One Beetle Too Many: The Extraordinary Adventures of Charles Darwin by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Matthew Trueman

One Beetle Too Many: The Extraordinary Adventures of Charles Darwin by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Matthew Trueman

Reviewed by Laura Koenig (Bib-Laura-graphy)


Kathryn Lasky and Matthew Trueman's
One Beetle Too Many: The Extraordinary Adventures of Charles Darwin takes the reader along on Darwin's journey. The book begins in his youth, and as the text details his academic struggles in childhood and his contentious relationship with his father, children can see the young Darwin's curiosity and love of nature shining through on every page. Darwin's future as a naturalist is visible from the first illustration, where a young Charles trips across a room kicking up dirt and plants and drawings of beetles, surrounded by specimens and snails whose alien-like eyes peek out at him. And when kids read the accompanying text and learn the reason that his cheek is so bulged out - he's got a beetle inside his mouth for safekeeping - curious kids will be hooked.

The bulk of the book takes place during Darwin's voyage on the Beagle and his travels in South America. The narrative voice of the story lets young readers make discoveries and ask questions along with Darwin, with an explanation of each separate step that eventually leads to his theory of evolution. This technique keeps a tough concept clear and engaging for young audiences. The tension between Darwin's new theory and the established creationist theory is also cleverly framed to make it accessible for children. Lasky uses Fitzroy, the Captain of the Beagle, as a foil for Darwin. Their arguments serve both to move Darwin's discoveries forward, and also to give a concrete example of how his work would be received by the general population.

The text is full of small details that will grab the attention of young readers. In my personal favorite episode, Darwin discovers that the delicious meal he has been eating is in fact a rare example of a nearly extinct ostrich. He runs back to the kitchen to save the bones from the cook, and is able to put together a specimen that is instrumental to his work. And this is not the last time that Darwin accidentally eats an important specimen!

While Lasky's text is excellent, it is Matthew Trueman's art that makes this book a standout. The illustrations are densely layered and full of texture, with a level of detail that is extraordinary. The textures and layers use a large number of mediums, and as a read, I found myself wondering how exactly he had created his complicated scenes. In case anyone else is curious about the process, according to the artist, "the illustrations in this book started out as drawings created with acrylic inks, watercolor, and graphite pencil. I moved up the food chain to add gouache and colored pencil. After sealing the pictures with acrylic medium, I did my thicker acrylic painting, then fooled around a little more with graphite and colored pencil. Finally, I added the collage elements, including paper, string, and weeds and wildflowers from my yard and nearby ditches and fields." Trueman uses his mixed mediums to great effect, and the addition of pressed flowers and plants to his already delightful paintings is especially effective. The very real leaves and branches draw attention to the world of nature that was a focus of Darwin's work, especially in scenes that show his notebooks and workspaces. They also serve to make the cartoonish people and animals pop off the page. Trueman's people are constantly in motion, especially Darwin himself, and their action draws the eye immediately. Darwin ages over the course of the book, and I was delighted by the changes to his hair on almost every page.

This book is a treat for curious young scientists, or for anyone who wonders about the world around them.



More info:

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (January 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076361436X
• ISBN-13: 978-0763614362
• Source: F&G from publisher
  

Phenomena: Secrets of the Senses by Donna M. Jackson

Phenomena: Secrets of the Senses by Donna M. Jackson
Review by: Marlies

Before your next social gathering, do yourself a favor and read Donna M. Jackson’s Phenomena: Secrets of the Senses. When there’s a lull in the conversation, skip celebrity gossip and start a debate about whether animals can predict earthquakes. If you’re really brave, discuss fortune tellers and UFOs. By reading Phenomena: Secrets of the Senses, you’ll have something intelligent to say on a broad range of topics related to the senses.

Children and teenagers who read this book will realize that science is more about questions than it is about answers. And these questions stem from a need to help real people.

For instance, Cheryl Schiltz had a bad reaction to antibiotics and lost her sense of balance. She participated in a research study and was able to test a stamp-sized Tongue Display Unit that contained 144 electrodes. The impulses carried sensory information to her brain and buzzed Cheryl’s tongue when she drifted to the left or right, backwards or forwards. Adapting to the buzzes, she learned how to regain balance.

The book debunks myths, but it also raises possibilities. After reading it, your children might reconsider science as a career path. They’ll see that although scientists have learned a lot, there is much left for them to discover.
More Info:

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316166499
• ISBN-13: 978-0316166492
• Source: Review copy from publisher
  

Head over to Picture Book of the Day for more Nonfiction Monday selections.

Ain’t Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson with Marc Aronson

Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson with Marc Aronson

• A Cybils Nonfiction Middle Grade/Young Adult nominee
• Winner of 2008 Aesop Prize presented by the American Folklore Society
  

Check out more Nonfiction Monday selections at Picture Book of the Day.

“John Henry told the Captain,
‘A man ain’t nothing but a man,
Before I let your steam drill beat me down,
I’ll die with a hammer in my hand.’”

Was the John Henry of this legendary song a real person? Did he really compete with a steam drill, and did he die doing so?

Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry is historian Scott Reynolds Nelson’s story about his years-long search to find the answers to these questions and more.

Professor Nelson didn’t start out looking for John Henry. Instead, his initial search was to discover more about the 40,000 or so African-American men who laid railroad tracks throughout the South in the 19th century. There is virtually no information written about them, especially given the fact very few of the workers knew how to write. So, Nelson turned to songs as a means to help him learn more about this important yet missing page in our history. The one song he used as his main piece of evidence was the song about John Henry, a song that would set his research on a more focused path to discovering the real John Henry.
This is a fascinating and gripping book that forbids you to put it down until the very end. What is most captivating is the method in which Nelson presents the information—he’s a detective of the past, using clues to find answers about a person immortalized in a song.

Like any detective, some of his leads turn into dead-ends, but one day as he was sitting at his computer, looking at a scanned postcard that he had seen many times before, he found a clue that would eventually lead him to an amazing and heartbreaking discovery and helped him uncover the secret message the railroad workers worked into John Henry’s song.
The book is scattered with photographs, art, and drawings from the past that paint visuals of the people Nelson spent years searching for, and a section by Marc Aronson in the appendix tells readers, “How to be a Historian.” The appendix also includes information about Professor Nelson’s sources, suggestions for further reading, links to different versions of the song online, and more.

This is a book that I think would interest readers from ages 9 to 99, and it truly shows that history can be fun. Much more than memorizing dates and places and names, history can uncover amazing secrets of the past and take you on different journeys.

This is a must-have in any home, school, or public library, and I’m putting Nelson’s book for adults on the same topic at the top of my must-read list: Steel Drivin' Man: John Henry, the Untold Story of an American Legend.






What Other Bloggers are Saying:

BooksForKidsBlog: "Nelson's account is a fascinating detective story which gives young people a different view of history and the work of doing history." (read more...)

Carol's Corner: "It's a fascinating journey and one that I think kids would absolutely love. " (read more...)

Bookends: "This is the kind of nonfiction that inspires and motivates and is fun too!" (read more...)


More info:

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books (December 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 142630000X
• ISBN-13: 978-1426300004
• Source: Review Copy from Publisher
  

Nonfiction Monday: Lang Lang: Playing with Flying Keys

Lang Lang: Playing with Flying Keys by Lang Lang with Michael French

Reviewed by Erica Moore

Lang Lang has been named one of the top 20 teens who will change the world. He played the opening concert for the World Cup 2006 Munich. In 2008 he played at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. He is a rare star in the classical music and more with his work as an ambassador for UNICEF. Lang Lang has fan clubs and a shoe with Adidas.

His story starts at the beginning with his earliest memories of family and the piano. He remembers sitting at the piano at 2 years of age and practicing the piano by age 3. By the age of 5 he wins his first piano competition against much older students. Lang Lang seldom watches tv, plays with friends or with toys although he loves transformers. He practices the piano for hours every day. When it becomes clear Lang Lang is a musical prodigy his father takes him to live in Beijing and audition for a prestigious music academy. This takes Lang Lang away from his mother as she stays behind to work and support the family. He is only 8 when he goes to Beijing and 10 when he wins a scholarship placement at the music academy.

Lang Lang’s story is amazing and sad as he recalls his childhood and his relationship with his father in a very factual way. Lang Lang misses his mother greatly and goes years without seeing her so that he may further his piano career. His father seems only to care about Lang Lang winning first place in competitions. Lang Lang has music to comfort him and seems to escape his life in his practicing. Lang Lang doesn’t come across as bitter and makes an attempt to explain the Chinese culture of competition and his father’s temperament which seems abusive to my western viewpoint.

Lang Lang recently visited my home town of Portland, Oregon and his performance made the front page. I unfortunately didn’t see him perform but after reading his story I will definitely make an effort.

This is an engaging autobiography about someone who accomplishes amazing things in their early teens. I was moved by this book. I think teens will be hooked reading about someone living so completely different. They will be shocked and angry about the things that happen to Lang Lang but all the drama and triumph is what makes this a compelling story. There is a map, timelines, vital stats and fun facts about Lang Lang, and a glossary to help round out any paper on a famous person.

What Other Bloggers Are Saying:

I.N.K.: "Along the way, readers will absorb a considerable amount about China, its history and culture, as well as the power of all kinds of music, particularly classical." (read more...)

More Information:

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (July 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385735782
• ISBN-13: 978-0385735780
• Source: Publisher Review Copy
  

Listen to some samples of Lang Lang's music here.

Stop by Anastasia Suen's Picture Book of the Day for more Nonfiction Monday delights.

Lady Liberty: A Biography by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Matt Tavares

Lady Liberty: A Biography by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Matt Tavares
Age Range: 8-12
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Candlewick (May 13, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0763625302
ISBN-13: 978-0763625306
Source of book: Proof from publisher



Lady Liberty: A Biography written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Matt Tavares is an absolutely stunning account of the building of the statue, from concept to creation. The story is told in lyrical vignettes from the point of view of many involved in the statue's creation, including:

• Edouard de Labolulaye who came up with the concept
• Sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, structural engineer Gustave Eiffel
• Poet Emma Lazarus whose words, "give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." have given hope to so many
• And more

The book begins with a vignette by Doreen Rappaport, telling her grandfather's story as he fled Lativa and arrived in the United States. She imagines what it was like as his ship approached New York:

"Then early one morning, shouts of
'The Lady! The Lady!' awakened him.
He raced up to the deck.
The ship was pulling into New York,
and there was Lady Liberty greeting them all.

Arms reached out as if to caress her.
People lifted babies so they could see her.
Tears ran down by grandfather's face.
People around him were crying, too.
And then a wave of cheering and hugging
swept over the ship. "

The book then moves back to 1865 in a French parlor. Edouard de Laboulaye shares his dream of giving a monument to America in celebration of her 100 years of independence. Auguste Bartholdi is in the room, and the next vignette belongs to him. We see his studio, working on a clay sculpture of a lady draped in robes holding a torch. Bartholdi reveals the location he has chosen for the statue and compares it to the wonder of the Great Pyramid of Egypt, Zeus at Olympia, and more. The book continues through the 20 years it took to build the statue and ends with Doreen Rappaport sharing quotes from those who arrived in New York and saw the magnificent Lady Liberty for the first time.



A final section in the back of the book lists the statue's astounding dimensions, a time line of important events, notes from both the author and illustrator, and sources where readers can get more information about Lady Liberty.

This powerful story is enhanced by absolutely stunning lifelike illustrations. I kept forgetting that I was looking at illustrations and not actual photographs. Rendered in watercolor, ink, and pencil, Tavares' highly detailed illustrations feature deep, rich tones that take you back to the past. A fold out spread near the end of the books shows the stunning lady in all her glory as she is revealed to the world.

I cannot recommend this book enough to social studies teachers, to parents, to children who want a new perspective on the story of one of the most powerful ladies in the world.

A Teacher's Guide is available for download from Candlewick's website.

What Other Bloggers Are Saying:

The Reading Zone: "A stunning book, I can’t wait to share this with my classes!" (Read more...)

Becky's Book Reviews: "Lady Liberty is both beautifully written and beautifully illustrated. Though I must admit it was the illustrations that first caught my eye. I love Tavares' style. The colors. The tones. There's just something so rich, so expressive. It works for me really really well." (Read more...)

Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast: "An impressive biography, showing how the visions and hopes and sweat of many—including many immigrants to the States—gave birth to one of the world’s most iconic statues." (read more...)




Get more great nonfiction recommendations at Picture Book of the Day!

Pompeii: Unearthing Ancient Worlds by Liz Sonneborn

Pompeii: Unearthing Ancient Worlds by Liz Sonneborn

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Library Binding: 80 pages
Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books (CT) (December 15, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0822575051
ISBN-13: 978-0822575054
Source: Review copy from publisher


This week's nonfiction selection is part of the new "Unearthing Ancient Worlds" series.

In 79 A.D. Mt. Vesuvius erupted destroying three cities in the Ancient Roman Empire: Naples, Herculaneum, and the most famous of the three, Pompeii.

In 1738, a farmer was digging a well near the town of Resina and dug up marble objects from the ground. Charles of Bourbon, the son of the king of Spain, heard of these finds and sent a member of his army, Joachin de Alcubierre to Resina to find out more about these objects. Pompeii: Unearthing Ancient Worlds details Alcubierre's discovery and excavation of Herculaneum and later of Pompeii.

Through full-color photographs and a detailed and engaging narrative, the book describes many of the treasures that were found as well as the things that went wrong with the excavation under Alcubierre's command. His lack of knowledge of proper excavation techniques, unfamiliarity with art, and desire to win favor with the king resulted in a rushed job, hazardous working conditions, and overlooked artifacts. After decades of backbreaking work and various setbacks, Alcubierre and his crew managed to unearth an abundance of priceless artifacts.

Readers can see many of the treasures that were unearthed, including beautiful frescoes, marble statues, mosaic floors, paved streets, and public fountains. Maps, a time line, a pronunciation guide, a glossary, and a "Who's Who" section in the back of the book add to the richness of the narrative and give readers a wealth of information about these ancient cities buried under the ash. There's even a list of books and online resources where readers can go to find more information.

This would make an excellent resource for lessons about Ancient Rome, archeology, Pompeii, art, volcanic eruptions, and more. Kids who are interested in any of these subjects will find the content easily digestible and the photos and illustrations interesting.

I'm eager to read the other books in the series:




Emperor Qin's Terra Cotta Army by Michael Capek

From the publisher: "A dead emperor guarded by his army for 2,000 years… One day in 1974, a group of farmers in rural China found a life-size clay statue of a man’s head buried deep in a field. When government archaeologists inspected the area, they discovered that beneath the ground were more than eight thousand life-size clay soldiers, each one with a unique face. In nearby chambers, they unearthed clay horses, carefully preserved swords, bronze statues, and other astonishing things." (Read more...)


Palenque by Deborah Kops

From the publisher: "Mysterious ancient ruins, hidden deep in the jungle of southern Mexico… In May 1840, explorers John Stephens and Frederick Catherwood road their mules along a steep, muddy jungle path. They were hoping to find the ruins of an ancient, deserted site in Mexico they knew only from visitors’ accounts. Through the trees, they spied the remains of a crumbling stone palace. Palenque!" (read more...)



The Tomb of King Tutankhamen by Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods

From the publisher: "A royal treasure buried for 3,000 years … On November 4, 1922, a British archaeologist named Howard Carter unearthed a buried staircase in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. At the bottom of the staircase was a door bearing the name Tutankhamen..." (read more...)






What Other Bloggers are Saying:

A Patchwork of Books: (on the series) "These are great books for visual learning, as well as text reading. They are written in a very flowing manner, rather than dry like a lot of non-fiction books, and read almost like a story. The photographs and paintings depicted in the books are amazing and the huge amount of facts offered is astounding." (read more...)


If you've reviewed any books in the Unearthing Ancient Worlds Series, leave a comment with the link, and I'll post it here.