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Honesdale, Pennsylvania; Calkins Creek, 2014

Strike! is a well-researched account of the struggle for the rights of farm workers beginning with Filipino workers migrating to the U.S. mainland in the early 20th Century and ending with the state of agricultural unions today. Although it is not an objective account of both sides of the labor struggle, it is accurate from the farm workers' point of view. The conflicts are presentd with growers clearly in the role of the villain, but the divide between who is right and wrong is not so defined when discussing the inner workings of the unions and their leaders.

Most of us have heard about Cesar Chavez and the victories of the United Farm Workers of America; this book includes Chavez, of course, but goes beyond him to the origins of the causes of the labor conflict.  Readers learn about the Filipino farm workers who worked the California fields for many years, about the abject poverty that migrant farm laborers endured, the dangers of the farm hand life, and the evolution of the unions that helped them improve their work lives.  With photographs of leaders and the rank and file, editorial comics, and maps, along with some original documents, this volume in an excellent source for information on the labor side of this struggle.

Strike!'s design is appealing and the use of color blocking on the pages and positioning of images breaks up the text nicely, making the pages colorful despite the other elements being black and white.  Brimner writes clearly, defining unfamiliar terms in a manner that does not  condescend to his audience. In the back of the book are an interesting author's note, timeline, sources for additional reading, detailed source notes and an index.

Brimner is a Sibert Award winning author with seveal other books on civil rights to his credit, and Strike! The Farm Workers' Fight for Their Rights should be alongside them on the shelves of middle and high school libraries.

Dewey:  331.892                       Interest Level:  Grades 5-10

Awards & Reviews:  Booklist Starred; Hornbook, Kirkus Reviews Starred; School Library Journal Starred.

New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2014

This volume of mini-biographies of Hispanic Americans has plenty of "hey, I didn't know that" and "oh, that guy!" moments.  There are 19 inspiring stories, plus a poem and a narrative about accomplished Hispanics spanning American history.  It is organized chronologically, the earliest entry being Bernardo de Galvez, who lived in the 18th Century and after whom Galveston, TX was named (hey, I didn't know that).  Herrera included men and women from occupations as diverse as activists and military heroes, athletes and scientists, farm workers and politicians.  Nearly every walk of life is represented.  Despite their wildly different lives, they all have at least two things in common: their hispanic roots and their abilities, each in his/her own way, to achieve great things.

Colon's muted, watercolor-washed drawings are beautifully rendered.  The illustrations are modern, but each brings out the era and character of the subject.  The portrait of Desi Arnaz seems a little uncomfortable and Sonja Sotomayor looks more cartoonish than the rest, but otherwise the artwork is spot on.

To add even more interest, Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes has an Idaho connection: naval hero, and first U.S. Admiral ever, David Glasgow Farragut.  His namesake, Farragut State Park in Northern Idaho was an inland naval base during WWII.  Some other entries include Rita Moreno (remember her as the "HEY YOU GUYS!!!" lady from PBS's The Electric Company?); Robert Clemente, baseball great and humanitarian; Jaime Alfonso Escalante of Stand and Deliver fame (oh, that guy!); Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina astronaut and first Latina director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center; and, of course, activists Cesar Chavez and Dolores Hureta.  There are so many smart, heroic, accomplished people in this book, that it is really very difficult to pull out just a few.

Both interesting and inspiring, Portaits of Hispanic American Heroes should have a space on any school library's 920's shelf. It's appeal will span from upper elementary through middle school.  At the end of the book are source notes, a bibliography, and recommended reading sections.

ICS: Reading Standards for Informational Text:  Grade 4, Standards 1-5, 8-10;  Grade 5, Standards 1-2, 4-6, 8-10; Grades 6-8, Standards 1-10.

Dewey:  920                Interest Grades 4-8

Younger students might enjoy:  The Hispanic Headliners series by Zella Williams

High school students might like:  I, Legal in the U.S.A.: a Memoir by Alejandra Campos

Fiction pairing:  Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Film:  The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers' Struggle, a Rick Tejada-Flores and Ray Telles film, presented by [I]TVS, and available through PBS.

Learn more on LiLI by searching the Spanish language databases.

New York; Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2014

For some students, the best part of back-to-school is shopping for new clothes!  Take care of your school's fashionistas with a new offering from ever-reliable publisher DK, The Fashion Book. It gives us a look at the styles worn by fashion-conscious Ancient Greecians and Egyptians, by hipsters in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and on through the modern era of fashion.   It wraps up with introductions to the designers and labels of the 20th and 21st centuries.

In each section of the book, there is a page devoted to showing us how to "Get the Look" using cues from the past.  Take, for instance, the 1920's flapper era.  The essence of the look can be achieved by sporting a "close cut, sleek hairdo," wearing a long, tasselled pendant, and carrying a beaded or fringed purse.  Following other tips, we can achieve the look of the Retro Tomboy a la Rosie the Riveter, or  the Modern Romantic look of a Jane Austen character, among others.

With a peppering of historical and literary references, this light-hearted book is not just a fluffy fashion title.  It is loaded with rare vocabulary (do you know what a bourdaloue is?), that fashion fans will soak up like a 1980's Olivia Newton-John sweatband.  In between eras, we learn about careers in fashion, the origins of some fabrics, and the anatomy of a fashion show audience, not to mention many details about the history of unmentionables.

Richly colored illustrations and photographs show texture and layers, making browsing this title a pleasure.  In the Designer Directory, readers will learn about the people behind the designer labels they see in slick magazine ads:  Burberry started out making waterproof jackets; Christian LaCroix went out of business - you've got to know about more than fashion to run a fashion house; and Louis Vuitton has been dead for a long, long time.  To help with new vocabulary, there is an illustrated glossary, along with an index.

Part fashion guide, part history lesson, and part pop culture, The Fashion Book shows how contemporary events shaped the styles of the day and vice versa; how new knowledge changes what people wear, and how changing times affect style.  This title is worth the space on any middle or high school library shelf.

CCSS:  Reading Standards for Informational Text:     Grade 6, Standards 1-7, 10; Grade 7, Standards 1-7, 9, 10; Grade 8, Standards 2-7, 9, 10; Grades 9-12, Standards 4, 6, 7.

Dewey:  391         Interest:  Grades 6 - 12

Elementary Readers might enjoy:  Big Wig: A Little History of Hair by Kathleen Krull.

Middle School Readers might enjoy:  So, You Want to Work in Fashion?  by Patricia Wooster.

Fiction Pairing:  The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger (of course).

Blog:  Teen Vogue has a varety of blogs on their Outfits from Our Favorite Personal Style Bloggers Around the Globe site, according to Teen Vogue readers.  These blogs are geared toward the teen/college girl market and budget.  Some are more budget conscious than others, but have cute mostly appropriate looks. http://fashionclick.teenvogue.com/user/shelley-stuckman.

More on LiLI:  Fashion, Costume and Culture:  Clothing, Headware, Body Decorations, and Footwear Through the Ages at Gale Virtual Reference Library.

New York; Christy Ottaviano Books, 2013

It wasn't easy being a poultry farming poet in turn of the 20th century New Hampshire; there wasn't much money in it.  However, in this beautiful watercolor, colored pencil, and acrylic ink picture book, Robert Frost's life as a farmer-poet is told from the optimistic point of view of his oldest daughter, Lesley.  In fact, much of the narrative about the family's time at idyllic Derry Farm, before Frost was successful and famous, is taken from Lesley's childhood journal.

In some ways the tone of the story is reminiscent of the Little House books in that the family is poor, but the children are unaware that they are missing anything important because of it.  Life is full of language, love and the beauty of nature.  Lesley seems quite proud that her papa does things his way, like the curious routine of milking the cow at midnight so he could stay up and have quiet time to read and write.

Bober skillfully weaves Frost's poetry in to the narrative, showing how his work came from  the delights of everyday life in New England, the last page including a few lines of The Road Not Taken in a lovingly autobiographical light.  An author's note at the end with facts and photographs of the Frost family and their homes mentioned in the story is included.  There is a small collection of Frost's poems, too.  This is an excellent read alound for National Poetry Month and even a good icebreaker for a poetry unit for older students.

CCSS:  Reading Standards for Literature K-5:  Grade 1, Standards 1-9;  Grade 2, Standards 1-7; Grade 3, Standards 1-10; Grade 4, Standards 1-10; Grade 5, Standards 1-10.

Dewey:  811                                                                        Interest Level:  K-3

Awards & Reviews:  Booklist, Hornbook starred, Kirkus reviews, Publishers Weekly Annex, School Library Journal.

Middle and Young Adult readers might like:  A Restless Spirit:  The Story of Robert Frost by Natalie S. Bober.

Fiction pairing:  Frederick by Leo Lionni

San Fransisco; Chronicle Books, 2013

March 14th is Albert Einstein's birthday!  So naturally, March could not go by without On a Beam of Light added to the Non-Fiction list.  This delightful collaboration between author and illustrator introduces Einstein and the observations that triggered his brilliant ideas.  There is even a simplified explanation of the Theory of Relativity.  Kids will love the fact that Einstein was a bit odd when he was young, but grew up to be one of the most famous and beloved scientists ever!   The gouache with pen and ink illustrations look like they could have been done with Einstein's own fountain pen.  On A Beam of Light is a perfect example of what a non-fiction picture book can be.

Interest Level:  K-3                                               Dewey:  530

Awards and Reviews:  Booklist starred; Hornbook starred; Kirkus Reviews starred; New York Times; Publishers Weekly Annex; School Library Journal starred; Science Books and Films.

New York; Balzer + Bray, 2013.

In honor of Women's History Month, March's non-fiction pick is about Clara Lemlich, a leader of the labor movement in the Garment District of New York in the early 20th Century.  Clara, a young immigrant, arrives in New York with her parents and discovers an America with factories that won't hire her father, but are more than willing tro hire Clara.  She, along with throusands of other young immigrant girls, foregoes school to become a garment worker.

Though the hours are long, the pay low, and the conditions dangerous, Clara is undaunted.  She attends night school to learn English, studying and reading late into the night.  At work, as Clara talks with friends, she discovers the men think the women aren't tough enough to strike for better working conditions.  As it turns out, however, it's Clara who declares it is time to strike during a huge labor meeting when the men in charge fail to take action.  As the garment labor movement gathers steam, it is Clara who keeps the picketers motivated, even when thugs arrive to break it up.  Eventually, the strikers, with the support of wealthier suffragettes, are successful and the bosses increase wages and decrease the length of the work week. Encouraged by her success, Clara continues her work for the rights of workers for the rest of her life.

Every page of this picture book is detailed and interesting.  The illustrator uses textile scraps, blank graph paper, and pattern paper that look sewn onto the page.  Look closely to see if  elements are made of watercolor, newsprint, a time card, or a check for $27.50!  There is a short section at the end with more information about the Garment Industry between 1880 and 1920, with a bilbliography and list of primary sources.  This book is a must-have for any picture book collection!

CCSS:  Reading Standards for Informational Text: Grade 2, Standards 1-6, 8-10.  Grade 3, Standards 1-3, 5-10.  Grade 4, Standards 1-10.  Grade 5, Standards 1-10.

Dewey:  331.892                                                            Interest:  Grades K-4.

Awards & Reviews:  Booklist starred, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews starred, Publishers weekly starred; School Library Journal starred, Orbis Pictus Honor Book for Outstanding Non-Fiction, 2013.

Middle readers might like:  33 Things Every Girls Should Know About Women's History:  From Suffragettes to Skirt Lengths to the E.R.A.  edited by Tonya Bolden.

Young Adult readers might like:  Pioneer Women:  The Lives of Women on the Frontier by Linda S. Peavy.

Fiction Pairing:  The Year We Were Famous by Carole Estby Dagg.

New York; Arthur A. Levine, 2013.

It would be difficult to find a piece of fiction that is more exciting than this true account of the capture of Nazi Adolf Eichmann.  The prologue, set in 1960, drops us briefly in the middle of the action until Chapter 1 takes us back to Eichmann's WWII Germany.  This slice of Nazi Germany leaves no doubt as to why it became so important to the Jewish people and the world that this man be brought to justice.

Nothing about the mission to capture Eichmann from his hiding place in Argentina was easy.  The team of spies had to work in complete secrecy, officially unrecognized by their own governments.  If they got caught, they would not be rescued.  The author expertly builds suspense throughout the story that will leave readers with pounding hearts, even those who know how the story ends.  He does not suguar-coat history which will please young adult readers, but also is not gratuitously graphic when describing Nazi goals and activities.

The Nazi Hunters is a must for middle and high school libraries and will be a hit with students and teachers alike. Bascomb kindly includes a list of participants at the front of the book to help readers navigate the large cast of characters. It has an extensive index, bibliography (the author has indicated items for further reading that would interest young adults), and primary source documents. One of the non-fiction's best of the year!

CCSS:  Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 6-8, Standards 1 - 6 & 8 - 9.

Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 9-12,Standards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7.

Dewey:  364.15                    Interest:  Grades 6 - 12

Awards:  YALSA Award for Excellence in Non-Fiction YA 2014 Winner; Booklist review;  Kirkus review; Hornbook review; School Library Journal review.

Middle Readers might like:  The Anne Frank Case:  Simon Wiesenthal's Search for the Truth by Susan Goldman Rubin.

Adult Readers might like:  Hunting Eichmann:  How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb (the adult version of The Nazi Hunters).

Fiction Pairings:  High School:  Shining Through by Susan Isaac

Middle School:  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyle (Holocaust fiction).

Silverfin: a James Bond Adventure by Charles Higson                                                                (young James Bond spy fiction).

Toronto, Ontario; Annick Press, 2013.

In this surprise of a page-turner, MacCloud uses eight separate cold cases to show how modern science can bring solutions to some of history's most perplexing mysteries.  In each of the seven cases, she highlights one investigative weapon from the "Crime-Solvers' Arsenal," which contained everything from establishing identity to using CT scans, to coax out answers to these mysteries.  For example, archaeology is spotlighted in the chapter about the Mayan royal family murders and how the family's bones came to be in a sacred fountain.  Autopsy is covered in the mystery of what really killed Napoleon.

MacCloud uses historic photographs and art to bring the victims closer to the reader and "evidence identification" tags to make side notes stand out.  The book has an index, glossary, directory of main sources, and suggestions for further reading.  Fiction and non-fiction fans alike will enjoy the crime-solving techniques mixed with a little fast-paced, good-parts history. Teachers might like using the chapter on The Man in the Iron Mask as an introduction to deductive reasoning, or using data to support a conclusion.   Bones Never Lie is a worthwhile addition to any middle school or junior high school library.

CCSS:  Reading Standards for Information Text, Grades 6-8, Standards 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9.

Dewey:  614        Interest:  Grades 5-8             Awards:  Kirkus Reviews Starred 3/1/13

Older readers might like:  Cold Cases by Gail B. Stewart

Younger readers might like:  Detective Science:  40 Crime-Solving, Case-Breaking, Crook-Catching Activities for Kids by Jim Wiese.

Fiction pairing:  Sherlock Holmes:  The Legend Begins Series by Andrew Lane

Tornonto, Ontario; Annick Press, 2013.

Do you have any reluctant readers who are nonetheless visual learners?  Show them this version of medieval history and they just might be hooked on the format.  Shapiro and Kinnaird use a series of charts, graphs, illustrations, infographics and corny jokes to usher the reader through the middle ages.  With sections on topics like women in the middle ages (women had careers, even then!); social classes ("the life of a young peasant is the same as the life of an old peasant, only poorer"); the Crusades (there were nine, plus a teen effort that fizzled out in Italy); the Black Plague; and religion, it could be used as a fun and easy introduction to a history unit.

Some often otherwise dry historical information is  presented on double page spreads in a visually appealling format that is easily absorbed and then analyzed to compare it with other texts.  For example, it is easy to see that in the middle ages, as now, having enough money can make life a little easier.

While this is a fun introduction, it is just that.  It is a jumping off point to learn more about medieval history.  This book is perfect for selecting companion books in, say, historical fiction or biography to draw students further into the subject.  It would be a good addition to an elementary or middle school library to market to those students who say they don't like to read.

CCSS:  Reading Standards for Informational Text:   Grade 4 Standards 4, 5, 7; Grade 5 Standards 1, 3, 5, 9;ELA Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies:  Grades 6-8 Standards 2, 3, 4, 5, 7;  Grades 9- 0 Standards 3, 4, 5, 9.

Dewey:  909.07      Interest:  Grades 5-8      Awards:  Kirkus Review

Older readers might like:  Guns, Germs, and Steel:  the Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond.

Younger readers might like:  First Facts:  The Middle Ages series from Capstone Press by various authors.

Fiction pairing: The Midwife's Apprentice or Catherine Called Birdy, both by Karen Cushman.

New York; Scholastic, 2014.

In keeping with the season, November's Non-Fiction Book of the Month is an account of the Pilgrims' voyage to the New World.  The reader takes on the role of one Priscilla Mullins, a young woman who really did make the journey with her family.  As Priscilla, we meet the crew and the other passengers.   Darkly humorous "Handy Hints" in dialogue boxes thoughout the book dispense practical advice like "Watch out for large waves when you use the facilities on the beakhead," which is the part of the bow that hangs out in front of the ship where the toilets are located.

Speaking of bathroom facilities, sometimes historical accounts gloss over some important details of everyday life.  Not so here!  In You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Mayflower, those details are discussed in some detail.  For example, imagine listening to a crying baby for months while you are seasick and stuck in cramped, stinking quarters.  Not fun.  We also learn the fate of a not-so-sympathetic sailor who thought it was funny to harass the passengers about their misery.  (Handy Hint:  Try not to get sick.  If you die on the ship your body will be thrown overboard!)

This version of the Mayflower story is a more lighthearted take on the voyage and the establishment of the colony at Plymouth.  Elementary school readers will enjoy the illustrations and some of the gruesome details.  Teachers and librarians will like the timeline, the lesser known details of the first leg of the journey, and the glossary, along with an index, a map, and a few short bonus sections in the back of the book on nautical matters.

This Mayflower book will fill the fun-to-read slot in your Thanksgiving section nicley.  It is one of the many books in the rather large "You Wouldn't Want To..." series, which covers many historical topics.

CCSS:  ELA Reading Standards for Informational Text:  Grade 4, Standard 7; Grade 5, Standards 6 and 9; Grade 6, Standards 3, 6, 7 and 9.

Dewey:  974.4

Interest:  Grades 3 - 6

Awards/Reviews:  Best Seller

Younger readers might like:  If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 by Ann McGovern.

Older readers might like:  Thanksgiving:  The True Story by Penny Coleman

Fiction paring:  A Journey to the New World: A Diary of Remember Patience Whipple by Kathryn Lasky.

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