Fall 2006--Volume III, Issue 2 Delving into the Shelves Grades K-4 Grades 5-9 High School Professional Development Grades K-4 A Million Dots By Andrew Clements, illustrated by Mike Reed Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing This inventive picture book uses words and illustration to aptly portray the concept of one million by beginning with one dot and cumulatively progressing to one million dots. Each page notes a numerical fact that is also quantitative (“The sooty tern can fly non-stop for 87,600 hours after it leaves the nest--that's ten years on the wing!”), and the boxed fact presents a digitally rendered illustration superimposed upon an ordered array of dots; one of these dots is encircled by a colored line, which is noticeable but doesn't detract from the art. The encircled dot represents the number equaling the numerical fact. An arrow instructing the reader to turn the page keeps cumulative count of the dots. The facts noted are typically science related and the kind of information kids will find fascinating. Illustrations are mostly humorous; in the example noted above, the traveling tern has a camera around his neck and is carrying a suitcase and passport. The concept offers many opportunities for classroom extensions and the presentation will definitely help students understand very large numbers. For grades K-2. Tales Our Abuelitas Told Us: A Hispanic Folktale Collection By F. Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada, illustrated by Felipe Davalos, Susan Guevara, Leyla Torres and Vivi Escriva Atheneum Books These well-known writers have pulled together a distinctive collection of stories that captures the spirit and rich heritage of Latino people. Lively retellings of 12 stories familiar to the authors since childhood are accompanied by worthy folkloric illustrations by four leading Latino artists and illustrators, and additional information provides historical, cultural, and personal context for each of the tales. An introduction presents a brief history of the many influences that contributed to the life of these stories--the intermingling of original Spanish and European, African, and American indigenous cultures as well as Muslim, Christian, and Hebrew religions that have shaped the motifs, characterizations, and settings for the stories. The variety of tales includes familiar characters like Juan Bobo; a cumulative tale in verse, “Castle of Chuchurumbe”; and recognizable themes found in European tales such as when the youngest of three brothers is seen as simple and ultimately the hero. After each story, the authors tell a little about its origin and their own personal relationship to the tale. Several examples that storytellers would use to begin and end a story are given (“To know in order to tell and to tell in order to know....”), emphasizing the stories' connections to the oral tradition. Read aloud during Hispanic Heritage Month and use for literature and social studies classes. For grades K-5. Spanish edition also available: Cuentos Que Contaban Nuestras Abuelas How We Are Smart By W. Nikola-Lisa, illustrated by Sean Qualls Lee & Low Books This informational picture book begins with the premise that there are eight ways in which people are smart and clearly presents the theory of multiple intelligences for young people. Twelve profiles of diverse individuals demonstrate Dr. Harold Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Each person's profile consists of a full-page painting in black, gray, blue, and earth hues; a direct quotation by the individual; and a poem about him or her followed by a brief description of achievements. The accessible verse is a creative way to present information about the individual's personality and accomplishments, and each head and shoulders' likeness is also revealing. Artists, politicians, scientists, performers, and writers are represented, some well known (Georgia O'Keefe) as well as lesser-known figures (Annie Jump Cannon). The traits, interests, and activities most often associated with each of the eight ways to be smart are explained in the back matter. For example, “People who are self smart have good knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses. They learn from their experiences, set personal goals.... If you are self smart you might like to keep a diary or journal, create your own projects, or solve problems by yourself.” An activity guide, list of resources, and author's sources complete the valuable additional information. This book will help children see that all children are smart in different ways and provides an excellent starting place for informed, and no doubt lively, discussion. For grades 3-6. Grades 5-9 The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History By Jennifer Armstrong, illustrated by Roger Roth Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers An accessible, snapshot collection of stories about America's past that, when examined together, will point to patterns about our country's heritage. The arrangement is chronological within main sections headed “Settlement and Colonies,” “A New Republic,” “Expansion and Invention,” “Becoming Modern,” and “Brave New World,” and the range of stories is ethnically, geographically, and thematically inclusive, noting well known and more obscure events and individuals. Each is a lively telling, and accompanying appealing watercolor illustrations stress the human aspect of history. There are numerous cross-references and notes, as well as “story arcs,” such as “Steel,” “Communication,” and “Art, Architecture, Literature, and Music” that permit readers to follow connections between people, events, and periods. The writing makes it a natural read-aloud, and readers can choose whether to start at the beginning or choose randomly from the bounty of America's true stories. The author admits this is her own unique “patchwork quilt of history” and students may enjoy compiling their own addendums, particularly for the 21st century. For grades 4-7. Whatcha Mean, What's a Zine? The Art of Making Zines and Mini-comics By Mark Todd and Esther Pearl Watson Graphia Blogs and podcasts may be the hip new methods of communication, but the authors of and contributors to Whatcha Mean show us that independent, creative expression on paper is still viable and even thriving. The book LOOKS like a zine, with typed and handwritten text and rough drawings, and the contributions by more than 20 creators of indie comics and magazines are informative, direct, and speak to both the artistic and practical sides of zine making. Forerunners to zines--pamphlets, chapbooks, and the like--are discussed as well as a brief history of self-publishing. The book's organization makes it easy to jump around and key in on the tips readers are most interested in--types of writing and writing ideas; how to do an interview; design; different formats and bindings; copier tricks; finance; and distribution. Lists of resources, zine libraries, and a glossary are included. The subject and presentation will grab teens' attention and empower them to create. For grades 6 and up. High School Long Gone Daddy By Helen Hemphill Front Street Books The author's debut is a fine, well-crafted one, tackling tough themes of faith and family relationships with humor and the strong narrative voice of 14 year old Harlan Q. Stank. Because of difficulties at home with his father (Harlan P.), Harlan Q. has taken a live-in job at a morgue. It's there that he first meets his grandfather laid out on one of its tables; the grandfather he never met had returned to his small southern hometown after a 20 year absence and died before he reconnected with Harlan P., a straight-and-narrow, fear-and-damnation preacher. Despite their differences, Harlan Q. convinces his father to drive the body to Las Vegas for burial, thereby fulfilling the terms of the grandfather's will and earning a large inheritance. Harlan Q. sways his Paps by telling him that the inheritance can fund his radio ministry; however, the boy really has plans to use the money to gain his freedom from his father's tight and increasingly unbearable grasp. The road trip has some tense and unexpected moments, though a young Buddhist-influenced hitchhiker named Warrior is able to help both father and son begin to understand each other differently and move beyond unmet expectations. The language is fresh and memorable (“Even weird things can seem normal if they're everyday.”); the story is engaging and laugh-out-loud funny; the characters honest and true. For grades 7-10. Remember Little Big Horn: Indians, Soldiers, and Scouts Tell Their Stories By Paul Robert Walker National Geographic Society This well-written and well-researched volume focuses on the decisive battle fought between George Armstrong Custer and the Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho, known as Custer's Last Stand. While historical and background information is included, the text details an almost hourly report of the battle itself using eyewitness accounts and other primary sources. The detail and documentation show Walker's exhaustive research, and his writing is balanced yet riveting. The liberal use of photographs, maps, Native American drawings, and exhibits contribute a “you are there” approach to the narrative without distracting from the account. This battle was critical in setting future U.S. Native American policy at the time, and many students will want to use this as a starting point for deeper study. Timelines, sources, selected postscripts, and an index supplement this important work of nonfiction. For grades 9-12. Professional Development Books Kids Will Sit Still For 3: A Read-Aloud Guide By Judy Freeman Libraries Unlimited Freeman continues to share her expertise with librarians, teachers, and parents in this new guide to read-alouds. Drawing on her fresh experience as a speaker, book reviewer, and book talker, this guide is more than a revision of the earlier books; there's a substantial amount of new material. New chapters offer informative and entertaining approaches to reading aloud, storytelling, creative drama, Reader's Theatre, and classroom and library activities across the curriculum. The annotated read-aloud lists provide hefty, well-written summaries of over 1,700 favorite titles published since 1995, for grades PreK-6, including picture books, fiction, folklore, poetry, biography, and nonfiction. Meaningful activities foster higher level thinking skills and include writing and illustrating prompts, research strategies, discussion questions, and problem-solving ideas. The updated bibliography of professional books is useful and the indexes are comprehensive. This title, part of the series Children's and Young Adult Literature Reference Series, is a valuable resource to turn to again and again. 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