger, many children stopped going to school. As this terror was spreading Malala and her father continued to speak to clubs and organization, wrote letters to newspapers, and made contacts with journalists to advocate for education. In December 2008, girls were absolutely forbidden to go to school. With the support of the BBC, Malala began to blog about the importance of an education and described what it was like to be denied the right to learn. Malala’s family was finally forced to leave the area, but she became even more active as a spokesperson for learning. On Oct. 9, 2012, Malala was stopped by the Taliban and shot for her efforts to support education for girls. Her life hung in the balance for a while, but as recovery finally came for her, so did the support of the world, as a global focus came into her life and recognized her passion for standing up for the rights of education. Teachers might like to use this interview with the author to share with students how authors develop an idea for a book.

Ira’s Shakespeare Dream. Glenda Armand. Ill. Floyd Cooper. 2015. Lee & Low.

Ira Aldridge was born in 1807, the son of free black parents in New York City. The son of a minister, Ira inherited his father’s great voice for oratory but instead of following his father’s choice for him to become a minister, Ira had developed a passion for the theater. He learned about the African Grove, an all-black venue, where he really discovered his love of acting. Though discouraged by both his father and his teacher, he left New York and sailed for England. Though his acting career was a long and difficult journey, he eventually landed the part of Othello and the world of Shakespeare opened up for him. His fame in European theaters grew, and he became a well-known and successful Shakespearean actor. Throughout his successful career, he never forgot the plight of the slaves at home and sent money to the United States and became a spokesman for abolition while in Europe. This beautiful picture book, illustrated with the oil-wash illustrations of Floyd Cooper with his signature-kneaded erasures, provide the stage for the life of Ira Aldridge. An extensive teacher’s guide with CCSS correlations is available from the publisher’s website.

Ages 12–14

Elephant Man. Mariangela Di Fiore. Ill. Hilde Hodnefjeld. Translated by Rosie Hedger. 2015. Annick.

If ever there were a true story to elicit compassion for a human being, it is the story of Joseph (John) Merrick who became known as the Elephant Man. Born with tumors and deformities of body that appear to be grotesque to many, this young boy grew up to become part of an oddities collection of people for the Whitechapel Road theater in London in the early 1800s. The opening paragraph in the book represents the humiliation that Joseph endured most of his life; “Gather round—prepare to be amazed! … A sight so disgusting, so very gruesome, that you simply won’t believe it until you see it with your own eyes. Ladies and gentlemen! It is my honor to introduce … the Elephant Man!” When Dr. Frederick Treves heard about this disfigured creature appearing in the theater, he decided he wanted to find out more about him. Dr. Treves wanted Joseph to go with him to the London Hospital to look into the causes of the tumors. Sadly, Tom Norman, the theater owner, decided to take his show on tour throughout Europe and Joseph went with the show. It was on this tour that people flocked to the show to gape at Joseph. After several unfortunate experiences including the theft of all the money Joseph had saved, with great difficulty and many heartbreaking experiences, Joseph made his way back to England and searched for Dr. Treves.
Under the very caring medical care of Dr. Treves that developed into a friendship, Joseph thrived and his inner personality and talents were able to unfold. Using most unusual illustrations and antique photographs, a collage of mixed-media artwork provides a perfect backdrop to present the life of Joseph Merrick.

Terrible Typhoid Mary: A True Story of the Deadliest Cook in America. Susan Campbell Bartoletti. 2015. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers.

Who was Typhoid Mary? So little is known about the woman who became known as Typhoid Mary, but award-winning author and fact-finder researcher extraordinaire Susan Campbell Bartoletti has investigated the life of Irish immigrant Mary Mallon and pieced together what history believes happened to this woman who purportedly spread typhoid to perhaps 50+ people in New York in 1906. When public health officials discovered that Mary was a “healthy carrier,” she was directed to spend most of the rest of her life in quarantine in hospitals. Mary did not respond to this imprisonment willingly and several escape incidents took place. The book calls to question the power of the health department versus the rights of the individual to dictate that type of imprisonment. A life sentence? Readers will come away with a 21st-century background of public health medicine juxtaposed against the 19th-century way of handling public health safety. Click here for the educator’s guide that accompanies this book.

Ages 15+

Elena Vanishing: A Memoir. Elena Dunkle. 2015. Chronicle.

Based on the real-life experience of Elena Dunkle’s struggle with anorexia, this memoir is cowritten with her mother. Her mother, author Clare Dunkle, also has written the partner book for Elena’s memoir and relates her experience as the parent dealing with her daughter’s eating disorder in the book entitled Hope and Other Luxuries. Elena is diagnosed at 17, and her memoir explains some of the emotional trauma she was dealing with that led to anorexia. An overachieving child, Elena traces the beginnings of her food difficulties to her childhood and on to her early teen years. When she finally begins treatment, there is a two-year jump in her journey that creates a void for the reader, but Elena manages to get back on track and, with help, conquers this disease. Her journey was never a quick fix and her bouts with anorexia span her young life. At the same time, her mother is dealing with this illness as well, as she witnesses her daughter wasting away and is searching for the means to help her. This true story could be a valuable therapeutic tool for other young teens experiencing emotional trauma and looking for ways to cope. Read more about the author and her experience at her website. A reading group guide is available at the publisher’s website.

Three More Words. Ashley Rhodes-Courter. 2015. Atheneum.

This sequel to her best-selling memoir Three Little Words (2008)continues the story of life after the foster care system when Ashley is an adult and starting her new life. The author is now writing from the perspective of a foster parent as she has become part of the system but is speaking from the other side. She is also a biological mother and an adoptive parent. Describing the system from the parental point of view can be as heartbreaking, she learned. She also goes on to give this memoir the details of her young adult life from lap-band surgery, to her wedding where her biological relatives invade, to getting pregnant, and then on to her life as a foster parent. Readers who enjoyed the first book will want to read what came next for Ashley as she views the child welfare system now from both sides.
Listen to a detailed interview with the author from the television show Daytime.

Karen Hildebrand is retired library media specialist and library director for Delaware City Schools in Delaware, OH. She is currently an adjunct professor at Ashland University in Ohio, a reading consultant, and a Holocaust Fellow at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. She also chairs the Education Curriculum Committee for the Delaware County Historical Society.

The review contributions are provided by members of the International Literacy Association’s Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group.

Multiple genres and formats in children’s and young adult literature enrich content area reading in science and social studies, providing multiple perspectives, exciting explorations of different topics, and examples of the work and thinking of scientists and historians. This collection includes nonfiction, fiction, and exemplars of content area reading formatted as poetry. All titles are sources for reading pleasure as well as developing deeper knowledge of content. 

Ages 4–8

Frogs. Seymour Simon. 2015. Harper/HarperCollins.

In this latest book in his series of science photo essays, Simon introduces readers to the world of frogs. A conversational text presents the life cycle, behavior, habitats, adaptations, and diversity of frogs. The language is clear; words that can be understood in context but are also defined in a glossary are in bold print. Simon includes a section on the different groups of amphibians and a six-page gallery of common frogs found in temperate regions (leopard fogs, bullfrogs, and wood frogs); unusual frogs from around the world (Darwin frogs, poison dart frogs, and Amazon horned frogs); and interesting toads from around the world (American toads, midwife toads, and fire-bellied toads). He also covers the role frogs play in the balance of nature and the problems responsible for the decline of frog populations around the world, including the chytrid fungus, which is now found in one third of the world’s frog population.

—CA

Grandaddy’s Turn: A Journey to the Ballot Box. Michael S. Bandy & Eric Stein.Ill. James E. Ransome. 2015. Candlewick.

Written from the perspective of a man recounting his childhood and his experiences with his grandfather in the deep south of the United States, this historical fiction picture book gives a personal view of the tactics of the 1950s and 1960s in denying people their civil rights. The narrator emphasizes his grandfather’s dream of voting in the context of his grandfather’s resourcefulness and fortitude in his daily life. “My granddaddy was a big, strong man who always said he ‘never took nothing off nobody’. He could do anything” (unpaged). The illustrations show the child as a man going to the polls with the photograph of his grandfather to honor his aspirations long after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965. The poignancy of the story is enhanced by the warm, earth tones of the watercolor illustrations, as readers experience the lives of the grandfather and the child. The author’s note in the back matter further explains practices that allowed public officials to keep people from voting.  

—SW

Leaflets Three, Let It Be! The Story of Poison Ivy. Anita Sanchez. Ill. Robin Brickman. 2015. Boyds Mills.

Readers who may know about poison ivy only from the itchy rash it has given them will find this story of poison ivy informative. While describing the appearance of the plant during the seasons of the year, Sanchez provides examples of how poison ivy gives food and shelter to wildlife. An inset highlighted in green print identifies the “poison” of poison ivy as urushiol,a chemical in itssap; another inset is a key to identifying the plant. Sayings about poison ivy appear in red: “Hairy vine—a warning sign! Leaflets three, let it be! Berries white, take flight!” An “Itching to Know More?” section provides answers to questions kids are likely to have about poison ivy and a quiz on distinguishing poison ivy from look-alike plants. Brickman adds a note on how she created the three-dimensional artwork.

—CA

Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery That Baffled All of France. Mara Rockliff. Ill. Iacopo Bruno. 2015. Candlewick.

In a style that is both humorous and informative, Rockliff provides a context for Franklin’s journey to France during the American Revolution at the time of a surge in interest in science. Rockliff describes Dr. Mesmer’s attraction with his demonstration of a mysterious force, which he said “streamed from the stars and flowed into his wand” (p. 13). When asked to look into how the wand worked, Franklin used the scientific method, asking “What if the force was not in Dr. Mesmer’s wand?” (p. 21). Rockliff lays out the experiment that Franklin conducted. Illustrations in two-page spreads show each part of the experiment, and the narrative and sidebar provide comment on the method. Rockliff explains implications of the method: “Ben’s ‘blind’ test was such a good idea that it is still in use” (p. 36), and Dr. Mesmer had discovered the placebo effect. The back matter includes an author’s note describing scientific work going on in France at the end of the 18th century and information on how readers can use the scientific method.

—SW

Ages 9–11

Big Red Kangaroo. Claire Saxby. Ill. Graham Byrne. 2015. Candlewick.

A lyrical text and stunning illustrations created with charcoal and digital media tell the story of Red Kangaroo, a dominant male, and the important role he plays in the lives of his mob of females, joeys, and younger male kangaroos in the hot, dry inland of Australia. Additional facts about red kangaroos and their adaptations for survival in their harsh environment appear in a different font on each two-page spread. An endnote provides general information on the diversity of kangaroos, marsupials that are adapted for living in a wide range of habitats from wet rainforests to dry plains in Australia and Papua New Guinea. The red kangaroo is the biggest of the more than 60 species of kangaroos. A Classroom Ideas PDF for Big Red Kangaroo is available from the Australian publisher.  

—CA

Emu. Claire Saxby. Ill. Graham Byrne. 2015. Candlewick.

This narrative nonfiction book about emus, flightless birds of Australia, begins with “In the open forest, where eucalyptus trees fringe tufty grasslands, honey-pale sunshine seeps to where Emu sits on a nest” (p. 6). What readers may find surprising is that Emu, the adult sitting on the nest, is male. Following an extended mating ritual, the male and female build a nest. After laying eggs, the female departs. The male remains on the nest for eight weeks, tends the hatchlings, protects them from predators such as dingoes and eagles, and teaches them survival skills. After a year and a half, the young emus leave to find mates. Byrne’s exquisite digital artwork feature Emu and his brood in their grassland habitat. A Classroom Ideas PDF for Emu is available from the Australian publisher.

—CA

The Founding Fathers! Those Horse-Ridin’, Fiddle-Playin’, Book-Readin’, Gun-Totin’ Gentlemen Who Started America. Jonah Winter. Ill. Barry Blitt. 2015. Atheneum.

In his introduction, Winter establishes a historical context of the founding fathers he presents, arguing that the United States of the late 18th century was much different from what we know it to be now. Without a government, without political parties, the men who established the Constitution had to create a foundation and, although they argued constantly, they were “tremendously smart people” (unpaged). Two-page spreads follow, all formatted the same way with an illustration of the individual on one page and a brief biography, famous quotes of the person, and a table of information on diverse topics such as physical characteristics, jobs held, education, number of slaves owned, and political position on the facing page. Although some items are humorous, such as amount of cheese owned, the tables offer readers different ways of learning about the men. The extensive back matter deals with topics about which the fathers argued and could never agree. A connecting book, Founding Mothers: Remembering the LadiesbyCokie Roberts (2014), features biographies of the wives and relatives of some of the men in Winter’s book and introduces other women of the era.

—SW

Midnight: A True Story of Loyalty in World War I. Mark Greenwood. Ill. Frané Lessac. 2015. Candlewick.

In 1914, Guy and his horse, Midnight, join the cavalry and sail from Australia to Egypt. Guy is sent to the front lines in Gallipoli; Midnight remains in Cairo. Once reunited, Guy and Midnight patrol the dunes of Sinai. In the charge at Beersheba, a bullet passes through Midnight and lodges beside Guy’s spine. The final two-page spread shows Guy waiting for the stretcher-bearers, crying beside the body of his beloved mare. Lessac’s naïve illustrations in saturated colors set the scene and clearly express the bond between Guy and Midnight. Greenwood and Lessac’s (2008) The Donkey of Gallipoli: A True Story of Courage in World War I tells how Jack Simpson carried more than 300 wounded men off the battlefield on a donkey

—CA

Ages 12–14

Anastasia and Her Sisters. Carolyn Meyer. 2015. Paula Wiseman.

Anastasia Romanov, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra, tells the story of her family’s life of public responsibility, regal privilege, and splendid wealth. She begins her narrative in the spring of 1918 when the family has been reunited in their exile (and shortly before their deaths). While she and her oldest sister, Olga, reminisce, Anastasia slips into her own memories as she describes a state ball of 1911. Through her narrative, she shares personal and public events in the lives of the family, and readers discover the maturing of the four sisters from pampered and protected girls to women who experience heartbreak, loss, and the realization that they could, and wanted to, do much more in their lives than their parents wanted for them. A genealogy at the beginning of the novel is a useful resource for readers, and an epilogue describes what happened to friends and relatives of the family. The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming (2014) is a connecting nonfiction book, richly illustrated with archival photographs, that details the historical events and places that figure in the novel. 

—SW

Call of the Osprey (Scientists in the Field Series).Dorothy Hinshaw Patent. Ill. William Muñoz. 2015. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

An engaging text and full-color, captioned photographs introduce readers to the osprey, a relative of hawks and eagles known as “the great fisher” because of its adaptation for catching fish, and document the work of three scientists at the Montana Osprey Project. The research project involves the monitoring of pairs of nesting ospreys to study the effect of the toxic metals that accumulated in the environment during extensive mining in the Missoula area. At the top of the food chain, the osprey is particularly susceptible to environmental pollution, making it an ideal indicator of progress being made in this Montana Superfund site. An abundance of sidebars offers information related to the project, including osprey statistics; the use of webcams that provide the opportunity for day-to-day observation of osprey behavior, mining, and the environment; and the establishments of the Superfund program in 1980.

—CA

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement.Carole Boston Weatherford. Ill. Ekua Holmes. 2015. Candlewick.

In a series of poems in this biography, Weatherford traces the life of Fannie Lou Hamer from her childhood as the youngest of 20 children of sharecroppers in Mississippi to her social and political activism. Weatherford chronicles the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s through Fannie Lou’s participation in voter registration, her involvement in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, her activity in party politics, and her running for elected office. The poems feature particular events in Hamer’s life and their implications, which provide readers with memorable, heart-wrenching details. In 1963, on a bus trip returning from citizenship school, for example, she and others ordered breakfast during a rest stop. Jailed for the act, the effects of the beatings she got there affected her for the rest of her life. To create a historical context, Weatherford provides an extensive timeline in the back matter, including events that occurred in the United States during the landmark moments Weatherford notes. The back matter also includes source notes and a list of resources.

—SW

Ages 15+

Between Two Worlds. Katherine Kirkpatrick. 2014. Wendy Lamb.

Billy Bah, a 16-year-old girl and wife of Angulluk, narrates the story of an expedition to the Arctic to get supplies to Admiral Peary. Billy Bah has been attached to the Peary family since she lived with them as a child in Brooklyn when Admiral and Josephine Peary’s daughter, Marie, was young. Billy Bah’s parents had come to New York City later and died there, under circumstances that are not clear to her until she can piece together details she learns and, in the process, come to a deeper understanding of the explorers’ influences on her people and culture. She recounts the many services her people provide the explorers and the shipmates who support them, their skills in hunting and sewing, family traditions and values, and practices in traveling over frozen sea and rough terrain the demanding environment of the Arctic of northern Greenland and Ellesmere Island required. The Snow Baby: The Arctic Childhood of Admiral Robert E. Peary’s Daring Daughter, also by Katherine Kirkpatrick (2007), is a connecting book full of archival photographs of individuals included in the novel, as well as Peary’s expeditions and family. The book Onward: A Photobiography of African-American Polar Explorer Matthew Henson by Delores Johnson (2006) focuses on the indispensable services that Henson gives to Peary’s work.

—SW

The Octopus Scientists (Scientists in the Field Series). Sy Montgomery. Ill. Keith Ellenbogen. 2015. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Montgomery and Ellenbogen join a team of researchers on the island of Moorea near Tahiti to document their study of the behavior of the Pacific day octopus. Details of their research is covered, from work in the field searching coral reefs for this elusive octopus (a master of camouflage and shape changing), locating the dens of individuals, and observing the octopuses, to lab work back at the field station identifying what the octopuses have eaten from the shells, carapaces, and remains of invertebrates found piled up outside dens. Full-color, captioned photographs and sidebars, including an interest-catching “octect of octo facts,” profiles of the octopus team, and a feature on coral reefs, extend the text. The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the World of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery (2015) documents her bonding experiences with octopuses as she pursued interest in how they use their minds to solve problems and develop individual personalities.

—SW

The World Within: A Novel of Emily Brontë. Jane Eagland. 2015. Scholastic.

In this richly detailed novel, one period in Emily’s life is the focus, a time when her elder sister, Charlotte, goes away to school and their childhood camaraderie is transformed. When Charlotte returns from school, Emily feels a distance that she cannot bridge, and she draws closer to her younger sister, Anne, in their exploration of literature and in the worlds they create in stories they write. The introspective and introverted Emily is challenged to understand the perspectives and goals of her contemporaries and siblings. Later, going to the same school that Charlotte attended causes Emily such physical distress she is brought home ill, and her journey into who she wants to be and what she wants to do in her life begins in earnest. In the process, she discovers her strengths and comes to understand the uniqueness of her siblings. The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne by Catherine Reef (2012) is a connecting book that chronicles the home and work life of the Brontë sisters, their brother, Branwell, and individuals featured in the novel such as Mary Taylor, a lifelong friend of Charlotte.

—SW

Sandip Wilson serves as associate professor at in the College of Health and Education of Husson University in Bangor, ME. Carolyn Angus is former Director of George G. Stone Center for Children's Books, Claremont Graduate University, CA.

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

Although books are challenged throughout the year, book lovers designate one week each year as Banned Books Week. This is an annual opportunity to celebrate the right to read and to savor the intellectual freedoms through the unfettered access to texts with disparate points of view. Banned Books Week (Sept. 27–Oct. 3) was initiated out of growing concern over the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores, and libraries. The event debuted in 1982.

During this past year, the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom reported 311 book challenges. The 10 most challenged titles of 2014 are as follows, and several were reviewed on Literacy Daily:

1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

3. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

4. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

5. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris

6. Saga by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples

7. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

9. A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

10. Drama by Raina Telgemeier

I strongly suggest you check out these titles and decide for yourself what you think about the books rather than simply avoiding them because others have filed a complaint about them. Each of these books merits reading, discussion, and contemplation of the ideas expressed and the issues raised in their pages. In this column, I will introduce two of the books already raising the hackles of those who would decide what others can read.

One book, the award-winning Into the River, already has been banned in New Zealand, where it is now a crime to supply, distribute, or even display it. When will these censorious individuals realize no one can decide for someone else what it is appropriate to read and pulling books from shelves makes them only more alluring to many? Seek out these books and others that offer different perspectives on life, open your mind, and join the conversation with other readers.

Ages 9–11

George. Alex Gino. 2015. Scholastic.

Although it fails to challenge several gender stereotypes, this important book has the potential to change minds and attitudes. Given the world's preoccupation with the transition of Bruce Jenner to Caitlyn Jenner, it’s being published at the right time. Fourth grader George has always felt more like a girl than a boy, and when she—the author uses the pronoun with which George prefers to identify herself—tries out for the role of Charlotte in the school dramatization of Charlotte's Web, at the urging of her supportive best friend Kelly, even her teacher, Ms. Udell, fails to understand. Readers will empathize with George's attempts to tell her mother how she feels, only to be ignored or to have her feelings discounted or misunderstood. The details the author provides about George's discomfort with her male anatomy and the constant harassment she endures from the class bully, Jeff, ensure that readers will feel sympathetic toward George. Although the story and George's struggles ultimately are resolved (perhaps too easily), the book reaches into readers' hearts and plucks their heartstrings, a gentle reminder of how hard it can be to "be who you are" when the world seems unable to accept you for yourself. This book will have readers talking, and is as groundbreaking for the younger set as Susan Kuklin’s Beyond Magenta was for an older audience. Even the cover, showing George peeking through the letter O of her name, makes it impossible to tell for sure George's gender. Read this book, and imagine the possibilities and the limitations placed by how society determines what it means to be a boy or a girl. Then consider how difficult it is to hide so much of yourself from the world around you, even your loved ones.

Ages 15+

Into the River. Ted Dawe. 2012. Mangakino University Press.

This New Zealand title, the supreme winner in the NZPost Book Awards, follows a young Māori boy from a small rural town on the country’s east coast to an exclusive boarding school in Auckland, where he receives a scholarship. The boy, Te Arepa, or Devon as his new classmates call him, is fully aware of the importance of his name—that of a brave ancestor credited with saving the whole tribe and of his potential to lead his people in the future. Not only does the youth experience cultural dissonance and loneliness, but he also encounters bullying, peer pressure, relationships, drugs, and loss. As Te Arepa feels increasingly marginalized and loses pieces of himself, bit by bit, readers will ask themselves what makes him so compliant and unable to resist those who seem determined to dismantle him and what makes those who surround him so willing to erase his identity. Clearly, Devon may fit more cleanly in the modern world than Te Arepa, but at what cost? Critics of the book have expressed concern over its language and what they term adult themes. I didn’t notice anything any more shocking in its pages than many young adult titles I’ve read in the past.

Barbara A. Ward teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in literacy at Washington State University, Pullman. She spent 25 years teaching in the public schools of New Orleans, where she worked with students at every grade level, from kindergarten through high school as well as several ability levels. She is certified in elementary education, English education, and gifted education. She holds a bachelor's in communications and a master's in English Education from the University of Tennessee and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of New Orleans.

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

We often turn young readers to biographies to find role models and a rich source of inspiration. However, we should be sure to share biographies that feature diverse historical figures. It’s important to consider who is being overlooked, whose stories have been neglected, and why certain subjects are favored. The members of the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group present new biographies that cross boundaries, raise complex questions, and highlight unsung heroes.

Ages 4–8

How Jelly Roll Morton Invented Jazz. Jonah Winter. Ill. Keith Mallett. 2015. Roaring Brook Press.

Jelly Roll Morton claims to have invented jazz in 1902. In this biography, readers are invited to learn about his early life, whether or not the claim is true, and the nature of jazz itself. The narrative is presented playfully with repeated phrases (“let’s say”) and text variations in the forms of songs and recipes. The rich blues and oranges in the illustrations add to the liveliness and celebratory feel of the book. A lengthy and informative author’s note is included, but only minimal references and discography.

Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America. Carole Boston Weatherford. Ill. Jamey Christoph. 2015. Albert Whitman and Company.

This biography joins the handful of picture book treatments of photographers such as Ansel Adams, Wilson Bentley, and Dorthea Lange. While biographies of both artists and activists have become more abundant, this appears to be the first book for children about Gordon Parks. The tone is matter of fact, chronicling personal tragedies and addressing historical inequality. The replicas of Parks’ photographs in the illustrations are especially engaging. The back matter includes some sample photographs and an author’s note, but lacks a timeline and bibliography.

Ages 9–11

The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch. Chris Barton. Ill. Don Tate. 2015. Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers.

The striking cover illustration of the subject of this biography captures the warmth and honesty readers will encounter inside the book. The appealing illustrations, full of close-ups of faces and details of the historical context, drive the story and will engage readers. The narrative presented carefully balances Lynch’s personal journey with the larger political issues of the time period. The story is quite long, covering a lot of historical ground from slavery through reconstruction and beyond, but plenty of humor and drama in both the art and the text keep the story flowing. The back matter continuesthe story with a historical note, highly detailed timeline, further reading, and author and illustrator notes.

Ages 12–14

Enormous Smallness: A Story of E.E. Cummings. Matthew Burgess. Ill. Kris Di Giacomo. 2015. Enchanted Lion Books.

The book offers good advice for students who may tend to get frustrated or are unmotivated: “Anything is possible, as long as you are true to yourself and never give up, even when the world seems to say, stop!” Burgess begins the biography by painting a quick picture of Cummings’ life at the point in which the story eventually ends. Then he nicely flows into where his love for writing poems began. The story walks through his life, but it specifically focuses on what really impacted his writing career. It introduces different people in his life, and throughout the book he explains the roles that they played in his writing career: “Some people criticized him for painting with words. Others said his poems were too strange, too small.” It does not illustrate just the positive aspects of Cummings’ life, but also the hardships of his writing career.

Ages 15+

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club. Phillip Hoose. 2015. Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.

The resistance movement in Denmark during WWII has been treated in children’s novels like Number the Stars and pictures books like The Yellow Star. Hoose’s new book tells the story of the genesis of that movement. Two teenage brothers find themselves appalled with their country’s leader and the community around them when the Nazi occupation begins. Knud Pedersen may only be 15 but, with the help of his brother and a cadre of friends, he goes on the attack against the German occupiers. Teen readers will be on the edge of their seat as they learn of Pedersen’s bravery and activism. Hoose balances his voice with that of Knud’s, whom he interviewed and corresponded with in order to write the book. This is an exemplary piece of nonfiction with ample back matter.

Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries Who Shaped our History…and our Future. Kate Schatz. Ill. Miriam Klein Stahl. 2015. City Lights Books.

This book for all ages features 25 women who made a difference,  women readers young and old should know all about, and  women who all deserve more than the one page dedicated to them in this book. While some of the names will be familiar to readers (Rachel Carson and Carol Burnett), many will stand out as new and unknown (Jovita Idar, the Grimke sisters, Yuri Kochiyama). Energy and enthusiasm pervade the text and art in this book; each woman featured gets a byline (“who reminds us to bravely claim our true identity,” “who shows us the power of a brilliant mind,” “who led her people with strength and courage”), a cut-paper portrait against a bright background, and a page of biographical information. The back matter is as engaging as the individual treatments, featuring “26 things you can do to be rad” and plenty of resource material.

Lesley Colabucci is an associate professor at Millersville University in Pennsylvania, where she teaches courses in children’s/adolescent literature. She is currently serving on NCTE’s Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children.

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.