Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag

Steven Salerno’s artwork brings Harvey Milk’s face to light.  In looking at photographs (and being somewhat familiar with his story from the movie Milk with Sean Penn) Harvey’s face simply glowed with joy and hope for the future.  He brought that energy to the stages where he spoke to crowds and inspired others to action.  Salerno’s renderings are so lifelike they bring Harvey’s story to a new generation and by Rob Sanders’ focusing on the flag that became a symbol for Harvey’s movement, Pride shows that the movement lives on and has been embraced by so many the world over.

 

@RobSandersWrite

Title: Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag

Author: Rob Sanders

Illustrator: Steven Salerno

ISBN: 978-0-399-55531-2

Published 2018 by Random House Children’s Books

This book was received from the publisher for purposes of review.

Spy on History: Victor Dowd and the World War II Ghost Army

Much like last year’s Dazzle Ships, while reading Spy on History: Victor Dowd and the World War II Ghost Army my mind was blown multiple times.  The ways in which our military creatively supported our troop’s safety and that these secrets were shielded from the public (as classified information often is) demonstrates the ingenuity of our leadership during World War II.  Long story short (and spoiler alert) artists, graphic designers, sound engineers, and weathermen (they were all men…) were recruited to be part of camouflage units and sonic companies.  They were essentially putting on a distracting show to trick the German troops and commanders into believing they were a full combat battalion armed with tanks, weapons, and communication tools.  And they were.  But all of those items (except for the communication tools) were inflatable!  Our first bounce houses were on the front lines of World War II.  Who knew?!  When I incredulously asked my husband if he knew about this, he referenced a Ken Burns special he had watched.  But I had never heard about the Ghost Army and I think readers will be VERY interested to learn more too.  There are also clues throughout the book for readers to decode messages at the back of the book, though I didn’t need those to engage with this text.  The creativity of the concept of the Ghost Army is engaging all on its own.  Paired with Dazzle Ships, Spy on History demonstrates the value our military has placed on artist’s talents to protect our country.

@Scott_Wegna

Title: Spy on History: Victor Dowd and the World War II Ghost Army

Author: Enigma Alberti

Illustrator: Scott Wegener

ISBN: 978-0-7611-9326-5

Published 2017 by Workman Publishing

This book was borrowed from the public library for purposes of review.

Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word

Every time I see this book title, my mind breaks into song, singing Angelica’s section from The Schuyler Sisters from Hamilton: I’ve been reading Common Sense by Thomas Paine, so men say that I’m intense or I’m insane, you want a revolution? I want a revelation, so listen to my declaration: We hold these truths to be self-evident That all men are created equal. And when I meet Thomas Jefferson, I’ma compel him to include women in the sequel.

Anywho, the Dangerous Word is…independence.  And Thomas Paine found he had a gift for moving people to action through his writing.  He could see the results when he wrote about better pay and working conditions for tax collectors; the injustice of slavery (shortly after his writing, the Pennsylvania Abolitionist Society was formed); and most famously the publication of the pamphlet titled Common Sense which was written in common language so that everyone could access the big ideas within its pages.  As a result, the colonists in America felt empowered to demand what was right.  Sarah Jane Marsh includes an author’s note elaborating on what happened to Thomas Paine.  His life was filled with ups and downs.  Marsh also includes a timeline and bibliography.  Edwin Fotheringham’s illustrative style emphasizes many of Paine’s dangerous words and the words that moved him to action as well.

@MsSarahJMarsh

@efotheringham

Title: Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word

Author: Sarah Jane Marsh

Illustrator: Edwin Fotheringham

ISBN: 978-148478144-9

Published 2018 by Disney Hyperion

This book was received from the publisher for purposes of review.

Frenemies in the Family: Famous Brothers and Sisters Who Butted Heads and Had Each Other’s Backs

I could NOT put this book down.  It kind of reads like a supermarket magazine, actually, but in the best possible way.  All the behind the scenes family drama I didn’t know I really wanted to know.  Kathleen Krull includes sources curated by each set of siblings which is very helpful for finding more information.  Ironically, I visited the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia just this past August with my mother and learned quite a bit about Chang and Eng Bunker there both in the section with the plaster mold of their coinjoined-ness and in the featured exhibit about the Civil War.  And (also over the summer) I read Deborah Heiligman’s Printz Award Winning (AND CYBILS Senior High Nonfiction Award Winner) Vincent and Theo. So, I’m familiar with some of the subjects of Frenemies in the Family, but within each story, I found nuggets of neatness.  I related to Steven Colbert’s mother  whose “rules” included: no fight between siblings could end without hugs and kisses; singing and dancing were always appropriate; and to never refuse a legitimate adventure.  Maple Lam’s comic illustration style brought humor to the pages, even those about sisters who REALLY didn’t like each other engaged in a pillow fight on the cover.  Kids and adults alike will love diving into the family dynamics in Frenemies in the Family.

@MapleLam

Title: Frenemies in the Family: Famous Brothers and Sisters Who Butted Heads and Had Each Other’s Backs

Author: Kathleen Krull

Illustrator: Maple Lam

ISBN: 978-0-399-55124-6

Published 2018 by Crown Books for Young Readers

This book was received from the publisher for purposes of review.

Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs

Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers is a stellar exemplar of narrative nonfiction.  The story progresses naturally beginning with the Etruscan pygmy shrew and the Amau frog.  Both are shown with fabulous perspective with the shrew happening to fall upon the page of a book with what looks like a gigantic pencil by comparison and the Amau frog rests on the tip of a finger, smaller than the size of a fingernail.  Stephanie Laberis is a master of captivating the audience with illustrations that both entertain and educate.  My son (part of that captivated audience) was tickled by the stinky hoatzin and the smellier than a skunk (though with similar striping) zorilla.  Any readers who love animals are going to find some new underdogs to love in Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers.

@mstewartscience

Title: Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs

Author: Melissa Stewart

Illustrator: Stephanie Laberis

ISBN: 978-1-56145-936-0

Published 2018 by Peachtree Publishers

This book received from the publisher for purposes of review.

Meet My Family: Animal Babies and their Families

I am accustomed to reading poetry by Laura Purdie Salas (I’m a big fan) and even poetic nonfiction but as she delves into a more traditional nonfiction style, I’m happy to tag along for the ride.  Much like the rhesus macaque infant might take a ride on a dog.  I love that Meet My Family, a book about animal babies, mirrors our world of families taking on many shapes and sizes in the human world in 2018.  From small families to large, those with two moms, two dads, or adoptive parents, single parents, and parents who “work” away from the home, children will find a family that reflects their own reflected in the natural world.  Stephanie Fizer Coleman injects joy into each of the illustrations of unique family interactions.

@LauraPSalas

@stephaniefizer 

Title: Meet My Family: Animal Babies and their Families

Author: Laura Purdie Salas

Illustrator: Stephanie Fizer Coleman

ISBN: 978-1-5124-2532-1

Published 2018 by Millbrook Press

This book was borrowed from the public library for purposes of review.

What Do They Do With All That Poo?

I LOVE this book.  But I don’t love that I’m left wanting more.  More resources to learn more.  The book seems to reference poo practices at specific zoos like Woodland Park Zooin Seattle, but there is no back matter with more information about WormDoo.  I also want to learn more about ZooManoo, Zoo Doo, and Pachy Poo.  I realize this might sound funny, but I’m a fan of composting and this seems like a real problem that is piling up.  And I’ve never given it a second thought before but when you give kids a book about a problem, like 5,000 pounds of poo a day from one zoo, they’re going to want to think about how they can help.  Give them the information.  Kids will figure it out!  I’m interested to check out the author’s website to see if there is more information or links listed there.  Conceptually, great book.  Illustrations were executed well.  But I want more. Not more poo. 5,000 pounds is plenty.

In the meantime, I found some more info on each product - if you'd like to learn more too, check out these sites:

Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle

Zoo Doo and Worm Doo

Pachy Poo

Zoo Manoo

@janekurtz

Title: What Do They Do With All That Poo?

Author: Jane Kurtz

Illustrator: Allison Black

ISBN: 978-1-4814-7986-8

Published 2018 by Beach Lane Books

This book was borrowed from the public library for purposes of review.

The True Tale of a Giantess: The Story of Anna Swan

On the heels of the blockbuster film, The Greatest Showman, The True Tale of a Giantess: The Story of Anna Swan (one of P.T. Barnum’s Wonders) is sure to entrance readers.  As a CYBILS reviewer, I’ve often said that truth is stranger than fiction and Anna’s story is a prime example.  Her family learned to capitalize on her height early on, showcasing her celebrity at County Fairs.  They also advocated for her continued education as she embarked on her adventure to New York to join P.T. Barnum’s Gallery of Wonders with her mother as a chaperone until age 18 and 3 years of private tutoring.  The only thing I find lacking in this book is a timeline, I think it would be helpful to follow Anna’s story in a different fashion but otherwise, I love the story and Author’s Note which elaborates on some details and provides photographs for readers as a point of reference.  The Author’s Sources are listed, including books, magazine articles, and newspapers (which also demonstrates Anna’s celebrity in her lifetime). 

A somewhat side note, I also really really like the dedications:

“To those of us who sometimes feel we do not fit.” – A.R.

“For all my friends, who think they don’t fit, the story of a brave young lady who finally did.” – M.L.

Title: The True Tale of a Giantess: The Story of Anna Swan

Author:Anne Renaud

Illustrator: Maria LaFrance

ISBN: 978-1-77138-376-9

Published 2018 by Kids Can Press

This book was borrowed from the public library for purposes of review.

While Anna Swan doesn't seem to be a part of the film's iconic song and dance number, several of her fellow Wonders are featured here.