history

The Last Train: Take a Trip into History

| Tasha

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The Last Train by Gordon Titcomb, illustrated by Wendell Minor

Based on a song by Gordon Titcomb, this book celebrates the days of the steam engines and small depots.  A modern child visits the decrepit old depot in his town, the rusty tracks that no long gleam.  He thinks about his grandfather and father and the work they did on the railroad.  He dreams of huge engines and shiny cars streaking past.  His box of memorabilia has plenty of memories stored inside of the glory days of the railroad.  Titcomb’s words are enduring as he speaks to the wondrous power of the steam locomotive and the days when they ran.  Minor’s art brings both modern days and history to life in warm colors, allowing young train enthusiasts to dream along with him about the power of steam.

Titcomb’s song and this book really celebrate the steam engine and the magic that those days still hold for modern children.   The entire book is nicely summed up in the final lines:

A blast of steam,

the whistle screamed its mournful last refrains,

Long silent, though its echo still remains.

The words are poetry, they rhyme and dance, chugging along at times, at others sleekly gliding past.  He captures the joy of the rails perfectly.

Minor’s art is celebrates the trains too.  From the engine in the darkness under a star-filled sky to the caboose disappearing as the snow blows in.  But he also celebrates a child’s relationship with trains.  His old depot is filled with details that bring it to life.  His meadows of flowers serve as a backdrop to the aging railyard.  His flattened coins remind us all of sunny days and the surprising warmth of a smashed coin after the train goes by.  In short, he shows us just why we all love trains.

A beautiful book, this is sure to be enjoyed by train lovers old and young.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from illustrator.

Walden Then & Now – Slow Down and Enjoy

| Tasha

Walden

Walden Then & Now: An Alphabetical Tour of Henry Thoreau’s Pond by Michael McCurdy

McCurdy has outdone himself in this latest book featuring his woodcut illustrations.  This book is an alphabet book that is not for preschoolers but perfect for elementary children wanting to learn more about Thoreau and his time at Walden Pond.  Each letter of the alphabet is matched with a word from Thoreau’s book that illustrates some of the most important and basic tenets of his time in the woods.  Many of the letters stand for different creatures in the forest, but others are less tangible like J for joy and Q for quiet.  After each letter and the object it stands for, McCurdy summarizes why that object was important to Thoreau.  It is here that the philosophy and point of view become very clear even to young readers.

What can one say about a master illustrator like McCurdy?  His illustrations feel so right paired with Thoreau as a subject matter.  It may be the timeless nature of the woodcut but it is also the simplicity of the illustrations that work so very well.  Many of the illustrations stopped me for a time and I lingered just with the image for a bit.  They so capture moments and bring one directly back to Walden Pond.

The text of the book is successful as well as it hearkens back directly to Thoreau as well.  Thoreau’s own journey is written clearly and thoughtfully.  By lingering on the things that he lived with during his time in the woods, readers will discover how universal his journey was for all of us.

This is a thoughtful book that resonates with a love of solitude and nature.  Appropriate for ages 7-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Charlesbridge.

The book trailer captures the spirit of Thoreau and this book very nicely:

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Yummy

| Tasha

Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy DuBurke

This graphic novel tells the true story of Robert “Yummy” Sandifer.  In 1994, Yummy, called that because of his sweet tooth, fired a gun into a crowd of rival gang members.  He ended up killing a bystander, a teen girl.  Yummy was just 11 years old when this happened.   The story is told from the point of view of Roger, another boy who knew Yummy from school and the neighborhood.  Roger tries to make sense of Yummy and how he became a gang member and killer.  This is made even more tangible to Roger because his own brother is in the same gang as Yummy.  Throughout this book, deep questions are asked and explored.

Neri’s text creates a great platform to understand the gang wars of the 1990s and the dynamic of southside Chicago.  Though the bulk of the book is from Roger’s point of view, the reader also gets to see what Yummy is going through as he hides from police and is eventually killed by his own gang.  There is a real restraint in the writing that allows the drama of the tale itself to take center stage. 

DuBurke’s illustrations done in black and white are a study in light and dark.  Faces change as the light changes on them, becoming sinister and strange.  The images are dynamic and underline the youth of Yummy and the transition from bully to killer. 

A beautifully crafted graphic novel dealing in brutal subjects, this book is an important exploration of gang warfare.  It is also an even more important look at childhood.  Appropriate for ages 12-14.

Reviewed from copy received from Lee & Low Books.

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Side by Side/Lado a lado

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Side by Side/Lado a lado : the story of Delores Huerta and Cesar Chavez by Monica Brown, illustrated by Joe Cepeda

Released September 1, 2010

Bright and vibrant, this book tells the true story of Delores Huerta and Cesar Chavez and their fight for the rights of migrant farm workers.  The book begins with both of them as children and their early connections to the needs of farm workers.  The real change started when the two of them met and began working together on the cause.  They traveled from town to town talking from the beds of trucks in fields.  They successfully fought to get the poisons used on California grapes stopped.  They marched for 340 miles to demand that workers get living wages.  Cesar went on a hunger strike to get people to listen.  The two worked together for 30 years and were two of the most important voices for labor change in the United States.

A bilingual book, this is a heartfelt homage to two heroes of our time.  The writing is simple and honest, reflecting the subject matter with a great respect.  For young readers, the book is fairly free of dates, leaving the heart of the story uncluttered.  In the author note, readers can learn more about the dates  and associations that were created.  The focus of the book is on advocacy, action and passion.  Things we all hope children will learn.  Cepeda’s illustrations are strong and bright.  Filled with rich colors, the illustrations underscore the normalcy of both Huerta and Chavez while capturing their energy and dedication as well.

An empowering and inspiring read, this book is appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from ARC received from HarperCollins.

All Star!

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All Star!: Honus Wagner and the Most Famous Baseball Card Ever by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Jim Burke

This is the story behind the most valuable baseball card in the world.  Honus Wagner was born to a poor coal mining family and began working in the mines himself at age 12.  He had Sundays off and would play baseball after church.  He was strong from working in the mines, very fast despite his bowed legs, and could snag balls with his long arms.  At 16, Horus joined the semipros.  His brother was already playing professional ball.  As his career progressed, he became one of the most unforgettable players in history.  But even that is not what made his baseball card so valuable.  You will just have to read the book to find that out!

Yolen uses beautiful, evocative language in her verses.  At the same time, her verse reads in a frank, honest way.  The language is not flowery, but lends depth to the book as a whole.  Burke’s illustrations are done in oil on board.  He has captured the time period with grace and style.  His paintings often show unique perspectives that make the book very interesting visually.

The book touches on many issues, including child labor in the coal mines and the power and importance of sports.  Yolen is especially fine when speaking about the power of sports.  This is a fine book about a legend in baseball but it offers more appeal and interest than that thanks to its fine execution.

A book for baseball fans, certainly, but others will enjoy the story of a legend too.  Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Philomel.

Also reviewed by The Booknosher.

The Buffalo Are Back

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The Buffalo Are Back by Jean Craighead George, paintings by Wendell Minor

This is the haunting story of the loss of the buffalo herds that once thundered across the United States.  It is a story of the buffalo, the prairies and the Native Americans.  The Indians knew how to care for the grasslands and by caring for the grass, they took care of the buffalo which they depended on for survival.  So when the Indians stood against the American government and its settlers, defending the land, the government ordered the buffalos killed off.  Now the settlers battled the grass, tearing it up to create farmland.  Farmland that was doomed to become the Dust Bowl when the very soil crumbled to dust and locusts attacked their crops.  But the buffalo were not exterminated.  With Teddy Roosevelt came change and a love of the buffalo. Now there is a return of the buffalo and the grasses.

George captures a tumultuous and horrible history in this book for children.  She manages to take an overwhelming loss and condense it into something that is understandable for young children.  Her words are powerful, evocative and beautiful.  She captures the fragility of nature and earth with spirit and honesty.  The paintings by Minor take this book to another level.  His depictions of the glorious buffalo, the endlessness of the prairie, and the horrors of destruction are breathtaking.  His virtuoso art brings the entire history to life.

In the end, this book is about hope.  It is about the fact that we have choices to make, and that we can make a difference.  Beautiful and stunning, we must be part of creating the future this book tells us of.  Appropriate for ages 7-10.

Reviewed from copy received from Dutton.

Summer Birds

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Summer Birds: the Butterflies of Maria Merian by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Julie Paschkis

Maria, a young girl living in Germany during the Middle Ages, disproves the ancient belief that butterflies, frogs and other small creatures spontaneously generate from mud.  Maria instead observes their transformations as they change from egg to caterpillar and finally to moth or butterfly.  She must study them in secret because others would accuse her of witchcraft for dealing with these insects that they believe are evil.  She paints what she sees, documenting the changes and her observations of their lives.  Readers will enjoy this marriage of science and art in a picture book format.

Maria can serve as an inspiration for us all.  She took a long-standing theory and through her own powers of observation and judgment disproved it.  Following her own interests of science and art, Maria was an explorer, a scientist and a discoverer.  The author’s note at the end of the book tells readers more of Maria’s story, including what she went on to do as an adult.  Charmingly, the picture book remains simple and straight forward, never getting bogged down in the mud.

Paschkis’ art has a folk-art feel that ties it naturally to the time period of the story.  Her use of strong, simple lines echoes the simple strength of the writing as well.  As a reader, I had expected to see more of Engle’s poetry in evidence here in her first picture book.  It was a pleasure to see that she excels at simple storytelling just as much as she does at imagery and poetry.

A powerful combination of art and science, just like Maria, this book is appropriate for ages 5-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Henry Holt.

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Wonder Horse

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Wonder Horse: the True Story of the World’s Smartest Horse by Emily Arnold McCully

“Doc” Bill Key was born a slave and always had a knack with animals.  When Emancipation came, he became a veterinarian and a businessman.  After purchasing an Arabian mare from a circus, Doc bred her hoping to have a fast racehorse.  But the foal was born with twisted legs and worse, the mare died after giving birth.  It was a bit before Doc realized how intelligent the foal, Jim, was.  Soon Jim had moved into the house to sleep and had learned to open the paddock lock and also find where Doc kept the apples.  Doc wondered what else Jim could learn to do.  Slowly, Jim learned the alphabet and colors.  Doc and Jim performed for audiences until their act was questioned as a fraud.  An independent panel came in and tested Jim without Doc in the room, proving that Jim indeed was able to read, spell, do arithmetic, and knew his colors.  The two continued to travel together and perform, demonstrating the intelligence of animals and that kindness is the key to learning.

This book is ideal for animal lovers who will root for Doc and Jim from the beginning.  The fact that it is a true story makes it a far more interesting read.  McCully manages to offer a vast amount of information and insight in a picture book format without losing the ease of phrase that is necessary for this age group.  Young readers will delight in how and what Jim learned as well as the relationship between trainer and animal.  The book does not turn away from the racism leveled at Doc.  McCully addresses it with frankness and subtlety, allowing the book to be read and understood at different levels.

McCully’s paintings capture the connection and relationship of Doc and Jim as well as the beauty of the horse.  The author’s note at the end is also of interest.  It offers a photograph of Doc and Jim where readers will be pleased to see how close a resemblance they have to the illustrations in the book.

A celebration of trainer and animal as well as kindness and perseverance, this book will delight young horse fans.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Henry Holt.

Dinosaur Mountain: Digging into the Jurassic Age

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Dinosaur Mountain: Digging into the Jurassic Age by Deborah Kogan Ray

Ray returns with another great picture book biography.  This time she turns her talents to the story of Earl Douglass and the “Bone Wars” of the turn of the century where paleontologists competed to find the big dinosaur skeletons.  Though the biggest finds had been made in Colorado and Wyoming, Douglass followed his instincts and  headed to northeastern Utah.  The book chronicles his discoveries as he worked the site through prose as well as excerpts from his personal letters.  It also tells of the problems with protecting the area and funding that Douglass faced later in his career and that culminated in Woodrow Wilson creating the Dinosaur National Monument.

Ray’s writing is an invitation to learn more.  Filled with interesting and enticing facts, she tells the story of the person as well as the accomplishments.  Children will love the details about how a dig site works and the excitement of the big finds.  They will also learn about the importance of doing what you love and following your gut instinct. 

Ray’s art adds much to story, from detailed explanations of Jurassic strata and paleontology tools to her larger paintings that tell the story of discovery.  Her large vistas bring the setting clearly to life too.  The book ends with a listing of the dinosaurs found at the site, a map of the Monument, more information on Douglass and his benefactor Andrew Carnegie, a glossary, and a bibliography. 

Highly recommended, this book will be enjoyed by children who enjoy dinosaurs and history.  Ideal for reading before visiting the Dinosaur National Monument, this book can also be used to inspire children to make their own discoveries about the world around them.  Appropriate for ages 7-10.

Reviewed from copy received from Farrar Straus Giroux.

 

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