Synergy: Woodstock

Woodstock was a three-day music festival held in the summer of 1969. The counterculture generation event is considered a key moment in rock music and 60s culture.

Read the recently published young adult nonfiction book, then learn more at the website:

WOODSTOCK: 50 YEARS OF PEACE AND MUSIC by Daniel Bukszpan explores the people and groups that made this festival such as memorable event. The highly illustrated book is divided into chapters that explore festival planning, the performers, and the aftermath.

The Museum at Bethel Woods website tells the story of Woodstock. Of particular note is the online photoarchive that includes images and archives of the event.

Bethel Woods Collection Online Archive https://photoarchive.museumatbethelwoods.org

ARC courtesy of Charlesbridge.

Book Review: 1968

1968: TODAY’S AUTHORS EXPLORE A YEAR OF REBELLION, REVOLUTION, & CHANGE edited by Marc Aronson and Susan Campbell Bartoletti explores different perspectives on this turbulent and pivotal year.

From Mark Kurlansky to Jim Murphy and Loree Griffin Burns, the book is filled with engaging short works by fourteen award-winning nonfiction authors. Whether exploring personal experiences through memoir or examining a specific theme in a focused essay, each author puts a different spin on the year. While the book covers well-known topics, it also explores many themes not covered by other books on this time period.

The book begins with an introduction to the year 1968. The editors then divided the year into four sections. Author notes, source notes, a selected bibliography, and index are included.

Librarians will find this book to be a solid addition to the nonfiction collection. While the book would benefit from additional illustrators and primary source documents, the short work format will appeal to many readers. Ask youth to use one of the nonfiction works to jumpstart an inquiry project.

Published by Candlewick Press in September 2018. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

App Review: JFK Challenge

The JFK CHALLENGE app from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation immerses users in American history and the impact of Kennedy’s presidency.

Designed for ages 9 through 11, students become NASA and Peace Corps trainees as they accept President Kennedy’s challenge to make a difference in the world. Users begin by creating a quick profile so their work can be saved. Then, they choose a mission: The Peace Corps or The Space Race. A multimedia tutorial provides an overview of the history of their mission and Kennedy’s connection. Students then work their way through a series of skills-building training activities and missions. The game elements are directly related to the content of the app making the experience both fun and educational.

Librarians will find this app to be a motivating way to bring history alive for youth. Use this app in a library station related to Kennedy or as part of a series of activities connected to life in the 1960s.

To learn more, go to http://www.jfkchallenge.org/.

To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jfk-challenge/id957358011…

Book Review: Most Dangerous

MOST DANGEROUS: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE VIETNAM WAR by Steve Sheinkin is a powerful, nonfiction narrative exploring issues of war, espionage, and government trust.

Written for young adults, Sheinkin skillfully tells the story of Daniel Ellsberg, an analyst who exposes decades of government deceit. Tracing Ellsberg’s life from his boyhood through to the end of the Vietnam War, the author weaves together an unbiased look at the man who exposed what became known as the Pentagon Papers.

Librarians will find a large audience for this book among the growing YA fans of narrative nonfiction. In addition, the combination of war and government secrets will be attractive to readers who enjoy military and spy stories.

Youth will be drawn to connections with recent whistleblowers like Edward Snowden described in the book’s epilogue.

For many librarians who remember this time period or have read books like “All the President’s Men”, this provocative biography will help put the time period in context and revisit the key issues and events in an easy to digest chronology.

Look for this title on the “best of 2015” lists.

Learn more about the author at http://stevesheinkin.com/.

Published by Roaring Brook Press an imprint of Macmillan on September 22, 2015. ARC from publisher.

Book Review: Rhythm Ride

RHYTHM RIDE: A ROAD TRIP THROUGH THE MOTOWN SOUND by Andrea Davis Pinkney chronicles the rise of Motown music in Detroit.

Pinkney’s smooth narrative will draw readers into the world of Berry Gordy and the rise of Motown Records. Featuring well-known artists from Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder to the Jackson Five, Pinkney connects key political and cultural movements including the Civil Rights Movement to the evolving Motown sound. In addition to the well-known artists, Pinkney also weaves in fascinating information about song writers, choreographers, and others who worked behind the scenes.

The many captioned black and white photos will attract many readers. Students doing research will appreciate the author’s note, timeline, discography, source notes, further reading, and index.

Appropriate for both middle grades and young adults, librarians will find this work of nonfiction to be an excellent addition to the library’s music biography collection.

To learn more about the author, go to http://andreadavispinkney.com/.

Published by September 29, 2015 by Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: We've Got A Job

Black History Month is an excellent time to revisit outstanding titles focusing the African American experience as well as introduce newer books.

Originally published 20 years ago in 1995, THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis has become a favorite of elementary teachers and librarians. This compelling work of historical fiction tells the story of an African American family living in Flint, Michigan in 1963. The fictional family travels to Birmingham Alabama and becomes involved in the factual 16th Street Baptist Church bombing.

The year 1963 is also at the center of a recently published book titled WE’VE GOT A JOB by Cynthia Levinson. This work of nonfiction incorporates the stories of four young people and historical photographs to help young readers better understand their nonviolent fight to end racial segregation in 1963. The goal was to confront white Birmingham through a series of peaceful protests such as lunch counter sit-ins, store picketing, and marches. Levinson does a masterful job combining a fast-paced narrative featuring the lives of real African American youth protesters, along with an overarching discussion of the key historical events and activities. By weaving the experiences of the four youth into the story, the author helps readers feel the events come to life. The book concludes with the “afterworld” providing a glimpse into the lives of Audrey, Wash, James, and Arnetta since their involvement in the Children’s March. An author’s note, timeline, map, notes, bibliography, and index are also included.

The We’ve Got a Job website provides additional information and insights into the Children’s March. Go to http://www.wevegotajob.com/.

To learn more about the author, visit her website at http://www.cynthialevinson.com/.

Book Review: El Deafo

Three of the best children’s books of 2014 are autobiographical including THE SCRAPS BOOK and BROWN GIRL DREAMING. EL DEAFO is at the top of my list. Feature all three in your library and encourage youth to write their own stories.

EL DEAFO by Cece Bell is a powerful graphic memoir focusing on the frustration of growing up with a hearing impairment. While Cece’s story highlights the embarrassment and loneliness of deafness experienced by many children, the universal themes of friendship and acceptance are at the core of this unforgettable story.

The author’s warm and honest approach to storytelling contribute to it’s appeal. Cece’s “listener for all” alter-ego El Deafo is wonderfully drawn in sequences placed in green bubbles to separate them from reality.

Besides the exceptional storyline, what makes EL DEAFO so magnificent is the graphic memoir format. Many students who might overlook the traditional autobiographical format will embrace the simple, well-drawn, visually-rich approach.

Librarians who grew up in the 60s-70s will enjoy her spot-on references to everything from Batman and John-Boy to Hostess Cherry Pies and sleep-overs. You may even be moved to sing Yellow Submarine.

Having experienced hearing loss as an adult due to an illness, I can empathize with Cece’s frustrations. Like Cece, my problem isn’t with volume, it’s clarity of sound. Her book does an outstanding job educating readers about how to interact with a person with hearing loss. These small informative details make this much more than your typical graphic memoir.

To learn more about Geisel honor book winner Cece Bell, go to her website at https://cecebell.wordpress.com/.

Book Review: Voices from the March on Washington

VOICES FROM THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON by J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon is a powerful poem collection providing readers with a wide range of perspectives on this historic day. 

The poems in this book will transport youth fifty years into the past. Although many books chronicle the events of August 28, 1963, few capture the emotions of the experience. Through poetry, readers become immersed in the hope, pride, and excitement of the march.

From analyzing the inspiring title page photograph to discussing the impact of individual poems, the possibilities for classroom activities related to the Civil Rights Movement are endless.

Use the poems to jumpstart activities. When Langston Hughes is mentioned, bring out his poems to extend the experience. For more about Langston Hughes, go to http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/langston-hughes. When poets talk about Jim Crow, show photos reflecting racial segregation. For ideas, go tohttp://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/civil-rights/.

Beyond the poems, the book’s introduction provides an excellent overview to the time period and context of event. In addition, the guide at the end of the book includes biographical notes about the key people mentioned in the book along with additional resources to extend the reading experience.

Add this book to the growing collection of high-quality works associated with the Civil Rights Movement in America.

NetGalley ARC used for review