American Slave, American Hero: York of the Lewis and Clark Expedition by Laurence Pringle

    Most have heard the story of Lewis and Clark and their expedition across into Western America, however few know that there was a third individual on this expedition by the name of York.  Who is York?  York was William Clark's personal slave and accompanied the two men on their journey to the West.  After realizing that there were hardly any books written about this courageous man and important individual, Laurence Pringle wrote the book American Slave, American Hero.  The book tells the tale of York and the role he played in the westward expedition, while giving a diverse perspective of the journey. Pringle begins the book with a short note, proclaiming that some of the events in the story may not be entirely true because records of African Americans were not well kept during the 1800s. 
   York grew up as a slave to William Clark, playing with the boy until he grew old enough to care for and look after his master.  Will grew older and served in the military before returning home and receiving a letter from Meriwether Lewis,  asking him to explore the West.  After careful consideration of other volunteers, William chose York to accompany them on his voyage.  The book goes on to describe the expedition to the uncharted West and York's role on the trip.  He played with the children of the Ariakara tribe and was coined "big medicine" (meaning something awe-inspiring) by onlooking Native Americans. 
     Though the book had more text on each page than I would have preferred, the flaws in the text were overshadowed by the beautiful illustrations.  Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu created magical water color paintings to depict the events of the story and bring these happenings to life on the page. Though the use of water color may have reduced the details in the illustrations, the soft colors provide a calming and tranquil mood.  There is something soothing about the way water color painting sits on the page.  Thus, although the book had a bit more text than I would have liked, the remarkable illustrations made up for the flaw.
     The tale provides an excellent account of an individual with whom many are most likely unfamiliar and the text provides teachers the opportunity to incorporate York into studies of Lewis and Clark. Perhaps one day his story will be as well known as the two men leading the expedition, but we will have to wait and see.        

Duke Ellington by Andrew Davis Pinkney

    Travel back in time to an era of "swanky" hangouts, swing "gigs", and "sitting pretty at the Cotton" club!  Andew Davis Pinkney tells the life story of famous musician Duke Ellington in a format that adults and children of all ages will enjoy.  The book begins with the line "You ever hear of the jazz-playin' man, the man with cats who could swing with his band?" and at once readers are transported back to the era of swing.  Pinkney's clever inclusion of the vernacular and dialect of the time period truly make the tale come to live and enable readers to feel as though they actually are listening to someone from the past.
   Ellington was born with the name Edward, but decided on his own accord to have those around him call him "Duke" and the name stuck. Actually, his name was perfect for a "smooth-talkin-, slik-steppin' piano-playin' kid" like him.  As a child Duke was not fond of practicing piano and took a few years off from the instrument until he heard the "soul-rousing" ragtime tunes.  He transformed the monotonous etudes he'd once known into melodies of his own, and before long he was playing at country clubs and parties. Eventually, Duke formed a small band named the Washingtonians and toured across New York, until the landed a regular gig at the Cotton Club.  The book goes on to describe other members of Duke's band and how with the addition of more musicians, they transformation into what became known as Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.         
    Adding to the period-appropriate dialect and terms, illustrator  Brian Pinkney helps the story come alive through his beautiful brush stroke illustrations.  I particularly loved the illustration with Sonny Greer playing a "subway beat on his bass drum".  From the bass drum there is a string of music that evolves into picture of a subway.  In this illustration Pinkney presents a literal representation of the text with colorful, bold painting.  Another personal favorite illustration is on the page describing how "Duke painted colors with his band's sound".  I love how each of the instrumental groups has a particular color, the swirls of paint representing the musical notes coming from the horns.     
    Tucked within the tale are numerous similies and metaphors, making the text a wonderful tool for teaching children about the use of these literary devices.  Hardly a page goes by without a creative comparison.  Duke's music is cleverly compared to a food item, "Duke's Creole Love Call was spicier than a pot of jambalaya".  On the other hand, one of his band members' music is described as a kite tail, "Toby let loose on his sleek brass sax, curling his notes like a kite tail in the wind". 
    Though Pinkney's inclusion of dialect and terms from the era of swing makes for an enjoyable story, both to read and listen to, the tale should be accompanied by a a bit of vocabulary instruction.  Have you ever heard the word "pomade" or perhaps "cabaret"?  If not you'll want to click on the words to find out and be sure to give students the definitions while reading the text aloud.
     Hope you enjoy this trip back in time!  Perhaps you'll even want add a word like "swanky" to your vernacular.        

Bears By Sally Morgan

    Did you know that American black bears are not necessarily black? If not, I suggest checking out Sally Morgan's exploration the lives of bears in her nonfiction text entitled Bears.  With a table of contents she prepares readers for the topics they will soon discover, such as bear types, where bears are found, what bears eat, and hibernation.
     Each page there after addresses the topic proposed in the table of contents with text and photographs.  Information is presented in an easy to read and understand manner and the photographs provide excellent extensions to the text.  Important vocabulary words are in bold type and easy to find.  Additionally, each picture has a helpful caption and on each page you will find a "Bear Fact" in a yellow circle.  You'll discover fun tidbits of information, such as "Polar bears are champion swimmers.  They have been known to swim more than 60 miles without a rest."  Did you know that?
      The photographs themselves are wonderful, but a simple added touch makes them come to life.  In the background of most of the pages readers will find the fur of the bear whom they are learning about.  For instance, on the page that discusses giant pandas eating habits, the author has placed panda fur in the background to outline the text and photographs. The book is a great tool for teaching about habitats and animal adaptations or presenting an example of an animal for independent research. 
     If you're a fanatic about bears or maybe you just want to learn more about them, then give this book a try! 

Iditarod: Dogsled Race Across Alaska By Jeffrey B. Fuerst

    What is an Iditarod?  Where did the Iditarod originate?  If you are looking for answers to these questions then Fuerst's Iditarod: Dogsled Race Across Alaska might be just the perfect text.  Fuerst has written a little book about the yearly Iditarod race in Alaska, the history of the race, and terms related to dog racing on a level that children in 3rd and 4th Grade can easily comprehend.
      The book begins by discussing the Iditarod race and depicting a map of the 1,161 mile long trail.  Ever heard of the word "musher"? If so did you know that these sled drivers sleep for only one to two hours a day before sleeping for 24 hours straight during the middle of the race?  As readers continue reading they discover that the race emerged in the days of the Gold Rush when boats were incapable of transporting supplies to and from Alaskan towns.   Eventually dog sleds became useless as manufactured airplanes took over the jobs of transporting supplies in the harsh winter months.  However, when it seemed as if the Idtitarod would never be needed again a relay team of 20 dogsleds carried medicine to children in Nome in 1925, saving their lives and bringing back the dying art of dog sled racing.  Though snowmobiles soon diminished the need for dogsleds, a clan of dogsled fans worked to bring the Iditarod back to life and created the first official Iditarod Race in 1973.   
     Each page of the book displays photographs of actual races and mushers, maps of the trail, and descriptive captions delineating each picture and map, which greatly enhance the text.  Though it is a bit small for a read-aloud teachers could certainly use the book in small guided reading groups or discussion groups to enlightened students about the history and daily life of mushers. 
     Curious to find out the translation of Iditarod? Or possibly you might want to find out the amount it costs to keep a team of dogs and prepare for the race?  Read the book to find out!

Oceans and Seas By Margaret Hynes

     The attention grabbing graphics on the front page of Oceans and Seas by Margaret Hynes will surely have readers engaged before the text of the book even commences.  Within the first few pages readers will find a table of contents describing all of the ocean topics to be discussed in the book, ranging from waves to energy to migrations to ocean zones.  At the end of the book a reader will find a comprehensive glossary of terms they will come across while reading. 
     This book will surely dispel the common misconception that nonfiction books are dull and entirely boring.  Each page is festooned with brightly colored graphics, carefully organized text, easy to understand diagrams, and multiple caption boxes to make reading nonfiction exciting!  Children will likely ask readers to stop for longer between page turns to enable them to take in every detail on the page.
       As if the book did not have enough gizmos, readers will find a website address on the right hand margin each page.  For instance, on the page about a Watery Planet, readers can follow the link in the upper right margin to extend their reading knowledge and learn about the oceans.
       The book has many applications and could be used in any of the following scenarios: as a read aloud, with small groups of children, or teachers can place it in their library to be used as a source of research for independent work.  No matter how it may be incorporated into the classroom, it's definitely a must read for any teacher who needs to address ocean curriculum.  You won't be disappointed!   

Poles Apart: Life at the Ends of the Earth

     Dr. Mark Norman presents a tale about the poles of the Earth in a graphically appealing picture book entitled Poles Apart: Life at the Ends of the Earth.  The book is set up such that each page has facts about the north and south poles.  Unlike many books, this book has binding along the top edge such that it opens like a calendar.
     Upon opening the book readers will find that facts about the north pole are found on the top page and facts about the south pole lie on the bottom page  In the center of the gutter one will discover a small graphic of the globe to further help readers understand that information about the north pole is found on the top page.  Dr. Norman has gone so far as to design the graphics on the page to appear as though the text and pictures are in the shape of a globe.
     The first pages discuss the amount of land and water in the north and south poles, explaining that the north pole is made of mostly water surrounded by land and the opposite is true of the south pole.  Readers then discover that there is not a single tree on Antarctica, whereas the north pole is home to small, hardy plants that can survive the harsh climate.  At then end of the nonfiction text readers will find a glossary of terms in bold type throughout the book.
     Teachers might find this to be an excellent read-aloud to spark conversation about habitats.  It could easily be used to teach strategies, such as comparing and contrasting.         
     Curious about where penguins live?  Perhaps you want to find out how animals camouflage in each of the poles? Then you'll have to check this book out!

The Tale of Despereaux

    Kate DiCamillo engages readers with an enchanting tale of a unique and courageous little mouse, The Tale of Despereaux. Yes, his ears may be too big for his body and he may enjoy chanting with humans, but these less desirable traits do not prevent him from carrying out his quest.
      DiCamillo launches readers into the tale of the miniature mouse quite abruptly, in fact within only a few pages Despereaux is on trial before the Mouse Council because he has committed an unspeakable act in the world of mice, he has spoken to a human.  His over-sized ears led him to follow the sweet tune of the King singing to his daughter Princess Pea.  As he sits mesmerized by the gorgeous music, Despereaux's brother spies on him and leaks the discovery to his father and the mouse council.  Talking to humans is punishable in only one fashion, a sentence to life in the rat-infested dungeon below the castle.  With red ribbon tied around his head Despereaux is led into the depths of the dungeon to fend for his life amongst the lurking rats.  When he has accepted the fact that he might soon die he is greeted by an old fellow, the jailer of the dungeon.     
    As the tale continues to unfold Despereaux crosses paths with a rat by the name of Roscuro and a servant girl with cauliflower shaped ears named Miggery Sow.  DiCamillo cleverly introduces the characters by beginning a new section, or book, in the tale and retracing their past lives.  In fact, after Roscuro encountered Roscuro in the dungeon DiCamillo quickly began a "book" about his life, before the mouse and rat crossed paths.  This approach provides readers with the back story of each character to help them better understand the events of the story.  In addition to flashbacks to the past, DiCamillo uses a clever literary device in which she narrates the story while also speaking to the reader directly.  Throughout the tale she interjects the story to ask the reader a question or provide the reader with helpful information to further his or her understanding of the intricate characters and twisting plot.  When Mig, the servant, dreams of becoming a princess, DiCamillo makes readers ponder whether her dreams are even worthwhile and challenges them to question the character's motives.  She writes, "Reader do you think it is a terrible thing to hope when there is really no reason to hope at all? Or is it (as the soldier said about happiness) something that you might just as well do, since, in the end, it really makes no difference to anyone but you?". 
     You may not think it possible, but DiCamillo cleverly uses the story of a small mouse to approach seemingly humanized themes of forgiveness, love, courage, and good vs. evil.  DiCamillo's marvelous writing style and ability to truly capture her readers' attention won her the well-deserved Newbery Medal. 
      Curious as to why Mig has cauliflower ears or perhaps you are wondering the fate of poor Despereaux?  Then go to your local library and check out The Tale of Despereaux.  You won't be disappointed!
Have you already read the book?  Then motion picture version of the Tale of Despereaux, but only do this if you have read the book first.
       If you like this tale you may even want to try other books by DiCamillo, such as Because of Winn-Dixie, Mercy Watson to the Rescue, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and The Tiger Rising.