Yolen, Jane. Thunder Underground.

Yolen, Jane.  Thunder Underground. Boyd's Mills/Word Song     2017  30p $17.95  Hardback  ISBN 978-159078-936-0  pre K-elem      Poetry      E-BN

This collection of poems by Jane Yolen is beautifully combined with colorful illustrations by José Masse that will help the reader grasp a better understanding of each poem. As readers progress through the book they will learn about subway travel, tree roots, seeds, lava, moles and my favorites, underground rivers and spelunking. The final poem in the book ties all of the poems together for the reader and provides a satisfactory ending.
   

This is a beautiful poetry book that can be used at all levels of instruction. The poems are so lyrical and crisp that enjoyment is a certainty.  The book can be used in many ways in different libraries. It would be an excellent addition.

Summary: A collection of insightful poems by Jane Yolen that will inform young readers about what they can find underground. José Masse illustrates the pages with colorful supporting graphics.    

Nature, Poetry                                              --Linda McNeil

Lewis, J. Patrick. If You Were A Chocolate Mustache.

Lewis, J. Patrick.  If You Were A Chocolate Mustache.  Boyd's Mills/Word Song  2012 158p  $18.95  978-1-59078-927-8      elm/ms      Misc. VG-BNe    

Poet laureate J. Patrick Lewis’s book of children’s poems includes creative illustrations with each poem.  There are concrete poems, limericks, tongue twisters, riddles and plays on words.  Topics are varied.  With something for all young readers, this book is sure to entertain!  The topics of the selected poems range from school, zoos and roller coasters to animals, food and ghosts.  Illustrator Matthew Cordell aptly designs a visual aid that supports the text of each poem!  Humor abounds, especially in such poems as “Spotted Park Bench”, in which Lewis says, “I am a park bench.  Ordinary words cannot express my thoughts on birds.”  On a two-page spread, the reader sees a flock of birds “doing their thing” on a park bench!  In another, “Tuna-on-a-Roll,” a live tuna is driving down the beach, talking about how, even though his license is invalid, it beats being in someone’s salad!  Universagrams are both thought-provoking and clever, and baseball-o-grams are equally so.  “Limb-ericks” takes limericks to a new level in that they are all about body parts!  If a teacher hopes to interest young readers in poetry, this book is a must-have!  If a teacher hopes to find a new idea for promoting poetry-writing in class, this book will fit the bill!   Last, but not least, the book is one that can be read over and over again, and this makes it worth the price.       

Poetry, Word play                                    --Martha Squaresky

Urbigkit, Cat. The Guardian Team.

Urbigkit, Cat.      The Guardian Team.         Boyd's Mills Press            32p         $16.95  978-1-59078-770-0          2012      elm/ms                 E-BN                                          

This beautifully illustrated volume chronicles the partnership between an orphan burro and a pup as they become the guardians of a herd of orphaned lambs.     It is a delightful companion to Urbigkit’s Brave Dogs, Gentle Dogs: How They Guard Sheep.  This story begins with Roo, a year-old burro who became separated from her mother and the herd.  Adopted by a Wyoming rancher, she was paired with Rena, the runt of a litter of pups.  Together they became the guardian animals for a small herd of orphaned lambs.  Every aspect of this book works harmoniously with the others.  The photos are beautiful, and the growing relationship between the burro, the dog, and the sheep is a wonderful and heart-warming story.  As an informational picture book, this one cannot miss.  It is a delight for both the eyes and the mind. 

The author provides a note about the story, as well as bibliographical references.        

Livestock protection animals                                                                                                                      --Pat Naismith

 

Long, Heather. Queen of the Track.

Long, Heather.    Queen of the Track.  Boyd's Mills Press   unp   $16.95     

978-1-59078-850-9       elm/ms            E-BNe   Biography

Alice Coachman grew up in the early 20th century, when there was prejudice against blacks as well as against female athletes.  Despite adversity of all kinds, she entered the 1948 Olympics, jumped the high jump and won a gold medal. This is an excellent book about an African-American woman who did not let the times in which she grew up, the reality of racial segregation, or physical pain prevent her from achieving her goal.  Queen of the Track is all about high-quality literature for children.  The story is beautifully written, the illustrations are subdued yet detailed, and the layout is impeccable.  From the time a young reader sees the action photo of Alice Coachman jumping around the fields of Albany, Georgia, to the illustration of Alice on the podium with her opponents in 1948, the story proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that with hard work and determination, one can achieve success.  Not only did Alice face opposition because of her race and sex, but also from her own father, who did not want her to run and jump, because she had cooking, cleaning, cotton picking and child care to do.  Her destiny was written in stone, however, because in the seventh grade, a coach recognized her ability and sent her to the Tuskegee Relays, which she won easily.  A benevolent force in her community, she volunteered to deliver food to tornado victims of her town.  The drama, the yearning and the positive spirit come through, and readers of all ages will learn something new from this book.   When the king of England shakes her hand, the reader will smile, because Alice accomplished something in England that she was unable to accomplish in America in that era, namely the breaking of barriers between the races and full equality.

When dealing with such a lovely book, it is painful to mention that on a few of the pages, the text is difficult to read due to the background color.  However, this book is great for readers of all ages.  Elementary schools and public libraries must have a copy of this book.  As a biography, it shines!

-- Martha Squaresky    

Thomas, Peggy. For The Birds: Life of Rory Tory Peterson.

Thomas, Peggy.    For The Birds: Life of Rory Tory Peterson.      Boyd's Mills/Calkins Creek    40p   $16.95  978-1-59078-764-9  elm/ms           E-BN Biography   

The text in this exceptional biography of naturalist Roger Tory Peterson is sparse and well written, but it is the illustrations that make the book so outstanding.    They are extremely lifelike, vibrant, and in keeping with Peterson’s paintings.  Telling the life story of naturalist and bird identification guide creator Roger Tory Peterson, Peggy Thomas instills an immediacy and entices children to learn more.  Peterson's quirks as a child lead to his successes as an adult.  This volume explains how he became interested in observing wildlife, especially birds, and the ways he used his experiences to change the way identification guides were written.

But what really makes this volume exceptional are the illustrations.  Laura Jacques’ paintings are so lifelike and vibrant that they almost appear to be photographs.  Her paintings and drawings of birds mimic those of Peterson and almost fly off the page.

Put the illustrations and the text together, and what you have is a beautiful, memorable biography with a clear and resounding environmental message.  This is a must-have for all grades.              -- Joan Theal

Zimmerman, Karl. The Stourbridge Lion.

Zimmerman, Karl.  The Stourbridge Lion.   Boyd's Mills/Calkins Creek/Word Song      unp   $16.95      978-1-59078-859-2       elem        E-BN       

The Stourbridge Lion was built in England and transported to Pennsylvania, where it became the first steam locomotive to move freight in the United States. Coal from Carbondale, PA, had been getting moved on rail carts pulled by horses or mules to Honesdale, PA, where the coal was loaded onto barges destined for New York City.  The Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, from which the D&H Railroad would emerge, had the foresight to consider replacing animal power with steam to move the coal.  Although short lived, because the Stourbridge Lion was too heavy for the existing rails, this first attempt at railroad transportation proved to be the genesis for moving freight from coast to coast with steam locomotive power. The illustrations have a particularly subdued, nostalgic flavor that compliment the text of the picture-book format.  Any person interested in the history of steam locomotives will enjoy this book and will follow the suggestions for further reading that are listed.  It is too bad there is not an addendum for students who might wish to actually see a steam train in person.  Steam Town, a national historic site, in Scranton, PA, is a steam locomotive enthusiast’s dream, which is not mentioned in the book.                                                               -- Lois McNicol

Harrison, David L. Cowboys.

Harrison, David L.  Cowboys.  Boyd's Mills/Word Song  unp     $17.95    978-1-59078-877-6 VG-BN Poetry    

In Cowboys, poet David Harrison and illustrator Dan Burr team up for the second time to create a companion piece to Pirates.  Cowboys is a collection of 22 free-verse poems that brings the gritty experience of herding longhorns on the Chisholm Trail to life.  Cowboys drove cattle over the 1000-mile Chisholm Trail from Texas to Abilene, Kansas, for several decades, before the railroads, refrigeration, and increased numbers of settlers made this method of getting steers to market obsolete. The slim volume presents a fascinating first-person narrative about the hard life cowboys faced on the open trail.  Each poem offers a brief glimpse, often poignant or humorous, into a bygone era.

Burr’s compelling artwork encourages readers to pore over the illustrations’ nearly photographic details.  Grizzly bears, bunkhouses, dusty cattle, freezing rain, and rattlesnakes populate the pages. Portraits of the leather-skinned, weathered characters (as well as a few bargirls and a feisty cowgirl) will satisfy those who dream of the romantic, Wild West.  While stereotypes persist throughout the book, would-be wranglers will be pleased with it anyway.

“I loved the chance to write about decent people doing a dangerous job,” states Harrison in a recent interview (http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com...). Saddle up for some fine storytelling.                                       --Hilary Welliver

VanHecke, Susan Raggin╙ Jazzin╙ Rockin╙

VanHecke, Susan. Raggin╙ Jazzin╙ Rockin╙  

Boyd's Mills      2011  129p  17.95   978-1-59078-574-4  

ms/hs             E-BN  

This book discusses the origins of eight musical instruments that are vital to American jazz and rock music.      

The scholarship in this book is astoundingly good ... lots of detail on the origins and evolution of eight popular instruments, including the piano, the guitar, the electric guitar, the Moog synthesizer, drums, the Hammond organ, and the cymbals. 

In each section, the people who invented and developed these instruments leap

off the page as interesting, intelligent individuals, each of whom had a vision

and the willingness to work to make that vision a reality.  The photographs and

diagrams are very instructive and match the text perfectly.  The side-bar

commentary adds a great deal as well.  Notes, source notes, web sites and photo

credits are included, along with a useful index.

The ways in which historical realities affected the livelihoods of these musical inventors and entrepreneus -- immigration, wars, the Great Depression, illness, marriages -- will show young readers that some of the things we take for granted today represent years of hard work and sacrifice on the part of people like ourselves.     Kennedy, Carol