2014 orbis Pictus Award Winners

Transcription

1 150 Children s Literature Reviews 2014 orbis Pictus Award Winners Fran Wilson, Cyndi Giorgis, Joyce Herbeck, Marie LeJeune, Ruth McKoy Lowery, Sue Parsons, and Ed Sullivan E ach year, the Orbis Pictus Award Committee selects the best nonfiction children s books published within the previous calendar year. The award, created by the National Council of Teachers of English in 1989, was named after what is believed to be the very first nonfiction book written especially for children. This book, written in 1657 by Johannes Amos Commenius, was entitled Orbis Sensualium Pictus: Hoc Est Omnium Principalium in Mundo Rerum et in Vita Actioniu, Pictura et Nomenclatura (The Visible World: Or a Nomenclature and Pictures of All the Chief Things That Are in the World, and of Men s Employments Therein). The seven members appointed to the Orbis Pictus Award Committee carefully review nonfiction books published for children in grades K 8 with stringent criteria. Each book is evaluated for accuracy of information, organization of content, appealing design and layout, and engaging writing style. In addition, committee members consider each book s ability to interest readers as well as its potential to enrich the content area curriculum. About 250 new nonfiction books were reviewed this past year. After titles were reviewed, committee members discussed books in meetings, through conversations, and in a lengthy telephone conference call. In late January, the committee selected one winning title, five honor books, and eight recommended titles for the 2014 award. This year s award-winning books cover a range of topics that include art, mathematics, science, biographies, and history. Many themes are woven throughout these books. Discussions on equality, collaboration, perseverance, and the impact of technology are sure to occur after reading them. The books address a range of reading levels and will be of interest to both younger and older readers. Teachers searching for high-quality nonfiction to motivate students to read for information and pleasure as well as address the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010) will appreciate this year s Orbis Pictus Award-winning books orbis Pictus Award Winner A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin Written by Jen Bryant Illustrated by Melissa Sweet Alfred A. Knopf, 2013, und, ISBN Horace, make a picture. Early in his life, Horace Pippin received encouragement from his grandma, who had been a slave, and his classmates to discover the passion within his heart and to create pictures. Young Horace loved to spend his evenings recreating the memories of his day with bits of charcoal on scraps of paper that he found. The pictures that he drew for his family and friends made them happy. After entering a contest and winning his first real art supplies colored pencils, brushes, and a box of paints Horace began to add a splash of red to each of his pictures. As Horace grew, his coworkers asked him to make them pictures. Copyright 2014 by the National Council of Teachers of English. All rights reserved.

2 Children s Literature Reviews 2014 Orbis Pictus Award Winners Horace also loved his country, which led him to enlist in the army during WWI. Even from the deep trenches of the battlefield in France, Horace made pictures for the other soldiers and filled notebooks with his drawings that documented his experiences in the war. After being shot in the shoulder, Horace returned home to the United States. His injury rendered him unable to lift and move his arm as he once had, leaving him with many pictures in his mind but no way to put them into drawings. His passion for drawing pictures, however, led him to find a way. Horace discovered that by placing a poker into a red- hot fire and using his good arm to guide the hurt arm, he could scorch lines onto wood to create pictures. After time, practice, and carefully planning each picture in his head, Horace grew stronger and once again painted pictures that often included a splash of red. Eventually, Horace s artwork was discovered, displayed in an exhibition, and he became famous. Carefully crafted text and illustrations enable readers to experience Horace Pippin s perseverance and problem- solving skills as he worked to create the pictures in his mind throughout his lifetime. Actual quotes by Horace Pippin, skillfully entwined in the collage- style artwork, allow the reader to appreciate this self- taught artist. The thorough research process for the book is evident in both the details of the text and the illustrations done in Horace s own style. The historical note further informs the reader, and the listed resources facilitate research to learn more about Horace Pippin and his artwork. The text is rich in themes for readers of all ages to discover and discuss. (FW) Honor Books Locomotive Written and illustrated by Brian Floca Atheneum, 2013, und, ISBN A poetic yet information-rich tale of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States, Locomotive not only provides important details about the who, what, when, where, and why of train travel, it also invites the reader on board to take a trip through the eyes of a family traveling on a steam locomotive for the first time, heading west on a weeklong voyage toward the promise of a new life. Here we learn how the roads and rails were built, meet the crew that keeps the iron horse running, examine the mechanical parts that propel the train along the rich geographic landscapes of America, and experience the unique (and crowded) life aboard the train. Richly onomatopoetic language greets the reader on most s of the text, placing us on the rails as we hear the sounds of the train clank clank clank, huff huff huff, clang- clang- clang- clang, and hissssss its way out of the station. Varied fonts, detailed pen and paint illustrations, muted earth tones with splashes of deep reds and blues, and the use of visual perspective all combine to offer illustrations that add depth and meaning to the rhythmic text. These images and the poetic prose of the locomotive s journey sweep the reader across the plains, over the rugged Rockies, ultimately arriving at the Pacific coast. Intricately detailed and annotated end s, a lengthy author s note, and source notes add historical accuracy and further facts to this already densely packed account of steam travel in the 19th century. (ML) The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos Written by Deborah Heiligman Illustrated by LeUyen Pham Roaring Brook Press, 2013, 44 pp., ISBN Paul s fascination with numbers began as a very young child as he counted the days until summer, when his mother, a math teacher, would be able to stay home all day with him again. He found that numbers 151

3 152 Children s Literature Reviews 2014 Orbis Pictus Award Winners were dependable and followed patterns. His father introduced him to prime numbers, and Paul was hooked. He spent so much time with prime numbers that he discovered some patterns of his own and joined a global community of mathematicians. Pham s illustrations are well researched, and notes at the back of the book explain each formula and series of numbers that at first glance seem random. Other mathematicians who appear in the illustrations are also documented in the endnotes. The complicated proofs depicted along with the life story of this math genius demonstrate that this book can be read on several different levels. Math majors can appreciate the in- depth mathematics, and children are surprised to learn that Paul was so devoted to math that he didn t know how to tie his shoes, cut his own meat, or dress himself. His quirky lifestyle focused exclusively on math so much so that he didn t have a home, but traveled from friend to friend around the globe discussing numbers. Heiligman s skillful portrayal of Paul s passion for learning, sharing, and collaborating distinguishes this book as an inspiration for lifelong learning. (JH) Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers Strike of 1909 Written by Michelle Markel Illustrated by Melissa Sweet Balzer & Bray, 2013, und, ISBN Clara Lemlich had the potential to be powerless. She was a small girl, newly arrived in a big country, poor, and unfamiliar with the language. But, as Markel tells us, This girl s got grit, and she s going to prove it. Brave Girl is a historical biography with powerful implications for readers today. Clara s family immigrated to the US from eastern Europe in the early 1900s, seeking new hope in a new country. With her father unable to find work, Clara did what so many girls and women in her position did she went to work in a New York City shirtwaist factory. Faced with deplorable work conditions, Clara rallied her fellow workers to strike for change. Markel s saucy, direct text collaborates with Melissa Sweet s vibrant collage illustrations not only to celebrate Clara s courage and determination, but also to offer a vivid portrait of the corrupt and greedy garment industry of that time. This book has range! Themes of fair treatment and standing up to bullies may resonate easily with very young readers, but there is also room to talk about significant (and always current) social issues like immigration, poverty, and gender rights. Markel doesn t soften the history the reader can clearly see corruption, greed, and the exploitation of the powerless. She does highlight the power and responsibility each of us has to effect social change. The carefully crafted text offers myriad invitations to explore the rest of the story and make connections to society today. (SP) Parrots over Puerto Rico Written by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore Illustrated by Susan L. Roth Lee & Low, 2013, und, ISBN The bright blue and glowing green feathers of Puerto Rican parrots dazzle the reader on almost every of this book. These birds, known as iguacas because of the sound that they make, came so close to extinction that their beauty has become all the more precious. Roth and Trumbore skillfully integrate the story of the parrots with the history of Puerto Rico. In prehistoric times, hundreds of thousands of parrots inhabited the thick forests of the island, but increasing numbers of human

4 Children s Literature Reviews 2014 Orbis Pictus Award Winners settlers had a disastrous impact on the land and habitat of these stunning birds. Trees were cut down, and newcomers from around the world brought to the region both black rats that ate parrot eggs and honeybees that swarmed the bird nests. In 1967, when only 24 parrots still lived in the diminished forests, Puerto Ricans decided to work together to create the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program. Today, parrots once again fly over Puerto Rico and are increasing in number. The vertical- opening design of this book allows the reader to feel the height of the trees and to look up to see the blue patches high in the branches. Roth s collages are intricate and absorbing. Each brilliant feather and every luscious leaf are carefully placed to create the feel of the deep forest. The Afterword includes photographs that document the beauty of these very special birds. The timeline and Authors Sources add to the accuracy and classroom relevance of this excellent text. (JH) Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles, America s First Black Paratroopers Written by Tanya Lee Stone Candlewick, 2013, 160 pp., ISBN Tanya Lee Stone s story is a poignant tribute to the US military s first Black paratrooper unit during World War II the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, better known as the Triple Nickles. Although many stories have shared the contributions of African Americans in the military, many highlighted only basic workforce roles, such as guards and cooks. Not much has been written about this illustrious group of men who fought against discrimination, segregation, and deplorable training conditions in the quest to serve their country. Through detailed research and conversations with surviving members of the 555th, Stone traces the paratroopers stories of their training, their involvement with family, and their impatient wait to join their White peers who fought overseas. However, instead of getting orders to join the fighting overseas, the soldiers were sent to fight fires in the forests of Canada and across the United States. Though disappointed, the Triple Nickles approached their assignments with fervor, devising new methods to fight raging fires. Their trailblazing service helped to pave the way for an integrated armed force that today boasts contributions by people of all races. The 555th soldiers contribution was not recognized for many decades. In 2010, however, the unit was cited for its heroic service. Ashley Bryan, award- winning artist and writer and WWII veteran, wrote the book s foreword and contributed a painting he created while stationed in France. Readers will enjoy this introduction to a story that celebrates this important contribution of African American soldiers in WWII. (RML) Recommended Books Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty Written by Tonya Bolden Abrams, 2013, 120 pp., ISBN Few documents have had the historical, political, and social impact that the Emancipation Proclamation had on the lives of the American people. As Bolden s text clearly details, this historic military order was a milestone in the march to final freedom. It changed so much (p. 91). This compelling and thoroughly illustrated book combines myriad primary source documents, photographs, and artwork with a powerful narrative voice; the use of first person we brings the sense 153

5 154 Children s Literature Reviews 2014 Orbis Pictus Award Winners of urgency, passion, and quest for liberty alive for the reader. Rich use of advertisements, newspaper clippings, excerpts from letters, and powerful quotes from abolitionists and Lincoln himself provide a visually and textually rich account of the living story behind the historical document. Text features, including a vast glossary, detailed timeline of the Civil War, research notes, and descriptive captions provide important historical context and background knowledge throughout. (ML) 86 pp., ISBN Becoming Ben Franklin: How a Candle-Maker s Son Helped Light the Flame of Liberty Written by Russell Freedman Holiday House, 2013, Numerous books have been written about Benjamin Franklin, but few have Freedman s knack for offering a perspective on the American icon that appeals to children. Ben had only two years of schooling before becoming a full- time apprentice. He excelled at writing and recalled, I do not remember when I could not read (p. 6). When he was 17 years old, Ben ran away from his Boston apprenticeship and arrived in Philadelphia tired, dirty, and hungry. However, Ben was clever and hard working, and he eventually established his own successful print shop. Ben also created America s first lending library, developed a system for lighting Philadelphia s streets, founded the first firefighting company, and became an influential statesman. Freedman traces Ben Franklin s life chronologically through a well- researched, engaging narrative coupled with reproductions of portraits, engravings, and newspaper and almanac s, all enhanced with a sprinkling of lively anecdotes and memorable quotes. A timeline, source notes, and selected bibliography complete this stylish and appealing biography. (CG) The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius Written by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan Roaring Brook Press, 2013, 53 pp., ISBN George E. Ohr was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, in By the age of 22, George had discovered his passion for the potter s wheel and embarked on a journey of learning where deposits of clay existed in the earth, studying artisans from various cultures, and acquiring tricks of the potter s trade. Ohr created wheel- thrown pots in which he would ruffle or flute the edges, twist the neck, make a border of his thumbprints, fashion curving handles, twist, wring, pummel, and fold the walls (pp ). His distinctive pots were enhanced by his quirky, flamboyant, and self- promoting personality. Ohr billed himself as the Mad Potter and priced his works high, which resulted in only a few being sold. However, Ohr believed future generations would appreciate his whimsical and ingenious pottery, which is what happened when his pots were rediscovered in the 1970s. Today they sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Greenberg and Jordan present a man who was unique, but stayed true to his art. Color photographs of Ohr s pottery, a one- guide on How to Look at a Pot, and extensive source notes contribute to this fascinating biography of a master craftsman. (CG) Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library Written by Barb Rosenstock Illustrated by John O Brien Calkins Creek, 2013, 32 pp., ISBN

6 Children s Literature Reviews 2014 Orbis Pictus Award Winners I cannot live without books. No truer words were ever uttered by Thomas Jefferson; he read as he walked and rode and played and even when he was supposed to be sleeping. His interests were wide- ranging, and his appetite for knowledge was insatiable. Collecting books became as much a passion for Jefferson as reading them. He built a special library at Monticello that had a revolving bookstand so he could read five books at a time. His passion to share books resulted in a donation that created the Library of Congress. Written with humor and attention to detail, the engaging, frenetically paced narrative offers readers a portrait of Thomas Jefferson as a passionate bibliophile. The detailed ink- and- watercolor illustrations offer glimpses of Jefferson s childhood, adolescence, fatherhood, and presidency through his obsession. Insets resembling open books contain quotes of Jefferson s or additional biographical material. This narrative is a unique portrayal of the life and passions of the third US president. (ES) Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives Written by Elizabeth Rusch Photographs by Tom Uhlman Houghton Mifflin, 2013, 80 pp., ISBN There are more than 1,500 active volcanoes around the world. Because there are many years between volcanic eruptions, people tend to forget the threat and repopulate, putting entire communities in peril again. In an effort to prevent volcano- related tragedies, a small team of volcanologists formed the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP). VDAP scientists travel around the globe bringing expertise and the latest technology to threatened communities in an attempt to predict eruptions, save lives, and provide training to fellow scientists. In Eruption!, Rusch highlights the humanness of science, creating rich portraits of people and places, and capturing the painstaking work and frustration that goes hand in hand with drama and impact. Striking photos provide a powerful sense of place and purpose; charts and maps offer background information and illuminate the scope and power of volcanic activity. Geology, geography, technology, and history share the stage in this engaging and inviting text. (SP) Lifetime: The Amazing Numbers in Animal Lives Written by Lola M. Schaefer Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal Chronicle, 2013, 40 pp., ISBN The many feats in our lifetime can be counted in years, months, days.... In this beautifully interactive and engrossing text, Schaefer offers scientific and numerical facts about various animals lifetime. Providing a deeper understanding of animal life cycles, the journey begins with the one egg sac a spider will produce in its lifetime, then counting by tens, it moves through 10 sets of antlers for a caribou, 20 fleeces for an alpaca, and up to 50 baby joeys for a kangaroo. Then larger counting units are introduced, highlighting 100 teeth for a bottlenose dolphin, 550 eggs for an alligator, and ends with 1,000 baby seahorses. The beautifully illustrated s and simple description of each animal fact are both appealing and educative. A great source for integrating literature in science and mathematics content areas, the extensive back matter gives further detailed facts about each animal s habitat and scientific name. Young readers will also enjoy solving the mathematical puzzles presented. (RML) 155

7 156 Children s Literature Reviews 2014 Orbis Pictus Award Winners Who Says Women Can t Be Doctors? The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell Written by Tanya Lee Stone Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman Henry Holt, 2013, 40 pp., ISBN Imagine a time when women weren t allowed to become doctors. As a child, Elizabeth Blackwell was squeamish around blood, so how did she end up becoming America s first female doctor? It was all because her friend, Mary Donaldson, believed in her and suggested she become a doctor. Elizabeth wasn t one to walk away from a challenge. The detailed text highlights Elizabeth s strength and determination as well as the taunting she endured while pursuing her goal. The accompanying colorful illustrations capture Elizabeth s spirit. The author s note, complete with a photo of Elizabeth, provides information about her work after graduating from medical school and the impact that she had, thus paving the way for other women to enter the field. A list of sources is included, providing an avenue for children to engage in research to learn more. This book is sure to prompt meaningful discussions among children about equality and having the courage to follow your dreams. (FW) Scaly, Spotted, Feathered, Frilled: How Do We Know What Dinosaurs Really Looked Like? Written by Catherine Thimmesh Houghton Mifflin, 2013, 64 pp., ISBN We have all seen pictures of dinosaurs, but how do we know what creatures that became extinct so long ago looked like? With a fascinating mix of text, expert quotes, and outstanding artwork, Thimmesh explores the specialized field of paleoartists people who create images of long ago. Showcasing a dimension of paleontology most kids know little about, Thimmesh spotlights the gifted individuals who combine their talent with the latest scientific knowledge to layer muscles and flesh onto skeletal remains, adding another intriguing dimension to the study of these ancient creatures. She examines how they work directly with paleontologists, and how they use every piece of the dinosaur to recreate the image of its life. This book is not just a must for every dinophile, but also budding artists and anyone who loves a scientific mystery. (ES) Reference National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Common core state standards for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from Fran Wilson (Committee Chair) is a second- grade teacher at Madeira Elementary School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cyndi Giorgis is an associate dean and professor of Literature Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Joyce Herbeck is an associate professor of Children s Literature and Literacy at Montana State University, Bozeman. Marie LeJeune is an associate professor at Western Oregon University, Monmouth. Ruth McKoy Lowery is an associate professor in the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida, Gainesville. Sue Parsons is an associate professor of Elementary Education and Literacy at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater. Ed Sullivan is a freelance book review writer. Together, they comprise the 2014 Orbis Pictus Award committee.