Heroes for Civil Rights by David A. Adler

Illustrated by Bill Farnsworth. This picture book is a collective biography of thirteen civil rights leaders. Each profile is one page accompanied by a portrait of the leader(s). The heroes include familiar and not so familiar names. The Little Rock Nine and the Greensboro Four are also included. End pages include a chronology of events between 1953 and 1968. An excellent overview of the Civil Rights movement written in a way that will help children understand this tragic period. A nice addition for social studies / civil rights units. Grade 3- 8.

Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Weatherford and Cooper have combined their talents in a fascinating book about the life of Billie Holiday. The singer's life is told through 100 narrative poems that describe her life from birth until age 25. Born out of wedlock, her early years included rape, prostitution, drugs and more. The writing is strong and the powerful illustrations provide a feel for the times. The end pages list brief biographies of other musicians, a bibliography and a list of recordings. It is easy to see why this title won so many awards (CSK Honor, ALA's Best Books for YA's, etc). The mature content would make it appropriate for grade 8 and up so we need to discuss whether or not it is appropriate for our K-8 list. Your thoughts?

Boogie Knights by Lisa Wheeler

Illustrated by Mark Siegel. This is an engaging picture book about monsters pouring into a castle after midnight for the Madcap Monster Ball. The whimsical pictures accompany clever text such as "werewolves hustle, serpents samba, and wicked witches do the waltz." Meanwhile, the sleeping knights (brothers) who were snoozing start waking up one by one and go down to join the festivities. In the end, the knights close their "peepers" and dream of next year's monster's ball. Children will want to hear this title over and over again. It would be a terrific read aloud at Halloween. Grades K-2.

Wild Tracks! A Guide to Nature's Footprints by Jim Arnosky

Arnosky shows a variety of animals (domestic and wild) making tracks in their natural habitats. He features dozens of animal footprints, several of which are life-size. As students read about the tracks, they also learn more about the animals themselves. For example, "..small animals must feed daily, sometimes hourly, depending on the availability of food and the absence of danger." The book ends with reptile & bird tracks. The text is very readable and the accompanying pictures are beautifully done. This ALA Notable title is an excellent science resource that would interest students in grades 2 - 8.

Bird by Zetta Elliott

Illustrated ty Shadra Strickland.
A powerful picture book about sibling relationships, addiction, and loss. Bird, a young African American boy, is nicknamed by his grandad who recently passed away. He adores his older brother who becomes a drug addict and is banned from their house after stealing from the family. Bird struggles with his brother's eventual death but finds comfort through his art work and the help of his grandfather's friend, Uncle Son. The tale is a sad one but the ending is optimisitic. Uncle Son talks about the death of Marcus, Bird's brother, and compares it to when slaves died, "...when the body broke, the spirit went free..." I would use this with grades 3 and up due to the subject matter. It would be especially helpful for children who face addiction issues in their homes.

Wave by Suzy Lee

This beautiful wordless picture book tells the story of a little girl's day at the beach. The illustrations are done in two shades of watercolor - gray and blue, which makes the action of the waves really stand out. The young girl chases the waves, splashes in them and runs from them while seagulls fly overhead. This title would be great to use with young children as a discussion starter. It could also be used in a writing activity with older kids.

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Freeze

This is an hysterical tale about two boys, James and Eamon, who go to nature camp together. They stay at Eamon's grandparents house at night where the well-meaning grandparents try to interest them in educational activities. However, the boys will have none of it and spend their time at the beach or playing video games. Finally, on the last night they surprise the grandparents with a nature activity of their own. The book is full of delightful illustrations that kids will love. There is even a seashell activity on the end dust jacket flap. This tale of friendship and vacation would be a great read aloud for students before school gets out for the summer.

One Hen : How One Samll Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

Micro-lending is explained in this easy-to-follow story based on a real person from Ghana. Kojo uses a small amount of money from a village loan to invest in a hen.He sells the eggs to buy more chickens, then finances his education, becomes a chicken farmer, employs many people,and helps enrich his country. The bright whimsical illustrations all include African scenes and chickens of some sort. One hen is even dressed up and selling produce at the village market. In addition to the story narrative, there is an incremental text with each illustration: "This is the loan that Kojo gets...This is the farm that Kojo builds...This is the town that grows..." Easy enough for young children to follow, this book can also be used with middle schoolers. There is a section on the "real Kojo" plus information on what the reader can do to help and an excellent glossary.Great for 7th grade social studies.

She Touched the World: Laura Bridgman, Deaf-Blind Pioneer by Sally Hobart Alexander and Robert Alexander

Fifty years before Helen Keller, there was Laura Bridgman. She lost her hearing, eyesight, and most of her senses of taste and smell, to scarlet fever. An exceptionally bright child, Laura was taken at age seven to the Perkins School for the Blind, where she became the student of Samuel Gridley Howe. She learned to read raised letters (not Braille) and to understand and to "speak" language through finger spelling. Later in her life she was Annie Sullivan's teacher. This excellent biography will lead students to a better understanding of the deaf-blind and their accomplishments. The author herself is blind and somewhat hearing-impaired. Bridgman's story is told in a lively, readable style and is heavily illustrated with photographs and period illustrations. An index, bibliography, notes, and websites are included. Highly recommended for middle school. It can easily be paired with "Helen's Eyes."

George Washington Carver by Tonya Bolden

Published in association with The Field Museum in Chicago by Abrams. This is a picture book biography that is definitely middle grades in level. Excellent, clear discussion of the specifics of Carver's research and aims without talking down to the child audience. Lots of primary source illustrations and photographs, including reproductions of Carver's paintings made with his own vegetable dye paints. Has very neat end papers with floral designs.