Tyrannosaurus Math by Michelle Markel

Tyrannosaurus Math by Michelle Markel

A tyrannosaurus, T-Math, goes through his life and solves math problems. The pictures are bright and fun and the story is compelling and fun. The ending is wonderfully satisfying.

A bit:
“When a meteorite sped toward the earth, he asked himself, ‘sphere or cube?’ before dashing to safety.
And when a volcano launched colorful rocks onto the plain, he arranged them in rows to count them swiftly before lava caught up to him.”

Children’s thoughts:
The large group of first graders and kindergarteners who previewed this book loved it. The illustrations were a big plus for kids who looked at this book. They all said they loved math, so they thought they would like this book. One boy said that he liked how you could read and learn math at the same time.

You Are the First Kid on Mars

You Are the First Kid on Mars by Patrick O’Brien

With photograph-like paintings and detailed text, this book relates what might happen if a child were to visit Mars. I was taken by the pictures and the details of what a child might experience.

A little from the book:
“You can’t go out on the surface of Mars without a space suit. There’s not enough oxygen to breathe, and it is much too cold. You carry air in tanks on your back, and your suit keeps you warm. Gravity on Mars is less than half as strong as on Earth, so you take big, bouncing steps.”

Children’s reactions:
The children who looked at this book commented on how real the pictures looked. They were pretty evenly divided as to those who liked the book and those who did not.

Zero is the Leaves on the Tree by Betsy Franco

Zero is the Leaves on the Tree by Betsy Franco

The author uses metaphors from children’s lives to explain the concept of zero. I could see this book being used a lot with students to better understand zero or as a writing prompt.

A little from the book:
“Zero is…
the balls in the bin at recess time.”

Reactions from children:
Two unexpected problems with the book: We live in the southern part of the United States and many of the metaphors involved concepts our children never experience (the sound of snowfall, for example). The younger children liked it, but the older children said they got tired of zero.

My Japan by Etsuko Watanabe

My Japan by Etsuko Watanabe

This book is shows the life of a girl in Japan, told from her point of view. The pictures are as helpful as the text in telling the story. I was fascinated to read about the differences in the lives of a Japanese girl and an American girl.

A bit:
“In Japan, we sleep on futons. They are light and very easy to fold and carry. When you air them out in the sun, they feel warm and fluffy. Mmmm, very nice to sleep on!”

Reactions:
The children were mildly interested in this book. I was surprised to find they were not as interested in the book as I would have predicted. I avoided the page with naked people; a parent has leafed through the book just before I showed it to the children and she did not like that page. I would have trouble putting it into my library as that page would cause a lot of titters from kids.

Darwin: With Glimpses into His Private Journal & Letters

Darwin: With Glimpses into His Private Journal & Letters by Alice B. McGinty

The third Cybils nominee that takes on Darwin. Like the other two, this one tells of Darwin’s life. This book includes excerpts from Darwin’s journal and letters.

A bit:
“In 1831, Charles Darwin set sail on the HMS Beagle, beginning what would become a five-year trip around the world. Seasick, he got off at every stop. He explored islands and coasts. He followed rivers. He climbed mountains and hiked through tropical rainforests. What Charles saw filled him with awe and left him believing firmly in a God who had created these wonders.”

Children’s reactions:
I showed a group of eight first graders all three Darwin books. This was the least favorite, though they found the text in this book easy to understand. They liked the pictures better in the other two books.

Just the Right Size

Just the Right Size:
Why Big Animals are Big and Little Animals are Little
by Nicola Davies

I’m a person who has a great deal of trouble with scientific concepts. This book explained some principle in science, I think, and I believe I understand the principle better after reading this book, though I couldn’t tell you the name of the principle and I doubt if I could explain it very well. It has something to do with why animals cannot be enormous in size and it has something to do with volume and doubling height causing a big jump in volume. (Glad I am not being tested on the material in this book as I quite obviously am barely grasping any of this.)

The pictures are funny and helped me understand this concept better. If I really wanted to understand this concept, this book would be just the one to read, I think.

A bit:
“Here is a Little Thing. It could be anything---a car, a log, a bar of soap---but it just happens to be a creature (even if it looks a bit like a cube)….
Now let’s meet Big Thing. Big Thing is TWICE the size of Little Thing….
How many Little Things would it take to make one Big Thing?
If you look carefully, you can see that Big Thing’s surface area and cross section are FOUR times bigger than Little Thing’s. But Big Thing’s volume and weight are EIGHT times bigger.”

Children’s reactions:
The group of eight first graders who looked at this book had very little interest in this book. Perhaps this book is aiming at an older audience.

The American Revolution from A to Z

The American Revolution from A to Z by Laura Crawford

Boys at my school are very interested in war. There is very little out there for these boys. I noticed when I was reading all the old Newbery winners that many of the older titles dealt with fighting and war, subjects that appeal to boys. Why are these types of books no longer written about?

This is a simple alphabet book about the Revolutionary War.

A sample:
“J is for Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson, one of the founders of the United States, was the main author of the Declaration of Independence and the third president. He was a lawyer, architect, writer, inventor, and musician. Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, exactly fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.”

Children’s reactions:
This was not a popular choice among the children who previewed the book. A few boys liked the book’s scenes of fighting, but, for the most part, there was a ho-hum reaction. It seems to need an older reader.

Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life: A Story of Sustainable Farming

Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life: A Story of Sustainable Farming by Jan Reynolds

This book relates the story of rice farming in Bali. For centuries, farming in Bali was done in the same way, with planting, harvesting, and allowing fields to lie fallow. Then modern methods were brought in. Rice production unexpectedly fell. Farmers went back to the old ways.

I had a hard time trying to stay with the story in the book. I have some interest in the subject, but not enough for a book of this length.

A little of the book:
“Kadek strikes harvested stalks against the side of a basket. This knocks off the kernels of rice which are collected in the basket below. The rice kernels will then be tossed in large, round sieves to separate out any small pieces of stalk or other materials. Finally, the rice will be laid in the sun to dry thoroughly, before it is packed into bags.”

Children’s comments:
No one liked this book. The children said this book had too many words. No one was interested in reading about growing rice.

Let There Be Peace: Prayers from Around the World

Let There Be Peace: Prayers from Around the World selected by Jeremy Brooks

The Reverend Jeremy Brooks searched all over the world for prayers asking for peace. He focused on finding prayers written by those in the midst of conflict. I was very moved by the words, some spoken by millions, some spoken for hundreds of years, some spoken by a few.

One prayer:
“O Lord,
remember not only the men and women of goodwill,
but also those of ill will.
But do not only remember the suffering they have inflicted on us,
remember the fruits we bore thanks to this suffering,
our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility,
the courage, the generosity,
the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this.
And when they come to judgement
let all the fruits which we have borne
be their forgiveness. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Found beside the body of a Jewish child
in a German concentration camp, 1945”

Comments of children:
This was a love it-hate it book; kids either really liked it or really hated. it. About half the group rated it a 5 and half gave it a 1. After I read the poems aloud, there was a great stillness in the room.

Q is for Question by Tiffany Poirier

Q is for Question by Tiffany Poirier

The philosophy section of my primary school library is empty; I can see a real need for a book like this. The author uses the alphabet book format to talk briefly yet intriguingly about ideas that philosophers discuss. The text is a nice mix of thoughtful comments and clever questions. The illustrations give the book a homemade look, but it helps the approachability of the book. Philosophy can be a daunting subject, but this book is a great introduction to it for young students.

A bite:
“Free Will
Do you feel like
you’re pulled by strings?
Is a puppet master
in the wings?
Did destiny plan
your life for you?
Or can you choose
the things you do?”

Children’s comments:
I borrowed eight GT first graders to try out some of my most difficult books, including this one. One first grader summed up what the others said, “It’s an interesting book. I don’t really understand it all, but I like it.”