Keeping Literature Lit with Mrs. B

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Stone, Tanya. 2009. Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream. Taunton, PA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763636111 Stone, Tanya. 2010. Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream. (S. Ericksen, Narr.). [Unabridged Audiobook]. Audible. https://www.audible.com/pd/Almost-Astronauts-13-Women-Who-Dared-to-Dream-Audiobook/B003ZVPPMY?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp&shareTest=TestShare (Original work published 2009.) PLOT SUMMARY This nonfiction narrative is about thirteen women who had to undergo grueling challenges just to show they were as good if not better than men.  During this time period in history, it was uncommon for women to work outside the home much less be involved in the space program. Women weren’t even allowed to do common things like rent a car, get a loan or play professional sports without a man’s signature. These women challenged the government, went through the training, fought against many that said they could not...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Kerley, Barbara.  2008.  What To Do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her father Teddy crazy! Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York, Scholastic. ISBN 9780439922313  PLOT SUMMARY This biography captures the life of Alice Lee Roosevelt, the oldest daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt, and the troubles she may have caused. The book starts by explaining that Alice’s mother died just two days after her birth and that she was a very strong-willed independent child. The book travels with her through her life as she rode her bicycle and roamed the streets of Washington. She did not like to feel like she could not explore the world just because he was President of the United States. She would go against the norm by continuing to ride her bike, drive her own runabout, betting on horse races, and even two-stepping until the early hours of the next morning. The biography ends with showing Alice marrying a congressma...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Jenkins, Steve.  2001.  What Do You Do When Something Wants to Eat You? New York, Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780395825143  PLOT SUMMARY This nonfiction book is complete with 32 pages total that include colored illustrations over each animal covered. Each page introduces an animal and leads the reader to ask “How do you think the animal can protect itself?” He starts the book off with an aquatic animal and moves to land animals and then back to the water. Some of the animals included in Jenkins’ book include an octopus, a lizard, a snake, a fly, a frog, and much more! The ending of the book stops with a question for the reader, “What would you do if something wanted to eat you?” CRITICAL ANALYSIS This nonfiction book is very captivating for young readers with its vivid illustrations using paper collages in a variety of colors to illustrate the animals. The illustrations were the first thing to catch my eye while looking at this book starting with the cover...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Tonatiuh, Duncan.  2015.  Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras. New York, Abrams Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781419716478 PLOT SUMMARY This nonfiction book tells the story and life of Jose Guadalupe Posada, a Mexican artist.  In the story, he is referred to as Don Lupe.  It highlights the ups and downs of his life. The book flows through how he began his career at a young age in art and his methods that helped him become famous. It shows his growth through the print-making process and how he was able to help local newspapers in his area. Throughout the book, it also highlights political cartoons that he drew which showed his thoughts and opinions on the Mexican Revolution. He also drew not only famous people but also his local friends. CRITICAL ANALYSIS First and foremost, the illustrations on the cover and throughout this book are very inviting and interesting for any aged reader. The colorful illustrations draw attention to t...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Lai, T. 2011. Inside Out & Back Again. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN: 9780545447850 PLOT SUMMARY This captivating story is set in 1975 in Vietnam, during the time of the war. Ha is ten years old and doesn’t quite understand why things are not as they always have been. Her everyday life as she knows it begins to take a turn as the Vietnam War gets closer to her home.  Her father disappeared when she was a baby during a military mission and they have had to live without a father in the house since then. Her mother is a strong-willed woman and had to work extra hard to provide for the family since her father’s disappearance. The family decides it is best to flee Vietnam with the war approaching them. Ha’s uncle is able to secure them a passage on one of the navy ships bound for Thailand. The journey across the sea is not an easy one with issues that involved rationing, spacing, and hygiene. As they come closer to being under attack, they are finally rescued by...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Hoberman, M. (1998). The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems. Ill. by Betty Fraser.  Florida: Harcourt. ISBN 9781415668382    PLOT SUMMARY This book contains a collection of 100 different short poems that stream across a variety of topics. There are poems that talk about food, birthdays, seasons, and more. The different poems offer different moods and feels as well, some are sad and gloomy; while others are upbeat and happy. The title itself “The Llama Who Had No Pajama” is actually a poem in the book as well and is about a little Llama who is upset because he continues to grow. When he grows, he now cannot fit his pajamas and doesn’t know what to wear to bed. In the end, he decides that he doesn’t have a need for pajamas because he is a llama and has enough fur to cover him. CRITICAL ANALYSIS I thoroughly enjoyed reading these poems. They are quick and simple, yet very engaging. Some poems flow to the point where you feel like you could sing i...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Engle, M. 2010. The Firefly Letters . New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC. ISBN: 9780805090826 PLOT SUMMARY In the beginning, Cecilia awaits to become the “translator” and sidekick for Fredrika Bremer as she visits Cuba from Sweden in 1851. She is greeted by Elena who will play hostess to Fredrika during her time in Cuba. Fredrika is unheard of among most common women as she is an activist and supporter who believes women should have the same rights as men. Fredrika wonders around Cuba with Cecilia at her side and occasionally Elena when she sneaks out to join them in their adventures. As the story progresses, Fredrika is wrapped with grief in knowing that child slavery is all too common, and most turn a blind eye to it. A friendship grows strong between Cecilia and Frederika, causing her to postpone her departure from Cuba as she feels a longing to stay and help take care of her and the newborn. In the end, she ends up working together with Elena on a secret plan ...