THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST by Sy Montgomery

Montgomery, Sy. The Tarantula Scientist. Ill. by Nic Bishop. 2004. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618147993

Attention all who are scared or indifferent to spiders, animals, and science in general.  I recommend you try The Tarantula Scientist by Sy Montgomery with photos by Nic Bishop.   This dynamic duo has collaborated on several projects any researcher would sacrifice their lap top to experience.   This expedition is no exception.   Nic Bishop's camera lens takes us up close and personal with the hairy scary creatures we call tarantulas.  Sy Montgomery conjures a documentary brew with generous amounts of 'interesting,' 'funny,' 'creepy,' 'gross,' 'weird,' and a dash of 'unbelievable!'   The result is most satisfying.  School Library Journal claims it "a treat even for arachnophobes."

This photo essay is recorded in 80 pages of magnificent color.  The bulk of the photos are from the rainforest expedition in French Guiana.  The study focused on the Goliath bird eater tarantula, a spider big enough to cover your whole face.  But for an animal that big, it is surprisingly understudied.  Sam Marshall is the scientist we follow through the rainforest and into his lab at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio.  His mission is to learn as much as possible about these creatures he loves so much and re-educate the public about these gentle, shy, and non-threatening arachnids.  Quoting Marshall, “They are just really interesting, beautiful animals, not horrible creatures.”

Being one of only four scientists of his kind, Marshall pretty much wrote the book on tarantulas, literally.  Two out of three books in the selected bibliography were written by him.  Other helpful access features include an extensive glossary cleverly disguised as "Spider Speak," a list of web sites for more spider information, and an index.  Each caption to the brilliant photos has interesting, brief, and relevant information.  There are well defined chapters and clear subheadings throughout, but no table of contents.  A large map of French Guiana follows the title page. 

Classrooms will be crawling with projects ignited by this book!  October is the perfect month to frolic in the plethora of Halloweenish genre and uncover the real truth about these misunderstood creatures.  I can just see Team Hagrid (spider lovers) and Team Weasley (arachnophobes) facing off with spider stories, spider art, spider video, spider costumes, spider food, spider facts, and any number of other spin offs. 

This Sibert Honor Book was also chosen as an ALA Notable Book, a Kirkus Editors Choice, and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, to name just a few of its credentials.  With a book so beautiful, scientific, and entertaining, you might agree with the Kirkus review, “It’s enough to make Miss Muffet fall in love.”

LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer

Krull, Kathleen and Paul Brewer. LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE, How Laughter Saved the President (And the Country). Ill. by Stacy Innerst. 2010. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780152066390

Another Lincoln biography?  Why not?  It seems we cannot get enough of Abraham Lincoln, so Kathleen Krull and husband Paul Brewer have written a short and unusual bio focusing on Lincoln's famous sense of humor.  LINCOLN TELLS A JOKE, How Laughter Saved the President (And the Country), is a title so intriguing, it's hard to resist.  Stacy Innerst's illustrations fit the subject matter with humorous caricatures in acrylics with gold and yellow tones hinting of aging documents.  The jokes and funny quips are highlighted with a cursive script slightly larger than the text font, so they are easy to spot. 

Some of the interesting events Krull and Brewer include bring to mind other Lincoln biographies. Lincoln’s struggle with paper clutter is spoken of in Martha Brenner’s Abe Lincoln's Hat (1994).  His first nonsense poem, (“Abraham Lincoln, His hand and pen, He will be good but, God knows when”) is also mentioned in Nancy Carpenter’s, Abe Lincoln, the Boy Who Loved Books (2003).  Two of the quips included were familiar to me, but I had not known they were attributed to Lincoln:  "You can't fool all of the people all of the time,” and "better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

 The story is organized in chronological order and points out how much sorrow and poverty accompanied Lincoln's life.  With the deaths of his mother, sister, and two sons, not to mention the thousands of deaths in the civil war, Lincoln was often emotionally overwhelmed.  Laughter was his way of coping.  Kirkus observes “it reveals the human side of an American icon in an unusual, lively and thoughtful way.”

The authors site  sources in their bibliography and note that the jokes chosen for the book were "from collections compiled by a variety of .people, often after his death."  The Krull-Brewer duo holds its own with other Lincoln bio award winners like the d’Aulaire’s Caldecott, Abraham Lincoln and the Newbery gold Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman.  It was chosen as a Smithsonian Notable Book for Children for 2010 and received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.  It also received nominations for a Cybil award and an ALA Notable Book.

Lincoln Tells a Joke provides a jumping off point for hilarity in the classroom. It would be fun to find favorite jokes of former presidents by writing to former presidents still living as well as the current president.  Researching other presidents to find other funny jokes or stories would send kids deeper into history than they might otherwise mine for a more serious objective.  Favorite jokes could be compiled in a large Lincoln hat and then later voted on to find the class favorite joke or quip.  Democracy and humor at its best.

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Jenkins, Steve, and Robin Page. What Do You Do With a Tail Like This. 2003. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0439704154

In a book line up showing covers only, What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? is picked as consistently as the best batter on the playground baseball team.  It has a crisp, uncluttered look.  The colorful cut paper collage art is set on a clean, white background that makes the pictures pop.  Visually similar to the art of Eric Carle, the design appeals to young readers, but the subject matter is a winner for curious minds of all ages. 

This concept book is organized simply and clearly in six sections, baiting our curiosity with a clever premise.  Dangling the noses, ears, tails, eyes, mouths and feet of different animals before our eyes, the reader is asked, “What do you do with a [body part] like this?”  This style sets up an interactive guessing game to identify the animal that belongs to each part.  Turning the page reveals the whole animal with a brief sentence that tells how that animal uses its body part   Of course there are plenty of surprises like ears on the knees, "seeing" ears, blood squirting eyes, and disposable tails.  At the back of the book there is more detailed information in a paragraph each for all 30 animals.  A miniature of the same art for each animal accompanies each paragraph for easy reference. 

Jenkins and Page cite no sources in this Caldecott honor winner, but the awards won and the reviews given speak well of the authenticity of the material.  Booklist’s starred review says “This is a striking, thoughtfully created book with intriguing facts made more memorable through dynamic art.”  I have found it to be a popular read aloud in my own kindergarten classroom.   The art is very appealing and the information is so interesting it sticks with the kids.  It supplements our unit on the five senses as well as our animal unit.  What do you do with a book like this?  Enjoy it!

YOUR OWN, SYLVIA by Stephanie Hemphill

Hemphill, Stephanie. YOUR OWN, SYLVIA a verse portrait of Sylvia Plath. 2007. New York:  Alfred A Knopf. ISBN 9780375837999

Audio book:

Hemphill, Stephanie. YOUR OWN, SYLVIA a verse portrait of Sylvia Plath. 2009. Read by Paul Beohmer, Cassandra Campbell, Mark Deakins, Robertson Dean, Susan Duerden, Justine Eyre, Kimberly Farr, Stephanie Hemphill, Rosalyn Landor, Ann Marie Lee, John Lee, Carrington MacDuffie, Arthur Morey, Kirsten Potter, Kate Reading, and Simon Vance. New York: Listening Library. ISBN 9780739380871

Before writing Your Own, Sylvia, Stephanie Hemphill immersed herself in the life and works of Sylvia Plath, and then resurrected her.  In roughly 200 poems of varying length, meter, and mood, Hemphill reveals to us our “own Sylvia.” Her poetry mimics Plath’s own style of free verse.  Under the titles of her poems, Hemphill tells us whose perspective the poem reflects and the date or year when the event or events take place.  She writes poems through the eyes of Plath’s parents, brother, best friends, boyfriends, college roommates, doctors, teachers, and husband, Ted Hughes, also a poet.  In the audio version, numerous voice talents read the poems to convey the varied personalities.  Additionally, Hemphill herself reads the footnotes that are helpful in fleshing out the real situations that inspired the poetry.

Though Hemphill makes clear that this is a work of fiction, I was awestruck by its feel of authenticity.   As I was listening to the book, a memory of a movie I had watched several years ago came to mind.  When I looked up the movie, sure enough, it was about Sylvia Plath.  Kudos to Ms. Hemphill for achieving her goal of painting a recognizable portrait of her subject.  She begins with a poem about Plath’s birth through the eyes of her mother, Aurelia Plath, and  then proceeds to reincarnate the major events of Plath’s life including her father’s death, her education, writing, depression and attempted suicide, her college years, her move to England, marriage to Ted Hughes, birth of their children, divorce, and suicide at age 30.  

Hemphill won the 2008 Printz Award and the 2008 Myra Cohn Livingston Award for this verse novel.   Clearly influenced by Plath’s talent, each poem contains the range of emotion that you would expect from such a passionate poet.  Each line is exquisitely chosen to reflect people with broad differences in culture, perspective, and depth.  Horn Book Magazine lauds it, “Completely compelling; every word, every line, worth reading.”

The audio version should not be missed.  Such masterful poetry deserves to be appreciated with the talents only professional voice actors can offer.  Unabridged on 4 discs, American and British performers grace this recording to give it the appropriate credibility.  Each voice is clear, and deliberate, but never forced or canned.  The volume level is consistent throughout.  Though the subject matter is heavy and sobering most of the time, the superb cadence of the poetry is engaging and not burdensome.

This novel in verse and its audio version are destined to be studied and appreciated by teens and adults for many years to come.  It has already ignited my interest in reading more about Sylvia Plath and her individual contributions in the literary hall of fame.  As Hemphill writes in “The Arrival of Poetry,” imagining Sylvia she writes, “She radiates language.  She will not be shut up, will not be eclipsed.”

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate

Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan. Ill. by Patricia Castelao. 2012. New York: Harper ISBN 9780061992254.

Audio book:

Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan. Narrated by Adam Grupper. 2013. New York: HarperFestival. ISBN 9780062285300

Here’s a great go-to for your reluctant readers.  The main character is a gorilla, and there is a new chapter (verse) on nearly every page!  What more could a kid want!  But trust me, there’s more.  Lots more.  In this 2013 Newbery and Bluebonnet winner based on a true story, Katherine Applegate has forged a tale as big as the jungle.  Don’t let the 300 pages scare your easily intimidated readers.  The story is told in verse with scant ink on each page.  But the diamond mined words are sated with story as dense as the rainforest.

Our protagonist, Ivan, a silverback gorilla, is the star attraction in a small, declining mall circus.  He narrates the story and relates his daily existence matter-of-factly.  He seems content (resigned) to his domain, his TV, his art, and his few friends who include a homeless dog named Bob, an ailing elephant named Stella, and a human child advocate (and fellow artist) named Julia. 

Ivan has long buried his memories of life before the cage until the arrival of a new baby elephant named Ruby.  Although Stella, the current performing elephant, is incensed at first that this usurper has been acquired, she grows to love Ruby as her own.  The conflict of the story grows out of a rash vow that Ivan makes to Stella in a time of desperation and friendship.  Even as he willingly makes the promise, he knows “It would be easier to promise to stop eating, to stop breathing, to stop being a gorilla.” But without flinching he says. “I promise, Stella.  I promise on my word as a silverback.”

In his quest to fulfill his promise, Ivan struggles to get out of the quicksand of his bromidic existence, to regain his silverback character as the ultimate protector.  Fraught with rich discussion themes of friendship, integrity, keeping promises, animal protection, courage, and sacrifice (just to name a few), The One and Only Ivan earns its place with the literary treasures.  Martha Parravano, in her July 16, 2013 review for Horn Book, calls it the “Charlotte’s Web of our time.”  Both children and adults can connect with its relevance, drama, and emotion.

The illustrations by Patricia Castaleo, though charming, neither add to nor detract from the book, in my opinion.  They are black and white drawings and seen sparingly.  The audio book, however, was for me an experience that I’m glad I didn’t miss.

 Adam Grupper reads each voice in the unabridged recording on 3 discs.  He captures each personality subtly but distinctly.  It is never hard to keep up with who is talking.  His voice as Ivan is so endearing that even a non-animal-lover cannot resist loving him.  The volume of the recording is very consistent, so I did not have to keep adjusting it to hear or tone down the dialogue.  The poetic imagery and cadence of the words complimented the personalities of the animals, so that they seemed human at times, but not too human.  Grupper’s performance of the material is definitely a plus for this book, especially due to the fact that a piece of poetry deserves to be read aloud.  Grupper’s reading enhances and enchants.  I recommend you not miss it either.

WHEN DADDY PRAYS by Nikki Grimes

Grimes, Nikki. 2002. When Daddy Prays. Ill. by Tim Ladwig. Grand Rapids:  Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0802851525

I was attracted to this title at first glance because I have a daddy who prays.  Hearing him pray, and the security it afforded me growing up, is possibly the most cherished gift of my childhood.  This book was chosen as “Best Children’s Book of 2002” by the Association of Theological Booksellers.  “With a decidedly Christian slant” (SLJ) Nikki Grimes captures the emotions of adult and child alike by her experienced word craftsmanship.

The first poem, “A Father’s Prayer,” is a prayer from the dad’s perspective, asking God to let his kids see their Heavenly Father through the actions of the earthly father.  The other thirteen poems are told through the eyes of the son, watching his father in everyday activities.  In the poem that shares the name of the book, the child recalls the sound of his dad’s voice when he hears him praying in the dark “through the door and wall.” I identified with this poem, recalling my own dad’s sonorous voice “that floats me off to sleep” when, in memory, I hear him praying in the next room with Mom.

I had to own the book for myself when I read the fourth poem, “Like Him.”  Tim Ladwig beautifully captures wide-eyed paternal idolization as the small boy stands before a full length mirror completely devoured in his dad’s extra large clothes.  He assures himself, “They’ll fit me one day.”  In the fourth verse, the boy kneels with his dad to pray.  The boy, eager to imitate, forges ahead with the opening line of the Lord’s Prayer.   But instead of saying, “Our Father who art in Heaven,” my heart strings pulled tight as he innocently rephrases, “Our Father, whose heart is heaven…” 

Nikki Grimes’ word paintings are perfectly echoed by Tim Ladwig’s bold, warm oils.   His colorful, realistic renderings of everyday life in an African American family are in a style reminiscent of Kadir Nelson’s work.  The rhythm and rhyme of Grimes’ poems are simple, yet varied, and perfect for sharing with audiences of all ages.  Her imagery is eloquent, but easy to understand.  Children would identify with the emotions of jealousy over a new sibling as well as the swell of making Dad proud.  Adults would identify with the worry over a sick child, and the dependence on God for countering evils that threaten family values.  Set a child on your lap and enjoy this gem of a book.  Kirkus suggests, “A unique offering for a family read-aloud.”  Or, just read it by yourself and feel yourself melting into its comfort.  There is plenty to entertain the eyes and ears, heart and mind.