5th grade book talks for 2/7/08

Non-fiction picture books

Non-fiction picture books are great because you can read them in one sitting and learn a lot about something that interests you. More and more the illustrations in picture books are being recognized as serious art, so it's like getting both great writing and great art.

Teammates
by Peter Golenbock, illustrated by Paul Bacon
This is a story about the first Black Major League Baseball player, Jackie Robinson. Getting on the Brooklyn Dodgers was only the first part of Jackie's struggle to be treated equally. Once he was on the team, many people still wouldn't accept him. But his teammate Pee Wee Reese did one small thing that amazed people. To find out what that was, you'll have to read the story.

The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest
by Steve Jenkins
The Summit of Mt. Everest is the highest point on Earth. To get there you need to withstand freezing temperatures, avalanches, high winds, and limited oxygen. In this book, you'll learn about Nepal, climbing gear, history, and adventure.

Gentle Giant: Octopus
by Karen Wallace, illustrated by Mike Bostock
Jody the Lower School librarian recently told me that scientists discovered a six-legged octopus, which they're calling a hexapus. This made me curious about octopuses, so I found this book and I really liked it. The illustrations are fantastic and you learn some very interesting things about octopuses.

The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq
by Jeanette Winter
What do you do when you know war is coming to destroy the one thing you're supposed to take care of? Alia Muhammad Baker, the librarian of Basra, has to make a decision when she's faced with just such a situation. It's sneaky and dangerous and a fascinating read.

So You Want to be President?
by Judith St. George, illustrated by David Small
Nowadays, we're hearing a lot about people who want to be our next president. If you want to know hilarious facts about the men who've already had the job, this is the book to pick up. Which presidents knew how to dance? Which president wouldn't eat his vegetables? After you read this book, you can decide if being president is something you'd want to do for a living.

Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot
by Margot Theis Raven, illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
So, you're learning about WWII and the Holocaust in class. Here's a story that takes place after the war ended in Berlin.  Berlin was cut off from supplies, so it pilots had to drop food from the sky so the people of Berlin could survive. One girl, Mercedes, requests the "Chocolate Pilot" drop candy in her backyard.

Talking Walls
by Margy Burns Knight, illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien
There are lots of way to learn about history. One of the most interesting ways is through walls. That's right. Walls! It's like the expression "If these walls could talk."

One Well: The Story of Water on Earth
by Rochelle Strauss, illustrated by Rosemary Woods