WEEK 4 READING RESPONSE -BOOKS OF INFORMATION

 BOOKS OF INFORMATION

PART I: At the end of this module, in addition to recognizing the characteristics of an excellent work of information, you should also be able to reflect on its use, promotion, and place in the dichotomy of instruction and delight.

In the past few weeks, we have been discussing board books, picture books, and Traditional literature and poetry and how to review them. The task has not been easy, yet in my mind, a picture of how we review children's books is starting to take form. We know by now, the essential elements that reviewers must investigate if they are to review children's books right (I still need help with that). Elements to be considered include the text, the illustrations, and the play between them. Then there is the content of the text, is it fiction or is it nonfiction. If it is fiction, is it of a traditional literature kind or poetry and have the right sources been cited and credit given where credit is due. And now, we come to what we do when the literary work is nonfiction, particularly informational literature. To me, to try and understand how to review books of information, we must understand that seeking information is part of the way we humans learn. I remember when my child would collect all information about cars. He would meticulously analyze the car brand, the shape of the headlights, the tires, the hubcaps, the hoop scoop, etc.... and would triumphantly conclude:" This is a Subaru Impreza". This leads to the point that I am trying to make which is that in addition to all the features that make a good piece of children's literature, books of information must contain accurate information. But how do we ensure that since we are not experts in all the subjects covered by these books of information? We must then rely on the author's (and illustrator's) credentials. And these credentials must be specific to the subject treated in the book in question. I wondered about that while I was reviewing "Fry Bread", written by Kevin, Noble Maillard. I found that Maillard was a Professor of Law at Syracuse University, held a Juris Doctor and a PhD in Political Science. I wondered which of these qualifications could be used to recommend that his book "Fry Bread" be added to a collection in libraries, schools, or private. It was not until I saw that he was a member of the Seminole Nation, Mekusukey band, and African American that it all suddenly made sense to me. Then I understood that reviewing books of information means, introducing the book and its authors, noting its format and organization, noting the text and the illustrations but never forgetting to pay close attention to its author's (and sometimes illustrators') credentials and the truth of the information it contains.

PART II: Use the questions to guide your analysis, but your actual blog post should provide a summary of its literary qualities in no more than 500 words.

BOOK 1 

Full citation: DENISE, Almaduy, Anika. Planting Stories: The life of Librarian Storyteller Pura Bulpre. illus. by Paola Escobar. 40p. HarperCollins. Jan. 2015. Tr $10.99. ISBN ‎978-0062748683

In 1921 Pura Bulpre landed in New York only intending to attend her sister’s wedding. What began as a short visit to America became for Pura “una vista nueva”. Bulpre settled in New York City and discovered within herself the passion for storytelling that existed in her family. This book is written by “celebrated” Puerto Rican storyteller and author Anika Aldamuy Denise, author of the “Starring Carmen Series”, “A Girl Named Rosita”, and more. The book is illustrated by Paola Escobar, Columbian author of “The Perfect Place”, and illustrator of “A Plate of Hope”, and” Tell Me the Truth Pangolin”, among others. Using prose and words filled with passion, authority, mastery of Spanish, and evident admiration and gratitude, the author and illustrator set themselves to the task of making known the beautiful and fulfilled life of author and storyteller Pura Bulpre, the Puerto Rican trailblazer author and Librarian after whom a book award is now named. Using illustrations that render the air and fashion of the early 20th century, vibrant colors that are emblematic of the Puerto Rican culture, neatly designed dress patterns, and attention to detail (such as the New York City skyline, the Singer sewing machine, the title of Pura’s book Perez y Martinez), the authors present us with a chronology that methodically recounts the life of Pura Bulpre. There is no table of contents included, but an author’s note at the end of the book includes additional information about Pura Bulpre, followed by a Selected Bibliography, Archival Collections, and a Further Reading section. Stories by Pura Bulpre mentioned in the book are given a little more attention as well. Even though this is a children's picture book (with the typical 40-page count), the author used solid research to document the life of Pura Bupre. I would recommend this book to children in third to fifth grade, who are receptive to its simple language, vibrant picture, and the theme of changing the world by doing little things. Children researching the life of the first Puerto Rican to be hired at the New York Public Library and a staunch advocate of the Spanish-speaking community will find this book helpful. Acquiring this book would enrich and diversify your collection and provide information about people of Latin America’s descent who changed the world. This book could also be used during a Latin storytime or a Librarian's Month storytime. I would recommend this book to children, parents, school teachers, and librarians. 

 BOOK 2

SORELL, Tracy. We Are Grateful. illus. by Frane Lessac. 32p. Penguin Random House. Oct. 2023. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781725422186 

When thinking of the plight of Native American descendants here in America, gratitude is scarcely the word that comes to mind. We are all well acquainted with the trail of tears, the loss of land, and the decimation of a culture that once populated the plains and valleys of the United States of America. And yet, Tracy Sorell, a member of the Cherokee Nation, author of “Powwow Day”, “ We Are Still Here”, and” Indian No More” among others, bid us think twice. This book is illustrated by Frane Lessac, children’s author and illustrator of “Australian Baby Animal”, “A is for Australian Reefs”, “Under the Milky Way” and much more. Using a lyrical and descriptive writing style, the author presents us with an idyllic picture unknown to most of us: the grateful modern Native American family from the Cherokee clan. In 32 pages illustrated with vibrant rich colors, using a “folk art” reminiscent of Seurat's pointillism, unapologetic honesty frankness, and magnanimity, Tracy Sorell writes a book that tells of the native american experience of gratitude despite struggles. The book is replete with words in the Cherokee language, staple foods, and crops, children's games, festivities, and the native American ubiquitous love of nature. The author follows the change in seasons going from fall through summer and using repetition, tells the reader which activities the grateful family engages in in each of those seasons. They celebrate the Great Moon Ceremony, welcome the Cherokee New Year, remember the hardship and loss on the Trail of Tears, sing their traditional Cherokee lullabies, teach their children to sew moccasins, participate in the Great Corn Ceremony, and play stickball games (the ancestor of LaCrosse). This book is targeted at children in grades 3 to 5 since it uses simple language and that perennial teacher: nature and gratitude. Although there is no table of contents, the author included a list of definitions at the end of the book, that further explain concepts contained in the text and unknown to most of us. In addition, the Cherokee Syllabary is included. I would recommend the book to mature elementary students writing about Native Americans and to storytellers celebrating National American Indian Heritage Month. I would also recommend the book to students teachers and librarians seeking to enrich their collection with literary pieces about Native Americans and to those interested in experiencing the Cherokee language. 

 BOOK 3:

MARTIN, Jacqueline Brigg. Will Farmer and the Growing Table. illus. by Shabazz Larkin. 32p. Lerner Publishing. 2013. Tr $19.95. ISBN 9781430117421 

Why would a former professional basketball player decide to leave the glamorous life of basketball and start a new career as an urban farmer? This is the question that Jacqueline Brigg, children’s author of “Snowflake Bentley”, “The Finest Horse in Town”, “Higgins Bend Song and Dance”,” The Lamp, the Ice, and the Boat Called Fish” and much more, and Eric Shabazz-Larkin, illustrator and author of “ A Moose Bouch” set out to investigate and tell us about. Written in a narrative format, the author takes through the life of Will Allen from his humble home where his family “never had a car or a TV but there was enough food for thirty”, through his career as a basketball player, and finally to his call as an urban farmer in Milwaukee, WI. Using rhythmic and lyrical prose, this book will engage children as it presents the problems that Will encountered and offers the solutions he discovers on his urban farming adventure. Illustrations are made of bright watercolor-style drawings with a mix of realistic and exaggerated features. In these 32 pages, the book arranged in a chronological sequence, documents Allen's struggles, his learning curve, and finally his success in what would grow to become the urban farming movement (towards the growth of sustainable food) and would eventually earn him the Ford Foundation Leadership and the “genius” Grants. young readers will learn about following your heart’s call with determination in the face of adversity for the greater good of all. The book, packed with biographical information, includes an afterword that makes its author and main characters' intentions clear: to encourage a new generation of urban farmers “who are the key to helping people, at home, and around the world, to have better, safer and healthier food”. Resources are included at the end of the book to increase the reader’s access to information about urban farming and to gain a better knowledge of Will Allen. I loved this book and was immediately hooked when Will Allen dedicated the book to “My God who gave me this body. To my parents who fed it well. To my wife who made it happy” for I knew right away that for this activist, the work of sustainable agriculture is first and foremost, a work of love. The intended audience for this book is children in kindergarten to 5th grade due to its engaging language, bright colors, problem-solving format, and lessons of hard work for the good of all. I would recommend the book to librarians, teachers, and readers interested in learning about sustainable farming and love for the environment.

BOOK 4

THIMMESH, Catherine. Camp Panda: Helping Cubs Return to the Wild. 92p. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Oct 2022. $9.99. ISBN 9780544818910 

How far do you think scientists would go to help reintroduce an endangered species like the giant Chinese panda back into the wild? These are the premises of this informational book written by Catherine Thimmesh, Sibert Medalist, and author of the nonfiction books “Team Moon”, “Girls Think of Everything”, “Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled”, and “Friends”. Using a combination of striking close-up photographs and educationally powerful text, the author sets to the task of explaining the lengths to which experts will go to reverse the devastating trend of animal endangerment and extinction on which we now stand. The book is divided into chapters with specific headings (What Hope Looks Like, Change Comes, Camp Panda, Hope Brings Success, etc…) and is written in narrative form, enriched with high-quality photographs with captions that describe each photograph. A glossary is included together with sources, an index, acknowledgments, a brief biography of the conservation experts cited throughout the book, and finally information about what we can do to help save species. In this 64-page book, the author covered, panda biology and behavior, negative human impacts as well as positive conservation efforts, success stories, and case studies. The whole story is written in a way that encourages the reader to have feelings of hope and a desire to do something. The work is backed up by research conducted by experts highlighted in the book. In this book, Catherine Thimmesh did not just describe the plight of pandas, she also included information about other species on the brink of extinction and highlighted the particular human activities that accelerate this phenomenon. Terms like ecosystem, habitat fragmentation, endemic species, overpopulation, poaching, and sustainability show the subject of animal endangerment was roundly researched. This is a book that is well done and can be a research tool for children in 5th to 8th grade seeking to better understand how species extinction does not have to happen under our watch. The appeal to feelings and the desire to preserve the earth’s ecosystems permeating through the book will draw these younger readers. I would recommend this book for the betterment of public libraries, school libraries, and private collections.