Spiders
Bishop, N. (2007). Spiders.
New York: Scholastic Nonfiction.
Did you know that a spider can recycle its web by eating it?
Or that spiders peel skin from their eyes when they molt? They also can taste
and smell with their feet, and they use these two senses to find their webs. Nic
Bishop, author and nature photographer, provide readers with interesting spider
facts along with an up close and personal view of different species of spiders.
He even raised some of the spiders in his home so he could record the processes
of molting and laying eggs. The design of this book helps to clearly communicate
the subject of spiders. Bishop’s up close and breathtaking photographs provide
insight into the life of a spider that would normally not be seen by the human
eye.
Magic Windows
Carmen Garza takes readers on a visual journey of Mexican
family traditions through her paper cut artwork. She begins by describing paper
cut art. This art is typically cut from a single sheet of paper, but can also
be created from multiple panels of paper to add size and color. Garza shows a
piece of her artwork for each childhood story she tells and also provides
readers with a description of how each piece was made. Garza’s writing style
and detailed illustrations clearly relay her passion for her artwork. Garza
presents the text in both English and Spanish, and introduces readers to Mexican
traditions and culture through her stories.
It’s So Amazing!
Harris, R. (1999). It’s
so amazing! Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Curious about where babies come from, a young bird
researches the topic with his not so curious friend, the bee. Through his
research, the bird discovers the truth about puberty, the differences in the
male and female anatomy, sexual intercourse and many other sex related topics
that can be confusing to children. The author provides accurate information on
the important topic of sex in a comic book style which makes the book appealing
to young readers. Through factual information, the author provides children
with a healthy understanding of how their bodies work through the comedic
conversations between the bird and the bee. The organization of the material
and the use of an index and table of contents, make it easy for the reader to
search for the information they seek.
Rosa
Giovanni, N. (2005). Rosa.
New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.
Rosa Parks is one of the best seamstresses in Montgomery, Al,
and her fast but accurate work results in an afternoon off to spend time with her ailing
mother. Rosa enters the bus and sits in the neutral section, because the colored
section of the bus is too crowded. As the white section of the bus fills, Rosa
is told by the driver to move to the back. Rosa is tired of the unequal
treatment of colored people, so she refuses to move. Her arrest is the
beginning of a peaceful, non-violent protest which results in a Supreme Court
ruling that segregation on a bus is not only wrong, but illegal. The author
uses historical facts and vivid images throughout the book to accurately tell
the story of how Rosa’s stand for change reminded the county that all people
deserve the right of equality.
Balloons Over Broadway
Sweet, M. (2011). Balloons
over Broadway: The true story of the puppeteer of Macy's parade. New York,
NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Even as a small child, Tony Sarg loved to discover how
things moved. He grew up to become a puppet maker and was hired by Macy’s to
make eye-catching window displays with his creations. Tony is given the
challenge to create large, spectacular puppets to replace the live animals in
the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. He exceeds expectations and makes the parade
one that will never be forgotten. This is an attractive book due to the bright
colors and different illustration styles used by the illustrator. The design
and artwork of this book help to communicate the story line and capture the
reader’s attention while providing factual information on the man who made the
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade unforgettable.
How They Croaked
Bragg, G. (2011). How
they croaked. New York, NY: Walker Publishing Company.
Georgia Bragg uses a humorous approach in providing detailed,
gory descriptions of the deaths of nineteen famous men and women throughout
history. Students will appreciate the medical care available today as they read
about the exploding remains of Henry VIII and the deadly strep throat infection
of Mozart. Bragg’s humorous writing style will keep young readers intrigued
from cover to cover while encouraging an interest in history.
Hitler
Youth
Bartoletti, S. (2005). Hitler
youth: Growing up in Hitler’s shadow.
New York: Scholastic.
Through interviews of surviving Hitler Youth participants,
Susan Bartoletti tells the story of what would become the largest youth group
in history. In the beginning, young people had a choice in whether or not they
joined the Hitler Youth, but the group became mandatory as Hitler gained power.
The author provides detailed information on how both boys and girls contributed
to Hitler’s cause. Many Hitler Youth participants were devastated after the war
ended and they learned of Hitler’s horrific actions. Bartoletti’s use of expository writing
provides readers with factual information while her use of narrative writing
helps readers get to know individuals who fell under Hitler’s spell. Black and white
photographs help the reading audience to better understand the power that
Hitler held over the German people during World War II.
Chapter 8:
Informational Books
Cardell, S. (2008). Children's literature in action: A
librarian's guide. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
In chapter 8, the textbook author provides an in-depth
description of informational books along with the types of informational books,
well-known authors of informational books, and the evaluative criteria for
informational books. In recent years, informational books have gained
popularity because of engaging literature rather than a lengthy book of facts.
These books can be colorful and displayed in a variety of formats to keep the
reading audience engaged. Because many informational books are now presented in
more appealing formats, the books can now be used for research purposes or can
be read for fun. There are many types of informational books, and the author provides
a description of the following: survey books, photo essays, context books,
social histories, informational storybooks, activity books, trivia books, series
books and reference tools. Survey books and photo essays are the most popular
informational books for young readers because they provide appealing visuals
and helpful captions which help keep children engaged. Biographies can also fit
under the category of informational books, but authors sometimes add characters
or dialogue which can cause the biographies to seem more like a fiction book.
Well designed and accurate biographies can provide readers with insight into important
people and events throughout history. Seymour Simon, Don Brown and Susan
Campbell Bartoletti are among the most well-known authors of informational
books today. The evaluative criteria for informational books include accuracy,
organization, design and style. Authors must provide factual information for
non-fiction books. The text and illustrations of informational books should be
accurate to avoid misinforming young readers. The information should be
organized in a format where readers can easily find the information they need. Visual
and verbal access features help to present informational books in an organized
format. Some examples of visual access features include illustrations, maps and
photographs, and examples of verbal access features include table of contents,
glossaries and subheadings. The design and book style should be appealing and also
encourage thinking. Creating a poster, making a model and conducting an
experiment are examples of hands-on activities that can further the
understanding of informational texts and can also make non-fiction books fun
for children. I enjoyed reading this chapter on informational books and how
they have changed over the years. I
think it is important that young readers be engaged and excited to learn about
important people and events that have helped shape and continue to shape
history.
