Tag Archives: Society

Elem. – Time Capsule

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Redniss, Lauren. Time Capsule. Random House Kids, 2022. Unpaged. $18.99. 978-0-593-42593-0. Grades 3-6.

Redniss (author of National Book Award finalist Radioactive) turns her attention to time capsules as a way to remember history. The book has two parts. The first is a story of a present-day girl adding objects to her time capsule (readers could create reasons why she includes dice, a marble, a ticket….then a nightmare (about a terrible storm) and a dream (about outer space)). The second part is a ten-page author’s note which reads like a history of time capsules, then concludes with a bibliography alongside instructions on how to make a time capsule. With these two parts, the book seems designed for use with older elementary students curious about time capsules. 

THOUGHTS: For students wondering about time capsules and what they would include in their own. This seems well-suited as an introduction to history and social science mixed in our memories.

Picture Book          Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD

Elem. – Rise Up! The Art of Protest

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Rippon, Jo. Rise Up! The Art of Protest. Charlesbridge, 2020. 978-1-623-54150-7. 60 p. $18.99. Grades K-3.

Human rights are important to all of us which is why when they are threatened, many artists create work that peacefully protests and raises awareness. This book is sectioned into six different topics of protest that have been around for years and are still ongoing, including climate change, gender equality, and LGBTQIA+ rights. Each section describes a bit about the history of the struggle and features artwork in various mediums that supported the cause. Captions accompany each piece of artwork to explain the powerful meaning behind it. But in many cases the artwork, the creation of which spans over the past century, speaks for itself.

THOUGHTS: Rise Up! is written in child-friendly language which makes it easy for young readers to understand the cause behind the protest. The artwork in this book is carefully and thoughtfully chosen and shows the power a paintbrush (or camera or crayon) can have. For adolescents figuring out their place in the world around them, this book can be crucial in helping them see the power young people can have. Written in collaboration with Amnesty International, this is a must-have for librarians and teachers who want to curate a collection of books that bring awareness to social issues.

322.4 Social Issues and Peaceful Protest        Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD