Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Old Ball Game

Here are a couple of good book ideas for any baseball fan.

First I’ll discuss a book that is about the sport of baseball and men with the God-given talent to play it well, while dealing with the human-made obstacle of segregation.
We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball is a beautiful book brimming with luscious paintings by Kadir Nelson. Most of the paintings are static portraits of Negro League greats like John Henry “Pop” Lloyd, Oscar Charleston, Wilber “Bullet” Rogan and Josh Gibson. What I especially love are the scenes Nelson captured with his brush: The Monarch’s dug out, The Chicago American Giants disembarking from the train, Jackie Robinson stealing home plate, some of the Newark Eagles singing five part harmony on the team bus, a double page spread of Josh Gibson watching Satchel Paige pitching to Buck Leonard.

The forward is written by none other than Hank Aaron. The text is written by the artist himself in the anonymous voice of a Negro League player and covers the history of the league from the 1920’s to 1947 in 10 chapters (labeled as nine innings with one extra inning). You get a feeling for the
personality and special talents of the players and managers. It is somewhat rambling at times, but what really struck me (I haven’t followed baseball since the Cincinnati Reds’ “Big Red Machine” days in the 70’s) was the ominous presence of segregation. It seems so weird that a team bus would sometimes drive through town after town without finding a restaurant that would serve blacks. “No shirt, no shoes, no service” makes sense but to not serve someone who has money a pork tenderloin sandwich with fries because of their skin color seems as culturally odd to me as Chinese women binding their feet or polygamy or scalp collecting, or I don’t know, cannibalism or something. Just odd.

For the sake of history I’ll share a family tale as it relates to segregation. My mother was born in 1928 in a small southern Indiana town. She told me about the segregated schools. Her home on North Broadway was near the black only Broadway School but she went to school a couple of blocks in the other direction on South Broadway. Her family employed a black cook named Lucy. Sometimes Lucy would take my Mom to a picture show (most probably a Shirley Temple movie). In the segregated theatre they would have to sit in the balcony which my Mom thought was pretty neat, but I wonder how that felt to dear, sweet Lucy? By the way, many years later, when Mom and Dad would go out on a Saturday night, Lucy would watch us (and cook what seemed like a feast after my cooking-challenged mother’s meals). We LOVED Lucy. She had a deep, pleasant laugh. We played old maid and a multitude of other games. We serenaded her with her favorite songs. She read us
The Golden Book of 365 Stories. I vividly remember one New Year’s Eve when she filled the family room with colorful balloons and we stomped on them at midnight. Once she took us to see Biscuit Eater at the same theatre she had taken my mother years before. And we all sat together on the main floor. That movie was a tearjerker.

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball winds down, as did the Negro League, with Jackie Robinson’s historic move to the majors. This book opened my eyes to the burden placed on Robinson. For anyone with an interest in baseball or segregation, this is an exceptional book.

Ages 9-12
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Activity: Click here for a coloring page of Jackie Robinson and here is a Negro League Baseball word search puzzle.



The other book, Moe Berg: The Spy Behind Home Plate was also interesting. I enjoyed getting to know Moe, someone I am ashamed to say, I had never heard of. He was the child of emigrant Ukrainian Jews who grew up pitching for his Newark, New Jersey school team while excelling in his classes. He was one of only a handful of Jews to attend Princeton at that time where his special talents were baseball and languages, his major. Upon graduation he signed on with the Brooklyn Robins (later called the Brooklyn Dodgers). He eventually attained a law degree and practiced law while playing ball in the Major Leagues in the spring and summer. How impressive is that!? When World War II was just heating up, Moe’s skill with languages (he could speak eight fluently) and his fame as a ballplayer made it handy for him to travel through baseball loving countries like Japan and those in Latin America and collect useful information for the U.S.A. Before all was said and done he was living a bit of a James Bond lifestyle, tracking down German scientists in a race to the atom bomb. This is definitely a life story worth reading!

Ages 9-12
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Fish Stories















If you have a young fisherman in the family, he or she is sure to enjoy one or both of these titles.

Abe's Fish: A Boyhood Tale of Abraham Lincoln is a picture book based on Abraham Lincoln's only memory of the war of 1812. In his biography his secretaries published in 1890 he is quoted to have said, "I had been fishing one day and caught a little fish which I was taking home. I met a soldier in the road, and, having been always told at home that we must be good to the soldiers, I gave him my fish." The author, Jen Bryant, dexterously weaves this little bit of information with a sense of Lincoln's childhood family dynamics, their hardscrabble cabin living, his love for words and his reflective nature. The illustrations complement the story perfectly, resulting in a pleasant read that children will be drawn to.

Ages 5-10
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Fossil Fish Found Alive: Discovering the Coelacanth is a well told account of the happenstance discovery of an ancient and long thought to be extinct fish. Sally M. Walker does a remarkable job of recounting the initial discovery in 1938 by Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, a museum director, and all subsequent research up to 2001. The author has a gift for turning comprehensive information into a fascinating easy to digest story. Great photos complement the text. Don't miss this true history of scientific inquiry.

Ages 10 to young adult
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Friday, May 15, 2009

SSYRA books for 2009-2010

My intention with this blog was to concentrate on history topics for children. But having enjoyed the Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (SSYRA) books in the past, I can't help but tout them. These titles have been chosen for their wide appeal and literary value and have been the cream of the crop for young Florida readers since 1983. My family looks forward to reading these titles this year:

SSYRA FOR GRADES 3-5

Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It
by Sundee T. Frazier
Brendan Buckley, a biracial ten-year-old, applies his scientific problem-solving ability and newfound interest in rocks and minerals to connect with his white grandfather, the president of Puyallup Rock Club, and to learn why he and Brendan's mother are estranged.

A Crooked Kind of Perfect
by Linda Urban
Ten-year-old Zoe Elias, who longs to play the piano but must resign herself to learning the organ, instead, finds that her musicianship has a positive impact on her workaholic mother, her jittery father, and her school social life.

Defiance
by Valerie Hobbs
While vacationing in the country, eleven-year-old Toby, a cancer patient, learns some important lessons about living and dying from an elderly poet and her cow.

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat
by Lynne Jonell
When Emmy discovers that she and her formerly loving parents are being drugged by their evil nanny with rodent potions that can change people in frightening ways, she and some new friends must try everything possible to return things to normal.

The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School
by Candace Fleming
An unlikely teacher takes over the disorderly fourth-grade class of Aesop Elementary School with surprising results.

Found (The Missing, Book 1)
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
When thirteen-year-olds Jonah and Chip, who are both adopted, learn they were discovered on a plane that appeared out of nowhere, full of babies with no adults on board, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery involving time travel and two opposing forces, each trying to repair the fabric of time.


Igraine the Brave
by Cornelia Funke
The daughter of two magicians, twelve-year-old Igraine wants nothing more than to be a knight, and when their castle is attacked by a treacherous neighbor bent on stealing their singing magic books, Igraine has an opportunity to demonstrate her bravery.

Highway Cats
by Janet Taylor Lisle
A hard-bitten group of mangy highway cats is changed forever after the mysterious arrival of three kittens.

The Lemonade War
by Jacqueline Davies
Evan and his younger sister, Jesse, react very differently to the news that they will be in the same class for fourth grade and as the end of summer approaches, they battle it out through lemonade stands, each trying to be the first to earn 100 dollars. Includes mathematical calculations and tips for running a successful lemonade stand.

Me and the Pumpkin Queen
by Marlane Kennedy
Although Aunt Arlene tries to interest her in clothing and growing up, ten-year-old Mildred is entirely focused on growing a pumpkin big enough to win the annual Circleville, Ohio, contest, as her mother dreamed of doing before she died.

The Middle of Somewhere
by J. B. Cheaney
Twelve-year-old Ronnie loves organization, especially because her brother has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but traveling with their grandfather who is investigating wind power in Kansas brings some pleasant, if chaotic, surprises.


Night of the Howling Dogs
by Graham Salisbury
In 1975, eleven Boy Scouts, their leaders, and some new friends camping at Halape, Hawaii, find their survival skills put to the test when a massive earthquake strikes, followed by a tsunami.

Punished (Darby Creek Exceptional Titles)
by David Lubar
After Logan receives a face full of magic dust from a man in the reference section of the library, he finds the only way to stop his incessant punning is to find oxymorons, anagrams, and palindromes to fulfill the requirements of three quests.

The Puzzling World of Winston Breen
by Eric Berlin

Puzzle-crazy, twelve-year-old Winston and his ten-year-old sister Katie find themselves involved in a dangerous mystery involving a hidden ring. Puzzles for the reader to solve are included throughout the text.

The Year of the Dog
by Grace Lin
Frustrated at her seeming lack of talent for anything, a young Taiwanese American girl sets out to apply the lessons of the Chinese Year of the Dog, those of making best friends and finding oneself, to her own life.


SSYRA FOR GRADES 6-8

All the Lovely Bad Ones
by Mary Downing Hahn

While spending the summer at their grandmother's Vermont inn, two prankster siblings awaken young ghosts from the inn's distant past who refuse to "rest in peace."

Airball: My Life in Briefs
by Lisa Harkrader
Uncoordinated Kansas seventh-grader Kirby Nickel braves his coach's ire and becomes captain of the basketball team in order to help him prove that NBA star Brett McGrew is the father he has never known.

Dragon Slippers
by Jessica Day George
Orphaned after a fever epidemic, Creel befriends a dragon and unknowingly inherits an object that can either save or destroy her kingdom.


The Entertainer and the Dybbuk
by Sid Fleischman
A struggling American ventriloquist in post-World War II Europe is possessed by the mischievous spirit of a young Jewish boy killed in the Holocaust. Author's note details the murder of over one million children by the Nazis during the 1930s and 1940s.

First Light
by Rebecca Stead
When twelve-year-old Peter and his family arrive in Greenland for his father's research, he stumbles upon a secret his mother has been hiding from him all his life, and begins an adventure he never imagines possible.

Found (The Missing, Book 1)
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
When thirteen-year-olds Jonah and Chip, who are both adopted, learn they were discovered on a plane that appeared out of nowhere, full of babies with no adults on board, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery involving time travel and two opposing forces, each trying to repair the fabric of time.

Gabriel's Horses
by Allison Hart
In Kentucky, during the Civil War, the twelve-year-old slave Gabriel, contends with a cruel new horse trainer and skirmishes with Confederate soldiers as he pursues his dream of becoming a jockey.

Go Big or Go Home
by Will Hobbs
Fourteen-year-old Brady and his cousin Quinn love extreme sports, but nothing could prepare them for the aftermath of Brady's close encounter with a meteorite after it crashes into his Black Hills, South Dakota, bedroom.

Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet
by Sherri L. Smith
Disaster strikes when Ana Shen is about to deliver the salutatorian speech at her junior high school graduation, but an even greater crisis looms when her best friend invites a crowd to Ana's house for dinner, and Ana's multicultural grandparents must find a way to share a kitchen.

Into the Wild
by Sarah Beth Durst
Having escaped from the Wild and the preordained fairy tale plots it imposes, Rapunzel, along with her daughter Julie Marchen, tries to live a fairly normal life, but when the Wild breaks free and takes over their town, it is Julie who has to prevent everyone from being trapped in the events of a story.

La Linea
by Ann Jaramillo
When fifteen-year-old Miguel's time finally comes to leave his poor Mexican village, cross the border illegally, and join his parents in California, his younger sister's determination to join him soon imperils them both.

The Misadventures of Maude March
by Audrey Couloumbis
After the death of the stern aunt who raised them since they were orphaned, eleven-year-old Sallie and her fifteen-year-old sister escape their self-serving guardians and begin an adventure resembling those in the dime novels Sallie loves to read.

Runaway
by Wendy Van Draanen
After running away from her fifth foster home, Holly, a twelve-year-old orphan, travels across the country, keeping a journal of her experiences and struggle to survive.

Schooled
by Gordon Korman
Homeschooled by his hippie grandmother, Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has never watched television, tasted a pizza, or even heard of a wedgie. But when his grandmother lands in the hospital, Cap is forced to move in with a guidance counselor and attend the local middle school. While Cap knows a lot about tie-dyeing and Zen Buddhism, no education could prepare him for the politics of public school.

Wing Nut
by Mary Auch
When twelve-year-old Grady and his mother relocate yet again, they find work taking care of an elderly man, who teaches Grady about cars, birds, and what it means to have a home.

Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue


Replicas of Columbus' ships, the Nina and the Pinta, were in town recently. Shannon and I went aboard this floating museum that is currently traveling up the Atlantic coast. It really puts things in perspective to stand on a true to size version of a Spanish caravel. The question you keep asking yourself is “How did they stand it!!?” It's shockingly small, and when you factor in the amount of souls on board, their sleeping arrangements (on the deck because the livestock were in the hold), their lack of bathroom facilities, their exposure to the elements and the length of the voyage, it's hard to believe they made it at all.

Columbus' voyage is covered on the displays, but how the Nina was constructed in Brazil is heavily emphasized with plenty of pictures. In fact, this replica of the Nina was built completely by hand (no power tools!). Archaeology magazine called it “the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built.” This was the actual boat used in the film 1492: Conquest of Paradise starring Gerard Depardieu. If you have an opportunity to go aboard the Nina as it travels around the country, I recommend you do so.

Being on the Nina brought to mind a couple of great books we happen to have. One is titled Ship, by David Macaulay. In fact, when I looked at the acknowledgements in this book when I got home it mentions this same boat Shannon is pictured on and how the author was grateful for the chance to see it under construction. The book is organized in a really unique way. It starts with the search and discovery of a sunken caravel in the Bahamas. You really get a sense that you are looking over the shoulders of this team of underwater archaeologists. Then, midway through the book, a letter arrives from a fellow researcher in Spain who has uncovered a journal belonging to someone who commissioned a caravel in the sixteenth century. In a clever way the pages turn old-diary yellow and you follow the notes regarding the building of one of these ships. Amazing details! By books end you have gained a glimpse of the life cycle of a Spanish caravel from how they were built to how it's sunken remains were recovered. Well done and really interesting.

Ages 9 to 12
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The other title is for the younger set. It is called In 1492 by Jean Marzollo. A really cute, quick rhyme through Columbus' first voyage to America. Marzallo does a masterful job of introducing just a taste of the facts. It is illustrated with a light, whimsical hand compliments of Steve Bjorkman. I like it!!

Ages 6-8
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While I'm on the subject of explorers searching for gold and caravels crashing into reefs I'll share a stunt I pulled while on vacation in the Bahamas. I smuggled onto our boat a small treasure chest I had purchased at a tourist shop and stocked with junk jewelry, Bahamian coins and colored stones. When my son was the only one snorkeling I snuck in with the treasure chest and dropped it in about ten feet of water. I called out to Ryan while pointing at the chest, which I must say, seeing it sitting on the bottom among the corals made my heart pound a little. He dove for it and headed for the boat. This is where it gets interesting. I thought he would be exclaiming wildly to his sister and Dad about his discovery. To my surprise he quietly got on the boat and found a private corner where he could open the chest ALONE. Only after claiming what he most valued for himself did he share the news. Maybe this summer when you are on vacation at the beach or the lake you could try this with your children. It was fun.

Egyptology

Egyptology is more than a book. It is a scrapbook dedicated to the 1926 Egyptian expedition of "Emily Sands" that includes her letters, pictures, tickets, maps, notes, booklets, cards and even a scrap of mummy cloth. In fact there is something that lifts, inserts, ties or unfolds on every page. While browsing through it's pages I couldn't help but think back to my days of employment at an offset printing plant and feel incredibly sorry for the bindery department that put this book together. They must have gone through plenty of aspirin! But it all paid off with a gorgeous book that is worthy of your coffee table. Each spread is brimming with facts that will be absorbed over many sittings. If you enjoy this book you might also consider the companion book, The Egyptology Handbook. The publisher, Candlewick Press, has produced an entire series of "ology" books including Pirateology, Mythology, Wizardology and Dragonology. I suggest you check out their free interactive site at ologyworld.com. I think your kids will get a kick out of it.

Ages 9-12
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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Of Presidents and Dogs


Maybe you have heard that the OBamas got a dog? Bo has been a resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for less than a month and he is already the subject of two books, Bo, America's Commander in Leashand Bo Obama: First Dog of the United States of America. This got me thinking about the canine/president relationship and I uncovered a couple of interesting books along that vein.

First up is First Dog Fala by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk. Fala was Franklin D. Roosevelt's Scottish terrier and constant companion. Children will learn that FDR was president during World War II and the events of Pearl Harbor and D-Day, that he had polio, that he was the only president to serve three terms and that Fala's likeness sits beside FDR's memorial statue. Includes cute Fala anecdotes and is nicely illustrated.

Ages 4-8
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The other book tells the true story of a pre-president's kindness. George Washington and the General's Dog (Step-Into-Reading, Step 3) by Frank Murphy, takes place during the Revolutionary War. After a battle (Germantown) the colonials find a dog and discover that the name inscribed on its collar is non-other than William Howe (the British General!...Washington's nemesis!) Even though the officers think they should keep the dog out of spite, George Washington makes no bones about returning the dog to it's master. He writes Howe a note to that effect (this is really cool - a copy of the actual note is in the back of the book!), arrangements are made, and the dog is reunited with it's rightful owner. After that, word gets out back in England and British hearts are softened by the kindness of George Washington. The book incorporates interesting facts I had never considered. For example, it was not uncommon for soldiers to take their dogs with them as they could track, help hunt and guard against wild animals. Great book.

Ages 4-8
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