Synergy: Mythical Places

MYTHICAL PLACES are locations that appear in tall tales, folklore, religious texts, and mythology. Atlantis and Shangri-La are examples.

Read the recently published children’s nonfiction book, then learn more at the websites:

AN ATLAS OF LOST KINGDOMS by Emily Hawkins and illustrated by Lauren Mark Baldo explores mythical places across cultures from around the world. Featuring detailed maps, and stunning illustrations, readers are immersed in both the lost worlds along with the stories of adventurers who sought them. ARC courtesy of Wide Eyed Editions from Quarto Group.

Wikipedia’s LIST OF MYTHOLOGICAL PLACES is a fascinating place to begin an exploration of the wide range of mythological places.

To visit the website, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mythological_places.

ORIGINS EXPLAINED is a YouTube channel exploring mysterious places. For instance, 10 MYTHICAL PLACES THAT ACTUALLY EXIST is a video that shares mysterious places people can actually visit.

To visit the YouTube channel, go to https://www.youtube.com/c/OriginsExplained. To watch the video, go to https://youtu.be/WXakuaCnDXs.

Synergy: Lichen

LICHEN are a symbiotic organism combining filaments of fungi with algae or cyanobacteria. The resulting component life form may have tiny, leafless branches, flat leaf-like structures, crust-like features, powdery elements, or other forms.

Read the recently published children’s nonfiction book, then learn more at the websites:

THE SECRET WORLD OF LICHENS by Troy McMullin is a young naturalist’s guide to forty fascinating life forms that are often overlooked. This highly illustrated book features full-page photos, engaging facts, and  key concepts related to the science of lichens. ARC courtesy of Firefly Books.

LICHENLAND from Oregon State University provides an introduction to lichen, ideas for identification, and a useful synoptic key.

To visit the website, go to http://gis.nacse.org/lichenland/.

ENLICHENMENT is an online book and database containing endless examples for lichen lovers. Explore photos, keys, range maps, and checklists.

To visit the website, go to https://www.waysofenlichenment.net/.

Synergy: Giraffes

GIRAFFES are African hoofed mammals. Their extremely long neck and legs along with their spotted coat makes them easy to recognize. Giraffes are a vulnerable species and some subspecies are critically endangered.

Read the recently published nonfiction picture book, then extend the experience through websites:

ANNE AND HER TOWER OF GIRAFFES written by Karlin Gray and illustrated by Aparna Varma shares the true story of the first giraffologist, Dr. Anne Innis Dagg. Picture book readers will enjoy following the successes and challenges faced by Anne on her quest to learn about and save the giraffes. The book concludes with additional information and an interview with Dr. Dagg. ARC courtesy of Kids Can Press, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

JUNIOR GIRAFFE CLUB provides information about Dr. Dagg and facts about giraffes. The website encourages children to get involved in special events.

To visit the website, go to https://www.juniorgiraffeclub.org/.

THE WOMAN WHO LOVES GIRAFFES is a documentary about the life and work of Dr. Dagg.

To learn more, go to https://thewomanwholovesgiraffes.com/.

Synergy: Paper Balloon Bombs

During World War II, incendiary paper balloon weapons were deployed by Japan against the United States. One of these bombs dropped in Oregon causing the only fatalities from enemy action in the continental U.S. during the war. Teen girls in Japan were conscripted to construct the paper balloons.

Read the recently published nonfiction book, then extend the experience through websites:

PEACE IS A CHAIN REACTION by Tanya Lee Stone tells the story of how World War II Japanese balloon bombs ultimately brought people of two nations together. Within the larger context of the war and its aftermath, Stone skillfully shares the complex challenges facing teens during wartime and the long term implications. The true story explores three intersecting stories of peace and forgiveness.

ARC courtesy of Candlewick Press.

JAPANESE PAPER BALLOON is a video from the National Archives and Records Administration. Published during World War II, it’s available through the Internet Archive.

To video the video, go to https://archive.org/details/gov.archives.arc.13084.

The MITCHELL MONUMENT brochure from the US Forest Service shares the story of the attack and the aftermath.

To read the brochure, go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5374039.pdf.

An article in Smithsonian Magazine tells the story of the bombing.

To read the article, go to https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/1945-japanese-balloon-bomb-killed-six-americansfive-them-children-oregon-180972259/.

Synergy: Zoology

ZOOLOGY is the study of animals including their behavior, structure, classification, and distribution. This branch of biology studies the entire animal kingdom.

Read the recently published nonfiction book for children, then extend the experience by viewing a video series:

5,000 AWESOME FACTS (ABOUT ANIMALS) from National Geographic Kids features thousands of fascinating facts along with hundreds of amazing animal photographs. This fact book is designed for readers who enjoy browsing, as well as those who prefer to deep dive into specific animals or creature categories. Visually stunning, this large format book will be popular with young zoologists and trivia nerds alike.

ARC courtesy of National Geographic Kids.

WHAT IS AN ANIMAL? is the first in a series of Crash Course Zoology videos. This short video provides an introduction to zoology. The fourteen-episode series is perfect for young people interested in the biology of animals.

To watch the video, go to https://youtu.be/zgM0F6UmC70.

To watch the entire Crash Course Zoology playlist, go to https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dPuuaLjXtNRgJI4gHRLFtOD_r4hfJaF.

Timely Take-aways: Medicine and Medical History

Timely Take-aways for Life-long Learners: Medicine and Medical History

From natural remedies and inoculations to surgical practices, several new works of nonfiction explore the history of medicine and its impact around the world.

Empire of the Scalpel: The History of Surgery
Ira Rutkow, Mar 2022, Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
Themes: Medical, History

Tracing the fascinating story of surgery through global history, EMPIRE OF THE SCALPEL shares the key people and breakthroughs that established the foundations for today’s life-saving medical practices.

Take-aways: Educators will find useful examples of how the science of surgery evolved over time. Use these people and practices to demonstrate the importance of ongoing research and perseverance. 

The Empress and the English Doctor
Lucy Ward, Jun 2022, Oneworld Publications, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
Themes: History, 18th century, Medical

THE EMPRESS AND THE ENGLISH DOCTOR is a fast-paced, nonfiction narrative telling the story of Catherine the Great’s quest to inoculate the masses against smallpox. Rather than focusing on the science itself, the true story explores the challenges of preventative health care in the 18th century.

Take-aways: Use this story as an example of the importance of political leadership in promoting science. 

The Physick Garden: Ancient Cures for Modern Maladies
Alice Smith, April 2022, Frances Lincoln, an imprint of Quarto Group
Themes: Medical, Natural Remedies, Herbs, History

THE PHYSICK GARDEN shares information about 80 plants used in natural remedies and alternative medicine. Each two-page spread explores a plant, its medicinal uses, along with both ancient tales and modern research about its use in healing.

Take-aways: This book provides a fascinating interdisciplinary approach to medicinal plants. Use it to identify engaging examples that connect science and history topics.

Healing a Divided Nation: 
How the American Civil War Revolutionized Western Medicine
Carole Adrienne, August 2022, Pegasus Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
Themes: History, United States, Civil War period, Medical

HEALING A DIVIDED NATION examines the revolutionary advances made in medical science during the Civil War. These innovations transformed healthcare along with a wide range of related areas from education and culture to technology.

Take-aways: The long term impact of the medical advances during the Civil War era are found across disciplines. Demonstrate the key connections between science and history.

Heroes and Scoundrels
Moira Dolan, August 2022, Quill Driver Books, an imprint of Ingram Publisher Services
Themes: Biography, History, Science, Medicine

Part of the Boneheads and Brainiacs series, HEROES AND SCOUNDRELS explores both honest and dishonest medical researchers (1951-1975) connected with the Nobel Prize.

Take-aways: Reflect on both the positive and negative decisions made for medical progress.

Whether helping educators keep up-to-date in their subject-areas, promoting student reading in the content-areas, or simply encouraging nonfiction leisure reading, teacher librarians need to be aware of the best new titles across the curriculum and how to activate life-long learning. - Annette Lamb