Elem./MG – Rooting for Plants: the Unstoppable Charles Stewart Parker, Black Botanist and Collector

Posted on June 2, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Harrington, Janice N. Rooting for Plants: The Unstoppable Charles Stewart Parker, Black Botanist and Collector. Illustrated by Theodore Taylor III. Astra Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-1-662-68019-9. $18.99. Unpaged. Grades 2-6.

From “brainy boy” in Spokane, Washington, to world-renown mycologist* at Howard University, Charles Stewart Parker led a full and successful life as a botanist, professor, and researcher. Born in 1882, Parker founded an African-American newspaper, then enlisted to serve as a lieutenant in the 366 Infantry of Black soldiers during World War I. As a leader, he protested the discrimination his men faced in the military. After his return from service, he could not afford to buy a farm so he became a consulting horticulturist, teaching others how to farm, plant, and garden, while achieving a botany degree from the State College of Washington. His interest in exploring and cataloging plants brought him from the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast. From his base at Howard University, he traveled to the American South collecting samples. His time at Penn State with mushroom authority, Lee Oras Overholts, though, revealed his expertise: fungi. He was the first botanist to write a clear, organized description of hypholoma. Through Parker’s eyes, young readers not only learn the parts of a mushroom, but also have the fungi elevated to something special. Theodore Taylor III’s clear, colorful illustrations engage the viewer of this picture book in varied frames: close-ups of plants, full-page spreads, or idyllic nature scenes. Esteemed in his field, Parker may be little known to the general public. In only 32 pages complemented by pictures, author Janice N. Harrington creates a well-rounded, informative biography of a scholar who can inspire many budding scientists. Includes glossary, timeline, spotlight of other African-American botanists and mycologists, and extensive bibliography.

*someone who works with fungi, like mushrooms

THOUGHTS: A quick search on the internet still yields little on Charles Stewart Parker (Charles S. Parker), so this biography and the loads of information crammed into it (without being overwhelming) is welcome. Students interested in STEM, girls and African American students interested in science, anyone looking for scientists with different areas of expertise will use this book. The back matter is valuable as well and allows for the wider grade range. Parker’s life teaches more than mushrooms. He showed scholarship, determination, persistence, and passion, and he never gave up being a student. The importance of his studies at Penn State is a high point.

Biography

MG/YA – World War I: The Great War to End All Wars

Posted on January 9, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Knutson, Julie. World War I: The Great War to End All Wars. Illustrated by Micah Rauch. Nomad Press, 2022. 118 p. $17.95 978-1-619-30972-2. Grades 5-12.

As a title in the aptly named “Inquire and Investigate” series, Knutson presents World War I in all its complexity. The book opens with a timeline and a map to orient readers in the world before, during, and after the war. Illustrator Rauch’s characters guide readers by asking questions they might not think to ask; each chapter opens with these illustrations. QR codes are liberally sprinkled throughout the book, leading to primary sources, articles, photographs, and more. Nearly every page spread includes sidebars with critical thinking questions and QR codes linking to effective videos which deepen understanding. Ideas presented include propaganda, technological advances, experiences of nurses, soldiers and more on the Eastern and Western fronts, genocide, communism, nationalism, and neutrality. The readable text, combined with effective sidebars and photographs, draws in the reader to better understand this devastating war in which 9 million died and 12 million were wounded.

THOUGHTS: Highly recommended for its success in making understandable a key time period in the history of the world, for engaging readers with sharp questions, and for pointing to helpful related resources. See nomadpress.net for full series list.

940.3 World War I Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD

MG – Lines of Courage

Posted on June 7, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Nielsen, Jennifer A. Lines of Courage. Scholastic Press, 2022. 978-1-338-62093-1. 388 p. $17.99. Grades 4-8.

This historical fiction novel takes place during World War I. The story is told through the voices of five children who are experiencing the war from different perspectives. The story starts with the voice of young Felix in Austia-Hungary as he witnesses the assassination of the Archduke which triggers the start of the war. The book is divided into five sections and is told in chronological order through the the voices of the children. Their stories become intertwined as they try to make sense of this war that they have been forced to grow in. The novel comes to a conclusion with Felix as the final storyteller.

THOUGHTS: This book is for students who are drawn to historical fiction. The characters are well-written, and the action is fast-paced. It is good to see a book focused on World War I which does not get as much attention as other historical time periods.

Historical Fiction Victoria Dziewulski, Plum Borough SD

YA – The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

Posted on February 9, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Benedict, Marie. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie. Sourcebooks, 2021. 978-1-4926-82721. 272 pp. $26.99. Grades 9 and up.

In 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared for eleven days. She left her husband, Archibald Christie, a letter detailing what he must do during her disappearance in order to get what he wants. If he does not follow her instructions precisely, he will lose everything. As Archibald tries to play his part as written, he becomes more overwhelmed with rage towards Agatha and the officers managing the search for her. But, he was not always like this. Told through alternating chapters, the development of and relationship between Archibald and Agatha grows from passionate and spontaneous to rigid, frustrating, and cruel. Agatha does not know how to care for her changed husband, yet she continues to put him before all else including their daughter. Through her work, Agatha finds escape and the ability to use her creativity to craft unsolvable mysteries and her own disappearance.

THOUGHTS: The Mystery of Mrs. Christie is an adult novel with great YA crossover appeal. Any reader who loves Agatha Christie (still the best selling author outside of Shakespeare) and a true detective mystery will enjoy this historical fiction text. It is also a wonderful text for introducing further research about the period, Christie’s actual disappearance, or further author studies.

Historical Fiction Erin Bechdel, Beaver Area SD
Mystery

Elem./MG – Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars

Posted on August 30, 2021 by pslamediaselectionreview

Wallmark, Laurie. Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars. Illustrated by Brooke Smart. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2021. Unpaged. 978-1-419-73963-7 $18.99 Grades 3-6.

“A cryptoanalyst is a person who analyzes and reads secret communications without the knowledge of the system used.” Elizebeth Smith Friedman, born in 1982 in Indiana, became a relied-upon, yet secret, cryptography expert who helped the U.S. government to intercept coded messages during two world wars, and helped to identify and send thirty-three German spies to prison in “the greatest spy roundup in American history.” She never spoke of her work, classified as “Top Secret Ultra,” and most was not known until declassified in 2015. Wallmark, with Smart’s well-matched illustrations, follows Friedman’s story from childhood, to education to first job, to marriage, to secret work. Friedman was repeatedly requested for the most difficult code-breaking, and often testified in criminal cases, demonstrating her code-breaking when needed. In one case, she decoded two years of backlogged messages in her first three months of work. Friedman created the first code-breaking unit for the OSS–Office of Strategic Services, now known as the CIA–Central Intelligence Agency. In at least one major case, another person earned the honor for her work. But Friedman’s work helped the U.S. in two world wars and can be well-recognized today.

THOUGHTS: This book is an excellent addition to World War II units and will inspire readers to learn more about code-making and code-breaking.

Biography Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD

Posted on June 28, 2021 by pslamediaselectionreview

Larson, Hope. Salt Magic. Margaret Ferguson Books, 2021. 978-0-823-44620-9. 240 p. $21.99. Grades 4-6.

Salt Magic follows our main character Vonceil whose older brother Elber is just home from World War I, and life is not going the way Vonceil pictured it. Elber comes home and marries the girl next door, which seems normal to the rest of his family but not Vonceil. Things get even odder when a woman shows up and claims Elber left her in France. When he denies her, and tells her that he is already married she reveals herself to be a witch who curses his family’s water supply and turns it into salt water. Vonceil then decides to take things into her own hands and solve everything. The illustrations of this graphic novel are wonderful and add to the overall feeling of the book. The story is beautifully woven using the illustrations as well as the language that Hope Larson uses.

THOUGHTS: This is a must own for any middle school library collection.

Graphic Novel Mary Hyson, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

MG – Saving Savannah

Posted on July 27, 2020 by pslamediaselectionreview

Bolden, Tonya. Saving Savannah. Bloomsbury, 2020. 978-1-681-19804-0. $17.99. Grades 6-8.

A prolific writer of nonfiction, Tonya Bolden (Maritcha, Cause: Reconstruction America 1863-1877, Take-Off: American All-Girl Bands During World War II to name a few) integrates her skill for facts into an interesting, less explored, narrative in Saving Savannah. Set in post-World War I Washington, D.C., the book focuses on Savannah Riddle, a fourteen-year-old Black girl whose family is part of the elite Black society. The story opens frivolously at a gala opulent with fashion and food and gradually builds to important period events and issues. This eye-opening ascent mirrors Savannah’s maturation from a popular, pampered schoolgirl to a woke young woman of substance. At a pivotal time, Savannah is searching for a more meaningful life connected to the world outside her social strata. She learns about Nannie Helen Burroughs’s School for Girls, a training school; and while volunteering there meets Lloyd, a young Black immigrant with socialist leanings. Lloyd introduces Savannah to the poverty and inequality suffered by some in her own city. She eventually gains the support and respect of her parents after the revelation of a family secret. Throughout Bolden’s book, her intense research is evident. Many of the locales and persons Savannah encounters are real or have a counterpart in reality. Saving Savannah shows the Black perspective during a tumultuous time that underscores discrimination in politics and society and culminates in the brutal riots of the Red Summer of 1919. Besides being a valuable history lesson about a period that resonates with the present, the main character’s transformation from a position of comfort to one of an invested citizen of the world and member of her race is a desire many of us hold today.

THOUGHTS: Like Harlem, Walter Dean Myers’s period piece, Saving Savannah allows students to experience the sights and people of a different time through the eyes of a likeable character. In a sizable appendix, the author supplies background with some photos on the significant movements and personages of the early 20th century Washington, D. C. Bolden touches on multiple issues: Woodrow Wilson’s color lines; the returning Black World War I veterans; the New Negro Movement spearheaded by Dr. Carter Woodson, Hubert Henry Harrison, and Marcus Garvey; the controversy around the Anthony Bill and women’s suffrage; colorism; and even cosmetics. Ideal companion piece for grade 8 American History classes. Teachers may want to use this book to approach discussions on racism and compare the historical perspective with current incidents.

Historical Fiction Bernadette Cooke, SD of Philadelphia

YA NF – Come on In, America; Opioid Epidemic

Posted on February 28, 2018 by pslamediaselectionreview

Osborne, Linda Barrett. Come On In, America: The United States in World War I. Abrams, 2017. 978-1-4197-2378-0. $17.95. 170p. Gr. 6-12.
Published to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the United States entering World War I, Come On In, America explores not only the history of World War I, but also the war’s impact on the American homefront. An overview of events leading up to America’s involvement of the war is presented, as well as an examination of U.S. entry and participation in the war. Chapters explore issues weaponry, the war on the homefront, and African Americans and women and their role in the war. Also discussed are topics such as war propaganda, the treatment of immigrants in the U.S. during the war, conscious objectors, and more. The book closes with chapters outlining the end of the war and the legacy of World War I. The text incorporates numerous primary source accounts as well as photographs, posters, and other images. THOUGHTS: While slim (only 170 pages), this title manages to convey an excellent overview of World War I, and is appropriate for both the casual reader as well as the researcher. The first-person accounts and numerous photographs present throughout the text bring the time period to life. Highly recommended for secondary libraries.
940.373, World War I Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

Marcovitz, Hal. The Opioid Epidemic. Reference Point, 2018. 978-1-68282-299-9. $29.95. 80p. Gr. 6-12.
As the opioid crisis continues to sweep the nation, the need has arisen for additional informational resources on this topic for student readers and researchers. The Opioid Epidemic aims to help meet this need. In this slim, yet informative volume, author Hal Marcovitz explores the history of opioids and their use in treating pain and injury, types of opioids, and their effects on the human body. Also presented are the social and emotional effects of opioid addiction on opioid users, their friends, family and society at large. Addiction treatment options are also discussed. Present throughout the text are first hand accounts from addicts, family members and medical professionals. Numerous statistics illustrate the growing addiction crisis across the United States. THOUGHTS: This book offers a solid overview of the opioid epidemic, written in a manner that will be easy for students to understand. A good choice for student researchers or debaters. Recommended.
362.29, Substance Abuse Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

MS Nonfiction – Shark Week; Kindertransport; WWI Spies

Posted on March 9, 2017 by pslamediaselectionreview

Brockenbrough, Martha. Shark Week: Everything You Need to Know. New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2016. 978-1-250-09777-4. $19.99. 149 pp. Gr. 5-8.

Shark Week is one of the Discovery Channel’s highest rated programs each year, so it only makes sense that they would want to draw in younger viewers. Shark Week: Everything You Need to Know will not only draw out the shark lovers, but may also create shark enthusiasts. With life-like color photographs, Shark Week aims to please the middle school (and older/younger) reader. Sectioned into chapters about life, predatory nature, types of sharks, “Shark Fight[s]”, and survivor stories, each topic is further explored in detail through general overviews and bold sections (a great text for textual analysis and reading for information). Some fun shark facts include the fact that sharks don’t chew; in clear water sharks can see further than their prey; great whites enjoy death metal, and sharks can’t move if flipped over. THOUGHTS: This is a perfect addition to middle school nonfiction collections. The text is easy to read and includes amazing photography and images throughout. The information is accessible and not overwhelming for readers and will definitely spark further investigation.

597.3; Sharks Erin Parkinson, Beaver Area MS-HS

Berne, Emma Carlson. Escaping the Nazis on the Kindertransport. North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2017. 978-1-5157-4545-7. $22.49. 112pp. Gr. 3-6.

The Kindertransport is perhaps the most famous children’s refugee program. From December 1938 until May 1940, Jewish children were brought from Germany, German occupied countries, and the Netherlands to Great Britain to be cared for until the fall of Hitler when they could return home to their families. With the onset of World War II in 1940, many of the children ended the war with no home or family to return to and limited memories of what had been. This narrative nonfiction text intertwines the experiences of seven Kindertransport survivors with the history leading up to and during World War II. Each chapter includes primary source text and images exploring both the individual refugee experience and the universal World War II experience. This text ends with a timeline, glossary, information section, and bibliography for further exploration. THOUGHTS: Although recommended for grades 3-6, this text could easily extend into middle school, especially for reluctant or struggling readers. The text is large with lots of white space on the page. Any schools reading The Diary of Anne Frank or Boy in the Striped Pajamas or a similar World War II or Holocaust book would benefit from this purchase. Even if World War II research is not completed, students would gain great knowledge just by flipping through this text.

940.53; World War II; Holocaust Erin Parkinson, Beaver Area MS-HS

Lassieur, Allison. Courageous Spies and International Intrigue of World War I. North Mankato, MN: Compass Point Books, 2017. 978-0-7565-5499-6. $25.49. 64pp. Gr. 4-8.

Courageous Spies and International Intrigue of World War I is the first title in a new series from Compass Point Books that focuses on spies during war times. This text begins with the story of the Black Hand, a Serbian national group solely focused on bringing Bosnia back to Serbia. The Black Hand’s goal was to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which, as history shows, was successful and ignited World War I. Since most Black Hand members were teenagers, they were arrested, served prison sentences, and were later released. Only those twenty and over were sentenced to death for their conspiracy and assassination crimes. This is just the first chapter of Courageous Spies and International Intrigue of World War I. Later chapters explore the code breakers of Room 40, London (who cracked the Zimmerman telegram, the greatest code at the time, and then went back to normal lives at the end of WWI, but returned to Room 40 with the start of World War II); female spy, British nurse Edith Cavell; “Ace of Spies” Sidney Reilly, a Russian trying to overthrow Vladimir Lenin (Reilly was Ian Fleming’s inspiration for James Bond); Mata Hari, a famous dancer who is believed to have been a German spy, double agent, both, or nothing at all, and La Dame Blanche, a network of Belgium spies working for the Allied forces. In addition to the intriguing stories, primary sources are scattered throughout the text, with a timeline, glossary, resources, and bibliography at the end. Additional titles in this series include Fearless Spies and Daring Deeds of World War II; Deep-Cover Spies and Double-Crossers of the Cold War, and Cyber Spies and Secret Agents of Modern Times, all set to release later this year. THOUGHTS: This is an excellent purchase for middle schools. The excitement of spies has great appeal, and why not include some of the most famous spies from history. If nothing else, this is a fun, quick read, especially for reluctant readers and conspiracy theorists :-), and it’ll help with Jeopardy answers!

World War I; Spies Erin Parkinson, Beaver Area MS-HS

YA Graphic Nonfiction – Terrorist; March Book 2

Posted on April 1, 2016 by pslamediaselectionreview

Rehr, Henrik. Terrorist: Gavrilo Princip, the Assassin who Ignited World War I. Minneapolis: Graphic Universe, 2015. 9781467772792. 225p. $15.00. Gr. 9 and up.

Terrorist takes readers through a historical journey from 1863, leading up to World War I, and ending in 1918 when Gavrilo Princip died in prison partly from tuberculous and partly from maltreatment. Not many people know the causes for the Great War or even who key political figures were, but this dark and edgy graphic novel sets out to tell an often untold story. Who was Gavrilo Princip, and what was his role? Terrorist is a great way to introduce this side of World War I and give readers a deeper understanding of history. Thoughts: This striking graphic novel entices history buffs to give a different genre of books a try while reeling in graphic novel enthusiasts. I’m not really into graphic novels, but this one is a must for any collection. It sheds a rich, and what I assume to be, historically accurate light on who killed Franz Ferdinand and why.

Graphic Novel; 944 Laura Ward, Fox Chapel Area High School

Lewis, John. March: Book 2. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf Productions, 2015. 978-0-606-36547-5. $19.95. Gr. 8-12.

In this second installment of the planned graphic novel trilogy, Congressman John Lewis continues his incredible, heroic narrative of the fight for equal rights during the Civil Rights movement. Now travelling all over the south in the early 1960s, Lewis and the Freedom Riders focus on non-violent protests, only to find themselves countered with increasing hostility and violence in their “quest for human decency” (16). Juxtaposed against the inauguration of the United State’s first African-American President, Barack Obama, in 2009, almost 50 years later, Lewis recounts sit-ins, stand-ins, bus boycotts, and ultimately, the 1963 March on Washington. Many of these protests led to vicious, brutal attacks on the peaceful Riders, as well as jail time for many, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The artwork by Nate Powell is particularly moving, adding incredible depth to John Lewis’s compelling narrative while also humanizing many controversial political figures. THOUGHTS: Readers of all ages should pick up this novel as well as March: Book 1, and it should be required reading for all history classes teaching about the Civil Rights movement.

323.1 Civil Rights; Graphic Novel Vicki Schwoebel, Friends’ Central School

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