Destination Space

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Simon, Seymour. Destination Space. Singapore: Harper Collins Publishers. 2002 ISBN 0-68816290-8

SUMMARY
Scientist have studied and contemplated forces in the universe for hundreds of years. The Hubble Space Telescope has been orbiting the Earth since 1990. It has taken many incredible photos of our solar system and other far away galaxies. Photos of a star cluster display thousands of yellow stars similar to our own Sun and other red stars near the ends of their lives. Spiral galaxies deep in space and the Milky Way are just some of the intriguing elements of the cosmos being studied by scientists through Hubble’s eyes.  With the launching of the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists have been able to learn that black holes really do exist and that Saturn, whose rings are made of ice chunks of different sizes, displays an aurora caused by a solar wind that sweeps over the planet, much like Earth’s Northern Lights.  These spectacular images are the most amazing ever recorded and help scientists explain in more detail concepts already known, as well as help them develop new ideas and hypothesis about other mysteries of the universe.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Seymour Simon uses clear, concise language to explain complex scientific ideas to children. Do black holes really exist? How long would it take to travel to another galaxy? How long is a light year? What is it that makes up the rings of Saturn? With over two hundred children’s science books to his credit, the author has mastered his craft.  His word choices compares difficult concepts to things that are common in a child’s world: “tadpole-shaped clumps of gasses” “water ice…that whirl…like swarms of tiny moons.” Providing just enough information in each two-page spread, Simon adds beautiful descriptions that evoke wonder and awe. Each photo generates enthusiasm to investigate further and is supported by large print and simple text that helps children comprehend scientific ideas. As an endnote, the author states the fact that scientists now  believe there are more than one hundred billion galaxies, and that each galaxy contains about one hundred billion stars. It boggles the mind when one remembers that each star is a sun, which might very likely support other planets in other solar systems. Who knows what we will find?  This is a very interesting and engaging book for children of all ages.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
ALA Booklist: “An attractive, informative addition to a fine series. One of those ‘must have books for children’s nonfiction collections…”

The Horn Book: “A comprehensible yet rigorous science text for young children.”

School Library Journal: “The author explains what discovery each image produced and how the information fits into our existing knowledge. His enthusiastic descriptions create vivid pictures in and of themselves.”

CONNECTIONS
*Coordinate with another teacher to help children do a report on a science topic related to the curriculum. A collection of age appropriate science books by Seymour Simon may include any of the following:

Bones: Our Skeletal System. 2000 ISBN: 10-0688177212


The Brain: Our Nervous System. 2006 ISBN 10-0060877197 


Comets, Meteors and Asteroids. 1998. ISBN 10-0688158439


Destination Mars. 2004 ISBN 10-0060546387


The Heart: Our Circulatory System. 2006. ISBN 10-0060877219  

Oceans 2006. ISBN 10-0060889993

RESOURCES
Picture:
http://www.thereadingnook.com/image_manager/attributes/image/image_5/0060596813_large.jpg

http://titlepeek.fsc.follett.com/tp/query?action=3&subnumber=8501546&isbn=0688162894&appid=4

Vardell, Sylvia. Children’s Literature in Action. Westport, CT. Libraries Unlimited. 2008.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow. New York: Scholastic Inc. 2005 ISBN 0-439-35379-3

SUMMARY
 In 1925 Hitler wrote of his intentions to defy the Treaty of Versailles and outlined his plans to “Nazify” young people. By 1939 over seven million Hitler Youth became indoctrinated in National Socialist tyranny. More people were killed in World War II than in any other war in history. It left an estimated 53 million dead, including Jews, Catholics, young men in their late teens and early twenties, women and children, the elderly, the physically or mentally handicapped, and anyone who showed dissent to the Reich. Primo Levi, a Holocaust survivor, wrote of “willed ignorance,” asking, “How is it possible that the extermination of millions of human beings could have been carried out in the heart of Europe without anyone’s knowledge?” In her book, Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow, Susan Campbell Bartoletti shares personal letters and interviews from many of the youth caught up in this horrific time. What will happen to the world if new generations of our young people sacrifice everything in order to serve the ideals of a despot? This riveting book is an account of the young citizens who devoted themselves to the Hitler Youth organization, even to the point of reporting their own family members to Nazi authorities.

  
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In the author’s notes Bartoletti explains that her idea for this story was sparked by an article she read in a 1944 issue of The Nation magazine. As a result, she felt compelled to investigate the phenomena of Hitler’s rise to power in more detail.  During her research she visited countless libraries, museums and other archives in the U.S. and Germany, where she poured over thousands of newspapers, magazines and photos. She has skillfully used extensive interviews, email and other correspondence together to convey this compelling piece of history. Many characters are depicted throughout the book in the black and white photos, showing some who remained devoted to Hitler and others who became disillusioned. The sidebars and photo captions remind the reader that these were real people, teenagers and young children with hopes and dreams much like any child in the world. Yet they became Nazis. Not only does Bartoletti share a captivating piece of history, she also provides additional details in the epilogue, bibliography, timeline and author’s notes at the back of the book.  This historical work is her attempt to makes sense of the adults who taught their children to hate and the choices the young people made to kill. It is an outstanding resource that will help us understand the role of young people in Hitler’s rise to power and remind us that we should never let this happen again.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist starred review- “The handsome book design, with black-and-white historical photos on every double-page spread, will draw in readers and help spark deep discussion, which will extend beyond the Holocaust curriculum.”

Newbery Medal/Honor 2006

Notable/Best Books (A.L.A) 2006

School Library Journal starred review- “Bartoletti lets many of the subjects' words, emotions, and deeds speak for themselves, bringing them together clearly to tell this story unlike anyone else has.”
Seibert Honor Books 2006

CONNECTIONS
Other nonfiction books for intermediate students:

*The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti 2008. ISBN-10: 0439680131

          

*An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy 2003 ISBN-10: 0395776082  

     

*The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain 2007 by Peter Sis 

ISBN-13: 9780374347017 
                                                                         

RESOURCES
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1268405880839

http://titlepeek.fsc.follett.com/tp/query?action=3&subnumber=8501546&isbn=9780439353793&appid=4

Picture:

http://www.audiobooksonline.com/media/Hitler_Youth_Susan_Campbell_Bartoletti_unabridged_compact_discs.jpg

Vardell, Sylvia. Children’s Literature in Action. Westport, CT. Libraries Unlimited. 2008.

Freedom Walkers

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Freedom, Russell. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. New York: Holiday House. 2006 ISBN 978-0-8234-2031-5

SUMMARY
In 1955 segregation was the law in the American South. It separated whites from blacks in every aspect of life: in hospitals, schools, churches, hotels, restaurants and even simply riding a public bus. The laws of the South in the 1950s were such that blacks were prevented of being in the same company of whites in any public setting.  These “Jim Crow” laws required a black person to pay a poll tax to vote or to give up their seat to a white person even if he/she were sitting in a seat designated “for blacks only.” The black community of Montgomery, Alabama, led by Martin Luther King Jr. initiated a non-violent bus boycott in the spirit of his belief that “we must meet hate with love.” The boycott ended the use of this critical means of transportation for the poorer Negro population. The effort to change discriminatory laws lasted over a year and involved the entire community of Montgomery. This 381-day struggle resulted in an eventual Supreme Court ruling that declared Alabama’s state and local segregation laws a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This struggle for civil rights did not simply begin and end with Rosa Parks’ refusal one day to give up her seat to a white man. Russell Freedman’s compelling book is the story of the thousands of people who sacrificed and banded together in order to end this injustice and win a major victory in the civil rights movement.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Freedman’s inclusion of so many players in the Montgomery Bus Boycott sets this scene for the heroes who protested and changeed the course of American history. The courage of these American citizens to persevere in order to eliminate injustice and inequality leave the reader with a feeling of raw emotion, as if to experience the humiliation and anger present in those explosive times.  The black and white photos in each two-page spread are just a few of the illustrations depicting a united effort in this time of civil defiance. Even Mother Pollard, a well-known elderly woman in the community refused a ride from a car-owning minister and preferred to walk instead declaring, “My feets is tired, but my soul is rested.” Homes were bombed and blacks were intimidated by the white authorities and the Klu Klux Klan. Yet the long, peaceful struggle continued. Being arrested became a badge of honor, despite the palpable fear throughout the Negro community.

Freedman’s writing is compelling and informative. It encourages critical thinking and lively discussion. The interviews and quotations from those directly involved in the boycott, the black and white photographs depicting segregated scenes, and the inclusion of so many important, yet largely unknown facts, make this an exceptional reference book for intermediate students. The bibliographic references and an extensive index provide additional resources for students who want to learn more about this period. In his own words about Martin Luther King Jr. Freedman says, “More than any other leader of his turbulent era, he had been able to give America’s conscience a voice.” Freedman has given young people the ears and eyes to stand up and take notice of injustice and the knowledge that peaceful protest can evoke hope and change.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
ALA Booklist starred review- “In his signature clear prose, Freedman draws on the best of those personal stories and historical accounts to provide a dramatic overview of how the 381-day resistance to segregated buses spearheaded the civil rights movement.”

Horn Book starred review

School Library Journal starred review- “…an exemplary presentation…a powerful introduction to the Civil Rights Movement.”

CONNECTIONS
*Link Freedom Walkers to other books about the Civil Rights Movement. Encourage students to write a poem that extends the meaning of Martin Luther King’s message “we must meet hate with love.”
(p. 66)

*Discuss the terms “justice” and “oppression” and what it means for minorities and those who mistreat them. How has peaceful resistance changed the course of other historical struggles?

*Additional Russell Freedman books that chronicle extraordinary events or people:

Buffalo Hunt. 1995 ISBN-10: 0823411591

Give Me Liberty: The Story of the Declaration of Independence. 2002 ISBN-10: 0823417530

The Life and Death of Crazy Horse. 1996. ISBN-10: 0823412199

RESOURCES

http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/812/freedom-walkers/

http://titlepeek.fsc.follett.com/tp/query?action=3&subnumber=8501546&isbn=9780823420315&appid=4

Picture:
http://bookwizard.scholastic.com/tbw/viewWorkDetail.do?workId=1211772&

Vardell, Sylvia. Children’s Literature in Action. Westport, CT. Libraries Unlimited. 2008.