Goin' Someplace Special

Goin’ Someplace Special

Written by: Patricia C. McKissack

Illustrated by: Jerry Pinkney

Aladdin, 2001

40 pages

Picture Book: Historical Fiction

            I chose this book because it is a Coretta Scott King Award winning book. This is a story about a young African American girl who is trying to get to “Someplace Special.” She decides to venture there alone, and she runs into several problems along the way. At this point in history, our country was dealing with very harsh racism against African Americans. Everything was segregated, and this young African American girl has trouble getting to her destination because of the fierce racism. She finally reaches her destination, the library. Everyone is welcome at the library!

            The illustrator of this book is Jerry Pinkney. Pinkney created these illustrations by using pencil and watercolor on paper. The illustrator uses very soft, pale colors in this book. The setting depicted a southern town in the 1950’s. The illustrations were detailed and elegant. 

            This book is appropriate for ages 4-8. I would use this book in a 3^rd grade classroom. I could use this book to introduce a history lesson on the Civil Rights Movement. I would read this book aloud to my students, and we would discuss the topics of racism in this story. I would also use this book to introduce a creative writing lesson. I would read this book aloud to my students and then prompt them to write by saying, “Why do you think the library was the little girl’s ‘Someplace Special’?” This book could also be used to introduce a 3^rd grade math lesson. I would read this book aloud and discuss the girl’s journey to the library. We would talk about how we would estimate how long it would take her to reach her destination. I would explain what estimation was and how we might be able to estimate an arrival time for the little girl. This book has been awarded the Coretta Scott King Award.

Players in Pigtails

Players in Pigtails

Written by: Shana Corey

Illustrated by: Rebecca Gibbon

Scholastic Press, 2003

40 pages

Picture Book: Historical Fiction

            I chose this book because I love sports. I really related to this story because I was a tomboy growing up and always wanted to play sports with the boys. I love this book because it’s a story about how girls started playing professional baseball. This story is about a girl named Katie Casey who loves baseball. She wasn’t very good at being girly, but she was amazing at baseball. This book is about her journey to professional baseball. Katie follows her dreams, despite constant mocking, and finds herself on the first Girl’s Professional Baseball League. She hits a grand slam and wins the game.

The illustrator of this book is Rebecca Gibbon. Rebecca used watercolor and colored pencils to create the illustrations for this book. Rebecca uses several pastel colors in her illustrations; she uses a lot of yellow, blue, and green. She does a great job depicting the era and style of the 40’s in her illustrations. I was impressed at the accuracy in which she drew the clothes, uniforms, and hairstyles of that time period.

This book is appropriate for ages 4 and up. I would use this book in a 3^rd grade classroom for a history lesson. I would read the book to my students and discuss how baseball is a national pastime. We would also discuss the part in the book that talked about how President Roosevelt was concerned about our country having a pastime during WWII. I could also use this book to introduce a science lesson on gravity. I would read this book to my 2^nd grade students and talk about gravity as it relates to baseball. This book would be a great way to introduce a creative writing lesson to 4^th graders. I would read this book to my students and prompt them to write by saying, “Do you think it was important that women were finally able to play professional sports? Why or why not?”

Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom

Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom

Written & illustrated by: Shane Evans

Roaring Book Press, 2011

32 pages

Picture Book: Historical Fiction

            I chose this book because it is a Coretta Scott King Award winning book. This book walks the reader through the various struggles on the road to freedom.  This book shows the hardship and trials that the people in the Underground Railroad went through. On a journey beginning in darkness, only some survived and witnessed the light of freedom. The struggles and hardships are worth it when freedom is finally found.

The illustrator and author of this book is Shane Evans. To create these illustrations, Shane started by drawing the pictures in pencil. As Shane drew, he did not erase. Later he took another sheet of paper and used paints and other materials to create the backdrop for the pencil drawings. After all of this, Shane would digitally combine the two pictures. He would put the penciled drawings on top of the back drop. He uses dark colors in the beginning of the book to signify pain and suffering. The only bright color seen is the yellow in the stars and lanterns. At the end of the book bright yellows and oranges are used to signify light and freedom.

            This book is appropriate for ages 4-8. I would use this book in a first grade classroom. This book could be read as an introduction to a history lesson on the Underground Railroad.  I might also read this book as an introduction to a science lesson on darkness for first graders. I would turn off all the lights and read the book to my first graders with a flash light. We would talk about darkness and what happens when light enters darkness. I would also use this book in a creative writing lesson to prompt my first graders to write about a time that they were scared in the dark. This book is a Coretta Scott King Award winning book. 

Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin

Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin

Written and illustrated by: Gene Barretta

Square Fish, 2006

40 pages

Picture Book: Non-Fiction

I chose this book because Benjamin Franklin is one of the most interesting historical figures of America. America would not be what it is today without Benjamin Franklin and his many inventions and contributions to society. This book tells about Ben’s inventions and how each one is being used today. What would our society be like today without Benjamin Franklin? This book shows just how much one person can do for his country. Not only did Benjamin Franklin create several useful inventions, he played key roles in writing the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

Gene Baretta is the illustrator and writer of this book. Gene’s medium is watercolor. All of the illustrations for this book were painted with watercolor on paper. Gene Barretta’s illustrations are accurate portrayals of Ben Franklin’s time as well as the 21^st century. Bright, vivid colors are used throughout the book. Most pages have the “Now” pictures and the “Then” pictures on the right.

This book is appropriate for ages 5-9. I would read this book to a 3^rd grade class for a science lesson. This book would be a great way to discuss electricity and the way that Benjamin Franklin learned about electricity with a kite, string, and key. I could also read this book to 3^rd graders for a creative writing lesson. I would read this book to my students and prompt them to write by saying, “What would society be like without Benjamin Franklin’s inventions?” This book could also be utilized as an introduction to a 2^nd grade history lesson about the Declaration of Independence. I would read this book to my students before I started the lesson and discuss the great contribution that Benjamin Franklin made to the Declaration of Independence.

Row, Row, Row the Boats: A Fun Song About George Washington Crossing the Delaware

Row, Row, Row the Boats: A Fun Song About George Washington Crossing the Delaware

Written by: Michael Dahl

Illustrated by: Sandra D’Antonio

Picture Window Books, 2004

24 pages

Picture Book: Non-fiction

I chose this book because George Washington is one of my favorite historical figures. I like this book because it was written to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” so that children could sing along. The book is full of facts about Washington and his men on the night they bravely fought the Battle of Trenton. Conditions were not ideal that night, but Washington and his two thousand men were able to surprise their enemy and defeat them at Trenton. Children will be able to sing along to one of the most famous battles of the Revolutionary War. 

Sandra D’ Antonio illustrated this book. All of the illustrations in this book were done digitally. George Washington and his men look more like cartoons than historical figures, but the illustrations are extremely child friendly. Sandra depicts the terrible conditions that night, by drawing lots of snow, ice, and sleet. She uses bright, vivid colors, especially using reds, blues, and whites (America!). The characters come to life in this song about the Battle of Trenton.

This book is appropriate for ages 5 and up. I would use this book in a first grade classroom. Reading this book to my first graders would be a great way to introduce a history lesson on George Washington. I would also read this book to my first graders before a science lesson on snow, sleet, or ice. We would talk about the effects that snow, ice, and sleet have on humans and our surroundings. I might also read this book for a character education lesson on bravery. We would discuss the bravery of George Washington and his men that night and how we should be brave too.