Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist, Cute Creatures, and a Blog Series Not to Miss

This week’s nonfiction post is a little bit different. I am sharing a middle grade memoir, a picture book, and a blog post.

Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scouts to Rocket Scientist by Sylvia Acevedo (Clarion Books, September 4, 2018)

Acevedo shares her life with young readers in her new memoir. I remember a number of years ago when I was a principal and invited some scientists from JPL to come to my school. My student populations was significantly Latino and I asked if there were any Latinx scientists that could lead the presentation. I wanted my students to see themselves in the individuals talking about their work on the Mars Rover and sharing about rockets. It was a powerful moment for so many of my students. I am glad to have this memoir to share with students and to be able to share it in both English and Spanish.

Check out an interview NPR did with Sylvia Acevedo here.

Here is an interview on CBS This Morning with Acevedo.

Moving on from girl scouts and rocket scientists to cute creatures. Don’t miss Jess Keating’s newest book:

Cute As An Axolotl: Discovering the World’s Most Adorable Animals by Jess Keating and illustrated by David DeGrand (Knopf Books for Young Readers, August 28, 2018)

I love this series and I am plotting a literacy activity with students around the three books in the series.

Finally, if you haven’t been reading Melissa Stewart’s blog, Celebrate Science, then you are missing out on a fabulous resource.

Melissa recently unveiled her new series of posts that she is referring to as DIG DEEPER. Her first post was her own reflections on what inspired her latest book, Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers (Peachtree Publishers, September 1, 2018). This week, Barb Rosenstock share about the why behind her writing of biographies.

So, what nonfiction books or blogs are you reading?

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews….

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: First Generation by Sandra Neil Wallace & Rich Wallace

First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great
by Sandra Neil Wallace & Rich Wallace; Illustrated by Agata Nowicka
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 4, 2018)
Nonfiction * Biography * Immigrants
Audience: Ages 8 to 12
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: 
Celebrate the genius, diversity, and grit of immigrants and refugees in this boldly illustrated guide to 36 American trailblazers.
 
The men and women in this book represent nations from Somalia to Germany, from Syria to China, from Mexico to Sweden, and more. They are people like Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, international singing sensation Celia Cruz, star basketball player Dikembe Mutombo, world-renowned physicist Albert Einstein, and influential journalist Jorge Ramos. And they are all immigrants or refugees to the United States of America. Their courage, their achievements, and their determination to change the world have helped make our country a stronger place. Perhaps after reading their stories, you will be inspired to make the world a better place, too.

Quick thoughts about this book:
Before I start this review, I wanted to share a video that Sandra Neil Wallace posted on YouTube. The video shows Sandra opening up a package of First Generation books that arrived from Little, Brown. Her enthusiasm is wonderful and I thought it might make you smile like it did me.

If you go here, you can listen to an interview with Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace as they talk about First Generation. 

First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great is a timely and much needed book. In a time, when news is often filled with negative statements about immigrants and immigration reform, books can help open people's eyes about the amazing contributions of immigrants and hopefully change the way people view immigrants. 

In addition to helping bring awareness to the contributions that immigrants have made to the United States, biographical compilations such as First Generation can shine a light on individuals that are lesser known. As I did a quick survey to see which names I recognized and which ones were new to me, I realized that I had limited information about a third of the individuals. Often times, I get so excited about what I read about these individuals and then I seek out more to read. It is my hope that students will have the same reaction and find new people to admire and hold up as examples of what they can obtain in their own lives. 

First Generation is also a fabulous book for quick daily read alouds. Teachers can read about one person each day just before heading to lunch or coming back from lunch or just before dismissal at the end of the day. Readers can read this book in the order it is written or they can jump around and reach in their own order of interest. 

The format of First Generation includes the amazing artwork of Agata Nowicka paired with a one page biography on each of the individuals and on the bottom corner there are two to three fun facts. The end of the book includes an author note and an illustrator note, tips for being a trailblazer, resources for further information, and a selected biography. 

First Generation came out yesterday. Please go look for it at your local indie bookstore or community bookstore.

About the authors: Investigative journalists Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace are award-winning novelists and nonfiction authors. Sandra is a former news anchor and ESPN sportscaster. The daughter of a refugee, she became a US Citizen in 2016. Rich was a longtime senior editor at Highlights magazine. Both Sandra and Rich are members of the advisory council for the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Keene State College and are founding members of the Keene Immigrant and Refugee Partnership. They live in New Hampshire. 

About the illustrator: Agata Nowicka is an illustrator and comics artist. She spent her childhood drawing on everything with everything, including her mother's red lipstick on the staircase walls. She became an illustrator because she never wanted to stop drawing. Agata immigrated to the United States from Warsaw, Poland and now lives in New York City. 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews...

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: What Do You Do With a Voice Like That?

What Do You Do With A Voice Like That?
The Story of Extraordinary Congresswoman Barbara Jordan
by Chris Barton; Illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Beach Lane Books (September 25, 2018)
Nonfiction * Biography * Politics * Women's History
Audience: Grades 2 to 5
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
“When Barbara Jordan talked, we listened.” —Former President of the United States, Bill Clinton

Congresswoman Barbara Jordan had a big, bold, confident voice—and she knew how to use it! Learn all about her amazing career in this illuminating and inspiring picture book biography of the lawyer, educator, politician, and civil rights leader.

Even as a child growing up in the Fifth Ward of Houston, Texas, Barbara Jordan stood out for her big, bold, booming, crisp, clear, confident voice. It was a voice that made people sit up, stand up, and take notice.

So what do you do with a voice like that?

Barbara took her voice to places few African American women had been in the 1960s: first law school, then the Texas state senate, then up to the United States congress. Throughout her career, she persevered through adversity to give voice to the voiceless and to fight for civil rights, equality, and justice.

New York Times bestselling author Chris Barton and Caldecott Honoree Ekua Holmes deliver a remarkable picture book biography about a woman whose struggles and mission continue to inspire today.

Quick thoughts on the book:
As I read, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A VOICE LIKE THAT? THE STORY OF EXTRAORDINARY CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA JORDAN, I realized I had never heard her speak. I was too young when she was in Congress and in my small New England hometown, the activities of a Texas Congresswoman never made it to me. Of course, I went to youtube to see if I could find Jordan's July 25, 1974 Watergate Articles of Impeachment speech that Chris Barton references at the end of the book. 

Wow! We need more politicians like Jordan. Her speech is about 13 minutes long but it is worth listening to. 

Barbara Jordan grew up in Texas in a time when simply seeking to get an education was a challenge for a black woman, and becoming a lawyer could be near to impossible. And yet, she not only became a lawyer but with perseverance and hard work, she went on to become a Senator. Sadly, her challenges with her health forced her to leave the Senate and return home where she channeled her energy into teaching college students to use their voices. 

Jordan was a powerful force for good throughout her life and left an amazing legacy in how she changed people's lives. 

At the end, Barton includes an author's note, timeline, and suggestions for further reading. 

Ekua Holmes' artwork is absolutely stunning. The more I see of her work the more I am blown away. Holmes captures the spirit and emotions of Barbara Jordan's life and work on each page. 

Look for WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A VOICE LIKE THAT? THE STORY OF EXTRAORDINARY CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA JORDAN by Chris Barton and illustrated by Ekua Holmes in her local indie bookstore or community library when it comes out in September 2018. 

Artwork by Sarah S Brannan ©2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews...

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Cover Reveal: Power Up by Seth Fishman

Back in December 2017, I did a guest post with Seth Fishman about his book A HUNDRED BILLION TRILLION STARS. You know I really like a book when I keep including it on lists or through recommendations, blog posts, and in special posts about math and science books. 

So, when I was invited to do a cover reveal for Seth's upcoming book POWER UP: YOUR INCREDIBLE, SPECTACULAR, SUPERCHARGED BODY, I definitely said "yes". 

Here is what Seth has to say about his upcoming book:
"Power Up is a follow up to Isabel and my first picture book, A HUNDRED BILLION TRILLION STARS, but instead of looking at big numbers in the world all around us, the book turns inwards, to the amazing things our bodies can do, both literally and theoretically. For me, the book is just as much about empowerment as it is about fun facts, and I hope readers enjoy and gather as much inspiration as information when reading the pages." 

Are you ready to see the new book cover? Well here goes...

Power Up: Your Incredible, Spectacular, Supercharged Body
by Seth Fishman; Illustrated by Isabel Greenberg
Greenwillow Books
Nonfiction * Science & Nature * Biology
Pub date: March 19th, 2019
Preorder: IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Description of Power Up: "An exploration of the relationship between the human body and all the energy that it takes to make it go"--

Don't you love the new cover? I know that I am excited to see the final version of this book. Mark your calendar for March 19th or pre-order it on IndieBound or Amazon or Barnes & Noble. 

About the author: Seth Fishman is a native of Midland, Texas (think Friday Night Lights), and a graduate of Princeton University and the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. He spends his days as a literary agent at The Gernert Company and his nights (and mornings) writing. He is the author of two young adult books, THE WELL'S END and THE DARK WATER, and the picture book A HUNDRED BILLION TRILLION STARS, which won the Mathical Book Prize and was named a Boston Globe/Horn Book Award Honor.  He lives in LA with his wife and son. 

About the illustrator: Isabel Greenberg is a London-based illustrator and writer. She studied illustration at the University of Brighton and has done work for The Guardian, The National Trust, and The New York Times. Greenberg is the author and illustrator of two graphic novels for adults, The Encyclopedia of Early Earth, which won the Best Book category at the British Comic Awards, and The One Hundred Nights of Hero.

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews...

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Nothing Stopped Sophie

Nothing Stopped Sophie: The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain
by Cheryl Bardoe; Illustrated by Barbara McClintock
Little Brown and Company (June 12, 2018)
Audience: Grades 2 to 5
Nonfiction * Biography * Women * STEM
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: The true story of eighteenth-century mathematician Sophie Germain, who solved the unsolvable to achieve her dream.

When her parents took away her candles to keep their young daughter from studying math...nothing stopped Sophie. When a professor discovered that the homework sent to him under a male pen name came from a woman...nothing stopped Sophie. And when she tackled a math problem that male scholars said would be impossible to solve...still, nothing stopped Sophie.

For six years Sophie Germain used her love of math and her undeniable determination to test equations that would predict patterns of vibrations. She eventually became the first woman to win a grand prize from France's prestigious Academy of Sciences for her formula, which laid the groundwork for much of modern architecture (and can be seen in the book's illustrations).

Award-winning author Cheryl Bardoe's inspiring and poetic text is brought to life by acclaimed artist Barbara McClintock's intricate pen-and-ink, watercolor, and collage illustrations in this true story about a woman who let nothing stop her.

Quick thoughts about this book:
When I look back on my childhood, I sometimes feel completely deprived. Well deprived in terms of books. I wonder at times what my life would be like if I had been able to read more biographies about women both as a child and then a teen. I remember in high school stumbling across a dusty old biography on Elizabeth Cady Stanton and felt like I had discovered gold. In my tiny community library, I found what biographies I could about women. Mostly there were biographies about actresses or women athletes or women writers, but never about women scientists or mathematicians. I sometimes wonder if choices I made would have been different if I was exposed more to women in the science or math fields. 

These days, as I discover picture book biographies, on little known women scientist and mathematicians, I take a moment to appreciate that an author chose to shine a light on this extraordinary woman and all that she had to endure in order to pursue her passion and to do the work she was created to do. 

When I picked up Nothing Stopped Sophie, I was especially touched by her dedication, perseverance, and constant pursuit of her love of numbers and math. Bardoe works to bring Sophie alive on the pages of the book and to impress upon the reader what it was like for a woman in the 18th Century to pursue mathematics as a field of study. 

I was also moved by McClintock's illustrator note at the end and how she worked to incorporate numbers and other features to highlight the theory on vibrations. Through both text and illustrations, readers will grow to appreciate the brilliant thinking of Sophie Germain and how even years later, her work applies to things around us. 

Look for Nothing Stopped Sophie at your local indie bookstore or community library. 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews...