A Nice Introduction to Marie Curie

Marie Curie by Leonard Everett Fisher (Atheneum, 1994, 32pp.)

Black and white acrylic paintings illustrate this overview of the life of Marie Curie, Nobel Prize winner in both Physics and Chemistry. A nice introduction for children - and certainly one to show girls interested in science - but not really a book you want to reach for at Story Time. Recommended for Ages 8-10.

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A Fine, Poetic Picture Book with Lovely Artwork

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, the Voice of a Century by Pam Munoz Ryan, Illustrated by Brian Selznick (Scholastic Press, 2002, 40pp.)

A beautifully illustrated biography of Marian Anderson, an African-American singer from Philadelphia. Inspired to study opera after seeing a performance of Madama Butterfly, Anderson was a prodigal student who found her journey repeatedly blocked by racial barriers. The most powerful scene in the book depicts her 1939 performance at the Lincoln Memorial: Marian stands in the far distance, while a mixed race audience sits together listening in the forefront. The author quotes lyrics from Anderson’s songs to accompany Selnick’s acrylic sepia-toned paintings, which makes for a fine, poetic picture book. Recommended for Ages 4-8.

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Degas and the Dance

Degas and the Dance: The Painter and the Petits Rats, Perfecting Their Art by Susan Goldman Rubin (Harry N. Abrams, 2002, 32pp.)

The Impressionist painter Edgar Degas (1834-1917) is best known for his pastel and oil paintings of ballet dancers at practice. Rubin’s book focuses on these ballet paintings and describes the artists’ techniques. In addition to displaying over thirty full-color paintings, the book also gives brief biography, but otherwise offers little to no insight into who Degas was as a person. Recommended for Ages 7-10.

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Short But Charming

Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst, Illus. Lane Smith (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2010, 113pp.)

Lulu is a spoiled brat who is used to getting what she wants. If someone tells her NO, she simply throws a tantrum until the other person submits to her demands. Her poor parents are used to this behavior and usually give her whatever she wants--except for one thing. When Lulu announces on her birthday that she wants a brontosaurus for a present, her parents flatly refuse. So Lulu decides to go looking for one on her own. Viorst’s tale is short but charming, and works in perfect unison with Lane Smith’s illustrations. It is divided into brief chapters, but with its artwork and dialog, could work as a picture book to read to school children during Story Time. Recommended for Ages 6-8.

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An Informative But Slow-Moving Portrait of Tribal Life in East Africa

Only the Mountains Do Not Move: A Maasai Story of Culture and Conservation by Jan Reynolds (Lee & Low Books, 2011, 40pp.)

Reynolds’ book gives a brief overview of the lifestyle of the Maasai, a tribe that lives in Eastern Africa. Although the book is informative, providing us with information on tribal traditions, food, and the different roles of men and women, the text seemed to wander through its subject, and would have been better presented in categorical sections. The author wraps up the book nicely by mentioning the Maasai’s remarkable resilience and ability to adapt in the face of change in the modern world. Also included is a glossary and pronunciation guide of the tribe’s language, as well as providing two websites with additional information about the Maasai. Recommended for Ages 4-8.

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A Short But Sweet Look at a Mother and Son

Love Twelve Miles Long by Glenda Armand, Illus. by Colin Bootman (Lee & Low Books, 2011, 32pp.)

Frederick Douglass, one of American history’s great orators and writers, was born a slave. When he was sent to live on a plantation twelve miles away, his mother made this journey on foot under the cover of night to visit her son. This lovely picture book presents an imagined conversation between Frederick and his mother, who tells him about her journey to visit him. The paintings are nothing remarkable, but nicely illustrate the story. A short biography of Douglass is included in the Afterward. Recommended for Ages 4-8.

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A Unique (If Somewhat Limited) Opportunity for Children to Learn about Tibetan-American Culture

Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure by Naomi C. Rose (Lee & Low Books, 2011, 40pp.)

Tashi, a young American girl, has grown up listening to her Tibetan-born grandfather (referred to as “Popola,”) talk about the land where he was born. One of the old beliefs, he tells her, is that the pollen from flowers has medicinal properties; if you sit downwind from flowers and let yourself be “dusted” by their pollen, you will be cured of any ailment. When Popola falls ill, Tashi knows that she will need many flowers to cure him. She finds a flower nursery and explains her problem to the kind owner, who agrees to let Popola sit and relax among his flowers. Soon, the nursery’s other patrons notice the ailing man, and it becomes a community effort to help Tashi’s grandfather get better. This feel-good story about grandfathers and granddaughters is pretty much like any other, but with one exception: the heroine’s ancestry provides a unique (if somewhat limited) opportunity for children to learn about Tibetan-American culture. Includes glossary and explanatory notes on Tibet’s culture, and the lives of Tibetan immigrants in the United States. Recommended for Ages 4-8.

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A Child-Friendly Account of Bravery During the Holocaust

Irena’s Jars of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan, Illus. by Ron Mazellan (Lee & Low Books, 2011, 40pp.)

The picture book biography of Irena Sendler, a young social worker who joined the underground effort to smuggle Jews out of Poland’s Warsaw ghetto after learning that the Nazis were sending families to the Treblinka extermination camp. As a member of the secret organization Zegota, Irena found homes for Jewish children in Christian homes and gave them new identities. Prompted by parents’ concerns about being reunited with their children, she wrote each child’s real name and “new” name on paper and stored them in jars that she buried in a friend’s back yard. There are some moments that may be unsettling for younger children, specifically when a Nazi guard threatens to shoot a barking dog, and it’s mentioned that Irena was imprisoned, beaten, and tortured by the Gestapo before narrowly escaping a firing squad in 1943. Mazellan’s oil paintings, especially his dark-toned ghetto scenes, nicely compliment this otherwise child-friendly account of bravery during the Holocaust. Contains a glossary and pronunciation guide, and a list of author’s sources. Recommended for Ages 6-8.

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A Touching Portrait of Homesickness and Longing

My Havana: Memories of a Cuban Boyhood by Rosemary Wells with Secundino Fernandez, Illus. Peter Ferguson (Candlewick, 2010, 72pp.)

Writer Rosemary Wells and Cuban-born architect Secundino Fernandez have teamed up to chronicle the events of his childhood. The young “Dino” depicted in these pages is a remarkable little boy. Even from an early age, he is in love with Havana’s buildings, taking note of the colors and architectural quirks that make these places special. When he and his family move from Cuba twice during his childhood, first to Spain to care for a sick relative, and lastly to the US to flee Castro’s dictatorship, it is not without a sense of mourning. What makes the story so poignant is its emphasis on homesickness and longing, reminding the reader of things they may take for granted. Ferguson’s vibrant oil paintings only add to this rich experience. Recommended for Ages 9-12.

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Origin-Story of Literal-Minded Ninny Fails to Impress

Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School by Herman Parish, Illus. Lynne Avril (Greenwillow Books, 2009, 32pp.)

This book chronicles the literal-minded Amelia Bedelia’s first day at school. Her humorous misadventures are sure to be somewhat entertaining: her teacher tells her to glue herself to her seat, the bus driver tells her to jump off the bus, the librarian encourages her to bury her nose in a book, all of which she interprets literally. While it is an admirable effort, and not a bad picture book by any means, it certainly isn’t a dazzling one either. The situations that the author chose for Amelia Bedelia to misinterpret are predictable and not really that interesting. Compared to the original series, Amelia Bedelia the child is not nearly as compelling as Amelia Belia the adult. Recommended for Ages 4-8.

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Look Out, Beatles Fans: Lucy's No Longer in the Sky with Diamonds...

Lucy Long Ago: Uncovering the Mystery of Where We Came From by Catherine Thimmesh (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009, 63pp.)

An earth-shattering discovery in Ethiopia rocked the anthropological world when scientists unearthed the skeleton of a little creature whose like had never been seen before. A mere 3.2 million years ago, the skeleton dubbed “Lucy” had walked on two legs, and defied all categorization scientists had made thus far—was she an early ancestor of man or ape? How did she live? What did she look like? This beautifully designed and informative picture book is eloquent in its treatment of the subject. The author lays out, step by step, the process that takes place when handling field work. The only complaint one can make is the lagging pace of the material towards the end: it provides a satisfying conclusion, but younger readers or those with short attention spans might lose interest. Recommended for Ages 9-12.

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Ghastly Murder Provides For Rich Listening Experience

The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket, Illus. Carson Ellis, Music by Nathaniel Stookey (HarperCollins Publishers, 2009, 40pp.)

The Composer is dead, and someone, according to the Inspector, must be held accountable. From the creator of A Series of Unfortunate Events comes this unique and fresh examination of musical performance. While the book can be read on its own, it is accompanied by a recorded narration performed by none other than Lemony Snicket himself. As the Inspector accuses each section of murder, the Instruments (played beautifully by the San Francisco Symphony) defend themselves using an eloquent combination of speech and classical music. However, as daring as this work is, the musical breaks between narration sometimes border on excessive length, and younger readers may lose interest. For the older child who has an appreciation for classical music, this is a rare treat indeed. Recommended for Ages 9-12.

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