The Orphans of
Normandy: A true story of World War Two
by Nancy Amis. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2003. This illustrated
picture book chronicles a group of French little girls who
must flee their orphanage after the invasion of Normandy. The young girls were required to walk over one
hundred and fifty miles to a safer location.
Each illustration details their journey. The drawings emphasize the
kindest they received from strangers as well as the difficulties they experienced
on their way to safety. The drawings and French translations are so touching
and moving. Students in third to sixth grade would enjoy this book.
A Weekend with Renoir
by Rosabianca Skira-Venturi. Rizzoili International
Publications. Inc,1990. Told from the perspective of Renoir, the world renowned
impressionist painter helps the reader gain a sense of what it would be like to
work alongside him during the most successful time of his career. The
illustrations in this biography are a mix of both Renior’s classics paintings photographs,
illustrations and drawings from others of the time period so that the reader
can learn what it was like to understand his influences and lifestyle.
Jesse Owens: Fastest Man Alive by Carole Boston Weatherford.
Walker PublishingCompany, Inc. 2007. This illustrated biography chronicles the
struggles of Jesse Owens, an African American runner from the United States who
competes in the 1938 Berlin Olympics during the time of Hitler’s influence in
Germany. Jesse not only wins a gold
medal by defeating a German athlete, he was able to dispel Hitler’ philosophies
that the German Aryan race was superior to any other. This is an inspirational
story about a Southern African American man who lived his life struggling racism
in America and was able to scatter stereotypes on a world stage by proudly
representing his country. This is a great book appropriate for students in
fourth to sixth grade.
Marie Curie by
Leonard Everett Fisher. MacMillian
Publishing Company, 1994. This
illustrated biography documents the life
and accomplishments of Madame Curie from her early life in Poland to her days as
a gifted scientist. In the biography, the reader is able to learn about her
years as the first female student at the Sorbonne, and his discoveries of the elements
polonium and radium. She received many
awards for her accomplishments including the Nobel Peace Prize with her husband
Pierre Curie. This is a wonderful book for junior high school and upper
elementary students. The dark black and
white illustrations provide an eerie dynamic.
My Brother Martin by
Christine King Farris. Simon and Schuster, 2003. Christine King, the older sister of Dr. Marin
Luther King Jr. reflects on her childhood days with her brother the man would eventually grow up to become the famous
civil rights leader. She addresses the fun and loving elements of their
relationship as well as the struggles they both experienced growing up in a
very segregated community in Atlanta.
Written in a very gentle tone, this book would be used for younger
students who can learn about the
concepts of racism, family and goal setting.
One Yellow Daffodil by
David Adler. Voyager Books, Harcourt Inc, 1995. Morris Kaplan is a florist as
well as a Holocaust survivor. He lives alone
and has difficulty forgetting the most horrific time period of his life. Two
very kind young customers named Illana and Jonathan invite Morris to spend Hanukah with them and their family, a tradition that
he has failed to celebrate since his
childhood in Poland. After experiencing such an outpour of kindness from these
children and their parents, Morris is able to gradually embrace the holiday in
a new way. This is a compelling story
for fifth to sixth grade students. The illustrations are vibrant especially
those of the flowers which are symbolic representations of strength and hope.
Morris explains that while a prisoner at Auschwitz, he found a yellow daffodil
in the middle of such misery and has viewed it as a representation of life in a
world of despair. This is compelling and touching story about love, kindness
and understanding.
Taking Walls by
Margy Burns Knight Tilbury House, Publishers, 1992. This illustrated work take
readers on an informational tour of the various notable walls throughout the
world. Such examples include the Great Wall of China, The Western War in Jerusalem,
The Vietnam Memorial and the Berlin Wall. Each example has its own history and
story. The author notes that regardless of each walls unique culture, they all
serve a purpose to represent a larger unified human culture. By doing so, one
can learn to grow and appreciate the distinct histories of the world. The great
illustrations help to capture the essence of the authors vision. Students in
fifth to sixth grade would greatly
benefit from this book.
Brother Eagle, Sister
Sky: A Message from Chief Seattle. Illustrations by Susan Jeffers. Scholastic,
1991. In his address to the United
States government, Chief Seattle leader of one of the Northwest Indian Nations eloquently
describes the importance of nature and a respect for the land and environment
that we all inhabit. After European settlers overtake most of the land that
once belonged to the Choctaw, Cherokee, Navaho, Iroquois and Sioux populations,
Chief Seattle emphasized this idea to European settlers who more often than not
have difficulty understanding this philosophy. Wonderful illustrations to a moving
book can help students in second and third grade.
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