Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - 12/12/12

For those who have been participating in the Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge 2012 (Twitter: #nfpb2012), we have entered our last month of the challenge.  For the next several weeks, I am going to share a few books at a time.  There are just too many good ones to leave any out.

Here is what I found and read this week:

Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by Robert Byrd (Dial, September 2012) - Electric Ben sports psychedelic cover art and is packed with significant details and information about Ben Franklin.  Despite the picture book format, this is a book geared for 5th to 8th graders.  Readers can read this book several times and get something new with each reading.  Pictures, sayings, and embedded textbooks and captions provide learners with a significant amount of material.  Though the book is not what I would consider conducive to a read aloud, it will provide the right student readers with great background information on Ben Franklin.  My only concern with a book like this is that it will be overlooked by teachers of older students due to the format, and yet it is the format which makes this one very unique biography.

It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw by Don Tate; Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Lee & Low Books, April 2012) - I knew little about Bill Traylor, son of slaves, share cropper, and eventually an artist.  In It Jes' Happened, readers learn about the life of Bill Traylor and how he began to draw with whatever he had on whatever material was around.  Traylor's life was not an easy one and he even spent some of his older years homeless.  With the support of Charles Shannon, Traylor received additional material and support to draw.  However, it wasn't until years after Traylor's death that he received greater recognition for his work. 

This biographical picture book would work well with 2nd to 4th grade readers and tie in with units on African American History.

The Poppy Lady: Moina Belle Michael and Her Tribute to Veterans by Barbara Elizabeth Walsh; Paintings by Layne Johnson (Calkins Creek Books, September 2012)- This may have been one of my favorite biographical picture books of the week.  I knew about the symbol of the red poppy for veterans but knew little of the history or how it began.  In The Poppy Lady, readers learn about the passion and dedication of Moina Belle Michael as she focused her work on supporting soldiers and veterans and their families.  The paintings by Layne Johnson are gorgeous. The proceeds of the book will benefit the National Military Family Association's Operation Purple.  Read Aloud Level: 2nd to 4th grade  Independent Reading Level: 3rd to 5th grade.  I would love to see this one in more classroom and school libraries. 

Look for each of these books at your local bookstore or public library.  Don't forget to buy from an Independent Bookstore whenever possible.

Link up your nonfiction picture books below:

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Buffalo Bird Girl

Author/Illustrator: S. D. Nelson
Publisher:  Abrams Books for Young Children (October 1, 2012)
Source: Personal Copy
Read Aloud Level: 2nd to 5th grade
Independent Reading Level:  3rd to 6th grade
Biography * Native American History * Women's History

Description from GoodReads:
This fascinating picture book biography tells the childhood story of Buffalo Bird Woman, a Hidatsa Indian born around 1839. Through her true story, readers will learn what it was like to be part of this Native American community that lived along the Missouri River in the Dakotas, a society that depended more on agriculture for food and survival than on hunting. Children will relate to Buffalo Bird Girl’s routine of chores and playing with friends, and they will also be captivated by her lifestyle and the dangers that came with it.

Using as a resource the works of Gilbert L. Wilson, who met Buffalo Bird Woman and transcribed her life’s story in the early 20th century, award-winning author-illustrator S. D. Nelson has captured the spirit of Buffalo Bird Girl and her lost way of life. The book includes a historical timeline.

My thoughts on this book:
Over the past several years, I have discovered that many educators do not fully grasp picture books.  They may see them as something that could be used as a read aloud during a thirty minute library session with older students but may not grasp how a picture book can be used effectively as part of classroom instruction.  As I was reading Buffalo Bird Girl, I realized that this beautifully illustrated and written narrative biography of a Hidatsa girl would be overlooked by many teachers.  Whereas a teacher may give more attention to this book and Buffalo Bird Girl's story if it was formatted as a chapter book, the beauty of the illustrations are best conveyed in a picture book format. 

Nelson shares the story of Buffalo Bird Girl who was born in the 1830's into the Hidatsa tribe on the Great Plains.  The story is told from her perspective and describes her typical experiences growing up in a tribal community.  Children learn about the way the Hidatsa community members lived, the kinds of food that they ate, clothes they wore, the games that the children played, how the males of the tribe would protect women and children, and ways they celebrated.  Illustrations are compromised of acrylic paintings and black and white photos of Hidatsa tribe members from the early part of the twentieth century performing daily tasks or of items that would have been part of their lives.

Nelson provides extensive author notes at the end along with a timeline and select bibliography.  Buffalo Bird Girl is well written and would be an excellent resource for a classroom or school library.  Look for Buffalo Bird Girl at your local library or independent bookstore. 
  
About Stephen D. Nelson:  
S. D. Nelson is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in the Dakotas. He is the award-winning author and illustrator of numerous children’s books, including Black Elk’s Vision, Gift Horse, Coyote Christmas, and The Star People. He lives in Flagstaff, Arizona. Visit him online at www.sdnelson.net.

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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - George Bellows: Painter With a Punch

Author/Illustrator: Robert Burleigh
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers (June 1, 2012)
Pages: 48
Read Aloud Level: Grades 2nd to 5th
Independent Reading Level: 3rd to 6th
Source: Personal Copy
Nonfiction * Biographical * Art

Description from GoodReads:
No punches are pulled in this fascinating biography that covers the life and work of the prolific artist George Bellows. Having spent most of his adult life in New York City, Bellows left behind an extraordinary body of work that captures life in this dynamic city: bustling street scenes, ringside views of boxing matches, and boys diving and swimming in the East River. Art reproductions and photographs from his youth round out the book.

My thoughts on the book:
Robert Burleigh has written and illustrated over 40 children's picture books.  One of his most recent books is George Bellows: Painter With a Punch.  In this narrative style biography, Burleigh provides young readers with information about the life and work of George Bellows.  Bellows was born in 1882 in Columbus, Ohio. As a young boy and teen, Bellows was both athletic and artistic.  However, it was his interest in art that led him from Ohio to New York despite his father's desire to see him complete college and a degree in business.

Bellows adopted New York as his home and it is the people and places of New York that feature prominently in his artwork.  Burleigh uses Bellows' paintings and photographs of the artist to compliment the text.  Through Burleigh's words readers catch a glimpse of Bellows and what motivated him to paint.  Rather than focus on what may have been more acceptable topics for painting, Bellows portrays all sides of life in New York including the dark and less attractive aspects of the city.

Burleigh provides readers with short commentary throughout the book about the paintings that are included.   At the end, readers can also look through the resources and documentation.  Though I was expecting the book to be focused more on Bellows' three boxing paintings, I was pleased with the whole book.  Definitely a book to be included in any classroom or school library.
   
Video: "The Art of Boxing"- - "George Bellows" at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

I found this video on YouTube and thought readers might be interested in seeing the 3 pieces of work shown in the book.  



Robert Burleigh: Official Website 

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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Bill The Boy Wonder

Author: Marc Tyler Nobleman
Illustrated:  Ty Templeton
Publisher: Charlesbridge (July 1, 2012)
Source: A copy for review
Independent Reading Level: Ages 9 to 12
Read Aloud: Ages 8 to 11
Nonfiction * Biographical

Description from Charlesbridge:
This is the true story of how Batman began.

Every Batman story is marked with the words "Batman created by Bob Kane." But that isn't the whole truth. A struggling writer named Bill Finger was involved from the beginning. Bill helped invent Batman, from concept to costume to character. He dreamed up Batman's haunting origins and his colorful nemeses. Despite his brilliance, Bill worked in obscurity. It was only after his death that fans went to bat for Bill, calling for acknowledgment that he was co-creator of Batman. Based on original research, Bill the Boy Wonder is the first-ever book about the unsung man behind the Dark Knight.

My thoughts on the book:
I honestly have to admit that as a child I never realized that there was such a powerful comic book connection for Batman.  Seriously, all I knew were the Batman TV show reruns. When the first Batman movies came out and then the Dark Knight movies, it was so different from what I expected.  It was then that I discovered the extensive comic book past.  Yet, even with that knowledge, I had never explored much of who or what was behind Batman.   Of course I figured that someone had to have created Batman and all of the characters connected with the story but I truly didn't give it much thought.

However, Marc Tyler Nobleman's  BILL THE BOY WONDER has provided me with much of the creative history behind the character of Batman and the mystery that shrouds who actually created it. Nobleman's story about Bill Finger, the "Secret Co-Creator of Batman", does a thorough job in helping young readers learn about Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and others who had a hand in creating Batman.   The endnotes/author notes are filled with tons of details and is a must read for both teachers and persistent readers. Nobleman has to work to fill in some of the details about Bill Finger and his life and career.  Yet, he does this by drawing heavily on his research and willingness to be tenacious in finding out about the life of Bill Finger.   

This book will appeal to a wide audience - the children and adults who are fascinated with Batman will be one group who is attracted to this picture book for older children.  Those who like biographies with a bit of mystery will enjoy it as well.  Ty Templeton's illustrations strongly support the text and make the story pop.  I would highly recommend the book to all readers ages 9 and up regardless of background knowledge about Batman.  This book would be great for a classroom or school library. 

Official Book Trailer:

 

Video from TED:



For More Information about Marc Tyler Nobleman:  Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

The Nonfiction Detectives and I are hosting a Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge. In honor of Halloween, a nonfiction picture book for the season.

National Geographic Readers: Halloween by Laura Marsh (July 2012, National Geographic Children's Books)

Description from GoodReads:
From visiting the pumpkin patch, to bobbing for apples, to picking out a favorite costume, Halloween is a magical time for young children. The fun and festivities are captured in this book, with full-color illustrations and simple easy-to-grasp text. In the spirit of this beloved holiday, this level one reader is sure to captivate and fascinate children.

This high-interest, educationally vetted series of beginning readers features the magnificent images of National Geographic, accompanied by texts written by experienced, skilled children's book authors. The inside back cover of the paperback edition is an interactive feature based upon the book. Level 1 books reinforce the content of the book with a kinesthetic learning activity. In Level 2 books readers complete a Cloze letter, or fun fill-in, with vocabulary words.

My quick thoughts on this book:
This Level 1 reader is a great way to celebrate the holiday.  The photographs in this book just "pop" and there is a mix of fun facts, history, and activities that can be used to celebrate the holiday as a family.  Topics covered in the book include:  Halloween Fun!, Trick or Treat, Costumes, Halloween Today, Day of the Dead, and more.  A fun book to include in your classroom or school library.  

Check out the website - National Geographic Super Reader for more information.

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