Thematic Book List - Biographies of Early Scientists (through Newton)

In a letter to Robert Hooke in 1676, Isaac Newton wrote "If I have seen further it is by standing on ye sholders of Giants." Newton, just like the scientists of today, relied on the work of scientists and mathematicians who came before him.

Below you will find a list of books on scientists before and including Newton. I've also thrown in a couple of important mathematicians. Titles are roughly arranged in chronological order.

The Life and Times of Aristotle (2006), written by Jim Whiting - This biography from the Biography from Ancient Civilizations series provides a compelling look at Aristotle and his influence across history in a wide range of subjects. Though Aristotle was a philosopher, he was for many centuries considered the world's greatest scientist. Whiting explores Aristotle's contributions to science, as well as history and politics. Back matter includes a chronology, selected works, timeline in history, chapter notes, glossary, and further reading ideas.

The Librarian Who Measured the Earth (1994), written by Kathryn Lansky and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes - This biography of the Greek philosopher and scientist Eratosthenes, who compiled the first geography book and accurately measured the globe's circumference, tells the story of his life from his birth over two thousand years ago in northern Africa (modern Libya) to his work as the chief librarian at the great library of Alexandria in ancient Egypt. 

Of Numbers and Stars: The Story of Hypatia (2006), written by D. Anne Love and illustrated by Pamela Paparone - The daughter of Theon, a mathematician, philosopher, and the last director of the Library at Alexandria, Hypatia was educated in the ways of many young men of her time and was one of the first women to study math, science, and philosophy. This book provides a nice overview of the time and place in which Hypatia lived. The artwork evokes both Egyptian and Greek styles and nicely incorporates images that reflect the subjects Hypatia studied. This is a carefully crafted picture book biography on a woman that little is known of. Despite this, her story is one that will inspire. Included are an author's note and bibliography, as well as some additional notes about mathematics.

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci (2009), written by Joseph D'Agnese and illustrated by John O'Brien - Medieval Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci is introduced in this first person biography. In traveling with this father, Fibonacci learned geometry in Greece, fractions from the Egyptians, and Hindu-Arabic numerals in India. Largely responsible for converting Europe from Roman numerals to Hindu-Arabic numerals, he also realized that many things in nature followed a certain pattern, today known as the Fibonacci sequence.

Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer (2012), written and illustrated by Robert Byrd - In this gorgeously illustrated picture book biography, Byrd provides a wealth of information about da Vinci's life and work. In addition to the traditional narrative, da Vinci's own words, anecdotes, and journal excerpts are found in sidebars and small panel illustrations. Byrd clearly and concisely explains da Vinci's theories in a way all readers can understand.

Leonardo da Vinci: Giants of Science (2008), written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Boris Kulikov - An extensive biography for older students (middle grades and up), this engaging work in the Giants of Science series focuses on the life of da Vinci while exploring his study the natural world, including aerodynamics, anatomy, astronomy, botany, geology, paleontology, and zoology. Special attention is given to da Vinci's notebooks and their meaning.

Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas: 21 Activities (1998), written by Janis Herbert - This biography of da Vinci is interspersed with activities readers can try on their own, including observing nature, painting birds, growing an herb garden, making minestrone soup, building a kite, and more. Includes extensive reproductions of da Vinci's sketches and paintings. Includes a list of related Web sites.

Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci (2009), written and illustrated by Gene Barretta - This biography for younger students focuses on the ideas and inventions found in the more than 20,000 pages of da Vinci's notes. Readers learn how many inventions that came centuries after da Vinci's time were actually imagined and described in his notes.

Galileo For Kids: His Life and Ideas: 21 Activities (2005), written by Richard Panchyk - This biography of Galileo is interspersed with activities readers can try on their own, including letter writing, observing the moon, playing with gravity and motion, making a pendulum, painting with light and shadow, and more. Back matter includes glossaries of key terms, people, and places in Italy, helpful web sites, and a list of planetariums and space museums.

Galileo's Telescope (2009), written by Gerry Bailey and Karen Foster and illustrated by Leighton Noyes - Every Saturday morning, Digby Platt and his sister Hannah visit Knicknack Market to check out the interesting and unique “antiques” for sale. In finding a telescope, the children learn about the life of mathematician, physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei. Back matter includes a glossary.

I, Galileo (2012), written and illustrated by Bonnie Christensen - This first person biography opens with Galileo imprisoned and remembering his life from childhood onward, highlighting his education and scientific discoveries. In the Afterword, Christensen explains that it took nearly 400 years for the Catholic Church to admit they were wrong to condemn Galileo. Back matter includes a glossary, chronology, and descriptions of his experiments, inventions, improvements, and astronomic discoveries. 

Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei (2000), written and illustrated by Peter Sis - In this Caldecott honor book, gorgeous illustrations take center stage in telling the story of Galileo. Sis creates for readers images of the things Galileo saw in his observations of space, including sunspots, planets revolving around Jupiter, valleys and chasms on the moon, and more. Though not a detailed treatment of his life, the text is enhanced by notes and quotes from Galileo's own writings, scrawled throughout the pages.

Summer Birds: The Butterflies of Maria Merian (2010), written by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Maria Merian was an artist and scientist who studied plants and animals in their natural habitat and then captured them in her art. This book is based on the true story of how Merian secretly observed the life cycle of summer birds (a medieval name for butterflies) and documented it in her paintings. Focusing on her young life, this book shows readers how curiosity at a young age can lead to a lifelong pursuit. 

Isaac Newton: Giants of Science (2008), written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Boris Kulikov - An extensive biography for older students (middle grades and up), this engaging work in the Giants of Science series focuses on the life of Newton, a boy who was incredibly curious. Though he lived a solitary life, he attended Cambridge, worked for an apothecary, served in Parliament, and so much more. Despite his successes in the fields of math and science, Newton was also "secretive, vindictive, withdrawn, obsessive, and, oh, yes, brilliant." 

Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities (2009), written by Kerrie Logan Hollihan - This biography of Newton is interspersed with activities readers can try on their own, including making a waste book, building a water wheel, making ink, creating a 17th century plague mask, tracking the phases of the moon, testing Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, and more. Back matter includes a list of useful books and web sites.

World History Biographies: Isaac Newton: The Scientist Who Changed Everything (2013), written by Philip Steele - This book in the National Geographic World History Biographies series profiles Newton as more than just a physicist, but also as an acclaimed mathematician, astronomer, alchemist, philosopher, and inventor as well. 

Online Resources

• The Timeline Index of Scientists provides a quick chronology and overview of important figures in the history of science. (Note that mathematicians are integrated into this list.)
• The video Carl Sagan on Eratosthenes discusses the contributions to science by Eratosthenes. This clip comes from Carl Sagan's Cosmos episode 1, The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean.
• Learn more about Eratosthenes' contributions to mathematics by learning about the Sieve of Eratosthenes.
• The AMS has a free poster you can order on Fibonacci Numbers in Nature.
• Mensa for Kids has a nice set of lessons on Fibonacci Numbers.
• The introductory video Doodling in Math: Spirals, Fibonacci, and Being a Plant does a terrific job of showing Fibonacci numbers in nature.
• Universal Leonardo is a program aimed at deepening our understanding of Leonardo da Vinci through a series of European exhibitions (2006), scientific research and web-based resources.
• The SciShow video Great Minds: Leonardo da Vinci provides a nice overview of his life and contributions.
• This Guardian article on da Vinci's notebooks provides examples and links for further study.
• View the teacher's guide for Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei by Peter Sis.
• Easy Science for Kids has a simple biography of Galileo.
• You can view a few of the paintings that were part of the 2008 Getty Center exhibition entitled Maria Sibylla Merian & Daughters: Women of Art and Science.
• You can learn more about Merian at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
• Easy Science for Kids has a simple biography of Newton.
• The NOVA production Newton's Dark Side explores the strange and complex mind of Isaac Newton and explores how he was searching out hidden meanings in the Bible and pursuing the covert art of alchemy.  

That's it for this list. Coming up next is a list of biographies for scientists from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Biographical Poetry Pairings - César Chavez

In 2008 the state of Virginia added Cesar Chavez to the standards for history and social science in third grade. Under the heading of civics instruction students learn about the importance of the basic principles of democracy and identify the contributions of selected individuals.  Chavez was added to a list that already included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, and Martin Luther King, Jr.. As this list is meant to expose children to people who worked to defend the basic principles that form the foundation of our government, I was thrilled when he was added.

If you don't know much about Chavez, here's a quick video introduction.

Today's pairing offers a glimpse into the life and work of Cesar Chavez.

Poetry Book

César: ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes We Can, written by Carmen Bernier-Grand and illustrated by David Diaz, is a biography written in a series of 19 free verse poems. It is one of the most comprehensive and moving biographies of the man I have ever read. What is different about this work is that it does not shy away from the difficulties and injustices he faced in his life. Instead, his life story is told head on, shining a spotlight on the good and bad times. It begins not with his birth, but a poem that wonders at what and who he would become. From here the poems describe his name, his dad, his mom, happy moments of childhood, the Depression, the constant moving, working the fields, schooling, losing the family ranch, the farm workers' struggles, organizing the workers, his death, and much more.

Here is the poem that opens the book.

Who Could Tell?

¡Hijole!
Who could tell?

Who could tell
that Cesario Estrada Chavez,
the shy American
wearing a checkered shirt,
walking with a can to ease his back
from the burden of the fields,
could organize so many people
to march for La Causa, The Cause?

Who could tell
that he with a soft pan dulce voice,
hair the color of mesquite,
and downcast, Aztec eyes,
would have the courage to speak up
for the campesinos to get better pay,
better housing,
better health?

¡Hijole!
Who could tell?

Here is one of my favorite poems from the book.

Crooked Lines

"God has written in exceedingly
crooked lines."

What made César follow
Father McDonnell
from camp to camp
and Mass to Mass?

What made Father McDonnell
give César the teachings and prayers
of Saint Francis of Assisi:
"Lord, make me an instrument
of your peace"?

Why did a book about Saint Francis
mention Mahatma Gandhi,
a man of peace who won many battles
against injustices in India?

Why did César talk
to Father McDonnell
about his passion for peaceful change
and the leadership hidden deep
inside him?

What made Father McDonnell
send Fred Ross, from the
Community Service Organization,
to see César?

God's crooked lines.

Poems ©Carmen Bernier-Grand. All rights reserved.

The back matter is extensive and includes a section of notes, a glossary of Spanish terms used in the poems, a short synopsis of Chávez's life, a brief chronology, the author's sources, and a collection of Chávez's quotes. On the back jacket of the book readers will find Chavez's core values. They were: service to others, sacrifice, a preference to help the most needy, determination, nonviolence, acceptance of all people, respect for life and environment, community, knowledge, and innovation.

Nonfiction Picture Book

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Yuyi Morales, is a biography of Chavez that focuses on the impact of his early years, his work in the fields and organizing the workers, and efforts to sign the first contract for farmworkers. Krull shares both the highs and lows of his life, painting him as a kind and patient man who worked tirelessly on behalf of others. Here is an excerpt from his youth.

Cesar swallowed his bitter homesickness and worked alongside his family. He was small and not very strong, but still a fierce worker. Nearly every crop caused torment. Yanking out beets broke the skin between his thumb and index finger. Grapevines sprayed with bug-killing chemicals made his eyes sting and his lungs wheeze. Lettuce had to the be the worst. Thinning lettuce all day with a short-handled hoe would make hot spasms shoot through his back. Farm chores on someone else's farm instead of his own felt like a form of slavery.

As Cesar grew older and began to work on behalf of the farmworkers, he organized them and supported a nonviolent approach. Here is another excerpt.

In a fight for justice, he told everyone, truth was a better weapon than violence. "Nonviolence," he said, "takes more guts." It meant using imagination to find ways to overcome powerlessness. 

More and more people listened. 

One night, 150 people poured into an old abandoned theater in Fresno. At this first meeting of the National Farm Workers Association, Cesar unveiled its flag—a bold black eagle, the sacred bird of the Aztec Indians.

La Causa—The Cause—was born. 

Text ©Kathleen Krull. All rights reserved.

While the book ends with the signing of the first contract for farm workers, there was still much work to be done. Krull shares some of the highlights of Chavez's continued work in an Author's Note. 

The Art

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the art in these two books. Both of these illustrators, David Diaz and Yuyi Morales, have earned medals and been honored by the The Pura Belpré Award. This award is "presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth."  HARVESTING HOPE was an honor book for illustration in 2004, while CÉSAR: ¡SÍ, SE PUEDE! YES WE CAN was an honor book for illustration in 2006. While different in style, they are both gorgeous accompaniments to the stories of Chavez.

Perfect Together
There are a number of other good biographies written for children about Chavez. These two are my favorites, in part because the illustrations are so highly reflective of the culture they represent. I also think the two pair nicely in that a number of the poems match times in the life of Chavez highlighted by Krull.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• You can find a teacher's guide for HARVESTING HOPE at Yuyi Morales' web site.
• America's Story, a collection of interesting historical facts and tidbits from the Library of Congress, has information for kids on Cesar Chavez.
• The California Department of Education has a model curriculum and resources for teachers on Cesar Chavez.
• BrainPop has a short video on Cesar Chavez. (Please note that use of this requires a paid subscription.)
• The United Farm Workers site has a history page devoted to Cesar Chavez.

Nonfiction Monday - Yellowstone Moran

When I was young the photographs of Ansel Adams utterly captivated me. It was his images that had me dreaming of one day visiting the National Park System out west. While Ansel Adams was a pioneer in photographing these areas, he was preceded by the artist Thomas Moran.

Yellowstone Moran: Painting the American West, written and illustrated by Lita Judge is the story of how Thomas Moran, one of America's greatest landscape artists, came to paint Yellowstone. It begins this way.

TOM MORAN had dreams as big as the Montana sky.
He stood in a camp in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, waiting nervously. Though Tom knew the men in the camp were scientists, they looked more like bandits. They eyed him suspiciously. He worried he must look like a greenhorn, but he wasn't about to admit that he had never ridden a horse, never shot a gun, and never slept in the open air.

The year was 1871. Tom Moran was not an outdoorsman by any stretch of the imagination, but he was determined to see and paint places that few others had seen. On his first day in the saddle he was so sore he was forced to put a pillow beneath him. However, dreams of seeing mud volcanoes, spouting geysers, and a great canyon kept him moving forward. The friendship he formed with the team's photographer, Will Jackson, kept him thinking about his art and the stories they could tell with their pictures.

The team, led by Dr. Hayden (then director of the USGS), set off on their journey into Yellowstone on July 1st. Given the rugged terrain, they often advanced only a few miles each day. On the 21st of July they entered territory that was new and strange. They found hot springs that stunk of the smell of sulfur. While the scientists spent their time studying the minerals of the hot springs and recording temperatures, Tom sketched and drew with pencil and watercolor, trying to capture the strange beauty of their surroundings. The team pushed on until they reached a waterfall and a huge gorge. While the rest of the team moved on to travel along the rim of the gorge, Tom and Will stayed behind and made the perilous trek to the bottom of the gorge so that they might paint and photograph from the best possible angles. After a few days, they hurried upriver to rejoin the rest of the team who were encamped on the shore of Yellowstone Lake.

Moran's journey into Yellowstone ended later at Firehole Basin, where he sketched mud cauldrons and geysers, including one so predictable it was named Old Faithful. When the expedition was over, Moran began to work on a painting of the canyon that was fourteen feet wide and seven feet tall. A reproduction of this work, entitled The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, graces the final spread of the text. (Visit Artchive to see the full image.)

During the winter following his trip out west, Dr. Hayden showed some of Moran's sketches and paintings to Congress and the president. As a result, President Grant signed a bill on March 1, 1872 making Yellowstone our first National Park.

I had never heard of Thomas Moran before reading this book. Now I want to know more! Judge has masterfully told his tale in both text and illustrations. She has created field sketches and journal entries as inserts on the pages to mirror the work that Moran did. However, it is her watercolors that capture the grandness of the landscape, in the same manner that I imagine Moran's early work did. Stunning is not too strong a word to describe them.

The book ends with an author's note about Judge's inspiration for the book, as well as the sources she used to craft her text and illustrations. A bibliography is also included.

This is a fascinating biography of a talented and determined artist. It's also a fresh look at the American west. Recommended with enthusiasm.

Book: Yellowstone Moran: Painting the American West
Author/Illustrator: Lita Judge
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication Date: September, 2009
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: 3-6
ISBN: 978-0670011322

Source of Book: Copy received from publisher.

This post was written for Nonfiction Monday. Hosting this week is Dawn Morris at Moms Inspire Learning. Do take some time to check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.

Additional Resources
At Judge's web site you'll find a page devoted to the book. Here you'll find activities, wildlife photos taken by Judge's parents, an exploration timeline, information on geysers and hot springs, and more information on Thomas Moran.

You can learn more about Thomas Moran and his work at the National Gallery of Art and the National Park Service.

Nonfiction Monday - Nevermore

Since it's National Poetry Month, it seems only fitting that one of my book reviews be a biography of an author and poet. Nevermore: A Photobiography of Edgar Allan Poe, written by Karen Lange, is a fascinating look at a man who by all accounts lived a rather depressing life. The Foreword to the book begins this way.

Dead men pilot a ship. An aristocrat walls his enemy inside a secret crypt. A murderer hears the heart of his victim beating beneath the floorboards. A royal party is broken up by a spectral figure dabbled in blood. An Inquisition victim watches helplessly as a razor-sharp pendulum swings toward him. . . .

No author quite gets under a reader's skin like Edgar Allan Poe. His poems and tales can be wildly fanciful, but they are always psychologically truthful. He knew that, under the right circumstances, all of us can be tipped toward darkness, and he was brave enough to follow extreme states of mind—obsession, fear, rage—to their natural (and unnatural) ends.

You will learn much about Poe's sad life in this book, but there is a happy story to tell as well. The body of work he compiled, often against great odds, is still challenging and troubling, and yes, frightening us 200 years after his birth. No writer could ask for more.

- Louis Bayard (Author of The Pale Blue Eye, a mystery set during Poe's time at West Point)

Lange draws on a huge variety of references to weave together the details of Poe's life. The back matter of the book contains an extensive list of sources from which quotes were drawn, as well as a chronology, list of books, articles and web sites/places to visit, and a comprehensive index. Sources for the many illustrations and photographs are also included. The book is thoroughly researched and utterly readable. Despite the fact that his life was marked by tremendous loss and general poverty, the narrative is told in such a manner as to make the reader want to press on to find out how Poe managed to survive it all.

I found the cover photograph of Poe to be a disturbing look into the eyes of tortured soul. Here's what Lange tells us about that photo.

Poe in November 1848, less than a year before he died. He was at his saddest and most sickly, suffering from the effects of a suicide attempt and heavy drinking. Sarah Helen Whitman, whom Poe was courting, thought the photo captured the writer's journey to the "Ultima Thule"—Greek for "the limits of discover." In Poe's words: "a wild weird clime, that lieth sublime, Out of SPACE—out of TIME."

This biography of Poe provides an intimate view of the man, as Lange includes excerpts from Poe's letters and poems throughout the text. I found the dedication to Eureka, a 150-page essay on the mysteries of life, to be particularly moving.

"To the few who love and whom I love—to those who feel rather than those who think—to the dreamers and those who put faith in dreams as the only realities ... What I her propound is true:—therefore it cannot die ..."

That Poe lived a sad and difficult life is patently obvious long before the book's end. I found myself wondering if his work would resonate as much with readers today if his life had been different. Would his poetry have been as haunting if he had not suffered so much in life?

I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this introduction to Poe. Not only is the text engaging, but the marriage of photographs, illustrations, and quotes make it quite a page-turner. Recommended with enthusiasm.

Book: Nevermore: A Photobiography of Edgar Allan Poe
Author: Karen Lange
Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 64
Grades: 5-9
ISBN: 978-1426303982
Source of Book: Copy received from author.

This post was written for Nonfiction Monday. This week our host is Terry at Scrub-a-Dub-Tub. Do stop by and see what others are sharing in the world of nonfiction today.

Cybils Book Review - Boys of Steel

What does it take to bring superhero to life? In Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, readers learn that imagination and perseverance both were essential in giving America, and the world, its very first superhero.

Superman debuted in 1938, at a time when the Great Depression had lasted nearly a decade, and the world was teetering on the brink of war. If there was ever a time when people were looking for a fantasy hero, this was it. However, Superman's story began long before that date of publication.

When the book opens we meet Jerry Siegel, a shy kid with glasses who preferred books, and movies to the real world.

But Tarzan, Flash Gordon, and Buck Rogers were fictional characters. They saved other fictional characters in pulp magazines and comic strips. They couldn't save anyone in the real world, where millions of people were struggling to find jobs during the Great Depression of the 1930s. They couldn't save Jerry's father, who died of heart failure during an after-hours robbery in his clothing store in Cleveland.

Not only did Jerry immerse himself in these fantastical worlds, but he also let his imagination wander, writing his own adventure and fiction stories. The retro- comic-style illustrations by MacDonald perfectly fit the subject matter. In the page that describes Jerry's love for writing, he is depicted working at his typewriter, while a group of boys plays ball outside his window. It's clear that Jerry doesn't fit in. He doesn't share the interests of other boys. However, there is one boy who is so like him that they "could've passed for brothers."

Joe Shuster was also a boy who enjoyed the worlds found in comic strips and pulp fiction. Like Jerry he was shy and not athletic. While Jerry created stories with words, Joe created them with pictures. He often spent his time at the kitchen table, drawing his ideas. Like Jerry, he had a difficult home life. When his family couldn't afford art paper, he made due with the back discarded wallpaper or wrapping paper from the butcher shop. In the winter when the family's apartment was cold because it had no heat, he drew "while bundled in several sweaters, one or two coats--even gloves."

Joe often illustrated Jerry's stories. Joe had a plan to to work with Jerry to develop a new character and comic strip, one that they could perhaps sell to a newspaper. Their first attempt centered on a man who fought for truth and justice. When the first publisher said no to the idea, Joe tore up the pages in disappointment.

In 1934, during a fitful night of sleep, Jerry woke to record his ideas for a new hero. A double page spread with a series of story boxes (4 on a page) shows Jerry in his pajamas while the hero in his head begins to take form. The hero would be strong, an alien (though he would look human), capable of leaping so high it would look as though he were flying, full of confidence, and a man with a secret identity. Early in the morning, Jerry ran to Joe's house to share his ideas. He looked over Joe's shoulder as he sketched. Jerry sketched all day, and finally their hero was created on paper. They put an "S" on his costume, for super, but also for Siegel and Shuster.

Joe and Jerry spent more than three years trying to sell their Superman idea. Finally, a man who was publishing a new type of magazine (a comic book), said yes. The Superman comic book was an enormous success. Joe and Jerry's superhero moved from comic books to radio, cartoons, books and movies. He even ended up on television.

The story ends this way.

Some people look up in the sky and see a bird or a plane, but nothing beyond. In the trying days of yesteryear, Jerry and Joe looked up and saw a star that no one had discovered before. They brought him to Earth and watched him become a superstar.

And today, on every story where his name appears, theirs do, too.

While the text itself ends on a happy note, Joe and Jerry's story is not nearly as rosy. Because they believed they might not have another chance to publish their story, they sold it and all the rights to the character for $130.00. Joe and Jerry did not get profits from the continuing sale of Superman stories, though they were employees of the company that is now DC comics and were well paid. When they asked for royalties, they were denied. In 1947, they sued DC for 5 million dollars and the rights to Superman and lost their suit. DC did offer them $100,000 to surrender all claims, which they did. Upon doing so, they were fired.

The author's note is extensive and continues to describe the difficulties that Joe and Jerry faced. In 1975, upon hearing that Warner Bros. Studies has paid DC 3 million dollars for the rights to make a Superman movie, Jerry began a letter-writing campaign. He told the story of how DC ruined their lives and got rich off their creation. There's more to the story, and to this day, negotiations with the families are still ongoing.

This dark part of their story is not told in the illustrated text, but it needn't be. Readers will be inspired enough by the story of how two young men came to create one of the greatest superheroes of all time. Overall, this biography is well-written, perfectly illustrated, and quite engaging. I highly recommend it.

Book: Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman
Author: Marc Tyler Nobleman
Illustrator: Ross MacDonald
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Date Published: 2008
Pages: 40 pages
Grade: 2-6
ISBN: 978-0375838026
Source of Book: Copy received from publisher for Cybils consideration.

This post was written for Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to Anastasia Suen’s blog and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.

If you want to use this in the classroom, don't miss the teachers guide. (Hey, I know it looks wrong (it IS wrong), but that's how Random House spells it!)

Other Reviews - Fuse #8

Interviews - Read this fab interview with Nobleman at Guys Lit Wire. (Thanks, Jules!)

Cybils Book Review - Wangari's Trees of Peace

Can one person make a difference in this world? If people believe in what you do and follow your example, can/will change occur? One need only read Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa, written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter, for an unequivocal yes. Wangari Maathai, the 2004 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is the subject of this picture book biography. Written in clear, simple text, and accompanied by vibrant acrylic illustrations, readers learn the story of the woman behind the Green Belt Movement.

Imagine living in a world filled with lush green trees, forests filled with birds, and fields ripe with food for harvest. Imagine leaving that world for the opportunities an education would bring. Imagine returning home to find a world that looks completely different. This is what happened to Wangari.

After six years of study in the United States, Wangari returned to her home in the shadow of Mount Kenya to find that the trees were gone. Where women once collected firewood from close to home, these changes in the landscape now meant they had to walk miles away to find it. There were no longer crops to feed the people, and the birds had disappeared.

The trees in Kenya were cut down to make room for buildings, but new trees were never planted in their place.

Wangari thinks about the barren land.
I can begin to replace some of the lost trees
here in my own backyard--one tree at a time.
She starts by planting nine seedlings.

Watching the seedlings take root gives Wangari
the idea to plant more--
to start a farm for baby trees, a nursery.
In an open space, she plants row after row
of the tiny trees.

Wangari recruited women of the village and gave them seedlings to plant. She shared her vision for a better future, one in which the land was green. Wangari and her women kept planting, even in the face of those who mocked them. Wangari paid them for the seedlings that lived past three months. As the green returned to Wangari's village, women in other parts of Kenya began to plant seedlings too.

Despite all these efforts, the cutting continued. When Wangari placed herself between a stand of mature trees and those who would cut it down, she was beaten and taken to prison. However, the movement to plant trees continued, and the green returned to Kenya. Not only did new trees take root, but the land became rich again with crops.

In page after page we see seedlings being planted and how the landscape begins to change. Near the end of the book, an illustration of the earth with Wangari and her trees firmly planted in Africa is accompanied by the text, "The whole world hears of Wangari's trees and of her army of women who planted them." The book ends full of hope and beauty, as we see the view from the top of Mount Kenya, and row upon row of mature trees.

The author's note in the back provides more information about Wangari and the Green Belt Movement she started in 1977. By 2004, more than 30 million trees had been planted and the movement had spread to 30 African countries and beyond.

It is fitting that this book about an environmentalist is printed on 100 percent recycled paper. I found the story inspirational, and young readers will too, as they see how with one simple action, one woman was able to start a movement that changed the landscape of a nation.

Book: Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa
Author/Illustrator: Jeanette Winter
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Date Published: 2008
Pages: 32 pages
Grade: K-4
ISBN: 978-0152065454
Source of Book: Personal copy purchased for Cybils consideration.

This post was written for Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to Anastasia Suen’s blog and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.

Book Review - Johnny Appleseed

My son's class has been studying apples for the last two weeks. The unit culminates on Friday with a big celebration. Since Friday (September 26th) is Johnny Appleseed's birthday, it is only appropriate that this is the day they devote entirely to apples.

I received a copy of Jane Yolen's new book, Johnny Appleseed: The Legend and the Truth, in the mail today. I suppose I should wait until Friday to write this, but since I want to put the book in the hands of my son's teacher for their big day, I'm highlighting this extraordinary work now.

How about we play a game of "fact or fiction" before we begin? Let's see how much you know (or think you do) about Johnny Appleseed.

• Johnny Appleseed was born in Ohio.
• Johnny Appleseed's father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
• Johnny Appleseed was a farmer's apprentice as a young man.
• Johnny Appleseed planted trees as far west as California.
• Johnny Appleseed planted the first U.S. apple trees.
• Johnny Appleseed's real name was John Chapman.

Who was Johnny Appleseed? Legends and tall tales abound, but when it comes to separating fact from fiction, answers aren't always easy to find. In Johnny Appleseed: The Legend and the Truth, written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Jim Burke, Yolen explores the myth and brings some of that elusive truth to light.

Accompanied by a full page illustration (sometimes a double-page spread) is what looks like a page from a book. Each of these "pages" contains a portion of a poem on Johnny Appleseed, as well as a lyrical telling of Chapman's story. This section is labeled The History. Along the bottom of each page is a third bit of information in a section labeled The Fact. This last section expands on the history presented on the page. Here is how the poem begins.

Apple blossoms
Tap the sill,
Welcome baby
With a will,
Johnny, Johnny Appleseed.

Comes from a line
Of apple men,
Who sow and grow
And crop and tend.
Johnny, Johnny Appleseed.

The history section describes Chapman's birth, his early life (his father did fight in the Revolutionary War), education and apprenticeship (to a local farmer where he worked in the fields and with apple trees). As a grown man, Chapman converted to the Swedenborgian religion and became a missionary, spreading the word of God and apple seeds. Chapman began planting seeds in Pennsylvania. From his orchards he sold seedling trees to families moving west. When Pennsylvania became too crowded, he too went west, planting trees in Ohio and Indiana. Chapman never married, living most of his life alone, though he did spend some time with his half-sister Persis and her family. Here is how The History concludes.

Johnny looks like a poor old peddler,
but perhaps that is part of a plan,
for when he travels, he often
carries a great deal of money.
And then one day, going to Indiana
through the cold and rain,
he hears that cows have broken
through one of his orchard fences.
He walks fifteen miles to fix it.

Chapman contracts pneumonia and dies, having been a tireless farmer who lived nearly 71 years.

The story of Chapman told in these pages is one that is both fascinating and inspiring. The reading was enhanced tremendously by the facts that accompany the history. For example, readers learn that Chapman actually left much property when he died. He owned a gray horse, 15,000 apple trees and 2,000 seedlings in orchards in Indiana and Ohio (800 acres), as well as two town lots. However, the facts tell us that most of his estate was eaten up by bills and a greedy lawyer. In the end, his half-sister received only $165.95.

The first time I read the book through, I focused only on the poem, which I greatly enjoyed. The book could even be read this way with small children. The illustrations are stunning and quite nicely support and extend the poem and history. A pair of hands holding apple seeds is pictured against the backdrop of American quilt patterns. The opposing page features this piece of the poem, "Planting trees/Is quite an art./He plants the apples/With his heart./Johnny, Johnny Appleseed." The history section describes Chapman's early planting efforts.

The book ends with a note entitled Everyone Loves a Legend. In it, Yolen describes some of the legends that have arisen from Chapman's story, highlighting some of the more fanciful ideas. In it she says:

Legends are like that. They take over the real life story. But John Chapman--Johnny Appleseed or Appleseed John, as he was alternately called--led a life that was in some ways even greater than the legends.

Yolen has done much in this book to help readers understand and appreciate the real truth about John Chapman and his legacy. This is a beautiful book both in word and illustration. It deserves a place on your bookshelf and in your study of apples, legends, and American heroes. I highly recommend it.

Book: Johnny Appleseed: The Legend and the Truth
Author: Jane Yolen
Illustrator: Jim Burke
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: August 2008
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: K-5
ISBN: 978-0060591359

Source of Book: Review copy received from Raab Associates.

**If you're looking for answers to the quiz they are: fiction, fact, fact, fiction, fiction, fact.

Book Review - Sawdust and Spangles: The Amazing Life of W.C. Coup

When I was a child, I had two fantasies about running away from home. One was to join the circus and care for the animals -- lions, tigers, bears, and elephants. The other was to join Jacques Cousteau and sail the world in search of amazing and exotic sea creatures. William C. Coup, a man born in 1837, not only had similar dreams, he made them come true!

Sawdust and Spangles: The Amazing Life of W.C. Coup is a picture book biography that details Coup's boyhood and rise to circus eminence. But Coup didn't stop there. He had a vision that allowed him to grow his circus show beyond the traditional big top.

The book begins with William's boyhood in Indiana, where he helped out with his father's tavern. The turning point in his life is described early on.

William made his way into the big tent. Inside he saw lions and elephants and a giraffe as tall as a tree! There was a tightrope walker, acrobats on horseback, and even a strongman who could break steel chains with his bare hands!

And clowns who made him laugh so hard his sides hurt!

William instantly fell in love with the sights and sounds of the big top, and it was at the moment that he made a decision that would change his world forever: He decided to run away with the circus!

The authors describe how William, later known as W.C., worked his way up through the ranks to eventually run his own circus. He became known for his sideshow acts and outstanding performers, including General Tom Thumb and Dan Rice, the King of Clowns. Before long, P.T. Barnum came calling, and W.C. Coup went to New York City to join him. It was under Coup's direction that the Great Roman Hippodrome was opened, and it was Coup who convinced Barnum to take the show on the road, using the first circus trains to move it.

Even with all his success in the circus, Coup still had another dream, on to create a museum of aquatic wonder. He traveled the world to find all sorts of exotic sea creatures, ultimately building the New York Aquarium to house them.

The book ends on a happy note, with Coup seeing the fulfillment of his dreams. However, readers learn in the author's note that when Coup and his partner could not resolve a disagreement relating to the aquarium, they decided to flip a coin for ownership. Coup lost and had to walk away from his creation. He did not give up on his love for the circus life, and ran several other shows, including monster shows and several touring Wild West shows. I found the author's note to be helpful and informative, though I wish it had included some dates or a timeline. I had to search the web to find out exactly when Coup lived. The inclusion of dates would have strengthened the text.

Overall, I found this book to be very entertaining. The colorful and primitive artwork by Giselle Potter is lovely and nicely complements this compelling story. I highly recommend this biography.

Book: Sawdust and Spangles: The Amazing Life of W.C. Coup
Authors: Ralph Covert and G. Riley Mills
Illustrator: Giselle Potter
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 1, 2007
Pages: 32
Grades: K-3
ISBN-10: 0810993511
ISBN-13: 978-0810993518
Source of Book: Personal copy purchased for Cybils consideration

Book Review - George Washington Carver: An Innovative Life

In February I wrote a post on African American Scientists and Inventors. Sadly, as I worked to describe books I share with my students, I realized that the list of titles numbered only five. I am happy to report the I have a new book to add to this list, and it is a remarkable addition.

While most people know that George Washington Carver was responsible for finding more than 300 uses for peanuts and more than 150 for sweet potatoes, there is much more to discover about one of the Tuskegee Institute's most famous professors. Did you know that George Washington Carver:

• was an artist and gifted painter (largely creating compositions of flowers and plants)?
• lived as a homesteader in western Kansas for about three years?
• sang and played the accordion?
• entered college at the age of 26, determined to study art?
• exhibited a painting at the World's Fair in Chicago?
• earned a Masters degree and became the first African American teacher at Iowa State?

I loved learning about the journeys in life that made George the man he was. Too often history is taught as a collection of names and dates, with little attention to the fact that extraordinary things are accomplished by ordinary people, often in the face of great adversity. History comes alive for students when we remember to focus on these individuals, and look at the events of time through the eyes of those who lived it.

This book is the latest addition to the Snapshots biography collection, a series that highlights important figures through accessible text that is supported by photographs, newspaper excerpts, journal pages, timelines and more. Elizabeth MacLeod has done a tremendous job of writing an engaging text that introduces readers to a George Washington Carver that just isn't described in most biographies for children. The quotes in the text are moving, and one can't help but cheer for George as the book marches on through events in his life, even though the outcome is known. From his birth to his death and the lingering impact of his work, MacLeod has written a book that celebrates and illuminates the life that was George Washington Carver's.

The dearth of well-written books for children on African American scientists and inventors is marked. This volume successfully begins the work of filling the void. My hope is that volumes on others of note, such as Benjamin Banneker and Lewis Latimer, will follow.

Teachers engaged in study of George Washington Carver should find that this text will make an engaging read aloud. Here is an excerpt.

George was a small boy and often sick, so he helped Aunt Sue with indoor work such as laundry, cleaning and cooking.

When George's chores were done for the day, he headed off to collect rocks, insects and plants. He carefully dug up flowers and replanted them in a secret garden he kept. There he watched over them, finding out how to make them grow better.

George also helped Aunt Sue with her vegetable and flower gardens. He gained a reputation for being able to make any plant grow and was nicknamed "Plant Doctor." Years later, George's love of plants would make him famous around the world.

This is a fine book that deserves a home in school and classroom libraries. I give it my highest recommendation.

Book: George Washington Carver: An Innovative Life
Author: Elizabeth MacLeod
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Publication Date: February, 2007
Pages: 32
Grades: 3 and up
ISBN-10: 1-553379063
ISBN-13: 978-1553379065
Source of Book: Copy received from Raab Associates, Inc.

African American Scientists and Inventors

While writing my dissertation I agreed to research and write two chapters for a book on African American Scientists and Inventors. I adored the professor who asked me, and gladly embarked on a journey to research two men I knew little about, though could at least admit I had heard of them. They were Elijah McCoy and Charles Turner. The book was published by an academic press in 1996. Since then, it has done nothing more than collect dust on my shelf. This saddens me, because there are so many great stories of (mostly) men who overcame great diversity to give the world the benefit of their knowledge and creativity. It is unfortunate that there still remains a dearth of good children's books about these men. Of course, it is relatively easy to find material on George Washington Carver, but look beyond him and few others stand out.

Here, at least, are a few of the gems in my collection.

A Weed is a Flower: The Life of George Washington Carver by Aliki - The bold illustrations bring the text alive in a story that follows the life of the man who found more than 300 uses for the peanut. Did you know he also experimented with the sweet potato?

George Washington Carver: The Peanut Wizard by Laura Driscoll - This lovely addition to the Smart About Scientists series introduces Annie Marcus, who is just nuts about peanut butter! When Annie finds out that George Washington Carver was responsible for the popularity of peanuts, she picks him for her scientist report. This is a fine introduction to Carver's career and discoveries.

Dear Benjamin Banneker written by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated Brian Pinkney - This beautifully illustrated volume provides a brief overview of the life and work of Banneker from his years as a tobacco farmer through to his decision to write an almanac.

Bug Watching with Charles Henry Turner by Michael Elsohn Ross - This entry in the Naturalist's Apprentice series introduces the life and work of entomologist Charles Henry Turner while including ideas for the reader to conduct his/her own bug investigations.

Onward: A Photobiography of African-American Polar Explorer Matthew Henson by Delores Johnson - This stunning book uses archival photographs from the early 20th century to tell the story of Matthew Henson, an African-American hired for the expedition to the North Pole as Robert Peary's manservant.