Booklist: Ruby B.!

Last night, while AB & I were chatting, she interrupted herself mid-sentence. Her eyes got as big as saucers as she said very excitedly, "Oh, Mom! I forgot to tell you! At school today we saw that picture! Of that girl! Her name is Ruby! Her last name starts with a B! It's the picture we have!"

I had no idea what picture she was talking about, but for some reason the first word that came out of my mouth was "Bridges?"

"YES! Ruby Bridges!" She jumped up and ran to one of our many bookshelves, searching until she found what she was looking for. She handed me a postcard that has this image on it:

The Problem We All Live With by Norman Rockwell

 

I instantly had a "this is awesome" moment that included the following thoughts:

1. My kid recognized a famous painting. Awesome!
2. My kid's teacher is discussing this famous painting and the story behind it. (Super) awesome!
3. My kid is super psyched about what she learned at school. Awesome!

So, in the spirit of this awesomeness, I decided to make our first booklist of 2013:

  The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles & illustrated by George Ford

 

Norman Rockwell: Storyteller With A Brush by Beverly Gherman

 

Ruby Bridges Goes To School: My True Story by Ruby Bridges

 

Norman Rockwell by Mike Venenzia

Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges

 

Norman Rockwell Coloring Book

Happy Reading!

 

Book Review - Charles Dickens: Scenes from an Extraordinary Life

Confession: I have yet to read a Dickens book in its entirety. (Though I am determined for Bleak House to be my first.)

I love Charles Dickens. I love his style. I love his back story. I love that his pen name was Boz. I love that he is a Victorian author. I love the word "Dickensian". Therefore, I have been in absolute heaven with the festivities going on in honor of he 200th birthday this year. I am fully on board with the Dickens 2012 mania*. When I saw the recent picture book biography, Charles Dickens: Scenes from an Extraordinary Life by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom, I immediately picked it up. This book was the perfect way for me to share my obsession interest with AB. This book did not disappoint. Mick and Brita are a writing-illustrating duo that also happen to be married with four kids. Their illustrating style is reminiscent of Quentin Blake. (Interesting side note: He included their book, A Ruined House, in a list of his 50 all-time favorite children's books.)

Over the course of a week, this was our read aloud bedtime book. AB helped out by reading the dialogue. The authors use Dickens' own words to describe events in his life. Then using comic strips, they either describe a bit of Victoria Era history (i.e. what is a debtor's prison?) or tie the life event to one of his novels. They give just enough of the plot to get you interested in the book and then encourage you to find out the ending by reading the book yourself. The end pages provide an attractive map of "Dickens' London" including places that were instrumental in his life and prominent in his writings.

I didn't think it was possible, but this book has made me love Dickens even more than before.

*Check out podcast episodes about Dickens from Stuff You Missed In History Class, The Penguin Podcast, & The Guardian Books Podcast.

Book Review: Looking at Lincoln

I am finally reading Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It has been on my TBR list for awhile. So, I've had Lincoln on the brain lately. AB, eve\r the mini-me, found Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman. (I wish that we found it earlier because it would have been a great addition to the Historical Biographies Booklist: Politicos.)

Looking at Lincoln tells the story of a little girl who is curious about the man whose unusual face is featured on our money. She heads to the library, of course, to satisfy this curiosity. She gives the reader a nice overview of the main points of his life, with a few fun facts and speculations in between. Apparently, Lincoln's favorite opera was the Magic Flute. His favorite dessert was vanilla cake, so perhaps Mrs. Lincoln made it for him on the day he was elected. "But maybe he forgot to eat his slice. He was often too busy thinking to eat." 

The author also makes sure to touch on some of the less pleasant aspects of his presidency, namely, slavery, the Civil War, and his assassination. It would not be a true biography without them. However, she addresses them in a way that I found refreshing. They were not glossed over. She beautifully illustrates prominent African-Americans of the time, former slaves Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass. She also depicts what slavery was with an illustration of slaves picking cotton under a harsh sun while a white overseer on horseback yells as he cracks his whip. The slaves pictured include children and women, one of whom has a baby strapped to her back. It is a truly arresting illustration that you don't normally see in a picture book. In addition, there is a soldiers uniform with a bullet hole over the point of the heart, a pistol, and a empty upholstered rocking chair with a stovepipe hat laying beside it.

Maira Kalman's amazing illustrations are a crucial aid to her story telling. Her modern style is a nice change from the traditional illustrations that usually accompany historical picture books. Her writing style is also effective. She never mentions John Wilkes Booth by name, but simply refers to him as a "wretched man who did not want slavery to end." On the other hand, she makes sure the reader knows the name of one of the first soldiers killed in the Civil War. After describing his uniform with the bullet hole, she writes ,"The soldier's name was Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth. Terrible things happen in a war." The numbers of those killed in the Civil War (or any war for that matter), allow a certain dissociation. The numbers are far to large to truly grasp that each and every person killed was somebody's child. That each and every person had a name. That each and every person lived and breathed just as we do today. 

Reading this book with AB forced me to discuss some less pleasant aspects of race and history with her. To explain that her ancestors were slaves. To explain to her that her ancestors were also likely slave owners. I didn't dwell on it, because she is only six. (I mean, it's not like I'm reading Roots to her at bedtime.) But, these are things that I want her to be aware of and I want to be the one to introduce her to them. Yet, at the same time, I do not want to burden her with race. As the black mother of a biracial child, I do not want to skew her perspective of the world to be "black" perspective. So, I struggle with finding the right balance to allow her to find her on way, hopefully as color blind as possible. 

We need more historical picture books that introduce history to younger readers in an interesting factual way that is not overwhelming. Books that encourage curiosity and research. Books that encourage discussion and engagement. Looking at Lincoln is a perfect example of that type of book.

Historical Biography Booklist: Politicos

I  have been a history geek since I was a little girl. I am particularly drawn to political history, so my non-fiction picture book offerings to AB have been slightly heavy in this department. But, I believe that it is important for me to impart on her that the things that she is able to do today are a direct result of the courage that someone had years ago to stand up and speak their mind.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Tavares

Focusing on courage and perseverance, this book is a nice survey of the major points in JFK's life. I appreciate Rappaport including some more difficult aspects that are not so easily explained to young readers, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis. However, she does it simply and seemingly effortlessly. By not sugarcoating JFK's experiences for her audience, she allows for the theme of courage to shine even more brightly. She also works in excerpts from JFK's personal letters, speeches and interviews which lend authenticity. Tavares's illustrations are a brilliant aid. Jack's Path of Courage is a great way to introduce a child to John F. Kennedy, as well as the concept of primary and secondary resources in research.



What To Do About Alice? by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

The illustrations are a fantastic fit to the story of rebellious Alice Roosevelt embodying the spirited nature of Theodore Roosevelt's oldest daughter. While she had her own share of struggles, losing her mother when she was a newborn and wearing leg braces for many years due to a mild case of polio, she resisted being pitied and bullied. This motivation drive her to be even more extraordinary. She truly "ate up the world" serving as a informal goodwill ambassador for her father during his presidency. She did not shy away from politics as an a "boys only" realm, instead she made herself an indispensable advisor to her father and husband.  Alice was outrageous and offensive as she eschewed the rules but that is what made her so fabulous. Oh Alice, indeed.



Eleanor, Quiet No More: The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Gary Kelley

Juxtaposed with her exuberant cousin Alice, we have the more reserved (but no less opinionated) Eleanor. The illustrator's style in Eleanor, Quiet No More is a beautiful reflection of Eleanor's style reserved yet striking. Rappaport's effective style of interweaving the subject's own words into the story (as always) works wonderfully. Placing Eleanor, Quiet No More and What to Do About Alice? side by side and asking children to describe the kind of person the book is going to be about is a wonderful exercise in the power of illustration. It is also a way to emphasize that you don't have to be the loudest or most outgoing person in the room to be heard. It is important to speak up for what you believe in and Eleanor is a perfect example. Even if it did not align with public opinion, she still spoke up, whether it was against racism and discrimination (including disagreeing with her husband's decision to allow internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II) or in support of better housing, health care, and education. After her husband's death, she raised her voice to a global level, as she advocated for international human rights as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Alice and Eleanor are two women that I introduce to my daughter as examples of strong women who informed themselves, formed intelligent opinions and entered the discourse, making great strides and paving the way.

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter To My Daughters by Barack Obama, illustrated by Loren Long

President Obama gathers an inspiring collection of Americans who have made contributions to American society through their varying talents including artists, scientists, atheletes, and activists. It helps underscore my belief that no matter what your personality, no matter what your talent, you can use your strengths to make a difference. It is also a great reminder that all children have a great mixture of creativity, intelligence, bravery, kindness, and perserverance in them, but it will manifest differently in every child. We as parents, teachers, aunts and uncles, friends and neighbors must be aware of the light that shines in every child. We must nuture it and protect it because (as cheesy as it sounds) it is true: the children are our future.

Happy Reading!