How We Are Smart (Lee & Low Books, 2006). Illustr. Sean Qualls. This collective biography explores Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Multicultural in scope; educational in value. Great for prompting classroom discussion.
Magic in the Margins: Medieval Bookmaking (Houghton Mifflin, 2007). Illustr. Bonnie Christensen. Learn about how a medieval manuscript is made in the scriptorium of a monastery. Historically-researched artwork by Christensen lends authenticity to the work.
Tangletalk (E. P. Dutton, 1997). Illustr. Jessica Clerk. A bit of topsy-turvy set in colonial Boston. Great word play; exquisite illustrations.
The Year With Grandma Moses (Henry Holt, 1997). Enyoy this visual and textual tribute to American folk artist Anna Mary Robertson (a.k.a. Grandma Moses).
Till Year's Good End (Atheneum, 1997). Illustr. Christopher Manson. A look at Europe's Middle Ages through the "labors of the month." Informational text accompanies each month's read-aloud couplets.
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Dear Frank: Babe Ruth, the Red Sox, and the Great War (Gyroscope Books, 2012). Illustr. Hugh Spector. Historical fiction set in Boston during the last year of World War I, when a young Babe Ruth is pitching for the Red Sox. Unique epistolary or letter format, followed by an endnote of related reading. An excellent classroom text. And a recent Gold Award Recipient in the 2013 Literary Classics International Book Awards.
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Dragonfly: A Childhood Memoir (Gyroscope Books, 2010). The author reveals a rough patch in his childhood, growing up in Texas with a stricter-than-normal stepfather. Twenty-three tersely-written chapters move the reader through the sparse terrain, bizarre episodes, and strained relationships. Although provocative, Dragonfly does not portray graphically the harsh realities of the author's upbringing.
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| Every author that visits schools has his or her own set of stories to tell, but none funnier than the ones W. Nikola-Lisa tells in Hey, Aren't You the Janitor? And Other Tales from the Life of a Children's Book Author. A sure page-turner. An excellent read for teachers and parents, but also upper elementary and middle grades students. Read it first before you share it with younger students.
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