5183 Fall 2024 Information Resources and Services for Children discussion
Reading Responses 6 (Wk 9: 10/14 - 20)
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Sky Pioneer (Direct Mail Edition): A Photobiography of Amelia Earhart
Sky Pioneer is a look at how the legend of Amelia Earhart came to be. Through the text, carefully chosen pictures, and maps, we are able to see how a woman broke down barriers as a female pilot leading her to many firsts.
Amelia Earhart has always been somewhat of an idol of mine, especially growing up. The things I knew from this time, and just from the gained knowledge in adulthood, was based around her pilot accomplishments. I knew about her success and of course her solo trip where she vanished. I wanted to know the planning she did for that trip specifically while also seeing more explanations and visuals of her experiences. I ended up learning things I either never learned or never remembered about her past. For example, she was a nurse during the battles in World War I, and pursued a medical degree. Her childhood was moved around a lot, due to her father's issue keeping a job. One thing that made sense, but still stuck out, was that in a time where gender norms were heavily followed, not only did Amelia break through that to pursue her passions. Her family set that up in the way that she was never encouraged to do only things because she was a girl. She was encouraged instead to be creative and explore. The maps that showed the routes I think also provided context for how grand her trips were. I have always heard of the flights, but seeing them mapped out is a different understanding.
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This young readers' adaptation of A Woman of No Importance introduces readers to American spy, Virginia Hall, who despite having a prosthetic leg, was considered dangerous and effective in the Allies’ efforts against the Gestapo in World War II.
K- Although I had not heard of Virginia Hall, I did know that women played critical roles in the Allies’ success in World War II.
W-I was interested to learn about this specific woman and how she gained the reputation as one of the most formidable spies of the war.
L-I learned that Virginia Hall was an intelligent, scrappy, fearless and tenacious woman who made a huge contribution to the war effort. Despite her hard work and sacrifice, she faced disrespect and discrimination upon her return to the CIA, not receiving the accolades she deserved until years past her death.
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Kim, C., & Iwata, N. (2024). Wat takes his shot: The Life & Legacy of basketball hero Wataru Misaka. Lee & Low Books Inc.
Japanese American Wataru Misaka works hard to live out his dream to be a basketball player. He is challenged with racism, the death of his father, and the harsh realities of the World War; yet, Wat stays true to his character and never gives up, becoming the first non-white player in the BAA (later named the NBA).
Reading this book gave me new insights into the lives of Japanese Americans during World War II. I knew there was racism toward any non-white Americans and of the forced incarceration camps for Japanese Americans; however, I did not know stories of their athletics. I wanted to know Wat’s personal athletic experience, how the war played a part in his life, and how his basketball career concluded. I learned of Wat’s sacrifice during WWII and the tension he experienced- both by those he interviewed in Japan, as well as by the white Americans he served to protect. Ultimately, Wat’s love of basketball and determination to be given a chance to play proved his character and selfless attitude would get him where he wanted to be–a contributing team player, and a role model to his fellow Japanese Americans.
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1. Hopkinson, D., & Groenink, C. (2022). Only One. Anne Schwartz Books.
2. Join one girl as she leads her friends to a tree-planting ceremony. Along the way, she explains the value of the universe and Planet Earth in simple language.
3. In "Only One" by Deborah Hopkinson, I knew climate change was impacting our planet, but I wanted to understand its specific effects on individual species and ecosystems. I was inquisitive about how personal stories could highlight these larger environmental issues. The book taught me about the interconnectedness of life and how small actions can significantly impact the environment. Through vivid illustrations and poignant narratives, I learned how crucial it is to take action to protect our planet for future generations, emphasizing that every species has a role in maintaining the delicate balance of our ecosystems.
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Seifert, C. (2017). The factory girls: A kaleidoscopic account of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Zest Books.
A harrowing account of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire with background about the political climate that allowed it to happen, framed by stories of the women and girls that survived the tragedy… and some that did not.
K: I did not know a lot about the tragedy going into reading this book. I was aware that it happened. I also knew that it was one of the more important events leading to more rights and protections for workers. Outside of that I did not have much background knowledge.
W: Through reading this book, I wanted to learn more about what caused the fire. I was also interested in learning more about the aftermath of the fire and the trial that came after.
L: After reading this book I learned so much that I was not expecting to. I learned a lot about the corruption of the Gilded Age. While the fire didn’t happen until after the Gilded Age, the author did a good job of explaining why many of the belief systems around immigration and unskilled labor that contributed to this tragedy, had a background that was established in the Gilded Age.
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1.
Winter, J. (2011). The watcher: Jane Goodall's life with the chimps. New York, N.Y., Schwartz & Wade Books.
2.
Jane Goodall is a woman known for her observations of chimpanzees and her advocacy to save these animals. Walking through her life in London to her years of observation in Tanzania of chimpanzees.
3.
K- I knew some about Jane Goodall and her work with chimpanzees through PBS programs mostly. I know who is is but did not know much more beyond that fact.
W- When reading this book, I wanted to learn more about her life and what she did in Gombe, Tanzania, during her time in observation. I wanted to know the details of the danger that the animals she is known as an expert in were in danger and what she did overall.
L—After reading this book, I learned more about her accomplishments and observations. I also learned more about the dangers that Chimpanzees were and probably still are in. However, thanks to Jane Goodall's efforts, we now know more about these animals and how to better preserve their habitats and help preserve both.
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1. Sloate, S. (2007). Ray Charles: Young musician. Aladdin Paperbacks.
2. Despite facing many hardships throughout his life, Ray Charles achieved many great things not only as a musician, but also as a civil rights activist.
3. I didn’t know very much about Ray Charles prior to reading this biography. The main things I knew were that he was blind, and he was a musician who specialized in piano. Before I started reading, I was curious to know if he’d been born blind or if he had become blind sometime during his life. I also wanted to know about his experiences growing up. I learned so much more than I could ever imagine. He tragically lost his little brother at a very young age, started losing his eyesight a year later, was sent away to a special school, and lost his mom when he was fifteen. He didn’t let any of that deter him, and he went on to have a successful music career and was active in the civil rights movement. I also learned that he played more instruments than just the piano. Despite many hardships, Ray Charles lived a full life and accomplished many great things.
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Part 2: This week you choose to write on either (1) the informational book OR (2) biography for children you selected to read.
1. A citation for the book in APA format.
Alexander, L. (2021). All in a drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek discovered an invisible world. Clarion Books.
2. A brief annotation for the book, no more than two sentences.
A working class dutch boy grows up to run a successful fabric shop and build a microscope that allows him to discover the existence of microbes.
3. The K-W-L method can be used to facilitate active reading of expository text (See Pattee's article for more about the method.) In about 100 words, discuss (a) what you did know about the topic that your nonfiction book presents about, (b) what you wanted to know, and (c) what you learned about the topic.
What I knew about Antony van Leeuwenhoek was that he discovered bacteria and mites.I knew that he did this without speaking Latin like other scientists at the time. I did not know how he found them or what all small organisms he discovered. I wanted to know both of those things. I also wanted to know how he got his discovery out in the world since he did not speak the language that science business was conducted in at the time. I learned that he did not speak English, but got to look at a book about the first microscope that had pictures in it and he thought the pictures were amazing so he built his own microscope. He hired an artist and funded these ventures with his successful fabric store. He discovered microbes by looking at water and seeing all of the little things that were alive and moving around!
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Before They Were Famous: Walt Disney by Stephen Krensky and illustrated by Bobbie Houser1. Krensky, S. (2024). Before they were famous: Walt Disney. (B. Houser, Illus.). Crabtree Publishing.
2. Before They Were Famous: Walt Disney is picture book of Walt Disney before he became a famous cartoon creator and animator. Real photographs of Disney are intertwined with cartoon illustrations that tell the story of Disney’s childhood and adult life.
3. I picked a Walt Disney autobiography because Disney (movies and the theme parks) were and still are a big part of life (also the Amelia Earhart book I wanted to read was checked out at my library). Before reading this book, I knew that Walt Disney was the creator of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Mickey Mouse & Friends, and the last ride he helped create was the Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland. The reason I chose this book specifically is because I was curious about Disney’s childhood. What I learned was that he wanted to be apart of the war effort during World War I. Since he was too young, his mother gave permission for Disney to become an ambulance driver in France. It was very interesting to learn that fact.
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1.
Lovitt, C., & Sims, B. (2019). My little golden book about the first moon landing. Golden Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
2. This picture book story of the first moon landing by American astronauts provides a simplified, digestible account of the event with details about the space craft that were used for the Apollo 11 mission, as well as some information about the moon.
3.
a. What I did know: The lunar landing took place in 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the surface of the moon, Apollo 11 was the name of the craft that took them there.
b. What I wanted to know: Who else was on the mission? What was the exact day? Did we learn anything about the moon from that mission?
c. Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins were also on the mission and Aldrin was the second person to walk on the moon. Collins did not land on the moon at that time because he needed to be in orbit, piloting the command module. The exact day of the blast off was July 16, 1969, but July 20th was the official day that humans first stepped onto the moon. Because of the sample of 40lbs of moon rocks that were collected by Armstrong and Aldrin, NASA was able to study them to find out that the moon likely used to be part of the earth!
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2.Hartland, J. (2012). Bon appetit!: the delicious life of Julia Child. Schwartz & Wade Books.
3. K: I know Julia Child as a famous chef and cookbook author who found inspiration in French cuisine.
W: I want to know more about her time her time Paris and how she learned how to cook/find it to be her passion.
L: I learned that Julia met her husband through working for a government agency. I learned that she was in Paris due to her husband being on assignment. I learned that Julia began cooking basically out of necessity. It was interesting to follow along with Julia's journey and read about her different inspirations and steps to producing her cookbook.
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We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know
Sorrel. T. (2021). We are still here! (F. Lessac, Illus.). Charlesbridge.
Indigenous youth present on 12 different topics that cover native history, politics, struggles, and successes in the United States.
K: “We are still here!” is a book I regularly use for Indigenous Peoples Day and Native American Heritage month at the Pioneer Library System. It is a book that explores Native history and politics in the United States through youth voice. It was created by native people on Turtle Island to inform readers about the attempted erasure of indigenous nations and what has been done to prevent these attempts. I know about this history through personal family experiences and appreciate this book for presenting complex topics in digestible ways.
W: I would like to know more about the students that presented on the topics. I loved that it included their names but wanted to know tribe affiliations.
L: It was helpful that the book provided a timeline after the presentations. I often struggle with remembering “the when” in conjunction with important historical milestones. I learned more about the dates of the topics presented.
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1. Fuentes, S (2024). Juneteenth. DK Publishing.
2. Juneteenth teaches emerging readers the history and significance of the holiday.
3.
K I know that the holiday celebrates the date when some of the last slaves received news that slavery was ended and that the holiday originated in Galveston, Texas.
W I would like to know if there are any special traditions associated with the holiday.
L I learned that it took two years for the news of the Emancipation Proclamation to reach Texas. At first, the celebration was called Jubilee Day, but in the 1890s it was changed to Juneteenth. I learned that a tradition for Juneteenth is to eat red foods because that reminds us of the struggle of enslaved people.
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Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos
1. Sisson, S. R. (2014). Star stuff: Carl Sagan and the mysteries of the cosmos. Roaring Book Press.
2. Star Stuff wonders at the extraordinary life of Dr. Carl Sagan, whose contributions to space exploration and public science education were driven by a lifelong love of discovery.
K: I did know that Dr. Carl Sagan was a scientist and author. His novel Contact and movie adaptation kickstarted my lifelong love of science fiction. From my time working at a bookstore, I also knew that he had authored several science books, namely Cosmos.
W: I wanted to know more about his contributions as a scientist.
L: I learned that Dr. Carl Sagan’s book Cosmos had a corresponding 13-episode television series of the same name. I was also surprised to find out that he worked with several space probes, specifically Mariner 2, Mariner 9, Pioneer 10, Viking 1, Voyager 1, and Voyager 2.
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1. Sanchez Vegara, M. (2023). Steve Irwin. Frances Lincoln Children's Books.
2. This book describes the life of Steve Irwin and what he was able to accomplish in terms of wildlife conservation.
3. When I was a child, I remember seeing Steve Irwin on TV and learning about the animals he helped rescue. I knew that he had a deep love for animals and wanted to help educate others on the importance of their conservation. Something I wanted to know about him was how he came into it all, because he was already an adult and well-known throughout the world when I became aware of him. I was able to learn that he actually acquired all his knowledge of animals from his parents and helped them run a wildlife refuge from a very young age. I also learned that his first television series, “The Crocodile Hunter”, actually derived from a documentary him and his wife shot during their honeymoon.
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Mosca, J. F. (2017). The Girl Who Thought in Pictures. The Innovation Press.
Temple Grandin turns her differences into strengths by using her unique way of interpreting the world to innovate and improve the life of farm animals.
Before reading this book, I had heard of Temple Grandin, first from watching a movie about her life. I knew that she was autistic and that she had invented a machine that she first used for self-soothing, but then realized could be used to make slaughterhouses less traumatic for the cows. I wanted to know what other innovations she had created, and what her personal life was like after the squeeze machine; the movie pretty much ended there. I learned that she didn’t just invent one machine to help the cows; she completely redesigned the farm experience for them. I also thought it was cool that her actual drawings were used in the film I saw. One more interesting thing from the extra material at the back was that when Temple is facing a big change, she envisions it as walking through a door, and that helps her with the transition.
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Salazar, A. (2023) Jovita wore pants. Scholastic Press.
Jovita always wanted to wear pants and do the things that her male relatives got to do. When Jovita is grown, during a revolution for religious freedom, she puts on her pants and becomes an inspiring revolutionary leader.
Before picking up this book, I had never heard of Jovita Valdovinos or the Cristero Revolution, so my knowledge about the topic was nonexistent. Going into the book I wanted to know about Jovita, who she was, what she did, and why pants were an important part of the story. After finishing the book, I learned that Jovita Valdovinos was a revolutionary leader at a time where women were not leaders. Also during this time, women were expected to wear dresses or skirts, so Jovita was stepping out of the norm by wearing pants which now makes sense since I know she was a revolutionary, freedom fighter.
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1. Stuart, C. (2019). Discovering our solar system. Button Books.
2. Take a tour of our cosmos in this bite sized adventure.
3. K- I have always loved learning space, so I knew some surface level information about it before reading this book. For example, I was not surprised to learn that our universe started with the big bang 13.8 billion years ago.
W- I wanted to know more in depth about our solar system in general. I wanted to know more about how our planet came to be and how this complex topic could be explained in a way a child would understand.
L- I learned that our solar system came from a cloud of atoms that gravity eventually turned into planets. I also learned we would have had a fifth rocky planet if the gravity of Jupitar was not so intense.
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Daynes, Katie. (2019) Why should I brush my teeth. EDC Publishing/UBAM.
Why should I brush my teeth is an informational flip book series for children about the importance of brushing their teeth. The book discusses the health of your teeth from infancy to elderly, explaining how to brush your teeth properly, what cavities are, and how bacteria play a vital role.
K: prior to reading this book, I knew how bacteria, sugary foods, and lack of brushing correctly has a huge effect on the health of your teeth.
W: Reading this book, there was nothing in particular that I wanted to know.
L: What I have learned was that there are so many ways to help a child understand the importance of taking care of your personal hygiene. In this book I have learned that you brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes. I have been to the dentist many of times and they focus on the correct way to brush, but I have never heard my dentist give a time frame.
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Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras
Tonatiuh, D. (2015). Funny bones: Posada and his Day of the Dead calaveras. Abrams Books for Young Readers.
This book tells the story José Guadalupe Posada, a Mexican artist best known for drawing pictures of calaveras, skeletons doing all sorts of amusing things like dancing or playing instruments. He used these drawings to make observations about the people around him and politicians.
Before reading, I had seen calaveras in various art pieces, though I never knew what they were called or who created them. I wanted to know more about their creator, such as where he grew up and what inspired him to draw these funny skeletons. Through reading this book, I learned that Posada lived from 1852 to 1913 and worked as an artist and printer. He drew cartoons of political figures before coming up with his calaveras, which poked fun at various kinds of people They eventually became very popular imagery associated with el Dia de Muertos, the Day of the Dead.
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Sotomayor, S. (2018). Turning page: My life story (L. Delacre, Illus.). Philomel Books.
Turning Pages tells the life story of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor through the lens of the books she has read throughout the different stages in her life, and how the ideas she found in books impacted her beliefs and attitudes about the world.
Before reading this book, I already a bit about Justice Sotomayor's upbringing and her political beliefs, but I did not know just how much credit she gives to books and literature as being a major factor in the story of her life. I wanted to learn more about her career and how she became the person she is today. The book was very informative and was told in chronological order. Sotomayor included a timeline of major events that have occurred in her life at the back of the book, which I found to be very helpful. I learned that Sotomayor went to Princeton Law and was inspired by reading to effect positive change for people as a lawyer and judge.
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1. Levy, D. (2016). I dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg makes her mark. Simon & Schuster.
2. This book explores the interesting life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
3. I knew that Ruth Bader Ginsberg was a Supreme Court Justice who dedicated her life to protecting the rights of the American people. I also knew that her voice in the Supreme Court had a heavy impact on the rights of women in our country. I wanted to know more about Ruth Bader Ginsberg's life before she became a Supreme Court Justice. I also wanted to know what challenges she faced to get there. When reading the book, I learned about Ruth's childhood, her family life, including her life with her husband and children, her life as a judge, and her impactful career.
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Jones, C. F. (2016). Mistakes that worked: The world’s familiar inventions and how they came to be. Random House.
This book shares the fascinating stories behind everyday items and how many were invented, often by accident. The humorous illustrations highlight how mistakes can be embraced and transformed into opportunities for something special.
There were many things I did not know from this book. I did know, however, that Coca-Cola was first invented as a medicine, but I didn't realize how it changed into a soda. After reading this book, I want to learn about other inventions that have been accidentally created since the book has been published. While reading the book, I discovered that many things were made either accidentally or unintentionally. I think it's interesting that this typically occurred when people were doing their ordinary tasks, yet something changed, leading to the creation of something entirely new!
5183 Fall 2024 Information Resources and...
Books mentioned in this topic
Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be (other topics)I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark (other topics)
Turning Pages: My Life Story (other topics)
Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras (other topics)
Very First Questions and Answers: Why should I brush my teeth? (other topics)
More...
Part 1: Add TWO nonfiction books that you read this week (1 informational book and 1 biography) to the Goodreads group bookshelf.
Note: You may not be able to add a book, if the book has already been added to the group bookshelf by another student. In this case, add the title information to your post.
Part 2: This week you choose to write on either (1) the informational book OR (2) biography for children you selected to read.
1. A citation for the book in APA format.
2. A brief annotation for the book, no more than two sentences.
3. The K-W-L method can be used to facilitate active reading of expository text (See Pattee's article for more about the method.) In about 100 words, discuss (a) what you did know about the topic that your nonfiction book presents about, (b) what you wanted to know, and (c) what you learned about the topic.