WEDNESDAY WARS by Gary D. Schmidt

Jacket Art by Jonathan Gray 2007

The year is 1967, and Holling Hoodhood is a seventh grader at Camillo Junior High in a New York suburb.  Holling has to spend every Wednesday with Mrs. Baker, while others have religious classes.  Holling is absolutely sure that Mrs. Baker hates him because she is making him read the plays of Shakespeare.  But, there are much bigger things to worry about, such as the Vietnam War and the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy.  His father is insistent that Holling and his sister be on their best behavior, as the success of his father's architecture business depends on it.  Gary D. Schmidt tells a fabulous tale of Holling's troubles of growing up as a pre-teen in the 60s, with bullies, his sister turning into a flower child, and tights for a costume!

Even though Holling, the main character, is a child of the 60s, todays children will relate to him.  Holling has the same troubles that todays preteens have, such as first crushes, noninvolved parents, and bullies.  Through this story, we see the view point of preteens during the Vietnam War: practicing air raid drills and the beginning of segregation.  True to these times, the reader sees adults and children being rude to others not like them, and a neighborhood separated because of religious beliefs and backgrounds.  Readers will fall in love with Holling, as he tries hard to please others while, at the same time, he tries to find his true self.

Schmidt does a wonderful job of capturing the characters feelings during this time of war.  The reader experiences numerous emotions from the characters as they are forced to have drills for air raids and learn of missing soldiers.  Schmidt also portrays the struggles between adults and teenagers during this time in history with so much change happening.

Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday Wars. New York: Clarion Books, 2007.  ISBN  9780618724833

Awards for The Wednesday Wars

2008 Newberry Honor Book

2008 ALA Notable Childrens Books

2008 ALA Best Book for Young Adults

Reviews for The Wednesday Wars

"Schmidt has a way of getting to the emotional heart of every scene without overstatement, allowing the reader and Holling to understand the great truths swirling around them on their own terms…another virtuoso turn…”
 — Kirkus

[A] quietly powerful coming-of-age novel. . . . [Schmidt] offers a gentle, hopeful, moving story of a boy who, with the right help, learns to stretch beyond the limitations of his family, his violent times, and his fear, and leap into his future with his eyes and his heart wide open.”
 — Booklist

More Books by Gary D. Schmidt

What Came From the Stars. New York: Clarion Books, 2012.  ISBN  978054761213

Okay for Now. New York: Clarion Books, 2011.  ISBN  9780544022805

Trouble.  New York: Clarion Books, 2008.  ISBN  9780547331331

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. New York: Clarion Books, 2004.  ISBN 9780618439294

More Historical Fiction set in the 1960s

Wiles, Deborah.  Countdown. Scholastic, 2010.  ISBN 9780545106054

Gantos, Jack. Dead End in Norvelt. MacMillan Publishers, 2012. ISBN  978-374379933 

Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer. Harper Collins, 2010 ISBN  9780060760885

QUEST FOR THE TREE KANGAROO by Sy Montgomery

Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: an Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea, written by Sy Montgomery and photographs by Mic Bishop, is a photo essay book telling about a scientist's journey in to the forest in search of a rare tree kangaroo.  "It looks like a bear, but it isn't one.  It climbs trees as easily as a monkey -- but it isn't a monkey" (Montgomery 2006).  A scientist, Lisa Dabek, has been searching for the tree kangaroo and cannot wait to see this rare animal up close.  Sy Montgomery takes us on Lisa's journey, and through the text the reader feels as though they are in the forest of New Guinea with the scientist.  To reach the remote utopia, they must climb steep mountains, cross shaky bridges, and fight off swarms of bugs and leeches.  To the scientist searching for the tree kangaroo, it is all worth the expedition once they reach the "cloud forest".  With her team working together, they accomplish their goal and find new information that will help the quest to save the rare tree kangaroo. 

Montgomery, Sy. Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: an Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea. photographs by Nic Bishop. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006. ISBN 0618496416


The photographer, Nic Bishop, teams up with the scientists and Sy Montgomery to capture the story that is recounted throughout the text of the book.  Bishop's exquisite photographs depict the tree kangaroo's magical habitat.  Close-ups of animals, birds, and foliage show the reader the beauty of the Earth, as well as the hard working scientists from around the world working together for a common goal.  Each page holds a full color photograph recounting the story that Montgomery shares.

photo by Nic Bishop

One of the most fascinating aspects of this photo essay is that the author takes the journey alongside the scientists and records the story, making this a very accurate informational text.  Montgomery includes websites that the reader can search to find zoos in the U.S that have a tree kangaroo you can visit.  Also included are sources to find out more information about the tree kangaroo.  

The book is organized in sequence, beginning with background information of the scientist, Lisa Dabek, and moving along to the journey.  Each page has a story to tell, along with astounding photographs that show every step of the quest.  Subheadings are in bold and stand-out colors to distinguish the subject of sections.  This informational book reveals the author's passion for her subject and tells an inspiring message for young scientists.  After reading this book, children will be anxious to learn more about the tree kangaroo and other animals living in the cloud forest.

Awards 

Sibert Honor 2007

John Burrows Young Reader Award

Orbis Picture Award for nonfiction

Booklist Editor's Choice 2006

Henry Burgh Children's Book Award

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year 2006

Junior Library Guild Selection

Reviews for Quest for the Tree Kangaroo

"A treat, even for arachnophobes."  ~School Library Journal

"Another stellar excursion into the world of working scientists." ~ Kirkus Reviews

"The excitement of science in action fills the pages of this book." ~ School Library Journal

"Excellent and imaginative." ~ The Bulletin

Other books by Sy Montgomery and photographed by Nic Bishop

The Tarantula Scientist. Houghton Mifflin, 2004.  ISBN: 06818915774

The Snake Scientist.  Houghton Mifflin, 1999.  ISBN:  0618111190

Classroom Activities and Connections

Students can choose another animal from the Cloud Forest they are interested in to research.

Your class can correspond with kids in Papua New Guinea by joining the International Bug Club network.  www.zoo.org

Have students write a journal for five days, such as the author did.  Then students can turn this into an interesting story.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? by Barbara Kerley

What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her Father Teddy CRAZY! is a picture book biography written by Barbara Kerley and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham about the life of Alice Roosevelt, President Roosevelt's daughter.  

"I can be President of the United States, or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly do both."   ~Theodore Roosevelt   

"Theodore Roosevelt had a small problem" (Kerley 2008).  The problem was not the numerous political positions he had, but the problem's name was Alice.  Alice Lee Roosevelt was the daughter of Theodore Roosevelt, and her mother passed away two days after she was born, leaving Teddy a single father with a handful of a child.  Teddy did remarry, but Alice remained a riot, "hungry to go places, meet people, do things" (Kerley 2008).  This humorous biography tells of the shenanigans that Alice got into: owning a pet snake, playing pranks on visitors, and turning every new experience into an adventure.  Even though the biography depicts Alice as a naughty child, it shows her strength and determination to succeed in a time that most women could not.  Alice became a world traveler, advisor, and respected and loved person by many people around the world.  This book is a must for your biography collection.

Kerley, Barbara. What To Do About Alice? Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008.  ISBN  9780439922319.




In his debut picture book, Edwin Fotheringham illustrates the book adding depth and humor to the text.  The illustrations are done in digital media and appear cartoon like.  Even the newspaper articles are illustrated, which will appeal to the younger reader that this book is intended for.  Fotheringham does a fantastic job of illustrating Alice as an adventurous person always looking for fun, with her hair a mess in some pictures and sliding down the stairs on another page.



On the final pages of the book you will find "Author's Notes" that provide more information into Alice Roosevelt's life.  Barbara Kerley includes a bibliography citing her sources used and sources her quotes included throughout the book are used, giving the reader certainty that the facts from the book are accurate.  Barbara Kerley also gives thanks to Carol Felsenthal, the author of several biographies, for fact checking her text.

The design and style of the book are both energetic, as was Alice Roosevelt.  The picture book style of the book will appeal to young readers, as well as encourage them to read more biographies.  Through the text, you can perceive that Barbara Kerley was fascinated with Alice Roosevelt's life, and the reader will be equally fascinated.

Awards for What To Do About Alice?

• Sibert Honor Book
• ALA Notable Book
• Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
• Irma Black Award Honor Book
• Parents Choice Award
• Best Books of the Year -- Publishers Weekly
• Best Books of the Year -- School Library Journal
• Best Books of the Year -- Kirkus Reviews

Reviews for What To Do About Alice?

"It's hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject than this high energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt."   ~ Publisher's Weekly

"Superb!" ~ Kirkus Reviews

Connections

After reading What To Do About Alice?, teachers might also want to read a biography of Theodore Roosevelt.  Students can compare and contrast Alice and Teddy Roosevelt using a mind map or Venn Diagram.  

After reading the biography, teachers can point out the bold words and phrases in quotations throughout the book, such as: "ate up the world", "picnic on the beach", "she gamboled through the park... pretending to be a fiery horse", and "she read voraciously and drank up Father's tales".  With the class, discuss a few of the idioms used and together or with partners, have students decide on the theme of the book.  Example answers for the theme would be: enjoy life, have a zest for life, or lead an exciting life. 

Teachers and librarians can share the information on the author's website to help children in writing their own biography.  

Other biographies by Barbara Kerley

The Extraordinary Mark Twain. Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. Scholastic Press, 2010  ISBN:  05451215081

A Home for Mr. Emerson. Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. Scholastic Press, 2014.  ISBN: 0545350883

Walt Whitman: Words for America.  Illustrated by Brian Selznick. Scholastic Press, 2004.  ISBN: 0439357918

Those Rebels, John & Tom. Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. Scholastic Press, 2012.  ISBN: 0545222680

Read more about Barbara Kerley, her books, and ways to use them in classrooms or school libraries.

SEYMOUR SIMON'S BOOK OF TRAINS

Simon, Seymour. Seymour Simon's Book of Trains. Singapore: Harper Collins Publishers, 2002. ISBN 0060284757

Seymour Simon's Book of Trains is a photo essay informational book with beautiful full color photographs.  In this photo essay, Seymour Simon explores various types of trains, train parts, and their uses.  He begins taking the reader back in time to when the train was invented: "About two hundred years ago, people and then horses were used to pull trains" (Simon, 2002).  From steam trains, electric trains, and steam locomotives to freight trains, boxcars, and gondolas, this photo essay is stocked full of information.  Each page includes an eye catching full color photograph, some full shot and others close up, showing details and the beauty of each train described.  

The book is organized in a very clear sequence, beginning with the history of the train and then moving toward present day trains and transportation.  Each page has a subheading that stands out with a different type font, different color, and bolder than the text on the page.  The subheadings will help the younger reader, which the book is intended for, pick and choose the information he or she needs.  I was a little disappointed to not see a table of contents, but the subheadings on the page do prove to be helpful.  

The appearance of the book is very attractive and young readers will be in awe of the photographs depicting the various types of trains and their cars.  The style of the book is very well done and appealing to the younger audience.  Simon uses appropriate vocabulary for the audience, but does not use such simple words that the child does not learn new vocabulary.  As you read through all the amazing train facts in the book, you can perceive that Seymour Simon is passionate about trains.  

The photographs used throughout the book are credited on page 2.

About the Author:

Seymour Simon is the author over 200 nonfiction books written for young people.  He is a well respected author who has won numerous awards, and he even has a day named after him in Houston Texas.  June 29th is "Seymour Simon Day".  You can visit him on the web at www.seymoursimon.com .

Reviews for Seymour Simon's Book of Trains

"Even preschoolers will be drawn in by the large, abundant photographs. Another winner from a popular author."

~School Library Journal

 "Simon captures the combination of technology and romantic adventure that gives these machines their enduring appeal."

 ~ALA Booklist

 "Young trainiacs rejoice…Big machinery has never looked better."

~Kirklist Reviews

Click here to read what a 7 year old says about Seymour Simon's book, Extreme Ocean (2013).

Awards for Seymour Simon

Seymour Simon has won four lifetime achievement awards, along with numerous awards for his individual books.  

•    The New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature

•    The Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library

•    The Eva L. Gordon Award, presented by the American Nature Society, for his contribution to children's science literature

•    The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction for the body of his work

•    Lifetime Achievement Award in Science Literature from Children from American Association for the Advancement of Science

•    Kansas Reading Association 2001 Picture Book Award

•    1992 National Forum on Children's Science Books Lifetime Achievement Commendation

•    New York Time's One of the Years Best Illustrated Children's Books, Certificate of Excellence

More Books By Seymour Simon

Bridges. Chronicle Books, 2012.  ISBN:  1587172649

Cool Cars. Scholastic, 2003.  ISBN: 0439560969

Giant Machines. SeeStar, 2002.  ISBN: 1587171279

Coral Reefs.  Harper Collins, 2013.  ISBN: 0061914967

*Information about the author from the author's website, www.seymoursimon.com.