Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: The Great White Shark Scientist

The Great White Shark Scientist (Scientists in the Field)
by Sy Montgomery; Photographs by Keith Ellenbogen
HMH Books for Young Readers (June 7, 2016)
Audience: Grades 5 to 7
Nonfiction * Animals * Marine Life
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:  
Dr. Greg Skomal, biologist and head of the Massachusetts Shark Research Program, is investigating a controversial possibility: Might Cape Cod’s waters serve as a breeding ground for the great white shark, the largest and most feared predatory fish on Earth?  Sy Montgomery and Keith Ellenbogen report on this thrilling turning point in marine research and travel to Guadeloupe, Mexico, to get up close and personal with the sharks. This daring expedition into the realm of great whites shows readers that in order to save the planet and its creatures, we must embrace our humanity and face our greatest fears. 

My thoughts on the book:
One of my favorite nonfiction series is the Scientists in the Field series. There are currently over forty books in the series on a range of topics. I have to admit that I am a bit partial to the marine life books in the series. Last year, Sy Montgomery had The Octopus Scientists book which I fell in love with. Her current book is still connected to the ocean, The Great White Shark Scientist. 

Here is a video of Sy Montgomery talking about her newest book and some of her older ones:

In typical fashion of the Scientist in the Field series, the book focuses on a particular scientist. In this case, Greg Skomal, a great white shark biologist, takes center stage. Another focus of the book is on the importance of understanding the needs of the great whites and their importance to understanding the needs of the ocean. 

Montgomery takes readers into the lives of the biologists studying great whites but also into the lives of individual sharks who have names, personalities, and are tagged and followed through a site like Ocearch.org (see below). 

Montgomery begins the story of great whites on the coast off of Massachusetts, but takes readers on a trip to Guadalupe Island off of the coast of Mexico. Here, readers experience what it is like to go down in a cage to get a more close up look at the great whites. For young readers who love sharks, this book provides them with great information to better understand these incredible creatures. For others, who are new to sharks, the stories and information will draw them in.

At the end of the book, Montgomery includes a variety of resources including information on being "Shark Smart", Shark Maps, bibliography, web resources, and index. One of the resources Ocearch provides real-time telemetry. 

For more about the Scientists in the Field Series, click here.

Look for Sy Montgomery's newest book, The Great White Shark, at your local indie bookstore or public library.

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Ada's Violin

Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay
by Susan Hood; Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport
Simon & Schuster (May 3, 2016)
Nonfiction * Music * Multicultural * Recycling
Audience: Grades 2 to 5
ink to the book in Spanish

About the book: 
From award-winning author Susan Hood and illustrator Sally Wern Comport comes the extraordinary true tale of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay, an orchestra made up of children playing instruments built from recycled trash.

Ada Ríos grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option...until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash. It was a crazy idea, but one that would leave Ada—and her town—forever changed. Now, the Recycled Orchestra plays venues around the world, spreading their message of hope and innovation.

Today, I am excited to welcome author, Susan Hood to Kid Lit Frenzy to talk about her new book, Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay. 

Video of The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura:

After reading Ada's Violin, I had to go on-line and see one of the videos about the
Recycled Orchestra. What led you to write Ada's story and were you able to see the Orchestra perform live?

Editor Christian Trimmer at Simon and Schuster deserves all the credit for the idea. He
saw Bob Simon’s profile of the Orchestra on 60 Minutes and thought it would make an
amazing picture book. He called my agent and asked if she could suggest an author. She recommended me and I’m forever grateful that she did.

I have not yet seen the Orchestra live, but trying to find a way to bring them to the Northeast is among my fondest hopes.

Several years ago, I was working with a group of children and doing an extension activity for a book we had read. The main character liked to recycle and she also played the tuba. For our activity, we created instruments from recycled materials. Of course our instruments were not truly playable. I can't imagine creating actual, functioning instruments. What did you learn about these individuals who create the instruments?

It’s astonishing, isn’t it? I think we’ve all made those shoebox/rubber band guitars and cardboard tube kazoos, but imagine playing Mozart on them! It all started when Favio Chávez remembered a favorite Argentine band called Les Luthiers, famous for its home-made musical instruments. Chávez shared the idea with some of the gancheros on the landfill, particularly a quiet, ingenious carpenter named Nicolás “Cola” Gómez. Gómez never imagined making instruments like these, but he discovered a few broken instruments in the trash and fiddled around with ways to fix them. For example, he found a drum with a big hole through the middle and repaired it with an X-ray film. Gómez and another man named Tito Romero made flutes from drain pipes, cellos from oil drums, and violins from baking pans, tinkering around with the sounds. Chávez and later the kids helped the builders tune the instruments.

In writing this story, what was most inspiring or even life changing for you?  As you have shared Ada's story with students, what kind of reception has it received?

Writing this book was life-changing. I try not to take things for granted, but let’s face it. I have clean running water and electricity at the flick of a wrist. There’s green grass outside my door. It sounds ridiculous to say, but my family and I don’t think twice about phone service, air-conditioned transportation, police, firefighters, public schools, and garbage collection. Or something as simple and life-changing as shoes. It was shocking to realize that 20,000 people live on a garbage dump, with kids running barefoot in toxic chemicals and polluted waters, while their parents make the equivalent of $2 a day working 14 hour-days in 100-degree heat. (And it’s even more shocking to realize that this is not an isolated case. The more research I did I found that people live on garbage dumps all over the world—in Mexico, India, the Philippines, and on and on.)

It gets worse. The people of Cateura face a natural disaster every year when the river that runs through the town floods, causing hundreds of families to evacuate their tin shacks. What was a mountain of garbage becomes floating garbage. And yet, despite ALL of this, these people remain hopeful and dedicated to the art of making music for the world. Their story was inspiring in another way. I’ve always been an advocate of the arts, but their story vividly demonstrates the POWER of the arts. Music gave these aimless, forsaken kids with a sad past, a dangerous present, and a bleak future something to focus on, to strive toward, to hope for. For many, it was the only beauty in their lives. And now, it is a source of great pride that is helping to rebuild their lives and their community. Sharing their story has been a huge privilege. Kids are dumbfounded and adults are often teary. As am I!

Do you play an instrument? And if you could play a recycled instrument, which one would you want to play?

I used to play a little piano as a child, but since I’ve loved listening to my daughter play flute, I think I’d like to try that.

You currently have a number of books coming out this summer and fall. Any other projects in the works that you can talk about and do you plan to do any further nonfiction titles?

Yes, 2016 is a busy year! Matthew Cordell and I just published a companion book to ROOTING FOR YOU called LEAPS AND BOUNCE with Hyperion. It’s a rhyming celebration of growing up with a little nonfiction about frog metamorphosis woven inside.

In July, Mary Lundquist and I are publishing a sequel to MISSION: New Baby called MISSION: Back to School with Random House. Both books are set up as top-secret information manuals for kids setting off on new missions, like having a new sibling or starting school.

In November, HarperCollins is publishing THE FIX-IT MAN, about a little boy who loves to build, tinker, and invent Rube Goldberg machines with his sister. Illustrated by Arree Chung, it’s all about creative problem-solving.

I have two firsts coming up in 2017—my first picture book with Candlewick (more about that later) and my first middle-grade book called LIFEBOAT 12, a historical novel based on true events. It will be published by my ADA’S VIOLIN editor at Simon and Schuster.

I spent several weeks last summer in England researching the book at the National Archives, the British Library, and the National Maritime Museum. I find that I LOVE doing research and look forward to doing many more nonfiction books.

Can you describe your writing process? Do you have any place that you prefer to write in? 

I don’t necessarily write every day, but I think about my books all the time—on walks and bike rides, out gardening, in the middle of the night. My husband is a teacher and gets up at 5:30 am; I get some of my best ideas in that pre-dawn hour when I’m half asleep. Once I get an idea, I write like a maniac and can go hours without stop. I like to write wherever I can sit in the sun and look out the window—at my kitchen counter, in our little library/den or in the summer on our screened porch. I save every revision (by date) and share my stories with a critique group I’ve been with since 2009.

What is your favorite indie bookstore, where is it and why do you like it?

The Dinosaur’s Paw in Newtown, CT; R. J. Julia in Madison, CT; The Hickory Stick Bookshop in Washington Depot, CT; and Books of Wonder in New York City. I love Indie bookstores for the depth of knowledge and level of service they offer readers and for the support and community they offer authors and illustrators. They are my people!

Thank you Susan for stopping by and sharing about such a powerful story. If you are interested in ADA'S VIOLIN, enter the rafflecopter below to win a copy in English or Spanish. Winner must have a US mailing address and be 13 years old or older. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews?

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Check These Books Out

OWLS! Strange and Wonderful
by Laurence Pringle; Illustrated by Meryl Henderson
Boyds Mills Press (March 16, 2016)
Nonfiction * Animals * Birds
Audience: Grades 2 to 4
Indiebound | Worldcat
Educator's Guide

About the book: 
This latest installment in the popular Strange and Wonderful series by Laurence Pringle is an easy-to-read and comprehensive introduction to owl species from all over the world. Stuffed with scintillating science facts and large, colored illustrations from Meryl Henderson, this great educational book is sure to resonate with young animal lovers seeking to learn more about these elusive ghost birds.

From the tiny elf owl that weighs less than two ounces to the Eurasian eagle owl that can have a wing span of over five feet, each individual species is described and masterfully pictured in vivid detail through clear, informative text with accompanying artwork. Various facets of the owls’ lives are discussed, including their habitats, diet, mating habits, vision, physiology, digestion, and parenting. This miniature encyclopedia, complete with a glossary, index, and further resources, offers a wealth of knowledge to aspiring avian enthusiasts and contains enough factoids to allow even fledgling readers to soar to new heights.

Quick thoughts:
Laurence Pringle's Strange and Wonderful series continues with OWLS! Young readers learn about early perceptions people have about owls and then the book delves into facts and information about various species of owls.  

Readers learn about the size and physical characteristics of owls to ways owls communicate to hunting patterns to mating behaviors and more. 

As I read through the book, I was surprised by some of the facts and realized how little true facts I knew about owls and how fascinated I was about the information I learned from this introduction to these amazing birds. 

Back matter includes a glossary, additional resources and sources.

The Slowest Book Ever
by April Pulley Sayre; Illustrated by Kelly Murphy
Boyds Mills Press (April 5, 2016)
Nonfiction * Science & Nature * Discoveries
Audience: Grades 2 to 7
Indiebound | Worldcat
Educator's Guide

About the book: 
April Pulley Sayre’s wry, quirky storytelling tone shines from the warning on the first page (“This is a S-L-O-W book. Do not read it while surfing, water skiing, or running to escape giant weasels.”) right through to the glossary at the end. In between, readers will explore an astounding variety of information about all things slow—in nature, geology, art, outer space, etc. Throughout, The SLOWEST Book EVER playfully encourages readers to slow down and savor everything. As Sayre shows: “If you think slowly enough, the entire world is amazing.” This innovative nonfiction work is a treasure trove of information that begs for multiple readings.

Quick thoughts:
Did you know that moths can retain some information from when they were caterpillars? Okay, granted it is not the kind of information we retain as we grow, but the fact that someone asked a question and then researched the answer was inspiring. 

Most children love fact books and books that they can share with peers or information that they can use to "show off" knowledge learned. April Pulley Sayre has created a book with dozens of these facts presented in a page or two and encourages readers to take it slowly and read and re-read the pages and to take time to think. The book also inspires curiosity and the asking of more questions. 

Definitely a fun book to read and one that can even be used as a read aloud in those moments when you only have a few minutes.  Back matter includes a glossary, index, and some additional thoughts on each chapter. 

Look for both of these books at your local indie bookstore or community public library. 

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

The Seven Princesses Blog Tour

The Seven Princesses
by Smiljana Coh
Running Press Kids (May 24, 2016)
Fiction * Family * Siblings
Audience: Ages 4 to 8
Indiebound | Worldcat

About the book: 
Once upon a time, there were seven princess sisters who did everything together, from horseback riding to jumping in royal leaf piles to throwing legendary piñata parties. But one day, they had the biggest fight in the entire history of princess fighting. There was no worse sound than the sound of this fight. Will the sisters ever find a way to fill their kingdom with sounds of laughter and playing again?

Princesses of all sizes will royally delight in this modern-day fairy tale of sibling rivalry, adventure, and unconditional sisterly love.

Quick thoughts on the book:
If you are looking for a traditional princess book, The Seven Princesses is not that book. The seven princesses in this book are diverse in appearances and talents.  Really, this is more of a book about sisters than a book about princesses. 

These seven siblings do all things together, every day. 

As with any siblings, all that shared time together can and often do lead to arguments. Ask any parent, they can attest to the fact that siblings can have some of the most intense fights. And these seven princesses are no different. 

And just like real-life siblings, these princesses learn that time apart is not always as fun as being together. The Seven Princesses will fit in nicely with other anti-princess books and also make a fun read aloud.

Pick up a copy of The Seven Princesses at your local indie bookstore or local library.

Check out the other stops on the tour:

5/18 Anastasia Suen

5/21 Mom Read It  

5/23 Reading Through Life

5/24 Unpacking the POWER of Picture Books

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Cloth Lullaby

Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois
by Amy Novesky; Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Harry N. Abrams (March 1, 2016)
Nonfiction * Art * Biography
Audience: Grades 2 to 4
Indiebound | Worldcat

About the book: 
Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010) was a world-renowned modern artist noted for her sculptures made of wood, steel, stone, and cast rubber. Her most famous spider sculpture, Maman, stands more than 30 feet high.
 
Just as spiders spin and repair their webs, Louise’s own mother was a weaver of tapestries. Louise spent her childhood in France as an apprentice to her mother before she became a tapestry artist herself. She worked with fabric throughout her career, and this biographical picture book shows how Bourgeois’s childhood experiences weaving with her loving, nurturing mother provided the inspiration for her most famous works. With a beautifully nuanced and poetic story, this book stunningly captures the relationship between mother and daughter and illuminates how memories are woven into us all.

My thoughts on the book:

On Sunday, in response to a post I made about reading Cloth Lullaby, author, Anne Nesbet tweeted the following:

It really is amazing that we can have books such as this to share. Picture book biographies open a door for children to learn about individuals who have made all types of contributions to society. Including the opportunity to learn about a French-born American Artist who influenced and inspired dozens of young artists. 

Amy Novesky focuses on Bourgeouis's relationship with her mother and how it significantly influenced her career as an artist. 

Her early work with cloth and the weaving together of pieces of cloth and tapestries, alongside her mother, lend to the art design of the book and the themes that pop off the pages. 

Though I was not familiar with Bourgeois or her most well-known work of art, Maman, by the end, I was curious to learn more about this amazing artist.

This video from YouTube shows the installation of Bourgeois' MAMAN. Fast forward to the last minute or so to see the complete sculpture.

Pick up a copy of Cloth Lullaby at your local indie bookstore or check out a copy at your community library.

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews: