Krull, Kathleen. (2003).Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. New York, San Diego, London: Harcourt, Inc.
Lexile: AD 800 (K –5th grade)
Author Credibility:
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez won the Jane Adams Children’s Book Award for 2004. Krull research Chavez by walking in the fields and listening to stories about Chavez and the farmworkers fight for a better life. Krull has written a number of nonfiction stories about various people in history.
Summary:
This story is a partial biography of Cesar Chavez. It starts with Caser’s life on their family’s ranch in Arizona. Life is good and Cesar is happy, until his family had to move to California because a drought. His family became migrant farm workers working wherever they could. They wanted to go back to the ranch, but the wages for this work were too low. He often faced discrimination because of his race throughout his childhood. He dropped out of school to work full time after the eigth grade. Slowly he decided it was time for a change in the farmers working conditions. He traveled very slowly gathering support. As more people joined the cause they adopted a black eagle as their symbol and named their work La Causa (The Cause). Finally, they took action. The workers of a vineyard went on strike. They marched more than three hundred miles to Sacramento. They faced a lot of oppostition, but they remained peaceful. As they marched word spread and people welcomed them along the way. Many of these people joined the march. The owners of the grape company agreed to sign a contract with Cesar offering better pay and working conditions. By the time they reached Sacramento the crowd of fifty-seven had grown to ten-thousand. The people were so happy to hear of their small victory, but the work was not over. The Author’s Note tells the reader much more of Cesar’s life. He continued his work until his death in 1993.
Standards:
Social Studies
*Culture
*Time, Continuity, and Change
*Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
*Power, Authority, and Governance
Illustrations:
The illustrations consist of paintings. These paintings were done with acrylics, stamps, and computer-created cutouts. The illustrations are closely related to the text, and help tell the story even without the words. They bring the story to life.
Access Features:
*Author’s Note
How I would use the book in the classroom:
This book would allow for so many possibilities in the classroom. It could be used during a study of Mexican culture. It could stem from a study on nonviolent change, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. One thing that really stuck out to me that would be worth noting in the classroom is the power and change one person can spark. Younger readers of this book would require an adult read-aloud.
My response to the book:
I enjoyed reading this book. It brought to light issues I have never even thought about. In the Author’s Note Krull makes the comment many people have probally never heard of Cesar Chavez. I was part of this group. The text and the illustrations really brought to life the struggle Cesar Chavez faced and how hard he worked to overcome the discrimination he faced.
Related Texts:
*First Day in Grapes by L. King Perez
*Cesar: Si, Se Pued!/ Yes, We Can! By Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
* My Diary from Here to There/Mi diario de aqui hasta alla by Amada Irma Perez
*Cesar Chavez: A Hero for Everyone by Gary Soto
Other:
When looking at the whole cover the book shows Chavez as a little boy and then as a man. This symbolizes the journey this book is about to take. On the cover of the book Cesar Chavez looks toward the opening of the book, inviting the reader to open the book and enjoy. Even all of the plants on the title page reach toward the next page of the book, drawing the reader farther in. The vibrant colors display for me a sense of hope. The portrait of Chavez on the last page of the book is almost identical to the cover.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of Mount St. Helens by Patricia Lauber
Lauber, Patricia. (1986).Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of Mount St. Helens. New York: Bradbury Press.
Lexile: 830 (3rd grade and up)
Author Credibility:
Lauber acknowledged many of the scientists and naturalists who helped with her research. Many of which read and commented on the book before it was published. This book was named a Newbery Honor book.
Summary:
This book starts by introducing the reader to the sleeping volcano of Mount St. Helens. It chronicles the time up to the famous erruption. Earthquakes were a sign that the volcano was “waking up.” It goes back in time telling of previous erruptions that helped build the volcano up. Graphs are used to illustrate the text. Lauber makes a point to describe the life of the mountain. This will become more important later in the book. Lauber describes how geologists studied the volcano and tried to predict when it would errupt again. Chapter two describes the famous erruption of Mount St. Helens. Pictures show the descruction this erruption caused. The book tells the important work geologist did to try to understand the volcano. Chapter three starts the rebuilding process of life on the volcano. It describes how life quickly started to come back to the volcano. It tells how some things survived and how others came to colonize the recently destroyed area. It describes how plants and animals likely came to the volcano and how they interacted. Chapter four continues with this theme and describes how all of the organisms coming back to the volcano were interlocked. They depend on each other. Finally, chapter five tells the reader information about volcanoes and how they work. Diagrams are used to help illustrate these points. It is important to note that the author describes for the reader how a volcano is important for us.
Standards:
SCIENCE:
*Life Science
*Unifying concepts and processes
*Earth and space science
Illustrations:
The illustrations in this book consist mainly of photographs with captions that describe these photographs. Diagrams and maps are also included in the book to help explain points discussed in the book. The photographs really bring to life and give the reader a clear picture of Mount St. Helens, both the destruction and the new life.
Access Features:
*Table of Contents
*Index
*Photographs with captions
*Diagrams
*Map
How I would use the book in the classroom:
In my classroom I would provide this book for students as they do research on volcanoes. This book provided a lot of useful information that the students could easily look up and find. This book could also be used when studying about the contium of life or how life comes to a barren place.
My response to the book:
This book was very informative. The conversational structure of the book made it easy and fun to read. I loved looking at the pictures. They provided such a great visual for the content of the story. They brought the story to life.
Related Texts:
* Volcanoes by Seymour Simon
* Mount St. Helens: The Eruption and Recovery of a Volcano by Rob Carson
* Into the Volcano: A Volcano Researcher at Work by Donna OMeara
Other:
Appropriately the front cover contains a picture of Mount. St. Helens errupting. The book is broken up into chapters. The chapter titles provide the reader a general idea of what the chapter will be about.
Lexile: 830 (3rd grade and up)
Author Credibility:
Lauber acknowledged many of the scientists and naturalists who helped with her research. Many of which read and commented on the book before it was published. This book was named a Newbery Honor book.
Summary:
This book starts by introducing the reader to the sleeping volcano of Mount St. Helens. It chronicles the time up to the famous erruption. Earthquakes were a sign that the volcano was “waking up.” It goes back in time telling of previous erruptions that helped build the volcano up. Graphs are used to illustrate the text. Lauber makes a point to describe the life of the mountain. This will become more important later in the book. Lauber describes how geologists studied the volcano and tried to predict when it would errupt again. Chapter two describes the famous erruption of Mount St. Helens. Pictures show the descruction this erruption caused. The book tells the important work geologist did to try to understand the volcano. Chapter three starts the rebuilding process of life on the volcano. It describes how life quickly started to come back to the volcano. It tells how some things survived and how others came to colonize the recently destroyed area. It describes how plants and animals likely came to the volcano and how they interacted. Chapter four continues with this theme and describes how all of the organisms coming back to the volcano were interlocked. They depend on each other. Finally, chapter five tells the reader information about volcanoes and how they work. Diagrams are used to help illustrate these points. It is important to note that the author describes for the reader how a volcano is important for us.
Standards:
SCIENCE:
*Life Science
*Unifying concepts and processes
*Earth and space science
Illustrations:
The illustrations in this book consist mainly of photographs with captions that describe these photographs. Diagrams and maps are also included in the book to help explain points discussed in the book. The photographs really bring to life and give the reader a clear picture of Mount St. Helens, both the destruction and the new life.
Access Features:
*Table of Contents
*Index
*Photographs with captions
*Diagrams
*Map
How I would use the book in the classroom:
In my classroom I would provide this book for students as they do research on volcanoes. This book provided a lot of useful information that the students could easily look up and find. This book could also be used when studying about the contium of life or how life comes to a barren place.
My response to the book:
This book was very informative. The conversational structure of the book made it easy and fun to read. I loved looking at the pictures. They provided such a great visual for the content of the story. They brought the story to life.
Related Texts:
* Volcanoes by Seymour Simon
* Mount St. Helens: The Eruption and Recovery of a Volcano by Rob Carson
* Into the Volcano: A Volcano Researcher at Work by Donna OMeara
Other:
Appropriately the front cover contains a picture of Mount. St. Helens errupting. The book is broken up into chapters. The chapter titles provide the reader a general idea of what the chapter will be about.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
Giovanni, Nikki. (2005). Rosa. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Lexile: 900 – I think this book could be used with students 3rd to 6th grade.
Author Credibility: This book has won such awards as the Child Magazine's best children's book of the year, a Caldecott Honor Book, and the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration.
Summary:
The story begins by introducing Rosa’s family. It then describes Rosa’s work. Rosa got to go home early so she heads to the bus. She pays her money and heads to the back entrance, were colored people had to enter the bus. The colored section was full, so she sat in a neutral section of the bus. As the bus filled up the bus driver came to the neutral section and demanded they move. Rosa said “no.” The police were called and Rosa was arrested. Members of the Women’s Political Council met and made posters promoting a bus boycott. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the people. Finally, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation was illegal.
Standards: Social Studies
*Culture
*Time, Continuity, and Change
*Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Illustrations:
Bryan Collier provides the drawings that bring to life this story. The end pages of this book are tinted with a tint of green. Then as you continue on into the story the drawings progress into color.
Access Features:
*Author’s Note
*Illustrator’s Note
How I would use this book in the classroom:
This book would be a great with a unit on civil rights.
My response to the book:
I enjoyed reading this book. I learned a lot about Rosa Parks by reading this book. For example, I learned that Rosa was a seamstress. You often hear about how she would not give up her seat on the bus, but you do not hear much about the rest of her life. I also did not realize that there were neutral sections on the bus, and Rosa was sitting in this section. Rosa was sitting in a legal section of the bus. I would have liked to know more about what happened to Rosa after she was arrested. The story told more about the bus boycott and the civil rights movement. I liked the open up pages that showed the people walking eventually to a victory of equal rights.
Related Texts:
* Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo, illustrated by J. Brian Pinkney
* Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement by Ann Bausum
*Freedom Walkers: The story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman
*A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Eric Velasque
* A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Philippe Lardy
Lexile: 900 – I think this book could be used with students 3rd to 6th grade.
Author Credibility: This book has won such awards as the Child Magazine's best children's book of the year, a Caldecott Honor Book, and the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration.
Summary:
The story begins by introducing Rosa’s family. It then describes Rosa’s work. Rosa got to go home early so she heads to the bus. She pays her money and heads to the back entrance, were colored people had to enter the bus. The colored section was full, so she sat in a neutral section of the bus. As the bus filled up the bus driver came to the neutral section and demanded they move. Rosa said “no.” The police were called and Rosa was arrested. Members of the Women’s Political Council met and made posters promoting a bus boycott. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the people. Finally, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation was illegal.
Standards: Social Studies
*Culture
*Time, Continuity, and Change
*Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Illustrations:
Bryan Collier provides the drawings that bring to life this story. The end pages of this book are tinted with a tint of green. Then as you continue on into the story the drawings progress into color.
Access Features:
*Author’s Note
*Illustrator’s Note
How I would use this book in the classroom:
This book would be a great with a unit on civil rights.
My response to the book:
I enjoyed reading this book. I learned a lot about Rosa Parks by reading this book. For example, I learned that Rosa was a seamstress. You often hear about how she would not give up her seat on the bus, but you do not hear much about the rest of her life. I also did not realize that there were neutral sections on the bus, and Rosa was sitting in this section. Rosa was sitting in a legal section of the bus. I would have liked to know more about what happened to Rosa after she was arrested. The story told more about the bus boycott and the civil rights movement. I liked the open up pages that showed the people walking eventually to a victory of equal rights.
Related Texts:
* Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo, illustrated by J. Brian Pinkney
* Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement by Ann Bausum
*Freedom Walkers: The story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman
*A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Eric Velasque
* A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Philippe Lardy
Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
Hatkoff, I. Hatkoff, C. and Kahumbu, P. (2006). Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship. New York: Scholastic Press.
Lexile: AD920 I think this could be used with students as young as 4th grade.
Author Credibility: Isabella and her father Craig Hatkoff heard the story of Owen and Mzee and teamed up with the director of the sanctuary where Owen and Mzee live, Dr. Paula Kahumbu, to write this story. Dr. Kahumbu oversees the lives of Owen and Mzee.
Summary:
Owen is a baby hippopotamus that was left alone on a reef not far from the shore of a small town in Africa after a tsunami. The villagers sent Owen to an animal sanctuary called Haller Park. Dr. Paula Kahumbu and Stephen Tuei as well as the park staff worked together to make a place for Owen to live. He was placed in a habit with several other animals including Mzee, a 130 year old Aldabra tortoise. Mzee was not a social animal until Owen came. Owen went directly to Mzee when he was released into his new home. Mzee did not like this at first, but he soon warmed to his new companion. The two spent all of their time together. Word of the two unlikely friends spread quickly. Now, many people come to see them and their photographs can be found all around the world. In the “More About…” section of the book the authors tell that Owen and Mzee have been moved to a place where there are more hippopotami. The book also states that the two are still close friends.
Standards:
*Science
Life Science
Science in personal and social perspectives
*Social Studies
People, places, and the environment
Illustrations:
The illustrations of this book consist of the photographs by Peter Greste. Captions accompany these amazing pictures. The photographs give the reader a better understanding of what is going on in the story. The photographs capture the essence of the story. The photographs not taken by Greste are given credit at the end of the story. Maps are also used in the “More About…” section to give the reader a better understanding of where the story took place.
Access Features:
*Author’s note
*Photography with captions
*Maps
*More about…
How I would use the book in my classroom:
This book could be used in so many ways in the classroom. It could be used to illustrate a story of friendship. Owen and Mzee are unlikely friends. This could lead into a discussion of other unlikely friends found in litature, the world, their life, etc. This book could be used as a study of how community and science are interlinked. What can the students do in their community to help others. It could also be used to learn about a hippopotamus and a tortoise. A comparision and contrast activity would be good to use with this story.
My response to the book:
I enjoyed reading this book. I was truly captivated by the pictures of the two animals together. This is such a unique story. It has so much potential to be used in the classroom. It was informative and easy to read.
Related Texts:
(2006). Encyclopedia of Animals. Great Neck Publishing.
Lexile: AD920 I think this could be used with students as young as 4th grade.
Author Credibility: Isabella and her father Craig Hatkoff heard the story of Owen and Mzee and teamed up with the director of the sanctuary where Owen and Mzee live, Dr. Paula Kahumbu, to write this story. Dr. Kahumbu oversees the lives of Owen and Mzee.
Summary:
Owen is a baby hippopotamus that was left alone on a reef not far from the shore of a small town in Africa after a tsunami. The villagers sent Owen to an animal sanctuary called Haller Park. Dr. Paula Kahumbu and Stephen Tuei as well as the park staff worked together to make a place for Owen to live. He was placed in a habit with several other animals including Mzee, a 130 year old Aldabra tortoise. Mzee was not a social animal until Owen came. Owen went directly to Mzee when he was released into his new home. Mzee did not like this at first, but he soon warmed to his new companion. The two spent all of their time together. Word of the two unlikely friends spread quickly. Now, many people come to see them and their photographs can be found all around the world. In the “More About…” section of the book the authors tell that Owen and Mzee have been moved to a place where there are more hippopotami. The book also states that the two are still close friends.
Standards:
*Science
Life Science
Science in personal and social perspectives
*Social Studies
People, places, and the environment
Illustrations:
The illustrations of this book consist of the photographs by Peter Greste. Captions accompany these amazing pictures. The photographs give the reader a better understanding of what is going on in the story. The photographs capture the essence of the story. The photographs not taken by Greste are given credit at the end of the story. Maps are also used in the “More About…” section to give the reader a better understanding of where the story took place.
Access Features:
*Author’s note
*Photography with captions
*Maps
*More about…
How I would use the book in my classroom:
This book could be used in so many ways in the classroom. It could be used to illustrate a story of friendship. Owen and Mzee are unlikely friends. This could lead into a discussion of other unlikely friends found in litature, the world, their life, etc. This book could be used as a study of how community and science are interlinked. What can the students do in their community to help others. It could also be used to learn about a hippopotamus and a tortoise. A comparision and contrast activity would be good to use with this story.
My response to the book:
I enjoyed reading this book. I was truly captivated by the pictures of the two animals together. This is such a unique story. It has so much potential to be used in the classroom. It was informative and easy to read.
Related Texts:
(2006). Encyclopedia of Animals. Great Neck Publishing.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley
Kerley, Barbara. (2001).The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. New York: Scholastic Press.
Lexile: AD550 (3rd grade)
Author credibility: Barbara Kerley in the Author’s Note explains that the content of the book came from newspaper articles and the writings of Waterhouse himself. This book has won such awards as Notable Children’s book and the Caldecott honor book in 2002.
Summary: From the very beginning of the book Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins invites you into his story and to see his fabulous creations. The endpages of the book contain an invition and then Mr. Hawkins opens the curtain to reveal his spectacular dinosaurs, as well as the title of the book. The story begins by introducing the beginning of his career in London. He flashes back to his childhood and how he developed a passion for art and animals. This then flows into the work he is doing. Kerley tells how Waterhouse Hawkins and Richard Owen work together to create the public’s first view of a dinosaur. Finally, after much work Hawkins reveals his art to England’s leading scientists. To do this he arranged a spectacular dinner party that took place inside of one of the dinosaurs. His work in England was a huge success. They were housed at the Crystal Palace were many people came to see them.
The next stage in his life takes place in America, were he built the first dinosaur skeleton. Then he meets “Boss.” “Boss” stalled and eventually demolished the two years of work Waterhouse did in America. Despite this Waterhouse Hawkins continued to work in America painting the development of life on earth.
The finally stage of Mr. Hawkins life begins with him returning home. Skeletons found showed that some of Mr. Hawkins work was innacurate. The book ends with a transition into our time. It shows how important his work was because it gave people their first look at dinosaurs.
Standards: Science
*Life Science
*Earth and Space Science
*History and Nature of Science
Illustrations:
Brian Selznick provides this book with wonderful drawings to illustrate this book. Many of these drawings are based on the original drawings of Waterhouse Hawkins himself. These drawings were found in a scrapbook many years after the death of Waterhouse Hawkins. Selznick traveled to England to see and study the dinosaurs that Waterhouse created. A goose from the park that made an impact on him is even included in the book. The endpages contain a replica of the invitation Waterhouse sent out for the grand appearance of his creations.
Access Features:
*Author’s and Illustrator’s Notes
*Flow diagram
How I would use the book in the classroom:
* I think this book would be a great introduction to a unit on dinosaurs. It envokes excitement for the reader, and that is one of the most important things in an anticipatory set.
* I also think this book would be good to use in a litature group. It would provide the students an exciting story which they can get into a talk about.
My response to the book:
I really enjoyed reading this book. The illustrations really drew me into the story and got me excited about what was going on. From the very front cover the author invites you into an exciting world. I also liked how when the mood of the story changed so did the illustrations. They became gloomy, and fit the mood so well. So much thought and work went into this book and it made it a pleasant reading experience for me. I would like to get this book for my collection.
I was also impressed with how in the author’s notes the author cleared up any questions the reader may still have after reading the book.
Lexile: AD550 (3rd grade)
Author credibility: Barbara Kerley in the Author’s Note explains that the content of the book came from newspaper articles and the writings of Waterhouse himself. This book has won such awards as Notable Children’s book and the Caldecott honor book in 2002.
Summary: From the very beginning of the book Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins invites you into his story and to see his fabulous creations. The endpages of the book contain an invition and then Mr. Hawkins opens the curtain to reveal his spectacular dinosaurs, as well as the title of the book. The story begins by introducing the beginning of his career in London. He flashes back to his childhood and how he developed a passion for art and animals. This then flows into the work he is doing. Kerley tells how Waterhouse Hawkins and Richard Owen work together to create the public’s first view of a dinosaur. Finally, after much work Hawkins reveals his art to England’s leading scientists. To do this he arranged a spectacular dinner party that took place inside of one of the dinosaurs. His work in England was a huge success. They were housed at the Crystal Palace were many people came to see them.
The next stage in his life takes place in America, were he built the first dinosaur skeleton. Then he meets “Boss.” “Boss” stalled and eventually demolished the two years of work Waterhouse did in America. Despite this Waterhouse Hawkins continued to work in America painting the development of life on earth.
The finally stage of Mr. Hawkins life begins with him returning home. Skeletons found showed that some of Mr. Hawkins work was innacurate. The book ends with a transition into our time. It shows how important his work was because it gave people their first look at dinosaurs.
Standards: Science
*Life Science
*Earth and Space Science
*History and Nature of Science
Illustrations:
Brian Selznick provides this book with wonderful drawings to illustrate this book. Many of these drawings are based on the original drawings of Waterhouse Hawkins himself. These drawings were found in a scrapbook many years after the death of Waterhouse Hawkins. Selznick traveled to England to see and study the dinosaurs that Waterhouse created. A goose from the park that made an impact on him is even included in the book. The endpages contain a replica of the invitation Waterhouse sent out for the grand appearance of his creations.
Access Features:
*Author’s and Illustrator’s Notes
*Flow diagram
How I would use the book in the classroom:
* I think this book would be a great introduction to a unit on dinosaurs. It envokes excitement for the reader, and that is one of the most important things in an anticipatory set.
* I also think this book would be good to use in a litature group. It would provide the students an exciting story which they can get into a talk about.
My response to the book:
I really enjoyed reading this book. The illustrations really drew me into the story and got me excited about what was going on. From the very front cover the author invites you into an exciting world. I also liked how when the mood of the story changed so did the illustrations. They became gloomy, and fit the mood so well. So much thought and work went into this book and it made it a pleasant reading experience for me. I would like to get this book for my collection.
I was also impressed with how in the author’s notes the author cleared up any questions the reader may still have after reading the book.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Russell Freedman (2BK)
Freedman, Russell (1994). Franklin Delano Roosevelt. New York: Scholastic Inc.
Lexile: 1070 - Appropriate Grade Level: 9-12
Author Credibility: Russell Freedman has written several award winning non fiction books. Freedman also cites the references he used in researching the material used to write the book in acknowledgments and picture credits. These references include: The Bettmann Archive, Library of Congress, National Archives, Wide World Photos, and people that helped along the way. Several of these people he acknowledges work at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and the Roosevelt home.
Summary:
The book Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Russell Freedman gives the reader an in depth look at the life of Franklin D. Roosevelt. This book cronicles the life of Roosevelt using interesting easy to read text with photographs to give the reader a sense of who this man really was. The story begins with his life as a young, rich child. Throughout the book a emphasis is placed on the important role his parents played in his life. The story progresses through his school and college life. It tells of his love and marriage of his fifth cousin Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. The story provides an in depth look into how Roosevelt got into politics and his rise in the political realm. It vividly describes Roosevelt's battle with polio; he never gave up hope. His battle with polio changed his life. Franklin Delano Roosevelt also shows the reader just exactly what life was like during this time. It gives vivid description of the Great Depression and what people were going through. The book chronicles the steps Roosevelt took to get to the White House, starting with being elected governor of New York. Slowly Roosevelt worked his way into the White House. From there Freedman tells of the many things Roosevelt did as president. He shows both the good and the bad sides of Roosevelt's presidency by describing how his critics fealt and why they fealt this way. Freedman makes several references to Eleanor Roosevelt's important role during Mr. Roosevelt's presidency. The book also looks at the president's feelings and actions both before and during WWII. Finally the story is brought to a close as Roosevelt dies at his Warm Springs Cottage. It is almost ironic that the president died while preparing for an upcoming speech. He was a very hard working and determined man. As one can tell from the pictures and accounts of mourners he was greatly missed. People loved him and he made everyone feal important. The book ends with a list of places to visit, a photo album, and a list of other books about Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Standards:
Lexile: 1070 - Appropriate Grade Level: 9-12
Author Credibility: Russell Freedman has written several award winning non fiction books. Freedman also cites the references he used in researching the material used to write the book in acknowledgments and picture credits. These references include: The Bettmann Archive, Library of Congress, National Archives, Wide World Photos, and people that helped along the way. Several of these people he acknowledges work at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and the Roosevelt home.
Summary:
The book Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Russell Freedman gives the reader an in depth look at the life of Franklin D. Roosevelt. This book cronicles the life of Roosevelt using interesting easy to read text with photographs to give the reader a sense of who this man really was. The story begins with his life as a young, rich child. Throughout the book a emphasis is placed on the important role his parents played in his life. The story progresses through his school and college life. It tells of his love and marriage of his fifth cousin Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. The story provides an in depth look into how Roosevelt got into politics and his rise in the political realm. It vividly describes Roosevelt's battle with polio; he never gave up hope. His battle with polio changed his life. Franklin Delano Roosevelt also shows the reader just exactly what life was like during this time. It gives vivid description of the Great Depression and what people were going through. The book chronicles the steps Roosevelt took to get to the White House, starting with being elected governor of New York. Slowly Roosevelt worked his way into the White House. From there Freedman tells of the many things Roosevelt did as president. He shows both the good and the bad sides of Roosevelt's presidency by describing how his critics fealt and why they fealt this way. Freedman makes several references to Eleanor Roosevelt's important role during Mr. Roosevelt's presidency. The book also looks at the president's feelings and actions both before and during WWII. Finally the story is brought to a close as Roosevelt dies at his Warm Springs Cottage. It is almost ironic that the president died while preparing for an upcoming speech. He was a very hard working and determined man. As one can tell from the pictures and accounts of mourners he was greatly missed. People loved him and he made everyone feal important. The book ends with a list of places to visit, a photo album, and a list of other books about Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Standards:
This book will relate to American History Standards (presidents, Great Depression, our involvement in WWII) and World History Standards (brief overview of WWII)
Illustrations:
Throughout the book photographs are used to display the life of Franklin D. Roosevelt. These photographs depict the different periods of his life. Captions under the photographs are used to describe what is happening in the picture.
Access Features:
Important access features in this book include a table of contents, an index, and author's notes
How I would use the book in my classroom:
I feel this book would be a great asset to a upper grade classroom's history research. If I was teaching this age I would have the students do research on several important presidents. The students could work in groups to research their president through reading. Another idea would be to use this book in a litature group discussion for a upper grade history class.
My reaction to the book:
I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it very informative. I learned so much about the life of Franklin Roosevelt. The thing that impressed me most was his determination. Especially with his battle with polio. He never gave up. He kept pressing on finally becoming the president of the United States. He was not a perfect man, but he did give it his all. Through his battle with polio he saw and showed me that you can not always do everything yourself, you sometimes have to depend on other people to help you. I also really liked how Freedman showed the reader Eleanor Roosevelt's importance to her husband and to the presidency throughout the book. She was very involved and had a caring heart for people. She was Roosevelt's eyes and ears. It was very interesting to read about how many of the things we use today got started. For example, social security, minimum wage, the FDIC, etc. These are all important asspects of our lives today and it all started with Franklin Roosevelt.
Related Texts:
FDR: A Biography by Ted Morgan
FDR: An Intimate History by Nathan Miller
Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox and Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom by James MacGregor Burns
Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal by William E. Leuchtenburg
The Age of Roosevelt by Arthur M. Schlesinger
Franklin D. Roosevelt by Frank B. Freidel
A full list including books related to the various times of Roosevelt's life is included in Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Russell Freedman.
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