Faith Hope and Ivy June

Faith, hope, and Ivy June

by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

IL: Grades 5-8

RL: 5+

 Ivy June and Catherine are young girls who live in Kentucky- Ivy June in the Appalachians an Catherine in Lexington. On the surface their lives are as different as can be. Ivy June's family is poor and living in cramped quarters- her Papaw is the primary support for four generations of family that live in the holler, split between two houses because of cramped conditions. There are no house or cell phones or even indoor toilets. By contrast Catherine lives in a spacious upper middle class home in Lexington where she has her own room, cell phone, and attends a private girls' school.

The two meet because they both applied for and were accepted for an exchange program where each girl stays with the other for two weeks. The intent of the program is to expose each girl to a different way of living. Through the weeks together each girl comes to learn that they are more alike than different. When Ivy June's Papaw is involved in a mining accident and Catherine's mother is hospitalized they learn that they are more alike than different and that family and friends are what matter the most.

Naylor, P.R. (2009). Faith, Hope, and Ivy June. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

The downside of being up

 

 The downside of being up

by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

IL: Grades 7-9

RL: 4+

This book tackles the very untackled topic of boys going through puberty and all that it entails. Bobby is a 13 year old boy whose... male appendage... rears it's head at the most inopportune times. Because of this he finds himself in violation of his school's code of standards and is facing expulsion unless he goes to "Correctional Erectile Therapy." We follow Bobby through his life, complete with his wacky grandfather, his crush on the new teacher's daughter, and his parents who really have no idea how to connect with him.

This book fills the void that "Are you there God, it's me, Margaret?" filled for young girls many years ago. It is humorous, heart-felt, and most of all real. I don't think I've ever read so many euphemisms in one place. Ever. It's the bluntness of this book that makes me wonder how it will ever reach its audience.   

Sitomer, A.L. (2011). The Downside of Being Up. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Leonardo's Horse

Leonardo's Horse

Written by Jean Fritz

Illustrated by Hudson Talbott

IL: Grades 4-7

RL: 4+

The first part of this uniquely shaped and beautifully illustrated book gives a brief biography of Leonardo da Vinci and introduces us to the 25-foot bronze horse that Leonardo was commissioned to create for the Duke of Milan. Leonardo labored over the horse for over 19 years and never saw it to completion, with many saying that "even on his deathbed he wept over it."

We are next introduced to Charlie Bend, who in 1977 read the story of Leonardo's horse in a magazine. It became his life's work to see it to completion. Unfortunately, in 1994 when Bend was nearly finished he died of Lou Gehrig's disease. Bend's family was determined to fulfill his dream, knowing that Charlie wanted it finished for Leonardo and not for his own glory. They found Nina Akamu, a New York sculptor who was finally able to carry out both Leonardo's and Bend's dreams. The horse was unveiled in Milan in 1999.

This is a well-written and beautifully illustrated book that not would not only work well in art and 7th grade history classes, but also for biography reports on da Vinci.  The unique shape of the book and the ease with which it can be read also attracts the casual reader. The book directs readers to www.leonardoshorse.org for more information.

Fritz, J. (2001). Leonardo's Horse. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Laddertop

Laddertop v.1

Written by Orson Scott Card and Emily Janice Card

Illustrated by Honoel A. Ibardolaza

IL: Grades 6 and up

RL: 3+

Orson Scott Card pairs up with his children to create this manga like novel. Laddertop is set in the future where an alien race known as the Givers have set giant towers known as Ladders to power the Earth. Robbi and her BFF Azure have been accepted to Laddertop Academy, an exclusive school which trains young people to climb the ladders and perform maintenance on the Ladders. While Azure is excited at the prospect, Robbi is not- she didn't apply to Laddertop because she wants to stay at home to protect her step-siblings from her abusive stepfather. When both Robbi and Azure get accepted, Robbi is excited yet worried to leave home. We follow Robbi, Azure and the other "web rat trainees" through their training school and finally up to the ladders, where it becomes apparent that something strange is going on.

There is no resolution in this story as it's the first installment of this series and in fact it ends as a cliffhanger, leaving the reader waiting for the next volume. This is a light read, not serious manga, but it's a good introduction to the genre. The illustrations are crisp and add to the story. The adults in the book are of two types- clueless and there just to oversee the children and nefarious, menacing men who you think might cause harm. However, the young female characters are strong and adventurous making this good for girl readers who are looking for adventure.

Card, O.S. and Card, E.J. (2011). Laddertop. New York, NY: Tor/Seven Seas Paperback.

Elephants and Golden Thrones

Elephants and golden thrones: inside China's Forbidden City

Written by Trish Marx

Photographs by Ellen B. Senisi

Interest Level: Grades 4-7

Reading Level: 7+

This book tells the story of some of the emperors, princesses and even a royal elephant who lived in the Forbidden City during a five hundred year period. Readers learn Emperor Yongle commissioned the Forbidden City and was its first inhabitant. According to Chinese beliefs, the emperor was not only the ruler of China, but also a religious leader and the one who could ask for blessings from the heavens for the people of China. In building the Forbidden City, Yongle was providing an outward sign of this supreme power. 

Each chapter begins with an anecdotal account of the person it is about and then provides historical details in the following pages.  In the following pages we learn impressive details about the city, including how many buildings it has (980!), how funeral ceremonies proceeded and how you can still see traces of those rituals in China today, and other details of daily life within the city's walls.

One of the strengths of the book is its extensive use of photos taken in the Forbidden City as well as reproductions of artwork depicting daily life in the time of the emperors. The writing conveys the sense of supremeness commanded by the emperors and provides enough interesting detail to keep the reader interested. There is a timeline of each emperor's reign, a glossary and a bibliography at the back of the book. Unfortunately, there is no index or table of contents making this book less than useful for those doing reports since the entire book must be read to find desired facts. This book would be useful as an additional resource in the classroom.

Marx, T. (2008). Elephants and golden thrones: inside China's Forbidden City. New York, NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Birmingham Sunday

Birmingham Sunday

by Larry Dane Brimner

IL: Grades 6 and up

RL: 8+

Birmingham Sunday tells the story of segregation and the impact it had on blacks in the South. The book begins with the account of the horrific day in 1963 when sticks of dynamite were placed under Birmingham's Sixteenth Street Baptist Church's stairs and detonated during services, killing four young girls. Brinmer then proceeds to provide the back story of the events that lead up to the attack. Birmingham Sunday is highly factual, providing details on the Jim Crow laws of the time, leaders on both sides of the Civil Rights movements, groups like the KKK and NAACP, Brown v. the Board of Education, and the Freedom Rides to name a few. The book is full of photos of the events of the time, allowing the reader to experience the emotions of those involved in the events. There are numerous sidebars which flesh out the story. The pages often contain large quotes that highlight the more detailed accounts given in the paragraphs. The final pages provide biographical information about the four killed as well as information on the men that carried out the attacks.

This book is incredibly powerful. Its treatment of this tumultuous time in American history is stunning. Some of the photographs are very graphic, but they are not used gratuitously, but are there to illustrate the violence that was a daily part of the Civil Rights Movement. The lack of an index make this somewhat difficult to use for specific reports on the Civil Rights Movement, but events at the time were so intertwined that even if a student were doing a report on a specific aspect they could use this for supporting material. Source notes are well detailed and there is a bibliography for further reading. This is an excellent resource for the classroom or for anyone wanting a detailed account of the time period.

Brimner, L.D. (2010). Birmingham Sunday. Honesdale, PA: Calkins Creek.

Sunrise over Fallujah

Sunrise over Fallujah 
By Walter Dean Myers
IL: Grade 8+
RL: 5+

Meyers, W.D. (2008). Sunrise over Fallujah. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.