Unlike many other counting books and cumulative counting books, specifically, I assumed this book might count backwards including the first animal. For example, including either One North Star or one moose a’la Partridge in a Pear Tree style, but Phyllis Root surprised me by presenting cumulatively, i.e. counting to a new number each page but also back down through the numbers, but did so with aplomb to try to focus on different areas of Minnesota, the North Star State. Beckie Prange and Betsy Bowen’s illustrations are gorgeous. There is further information about the featured animals and plants from the book but absent is a bibliography or source information.
This story is powerfully told and the big takeaway for me is that we can disagree without disliking each other. From the beginning, Ruth Bader Ginsburg had strong opinions about right and wrong (and right and left). I can wholly relate to her protest at school when she was encouraged to write with her right hand even though she was left handed. The exact same thing happened to me. In my class, there was a statistically inordinate number of left handed students and the teacher decided that just couldn’t be right (get it?!). She had us in the hallway to drill writing with our right hands, just to check. In the end I was, and still am, left handed. Elizabeth Baddeley’s word art helps enhance the story with the words of dissent and disagreement jumping right off the page. RBG overcame adversity to earn her seat on the Supreme Court and continues to serve our country there to this day.
Following the Olympics of Simone Biles and the Final Five, this picture book biography is a fitting tribute to Nadia Comaneci and Marta and Bela Karolyi’s First. For young gymnasts, the progression of skills will translate across borders and Christine Davenier’s illustrations show that well, specifically the panel with Nadia’s progress from cartwheeling on a line on the mats all the way up to the higher balance beam. In knowing Nadia’s history, I was aware that she scored a perfect ten but I was not aware that the electronic system was not equipped to display that score. What an oversight in planning! Davenier’s illustrations show movement well, including the swoops and multiple poses, even down to Nadia’s hands waving at the crowd once she was awarded her first (of 7) tens. I give this book a ten too!
Sue Whiting incorporates a melodic story of the platypus accompanied by more specific facts about platypus(es) platypi? Plural of platypus - and, go. As is indicated, the platypus is still quite puzzling, one of only two monotremes, or egg-laying mammals. Mark Jackson’s illustrations are gorgeous. Or at least as gorgeous as one can categorize a book about platypus. The exclusion of a bibliography or another indication of sources is disappointing as a great deal of good information is included in this text that can be enjoyed by many a platypus lover.
For anyone interested, because I obviously was. According to wikipedia (I know, I know, but on this particular topic, it seemed as good a source as any): “Scientists generally use “platypuses” or simply “platypus”. Colloquially, the term “platypi” is also used for the plural, although this is technically incorrect and a form of pseudo-Latin; the correct Greek plural would be “platypodes”.” Well then. I’m kind of liking platypi, but that was before I knew platypuses was an option.
I typed this prior to the November, 2016 election. I did not want to publish it prior to the election. It continues to ring true regardless of the outcome that this picture book biography is a beautiful one that highlights the life of a remarkable leader.
Obviously, this picture book biography is a timely one. Like so many around the country, I have been doing my research on all of the candidates and this book does an excellent job of summing up much of what I have learned about HRC’s long and multi-faceted history. I had read about her college graduation speech and time spent as class president at Wellsley but was not aware of examples, even from her young childhood, of working for justice. As I read this book to my daughter, she exclaimed, “Did she really do all of these things?” And I was proud to reply, “Yes.” Michelle Markel does an excellent job of highlighting anecdotes from Hillary’s youth, her accomplishments, and trials.
I am a big fan of LeUyen Pham’s illustrations having first noted her attention to detail in The Boy Who Loved Math about the life of Paul Erdos and I continue to be a fan of her work in The Princess in Black series by Shannon Hale. In reading her bio in this book, I hadn’t even realized that she also illustrated both Grace for President and Freckleface Strawberry. All that to say what stands out to me in these illustrations from the start is her use of muted colors for other people and bright colors for Hillary. In a sense, she was living in a very black and white world and looks to change that. To change the role of women in many different arenas. As time passes, the environment around her changes too. Others catch on and move forward. I love the illustration featuring the transparent ghost of Eleanor Roosevelt, one of Clinton’s inspirations.
The attention to detail by both Pham and Markel and thorough Timeline, Artist’s Notes, and Selected Bibliography all support their decisions on what to include in this exemplary picture book biography.
So, I am JUST about to start reading but before I began, I flipped to the back to check if there were sources listed. And there WERE! Yay! Last year, I read Kid Presidents. And I LOVED it! What I didn’t love was that there was no bibliography included. So, before starting, I am already excited to see this included. The bar is high for this one. Stay tuned.
Yep. Bar reached and exceeded. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. I don’t even know what else to say. You all have to read it, and keep an eye on this series. Kids will love the kid artists. Check out the presidents too. Like I said, super fun book, I was just disappointed with the lacking sources. I also have to backtrack to find Kid Athletes and check that out as well. Kid Legends makes for a great series of books. I'm excited to see what might come next!
I really enjoyed the variety of artists presented and the anecdotes from their childhood that helped inform their art and lifestyle. Doogie Horner’s comic style illustrations add humor to even the most desolate situations, like that of Louise Nevelson (Leah Berliawsky) who went from an overcrowded ocean liner full of refugees to a literal kid in a candy store once arriving in a quarantine in Liverpool, England. David Stabler knows just the right moments of each kid artist’s life to highlight to keep the reader turning the pages to find out more, like when Jackson Pollock’s brother cut the tip of his finger off with an axe (by ACCIDENT). Kids love reading about overcoming odds. And bodily harm. This book is a win on both fronts! I often see these types of books as jumping off points for reluctant readers. After reading short stories about these artists, they’ll be ready to read more!
SO COOL. Let me begin again. I really thought my dinosaur obsessed son would love this but since there weren’t actual dinosaurs, he was not a fan. He didn’t quite get that these creatures lived with the dinosaurs. But I did. And I think it is so cool. I’ve thought often about birds as the direct ancestors of some vicious dinosaurs. Particularly when thinking of our trip to Disney last spring. My son (same one) and I were dining outside of the cafe area at our resort and birds were dive bombing him to try and snatch french fries. We had to flee to the indoors to protect ourselves and it was scary. Granted they were going for the fries, but it seemed as if they wouldn’t let a pesky 2 year old get in their way. The instincts were there.
Likewise, many of these “living fossils” (a controversial term among scientists, apparently) had developed defenses that didn’t need much to adapt further in order to survive. They’d survived what many others hadn’t already, so why change?
Towards the end of the book, there is an additional section with more information about each of the living fossils that seems a bit redundant. There are books and websites included for more information.
