Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya

Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya by Donna Jo Napoli

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This title was okay but only as a backup of additional info to last year's WAW title Planting the trees of Kenya : the story of Wangari MaathaiPlanting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai I thought Planting the Trees of Kenya was better information and had more depth to the story.

School Library Journal (February 1, 2010)
Gr 3-4-This idealistic account focuses on Wangari's wisdom in advising women to plant different kinds of trees to solve their particular economic problems. "Here are seedlings of the mukinduri. This tree makes good firewood." "Plant a tree. A mukawa. Its thorns will keep out predators." Napoli inserts a Kikuyu phrase and its translation after each bit of Wangari's advice. "Thayu nyumba"-"Peace, my people." The story seems to suggest that the trees were a rather quick solution to the people's problems of hunger and poverty in Kenya's devastated landscape. "Soon cool, clear waters teemed with black, wriggling tadpoles.. All over the countryside the trees that had disappeared came back." Nelson depicts the various women and the greening of the landscape in bold collages of textile prints joined with strong painted portraits. The poetic, abbreviated story has little biographical detail, emphasizing the planting of millions of trees and the resulting prosperity and peace for the country and its people. The preface describing the ill effects of earlier drought and the broad sweep of text provide less concrete information and explanation than Claire A. Nivola's Planting the Trees of Kenya (Farrar) and Jeanette Winter's Wangari's Trees of Peace (Harcourt, both 2008). The information is too vague for primary grade children, and probably too skimpy for older grades. Still, the book could serve as a beautiful introduction for children just learning about the Greenbelt Movement. Concluding materials include an afterword for adults, a source note, a Kikuyu glossary, a list of Web sites most useful for adults, and a brief note from the illustrator.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.

The ride : the legend of Betsy Dowdy

The Ride: The Legend of Betsy Dowdy by Kitty Griffin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Oral tradition tells of a NC girl who rode to warn of the Redcoats coming in the style of Paul Revere. This story weaves those tales into a wonderful legend to share with grades 1-5 on an American Revolutionary heroine. Kids will enjoy this one.


Library Media Connection (November/December 2010)
Based on a legend about a young North Carolina girl, Betsy Dowdy, this is an appealing picture book. During the Revolutionary War, the Red Coats were advancing and threatened to attack the Currituck area of the barrier islands. Sixteen-year-old Betsy undertakes a very scary ride through the night to warn General Skinner and his soldiers, which ultimately may save her home, family, and her beloved ponies. Dramatic artwork in gouache and ink complements the exciting story. The nighttime dark blue backgrounds effectively contrast with Betsy's red cloak and her black horse. Lovely sunrise colors signal the end of the successful mission and her ride for liberty.The book appears to be well-researched, though it is acknowledged that there is no proof of Betsy's existence. Whether or not Betsy actually lived, this old legend makes a good story which adds a more personal touch to similar stories of our country's early years. Recommended. Barbara B. Feehrer, Educational Reviewer, Bedford, Massachusetts

Counry Road ABC

Country Road ABC: An Illustrated Journey Through America's Farmland by Arthur Geisert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Alphabet book with a theme of farm life and rural living. Wonderful illustrations. Gives students a chance to learn more about mid-west farm life and develop great vocabulary for letters;goes beyond A is for apple. A is for ammonia fertilizer, D is for disking. This will be a title to read again and again because there are layers and depths to discover with each reading. I enjoyed this one.


School Library Journal (April 1, 2010)
PreS-Gr 3-A storm is unleashed over a city on the title page. As the story progresses, the sky clears and readers travel with a school bus, trucks, and other vehicles into a rural landscape. Each spread is devoted to an uppercase letter, a corresponding word, and a small black-and-white rendering of a concept or object. The road-surrounded by unfolding, full-color scenes of farms, a firehouse, a bar, a diner, a church, a rural town on the Fourth of July, and other assorted places-continues to meander along the bottom of the pages. For those who aren't familiar with "ammonia fertilizer" (A) or "erosion" (E), a conversational glossary is provided. "X" marks a spot on Y's "County Road Y31"; the aerial view highlights the shape of the always-challenging letter nicely. While the alphabetic arrangement provides an organizational scheme and an informational resource, children will return to the illustrations to revel in Geisert's detailed etchings of farmers working and relaxing. The story spans the four seasons with touches of humor, solemnity, and of course, pigs a-plenty. Several scenes, rendered in strong, black silhouettes, lend an air of calm and contrast. Children may enjoy comparing the style and subject matter to Alice and Martin Provensen's Town and Country (Harcourt, 1994).-Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.

Seed, soil, sun : Earth's recipe for food

Seed, Soil, Sun by Cris Peterson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Could be used K-3



Beautiful! I really liked this book. It gives a wonderful interpretation of how things grow from seeds and give life to our planet. This would pair nicely with the title Living sunlight : how plants bring the earth to lifeLiving Sunlight: How Plants Bring The Earth To Life.




School Library Journal (November 1, 2010)
Gr 1-3-This introduction to how seeds become food is a standout in a widely covered field. Clearly written in simple language, the narrative is often poetic as the growth of seeds planted in soil, watered by rain, and powered by the sun is explained. The photographs throughout are crisp and vibrant. The close-ups are stunning, from the fragile-looking leaf breaking through impenetrable-looking dirt clods to the fuzzy hairs of brand-new leaves, backlit by the sun. The transformation of a corn seed that can be held between a child's fingers into a mature plant that the child needs to stand on a step ladder to reach is succinctly accomplished in one paragraph and three photographs. The partnership of farmers and seeds, soil and sun is highlighted in this accessible explanation of this agricultural cycle.-Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA (c) Copyright 2010.

Just One Bite

Just One Bite by Lola M. Schaefer

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The concept is good but I enjoyed Actual Size by Steven Jenkins better.



Actual Size



I was not fond of the art work in Just One Bite. Parts of it were oversized i.e.: frog,parrot while others were reduced in size. This would make it harder for kids who lack exposure to grasp size and concept. Another hurdle is it is so huge that it will be hard to shelve and hard for kids to handle. It will not fit into backpacks and desks easily.

School Library Journal (November 1, 2010)
PreS-Gr 1-Large, stylized illustrations present a variety of animals and what they can ingest in "just one bite." From a minuscule dot of decaying vegetable matter scooped up by an earthworm to the wriggly mass of a giant squid gripped in the jaw of a toothy sperm whale (quadruple gatefolds for this one), the book helps children to envision the eating habits of critters seen mostly on TV. The brief text repeats the octopus's request for "only the tender parts, please" as he scarfs down a crunchy crab, and a Komodo dragon remarking on the "tasty treat" of a snake-snack. Mouths and mouth parts are shown life-size, leaving (in most cases) the greater part of the head and generally the body out of the strongly delineated illustrations. This is problematic in the case of those species with which youngsters are not familiar. Notes at the back of the book proffer paragraphs about the featured creatures, so parents/teachers will have further fodder for curious young minds. Not in the realistic school of Teruyuki Komiya's photographic More Life-Size Zoo or his Life-Size Aquarium (both Seven Footer Kids, 2010), but attractive, colorful, and impressively big.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.

Wanted, the perfect pet

Wanted: The Perfect Pet by Fiona Roberton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Cute. Great Read Aloud. I think kids will like it. A heartwarming tale of friendship. Sparse line drawings.
Things I liked about the book: effort on duck's part to take charge and change things. Accepting something different, seeing good of an alternative, boy used and looked up resources and reference material to find facts about duck. Boy made an effort to help duck see he himself not as a lame substitute but perfect the way he is.

School Library Journal (July 1, 2010)
K-Gr 2-Henry is looking for the perfect pet. The ad he places in the classifieds reads, "must have waggy tail, floppy ears, soft wet nose and warm furry tongue." Duck lives alone on a cold, windy hill where no one calls, writes, or emails. After reading Henry's ad, he makes a clever doggy disguise and journeys off to meet the boy. Henry is delighted with his new "dog" until its nose, tail, and ears fall off in a game of chase. Then Henry does some research in his Enormous Book of Incredibly Interesting Things and is delighted with his new pet, especially after he makes a list of the duck's skills, including underwater swimming, flying, nest building, excellent at disguises, and "can talk...rare, but not unheard of." Declaring the bird the perfect pet, Henry names the now-happy duck Spot. Roberton's line drawings have a palette of mostly of black and white, gray, and touches of green and yellow. They are very effective in conveying mood, action, and humor. The amusing text is placed in and among the illustrations for a seamless partnership between the two. An excellent tale about not getting what you thought you wanted but loving it anyway.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
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Sleep Big Bear Sleep

Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep! by Maureen Wright

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Very funny read aloud. Bear is so tired he does not hear well and misinterprets the wind telling him to go to sleep.


School Library Journal (September 1, 2009)
PreS-Gr 1-It is getting cold and time for hibernation, so Old Man Winter says, "'Sleep, Big Bear, sleep.'/But Big Bear didn't hear very well.." Instead he mishears Old Man Winter and, in attempting to follow his directions, drives a jeep, sweeps a house, climbs a steep mountain, etc. Ultimately, Old Man Winter yells loudly enough for Big Bear to understand him, and the bear heads off to his den for a much-deserved rest. The text moves at a steady clip, and the refrain will encourage child participation. The fact that "sleep" seems unlikely to be mistaken for "climb a mountain steep" or "drive a jeep" probably won't bother the intended audience. The story reads aloud well, and the limited text and oversize illustrations will be effective in storytime. The artwork is the real star here, though. Hillenbrand imbues his characters with motion and personality; their growing exhaustion is evident in their drooping eyes, ears, and body, and their startled expressions when Old Man Winter yells could not be clearer. An above-average addition for libraries looking for more bear, hibernation, or winter stories to freshen up interactive storytimes.-Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.


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