Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed

Author:  Mo Willems, 2009, Hyperion
Picture Book

Mo Willems has done it again.  He has managed to create another picture book that entertains children and adults alike.  In Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, a mole rat named Wilbur is having a hard time convincing his mole rat relatives that clothes are nice to wear.  From their standpoint, since when have "naked" mole rats worn clothes?  His family thinks he has all but forgotten the meaning of his name until Grand-pah proclaims that clothes are good.  After that, Wilbur is the hero of the colony.

I loved this book, just as I have loved every other book by Willems.  The pictures are a fantastic addition to the storyline.  Children (and adults) who read this story will find themselves laughing at the actions of a naked mole rat family.  It is a story of someone, albeit a naked mole rat, standing up for something he believes in, and that is a lesson we can all learn.  Whatever you do, please heed Wilbur's advice when you read this book.  In case you have forgotten, please WEAR CLOTHES! 

Memoirs of a Goldfish

Author:      Devin Scillian, 2010, Sleeping Bear Press
Illustrator:  Tim Bowers
Picture Book

If you are looking for a good laugh, check out Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian.  I must admit this was the funniest picture book I had ever read!  A goldfish--one day alone in a bowl, next day surrounded by other fish and excitement--just wants peace and quiet again.  He finally tells the others that he has had enough and wants his privacy back.  Leave him they do, and he leaves too, while the tank is being cleaned.

But while everyone is separated, he realizes how much he misses them--including the noise, the gunk, and even Fred the crab.  To his delight, they are reunited again in an even bigger tank.

This is a must-read for everyone.  I am typically an independent, introverted person who likes to work alone.  Therefore, I identified with the goldfish.  However, I know the feeling of loneliness when one is alone for a period of time, and I was so glad the main character in this story wanted his friendships back, too.  This is a great story to teach those independent students how to value their friendships even more than they already may.  I loved the pictures, and they did a great job of adding meaning to the story.

Check it out right away, and make sure there is a box of tissues close.  You will cry with laughter, and you are sure to delight your school children with this story of a humorous school of fish!

Leon's Story

Author:  Leon Walter Tillage, 1997, Douglas and McIntyre, Ltd.

If you are looking for a heartbreaking piece of history, look no further than Leon's Story.  This book is told in first-person by a man named Leon.  Leon was born to a slave family in North Carolina.  The stories he tells about how white people treated southern blacks is disgusting.  From segregated public facilities, unequal education, and KKK (Ku Klux Klan) oppression--to death, submission, and finally, black equality, this book tells it all.  Throughout the book, the author twists the reader's heart by detailing horrifying events that happened to him or his family members.  Every part of this book is non-fiction, and that is the scary part.

I truly cannot imagine what black Americans endured in the 19th and 20th centuries in America.  Racism was born in the late-1800s as a means of creating unity, which seems terribly backwards.  By castigating people based on their skin color, religion, or ethnic background, members of a certain population became unified as the supreme race.  This certainly led to the circumstances in which African-Americans found themselves--circumstances that were absolutely despicable.

After reading this story, I am more aware of what "segregation" actually meant.  It was not only a means of making white people use one drinking fountain and while blacks used another one; it was, without a doubt, a death to people of color.  This story is not appropriate for young children, even though the book is relatively small.  I would recommend this for eighth graders and older, simply because of some gruesome details.  I will never forget old Leon, and I will never forget his courage in the face of one of America's darkest hours.     

Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building

Author:      Deborah Hopkinson, 2006, Schwartz & Wade Books
Illustrator:  James Ransome
Genre Study--Historical Fiction

To this day, the construction of the Empire State Building is a feat not easily topped.  Once the tallest building in the world, the Empire State Building was opened on May 1, 1931.  According to this book, more than three thousand men put in over seven million hours to construct the magnificent structure.  And, perhaps most impressive, it was completed in record time:  410 days. 

This book by Deborah Hopkinson is an informative piece of historical fiction.  It follows a boy plagued by the Depression and his family's struggle to get by.  He watches the Empire State Building being built and desperately wishes he could help in some way.  In the end, his father takes him to the observation deck to look down over the streets of Manhattan.  His father is amazed at the feat of mankind.  He believes if man could create such a structure, man can do anything.

I was in awe of the information presented in this book.  It presents true facts from the standpoint of an innocent young boy.  I have always wanted to visit New York, and when I do, I will definitely visit the Empire State Building.  It is an icon of New York City, as well as the United States of America.  In addition, I was intrigued to read about the TV tower that stands 204 feet above the roof of the building.  In doing some additional research, I learned that this tower was first utilized by NBC, and now it is shared by several television networks.  Interestingly, NBC's Today celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2012.  On the morning of January 13, the Empire State Building was lit in the colors of Today:  red, orange, and yellow.  This was the first time the colors have been changed to reflect a television show. 

I guess this iconic building actually represents two feats of mankind:  an opulent structure and a popular entertainment medium.  What would the little boy's father think today?


      

The Cats in Krasinski Square

Author:       Karen Hesse, 2004, Scholastic
Illustrator:  Wendy Watson
Genre Study--Historical Fiction

I must be honest:  I know very little about the non-American portions of World War II.  For someone who loves history, I need to study that period more closely.  Recently while doing so, I came across a fantastic piece of historical fiction called The Cats in Krasinski Square.  If the book included a time stamp, it would be set in Poland in the late-1930's and early-1940's.  A little girl who has escaped from a Jewish ghetto blends with the people of Warsaw.  She and her sister plan to sneak food into the ghetto but hear rumblings that the Gestapo (German State Police) will be at the train station with dogs to sniff for food.  The little girl cannot be outwitted, however, and she uses cats she feeds in Krasinski Square to lure the dogs away from the train station, thereby allowing the sisters to take food to their Jewish friends.

A book like this takes me back to a different time.  I assume a different mindset; one that allows me to empathize with people such as this little girl.  This was a horrible period in world history, and children who read this book will gain a tiny bit of insight into the life of a refugee.  In addition, there is a historical note included in the back of the book that gives information about Jews living in Poland.  I wholeheartedly recommend this book as a piece of historical fiction for middle and upper-elementary students.

Seeing the Elephant: A Story of the Civil War

Author:       Pat Hughes, 2007, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Illustrator:  Ken Stark
Genre Study--Historical Fiction

Seeing the Elephant is a moving story of heroism, determination, and patriotism.  Israel, a young boy of ten, waves goodbye to his older brothers who have gone into the Civil War to fight on behalf of the North.  While the brothers are gone, Israel writes numerous letters to them, and when one of them comes home with typhoid, he hopes to rekindle their brotherly affection.  Instead, their relationship has changed, most likely on account of the war, and Israel is sad.  But no sadness can describe how he feels when an acquaintance named Graff dies in the hospital.  Graff, a Rebel fighter from South Carolina, makes an unlikely friend with Israel, and when Graff dies, Israel realizes the true cost of the war. 

This somewhat-true account of a staunch Union family meeting a Confederate army man is captivating.  What surprised me the most is the maturity of this particular 10-year-old.  The book reflects the belief that "war makes boys into men," and even though Israel was too young to fight, he realized the gravity of the situation.  I would definitely recommend this book to older elementary children as a piece of historical fiction.  It is truly a window into a different era; an era that would change the face of America for decades.

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal

Author:      Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, 2009, Carolrhoda Books
Illustrator:  R. Gregory Christie
Coretta Scott King Award

If you were a settler on the western frontier in the late-1800s, you might have feared outlaws coming into your territory.  There was plenty of open space, and one could ride for miles without pause.  However, if Bass Reeves was in town, you would have nothing to fear.  This story is one about the true character of a black United States marshal who always caught the outlaws he chased.  Bass Reeves may be a man few people have heard of, but he was one of the greatest deputy marshals that ever patrolled the frontier.  This Coretta Scott King award-winning book is one to treasure, and every student will be enthralled with visions of the rough-and-tumble life of the early American west.

Not only is this an intriguing piece of non-fiction; the pictures are equally amazing.  They look almost child-like, and I assume that is what the illustrator was hoping to achieve.  The illustrations lack precise detail, and consequently, the reader must use his imagination to fill in the gaps.  Nonetheless, the entire book, including the historical timeline at the back, is a wonderful piece of American literature; one that shines a light on a black American who, during a time of racial inequality, did a fine job of bringing criminals to justice.  Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal, is certainly a notable figure of American history.