Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, Illustrated by Bryan Collier

He said "together"

when others said "separate."

He said "peace"

when others said "war."  

If you visit the children's biography section of a public library, you will likely find many - dozens even - biographies about Martin Luther King.  Many are okay, some are great, but Martin's Big Words is my favorite.  During my Christmas posts, I mentioned that I enjoy nonfitction picture books and this one truly stands out.

This is a fast-paced, simplistic telling of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life.  There is no way to detail the nuances and details of his life in 32 pages.  But what stands out to me is he importance of the themes in his life - fight for equality with words not fists.  Love will change the world, not war. 

And the illustrations?  Well, Bryan Collier expertly bases many of them off photographs from Martin Luther Kings life.  I also love how many of the images have stained glass in them making the book feel a bit religious.  I highly recommend this book especially if you are introducing King's life to younger audiences.  Judging by the medals on the cover a lot of other librarians agree with me. 

SIlent Night: The Song and Its Story by Margaret Hodges, Illustrated by Tim Ludwig

Perhaps he might write a little song, something as simple as the Bible story, something that every child could understand.

It all started with a broken organ at the church in Oberndorf, Austria on Christmas Eve.  The Christmas mass just wouldn't be the same without music.  Father Joseph Mohr knew his congregation needed a song so he wrote a simple poem then rushed it over to Franz Gruber who created a lullaby on his guitar.  Today this is one of the most loved and most spiritual of all the Christmas carols.

One of the greatest discoveries I made as a librarian was nonfiction picture books.  There are many I like, but this one stands out because of excellent pacing and illustrations that perfectly match the subject.  This book tells the story of the origins of Stille Nacht, it's travels as a folk song across Austria and Germany, the rediscovery of the song's true origin, and it's popularity across the world.

It recounts the famous Christmas Eve truce during the First World War.  Then highlights other lesser known moments.   The peaceful tune reminded a Russian soldier that his enemy prisoners were humans, and coaxed a soldier during the Korean War to cease fire.  This book taught me something remarkable about the my most cherished Christmas song.  The things that draw us closer to the divine, also remind us of the humanity in others. 

2013 Reads

Whenever I think of books that I've read, I always feel a very strong sense of the place I was when reading it.  I remember the subway rides, winter chill, or smell of dinner cooking.  That's one reason why I like to keep track of what I read.

Here are some of the highlights and lowlights of 2013.  (Keep in mind this is what I have read this year and not necessarily books published in 2013.)

Highlights

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys - Don't be distracted by the title.  This is a sad but powerful story of labor camps in the Soviet Union. 

Heist Society by Ally Carter - I have read all three books in this series.  They are fun art thievery stories that are light and fun but well-written.

Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller & Zack Stentz - this is a creative, high school story about a boy with Asperger's who sets out to the solve the mystery of a gun going off in the school cafeteria.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate - 2013's Newbery Medal winner.  It's a sweet, sad story based on true events, but Applegate brings the animal characters to life.

In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz - This is the second in a three book series.  Gidwitz takes the most gorey fairy tales and strings them together in clever stories.

Lowlights

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage - This children's book received a lot of acclaim, but I felt that the characters were unbelievable and the story was slow.

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz - This was another that critics seemed to love, but I can't even begin to describe everything I thought was wrong with it.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - I thought this book was okay, but it wins my award for the most overrated book of the year.

Matched by Ally Condie - Condie jumped on the love triangle, dystopian novel bandwagon without success.  I've read the first two in the series, but have decided to leave the third alone.

The Storyteller by Jodi Piccoult - Definitely my least favorite book of 2013.  As with Splendors and Glooms, there is just so much wrong with it.

Picture Books

As a children's librarian, I read hundreds of picture books a year.  Most are forgettable, but here are just a few standouts from my readings.  Again, they were not necessarily published this year.

• Love Waves by Rosemary Wells
• Hush: a Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho, illustrated by Holly Meade
• Up, Tall and High by Ethan Long
• Oh, No Gotta Go by Susan Middleton Elya illustrated by G. Brian Karas
• The Tooth Fairy Meets El Raton Perez by Rene Colado Lainez, illustrated by Tom Lintern

Almost Accomplished

Within two weeks, I will have accomplished a New Year's resolution of sorts.  I will have completed 100 books this year.  I'm not sure whether to be proud or depressed about this accomplishment.  Seriously, who has that much time?  I've read some incredible books this year - some short, some long.  I've also read some duds, but that is to be expected.

Here are five of the books which I loved.  I loved more than five and if you want a complete list become my friend on Goodreads.

Ida B ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and Possibly Save the World, by Katherine Hannigan

Ida B. loves her life on the farm with her parents.  She is friends with the rocks and the trees and the mountains.  Her parents teach her school at home and that is how she likes it, but when her mom gets sick her whole life changes and she decides to have a hard heart.  If you like quirky characters and stories with a strong moral, this is the book for you.

How They Croaked: the Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous, by Georgia Bragg

Was this book gross?  Yes.  Was it awesome?  Yes.  This includes the fascinating and gory deaths of historic figures like Cleopatra and James A. Garfield.  It's factual, a little sarcastic, and a lot of fun.

Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand

This is probably one of the most talked about books in the past couple of years, and it deserves all the praise it receives.  It tells the story of an Olympian who survives a plane wreck and Japanese POW camps.  When he returns home he is able to put his life back together.  Every part of this lengthy book is exciting and inspiring.

Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creek

 Because of my interest in children's literary history, I set a goal to read every Newbery Medal winning book.  I avoided this book because I didn't like the cover.  But seriously, the old cliche is true.  Read it.   It's wonderful.

 Wonder, by R.J Palacio

 This is another book worth the hype.  A kid with severe deformities decides to enter school starting the fifth grade.  Here he endures bullying, the challenges of finding friends, and other associated difficulties, but finds himself.  Okay, so I hate middle school angsty stories with classic bullies, but this one really was excellent.

And now for the books I don't recommend ...

Olive's Ocean, by Kevin Henkes

If you are actually reading my summaries, you will notice that I don't like  angsty, middle-school novels with bullies etc.  Yeah, this was one of those.

Fairies and the Quest for Neverland, by Gail Carson Levine

I love Gail Carson Levine, but I did not love this book.  I wish I had seen that Disney logo before wasting my time.

Small Persons with Wings, by Ellen Booraem

Maybe I should just avoid books involving fairies.  If you like fairies, you might enjoy this one.  

The Night Circus, by Ellen Morgenstern

In my opinion, this is the most overrated book of 2011.

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, by Jean Lee Latham

Not all Newbery winners are winners.  This piece of historical fiction spent two much time explaining little bits of history and word origins and not enough time telling a story.     

Your Own Sylvia, by Stephanie Hemphill

Hemphill, Stephanie (2007). Your Own Sylvia, a Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 261 pages.

It's obvious that I'm in a poetry rut at the moment and probably imperative that I read something different for awhile. This biography of Sylvia Plath is simply o.k. The author took on a hard task trying to mimic the work of a master. Hemphill did well, but not good enough for me to love the book. She tells the story of Plath's life from beginning to tragic end using poems written from the point of view of those who knew her. There was the occasional insertion of one of Plath's poems rewritten to describe her life.

Here are a few impressions from the book:

• The author had a heavy feminist bias. Apparently men only use you as an object, drain all of the talent out of you, and break your heart. She did not relate it well only to Sylvia's situation which made the work biased..
• The descriptions of Sylvia's suffering were excellent. The poems were fast-paced and agonizing - this was good work.
• I did find that most of the poetry lacked in the occasional emotion as mentioned above. The metaphors seemed off and it all seemed like a stretch to be poetic rather than fluid poetry.
• I can see the appeal in this book for a young audience especially those interested in Plath's writing or other similar characters.

Overall, however, the book really wasn't for me. Now to move away from poetry.

Carver: A Life In Poems by Marilyn Nelson

Nelson, Marilyn (2001). Carver: A Life in Poems. Asheville, North Carolina: Front Street, 103 pages.

Before I give a summary of this book, you must know that I was biased to begin. I've heard praise of this book from many sources and was expecting to enjoy it. In fact, I found it nearly flawless. It was refreshing to read a work so artfully written.

Nelson tells the life of George Washington Carver, using vivid poetry. Rather than focusing the poetry on Carver's agricultural accomplishments, she emphasizes the type of person he is. I felt a bond with Carver by the time I was finished. Rather than just saying that Carver was a well-rounded man who broke through many barriers for his race, it was almost sung. The imagery was beautiful. In one poem a woman refers to Carter as a "sepia boy" describing his color. Another poems says "Beauty is commonplace, as cheap as dirt." And again, "history is a jetsam of stardust." I rarely read such well-written works.

There are many things about this book that I loved, but the emphasis on Carver's faith in God was probably my favorite. He was criticized by the science community for claiming that inspiration helped him in his work. But Carver was a great example of a man who believed in God, and Nelson freely included this in her poems. Nelson quotes directly in the poem about Carver's bible class "Your Creator, he said, is itching to contact you." Communication with God is described as a "vast broadcasting system."

To sum this up there are very few people to whom I would not recommend this book - peanut lover or not. It brings together important information, excellent storytelling and real poetry.

"A personal relationship with the Great Creator of all things is the only foundation for the abundant life. The farther we get away from self, the greater life will be."
George Washington Carver

*One of the labels of this post claims that this is a novel. It is not a novel, but in this case uses verse to tell a true story.

Enchantment: the Life of Audrey Hepburn by Donald Spoto

Spoto, Donald (2006) Enchantment: the Life of Audrey Hepburn. New York: Three Rivers Press. 352 pages.

It may come as a surprise, but this biography was not written for children or young adults. This detailed look at Audrey Hepburn's life combines life events, analysis of film, and some interpolations of fact to give an intriguing and well-balanced look at a timeless icon. Spoto tells her life story candidly not hesitating to include Audrey's insecure or even scandalous moments. He does, however, tell these events without sensationalizing what isn't necessary.

My favorite feature of the book is Spoto's frankness about Audrey's desire to have a quiet family life contrasted with the pressures of being a movie icon. Her dreams of being a mother were repeatedly dashed; when she finally had the opportunity, it was difficult to give up her acting for a quiet life. My second favorite part of the book was the attention given to her role in The Nun's Story. This role prevented her from being typecast and gave her ample opportunity for introspection. Spoto often brought in personal events from Audrey's life and compared them to roles she played in film.

This was an excellent and realistic look at an actress who I personally admire. She did not have the royal life that some might suspect after watching Roman Holiday. This book shows her as a real human who became famous and did something with it.

Sarah Morton's Day by Kate Waters

Waters, Kate & Russ, Kendall (1989). Sarah Morton's Day. New York: Scholastic, 32 pages.

Most people may be able to tell by now that I am a fan of nonfiction especially that work which will appeal to the recreational reader. This book uses photographs and first person narration to give a day in the life of Sarah Morton, an actual pilgrim who lived at Plimoth Plantations. Photographer, Kendall Russ uses Amelia Poole to reenact what might be a typical day for Sarah Morton. The real life photographs which were taken at Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts bring her story to life.

The narration uses the old style of language, but is still simple and accessible to the young reader. The day begins when Sarah gets dressed. Photos show each piece of heavy clothing that she is required to wear. She takes the reader through her daily chores, games, lessons. She also describes her insecurities about having a new stepfather that she wishes will accept her. Sidebars and boxes highlight a recipe and a Bible passage she may have memorized. Overall the story is well told in a way that is accurate and can relate to children today.

This would be a great November read aloud for elementary school children or could be read independently by a good reader.

Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell (2005). Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's Shadow. New York: Scholastic Nonfiction, 176 pages.

Bartoletti tells the story of the Hitler Youth program from its inception until the fall of the Reich. Using personal accounts from from various boys and girls, she tells the stories of those of both those supported and resisted Hitler.

I listened to this book. The narrator had good intonation and pronounced all the German names and phrases correctly - which is more than I can say for Bartoletti whose accent was painful for me a German speaker. She did clearly define all difficult concepts and words. The book is informative for more than just youth. The writing was sophisticated and not patronizing. Bartoletti did her research and used real accounts of soldiers who destroyed Allie tanks, students who opposed the Reich, and even average members of the Hitler Youth.

The book shed light on aspects of the Third Reich secondary to the Hitler Youth, but it still fit. For example, propaganda explained Kristallnacht as a spontaneous reaction to the murder of an official by a Jew. In reality it was a planned attack against the Jews. Also, the government forced the Jews to pay for all the damage. The German news announced that Hitler died fighting on the front lines in the Battle of Berlin rather than the true story. These lies were linked to the films and propaganda that the Hitler Youth were educated with. To reeducate the soldiers and youth raised as Anti-Semites, the showed the Germans films of footage from the concentration camps. Many of them were difficult to convince that the man who they fought for was a mass murderer.

Overall this was an excellent book that was sensitively written and hit on what I think are the major aspects of being young during the Third Reich.

Remember, by Toni Morrison

Morrison, Toni (2004). Remember: the Journey to School Integration. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 78 pages.

Using high quality archival photographs, Morrison tells the story of school integration from a child's perspective. She begins with a brief yet informative explanation of the book followed by the series of photographs with a fictionalized commentary. Following the approximately 70 pages of photographs is a timeline of important events and descriptions of each photograph.

The photos make this book a success. Morrison used photo archives to find the photographs. Photos of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and pivotal days of integration are familiar to adults and may be recognizable to children. Other photos of children at school or trying to go to integrated schools are less famous. They were all high quality and representative of what children may have experienced. Each photo is clear, thought provoking, but not disturbing for children.

Honestly, I'm a little disappointed with how the information was handled. Rather than telling the story of the actual photograph, Morrison creates short fictionalized commentary for many of the photos. The real story of the photo is at the back of the book in an index. This made for a lot of flipping back and forth and was frustrating. This format would be tedious for a child using it independently. In a group setting the fictionalized commentary would probably work better because it is short and would hold students' interest. The whole purpose of this book is to document this difficult time and telling the real stories of the photos would have had more impact in my opinion.

The Whale, by Valerie Tracqui

Tracqui, Valerie (2004). The Whale: Giant of the Ocean. Watertown, Ma.: Charlesbridge, 29 pages.

This brief book uses text, photos, and captions to tell the story of the humpback whale. The book discusses the whale's body structure, migration, mating, and other general topics. It also includes information on ongoing work to save the endangered species and brief introductions to other species of whales. While the main text is helpful and informative, I found that the most interesting parts of this book were the captions to the high-quality photographs. For example, I learned that humpback whales have two blowholes that spout air, water vapor, and mucous. Whales also have whisker like hairs on their faces to help them sense what is around them. I admit I'm a little biased in my enjoyment of this book due to my love of whales.

Getting Away With Murder, by Chris Crowe

Crowe, Chris (2003). Getting Away with Murder: the True Story of the Emmett Till Case. New York: Dial. 128 pages.

Summary and Evaluation: In this nonfiction telling of the murder of Emmett Till and the farcical trial that followed, Crowe puts the crime into context with the Southern way of life and tensions of the emerging Civil Rights movement. Emmett Till was a fourteen year black youth from Chicago who when he visited family in Mississippi was brutally murdered and left in the Tallahatchie River. After an historic indictment (almost no lynching ever went to trial), J. W. Milam and Roy Bryant, the murders were tried and acquitted by an all white jury.

Learning about the Civil Rights Movement in school did not put in context everyday life for an African American in the South the way this book did. Knowing that up to that point, no white person had gone to trial for lynching and that it was accepted as part of life made the murder trial that much more important. Also, the murder could have been all but unnoticed if Emmett's mother, Mamie Till Bradley, had not instantly begun notifying the press of the incident. When the body of her son was finally returned to her, she insisted that the world see what they had done to her son. She allowed hundreds of irate citizens and the press to see Emmett's mangled body. The narrative of the trial was enhanced with high-quality photographs. It was only until I saw the photos of Milam and Bryant, playfully holding their children on their laps or happily lighting a cigar after the acquittal that I realized how apathetic the killers were to what they had done. No description of Emmett's corpse matched the photo of his mangled face and body.

While the message was powerful, the writing itself was a little disjointed. Tellings of the crime were often repeated in different section of the book. I also found it easy to get the many involved individuals confused. I often mistook the prosecuting attorney's words for the defense attorney's and had to flip back pages to ensure that I understood exactly who had done what.

Booktalk Hook: This book lends itself to the read aloud booktalk. Crowe includes concise newspaper articles that were printed around the time of the trial and contain detailed description of Emmett's body and the attitudes of the killers. I would select portions of the article on pages 68-69 to present to the group. It reports on the discovery of Till's body, its condition, and the possible murderers in such a way that it gives a sense of the ensuring injustice.